Workbench Cleverness

[GrindCustoms]

A Hockey Puck! Best thing that ever happened to my bench.
...
It's 99cents and it rocks, it's Hockey!

Brilliant idea. I actually use my solder roll this way. the hole is about the same size as a 3PDT switch, and handy on my bench.

Jacob

That's also what i was using at first, but last time i bought solder it was a deal on a 12 pack of 1pound spool, they where too small to suit the need.... did it the Canuck way!

[rullywowr]

What I need is a good pair of small-gauge wire strippers... my strippers are designed for amp-gauge wire (I built a 5E3 long before any pedals), and I use a pair of sidecutters for stripping right now.

Yes, the sidecutters have stripped all my wire, from the Rangemaster, through to the Tremopanation.

I have a pair of the Ideal Stripmaster 16-26 AWG and they make me smile everytime I use them.  A bit pricey (around $45 USD) but way worth it.  The 22ga and 24ga slots get the most use.


The only caveat is that the wire needs to be at least about 1" long in order to strip it.  For wires that are short, I use a regular old pair of these with great results:


I don't care much for the spring, so I either buy them without or take the spring out of it...the spring takes away the "feel" of the strip..(gee that sounded a bit dirty)   

[Leevibe]

Thanks Lee! im finding since using blue tack I use my helping hands about 5% of the time now.  Its also pretty much the only way to solder smd in my opinion.
Paul

Paul, this device is for those times when you don't want to have to decide which to use

[haveyouseenhim]

^

I have a little lifehack I came up with today.    I lost my comb today, luckily I had some 40 pin SIP sockets that did the job.

[selfdestroyer]

I needed some way to paint enclosures and not miss the bottom edge. I usually sit my enclosures on a metal rack and they get placed in the oven on them. I like this method so I do not have to touch a enclosure or risk dropping it while transferring it to the oven. My father-in-law  I call him MacGyver-in-law) came over last night with a few devices he made to help me. He used some Tie Plates he had on hand and some nuts and bolts





Cody

[Leevibe]

I love it Cody! I had done something similar for powder coating cases. I used pieces of expanded metal that I formed into little stands that I could rest parts on in the toaster oven. I worked, mostly. Yours look way more stable. I will remember this!

[rullywowr]

Cody, thanks for sharing. A totally great solution!  I'm going to try this ASAP.

[davent]

I use small blocks of wood with four drywall screws topped with double sided foam tape or just a couple small blocks of wood attached in a "T", then the double sided tape on top. Line the inside of the enclosure with masking tape first as the double sided tape is tenacious and can be tough to get off the bare enclosure.

[Gledison]

I needed some way to paint enclosures and not miss the bottom edge. I usually sit my enclosures on a metal rack and they get placed in the oven on them. I like this method so I do not have to touch a enclosure or risk dropping it while transferring it to the oven. My father-in-law  I call him MacGyver-in-law) came over last night with a few devices he made to help me. He used some Tie Plates he had on hand and some nuts and bolts





Cody

maaaaan! that is a cool father in law!
need to build this...great and practical idea!!!

[Gledison]

Here is my simple contribution!
Its a cake holder! I paid 2 euros and its very good to keep the mosquitos away after coating ! Very practical!

[jkokura]

Plus, cake is yummy.

Jacob

[Govmnt_Lacky]

The cake holder..... It keeps away mosquitos BUT.....

Doesn't it also trap the paint fumes in as well and thus causes the drying time to be significantly longer?

[Gledison]

The cake holder..... It keeps away mosquitos BUT.....

Doesn't it also trap the paint fumes in as well and thus causes the drying time to be significantly longer?

Hey,
Not really, only if u really close it fully!
I also turn the top part 90• to let some of the remaining solvent evaporate! A slow film formation is anyways not so bad. It helps for an even coat and avoid orange skin formation. I leave it there for 20 min, than in the toast oven for more 20 min at 50•C

[peAk]

The cake holder..... It keeps away mosquitos BUT.....

Doesn't it also trap the paint fumes in as well and thus causes the drying time to be significantly longer?

Hey,
Not really, only if u really close it fully!
I also turn the top part 90• to let some of the remaining solvent evaporate! A slow film formation is anyways not so bad. It helps for an even coat and avoid orange skin formation. I leave it there for 20 min, than in the toast oven for more 20 min at 50•C

the mosquitos, and bugs in general, will be in full swing here soon with the weather. Think I will need to do this or possible some kind of net.

[davent]

For painting i just puts enclosures into an old shoe box to keep the dust and crap from settling on them while they dry, for chassis' and bigger stuff made a Ziplock tent from a large storage bag, scrap of plywood and some vinyl tubing. Drilled a hole part way thru  each corner of the plywood to hold the tubing hoops, knocks down and put together in seconds and really no space to store it.