My beautiful lovely subscribers. The first 1,000 people to use my link will get a full year of Premium membership to Woodworkers Guild of America for only $1.49: go.wwgoa.com/daisytempest/
I'm a retired carpenter and now build guitars in my spare time as a hobby. I still love seeing and hearing tips and hacks that other woodworkers use. I promise you will still be learning these, even after working for over 50 years, I like the tip for using sellotape on back of sandpaper for flossing neck joint. I normally use a strip of self adhesive sandpaper with backing tape still on. sometimes you will learn tricks by accident and other times by seeing others. every day is a school day
The table salt idea doesn’t work and has been shown up as nothing more than UA-cam nonsense. Same for saw dust except that the dust won’t dissolve. My preferred method is to wait a few moments for the wood glue to slightly firm up and then attach the surfaces. When it comes to tips and tricks, if they were used before the internet then they are probably sound techniques. However, if the tips and tricks didn’t exist before UA-cam appeared then proceed with caution. Unfortunately there are malicious or at best mischievous people out there that make a point of misdirecting viewers. I’m sure you know all of this but it doesn’t do any harm to trust your own instincts and rely only on your learned skills or those you trust.😊
Thank you! I loved my carpenter's apron. Customized it with this and that. Never spent time looking for things. That and an overhead hanging extending vacuum tube with the switch on the nozzle. I hated pushing dust around. One and done. My pinkie is exactly 1 cm across, 2.54 per inch. Other precise physical estimators. I was a high hurdler and my hip point is exactly 42 inches above the floor in sneakers. I would mark for squaring and my mentor would saw exactly 1/2 of the pencil mark. Level, plum 'n square. Measure twice, cut once. He was one of two master carpenters in his guild that could build an expanding circular staircase by himself. Built one for Johnson when he was VP to JFK.
Variation on the super glue is to use the double sided tape between the masking tape, works just as well as the super glue and in my opinion is a little easier to do. Great video Daisy! Cheers Dave
The thumb or finger trick works for map reading as well. I used to do that to estimate distances on aviation charts while I was learning to fly (before the days of GPS).
My carpenter's pencil is exactly 9/16". Another helpful measurement is your hand span from thumb to pinky; mine is just about 8". So, when I go to the store , or the woods to look for stock for a project, I can just hold my hand against the whatever piece of wood, I can tell in a second the size. Also, more often, it comes in handy to dispute what size a board is, like the difference between a 2x8 and a 2x10, ending an argument before it starts; and the best part is, the measurement goes with me EVERYWHERE I GO!
If you add salt to water-based wood glued joints, the salt can slightly weaken the joint (salt absorbs water from the surrounding glue). Def don't use sawdust, as it may 'clump' and slightly hold the pieces apart, again reducing the strength of the joint. Good clamping technique, along with small position registration dowels or wooden pins are the way to go!
My Dad, an avid woodworker all his life, told me to use candle wax on screws to make them easier to screw in and to rub candle wax on the bottom of drawers where there was a wooden runner on the side wall to hold the drawer at the right height. Wood on wood, candle wax lubricates and makes opening and closing it much smoother.
great channel I got into lutherie because some years ago I wanted to go to a woodenboat schoole were they build boats of all sizes the founder use to build tug boats Didn't have the money to move and live there for a year So, used to money to buy the tools 20 inch band saw and so on I built 2 first from a kit 2nd from scratch using the cold molding technique you can only build so many due to cost and size, book cases are boring So started making instruments and joined the Guild of American Luthiers Just to show how I got into it
From Brittanica on the internet - The old English ynce was defined by King David I of Scotland about 1150 as the breadth of a man's thumb at the base of the nail. To help maintain consistency of the unit, the measure was usually achieved by adding the thumb breadth of three men-one small, one medium, and one large-and then dividing t
Great tips. I've found that with many things, not just woodwork, you never stop learning. I ask the other teachers here and the technician how they do things all the time.
Those Yellow carpenter pencils can also be sanded in half on the belt sander. They make great tracing pencils for Saddles and nuts as you push or pull it along the fret board. You can trace the radius easily. If you need to replace a nut or saddle that is. Great tip with the masking tape and super glue! Thanks I'll be using that.
BTW, if you stab the tip of your scalpel blade into the wax (either paraffin or a candle) you can lubricate it the same way you lubricate your planes. When I build a lute I use a scalpel to cut the rose pattern into the soundboard, and I keep a block of paraffin handy to periodically stab with my scalpel. I also sliced a length of dowel lengthwise and taped the halves on either side of the scalpel handle for a more comfortable handle.
I love using the superglue and masking tape trick. My preference is superglue on one piece of tape, and spray activator on the other piece of tape. Skip the activator if aligning two workpieces though 😊
Daisy, I absolutely loved this video. I used the first knuckle on my forefinger as a measurer. It is exactly one inch, as is your friend's thumb. It made me chuckle watching your facial expressions! Keep up the good work!
