Don’t have kids. One might be okay, but with two or more they will fight anytime you think you might go to the shop and thus you can’t get to your tools. Even if the shop is in the house, sharp tools and fighting kids should not be near each other.
Seriously, nothing is better than time in the shop. Tricks can be helpful, but most are things you could think of yourself.
Those japanese pull saws are the bomb. So much easier than the traditional type of hand saw.
I just got one and I love it. I’ve made some amazingly straight cuts but one or two still go at an angle. And once that happens I don’t know how to redirect it.
For two sided CNC machining, dowel pins are your friend. Its easy to drill pin holes in your fixture piece and your part so when you flip it over its precisely located.
Easy way to make line up a dowel joint: tape a finishing nail to one board and press the other board against it. The nail head leaves an impression that will match on both boards.
You know that thing where you glue two boards and then when you press them together they slide all around? I just add a few grains of salt into the joint and then they never slide. But be careful not to use too much or you will dry out the joint. Like literally three or so grains of salt.
Did it need to be salt, or anything granular would work?
It’s easy to clean wipe-on poly off your hands if you use some canola oil. I always forget to wear gloves- oops.
Sidebar: use vegetable oil also to clean sap from your skin.
One guy told me to run my hand through my hair. He even added “I swear I’m not fucking with you, I won’t even watch you do it.”
Can say it does work. Doesn’t necessarily clean the pitch off your hands but it helps and makes it not sticky so you can go about your day.
I can see that. Probably our skin oils working the same way as the veg oil.
When you have a project in mind, look for new tools but never buy the one that would be sufficient to your usage.
Always buy the one for professionals, as it will force you to think about good excuses when your wife finds out.