Sixty Second Shop » Apparatus

Small Shop Lumber Cart

Ron Nelson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:31:15 +0000

We work with quite a bit of lumber in the shop, so needed a good way to store and move the material around. The answer? A low rolling cart, designed so that you can stack lumber on top of its large flat top. The cart can also be used to move around bulky items. Think [...]

Speed Square : Repeatable Angle Cuts

Ron Nelson — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:26:49 +0000

I’ve found myself needing to cut many repeatable angles for the Owl and Woodpecker Boxes / Houses which we build. To speed up the process I modified one of the Speed Lite squares, and rigged a Speed Square Big 12, so that they both can quickly and accurately be used to line up angles.

Electronics Workbench : Molex KK Connectors

Ron Nelson — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:46:02 +0000

Learn about why I love using Molex KK Connectors for my electronics projects. These are very handy for interconnecting different boards, power supplies, etc. See how to crimp them and the parts needed to make a complete connection. I highly recommened that you consider these types of connectors for your future electronics projects.

Electronics Workbench : Handy Tools

Ron Nelson — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:04:50 +0000

Here we take a look at a couple of indispensible tools for your electronics workbench. Automatic wire strippers, vices, clamps, and of course a good soldering iron.

Electronics Workbench : Pegboard & Wire Organization

Ron Nelson — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:16:38 +0000

Some ideas for how to layout your tools using a 2′ x 4′ piece of plastic pegboard and a “fake” wall. There’s also some information on how to organize your spools of wire, using old coat hangers and sewing thread holders.

Toys For Adults

Ron Nelson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:17:45 +0000

Check out my review of the Makita 10.8V cordless driver/drills on my blog: Makita 10.8V Drill/Driver/Impact Tools

Or perhaps the Komelon self-locking tape measure: Komelon Tape Measure

Painting Helpers : Pyramids

Ron Nelson — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:57:46 +0000

Here’s a simple idea that makes painting a lot easier: pyramids. My homemade version is shown here, using some wood scraps and screws.

If you are interested in an excellent commercial version of these, take a look at the Painter’s Pyramid site. It’s amazing how an inexpensive device can help so much.

Painting Helpers : The Coathanger

Ron Nelson — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:38:59 +0000

Use a coat hanger to help making spray painting irregular shaped objects easier.

If you would like to learn more about the homemade “Bill Dings” (the figures appearing in this video), check out my write-up and template, here: My Version Of Bill Dings

Make Your Tool Bucket Roll

Ron Nelson — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:00:36 +0000

Hauling around a 5 gallon bucket full of tools isn’t any fun. Build this simple cart to make things easier.

A Bucket For Your Tools

Ron Nelson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:16:14 +0000

A 5 gallon bucket and a Bucket Boss can make your shop life a lot easier.