What are the underappreciated shop tool/supplies in your shop?

[Rob Young]

Fireplace (winter), bonfire/firepit (summer)

[Philip Glover]

I consider my bench a tool. Every so often I think "what would I do without it"?
For me it falls into the "under appreciated" category.

Phil

[Jeff Wittrock]

Sparrows.
They don't do much useful in the shop, but it is fun to watch them playing in the wood shavings looking for birdseed I have dropped on the floor.

[Derek Cohen]

Oh, what is used ever time I am in the work shop? ... bandaids. Every time!

Regards from Berlin

Derek

[Tom Bussey]

Paper towels and Handy wipes. I use handy wipes to wipe on finish. I cut it to get the size I usually use. I will look in to baby wipes

[John K Jordan]

Paper towels and Handy wipes. I use handy wipes to wipe on finish. I cut it to get the size I usually use. I will look in to baby wipes

I agree about the paper towels. I use a zillion at the lathe and elsewhere for solvent, finishes, glue cleanup and more. The problem is I often don't need an entire sheet so I would tear off a corner, eventually leaving a ragged partial sheet on the roll.

What I do now is use a sharp fillet knife to cut the roll up into smaller pieces. Those I use the most are in a dispenser over the lathe, cut maybe 2.5" wide, right near the rolls of sandpaper. Now I just tear of a few inches as needed.

lathe_wall_papertowel_IMG_5.jpg

On my workbench I also keep a roll cut in half. When using the 1/2 sheet paper towel rolls this gives me a nice, clean square piece.

JKJ

[Andrew Seemann]

Paper towels and Handy wipes. I use handy wipes to wipe on finish. I cut it to get the size I usually use. I will look in to baby wipes

I'd recommend the unscented kind. The regular ones immediately bring memories of changing dirty diapers

[Jonathan Elliott]

That is brilliant John!

[steven c newman]

Shaker Table Project, shop stool.JPG
Shop stool....I am on my second one, in fact.....

And, when Igor doesn't use it to ride home on....a shop broom.

[Mike Allen1010]

Thanks all for the great suggestions!

I'd also like to add the tiny plastic salsa/hot sauce containers from my favorite taco shop – excellent small batches of glue/finish, mixing up epoxy etc. Probably goes with the wooden coffee stir sticks – I have to remember to leave the big tip next time to compensate!

Cheers, Mike

[Frederick Skelly]

That is brilliant John!

+1 on brilliant. I can use this tip!

[James Pallas]

Wax paper sheets in the dispensing box. Grab as you need for under a glue up and such. No fumbling with a roll grab and go.

[John K Jordan]

Wax paper sheets in the dispensing box. Grab as you need for under a glue up and such. No fumbling with a roll grab and go.

Aluminum HVAC ducting tape.
When I want to mix a little epoxy I tear off a piece of aluminum tape. Squeeze out and mix on the tape, glue my part, then leave the tape with any leftover glue. When the epoxy on the tape is set up I know the epoxy in the joint is set up.

(BTW, I use the wax paper sheets in the box as well for lots of things!)

JKJ

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks all for the great suggestions!

I'd also like to add the tiny plastic salsa/hot sauce containers from my favorite taco shop – excellent small batches of glue/finish, mixing up epoxy etc. Probably goes with the wooden coffee stir sticks – I have to remember to leave the big tip next time to compensate!

Cheers, Mike

My favorite source of tacos and such is my own kitchen. Those little cans that the fire roasted chilis are in make great epoxy mixers on the bottom or a yellow glue on the inside. They are also great for holding screws and other small parts.

jtk

[Larry Frank]

Small plastic pill cup...I use them to mix epoxy with a small digital scale to measure