Gar’s Tips & Tools – Issue #176

Weekly-ish access to tools, techniques, and shop tales from the worlds of DIY

Gar’s Tips, Tools, and Shop Tales is published by Cool Tools Lab. To receive the newsletter a week early, sign up here.

---

Tips and Must-Haves for Small Shops

In this “Ask Adam” video, Adam Savage gets asked what are the essential things to consider when setting up a small home workshop. He points out something that a lot of people likely overlook: the quality, design, and utility of your workbench(es). He says that you should have workbenches that you love being at. I have work surfaces I love and one I don’t. I have two large Biomorph adjustable worktables in my upstairs office/shop/studio and a cheap Harbor Fright workbench in the garage shop. Love the former, hate working at the latter. One of these years, I’ll upgrade my garage shop and I’m sure I’ll spend more time in there as a result. He also emphasizes lights. The more light, the better. I have frequently said the same here and recommended this system which I have bought 3 sets of now. He also loves long power strips and recommends these 12-outlet strips. He points out something you may not have thought of. If you’re a one-person shop, you don’t have to worry too much about overloading a large power strip. You’re not likely to be using more than one (or two) tools at a time. In answer to another question about rust, he recommends one of my fave shop products which I’ve talked about in this newsletter many times: Evapo-Rust.

Elevating Your Workshop Game

This recommended shop tool would likely fit in my “homely tools” category, an indispensable, everyday tool that fades into the background of your work process: apple boxes. Wesley Treat shows you how to build simple, nesting apple boxes which he argues are the kind of tools you don’t realize how bad you need them until you have them in the shop.

Turning Dowels with a Hand Drill and Jig

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Takurou Seino (@takuwoodcraft)

I’m not a woodworker. I see a lot of these easy dowel-turning jigs using a drill and a blade (here from a hand plane) and always wonder if they’re practical. Or BS. This is one of the easiest and seemingly solid ones that I’ve seen. What do my woodworking readers make of this? Here’s another one using a modified nut.

Three Toolchangers to Watch

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Caleb Kraft (@caleb_kraft)

Caleb Kraft of Make: has started posting short tips and recommendation videos on his Instagram feed. In this installment, he offers three DIY toolchanger projects for 3D printers that he thinks you should keep an eye on: @zombiehedgehog, Vinny5915, and 3DUnplugged. I love efforts like this of people in the know in a given domain telling the rest of us what to pay attention to.

Steven Roberts’ “The Digitizing Report”

It is impossible to overstate what an influence Steven Roberts, aka the High-Tech Nomad, has been on my life as a maker. He was a maker OG who landed on my radar in the mid-80s with his absurdly ahead-of-its-time Winnebiko project, and then the even more amazing BEHEMOTH in the early 90s (see above). I covered these ingenious technomadic projects for Wired, Mondo 2000, The Futurist, bOING bOING, and Make:, subscribed to Steve’s newsletters, and we eventually became friends. We remain so to this day. Steve is one of the most talented and inspiring independent engineers and technical thinkers I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. As an engineer with the soul of a poet, he’s the embodiment of his own well-known quote, “Art without engineering is dreaming. Engineering without art is calculating.” So, I was thrilled to hear from Steve that he’s launched a new newsletter, The Digitizing Report. Steve’s latest tech obsession (and business) is digital archiving. He has a huge 48-foot mobile lab that he’s outfitted with a “toolset for recovering analog treasures.” The newsletter covers his media digitizing efforts with the level of useful detail that Steve is known for. Lots of great how-to info here “whether someone is running a business or just wants to put Dad’s musty VHS tapes onto a thumb drive for the kids.”

Buying Longer Than You Need

If you’re not following Kevin Kelly’s Instagram feed or purchased his book, Excellent Advice for Living, here’s another useful, aphoristic reminder. In addition to such life advice, he’s also started a Pattern Language-like series of “LOOK Design Tips.” Here are a few:

LOOK Design Tip 51: Arrange a patchwork of uneven parts into a unbroken whole.

LOOK Design Tip 52: Take a conventional simple form and make it very ornate

Shop Talk

Readers offer their feedback, tips, tales, and tool recommendations.

In response to my “Don’t Buy This!” entry in the last newsletter, Lawrence Kampf wrote:

The Ikea MOPPE chests do fine if you give the drawers a sanding on the edges. It doesn’t fix the weird shape of them that I find too deep for their width, but it easily fixes the binding. 

Any ideas where to find shallow draw units for storing punches, small chisels, etc? The closest I’ve found so far is oil pastel storage units from art stores. 

‘Luck and thanks for the tips!

