I like shop infrastructure videos, hacks and tools to make woodworking easier, and actual woodworking projects. This video was one of those videos that can actually help.
Note about something in this video he mentioned throwing away box cutter blades please put all of your sharp metal discardable blades into cut resistant containers like empty thick detergent bottles and lable it or recycle it and the metals bin at a recycling center to prevent accidental injuries to waste management workers.
Most of those boxes also work as receptacles as you take new ones out (look closely!) So that would be option #1, but yeah #2 is a generic old detergent bottle with a quick sharpie label (because you will lose the box and need somewhere to chuck it)
As for the playing cards. The best part is now you can use all those decks of cards that are missing one or two. My favorites of this video is the playing cards and wax paper. I also use those black spring paper clips.
Suddenly all of the two to three inch long straws that I used to find in my dad's floorboard and glove compartment make sense. I even understand the white caulking residue in the tips. Thanks again John!
You can also use masking tape on the clamp base to avoid glue drips with glue-ups. Also, I use a lot of string with "trucker knots" for clamps. Also, get a no-set saw to cut those dowels absolutely flush with very little sanding afterwards.
Those playing card hacks are great. Syringes are also perfect for transferring small amounts of liquid and filling gaps with epoxy. You can buy blunt needle tips for them too for extra control. Great vid all round.
Hey John! love your videos. Several useful items.... Hang onto plastic soup containers from your local Chinese restaurant -- great for small quantities of finish or for cleaning brushes. Don't use them for anything containing petroleum distillates - they will melt/dissolve. Next - old prescription bottles - I use these for keeping sawdust to fill in mistakes or gaps. Drop some into a bottle and label for later use.
I like videos like this, Tips and tricks that a lot of people don't know. Its the experience that teches us. You could use a syringe for pulling some finish out of the can instead of a straw or even transport if you get ones with caps. Yes more expensive than straws but i think a better alternative.
That's such a good idea with the razor blade in the vise for cutting rags. I have a 5 gallon bucket filled with old shirts that I need to make into rags. I'm def gonna be clamping a blade in my little vise to rip through those.
Great list, I'm buying some tongue depressors right now to use as shims. To add to your list, I always keep scrap cardboard lying around to use as a temporary surface to prevent damage or drips on my workbenches. I also use it like you did for preventing clamps from causing damage.
I have a magnet for retrieving nails and screws from sawdust, and also made a box with mesh screen in the bottom for sifting out non-ferrous items. I apply automotive paste wax on my clamp bars, not too much, so glue won't stick, and on tool tables to make wood glide across easily.
1/3 of my box cutter blades in up in a box cutter, I use them for everything, I usually have a couple stuck to a magnet until they get dull past the point of usefulness. Though I put a bit of tape over the blade before tossing them ... had one poke out of the trash bag and gash my leg pretty good one day wrestling with a 30 gallon overstuffed bag
John. I normally just enjoy your videos regardless of content or whether I learn anything because I l just straight up enjoy you guys. But that wax paper trick on the clamps blew my mind. I actually ruined my bar clamps for my cutting boards and panel glue ups, not to mention the black residue left on my cutting boards which didn’t alway come out because some of them were end grain and it somehow soaked into the end grain using the glue as a medium. The razor blades and leftover drawer liner (which are both sitting in my bench doing nothing) are clutch tips as well. I can use the drawer liner for my coffee tables when I finish sand them. So regardless of the comments telling you to “make more woodworking projects” I enjoy all of your videos. I get these type of videos, they’re fun and easy to do and get views and revenue. I’m ok with that. Big Wood working projects (when you do enough of them) are time consuming and tough without having to record EVERYTHING. You, Cam and 4 eyes are my go to wood working channels. And WWMM. Keep it up.
Don't forget single edge razor blades. They're a heck of a lot sharper than a box cutter blade and there are handles to keep your fingers on you hand. One of my favorites is the gasket scraper. When I lived in a state that had window registration stickers the gasket scraper could get down between the glass and dash to get the damn thing off the glass. Single edge razor blades are far better than utility blades to cut edge banding.