Daisy great bit of info Ty. In the states our paper bills are all the same 3”x6” . Over on your side I believe there all different in size, now that’s what ya can have a taco of ,just for reference..☺️👍😇🇺🇸
The cello tape on the back of the sand paper is great, if you use wide paper consider using clear 50mm packing tape. I have a selection of strips cut from bicycle and motorcycle inner tubes to wrap binding and with odd shaped blocks covered with clear or masking tape to apply spot pressure to items that need that little extra pressure. Next music project is a lute back Hurdy Gordy. Take care and count your fingers occasionally.
I only tried candle wax on a table saw. On a planer, I use paste wax. I clean planer table and rollers with mineral spirit and then put wax on it, also on planer rollers, so it doesn't pick up sap that easy.
Your stash of candles are a great tip and should last a lifetime. I have one in my apron that came from my dad's garage. Must be 50 years old if it's a day. The wax has dried out and got hard, which makes it even better to use. On another shelf, I have an ancient dried remnant of surfboard wax that is a brilliant plane lube. : ) And funny, I used to own a bowling pro shop and can attest to thumb and finger dimensions being handy. (Just over an inch across my thumb and my ring fingertip is just under ¾".) My middle finger is a less convenient dimension, so it doesn't come into play. You can measure across your knuckles pretty accurately with a digital caliper and may find some useful numbers "at hand."
In Chinese acupuncture, there are certain body parts that relate to what’s called a “cun” (pr: tsun) or “body inch”. Typically the first section of the thumb (which you measured) is considered to be an “inch”, the distance across the 4 knuckles is 3 cun, etc. Acupuncture points are then located by anatomical landmarks, e.g. X# of cun from the wrist crease. This method, though not accurate for woodworking, does come in handy for quick estimates in the shop. 🤩
Well thank you Daisy; i didn't even know that the woodworkers association of Murica was a thing and i've been binging their content all evening. Thanks so much!
As a woodturner, I (and most others) use cloth-backed abrasives instead of paper-backed ones. This is much tougher and more resistant to wear, and would work well instead of using sellotape on the back of sandpaper.
I’m definitely using the masking tape thing. I like to make jewelry boxes and some pieces get under 1/4” thick and are a nightmare to hold down while planing.
Nice tricks. I usually stick with the tired shock factor joke...I tell people I have been a shop teacher for 5 years then hold up both hands and have 2 fingers on one left and 3 on the other. I will show myself out....
My latest trick is using plastic combs as glue spreaders. I just get them from the op shop. Once the excess glue dries on the comb, it just flicks off and you can reuse it.
A very handy body measurement is to stretch out your fingers and measure the distance from tip of thumb to tip of little fingers. Mine makes 8 inches, which is a good spacing for planting lettuce.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned but I put a fine point on my flat pencil wi an old piece of sand paper, not sure I’d want to use my chisel. As a site carpenter of 40years I’ve found a lot of your tips helpful
White double-sided carpet tape also works good to hold stuff down without sticking bad, I have always had a clean peel off using that. I do also use the painter's tape method, just need a little torsion in a corner with a putty knife to break it free if you can't grasp the edge of the tape. A few drops of CA glue will work, too much and you may need to use activator.
I did a quick check of 4 different US carpenters pencils with a dial caliper and all are well over 1/2". Best to double check before using it. Better yet get a stainless steel machinist pocket scale and keep it on you.
Thanks for all the cracking advice! I trained in landscaping & gardening, now that my body is knackered, I think I made the wrong choice...? God bless.
Here what I find funny: there are other TY "makers" or woodworkers who can't stand using tape/glue method and only say to use DBsided tape. Nah. I've several brands and I find it more annoying to use. Painters tape (or something better) with CA glue and accelerator just works and always works. Cheers Daisy!
In stead of salt, use very fine Silver sand such as used in children’s play pits and on block paving, it won’t dissolve or absorb moisture from the glue but it will bed into the wood and reduce slippage😊
When I do not have any measuring tools at hand, I tend to jump to using old measuring units that are derived from body, like Ell (elbow), or span (full span - thumb to little finger, or short span - thumb to index finger, I prefer the short span, since it feels more practical) or with bigger stuff also armspan/wingspan (which also usually coresponds to your height) seems pretty useful. Also for most shock value I sometimes go full on "American" and use any random item at hand to measure stuff, the look on faces of people who consider themself as pros is priceless.
Hi Daisy. I am the world’s worst guitar player and have no aptitude for woodworking, but your vids fascinate me. I really enjoy them. Thanks and keep them coming.
