Non woodworking hints and tips

[Brian Deakin]

I thought it may be interesting to start a thread on none woodworking hints and tips

My tip told to me by an old locksmith

Powdered graphite is the traditional material for lubricating pin tumbler locks. You can even buy powdered graphite that comes in a little tube with a thin nozzle specially designed for squirting the graphite powder into the keyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G11XUvtPWD8

[Jon Grider]

Let your wife pick the paint color. When you paint it the second time over, at least it won't be your fault.

[Jim Koepke]

Some canned foods are difficult to remove from a can without digging them out. Things like some canned dog food, refried beans, cranberry sauce and others. The problem is the solid contents create a vacuum as they are being coaxed out of the can.

This device helps:

Can Poker.jpg

It is basically a nail with a handle. The handle was drilled with a hole just a hair smaller than a 16d nail. The head was removed from the nail and the flat end inserted in the handle. The point was sharpened.

To use, remove the top of the can, turn the can upside down over a bowel or plate. Then hold the can firmly and strike the bottom of the can (like you mean it!) to make an air hole.

This procedure could be done before removing the top of the can, but be sure to have something under the can to catch any stray liquid in the can.

Be careful doing this, incorrect method can cause injury.

jtk

[Bill Dufour]

Just use the can opener on the bottom to make a short slit vent.
Bill D

[michael langman]

Just use the can opener on the bottom to make a short slit vent.
Bill D

I usually do this Bill, but last night I opened a can of cranberry sauce and the bottom of the can was formed without a shoulder like the top was.

Jim, your tool would have come in handy then.

[Jim Koepke]

Just use the can opener on the bottom to make a short slit vent.
Bill D

I usually do this Bill, but last night I opened a can of cranberry sauce and the bottom of the can was formed without a shoulder like the top was.

Jim, your tool would have come in handy then.

Bill's suggestion used to work until the cans started being made without the shoulder on the bottom. The cans stack better in the cupboard with the new bottom.

jtk

[Roger Feeley]

When sautéing kale, use olive oil which makes it easier to scrape into the trash.

[Frederick Skelly]

When sautéing kale, use olive oil which makes it easier to scrape into the trash.

Spit! Sputter! Spit! Spit! SPLAT!!!!!
(Just spit my drink just went all over the monitor.)

That was pretty dang funny Roger!

[Lee Schierer]

Never stand up in the cockpit when coming about.

[Dave Anderson NH]

How many times did it take to learn that Lee? It took me 3, I'm a slow learner.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Never stand up in the cockpit when coming about.

In a similar but lower class vein here's one that I learned the wet way: Never try to get out of a canoe when your legs have gone to sleep.

[Lee Schierer]

How many times did it take to learn that Lee? It took me 3, I'm a slow learner.

Fortunately, it was another midshipman that also demonstrated a technique for rapidly abandoning ship at the same time.

[Kev Williams]

Never drive on the driveway, and never park on the parkway...

[Bruce Wrenn]

Some canned foods are difficult to remove from a can without digging them out. Things like some canned dog food, refried beans, cranberry sauce and others. The problem is the solid contents create a vacuum as they are being coaxed out of the can.

This device helps:

Can Poker.jpg

It is basically a nail with a handle. The handle was drilled with a hole just a hair smaller than a 16d nail. The head was removed from the nail and the flat end inserted in the handle. The point was sharpened.

To use, remove the top of the can, turn the can upside down over a bowel or plate. Then hold the can firmly and strike the bottom of the can (like you mean it!) to make an air hole.

This procedure could be done before removing the top of the can, but be sure to have something under the can to catch any stray liquid in the can.

Be careful doing this, incorrect method can cause injury.

jtk

We've had one of these for years, it's called an ice pick. My wife buys large jars of cherries, which are impossible to get the lid off of. Punch a hole in top, and presto, lid unscrews with no problem. Put a piece of tape over hole before putting into fridge. Boiled eggs. Place cold eggs in a pan with water covering them by about an inch. Place on burner, with lid on pan. When they start to boil, wait one minute and then turn burner off. Wait 16 minutes, the remove lid and run cold water over eggs till they are cool enough to handle. Leaving enough water in pan to cover eggs, replace lid and shake pan to crack shells. Using a tea spoon, peel eggs which they are still warm.

[Jim Koepke]

My wife buys large jars of cherries, which are impossible to get the lid off of. Punch a hole in top, and presto, lid unscrews with no problem.

They must be screwing jar lids on tighter these days. It used to be everyone would ask me to remove jar lids, no problem.

Now they are so tight the only way for me to get them off is to use those rubber gripper thingamajobbies they sell in the grocery stores. It must be some kind of plot to sell us stuff we didn't used to need.

One nice thing though is they come in a four pack. Well there is no way for me to use all of them at the same time, my shoes are staying on for now, so the extra ones work nicely in the shower for a small anti-slip pad.

jtk