7 Woodworking Tips & Tricks You Really Should Know | Evening Woodworker 

Haha that's why we have so many!

I can be in an empty room and lose my tape measure

No kidding LOL. My favorite is when you're holding something together and you need to mark it, and your pencil is 9' away from you🤣. Then you have to drag your project and yourself across the floor trying to get to the stupid pencil before you ruin your perfect fit. 🤪

I always try to keep my pencil, tape measure and a razor on me when im working. Gotta make it a habit not to set it down where youre working

These tape comments got me busting up 😂😂 Also, that's damn genius. The mind blown clip is 100% warranted.

I do this and it is a great idea!

I just write on my bench

I use scraps of wood, but an electronic style of “boogie board” is fantastic for this and cheap. I got one that is about 10”corner to corner and it was less than $10 about 4 years ago. You write with a stylus and then just touch one button and it erases the entire screen; that’s the only downside is that you can’t selectively erase, it’s all or nothing. You can scribble something, but you can’t just erase one little piece.

I just use my phone

Sounds good.

I see we have similar work styles! 😀

Emanuel - That is me to a T.... and in between cleaning and reorganizing, when I actually DO build something, it's a jig or shop improvement. Stay 'busy' my friend.

@@richieprimoretro yes 🙌 the good ole Jig or Shop Furniture piece that will “one day” help me build something else. 😉

@@Mr.GucciClass1A me too..love working stuff out...never happy with the end result

I'm also obsessed with having a clean and organized shop. It makes me cringe watching some guys on RU-vid who have dust everywhere, tools scattered about, and just a general mess. even when working on a project I'm constantly cleaning up and putting things away throughout the day so my shop stays tidy and in order. I know I waste a lot of time that could be spent on productive work, but I'm happier while I work if my work environment is in order.

Oooo I like that blue tape one! I always end up sanding a ton to get rid of all the filler on the surface.

@@EveningWoodworker and when the tape measure gets snagged on a power tool and pulls your hips arm or leg into the tool and takes it off ... DUMBEST TIP EVER attaching a tape measure or ANYTHING to you and using while attached to you is the worst most unsafe a most idiotic idea ever ... it is how people lose limbs .. heck Americans eat Tide pods for bloody sakes they wont know enough to keep the tape measure away or out of power tools .... heck they can barely comprehend that they dont vote their leader in they just acknowledge the two options big business has put before them ..

@@0623kaboom How can the tape gets snagged on a power tool? I usually mark down my measure and put my tape aside BEFORE triggering my tool! I can't see the difference it makes to get a hard time either putting my tape back in its pocket and/or keep looking for wherever I put it because I was too lazy to put it back in my toolbelt! 🤨

Dang, taping before the brads is going to help a lot. Some things are so logical you wonder how you never thought of it. Thanks!

@@randyspencer5664 He fries bacon naked to avoid getting grease spatter on his shirt.

Well done thankyou good tips

I am pretty sure projectfarm disproved this myth about tape measures.

I'm shop foreman in our workshop and I always try to teach guys to ease the tape back in instead of letting it snap back like in the video. Over time it will actually bend the tip to the point a tape can be out 3 or even 4mm. Can't tell you the amount of times I've had guys tell me something was cut too small only to measure it with my own tape and find it spot on. Then you ask to see their tape and it's all kinds of ruined.

@@zuilok As a retired machinist, I can say that they do vary, and by a good bit. We had to have ours calibrated by the inspection dept before we could use them. Most of the time for woodworking they are just fine though.

Also they can inflict nasty cuts if there is a small nick or anything and they retract quickly. Don’t ask me how I know 😂

@@jackthomson73same!! Last time I ever do that!

Yes that was the best tip.

Yes but there is always a great chance that while retracting it can cause cut to exposed body areas.

Good advice. Any favorite brands?

@@tvienti I actually bought Hart tapes. I know, I know, Walmart house brand. But I compared them against my Milwaukie tape and they're pretty dead on accurate. Maybe 1/32ths difference over 10ft, which is good enough for most of us not designing spaceships. Plus, the pack I bought was maybe $12.99, if memory serves. I probably wouldn't buy a table saw there, but sometimes the cheap stuff from Walmart or Harbor Freight is exactly what you need.

@@timothymbess Well, there goes the spaceship I was going to build in my basement.

@@timothymbess Fortunately most of my marquetry that needs sub-32nds accuracy is under 10' and we can fall-back to the flat-bed LASER cutter if necessary. For the rare 100' circassian walnut deck, I just use GPS. /satire