You should totally build a guitar! I’m serious. After I built my dream guitar, a 12 fret,000, and spent so much time, laboring over the details and the measurements, and making it right, it made me want to pick up that guitar every day and play. I worked my way up to almost mediocre as a player! While they’re not cheap for a first toe in the water. Take a look at the StewMac kits You’ll learn a lot
I recently saw a very knowledgeable woodworker criticise the masking tape and super glue trick but when he demonstrated how bad it was he flooded the piece with glue so it was running out all over the place. It needs only the thinnest of lines. For small pieces just a few drops will do. It doesn't even have to be a continuous line. Experiment with trying less and less and you get an idea quickly of how simple and clean it is.
Use NEC tape available in the UK, much better that masking tape and superglue which is for amateurs. It’s strong enough to use for routing templates and leaves no mess.
Tape tips: in the US there are two kinds of masking tape: standard tack (beige) and low tack or painters tape (blue). I’ve never seen green tape like you use, so that must be British. The painters tape doesn’t hold as well but lifts up more easily. Both have their uses. There is also artists masking tape (white), which will lift up without pulling paper fibers up, but that is very low tack. Also, there is gaffer tape, which looks like what in the US is called duct tape and holds as tightly, but lifts up without leaving glue residue. It is used in the film industry by gaffers, who are the people who position lights and other equipment on film sets. They often have to fasten down equipment or secure cables without harming painted surfaces or leaving residue. You can buy it online or in stores that carry AV equipment used by musicians. Because it has a fabric backing, it tears in straight lines so you can tear small pieces if you need it. Once you have a roll you’ll find all sorts of uses for it.
For a big hairy bloke (mileage may vary for the less hairy 🙂), a good stride is a yard (as is nose to tip of outstretched fingers for measuring string etc), a gentle pace is 2', a booted foot is a foot, a thumb pad is 1" across, the palm is 4" across and 9" is ... a full handspan. Elbow to fingertips is a cubit but since they finished Hadrian's Wall people use that one less 🙂
Another thing you can do with the carpenters pencil on the flat edge if you shave it down, so the distance between the flat and the center of the sharpen lead is what you want for your nut string notch height it works very well for correcting a nut and making a new one
You can also use NEC approved double sided tape instead of the superglue trick - it releases without residue, unlike carpet tape. Btw, loved the mad tangent about having rulers tattooed on your fingers! Priceless ... 😂
I don't know what "NEC approved" means, but there is double-sided tape that is meant to be used for a permanent bond. FasCap makes one. Be sure that the tape you buy is marketed for woodworking.
Parafin wax melts easily over a double boiler or in a microwave. You can cast it into whatever shape you like. That 1.5 inch expensive cylinder could easily be cast in a length of pipe. Cool it, then warm the copper to get it out.
Hi Daisy, take a look at Adam Savage, the chap off Myth busters. He has his own maker channel on YT and actually sports a measure tattoo on his forearm, which, according to him, he uses all the time. I think he sells stick on tattoos which are copies of the one he wears, might be worth getting one to see if it suits, LOL. The idea of body parts being used as measurements is very old, the thumb knuckle to the tip is often an inch, a hand span, with the hand spread from pinkey tip to thumb tip is six inches, the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the nose is a yard, the foot is, well, a foot. None of these are accurate but when measuring quick and dirty lengths of rope or board feet of timber it's good enough. Way back when, stone masons on a particular cathedral or castle build would be introduced to the master mark, a stone engraved with that sites measurements often based around the master masons appendages, these would be pertinent only to that site, or any other site overseen by that master mason. I enjoy your ramblings and admire your craftsmanship, please tell me that you are used as an exemplar to encourage young ladies into the trades!!! There are still misconceptions and prejudices where there should be none but you do so much to help moves us forward. Keep on making and keep on posting please, you brighten my day. Kind regards, Matt.
@YT_Daisy_Tempest2 High Daisey, thanks for replying. I'd love to discuss privately but I don't know how to! I rarely comment and only do so where I think the recipient moves me sufficiently, which isn't often, LOL. I'm not at all savvy with "Social media", I don't even own a mobile phone. Yes!!! I'm that un-savvy, chuckle. In the meantime I'll slip off and try some research and see where that takes me, any suggestions would be gratefully received. Hmm, I assume PM stands for Private Message, I'll have a sniff around that first. Watch this space, chortle!! Take it easy, keep on truckin', Kind regards, Matt
Generally from my experience in North America Carpenters pencils measure 5/16 by 5/8 and sometimes almost more useful to know when you're measuring something under 6 inches is that a dollar bill is exactly 6 in so folded in half fold it in quarters folded in thirds can you get exactly 3, 11/2 or 2 inch measuring"tools"
If you need to trace an object, say the side of acoustic guitar, you can rip a carpenter’s pencil in half lengthwise, sharpen a half, place a strip of masking tape over the exposed graphite, and then press that side up against the object & create an accurate tracing.
Think inch means exactly that. A thumb. As people have mentioned before, Adam Savage's tattoo. And he sells a temp tattoo on his website. Maybe give it a try.