I knew about sanding (and soaping/waxing the bottom edges, as other readers suggested), but have just been too lazy to try these. I have now tried both. The sanding really does help the drawers slide. The soaping wasn’t as successful for me. I would definitely recommend sanding the bottom edges smooth if you buy these chests.

In answer to Lawrence’s question about shallow drawer units: Have you seen/tried the DeWalt TSTAK IV stackable drawer units? They might meet your needs:

A number of readers were alarmed by the safety implications of recommending angle grinder tool hacks. This response from yrtagentman speaks for others:

Angle grinder “hacks” look useful but are very dangerous. Angle grinders spin at about 10,000 rpm so things – like flying parts or work pieces – can go bad very fast.

Yes. In all posts in this newsletter, in YouTube videos, and the like, you should always make sure that you know the tool, what the tool can do, how the tool wants to hurt you, and safe and secure shop practices. Anything that spins at 5-10,000 RPMs is dangerous. Your safety and the safety of those around you should always be the top priority when using tools, especially aggressive ones like angle grinders. The appeal of “hacks” can sometimes overshadow the inherent risks involved, leading to complacency about safety. It’s critical to remember that even experienced pros take rigorous precautions when using such tools.

04/5/24

2024 Trending Destinations/Eclipse Glasses/Remote Life Chats

Nomadico issue #98

A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

Where is Everybody Going?

Where are travelers headed this year? Well if you believe Kayak.com, a company that should know, travelers from the Americas are spreading their wings this year and are headed to places they don’t normally go: Bariloche and Ushuaia (Argentina), Tokyo, Madrid, Tunis, and Medellin are on the top-10 trending list, all up more than 300% over last year. The Europeans are mostly headed to Spanish islands and Greece, though their trending destinations include Panama City, Victoria (Canada), Pristina (Kosovo), and Bol (Croatia). See the full report here.

Live Near a Beach in Europe

There’s plenty to quibble about in this Travel + Leisure round-up of the best European beach cities to live in, but if you just take it as a list of potential destinations to dream about trying out for a while as a base while working, it’s worth skimming through to see the options.

Get Those Eclipse Glasses

I’m headed off to Mazatlan in Mexico to catch the total eclipse of the sun hitting on the morning of April 8. It’s going to cut across a long path in the USA too, from Texas to Maine. As your mama told you though, staring at the sun can make you go blind. Pick up some eclipse glasses and don’t go for the cheapest ones: legit versions should be 40 times darker than sunglasses and carry an ISO compliance label on their packaging. (ISO 12312-2). We’ve narrowed it down for you on Amazon here.

A Podcast for the Remote Life

Looking for a podcast that discusses the digital nomad movement, by and with people actually living it? Follow this link to About Abroad, from Valencia, Spain resident Chase Warrington. Or just add it to your feed on your podcast listening platform. Do it today because I am this week’s guest!

04/4/24

What’s in my NOW? — Jessi Stinson

issue #173

Sign up here to get What’s in my NOW? a week early in your inbox.

I’ve been a public library reference assistant for over 25 years. I’m a early adopter adopter of new technology, and specialize in teaching tech literacy to the public. I love travel and the outdoors, and all the toys and gadgets that go along with that. During the pandemic I bought an almost 10 acre piece of land and have started the post-apocalypse homestead of my dreams, and have now developed a love of all the cool tools that go with that.
— Jessi Stinson

---

PHYSICAL

• MAOYUE Candle Warmer. My partner is scared every time I light a candle in the house, and I hate how quickly my favorite scented candles burn up. I don’t burn candles for the light, but for the scent, and this candle warmer works perfectly at releasing the aroma while making sure that the house doesn’t accidentally burn down.
• Medihoney Gel Wound and & Burn Dressing. This stuff is amazing for healing open wounds and burns. I learned about it recently after having open surgical wounds that could not be stitched closed, and had to heal from the inside out (it’s a thing!). Medihoney worked better at healing, protecting and soothing than the strong antibiotic gel my physician prescribed. I will keep this in my first aid kit from now on.
• Removable Freezer Labels. I keep buying these over and over. They are amazing, and I keep finding good uses for them. I make country wine, and these are perfect for keeping my bottles labeled. They come off easily without residue. They can be moved and reused, and what tickles me the most is that when they get run through the dishwasher – they stay on and the marker doesn’t wash off! I use them all over the house.

