Let's Share Non-Obvious Tool Tricks

[rust in the eye]

Got a partially stripped phillips head screw? Dip your driver into some valve lapping compound. Adds enough grip to get out a surprising number of those screws.

Also works well on internal hex fasteners.

 

[jimbothecricket]

If you need to square something but don't have a square you can use a tape measure. Measure 3 units on one side of the corner, 4 on the other. The distance between the two marks needs to be 5 for the corner to be square. It's a fun trick that is based on good old trigonometry.

     3
  +------+
  |     /
  |    /
4 |   / 5
  |  /
  | /
  |/

 

[Beerhippie]

Yep, the good ol' 3-4-5 right triangle trick! For larger things and more accuracy, you can multiply all three numbers by whatever suits you, as long as it's the same for all three, so you can use 6-8-10, 9-12-15, etc.

I once worked with an older carpenter who didn't believe in the Pythagorean Theorem, and insisted we use framing squares and "pull diagonals" for squaring footings. sills and top plates.

 

[AEAdam]

A folder with slide (extension rule, per Starrett) has been my number-one tool for many carpentry jobs for decades. I learned to use it when I was doing a lot of stain-grade trim work. I don't measure with it so much as transfer with it.

There are a bunch of tricks with these. There are 12 segments. You can count segments and make a 3 4 5 square. These are still required tools for union electrian apprentices in my area. They can use them this way to keep drilled wire holes straight down a wall (squaring to the studs. They also use them to mock-up conduits. You can create a traingle with them to transfer angles to another person, bending conduit etc. There are a bunch of clever uses for these.

 

[Beerhippie]

There are a bunch of tricks with these. There are 12 segments. You can count segments and make a 3 4 5 square. These are still required tools for union electrian apprentices in my area. They can use them this way to keep drilled wire holes straight down a wall (squaring to the studs. They also use them to mock-up conduits. You can create a traingle with them to transfer angles to another person, bending conduit etc. There are a bunch of clever uses for these.

Thanks! Transferring triangles is new to me!

 

[no704]

I had a 6” machinist’s rule that I had to have “calibrated”. It was used with a measuring microscope in an environment where we couldn’t put a moving measurement device or control the exact distance to the item being measured. Drove me crazy I had to send it in every 6 months for them to attach a sticker with the same error values every time.

The one that really made me crazy was a PH meter that has to be calibrated before each use. Had to send that in for cal too!

 

[Captain Spaulding]

The one that really made me crazy was a PH meter that has to be calibrated before each use. Had to send that in for cal too!

They probably used the same solution you used to cal it!

 

[AEAdam]

Digital caliper tricks: measuring blind, take the measure and hit zero. Remove and close the calipers and read the reading.

Measuring hole center to hole center. Use (upper) inside jaws to measure one of the holes and zero. Then use the inside jaws again to measure extreme edge to edge of hole. ReDing is that minus the diameter or center to center.

 

[no704]

They probably used the same solution you used to cal it!

I’m sure! **** made no sense.

 

[chevy.stroker]

Interesting fact in case anyone missed it (and I'm not correcting anyone, because I didn't have a clue myself until this). Pythagorean theorem is actually proven with Algebra and Geometry. It was only proven once with Trigonometry until 2 girls proved it separately using Trig recently, because they didn't know any better.

Teens come up with trigonometry proof for Pythagorean Theorem, a problem that stumped math world for centuries

A high school teacher didn't expect a solution when she set a 2,000-year-old Pythagorean Theorem problem in front of her students. Then Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson stepped up to the challenge.

www.google.com

As for a trick, the old Craftsman screwdrivers, and many other bakelite handles, are shaped to slide a boxend wrench over for extra torque.

 

[Beerhippie]

If you're laying out a roof and have two people, it's very useful to have occasional "witness lines" chalklined on the roof so you can keep your runs straight. The metal tag on the end of the chalkline has a hole in it, and you can pass one through the other to link two lines together. With one person on each gable end, pull the line all the way to one end, snap, move up, pull to the other end, repeat as needed. This insures that the chalk is always fresh and saves a LOT of walking back and forth from one end of the roof to the other.