@@timothymbess - I myself down through the years since I was a youngster, have just dabbled in woodworking for building projects just for my own use, or for my own family's use, though I do sometimes build a project for a relative or a friend. So therefore I generally don't need an expensive table saw. (Though it would be nice to own such an item). After buying many other off brand cheap table-top table saws over the years of which generally didn't last very long, (two of them lasted until I got them home, turned them on and tried to rip an 8 ft. 1X4.). I finally decided to give it one last shot. Back in 1998, I had a project I needed to do, of which called for more than just the use of a circular saw. Well, all I had was my old trusty Black and Decker metal encased Circular Saw that cost $19.99 back in the early 1970's (which I still have, and of which still works just fine). So, I decided to buy another cheap table-top table saw from Walmart for that project. Yes. It was a cheap brand by the name of "Black & Decker" that cost a whopping $139.99 at that time. Well, guess what, I still have that cheap $139.99 Black & Decker Table-Top Table Saw, and it still works just fine, and you wouldn't believe some of the abuse I have put it through including cutting odd-shaped and bent and twisted logs for use in the wood stove every winter. One time I was at Home Depot and had the money to buy an expensive Table Saw. It had all the bells and whistles on it that I would ever need. The only problem was, that I didn't have my pickup truck that day, and was riding as a passenger in my daughters small car and there was no way I could have got that huge table saw (let alone leaving it in its shipping box), in that car., and Home Depot wanted another $250.00 for home delivery to my house (round trip to my house and back from that home depot was over 150 miles). Just buying that table saw alone would have wiped out my funds (it was almost $700.00). Well, my daughter and my wife refused to let me buy that table saw as they said my wife needed another washing machine instead as hers was about gone-over-the-hill after 15 years of use, so they took the money and went to the local appliance store and bought my wife a new washing machine and that appliance dealer delivered it for free. Oh-Well, So much for ever being able to buy and own an expensive table saw, I'll just continue to use my old trusty cheap $139.99 Black & Decker table-top table saw. At least it still works and is still hanging in there after all these years for everything I need to use it for. Am I complaining or whining? Not a bit. I'm just kindly informing you that sometimes even a cheap table saw will work and last a long time.

Thanks! Glad it's still providing some benefit!

Only issue I have with that tip is the more you let it snap back into the tape the more the rivets start to let go then the tape tip starts to move more throwing measurements off. Will work fine if you dont just let it go and guide it back

Glad it helped!

It's awesome! You don't have to just let it go, but it definitely looks more dramatic!

I have a little reel that holds my pencil that I use this way too. Saves a ton of time, and you don’t break pencils nearly as much putting them into a little pocket on your belt

Me too! I'm getting lots of good ideas for features.

and you are at the table saw band saw miter table lathe etc and the tape measure gets snagged ... and poof you are now the project piece ... NO NEVER attach a tool to your person to be used ... while it is still attached .... same reason why the shop teacher never wore a tie ... of had long chains hanging down his front ... they get caught you lose bits ... BASIC shop safety ... attaching a tape measure to you to be used is the WORST STUPIDIST MOST USELESS AND DEADLY TIP EVER

No snappy snappy. Finger pinching/slapping whip...and rough of your tools. Especially for a precise measurement.

That's a great tip!

Tape measures rarely measure the same. I have, in the past and continue to use ONE tape for ALL measurements. Learned this in a machine shop. EVERY tape varies. In its zero and at various places along its length. Framing on a cut station, this rarely matters. The differences are minor from one tape to another. In furniture fabrication, they can be the difference between success and utter failure.

@@valdo345jr absolutely. I only use one tape measure as well. Only problem is everything still has big gaps 😅

Don't let your tape snap back hard it will start to wear out the holes that hold the tip on making your tape measure less accurate over time. You can also check your tapes against each other from time to time to make sure they all read the same.

@@Jim-hk6rd that theory has been pretty much debunked my Steve Ramsay.

because american made tape measures SUCK for quality ... they all have excessive play on the end ... THIS is where the main error comes from the other ... the printing process is NOT 100% accurate it is off by a few thousandths of a inch ... and over distance this adds up FAST ... third a tape measure is JUST a rough measure NOT the be all end all of measuring tools ... treat it as such ... if you want an accurate measurement use a metal ruler ... they do come in very long lengths and are MACHINED to Millionths of an inch ... and are square on every side ... so they also make a perfect straight edge ...

Allowing your tape to snap back as shown in the video will soon effect its accuracy as the hook end gets pulled away a bit each time. Not noticeably for drywalling or framing but cabinetry yes.

Tune and calibrate your tape and calibrate with your others, use burn an inch method, and don’t use a framing tape for finish work.

^ Plus: If the diagonal corner distance on the cut pieces is wider than the fence to blade distance you have a full-fat kickback hazard. Grab a push stick to get them clear instead of using your hands.

@@ConorMasterson And add a sacrificial backer on the miter gauge. It would allow you to push the cut piece clear of the blade. No?

Thank you! That's what I'm trying to do.

True, you can always slow it down with your thumb... unless you're trying to be dramatic!

guyontheblackchair The tab on the end of a standard tape measure has to float 1/16 of an inch. Which is the exact thickness of the tab that one hooks the end of a tape measure to the end of a board to measure for a cut. If one needs to measure the width of a door opening, the outside of the tab is placed on the inside of the opening. The tab slides toward the case of the tape measure. The tab is actually the first 1/16 of an inch of the opening.

I believe that remark to be unsubstantiated. Way over 60 years in woodworking and as yet never seen any fluctuation with any tape due to popping it back. That is kinda like having a 64th measurement, who can even see one?

