It's practically impossible to cut perfect circles for such projects as wheels or small round tables using a bandsaw or scrollsaw.

Try a disc sander to achieve true roundness. First, from 3/4" plywood, build an auxiliary table (about twice the size of the table on your disc sander) with a 3/8"-deep slot 3/4" wide. Now, fit a hardwood bar a few inches longer than the auxiliary table so it slides freely in the slot. About 1" from one end of the slide, fit a 3/32" pin that protrudes 1/4". Bore a 3/32" hole at the center of the circular workpiece, place it over the pin on the slide, and slowly advance it into the sanding disc. When you reach the scribed circumference, clamp the slide into the auxiliary table and spin the workpiece for a perfect circle.

--Edward Hanselman, Hoosick Falls, N.Y.
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Despite your best efforts to make a lasting repair, a troublesome screw continues to loosen on a wobbly chair.

Remove the screw and dip the threads in epoxy, then reinstall it and let the epoxy dry. (Epoxy has more holding power than woodworker's glue.) If the screw hole has worn too large, use toothpicks or slivers of wood to help fill the opening.

--From the WOOD magazine shop
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That partial tube of silicone caulk from last fall set up. Now, you have a big chunk of cured caulk that you may as well throw away.

Although you can't stop drafts and leaks with it any longer, that dried-up caulk still can serve you in the shop. Just strip away the tube and clean your abrasive belts or discs with all that solidified silicone. You'll find it works like a charm.

--Robert Thompson, Buckeye Lake, Ohio
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Because the profile of a router bit appears to be the opposite shape of the cut it makes, it often takes a second glance to select the correct cutter for the desired shape.

For a reference of the bit profile, shape an 8" length of scrap material with each bit. Trim the profile to a shorter length and hang the profile near the respective bit. Hold the profile to the end of your workpiece before you make any cuts. Be careful to always replace the profiles and bits in the correct storage spots.

--From the WOOD magazine shop
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It's not easy to hammer brads into a picture frame to hold the backing in place. Of course, you could buy a frame maker's brad-setting tool. But they're expensive for such an infrequent task.

Common slip-joint "water pump" pliers make a good substitute for a brad-setting tool. To prevent marring, wrap five or six layers of masking tape around the jaw that will contact the frame. Then slowly and steadily squeeze the brad into the frame, as shown in the drawing above.

--Van Caldwell, Cincinnati
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Sawing and sanding operations generate a lot of irritating fine dust in the workshop.

Here's a simple way to rid your shop of airborne dust. Install a furnace filter on one side of a box fan with wire or bungee cords. Position the fan adjacent to the work area so it pulls air away from you. Clean the filters periodically with a shop vacuum.

--James R. Loshinsky, Youngstown, Ohio
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Enlarging templates by small increments--such as 1/4" or 1/2"--can be a pain, especially when you're trying to increase the dimensions of a curved or irregularly shaped object. Sometimes, you need to draw template offset lines that match a router guide bushing. Here's a solution utilizing parts on hand.

Use a flat metal washer as a spacer between the edge of the template and the point of your pencil as shown below. Washers come in many different sizes, giving you a wide choice in enlarging capabilities. Maintain steady pressure as you draw.

--From the WOOD magazine shop
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Applying plastic laminate to two faces of a cabinet door, shelf, or other stock eats up a lot of your time when you do one side first, then wait for it to dry before covering the second side.

You can apply the laminate to both sides almost simultaneously. First, drive brads or small finishing nails into the corners of the stock, as shown right. Apply contact cement to this side and then turn over the stock so the nails support it. Now, apply cement to the other face and to the two pieces of laminate you have prefitted. Allow the cement to dry until tacky, and place the first piece of laminate on the side without nails. Flip the stock over, pull out the nails with pliers, and carefully lay the second sheet of laminate into position. Allow the cement to cure.

--Roy T. Higa, Honolulu
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Carbon paper becomes hard to use when transferring paper patterns to dark woods such as walnut. The dark lines are barely visible, and don't erase easily.

White carbon paper, found in many arts and crafts shops, is ideal for transferring patterns to dark wood or hardboard. And, you can remove the pattern lines with a pencil eraser. One manufacturer, Saral® Paper Co., 322 W. 57th St., Suite 30-T, New York, NY 10019, markets its product under the name Saral® Transfer Paper.

--Cobert LeMunyan, Troutman, N.C.
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Many dovetail jigs (and other types of fixtures) rely on plastic or metal guides that clamp to your workpiece. Despite your best efforts to tighten the clamps, that slick guide may not stay precisely in place on the smooth wood surface, especially when you're pushing a tool against it.

Cut a piece of fine sandpaper (maybe 220 or 320 grit) to fit the side of the fixture that contacts the workpiece. Apply adhesive, such as 3M's 77 Spray Adhesive, on the back of the sandpaper, and attach it to the fixture. The sandpaper provides friction, reducing the chance that your fixture guide will creep out of position.

--Ty Powe, San Dimas, Calif.
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Taping sure would be an easy way to clamp glued joints on a small box. Too bad masking tape tears when you try to stretch it around sharp edges.

Short-circuit that torn-tape problem with black plastic electrical tape. It resists tearing, even on sharp corners, and its stretchiness lets you pull joints up snug.

--Charles Von Herrmann, Columbia, S.C.
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Oh no! You're just about ready for the big glue-up when you discover your pipe clamps aren't quite long enough. Do you have to buy a whole new rack of pipes just to gain a few inches?

Absolutely not. Buy pipe couplings instead of new pipes. These couplings come in short lengths and are threaded on the inside. Connect your too-short pipes with the couplings and you'll have more than enough pipe to do the work.

--From the WOOD® magazine shop
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Enlarging a hole in wood or other material requires a lot of guesswork to start the bit in the exact center.

Insert a scrap of dowel the diameter of the existing hole and slightly recessed from the surface--about 1/16". Fit a drill bit the same size as the hole into the recess and tap the end of the shank just hard enough to mark the dowel center. Use this mark to start drilling the larger hole.

--Ed Good, Nordland, Wash.
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The conventional way of fixing breaks in cylindrical furniture legs often seems like more trouble than it's worth: You have to build a jig to hold the leg, then glue it, and finally clamp it with a C-clamp.

You can do the job just as well--and much faster--with stainless-steel hose clamps as shown in the drawing right. You'll find a wide variety of sizes at most auto-supply stores. To avoid marring the piece when tightening the clamps, insert a strip of cardboard between each clamp and the surface of the work.

--Hal Doolittle, Kirkwood, Mo.
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Nozzles on paint sprayers are difficult to get thoroughly clean. Many times, dried residue can clog the nozzle and send paint spitting all around the room.

Clean the nozzle as best you can after use, then store it submerged in fresh thinner in the sprayer's container. Before you start your next spraying job, pour out the thinner, and enjoy one less frustration.

--From the WOOD® magazine shop
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