RichC | March 13, 2022
When it comes to workshops, tools, jigs and helpers, we all have our go-to favorites and my 35 year old featherboard is no exception. For years now, I’ve told myself that I was going to make a new one since this was just a quick temporary one (like the miter saw hold down below), but […]
RichC | February 1, 2022
For a soon to tackle project in the woodworking workshop, I tinkered with my older plug cutter in order to hide the heads of a few drywall screws. For a test, I used contrasting wood just to see how much gap there was going to be – it looks as if it will work. To […]
RichC | December 22, 2021
It has taken me a long time to cut into the outfeed table that I added to my Delta table saw in 2019, but I’ve finally added “the notch.” The spacing between the often used Shopsmith band saw and my lumber rack has always been tight … so tight that I’ve found myself angling it […]
RichC | December 12, 2021
After years of collecting a variety of tools and “tool” parts (bits, blades, etc), I’ve noticed that the mish-mash of storage containers have become even more interesting as the actual items being stored and saved (click photos for larger). Here are a few photos with a variety of storage items in a Where’s Waldo (or […]
RichC | December 8, 2021
Since part one of a couple of blog photo posts will be pubic and not include family, I’ll archive it first. I finished (hopefully) the NINE trailer loads of leaves I mulched and raked in the front yard this year. Oh for the pre-Global Warming and now Climate Change days of burning leaves rather than […]
RichC | November 6, 2021
The Ridgid brand of cordless tools have been my choice for the home workshop for a few years now and until this past week I have had a positive experience. Earlier this year Ridgid even replaced a couple failing batteries under the LSA (Lifetime Service Agreement) … BUT now this brand of choice is a […]
RichC | October 13, 2021
When it comes to tools in the workshop, there are a few of them that I keep at arm’s length or in a small toolbox. The same goes for kitchen utensils and products. One of my favorites, if not thee favorite, is GLAD Press’n Seal® wrap (mentioned year’s ago when I still had a Keurig). […]
RichC | July 18, 2021
Good news and bad news. First, my relatively new (2018) smaller Ridgid tool battery will not hold a charge for very long … which has been my gripe with all previous battery powered “cordless” tools, especially those prior to Lithium Ion. Actually my complaint was not with the batteries, but the pricing of replacement batteries. […]
RichC | July 15, 2021
After seeing this photo of someone workbench screwdriver holder, I don’t feel quite as bad about my multiple tool boxes and workbench racks. Without a doubt, I do have my share of tools and gadgets, but I’m not sure how many screwdrivers it is necessary to have in one holder? The Facebook photo above aside, […]
RichC | June 17, 2021
After repairing our iRobot pool sweeper last week and figuring out how to hold a “behind the riveted new screen” tiny nut in place (after I dropped it!) … I happened to see Adam Savage’s model building recommended tool (mention him an his testedcom before) and “just had to have it.” In the photos above, […]
RichC | April 24, 2021
There’s not much a tools and gadget guy like me likes more than getting something new for my workshop. After breaking a bit in my cheap-ish countersink a few weeks ago (probably imported from China), I opted for a new Montana Brand Tools which are a USA-made set rather than just buying a new cheap […]
RichC | March 13, 2021
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RichC | February 24, 2021
After setting up my router for better, cleaner and easier woodworking dados last week, I started thinking about something better than using my table saw’s stock miter gauge for making “coping” style end cuts on the router table. Beside a $220 commercial Coping-Jig (left), there are hundreds of homemade plans on the Internet to do […]
RichC | February 16, 2021
It is time for a little more research on better dust and chip control in my basement workshop. Brenda can deal with the noise and giving me a place to escape, but she is not fond of the dust that makes its way upstairs – those with basement woodworking workshops know what I mean. I’ve […]
RichC | February 10, 2021
We received a surprise snowfall on Monday night this week and it caught most of us, including the weather people and snowplows off-guard. Brenda worked until close in Oxford, Ohio and it took her nearly an hour and a half to drive home .. no salt on the roads and very few snowplows were out. […]