@@mightyporky Well, I've seen them torn right off. The light flimsy tape measures are more likely to break than the well built name-brand ones. A friend of mine broke two of them and still has not learned not to do it. His comment was, "they are cheap, I'll just buy another one." So I guess it comes down to abusing your tools are taking care of them. It's up to the person using them.

40 + year carpenter...absolutely correct on letting the tape measure snapping back...seen many novices ruin a good tape measure in a rather short amount of time...

@@paparoysworkshop ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z9En0WAsP8A.html....If as you say a friend broke two. the friend sure is extra rough on tools

@@markbrake6877 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z9En0WAsP8A.html.....I might believe it if I saw it but we both know better

Those are some great features! I'm gonna have to come back to this comment when I build mine!

This is one thing that has always bothered me. Of all the woodwork videos I’ve watched ... ohh, I need to make another sled for this. I don’t know what I did with my list but I wrote down all of the possibilities of a sled and just need to figure out how to make it all work. One thing I saw, after my plan, was the only reason to have a second sled - different saw kerf But then I’ve also seen an insert to make that adjustable also.

Let me start by saying I've watched an unhealthy number of crosscut sled videos on RU-vid. The best zero clearance solution I've seen by far is on the Microjig MatchFit crosscut sled. Rather than just making it replaceable, they make it interchangeable so you've got one for a thin kerf, another for a dado stack, another for a full kerf blade, etc. Four small screws release the insert and you can change out in seconds. It is genius.

@@StormGod29 I think that Microjig crosscut sled is beautiful. I guess it was semantically the same in my mind as what I meant by saying "replaceable" vs. "interchangeable", so I apologize. It does seem to need a lot of custom hardware for it though. I really like using t-track since I can use a 1/4" bolt just fine. The nice thing though, you get to make your crosscut sled truly your own! Also, in the Microjig video I saw, the guy never truly established his cross cut sled fence 90 degrees to the blade. It may very well be accurate, but it does bring up a great point. @The Evening Woodworker, you should look into the William Ng's 5-cut method. I was able to get my sled accurate to 0.003" over 25" off of a perfect 90. A bit overkill, but super nice to trust a cross cut sled to be accurate.

I like to make jigs for various tasks. I have a really simple jig/sled for cutting keyway slots in the outside of mitred picture frames (of course, also works for any mitred joint). I’ll often use a contrasting wood for the key just to show off the joint rather than hiding it. I’ve also made a jig/sled for the table saw for making dovetails - I have a couple of factory-built router dovetail jigs, but I prefer to vary the sizes to give a more hand-made effect. (I know, I know, for the purists, it’s only handmade if you use a handsaw and chisels)That’s great if time is of no consequence). I also use my Bosch sliding mitre saw to make larger dovetails in heavier material i.e.: 2” thick (set the depth and either tilt the blade or set a mitre angle depending on pins or tails). It’s great for making large table legs (6x6 or 8x8) out of 2” material, dovetailed on 4 sides. Hmmm….maybe I should make a video…. I was pretty proud of myself for designing and building these functional jigs. Until I came across numerous ones on youtube that were very similar (I built mine before I had internet). Guess I wasn’t so smart after all…

Thanks man! Just gotta spread the tips around to everyone!

That's great! ...that way you can just get the one you need!

Dittos. Saves time to have your “notes” right there. 👍🏼

I just leave whole wrench sets all over the place.

@@EveningWoodworker here's a tip you maybe did not think about - your affiliate links promote a union busting company that fights against human rights.

True if you do it a ton. I usually release it slowly, but doing it fast makes it so much more dramatic!

It took over a decade for the tip to tear off on my Stanley. I was bummed when it finally failed.

Steve Ramsey just did a test where he snapped the tape measure 10,000 times before it broke

What about Callum B's reference to Steve Ramsay? Any truth to it?

That's why three are Brakes ! On it !

The end is supposed to slide on those rivets, the holes are slots. Letting it free spool back into itself can damage the slots and increase the length of the outside measurements. Just want to clarify since some people think the hook is supposed to be stationary and they hammer the rivets.

Yep, I was going to comment the same thing about damaging the end of the tape measure.

Some times the monetary increase in efficiency is worth far more than the cost of a new tape measure. Plus there are some tape measures I have seen that have a shock absorbing material that prevents the end of the tape measure from slamming to a stop just for that reason. Does not mean that distortion due to impact damage will not happen but it will take a lot longer before the tape measure needs to be replaced. Like all things, it is a balancing act between profit and cost. In this case it will mean far more extra profit than the cost of a new tape and the old tape can still be easily used where great accuracy is not necessary, like framing walls and assembling beams that will probably be trimmed and planed before installation anyway.

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-z9En0WAsP8A.html Steve from woodworking for mere mortals doesn't agree.

Steve Ramsey (Woodworking for Mere Mortals) tested this recently. He let a tape slap back thousands of times. It did not affect the accuracy.

Haha! Thanks man!

Couldn't agree more!

Thank you sir!

Yeah I end up doing that a lot... I usually don't let it slam back in though!

Thank you!