# What's your favorite small accessory or tool?



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I like making picture frames, and finishing and sanding becomes a frustrating chore, at least until I found a set of sanding blocks that handles convex and concave shapes. Combined with the new flexible 3M sanding sheets and prep and finishing all the nooks and crannies goes quickly. Another favorite is the Wixey digital angle gauge. 

These are small, inexpensive items that make woodworking easier and more fun. *What are your favorite small accessories, and why? How/where did you find them?
*


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Tom, where did you find the sanding gizmo's?

I use these miniature Card scrapers on every project.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=32672&cat=1,310,41069

https://www.philadelphialuthiertool...mini-card-scraper-set-of-5-2mm-4mm-thickness/


Herb


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Gotta be routers...small or large.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> Tom, where did you find the sanding gizmo's?
> 
> I use these miniature Card scrapers on every project.
> Miniature Scrapers - Lee Valley Tools
> ...


Got them at Rockler, they were on sale when I visited. Rockler Contour Sanding Grips | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware. On sale now for $12. I also have a flat set that has a wedge shape. They work best with the ultra flexible sanding medium by 3M, which lasts many times longer than paper.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

For scrapers, these have become my favorites.







Very easily sharpened. Holds an edge well, even on mesquite and white oak.
From Stewmac.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

One of the tools that I grab the most is a fractional/metric caliper. I have the 6"/15cm one from LV. I'm constantly using it to check thickness, length, or depth. It also tells me whether something is metric or imperial. Imperial/Metric Vernier Calipers - Lee Valley Tools


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm with Gene. Router. Well, that and a hammer.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

As an accessory I couldn't live without my linisher.


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

My 6'' Lee Valley steel ruler and my machinists small square. I can't think of a project I have done without them. Before I took a fine woodworking course 10 yrs ago I used a 25' measuring tape and a larger type square. They are used for layout and tool set up and the small square is also used to check boards after joining. I have these in my apron all the time.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

OK, let me add some essentials I forgot about earlier .

A mechanical pencil, a good eraser, a ruler, and a spiral school notebook, for rough sketches. Then a 1/4" graph notebook for final designs. This is pretty much all I have used for my designs for years.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Thinking about it, knowing the quantity of mistakes I make, my middle finger gets a work out. It's a tool of frustration expression. Doesn't help much, but along with a few choice words, it saves windows from what ever throwable tool that's nearby.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Gene Howe said:


> Thinking about it, knowing the quantity of mistakes I make, my middle finger gets a work out. It's a tool of frustration expression. Doesn't help much, but along with a few choice words, it saves windows from what ever throwable tool that's nearby.


I've got a small stand, with a 2-3" thick top, that I use when tacking my masters down. At times, taking a hammer and just whacking the crap out of it can be very stress relieving.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

JOAT said:


> I've got a small stand, with a 2-3" thick top, that I use when tacking my masters down. At times, taking a hammer and just whacking the crap out of it can be very stress relieving.


Thanks. However, I'm afraid that if I laid hands on that hammer, I'd have to go outside to retrieve it. Then fix the window. :surprise:
What I need is not a stress/ frustration/ rage reliever but an intense anger management course.:wink:


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

Kreg Pocket Hole Jig!!


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Gene Howe said:


> Thanks. However, I'm afraid that if I laid hands on that hammer, I'd have to go outside to retrieve it. Then fix the window. :surprise:
> What I need is not a stress/ frustration/ rage reliever but an intense anger management course.:wink:


A few years back, I walked into my buddy's shop to help with a project, just as a propane torch bounced off the wall about 4' from the door. He had been heating laminate strips for edging on a countertop with a tight corner radius and had just snapped the fourth or fifth try. Not an auspicious start to the work day..............

As far as small tools, I find the Woodpecker's Delve square to be both useful and handy - the older all-aluminum model.


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## Andrew_the_Celt (Jun 15, 2018)

There's a powertool that uses that type of blocks from Porter Cable, it's called the "profile sander". I think it may be discontinued but there's plenty of them around used on E-bay.


There's also an oscillating tool profile sander head from Integra available that does the same thing to be had for a song (around $12). They're on Amazon.

I'd post the URL's but I'm new here and haven't made 10 posts yet.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Andrew_the_Celt said:


> There's a powertool that uses that type of blocks from Porter Cable, it's called the "profile sander". I think it may be discontinued but there's plenty of them around used on E-bay.
> 
> 
> There's also an oscillating tool profile sander head from Integra available that does the same thing to be had for a song (around $12). They're on Amazon.
> ...


that PC model is a joke...
try out a multimaster w/ PSA paper and you'll have something...