Wait! That boxcutter blade trick should help me get the paint off of that lil drawer thing I have. The paint is chipping and I wanna scrape it off. The very lose stuff I was able to get off with a different tool but there are some places where it still sticks. Oooh, I'm excited, I hope it works then I can finally finish that refurbishing project 💖.
I agree with other comments, do so woodworking, or show us some more of your sawmill, or do something. Even the videos that you recreate somebody elses project.
Nice suggestions thanks for sharing. Have used most of these in some fashion accept for the straws. I'll use various size metal paperwork type spring clamps to quickly clamp thinner items in place, such as the card stack shims. They as well as clothes pins come in handy for such things.
I keep a plastic container or an old plastic jug in the shop to dispose of my sharps (aka razor blades). Keeps them from cutting open the trash bag and from someone getting hurt.
Crayons will work but crayons are also most of the time oil based products so it can become a task to make it disappear off of a surface and the dye in it can leave the color
The straw where you seal the ends there is a safer way of sealing it. You can take your pliars and heat them up ans crimp the straw ends to seal them too so you can have flammable finish in the straw as well
Here is one for jobsite guys. A hand mixer (cake mixer). I have been using one for years to mix 5 min mud and anything else I need done fast. 2 blades fit perfect in a mud pan but you can always just use 1. gives you a perfect mix every time.
or a corded dewalt drill with a concrete mixer, thats what most contactors use. would take too long to mix a full bucket with egg beaters. plus you couldnt mix actual concrete with a cake mixer, too many rocks. my dewalt even struggles with that a little.
Hold the cards with a gumband. LOL When I say gumband around here (Md) people give me a weird look with the HUH? Oh, and don't even try to get some chipped ham.
Instead of jamming a bunch of straws in your vacuum, it's easier to just wrap a piece of screening around the end. I used a worn out drywall sanding screen and an extra vacuum tip. Works well for ANY solid tip for your vacuum, and it's a great way to reuse something that would usually just get thrown away.
"What are we making next?" I've been fighting with building a Super Checkers board. I'd love to see how you'd attack it. The angles are kicking my butt! It's not your everyday chess/checker board.
Re the razor blades tips: Most thicker plastic drink bottles with a wide mouth (like Gatorade/etc) make a perfect sharps container. (A sharps container is found in medical/lab facilities to hold waste needles/etc.) Throw a bottle on your bench and deposit spent razor blades in it. When it's full, it's safe to throw in the trash. :)
Not only the tongue depressor/popsicle stick but a pack of round and flat toothpicks. They work wonders for helping fill in stripped screw holes and very minor shim duties.
Awesome John. That's so cool. Thanks so much. Can't wait to see more updates an projects and many more videos soon my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Fab On. Weld On. Stay squirrely. Keep Making. God bless.
NEVER EVER JUST THROW YOUR BLADES OR ANY SHARPS IN THE TRASH!!!! best practice is to make a sharps bin and throw that whole container away once it's full. It's very dangerous for anyone that has to handle trash to have loose sharps! PLEASE BE SAFE!!!!!
Piggybacking on the popsicle stick/ tongue depressor is chop sticks! Personally, I use a fork or spoon (it's 2024) for eating Chinese food, but will ALWAYS grab and save chop sticks for similar uses as your popsicle stick.
Nice video there John a knew about most them but was still good to find few things didnt no about. Although when saw plunger abd turkey baster at the start was intreeged!😳 One a use allot especially having kids is clean youghart pots normally big ones great for holding little bits of stuff in and using as finishing cups. 👍🏴 Need build video though dude!!🤔
Dangit John I’m going to be that guy. 5 things you need in your shop? Start with woodworking projects. What the real OG’s all came here for. These gimmicky Tik Tok trends are dominating your page lately because it’s turned into just a click chasing factory.
First video of his I've watched in a while. Alot of his recent ones are tik tok trend videos and of no interest. This one is atleast woodworking adjacent, but still. I agree.
