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Cool tools really work.
A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
We’ve all experienced those frustrating times when working with others isn’t working. It can feel like a slog, where communication breaks down and nothing seems to align. But what I want to talk about here are those often rare, almost magical moments when everything seems to orchestrate perfectly—when working alongside another person (or a team) feels effortless and perfectly in sync.
There’s something deeply gratifying about such moments. Everyone is in tune with the process, almost intuitively anticipating each other's next move. Like when you’re reaching for a 3/8” socket, and before you even ask, it’s already being handed to you. Or, when an unexpected challenge arises, and without missing a beat, you and your workmate(s) come up with a clever solution that perfectly solves the problem.
It’s in these moments, as the work flows seamlessly, that we experience the real joy of collaboration. For me, there’s little in the work realm that compares to this gratifying feeling. What about you? Have you experienced such moments? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Gelatin-Based Wood Glue
I had no idea you could make glue from nothing more than water, salt, and gelatin. In this video, the folks at Lost Art Press show how they make their Piggly No Wiggly wood glue using these simple ingredients. I love that they both show you the recipe and process so you can make it yourself as well as how you can buy it from them. I’d be inclined to do the latter just to support such a cool operation. They even have a written how-to on their website.
https://youtu.be/Gjks6Ph7MwU
Restoring Old Paint Brushes
https://youtu.be/O8YpROac1E8
In this See Jane Drill installment, Leah Bolden shows how you can restore even the gnarliest dried up paint brush using Murphy’s Oil Soap, a paint brush comb, and a little bit of patience.
Cheap Parts Wall Organizers
https://youtu.be/x0w3jqFUTPM
On Filament Friday, Chuck got tired of seeing all of these cool (but expensive) storage solutions for parts organizing boxes on channels like Adam Savage’s Tested. After finding some plastic parts organizers at the dollar store, he decided to design and 3D print brackets for them to create a wall-hanging storage solution for all of his electronics components. You can find the storage boxes here and he’s made the STL files available if you want to print your own brackets.
These Carharrt Work Socks Rock!
Being something of a Carharrt fanboy, I have a lot of their shirts, pants, jackets, hats, and gloves. Now, my fandom includes socks. I have a hard time finding socks that are comfortable, don’t make my feet sweat, and don’t bind my calves too tightly. I may have found the near-perfect pair in the Carhartt Men's Force Performance Work Socks. I wore them recently on a camping trip to Glacier National Park and my feet stayed warm, dry, and comfortable the entire time. The one drawback for me is that they are really snug at the top. For others, this may not be an issue, but I have poor circulation so my legs swell around the top band. Hopefully, as with some other socks I own, this will lessen over time. As my socks are retired, I plan on replacing them all with these Carharrt work socks. And, at $15 for three pairs, the price is great, too.
I still remember how awed I was the first time I saw a cooper at work (during a grade school class trip to Colonial Williamsburg). I had no idea that’s how it was done. I still stop to watch videos of barrel-making and still marvel at the process. As Charmian Leong puts it on Instagram: “Watching a cooper at work will never not be extremely cool and immensely satisfying.” Indeed! I also found this interview with Ramona Vogel, a journeyman cooper at Colonial Williamsburg. This might be the very shop that I visited in my youth!
Shop Talk
Readers offer their feedback, tips, tales, and tool recommendations.
Tips & Tools subscriber John Seiffer writes:
Loved your piece on This Old Tony. It reminded me of a piece I saw in Mad Magazine in my youth (I'm old), and thanks to the miracle of modern technology, (and probably copyright infringement), I found it online.
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09/27/24