---

DIGITAL

• Your library card. Have you seen your local public library’s free downloadable movies, music, audiobooks, magazines from services like Overdrive, Kanopy, Hoopla, Flipster, and more? I save hundreds of dollars a year accessing downloadable entertainment with my library card. Here is an example of what my library has to offer, all from the comfort of home. I bet your library is much of the same. 
• The Prehab App. I broke my ankle, and then of all things my wrist last year – both requiring surgery, plates and pins. I am very athletic and participate in a number of outdoor sports like whitewater kayaking, hiking and cycling. I got very depressed, and faced an identity crisis. I tried a number of rehab folks, but no one was as good as the Prehab app. Very professional and very motivating. This was a huge help in my recovery both physically and mentally.

---

INVISIBLE

• As a side gig I help people with self-publishing. Right now I’m working on transcribing a precious civil war diary written by a military surgeon, handed down through the family for many generations. While the description of the war is interesting, I love reading about his daily family life and what he had for breakfast, and how it cost $1 a week to have his laundry done for him, and how he parents his two toddlers. Keep a journal and always remember to write down the mundane. If you can’t think of anything to write, just know that future generations 200 years from now just might love to read about what car you drive and what you had for lunch!

---

What’s in your NOW?

We want to know what’s in your now — a list of 6 things that are significant to you now — 3 physical, 2 digital and 1 invisible. 

If you’re interested in contributing an issue, use this form to submit: https://forms.gle/Pf9BMuombeg1gCid9

If we run your submission in our newsletter and blog, we’ll paypal you $25.

04/3/24

Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores / Bedtime for Batman

Books That Belong On Paper Issue No. 8

Books That Belong On Paper first appeared on the web as Wink Books and was edited by Carla Sinclair. Sign up here to get the issues a week early in your inbox.

---

FOOTNOTES FROM THE WORLD’S GREATEST BOOKSTORES: TRUE TALES AND LOST MOMENTS FROM BOOK BUYERS, BOOKSELLERS, AND BOOK LOVERS

Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores: True Tales and Lost Moments from Book Buyers, Booksellers, and Book Lovers
by Bob Eckstein, Garrison Keillor (Foreword)
Clarkson Potter
2017, 176 pages, 7.0 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches, Hardcover

Buy on Amazon

I don’t believe that a love of books is the same as a love of reading. While they often intersect, many avid readers are content with digital mediums, and that’s great. But if you’re like me and fall into the former group, chances are you like bookstores as much as you like books. Not only do they provide an opportunity to pick up and tangibly examine texts of interest en masse, they allow you to do so in the company of likeminded folks. Many host events and attract local artists, be they a-list or obscure, serving as a meeting ground for cultural enrichment and community building the world over.

The experience of reading Footnotes from the World’s Greatest Bookstores can be likened to that of cruising Google Earth, but instead of digital images of places you might long to go, you’re treated to paintings by New Yorker cartoonist Bob Eckstein, whose lush, colorful strokes instill a sense of familiarity and nostalgia whether you’ve set foot in these places or not.

With this book you can take a tour of some of the most notable shops across the globe through an illustrated collection of anecdotes from store owners, shoppers and celebrities. The stories collected here reveal the lasting impact these places have on their guests and proprietors, and will leave bookstore nerds like myself flipping the pages with increasing glee.

– Janine Fleri

---

BEDTIME FOR BATMAN WILL HAVE BATMAN FANS, YOUNG AND OLD, DELIGHTING IN THEIR NIGHTLY ROUTINES

Bedtime for Batman
by Michael Dahl, Ethen Beavers (Illustrator)
Capstone Young Readers
2016, 32 pages, 8.5 x 0.3 x 10.3 inches, Hardcover

Buy on Amazon

A boy prepares for bedtime as a masked hero patrols a sleepy Gotham. Batman’s Batsignal sweeps across the sky as a young boy’s dad signals him to prepare for bedtime. The boy dramatically climbs the stairs as Bruce Wayne descends into the Batcave. Batman plunges into the city’s sewers in pursuit of the villains as the caped boy enters the bathroom to brush his teeth. While the boy heroically feeds his fish, Batman saves innocent bystanders, and fearlessly swings from an overpass past Gotham’s skyline. The costumed lad valiantly climbs the stairs to his bunkbed. Meanwhile, Batman ascends a fire escape into the moonlit night.

Mimicking the bold style of the animated TV shows, Bedtime For Batman is illustrated in the muted midnight blue of the darkened metropolis, the bold lemon yellow of the Batsignal and utility belt, the Batmobile’s orange flames as it speeds through the city, and cool aquamarine of the bat-filled Batcave, and ends with both characters frozen in stalwart poses. Its simple storyline of small and large-scale heroism, written in uncomplicated language, could be easily understood by the youngest Batman fan. Batman’s rogue gallery makes an appearance, and the villains are captured with no violence, symbolized by the boy cleaning his room and locking his toys away in a large chest. A handy checklist at the end helps make sure one’s child has prepared for bed. Tackling common obstacles to an easy bedtime such as dressing, hygiene, and tidiness, Bedtime For Batman is a humorous, colorful book for budding heroes.