Well fellas I’m glad I’m not alone. I doubt John will see this is or care. But he’s going to lose his originals eventually. Like I assume most of you are, I’m on the fence. I just hope he gets back to what got him here. The big builds and the craftsmanship videos. Not dam pallet returns and Tik tok trends.
You could also just bend the straw back and tape it on each side but you still gotta pray the whole drive you have enough and wonder why you didn’t just take a pint sized can
Thinking about it : to complement the chalk, I wonder if anyone ever tried charcoal stick for pale wood. Those can be found in art supplies shops at very affordable price.
I just started watching this. I have done all of those techniques with the plastic straws many times before and they do work great. But unfortunately, I am highly allergic to plastics. I can't even have those straws in my home. And if I do use them, I would have to wear a mask and that won't help much either. :( But I do suggest that people try them.
Even better option than the wax paper is silicone backing paper off vinyl. Go to your local sign maker and ask for some. It can’t be recycled so they will happily give you it. Depending on the sizes they stock and work they do, they could have it up to 1600mm wide and metres of it. The silicone coating prevents the glue from sticking and drips from glue ups, once dry, just flake off so you can use the paper again. Save on buying wax paper when you can get this backing paper FOC
Instead of using the lighter to burn the straw directly, you could use the lighter to heat up the needle nose pliers, and once they are hot, then you can squeeze the plastic straw with them.
I like shop infrastructure videos, hacks and tools to make woodworking easier, and actual woodworking projects. This video was one of those videos that can actually help.
Note about something in this video he mentioned throwing away box cutter blades please put all of your sharp metal discardable blades into cut resistant containers like empty thick detergent bottles and lable it or recycle it and the metals bin at a recycling center to prevent accidental injuries to waste management workers.
Most of those boxes also work as receptacles as you take new ones out (look closely!) So that would be option #1, but yeah #2 is a generic old detergent bottle with a quick sharpie label (because you will lose the box and need somewhere to chuck it)
As for the playing cards. The best part is now you can use all those decks of cards that are missing one or two.
My favorites of this video is the playing cards and wax paper. I also use those black spring paper clips.
I’ve always been a fan of the box cutter blade in the hand. You get more dexterity and precision with all kinds of work.
John, one more for the chalk, use it on your files in your metal shop, help keep the filings from sticking and much easier clean up of the files.
Suddenly all of the two to three inch long straws that I used to find in my dad's floorboard and glove compartment make sense. I even understand the white caulking residue in the tips. Thanks again John!
Every time I asked my dad about them he would just tell me to "just shut up" or "what are you? a snitch" while wiping his nose. I miss you Dad...
You can also use masking tape on the clamp base to avoid glue drips with glue-ups. Also, I use a lot of string with "trucker knots" for clamps. Also, get a no-set saw to cut those dowels absolutely flush with very little sanding afterwards.
That counting cards trick for spacing was new to me, and worth the rest of the tips ive seen recycled in other videos.
These are good for any shop, not just a wood shop. I have all of these around my for activities too!! I am a sculpter here in PGH, all these apply!
Those playing card hacks are great. Syringes are also perfect for transferring small amounts of liquid and filling gaps with epoxy. You can buy blunt needle tips for them too for extra control.
Great vid all round.
my grandpie lovess your videos, hes been woodworking as a hobby and says hes always got something to learn watching yours vids :) ❤
Hey John! love your videos.
Several useful items.... Hang onto plastic soup containers from your local Chinese restaurant -- great for small quantities of finish or for cleaning brushes. Don't use them for anything containing petroleum distillates - they will melt/dissolve. Next - old prescription bottles - I use these for keeping sawdust to fill in mistakes or gaps. Drop some into a bottle and label for later use.
Bicycle tubes make good Bandy Clamps, and bike shops have plenty and are happy to get rid of a dead tube or 2
The wax paper over the can works not only for paint but for any can that you want to protect what is in the can from air
I like videos like this, Tips and tricks that a lot of people don't know. Its the experience that teches us. You could use a syringe for pulling some finish out of the can instead of a straw or even transport if you get ones with caps. Yes more expensive than straws but i think a better alternative.