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## Andrew_the_Celt (Jun 15, 2018)

See my post Herb if you want a powered version. 

You could of course use any of the profiles by hand if you wanted to.


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## Andrew_the_Celt (Jun 15, 2018)

Thanks Stick, I've never tried the PC, just knew it existed. I was thinking of getting one though but I'll check out the multimaster.


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## Andrew_the_Celt (Jun 15, 2018)

Holy smokes, the Multimaster stuff is pricey. For the number of times I'd have a use for it I couldn't justify it. 

I usually just make a custom profile hand sanding block as needed from Bondo in the rare instances I need one.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Andrew_the_Celt said:


> Holy smokes, the Multimaster stuff is pricey. For the number of times I'd have a use for it I couldn't justify it.
> 
> I usually just make a custom profile hand sanding block as needed from Bondo in the rare instances I need one.


those that had the PC got rid of them...
those that don't have the MM do exactly what you plan on doing...

but once you own a MM it will change your whole line of thinking..
go look to the MM made by Bosch... serious contender...

I was gifted a PC that I regifted that has been regifted many times...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Andrew_the_Celt said:


> Thanks Stick, I've never tried the PC, just knew it existed. I was thinking of getting one though but I'll check out the multimaster.


I have one and was never able to use it with the profiles without digging divots with them but it does make a decent inline sander to get into tight spaces and corners and the profiles are useful for sanding by hand. Another issue was getting sandpaper to stick to the rubber profiles but I found that by coating them with some Lee Valley fish glue that the self adhesive paper would stick much better. They were in fact discontinued quite a while ago.


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

My Colt.


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Just for reference, Porter Cable and others copied Fein Tools, after the patent ran on it. I paid about $350 for my beast and still think it or its equivalent is an absolute necessity, on occasion. 




Andrew_the_Celt said:


> There's a powertool that uses that type of blocks from Porter Cable, it's called the "profile sander". I think it may be discontinued but there's plenty of them around used on E-bay.
> 
> 
> There's also an oscillating tool profile sander head from Integra available that does the same thing to be had for a song (around $12). They're on Amazon.
> ...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I noticed a hint in a newsletter yesterday. It was to use a special container for all those pointy, sharp things that inevitably show up in a shop. Like a medical sharps container, I use a tall plastic "bottle," to collect things I don't want to have drift into one of my tires. When full, you can recycle it all. I now have a habit of placing any removed screws, bent or removed nails, bolts., razor blades, cutters, etc., into the jar immediately. Works really well.


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

I'm with Stick. I've had my MM for nearly a decade (well before the patent ran and PC and others started making them) and it's paid for itself on several jobs.

I use the saws more than anything, but the hook and loop sanding heads are great too. The profile sanders cut a LOT of time off jobs when their shapes are needed.

In the end, they are MUCH cheaper than Festools and will last the average guy/gal as long as he/she is inclined to make fine sawdust.




Stick486 said:


> those that had the PC got rid of them...
> those that don't have the MM do exactly what you plan on doing...
> 
> but once you own a MM it will change your whole line of thinking..
> ...


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## N'awlins77 (Feb 25, 2011)

I do something similar with my old razor blades for my utility knives. I don't like just throwing them away in the trash, not only for garbage diggers safety, but for my own safety, as I find myself throwing something away I didn't want to, and going digging for it. 
I use to chew gum, forgot the name brand, but it came in a small plastic container. About the size of the double edge razor blades. I've saved quite a few, and they hold 100 or better blades. When that container gets full, then I throw the container away. 



DesertRatTom said:


> I noticed a hint in a newsletter yesterday. It was to use a special container for all those pointy, sharp things that inevitably show up in a shop. Like a medical sharps container, I use a tall plastic "bottle," to collect things I don't want to have drift into one of my tires. When full, you can recycle it all. I now have a habit of placing any removed screws, bent or removed nails, bolts., razor blades, cutters, etc., into the jar immediately. Works really well.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

utility blade dispensers come w/ slot for the used blades...


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## SaraHandcraft (Jun 22, 2018)

My favorite is a pencil. I love to write novels so I can live only with that tool and I would be very happy.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

I think my most favorite tool is my Unisaw and Unifence with the digital read out. I use it for almost every project, and I am continually amazed with the accuracy that I can get with it, but I also very much like my DeWalt DW611 and CRB7 combination and use them often, even though I have 11 other routers.

Charley


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