Oh, yeah--when working on a roof, always face the edge! That way, you don't accidentally take a step too far backwards.........and......... thud.

 

[engineer2]

A heavy duty air hammer does a nice job of driving electrical ground rods into the planet.

 

[bwringer]

If you need to square something but don't have a square you can use a tape measure. Measure 3 units on one side of the corner, 4 on the other. The distance between the two marks needs to be 5 for the corner to be square. It's a fun trick that is based on good old trigonometry.

I once worked with an older carpenter who didn't believe in the Pythagorean Theorem...

Didn't "believe in" the Pythagorean theorem? Um, yeah. That's a very special brand of dense...


Anyhoo, there are any number of time-saving tricks for avoiding the use of a measuring device. The basic ones are fairly obvious, but Google up a video or two on using "ticking sticks". With a pencil and a scrap of material, you can pull off incredible feats...

"seejanedrill" is an awesome YT channel...

 

[Beerhippie]

Didn't "believe in" the Pythagorean theorem? Um, yeah. That's a very special brand of dense...


Anyhoo, there are any number of time-saving tricks for avoiding the use of a measuring device. The basic ones are fairly obvious, but Google up a video or two on using "ticking sticks". With a pencil and a scrap of material, you can pull off incredible feats...

"seejanedrill" is an awesome YT channel...

Story poles were another kind of solution we used a lot for things like roofing and siding. When you need to "cheat" courses to get stuff to line up right with whatever it needs to line up with, make a story pole. Measure once....

Pretty good explanation:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storey_pole

 

[Toolfool]

He explained that the wobble is intentional and precise, to be the dimension of the end metal clip itself, because the end metal clip has thickness to it. The 6' micro tape measure I have here has a 0.04" thick metal lip on the end.

And this is why you never let the end of the tape slam into the case on recoil. Always stop the metal clip with your finger.

 

[Beerhippie]

And this is why you never let the end of the tape slam into the case on recoil. Always stop the metal clip with your finger.

Always control the speed of the tape retracting with a finger on the bottom of the tape--never the edge. As tapes get worn, the edge gets razor-sharp. I have the scars....

 

[Beerhippie]

Worn-out tape measures can be used for applying laminate to counter tops. Put your contact adhesive on the top and the laminate, lay down a few strips of old tape, bottom-up, and you can now scoot the glued laminate around on the tapes until it's where you want it. Pull out the strips of tape, roll, and trim.

 

[dr_clyde]

If you look at the hook on the end of your tape measure, you'll see it has a small oval shaped slot cut into it. This is designed to grab the head of a nail or screw so you can take measurements from surfaces that are otherwise difficult to keep the hook engaged on.

It's also surprisingly grabby, so it can be handy if you're working alone and the hook keeps slipping off the work.

This only works on projects that can use a temporary screw, obviously.

 

[Beerhippie]

You can use a hammer to demonstrate non-torque rotation on the jobsite!

Then find another job when the boss catches you....

 

[dscheidt]

I’m sure! **** made no sense.

Maybe, maybe not. the test solution is testing a particular point, the lab should be testing multiple across the range the meter measures. It's not uncommon for instruments to read fine in the middle of a range, but go wacky in the end ranges.

 

[MiteyF]

Wait a minute--don't machinist's rules have an adjustment screw for calibration?

Not sure if what exactly you're thinking of, but "rule", often times called a "scale" in the machine shop, or a "ruler" by most... I've never seen an adjustable ruler.

 

[Jim greengo]

I was hanging out with a woodworker friend of mine a few years ago, and the topic of tape measures came up, and I commented that I noticed tape measures have a wobble on the metal lip that is on the end of the measuring tape that sticks out of the tape measure body. And I asked him about the concern that the wobble would introduce an error into the measurement.