"Body measurements" are quite useful when you don't have measuring device at hand. In my case, four fingers is 2 inches. My thumb to my pinky is 10 "...Handy tricks to know
"Dry" PTFE lube is WAY slipperier than candle wax on a plane (or a bandsaw table/fence, or the base of a tracksaw or whatever), and isn't at all sticky unlike wax can be. WD40 do a PTFE spray for a few quid and it lasts for ages. I can never get the masking tape apart once I've superglued it - I went back to using clamps, or sometimes hot glue.
And you may wonder why are pinholes all over your finish or why you gotten cancer. Be careful with PTFE and use it only when it is absolutely necessary. I think it will get banned in a few years.
This is just me probably, but in my projects I try my best to avoid one-time use plastics and other materials that we all know end up in the landfill. Still a work in progress for sure, but masking tapes are sidelined now and minimally used if at all. I substitute all sorts of clamps when I can even if it means the extra hassle setting them up, if the return is doing a little for the planet. Sure, my efforts perhaps are negligible compared to the big polluters, but it takes a pebble and all that jazz, eh?
Something I really struggled with during my first build was which products to use. As in which brands. Most channels are American and you can't get products they recommend here. I ended up sanding my guitar back to bare wood 3 TIMES basically because I was using DIY grade products :(
So true - it makes such a difference but can be super disheartening. It’s okay to need to use better quality stuff for sure. Makes life a whole lot easier.
Adam Savage has a temporary tattoo you try out and see how it works for you, and if you decided to go permanent I'm sure you could put your own twist on it with your art talent. Adam also plays guitar, is friends with Jack White, and Eric Idle had him made a custom guitar case for him. I'm sure he'd be delighted to know a guitar maker was trying out his tatoo.🤘🎸🛠️
Candles are fine, but Parowax (intended for canning food) is even better. Not for everything, but a spray of silicone will make many things slick as ice. Now that you have measured your thumb, (did you know that an inch was derived from the size of a thumb?) measure the rest of you. How wide is your palm, your outstretched fingers, your elbow to the tip of your fingers, how wide is your span (for measuring string etc.) It is amazing how often this knowledge will save time. A recent example, I measured 5 hands wide and said this won't fit through the door.
My beautiful lovely subscribers. The first 1,000 people to use my link will get a full year of Premium membership to Woodworkers Guild of America for only $1.49: go.wwgoa.com/daisytempest/
Thank you! Offer accepted! 😊
I joined, thanks Daisy!
Those are some good tips too. 👍
Thanks! ❤
I’m in!
Thanks a lot ! Very useful for me !
I'm a retired carpenter and now build guitars in my spare time as a hobby. I still love seeing and hearing tips and hacks that other woodworkers use. I promise you will still be learning these, even after working for over 50 years, I like the tip for using sellotape on back of sandpaper for flossing neck joint. I normally use a strip of self adhesive sandpaper with backing tape still on. sometimes you will learn tricks by accident and other times by seeing others. every day is a school day
Love this so much!
The table salt idea doesn’t work and has been shown up as nothing more than UA-cam nonsense. Same for saw dust except that the dust won’t dissolve. My preferred method is to wait a few moments for the wood glue to slightly firm up and then attach the surfaces. When it comes to tips and tricks, if they were used before the internet then they are probably sound techniques. However, if the tips and tricks didn’t exist before UA-cam appeared then proceed with caution. Unfortunately there are malicious or at best mischievous people out there that make a point of misdirecting viewers. I’m sure you know all of this but it doesn’t do any harm to trust your own instincts and rely only on your learned skills or those you trust.😊
Thank you! I loved my carpenter's apron. Customized it with this and that. Never spent time looking for things. That and an overhead hanging extending vacuum tube with the switch on the nozzle. I hated pushing dust around. One and done. My pinkie is exactly 1 cm across, 2.54 per inch. Other precise physical estimators. I was a high hurdler and my hip point is exactly 42 inches above the floor in sneakers. I would mark for squaring and my mentor would saw exactly 1/2 of the pencil mark. Level, plum 'n square. Measure twice, cut once. He was one of two master carpenters in his guild that could build an expanding circular staircase by himself. Built one for Johnson when he was VP to JFK.
Variation on the super glue is to use the double sided tape between the masking tape, works just as well as the super glue and in my opinion is a little easier to do. Great video Daisy! Cheers Dave
Great tip, I'll try it! Thanks Dave!
And now I have a use for that cdoubke stick tape that shreds up little inlay woods , thanks
The thumb or finger trick works for map reading as well. I used to do that to estimate distances on aviation charts while I was learning to fly (before the days of GPS).
Love it!!!!
My carpenter's pencil is exactly 9/16". Another helpful measurement is your hand span from thumb to pinky; mine is just about 8". So, when I go to the store , or the woods to look for stock for a project, I can just hold my hand against the whatever piece of wood, I can tell in a second the size. Also, more often, it comes in handy to dispute what size a board is, like the difference between a 2x8 and a 2x10, ending an argument before it starts; and the best part is, the measurement goes with me EVERYWHERE I GO!
