3 Shop Improvements

The first one is a rack to hold caulking tubes out of my way but still visible.  I made it with two pieces of scrap plywood and some pine spacers and screwed it between the floor joists.  The ceiling is low in that part of the shop so I can reach it.  My grand daughter calls it “ceiling sealer”.  This is the start of organizing my paint room. 

The second project is the lid for my Dust Deputy.  I wanted more than 5 gallons and LJ Bladebender was throwing out this rolling garbage can because the plastic wheels were broken.  I made new wooden wheels for it and made them wider for stability.  Then I had to add two rings inside the barrel because the Vac would suck it in so bad.  It keeps the filter and the inside of the vac sparkling clean and it holds 6 times the volume. 

The third project extends the height of my spindle sander.  I have a 4 1/2” Ryobi sander and I sometimes need more height.  I did not want to buy a bigger machine because 95% of the time I don’t use the height I have now. I bought a replacement 3/4” sleeve from Grizzly and asked if they had longer ones.  I order a 2” one that was 5 1/2” long with a 5/8” hole in it.  I made a 5/8 to 1/2 sleeve for the center and an extended nut for the top and now it goes higher for the rare occasions that I need it. 

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!  Variety is the Spice of Life!! 

excellent!  I picked up a 55 gallon drum with a screw on lid from CL for $15 and bought Rockler’s kit that had 2 4” ports that screwed together for my chip collector and it works flawlessly!  No more clogged intake ports! 

Mike, that is great idea.  I have two caulking guns and they take up room on the wall in front of my bench.  They are going up there with the caulk. The reason I did this was that I had the caulking in with my spray paint cans and I never knew what was there and I bought more when I did not really need it.  Also, when a tube of caulk is partially used and standing on its back it is top heavy, and I can’t tell you home many times one fell over and knocked the paint cans off like bowling pins.  This gives peace of mind. 

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!  Variety is the Spice of Life!! 

Bob, this is my basement workshop and I almost live in there.  This is where I enjoy life!My barn is too cold to work there right now.  We leave for Arizona in a couple weeks and I’ll set my lathe up in the desert campground and get back into the groove!.............Jim

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!  Variety is the Spice of Life!!