I liberated a handful my used syringes from when I had infusion therapy. They only had saline solution, so a little distilled water cleaned them out.
That's such a good idea with the razor blade in the vise for cutting rags. I have a 5 gallon bucket filled with old shirts that I need to make into rags. I'm def gonna be clamping a blade in my little vise to rip through those.
We all have that week. The rain and cold coming is wreaking havoc on us without us realizing it.
Great list, I'm buying some tongue depressors right now to use as shims.
To add to your list, I always keep scrap cardboard lying around to use as a temporary surface to prevent damage or drips on my workbenches. I also use it like you did for preventing clamps from causing damage.
We use straws at work with a shop vac to vacuum out the concrete holes for anchors
I have a magnet for retrieving nails and screws from sawdust, and also made a box with mesh screen in the bottom for sifting out non-ferrous items. I apply automotive paste wax on my clamp bars, not too much, so glue won't stick, and on tool tables to make wood glide across easily.
1/3 of my box cutter blades in up in a box cutter, I use them for everything, I usually have a couple stuck to a magnet until they get dull past the point of usefulness. Though I put a bit of tape over the blade before tossing them ... had one poke out of the trash bag and gash my leg pretty good one day wrestling with a 30 gallon overstuffed bag
My grandpa and I make knives in our home shop and I can guarantee we go through so much wax paper and popsicle sticks for every build. Love it!
John. I normally just enjoy your videos regardless of content or whether I learn anything because I l just straight up enjoy you guys. But that wax paper trick on the clamps blew my mind. I actually ruined my bar clamps for my cutting boards and panel glue ups, not to mention the black residue left on my cutting boards which didn’t alway come out because some of them were end grain and it somehow soaked into the end grain using the glue as a medium. The razor blades and leftover drawer liner (which are both sitting in my bench doing nothing) are clutch tips as well. I can use the drawer liner for my coffee tables when I finish sand them. So regardless of the comments telling you to “make more woodworking projects” I enjoy all of your videos. I get these type of videos, they’re fun and easy to do and get views and revenue. I’m ok with that. Big Wood working projects (when you do enough of them) are time consuming and tough without having to record EVERYTHING. You, Cam and 4 eyes are my go to wood working channels. And WWMM. Keep it up.
I love it when YT content creators have Writers Block, you end up with videos like this..
Add Silpat baking tray liners/silicone pastry mats, and silicone pastry brushes for easy flake off dried glue
Cut that straw on the diagonal, use that to clean up inside corner glue squeeze-out.
My kids really want you to do a 3 levels video for kids work bench
Don't forget single edge razor blades. They're a heck of a lot sharper than a box cutter blade and there are handles to keep your fingers on you hand. One of my favorites is the gasket scraper. When I lived in a state that had window registration stickers the gasket scraper could get down between the glass and dash to get the damn thing off the glass.
Single edge razor blades are far better than utility blades to cut edge banding.
Wait! That boxcutter blade trick should help me get the paint off of that lil drawer thing I have. The paint is chipping and I wanna scrape it off. The very lose stuff I was able to get off with a different tool but there are some places where it still sticks. Oooh, I'm excited, I hope it works then I can finally finish that refurbishing project 💖.
I agree with other comments, do so woodworking, or show us some more of your sawmill, or do something. Even the videos that you recreate somebody elses project.
Please
Nice suggestions thanks for sharing. Have used most of these in some fashion accept for the straws. I'll use various size metal paperwork type spring clamps to quickly clamp thinner items in place, such as the card stack shims. They as well as clothes pins come in handy for such things.
I keep a plastic container or an old plastic jug in the shop to dispose of my sharps (aka razor blades). Keeps them from cutting open the trash bag and from someone getting hurt.
I use old tire intertubes to put on clamps for DIY bandy clamps
I keep a thick plastic straw in my tool box at home. They are perfect for pulling spark plugs that are deep in the engine.
We used waxed paper on the old metal kiddie slides. Sit on the waxed paper and slide down and the slide became faster!