If you add salt to water-based wood glued joints, the salt can slightly weaken the joint (salt absorbs water from the surrounding glue). Def don't use sawdust, as it may 'clump' and slightly hold the pieces apart, again reducing the strength of the joint. Good clamping technique, along with small position registration dowels or wooden pins are the way to go!
Very good to know - thanks so much for pointing this out!
Less is more with the salt, for sure. Like, literally two grains of salt will keep the pieces from moving.
another option is to rub a bit of sand paper together above the glue to get a little bit of grit in there.
My Dad, an avid woodworker all his life, told me to use candle wax on screws to make them easier to screw in and to rub candle wax on the bottom of drawers where there was a wooden runner on the side wall to hold the drawer at the right height. Wood on wood, candle wax lubricates and makes opening and closing it much smoother.
great channel I got into lutherie because some years ago I wanted to go to a woodenboat schoole were they build boats of all sizes the founder use to build tug boats Didn't have the money to move and live there for a year So, used to money to buy the tools 20 inch band saw and so on I built 2 first from a kit 2nd from scratch using the cold molding technique you can only build so many due to cost and size, book cases are boring So started making instruments and joined the Guild of American Luthiers Just to show how I got into it
From Brittanica on the internet - The old English ynce was defined by King David I of Scotland about 1150 as the breadth of a man's thumb at the base of the nail. To help maintain consistency of the unit, the measure was usually achieved by adding the thumb breadth of three men-one small, one medium, and one large-and then dividing t
Great tips. I've found that with many things, not just woodwork, you never stop learning. I ask the other teachers here and the technician how they do things all the time.
Those Yellow carpenter pencils can also be sanded in half on the belt sander. They make great tracing pencils for Saddles and nuts as you push or pull it along the fret board. You can trace the radius easily. If you need to replace a nut or saddle that is. Great tip with the masking tape and super glue! Thanks I'll be using that.
You are correct, the with of a Carpenters pencil is 1/2 inch wide and /4 inch thick. 👍👍👍👍👍
BTW, if you stab the tip of your scalpel blade into the wax (either paraffin or a candle) you can lubricate it the same way you lubricate your planes. When I build a lute I use a scalpel to cut the rose pattern into the soundboard, and I keep a block of paraffin handy to periodically stab with my scalpel. I also sliced a length of dowel lengthwise and taped the halves on either side of the scalpel handle for a more comfortable handle.
I love using the superglue and masking tape trick. My preference is superglue on one piece of tape, and spray activator on the other piece of tape. Skip the activator if aligning two workpieces though 😊
Daisy, I absolutely loved this video. I used the first knuckle on my forefinger as a measurer. It is exactly one inch, as is your friend's thumb. It made me chuckle watching your facial expressions! Keep up the good work!
Love it!
Flossing definition you gave is correct
Daisy great bit of info Ty. In the states our paper bills are all the same 3”x6” . Over on your side I believe there all different in size, now that’s what ya can have a taco of ,just for reference..☺️👍😇🇺🇸
Love that!
The cello tape on the back of the sand paper is great, if you use wide paper consider using clear 50mm packing tape.
I have a selection of strips cut from bicycle and motorcycle inner tubes to wrap binding and with odd shaped blocks covered with clear or masking tape to apply spot pressure to items that need that little extra pressure.
Next music project is a lute back Hurdy Gordy.
Take care and count your fingers occasionally.
I only tried candle wax on a table saw. On a planer, I use paste wax. I clean planer table and rollers with mineral spirit and then put wax on it, also on planer rollers, so it doesn't pick up sap that easy.
I press down masking tap with the edge of plastic piece for better adhesion. It is needed on mdf wasteboard especially.
Idk about guitars but 30 years ago there were several Fernandes basses that I was interested in but never pulled the trigger buying one.
Thank you for the hack tips. A couple of them I had no idea. Thinking to myself... Why didn't I think of that ?
Thanks for all the tips, Daisy! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Your stash of candles are a great tip and should last a lifetime. I have one in my apron that came from my dad's garage. Must be 50 years old if it's a day. The wax has dried out and got hard, which makes it even better to use. On another shelf, I have an ancient dried remnant of surfboard wax that is a brilliant plane lube. : )
And funny, I used to own a bowling pro shop and can attest to thumb and finger dimensions being handy. (Just over an inch across my thumb and my ring fingertip is just under ¾".) My middle finger is a less convenient dimension, so it doesn't come into play. You can measure across your knuckles pretty accurately with a digital caliper and may find some useful numbers "at hand."
In Chinese acupuncture, there are certain body parts that relate to what’s called a “cun” (pr: tsun) or “body inch”. Typically the first section of the thumb (which you measured) is considered to be an “inch”, the distance across the 4 knuckles is 3 cun, etc. Acupuncture points are then located by anatomical landmarks, e.g. X# of cun from the wrist crease. This method, though not accurate for woodworking, does come in handy for quick estimates in the shop. 🤩
Well thank you Daisy; i didn't even know that the woodworkers association of Murica was a thing and i've been binging their content all evening. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad it was a useful sponsor! Thought it might be a good’un.