RichC | February 6, 2021
Now that I have my new DeWalt DW735x planner working (and stored) in the pool detached garage with my ShopVac, I’ve been contemplating a better "chip separator" so that the filter doesn’t plug up so fast. I’d love to have a bigger system, but really just need to build my own cyclone separator with a […]
RichC | January 20, 2021
It is common when woodworking on a bench to use some kind of vise or clamp to hold down a work piece. For longer boards I’ve always used either a couple of clamps on each end or my home-built vise and square hardwood bench dogs. (below) BUT … I’ve envied woodworkers who have 3/4” holes […]
RichC | January 17, 2021
In keeping up with lithium battery powered tools, those of us who have married into a brand have our reasons (battery warranty in my case).In reading most of the comparison literature and write-up websites, Price and warranty aside, I would probably choose Milwaukee (and have for a couple 110 volt wired tools) as a rechargeable […]
RichC | December 5, 2020
About a year ago I ordered two more bottles of Titebond III wood glue online (had great success using it for a fence repair), and on a whim I added a goofy looking Titebrush glue brush. I honestly expected it to get boogered up with dried glue and that I would soon be back to […]
RichC | November 29, 2020
Don’t tell anyone, but while shopping for “my” Christmas gift from Brenda (below … and yes, she sent me out to get it). So … I added a Ridgid 18V USB charging attachment for my inconvenience. Ha! After returning home, I tried it out, but for the record, I didn’t open my actual gift. So […]
RichC | November 21, 2020
Personally I don’t want my tools looking like this, but I do admire the effort and creative talent it takes to do this. It does remind me of my grandfather who always painted the handles of his tools bright red .. I still have a couple of them. Also the new relay arrived for the […]
RichC | October 13, 2020
Thrifty or maybe frugal is the word choice that I use, but occasionally “cheapskate” might be a better fit? I’ve used a 3-speed Jet Tools Air Filtration System to clean the air in my basement woodworking workshop to reduce the amount of dust. It works reasonable well but suspect a lot of dust still makes […]
RichC | July 25, 2020
It looks like Ridgid has a great new tool (I have a few other ones), but at $79, it seems like a lot of money for the ordinary handyman homeowner to spend for an 18-Volt 10 oz Caulk Gun? Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to at least looking at tools the next time I stop in […]
RichC | April 28, 2020
My wife and kids think I should be working for Ridgid Tools as I have been extremely happy with their cordless tools of late. I have updated my old NiCad driver and drills with newer Lithium based brushless tools and they are so much better. A big thank you continues to go out to Katelyn […]
RichC | April 24, 2020
A couple weeks ago I mentioned that our brightly color cardinal enjoyed “looking at himself” in our window’s Canary cam – he was probably looking for a mate. Now that he’s found one … he seems to be avoid her; she is likely checking his usual haunts and asking “where is he?” I suspect there […]
RichC | April 9, 2020
Last week while continuing to s-l-o-w-l-y work on the bookshelves and painting project, in-between outdoor yard cleanup and cutting the lawn for the first time in 2020, I also used the frame cutting miter jib previously mentioned. It is amazing just how much more accurate this set-up for my table saw crosscut sled is over […]
RichC | March 29, 2020
This is a two-purpose post: A woodworking (sort of) bookshelves project archive update and shared information on a jig I made. First, the bookshelves and music room/ library painting coming along slowly. I’m bogged down with putty, sanding and painting after adding a strip light shield (wood to hide the LEDs that I’m planning to […]
RichC | February 18, 2020
Here’s a Twofer Tuesday archive from a couple weekend photos on my phone: First, I tried to use Brenda’s grandfather’s handmade, and well worn, antique miter box to cut a couple pieces of trim .. but ended up using my powered Hitachi sliding miter saw to clean up the cut instead (I did use his […]
RichC | February 4, 2020
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RichC | February 1, 2020
