Found a Use…

[Jim Koepke]

For very thin shavings.

While sitting on a stool driving some dowels into a chair, the glue started running out. I looked and realized that I forgot to bring a rag to my work spot. There were a lot of shavings on the floor. Picked up a few and they worked as good as a rag at wiping up the glue.

Thick ones just do not do as good a job.

So, for those who say they never found a use for thin shavings, now there is one.

jtk

[george wilson]

Thin shavings are also used for burnishing completed wood turnings in the lathe. I haven't done it. Some do.

[Brander Roullett]

Thin shavings are also used for burnishing completed wood turnings in the lathe. I haven't done it. Some do.

Every time I turn, I finish the sanding with a handful of shavings in my hand pressed to or held around the work. gives it a great surface.

badger

[Richard Jones]

Also great for "rags" when stripping/refinishing furniture...........

R

[george wilson]

Of course,I ONLY use a wood lathe when I'm PAID to.:) Messy machines.

[Gary Herrmann]

Yeah, George they are. But for some of us, it's our favorite tool in the shop.

[Bob Jones]

Until now my favorite use was fire starter and compost. I may have to try them as rags.

[Tony Shea]

Great fire starters for sure, their main use in my small shop. But my favorite use for fine shavings is for burnishing my projects. I don't turn, yet anyways, and still love to use shavings for finishing my peices. They work excellent for the final rub, after the smoothing plane, and without any type of film or oil finish (natural state). I also use them for polishing up a shellaced project that just needs to have that nice satiny sheen to it. Shavings are probably my favorite finishing tool/technique that I use in my shop.

I never even thought of using them in place of a rag during a glue up. I will have to give them a shot, they sound like the perfect tool for the job. Seems like their ability to absorb moisture would be benificial in this case.

[Andrew Gibson]

Jim don't you mean you reached up and grabbed a few off the seiling? I was under the impression that all your shavings floated up there...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=159688&thumb=1&d=1282977303

[Rick Markham]

He just happened to have some stored in his cheek for wintertime:p

[Tri Hoang]

Those shavings are also excellent packing materials. Cheap & green.

[Jim Koepke]

Those shavings are also excellent packing materials. Cheap & green.

These are the ones I like to use for packing:

161027

A little more strength and spring for impact absorbing.

jtk

[john brenton]

wood makes for nice "potpourri". Spanish cedar and some of the "chocolatey" smelling woods are nice. Just wrap them in a piece of cheesecloth. I have some spanish cedar shavings in my car and it smells like a cigar shop...love it. If I could bottle it I'd spray it on every morning.

They also look nice just sitting in a bowl, especially if the wood is two toned. Some nice medium thickness curlies look nice. I've even made roses from them. Just take a stick and make a little notch in it to fit the shaving. Add a couple simple leaves and it looks really cool.

I'd imagine that if you had some kind of craft fair thing going on with your wood projects you could squeeze in some space for those. Maybe a spanish cedar "shave soap"? That would be the shiznit.