As a woodturner, I (and most others) use cloth-backed abrasives instead of paper-backed ones. This is much tougher and more resistant to wear, and would work well instead of using sellotape on the back of sandpaper.
It’s probably too thick for the flossing technique she’s describing.
I’m definitely using the masking tape thing. I like to make jewelry boxes and some pieces get under 1/4” thick and are a nightmare to hold down while planing.
Fun little video Daisy. You had a couple of tips I did not know. Tape on sandpaper is a useful one! Thanks
Daisy, thank you for all the tips and tricks! I really enjoy your fun and entertaining videos
Thank you :)
Nice tricks. I usually stick with the tired shock factor joke...I tell people I have been a shop teacher for 5 years then hold up both hands and have 2 fingers on one left and 3 on the other. I will show myself out....
My latest trick is using plastic combs as glue spreaders. I just get them from the op shop. Once the excess glue dries on the comb, it just flicks off and you can reuse it.
A very handy body measurement is to stretch out your fingers and measure the distance from tip of thumb to tip of little fingers. Mine makes 8 inches, which is a good spacing for planting lettuce.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned but I put a fine point on my flat pencil wi an old piece of sand paper, not sure I’d want to use my chisel. As a site carpenter of 40years I’ve found a lot of your tips helpful
White double-sided carpet tape also works good to hold stuff down without sticking bad, I have always had a clean peel off using that. I do also use the painter's tape method, just need a little torsion in a corner with a putty knife to break it free if you can't grasp the edge of the tape. A few drops of CA glue will work, too much and you may need to use activator.
I'd say a dot of super glue every 5cm, or so, is more than adequate.
Waste not, want not. 😊
Thanks for the video Daisy, enjoyed it, also signed up for the $1.49 deal and upgraded to the gold membership for $9 - Cheers from Canada
I did a quick check of 4 different US carpenters pencils with a dial caliper and all are well over 1/2". Best to double check before using it. Better yet get a stainless steel machinist pocket scale and keep it on you.
Thanks for all the cracking advice! I trained in landscaping & gardening, now that my body is knackered, I think I made the wrong choice...? God bless.
Great tips Daisy! I always like having toothpicks and wooden ice cream bar sticks around the shop. They come in very handy for glue ups, etc.. 👍👍✏✏🔨🔨
Good idea!
Here what I find funny: there are other TY "makers" or woodworkers who can't stand using tape/glue method and only say to use DBsided tape. Nah. I've several brands and I find it more annoying to use. Painters tape (or something better) with CA glue and accelerator just works and always works. Cheers Daisy!
@YT_Daisy_Tempest2 ?
In stead of salt, use very fine Silver sand such as used in children’s play pits and on block paving, it won’t dissolve or absorb moisture from the glue but it will bed into the wood and reduce slippage😊
Don't use salt in a glue joint. It significantly weakens the joint. Use sawdust.
Looked for a comment about the salt. Sand is good too. Just a few grains of sand.
When I do not have any measuring tools at hand, I tend to jump to using old measuring units that are derived from body, like Ell (elbow), or span (full span - thumb to little finger, or short span - thumb to index finger, I prefer the short span, since it feels more practical) or with bigger stuff also armspan/wingspan (which also usually coresponds to your height) seems pretty useful. Also for most shock value I sometimes go full on "American" and use any random item at hand to measure stuff, the look on faces of people who consider themself as pros is priceless.
Do Americans do that?
@@mikebond6328 feels like Americans will use anything but metric...
of course its bit of a generalization, but that does not take the fun out of it.
Hi Daisy. I am the world’s worst guitar player and have no aptitude for woodworking, but your vids fascinate me. I really enjoy them. Thanks and keep them coming.
You should totally build a guitar! I’m serious. After I built my dream guitar, a 12 fret,000, and spent so much time, laboring over the details and the measurements, and making it right, it made me want to pick up that guitar every day and play. I worked my way up to almost mediocre as a player! While they’re not cheap for a first toe in the water. Take a look at the StewMac kits You’ll learn a lot
I recently saw a very knowledgeable woodworker criticise the masking tape and super glue trick but when he demonstrated how bad it was he flooded the piece with glue so it was running out all over the place. It needs only the thinnest of lines. For small pieces just a few drops will do. It doesn't even have to be a continuous line. Experiment with trying less and less and you get an idea quickly of how simple and clean it is.
You make me smile, thanks.
Aw likewise!
Nice one Daisy. Fun and entertaining but lots of useful tips. That's the best way to learn imho.
That’s so great to hear you enjoyed! Thank you!
My favorite way to sharpen carpenter pencils is to use a sanding block. It makes it very very pointed and precise.