I’ve used tape measures for decades both when working in construction (summer job) and for hundreds of home improvement projects .. YET never really knew why the 19.2" on center diamond mark was on tapes. Most building codes mandate that studs be spaced 16 inches apart, so the tape will help you stay on the […]
RichC | January 23, 2020
It has taken years, but I’ve finally decided to move my woodworking bench dogs from the tool tray (see below). A bench dog is an accessory used on a woodworking workbench to allow clamping of wooden items while being worked or planed. Ever since building my work table and vices with bench dogs back in […]
RichC | December 16, 2019
December is here … and the snow arrived last night (snow 9 years ago), although it isn’t anything drastic, just peaceful and quiet. Actually the heavy snow surprised me considering Sunday afternoon was relatively pleasant and I was in the home theater watching Sunday Night Football (Bill beat the Steelers). When the game was over, […]
RichC | December 10, 2019
After posting a photo of a table saw crosscut sled a couple weeks ago, I finally decided to finish the one I had been planning. In part because I had some extra 1/2” white finished plywood (I didn’t want to use the heavier 3/4”) and in part because I needed to cut a bunch of […]
RichC | November 24, 2019
While I was suppose to be cleaning up and throwing away junk that has taken over some of my basement woodworking shop, as usual ended up sidetracked in making a few jigs for my upcoming projects AND reorganized a couple of cabinets that were buried under boxes and clutter on a back wall. I moved […]
RichC | September 7, 2019
After giving away my “newer” Poulan chainsaw to the hard worker we hired to stain our fence this summer … so he could clear our neighbors fence line and stain his fence too … I replaced it with a low cost Arborist climbing and limb cutting saw without paying attention to the month-plus delivery timeframe […]
RichC | September 3, 2019
The approaching hurricane kept my attention this Labor Day weekend (writing this for Tuesday on Sunday) as there was really nothing I could do to prepare the condo in Delray Beach or our boat Encore (in the water) in preparation for the approaching storm. Likely when this posts, we will either have dodged a bullet […]
RichC | March 6, 2019
Back on what would have been my dad’s birthday, I posted a photo of my new Ridgid work light hanging on his old toolbox. The toolbox was one of those items of my dad’s that both my brother and I wanted when we were going through our parents belongings – I ended up with it. […]
RichC | January 31, 2019
In my workshop there is a spot on the wall behind dad’s small drill press and my router table for old tools. As mentioned before, I use Brenda’s dads’ dental tools regularly and have put a few of DadH’s woodworking tools on the wall – it is too bad I passed on the dental chair. […]
RichC | January 24, 2019
Today would have been my dad‘s 90th birthday. Here is something he would have enjoyed… With it being so cold this week, it was a good time to be working in the basement workshop in the evenings. Besides working on getting my Hitachi Miter Saw fitted to my workbench and dust collection for a new bookshelves […]
RichC | December 30, 2018
Twice this past week I used medical instruments in my workshop. The first repair was to use a non-needled syringe to suck out some moisture in a pump switch … thanks Brenda, it was handy (although I have used them before “with a needle” for delicate parts lubrication). Second, was to use the surgical instruments […]
RichC | December 12, 2018
The final piece of converting our 2010 BMW X5 35d from run-flat tires to normal tires is now complete … a temporary spare. Unfortunately, I’ve lost much of my "under the rear floor" storage area (below), but have the security knowing that I have a spare tire and the tools to change it. The only […]
RichC | October 16, 2018
While sharpening my chisels and practicing my hand-cut joinery last weekend, I remembered that I added a "new to me" wood chisel to my tool roll when sorting tools from my late father-in-law’s barn. It was too large for the current project, but looks as if the steel might hold an edge better than my […]
RichC | October 14, 2018
Eleven years ago I replaced my noisy 1980’s 2-cycle John Deere brand "heavy" string trimmer with a much quieter 4-cycle Troy Bilt trimmer (Pony TB465SS). Both were, and are, used heavily as I’ve always had acres of yard to tend. At first glance it was obvious that the John Deere "back in the day" was […]
RichC | October 3, 2018
