Rack-in-waiting
When outfitting my shop in preparation for the show, I made a few extra cabinet bases and placed them along the wall. These “benched” bases turned out to be perfect for storing short pieces of lumber and as racks for longer boards. And when I need storage relief, the boxes can be quickly put into play by adding doors and drawers.
Honing hardware to fit
Stamped hinges are often bowed across the face or distorted around the screw holes. This can complicate mortise layouts and can even interfere with precise installation. To correct problems before they occur, I hone my hardware before layout. Running the bottom face over a sharpening stone or mill file quickly identifies and then flattens minor bows or bumps.
Old dogs, new trick
Brass isn’t as hard as steel, but it is still hard enough to dent wood. To protect finished edges from bench dog damage, I affixed strips of leather with contact adhesive to the checkered face. This “muzzle” provides a non-marring, nonslip face, much like commercial slip-on collars, but mine won’t slip off and run away, even when the dog is set flush with the benchtop.