I've only ever had to use tape measures to measure rough estimates. How many feet is the backyard to run sprinkler pipe. Hanging the TV at a proper height. Nothing that + or - a full inch would really matter. But in woodworking, obviously you need to get to down to 1/16" or smaller, and that little wobble at the end clip might mess it up. And I'm not a stupid person, and I've used tools for various purposes for over 20 years at this point in my adult life. But never did any woodworking.

He explained that the wobble is intentional and precise, to be the dimension of the end metal clip itself, because the end metal clip has thickness to it. The 6' micro tape measure I have here has a 0.04" thick metal lip on the end.

The purpose of the wobble is that if you are going to hook the lip over the top of something and pull traction on the tape measure, you want that lip to wobble outward, so that the measurement tape gains an extra 0.04" (in this case) to account for the thickness of the lip itself. And if you are pushing the tape measure end into something, you want that lip to wobble inwards, so that it doesnt inappropriately add its 0.04" width to the measurement.

I'm probably the only idiot here who didn't know that, but the point of this thread is for people to share other similar tricks that might be non-obvious when it comes to the tools we use. And maybe as an informal poll mechanism, if someone posts a trick you learned something from, "like" that post and we can see which tricks were the least well known to people here.

My dad always told me to "burn an inch" whenever using a tape measure because of that.

 

[MiteyF]

My dad always told me to "burn an inch" whenever using a tape measure because of that.

Which works great when you have help, or for short distances. Not so much on long runs by yourself.

 

[Beerhippie]

Not sure if what exactly you're thinking of, but "rule", often times called a "scale" in the machine shop, or a "ruler" by most... I've never seen an adjustable ruler.

WHOOSH!

 

[Jim greengo]

Which works great when you have help, or for short distances. Not so much on long runs by yourself.

His trick for long measurements was to measure past cent from each end and mark it.
Then find center between the 2 lines.
He told me some of the best blacksmiths he learned from when he was coming up couldn't read/write.
They carried around a string with knots tied in it to measure.

 

[Shitbox]

Got a bolt you need to finagle into a weird place and can’t hold it? Masking paper/paper towel over the head. It holds great and comes off easily once you get it started.
Screws use a tiny bit of dum dum(strip caulk) holds as well for the same purpose. Just make sure to clean you screw driver after.

 

[Beerhippie]

The opposed-wrench-squeeze trick.



(sorry, just my left hand as my right is holding the camera--should be both)

I have to break that union apart because I'm having a really bad, no good, truly awful evening.

If you use two wrenches opposed, as you would to break something like that apart, instead of showing off your awesome pecs, put the two handles a few inches apart and grip them with both hands, just squeezing the handles together. Its amazing how well this works. I swear I can get much more force than using two hands, one on each wrench--and when the fitting comes loose (or a wrench slips), your hands don't go anywhere--no busted knuckles.

Some old plumber I worked with at some time showed me this trick and I will owe him forever for doing so.

Oh, yeah--why it's a really bad, no good, truly awful evening:



That's the boiler for the brewery. The boiler provides the heat to boil the wort to make the beer. The firebox of the boiler is full of water, meaning we need a new boiler, as this type is not repairable. It really just gets worse from here on out.

 

[Beerhippie]

Another opposed pipe wrench trick:



That worked just fine, thanks to the always handy Toyota scissors jack!

I had to break that black iron union loose--it hasn't been touched in 13 years--and there wasn't room for a second person to hold one of the wrenches. Toyota scissors jack to the rescue again! I had to stand on the handle of the 36" wrench and bounce a bit, but got 'er done!

 

[larry_g]

Have a floppy universal socket? Wrap a bit of electrical tape around the joint. It will stiffen it up yet still allow it to work an an angle.

lg

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Have a floppy universal socket? Wrap a bit of electrical tape around the joint. It will stiffen it up yet still allow it to work an an angle.

lg

Or an oring.

 

[richfinn]

If you want to quickly test a relay use a 9v battery across the control pins, if you want to test a relay in situ sit a pocket compass on top of the relay and activate the circuit.