– SD

04/2/24

Cleaning

Tools for Possibilities: issue no. 80

Once a week we’ll send out a page from Cool Tools: A Catalog of Possibilities. The tools might be outdated or obsolete, and the links to them may or may not work. We present these vintage recommendations as is because the possibilities they inspire are new. Sign up here to get Tools for Possibilities a week early in your inbox.

---

Superior mop

Mary Moppins

I previously used a basic cotton deck mop, which is the best of the conventional choices, as far as I’m concerned. Most of the grocery store alternatives to the cotton deck mop are flimsy and don’t work very well. This mop is superior to others in several respects. First is that it is solid and sturdy. It is a real tool rather than a flimsy piece of junk. Second is that it works so much better. It takes less water and cleaner and less effort but picks up dirt better and faster. I use mine with vinegar and water or other environmentally preferable cleaning solutions. Third is that you don’t have the problem of storing a wet, dirty mop.

This mop is basically a cylinder at its base, with Velcro-like hook fasteners that hold onto a typical terry cloth towel. The towel or rag you use comes off the mop head when you are done and goes into the wash. Nothing hangs around wet in your cleaning closet getting funky. It’s similar in design to the Cuban Mop previously reviewed on Cool Tools, but with a better means of keeping the towel on the mop head. — Katie Bretsch

---

Affordable, everyday cleaning cloths

Microfiber Cleaning Towels in Bulk

Microfiber towels are listed in Cool Tools as great for drying and travel and camping, but have you used them for everyday cleaning, dusting and wiping? I buy my 16×16-inch towels in bulk. I’ve used the previously-reviewed MysticMaid cleaning towels and, personally, have seen no difference in cleaning power. Of course, mine may not last as long in the end, but they are are a heck of lot cheaper, so I’m more inclined to use them for everything and anything. And they really are holding their own so far. I’ve washed my current kitchen cleaner over 50 times with no loss in cleaning power (the packaging says good for over 100 washes). Dampen with water and you can clean the kitchen top to bottom without leaving a streak. It removes grease, grime, and the odd stuff on the stove top. Around the house it cleans glass without leaving a streak, removes the haze from inside of your auto windshield, cleans the car interior and removes all the muck the kids have built up on the plastic, doors and even car seats. Around the desk it cleans up coffee spills and rings. I’ve also used mine for cleaning monitor screens, brass, cameras (I collect Minolta 16 mm and Minox cameras), jewels, coins, glass objet d’art, lexan screens, fine wood carvings, some photos, and find no scratches or wearing away of labels, paint, or important stuff — and I’ve looked hard with my loupes. Cleaning wood work is easy and quick, as well. And in the wood shop it does wonders in getting dust off surfaces before staining or painting. A bonus for ribs lovers — it’s better than any napkin or moist towelette. — Patrick J. Meyer

---

Best stain remover

OxiClean

This powder is a non-toxic, non-chlorine bleach. Chemically it works like hydrogen peroxide, which is a water molecule with an added unstable oxygen. OxiClean is chiefly sodium percarbonate, which is washing soda with additional unstable oxygen. As in hydrogen peroxide, the excitable oxygen bubbles off when it reacts, chemically oxidizing smells, films, germs and stains of all kinds. But because OxiClean is a dry powder it is far more durable and stable than hydrogen peroxide, easier to concentrate, and cheaper in bulk. (Drugstore hydrogen peroxide is 2% solution; OxiClean is equivalent to 27% peroxide.) Best of all, percarbonate degrades to simple oxygen and washing soda (sodium carbonate). Greenies love it, and it is sold in many environmental friendly stores. I feel comfortable using it in the kitchen, and will freely work it in my hands; it has an alkaline soapy feel and fizzes satisfyingly.

Dissolved in water, it works wonders on carpet stains, soiled clothing, weird gunk on counters, mildew, trash cans, refrigerator smell and so forth. American Test Kitchens tested all available cleaners and found that sodium percarbonate was the all-around champ on getting severe grease, food, coffee and wine stains from clothes. Generally, oxygen bleaches won’t fade or affect colors like chlorine bleaches will.