Crayon also works well for marking rough slabs and doesn't run off easy
Crayons will work but crayons are also most of the time oil based products so it can become a task to make it disappear off of a surface and the dye in it can leave the color
The straw where you seal the ends there is a safer way of sealing it. You can take your pliars and heat them up ans crimp the straw ends to seal them too so you can have flammable finish in the straw as well
Here is one for jobsite guys. A hand mixer (cake mixer). I have been using one for years to mix 5 min mud and anything else I need done fast. 2 blades fit perfect in a mud pan but you can always just use 1. gives you a perfect mix every time.
or a corded dewalt drill with a concrete mixer, thats what most contactors use. would take too long to mix a full bucket with egg beaters. plus you couldnt mix actual concrete with a cake mixer, too many rocks. my dewalt even struggles with that a little.
You really carry around a cake mixer but not a drill? Maybe carry around the beater head and put it in the drill chuck but why the entire mixer?
@@alyssa2242not that big and it’s cheap enough to sacrifice incase a ton of mud gets on it
The tips with the cards are great.
With the rubber band over the tin you can rest your brush on it, instead of leaving it lying around or in the tin itself
Use chalk to absorb moisture like a descant bag. Side walk big chalks are better for this option!
Tou can use popsicle stick to fill a Gap in a base glue up painel, It Works great .
Wait wait wait. @1:45 Why are we lighting the super flammable straw full of Rubio? Please tell me you didn't create a mini fireball.
He did say it doesnt work with flammable finishes, so im assuming hes not using a flammable finish
Great tips!! I’ve used the cards a few times as well as the drawer matting.
Hold the cards with a gumband. LOL When I say gumband around here (Md) people give me a weird look with the HUH? Oh, and don't even try to get some chipped ham.
Great list! Thanks for sharing.
Such great ideas. Thanks!
Bonus tip for the box opener have one blade to clean off glue on the pipe and bar clamps
Such cool tips, I really like the ones about the straws!
Bring back woodworking 😢
A medical syringe has a ton of uses also with glue/finish.
John really nice stuff today.
Instead of jamming a bunch of straws in your vacuum, it's easier to just wrap a piece of screening around the end. I used a worn out drywall sanding screen and an extra vacuum tip. Works well for ANY solid tip for your vacuum, and it's a great way to reuse something that would usually just get thrown away.
Deck of cards going in my tool bag
"What are we making next?" I've been fighting with building a Super Checkers board. I'd love to see how you'd attack it. The angles are kicking my butt! It's not your everyday chess/checker board.
Re the razor blades tips:
Most thicker plastic drink bottles with a wide mouth (like Gatorade/etc) make a perfect sharps container. (A sharps container is found in medical/lab facilities to hold waste needles/etc.)
Throw a bottle on your bench and deposit spent razor blades in it. When it's full, it's safe to throw in the trash. :)
Not only the tongue depressor/popsicle stick but a pack of round and flat toothpicks. They work wonders for helping fill in stripped screw holes and very minor shim duties.
“Works well in a pinch” while clamping… Saw what you did there. 😃
Awesome John. That's so cool. Thanks so much. Can't wait to see more updates an projects and many more videos soon my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Fab On. Weld On. Stay squirrely. Keep Making. God bless.
hey John should have use a gum band to hold the cards together.
John "the builder" Malecki
Please build more stuff ...
You also used to be able to use wax paper st the Mammoth Park Big Slide. Lol. A little bit of Westmoreland County knowledge.
Totally awesome!!!🎉
I want to give it a second thumbs up for the Buddy Hackett clip.
The people need another 3 levels video
How about a potato peeler. Wonderful for shaving thin bark and wood strips
My dad used binder clips to hold papers on a clipboard. Much easier to remove with dirty fingers!
Instead of straws or razors I always used a chisel to clean up the inside of glue ups ^^
Mason brushes work great in the shop i like using tools from other professions in wood working that you wouldn't think of
“…a little bit of a film on there..” Citizen Kane ?! Hahahahah 😂😂😂
NEVER EVER JUST THROW YOUR BLADES OR ANY SHARPS IN THE TRASH!!!! best practice is to make a sharps bin and throw that whole container away once it's full. It's very dangerous for anyone that has to handle trash to have loose sharps! PLEASE BE SAFE!!!!!