Use NEC tape available in the UK, much better that masking tape and superglue which is for amateurs. It’s strong enough to use for routing templates and leaves no mess.
My dad used a block of wax for his table saw and tools. I've used wax on wood screws and even used bar soap in a pinch.
Adam Savage has a ruler tattoo but that is on his forearm.
He sells a temporary version too, so you can test it
Also known as a fisting gauge.
Also known as a fisting gauge.
@@rorylong314 i had the temp one from tested worked pretty well im now contemplating on getting it done for real
came here to say just this!!
skateboard wax also works really well as lube for planes and other tools when needed
Tape tips: in the US there are two kinds of masking tape: standard tack (beige) and low tack or painters tape (blue). I’ve never seen green tape like you use, so that must be British. The painters tape doesn’t hold as well but lifts up more easily. Both have their uses. There is also artists masking tape (white), which will lift up without pulling paper fibers up, but that is very low tack.
Also, there is gaffer tape, which looks like what in the US is called duct tape and holds as tightly, but lifts up without leaving glue residue. It is used in the film industry by gaffers, who are the people who position lights and other equipment on film sets. They often have to fasten down equipment or secure cables without harming painted surfaces or leaving residue. You can buy it online or in stores that carry AV equipment used by musicians. Because it has a fabric backing, it tears in straight lines so you can tear small pieces if you need it. Once you have a roll you’ll find all sorts of uses for it.
Green tape is used by automotive painters. I work for a US auto parts chain and we sell it.
@@Bargle5 how tacky is it compared to standard masking tape or blue painters tape?
@@timmotz2827 Seems to be about as tacky as regular tan tape.
A tip. For mechanical pencils, try 0.7 and 0,9 mm. I use the 0.9 with great success.
For a big hairy bloke (mileage may vary for the less hairy 🙂), a good stride is a yard (as is nose to tip of outstretched fingers for measuring string etc), a gentle pace is 2', a booted foot is a foot, a thumb pad is 1" across, the palm is 4" across and 9" is ... a full handspan. Elbow to fingertips is a cubit but since they finished Hadrian's Wall people use that one less 🙂
There are many kinds of double sided tape. Some hold only as well as masking tape.
Your videos are great, I love these tips and tricks!
Another thing you can do with the carpenters pencil on the flat edge if you shave it down, so the distance between the flat and the center of the sharpen lead is what you want for your nut string notch height it works very well for correcting a nut and making a new one
Great advice!
Just be sure if ur using salt only use very little, I found that if I use to much the integrity of the joint can be compromised
You can also use NEC approved double sided tape instead of the superglue trick - it releases without residue, unlike carpet tape. Btw, loved the mad tangent about having rulers tattooed on your fingers! Priceless ... 😂
I don't know what "NEC approved" means, but there is double-sided tape that is meant to be used for a permanent bond. FasCap makes one. Be sure that the tape you buy is marketed for woodworking.
The wood workers guild looks interesting a very good discount with your link 👍🏻
Glad to hear it was useful!
Parafin wax melts easily over a double boiler or in a microwave. You can cast it into whatever shape you like. That 1.5 inch expensive cylinder could easily be cast in a length of pipe. Cool it, then warm the copper to get it out.
Hi Daisy, take a look at Adam Savage, the chap off Myth busters. He has his own maker channel on YT and actually sports a measure tattoo on his forearm, which, according to him, he uses all the time. I think he sells stick on tattoos which are copies of the one he wears, might be worth getting one to see if it suits, LOL.
The idea of body parts being used as measurements is very old, the thumb knuckle to the tip is often an inch, a hand span, with the hand spread from pinkey tip to thumb tip is six inches, the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the nose is a yard, the foot is, well, a foot. None of these are accurate but when measuring quick and dirty lengths of rope or board feet of timber it's good enough. Way back when, stone masons on a particular cathedral or castle build would be introduced to the master mark, a stone engraved with that sites measurements often based around the master masons appendages, these would be pertinent only to that site, or any other site overseen by that master mason.
I enjoy your ramblings and admire your craftsmanship, please tell me that you are used as an exemplar to encourage young ladies into the trades!!! There are still misconceptions and prejudices where there should be none but you do so much to help moves us forward.
Keep on making and keep on posting please, you brighten my day.
Kind regards, Matt.
@YT_Daisy_Tempest2 High Daisey, thanks for replying. I'd love to discuss privately but I don't know how to! I rarely comment and only do so where I think the recipient moves me sufficiently, which isn't often, LOL. I'm not at all savvy with "Social media", I don't even own a mobile phone. Yes!!! I'm that un-savvy, chuckle. In the meantime I'll slip off and try some research and see where that takes me, any suggestions would be gratefully received. Hmm, I assume PM stands for Private Message, I'll have a sniff around that first. Watch this space, chortle!!
Take it easy, keep on truckin',
Kind regards, Matt
Put the CA glue on one piece of tape and accelerator on the other. Put them together, done. No need for waiting for the glue to set.
