15/20
Vinyl Gutter Tool Tray
Everyone knows vinyl gutters are a robust and cost-efficient method for water redirection, but there’s a surprising way that they can also be part of workshop organization. A spare length of vinyl gutter, trimmed to the length of your workbench and capped on either end, becomes a catchall for often used workshop tools.
And when it’s time to wipe the bench clean, simply sweep sawdust or other debris into the gutter, pop off one of the two caps, and dump all the waste into a trash can or suck it up with a shop vacuum. These garage organization ideas will change your life.
16/20
PVC Stain Tube
A common frustration for DIYers is dealing with the irregular shapes of furniture legs and spindles. Avoid the headache of sanding or staining intricate shapes by using PVC pipe as a dip tube. Just be sure to glue a cap to the bottom end of the tube to avoid leaks!
Want to know more about refinishing furniture? Learn all the secrets from a seasoned pro.
17/20
String Saw
Precision demo work can be a real pain, and one of the worst offenders is cutting out PVC drains, especially when flanked on either side by supply lines. Avoid risking damage to the supply lines by using a very unusual substitute for a demo saw: a loop of sturdy string.
Cut a small notch to give the string an initial “bite”, then wrap the string around the pipe and pull back and forth to cut through the drain line. Another tactic is to wrap the string around the pipe in a full loop, and pull back and forth, increasing pressure slightly with each tug. This has the advantage of making it easier to keep the cut flat and level.
A braided mason’s line makes a good string saw, but if you’re in a pinch, you can also use the string from a plumb bob or chalk line.