If you use your battery powered drills as much as I do and are suffering with something a bit older than a couple of years, it is time to check out the new lithium powered tools. I can’t tell you how pleased I am with both my slightly older Craftsman Drill and Impact driver and […]
RichC | September 18, 2018
In recent years, I’ve added a few corded Ridgid tools to my workshop or traveling trunk. I’ve owned a favorite reciprocating saw for about 10 years now and still find it my absolute favorite (also have an old Makita). Because I’m so fond of it, I’ve added an orbital sander which gets use very often […]
RichC | March 15, 2018
In preparation for an upcoming project that I would usually rent a wet saw for tile cutting (Home Depot’s price is $26/day), but this time I decided to buy a cheap one on sale for $49 at Harbor Freight. I’ve never been impressed with the well used ones I’ve rented in the past, nor am […]
RichC | December 9, 2017
In a discussion on a Facebook group that I belong to regarding using compressed air tools and moisture control, I shared my budget solution. It really doesn’t do anything to "dry" the air coming from the compressor, but the simple gravity "separator" likely help a little when using shop tools. My biggest issue is that […]
RichC | August 13, 2017
The older I get the more often I stumble on items to include in my book, "Things To Buy When You Are Young" … or at least one that I’m slowly putting together and working on. I’ve fumbled with woodworking most of my life and to be fair, have purchased or been giving my share […]
RichC | July 27, 2017
Hagerty (the classic car company) posted an article talking about essential tools to keep in your car that I wanted to archive. I’ve always kept tools in my car along with odds and ends and even fluids like antifreeze, oil and brake fluid. The problem I face is keeping the correct tool in the right […]
RichC | January 13, 2017
A few of these screwdriver hacks are not necessarily new, but could be helpful if you are ever caught shorthanded for the right tool. I’m particularly fond of using the wrench and screwdriver together (above left) as even with a full set of wrenched and sockets, there are a few oddities preventing wrenches from […]
RichC | June 25, 2016
In rounding out and connecting the dots in a couple previous posts, I’ll summarize with a short post and what happened. When reinstalling the brake caliper slides the other day on the BMW X5 35d, I snapped off my Craftsman branded hex socket when tightening down the slide. It was careless on my part as […]
RichC | June 22, 2016
The tools my dad had were for the most part Craftsman (Sears) … and the sockets and ratchets that I have are almost all Craftsman … and the set I gave to for Taylor are as well. Interesting thing … even though I have a couple broken sockets and ratchets, I’ve never tried to return […]
RichC | May 17, 2016
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RichC | April 4, 2016
In order to start working on the BMW X5 35d upgrades this weekend, I ordered a set of "star" sockets known as E-sockets. I picked up the larger set partially because I wanted the plastic storage box … and the Torx bits (already have "some") came with it — Amazon’s price with Prime shipping was […]
RichC | March 1, 2016
I tinkered with my portable bandsaw this past weekend by adding a small table in order to make a couple delicate and more accurate cuts. I was planning to add a hinging mechanism (still might) to use as a cut-off bandsaw for metal bar and tube stock. For now, the bandsaw and small wooden table sets up […]
RichC | February 16, 2016
One of the tools inherited from my dad’s workshop was his small tabletop drill press. Unbeknownst to me, there is a wobble after mounting a bit. I removed the chuck and it looks as if that is the problem … tried to test the arbor and don’t think it is off??? This is a backup […]
RichC | November 24, 2015
After cleaning out the garage workshop to prepare for my woodstove addition, I removed the drawing table/desk area that I added when I was building the Sonex airplane (no longer needed since selling my project). The desktop was almost a perfect fit for the corner area in my basement workshop so I put it in […]
RichC | November 22, 2015
The first time I tried to use my relatively new Sea-Dog Impeller Puller and it FAILED. Really bumming that the threads seized at first use and I had to resort to the needlenose pliers again. As soon as I applied a little torque to the T-handle, it froze in place. No amount of heat or […]