Editor’s note: Our Mind Upon Mind series is a nod to a 1937 Chips from the Chisel column (also featured in “Honest Labour: The Charles H. Hayward Years”), in which Hayward wrote, “The influence of mind upon mind is extraordinary.” The idea being there’s often room for improvement. To that end, we’ve asked you what else you have thought of, tried out and improved upon after building projects from our books.
Send us your own ideas! Email [email protected]. You can read more about the submission process here.
Today’s pick is courtesy of David Barstow Robinson. Thanks, David!
— Kara Gebhart Uhl
This tip may not rise to the level of a breakthrough, but I’ve found it very convenient in my shop.
For a sharpening station, try a sandwich of plastic lunch trays.
It keeps the dust off the stones when not in use, collects swarf water from a squeeze bottle, and keeps the stones in place while carefully draining the pond. I ended up with two different tray sizes and have never seen reason to change, but I don’t think it matters one way or another.
— David Barstow Robinson
Wow, something I’m ahead of the curve with. cafeteria trays are cheap, and easy to clean. I keep one with bench stones, and one with a fixed angle sharpener and its stones. its just easy to contain and clean swarf. one thing to note is the tray will slide around on a smooth surface. I’m sure you can add rubber feet, but I just screwed a stop like that of a bench hook to mine. I do my leatherworking at desk so being able to keep everything clean is a necessity.
I had the sliding problem with my tray and my solution was to build a “holder” out of scrap plywood with a pine frame. I left the front piece of the frame deeper so it would index against the front of my bench, and then put two short pieces of 1″ dia. dowel on the bottom of the plywood to fit into bench holes. I tapered the dowels so its easy to find the holes and they slide in for a snug fit. The tray is then locked in place and sliding is a thing of the past. I’m considering adding taller sides to help keep down any overspray as well.
On this topic, darkroom developing trays are also excellent for general mess containment in the workshop. I still have a number from when I had a wet darkroom, and they’re invaluable. For sharpening, I have one that’s wide enough for a sink bridge. I have another that I’ll set on the my lathe during finishing to keep any accidental drips off the ways.
I bet aluminum cookie sheets / baking pans might also work great for this, especially the half size ones.
Fantastic! I can’t believe I never thought to add a second tray to keep it tidier when hidden under my work bench.