Nice tips , love the ones about the masking tape , Greetings from Peru :)
@YT_Daisy_Tempest2 yeah sure
Generally from my experience in North America Carpenters pencils measure 5/16 by 5/8 and sometimes almost more useful to know when you're measuring something under 6 inches is that a dollar bill is exactly 6 in so folded in half fold it in quarters folded in thirds can you get exactly 3, 11/2 or 2 inch measuring"tools"
That’s so awesome! Thanks for this :)
Instead of wax (candle...), try (hard)soap. It is more slippery and also it will not have a negative effect on the finish or glue-up.
If you need to trace an object, say the side of acoustic guitar, you can rip a carpenter’s pencil in half lengthwise, sharpen a half, place a strip of masking tape over the exposed graphite, and then press that side up against the object & create an accurate tracing.
You only have to sharpen it 14 times!
Or, use a propelling pencil. Carpenter's pencils are for carpentry.
Thank you for the tips. Love the way you say "crack on".
Noted haha! Crack on!
....."you are laughing".... (I did, but ONLY because you pointed it out!!). Lol. Great tips!
I'd love to know the system you use for sharpening your tools >
Water is a great activator for CA glue.
So nice a skilled lady is at once comely.
Hi Daisy
What glues do you use?
Kind Regards
@9:14 In the former Dutch colonies, we still refer to the measurement unit of inch, as "duim". It is the Dutch word for thumb.
Let us know if the salt and sawdust glue tip actually works, I have heard mixed reviews on that.
Think inch means exactly that. A thumb. As people have mentioned before, Adam Savage's tattoo. And he sells a temp tattoo on his website. Maybe give it a try.
This video is amazing!
"Body measurements" are quite useful when you don't have measuring device at hand. In my case, four fingers is 2 inches. My thumb to my pinky is 10 "...Handy tricks to know
Yep, and I hardly ever misplace my thumb
🤭
"Dry" PTFE lube is WAY slipperier than candle wax on a plane (or a bandsaw table/fence, or the base of a tracksaw or whatever), and isn't at all sticky unlike wax can be. WD40 do a PTFE spray for a few quid and it lasts for ages.
I can never get the masking tape apart once I've superglued it - I went back to using clamps, or sometimes hot glue.
And you may wonder why are pinholes all over your finish or why you gotten cancer. Be careful with PTFE and use it only when it is absolutely necessary. I think it will get banned in a few years.
Very good!
This is just me probably, but in my projects I try my best to avoid one-time use plastics and other materials that we all know end up in the landfill. Still a work in progress for sure, but masking tapes are sidelined now and minimally used if at all. I substitute all sorts of clamps when I can even if it means the extra hassle setting them up, if the return is doing a little for the planet. Sure, my efforts perhaps are negligible compared to the big polluters, but it takes a pebble and all that jazz, eh?
Great tips, thanks. Btw, Adam Savage has a ruler tattoed on his arm.
😂 strong finnish, loved your dedication to concept, research, and rejection of hand tattoo
Yeh, I'm going to have a measuring stick lazered onto my eyeball. 😂
Handy tips. 👍
Sounds like a wonderful idea!!! hehe
Paul Sellers' videos are also very useful
Nice n useful tips!!
Que amable en compartir tus conocimientos👍
Yup I always use a block of soap for planing. Making a shelf from reclaimed flooring atm and without it I'd be crying lol
Have you done any double tops?
Nice catch!
blown away by your intelligence !
Something I really struggled with during my first build was which products to use. As in which brands.
Most channels are American and you can't get products they recommend here.
I ended up sanding my guitar back to bare wood 3 TIMES basically because I was using DIY grade products :(
So true - it makes such a difference but can be super disheartening. It’s okay to need to use better quality stuff for sure. Makes life a whole lot easier.
Adam Savage has a temporary tattoo you try out and see how it works for you, and if you decided to go permanent I'm sure you could put your own twist on it with your art talent.
Adam also plays guitar, is friends with Jack White, and Eric Idle had him made a custom guitar case for him. I'm sure he'd be delighted to know a guitar maker was trying out his tatoo.🤘🎸🛠️
Candles are fine, but Parowax (intended for canning food) is even better. Not for everything, but a spray of silicone will make many things slick as ice. Now that you have measured your thumb, (did you know that an inch was derived from the size of a thumb?) measure the rest of you. How wide is your palm, your outstretched fingers, your elbow to the tip of your fingers, how wide is your span (for measuring string etc.) It is amazing how often this knowledge will save time. A recent example, I measured 5 hands wide and said this won't fit through the door.
Noted! Thanks so much!
All good ideas (mostly).😢 NC. USA🇺🇸
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the kind donation!
There may be cases in which a delicate workpiece needs special protection, but in general: either use double-sided tape or don’t.
Live the realism.
Try using your index finger to measure instead.