Sodium percarbonate is an old chemical, but manufacturers only recently learned how to make this stuff in the vast quantities needed to be tossed by the cupfull into laundry machines. For around-thehouse chores, I’ve found that a very little of this stuff will go a long way. You can mix it to your own preferred concentration. There are a number of powdered cleaners based on sodium percarbonate and they all have “oxy” in their names. (Liquid cleaners with “oxy” in the name are usually hydrogen peroxide.) But of these, OxiClean, versatile stain remover is a best buy for laundry use. Most general stores, like Walmart and Target, carry it. — KK

---

Tenacious pool brush

Wall Whale

I used a normal pool brush before, and always had the problem with the brush not sticking to the wall. I would normally have to use a lot of force to successfully brush a vertical section of pool wall. Then the brush finally broke. So I went to a local pool supply to get another brush and came across the Wall Whale brush. It’s unique because in addition to the brush, it has a fin, which creates a powerful force, that basically sticks the brush to the pool wall. It’s pretty effortless to use, and successfully cleans the area that I brush.

I have had it for a few months and love it. —Mike Hedge

---

Old school stain remover

Fels-Naptha

Fels-Naptha is old school soap that works great when it comes to stains. I had a pair of khakis that I got old chain grease on, washed them regularly about 3-4 times. Regular wash didn’t get the stain out, so I called it a bust. Then 3-months later I used a little elbow grease and Fels-Naptha, just rubbing the fabric against itself for 5 minutes, and sure enough, the grease came right out. The soap is good for plenty more as well. — Tanner

04/1/24

Books in bullet points/Things that don’t work/Phone camera

Recomendo - issue #403

Sign up here to get Recomendo a week early in your inbox.

Books in bullet points 

BookPecker.com summarizes popular books into 5 key points. Five bullet points may not be enough information to learn and absorb new concepts, but just enough to pique your interest and help you decide if you want to read a particular book or not. Here’s an example of a book I’ve been wanting to read: King, Warrior, Magician, Lover. Based on the summary, I decided to forgo reading the book and instead try to do some online research on each of the masculine archetypes. Currently there are 14,509 books summarized in 5 bullet points. — CD 

Things that don’t work

Here’s a list of 43 things that don’t work, according to the author of the Dynomight newsletter. I don’t agree with all of them, but I’m on board with item number 12: Explaining board games (you should just start playing and answer questions as they come up), and 17: Arguing with people (“Words do not exist that will make people [change their minds] aside from a few weirdos who’ve intentionally cultivated the habit.”) — MF

Switching to a phone camera

I’ve been a serious photographer for more than 50 years. The best camera I have ever owned is a new iPhone 15 Pro. It is now the only camera I carry. But I had to learn and unlearn some tricks to use a phone as a camera well. Scott Kelby, a veteran pro photographer, made a fabulously helpful 45-minute video explaining his favorite 20 tips on using an iPhone for a serious travel camera. Most of the tips in Kelby’s Using Your iPhone for Travel Photography tutorial were new to me, and right on. Would probably be useful for any current smartphone. — KK

The secret to a heavier Chipotle burrito

Ben Braddock offers a devilishly clever tactic for Chipotle aficionados who want to maximize their protein bang-for-buck: “l always wait until after the employee puts the first scoop of chicken on my burrito to ask for double chicken, so the size of the first scoop isn’t compromised by the knowledge I’m getting a second scoop and now the employee has shown their hand in terms of their default scoop size, so they can’t skimp with my second scoop.” — MF

No, They’re Not Mad At You

If you’re ever feeling rejected, anxious, or insecure, at AreTheyMadAtMe.com you’ll find a wall of comforting messages from anonymous posters to remind you that you are not alone. Uncertainty can make me feel lonely or disconnected from other people, and this is a good reminder to not make assumptions about how others might be feeling toward me and practice some self-soothing. — CD 

Quotable

• “Today is the worst AI will ever be.” — Alex Irpan
• “There are two kinds of people in the world… and who is not both of them?” — James Richardson
• “To understand recursion, one must first understand recursion.”  — Stephen Hawking
• “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story.”  — Stephen King
• “There is no failure in sports.”  — Giannis Antetokounmpo
• “Scarcity is the one thing you can never have enough of.” — Marc Randolph
• “I wouldn’t have seen it, if I didn’t believe it.” — Marshall McLuhan
• “No man was ever wise by chance.” — Seneca
• “What people say about you behind your back is none of your business.” — John Maeda
• “The most selfish act of all is kindness, because its reward is so much greater than the investment.” — Tom Peters
• “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” — Carl Jung

That is another set of quotes I greatly appreciate, and find useful to remember. — KK

03/31/24

What’s in my NOW? — Jessi Stinson