Yep I've. Made that to many times😂
Box cutter blades is a really good idea
Piggybacking on the popsicle stick/ tongue depressor is chop sticks! Personally, I use a fork or spoon (it's 2024) for eating Chinese food, but will ALWAYS grab and save chop sticks for similar uses as your popsicle stick.
Pro tip..for voids in slabs and using epoxy, use a syringe to fill it as deep as you can go. Then you just wash it out and you're good to go.
A 3cc syringe filled with wood glue and a 16g or 18g needle is excellent for filling crack/checks in wood before clamping.
another great video!!!
Your really clutching at straws with this one 😂🤣😂
Soapstone is a great alternative to chalk
Nice video there John a knew about most them but was still good to find few things didnt no about. Although when saw plunger abd turkey baster at the start was intreeged!😳 One a use allot especially having kids is clean youghart pots normally big ones great for holding little bits of stuff in and using as finishing cups. 👍🏴 Need build video though dude!!🤔
Love the Buddy Hackett clip :)
I use paperclips alot also😊
Thanks for the info.!!
Another good use for the razor blade is to use it as a ninja star to help defend the shop against intruders both foreign and domestic.
Dangit John I’m going to be that guy. 5 things you need in your shop? Start with woodworking projects. What the real OG’s all came here for. These gimmicky Tik Tok trends are dominating your page lately because it’s turned into just a click chasing factory.
I just wanted to write that same comment.
First video of his I've watched in a while. Alot of his recent ones are tik tok trend videos and of no interest. This one is atleast woodworking adjacent, but still. I agree.
Couldn't agree more. Let's see some quality wood working content
I, too, was going to write this same comment. Very disappointing video.👎
Well fellas I’m glad I’m not alone. I doubt John will see this is or care. But he’s going to lose his originals eventually. Like I assume most of you are, I’m on the fence. I just hope he gets back to what got him here. The big builds and the craftsmanship videos. Not dam pallet returns and Tik tok trends.
You could also just bend the straw back and tape it on each side but you still gotta pray the whole drive you have enough and wonder why you didn’t just take a pint sized can
Thinking about it : to complement the chalk, I wonder if anyone ever tried charcoal stick for pale wood.
Those can be found in art supplies shops at very affordable price.
Love your videos
straws in the vacuum machine... great!!!
I re4ally like your hat.
I’m digging it brother!
Love these! I’ve been using lollipop sticks (that’s what we call them in the UK) for years, they’re so helpful.
I’m definitely using the wax paper tip. My clamps are covered in glue drips and I’m not looking forward to scraping that all off. Ugh!
Thanks
Straws for pigment let's you eyeball ratios
was curious about the straw tips...... unfortunately plastic single use straws have literally been made illegal here in the uk
I just started watching this. I have done all of those techniques with the plastic straws many times before and they do work great. But unfortunately, I am highly allergic to plastics. I can't even have those straws in my home. And if I do use them, I would have to wear a mask and that won't help much either. :( But I do suggest that people try them.
That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard someone lie about
Great video, I do use playing cards but they are a bit thin. Do try old/expired atm or ID cards as shims😉
You can also use cards in the shop to play a quick game of Poker, War or Cribbage with your buddies. Just be sure to use the deck with 52 cards😉
Even better option than the wax paper is silicone backing paper off vinyl. Go to your local sign maker and ask for some. It can’t be recycled so they will happily give you it. Depending on the sizes they stock and work they do, they could have it up to 1600mm wide and metres of it. The silicone coating prevents the glue from sticking and drips from glue ups, once dry, just flake off so you can use the paper again.
Save on buying wax paper when you can get this backing paper FOC
Use tongue depressors in a pinch... I saw what you did there
Instead of using the lighter to burn the straw directly, you could use the lighter to heat up the needle nose pliers, and once they are hot, then you can squeeze the plastic straw with them.