Genius Hack of the Century

[cputnam]

I've been working with African Mahogany on which it is difficult to see gauge lines. It's not just a dovetail trick. For example, I cut a rabbet out of square, actually out of parallel to the edge, so the repair requires cutting the inverse of the triangle. Blue tape and a gauge line provide a stark contrast with which to line up the cutter.

As has been said (above) Wearing and modern day writers have written about almost all the good tips and techniques. Blue tape is a relatively recent invention and as far as I know, Derek was the first to write about its use as a marking aid. With the state of my vision, the added contrast provided by the tape is a game changer. It is really tough to cut to the line if one cannot see the line. I call it Derek's trick because I believe he wrote about it first. As for the hack of the century part, I am not aware of anything else so simple and profound

[bandit571]

I found that just 3 pieces of scrap wood, and a few screws, can be used..

Guide fence for a circular saw
Guide fence for a small router table
Guide for a router
acts as a tablesaw fence, on my small 8" table saw..
Can also be set up as a fence for my bandsaw .  

   
And can be used as a large speed square..

   
Hard wood cleat to keep things square.  Fence height can be raised or lowered if the need arises...can be clamped about anywhere.

   
Rip fence..

   
Router fence, for stopped dados....And about any other tool that needs a straight edge to follow.   Have used it to trim the ends of large panels, to square their ends.

About 20 years of use..so far. One of just 2 jigs I keep in the shop....the other is a mortise jig...

   
Attaches to my bench, clamps legs, stiles, rails in place, so I can chop a mortise.  Again. just 3 pieces of scrap wood, and a few screws.

[CStan]

My vote goes to Derek's Blue Tape Trick

With failing vision, the increased contrast makes it much easier to the cut line, especially in dark woods.  Works equally well for power and hand.  Ut's tough to cut to the line when you cannot see the line.

Nudge the tail board slightly past the pin board's end when you mark out and you can simply register the saw IN the knifed or scribed line, rather than trying to saw just to the side of it.  Nudge less for very hard wood, a little more for softer wood.  Practice a bit with this technique.  In the long run you will save tons of time.  The knifed line guides the saw, and as we know saws tend to want to run in them in the first place.

Highlight the knifed lines, if you need to, with a regular pencil in lighter woods or with a white leaded pencil in dark woods.

[Rob Young]

My criteria for a good jig: simple and cheap to make, stable (if it matters) and functional. I can't imagine using a Benchcrafted product to make a moxon vise...I'd rather spend that kind of money on lumber for my projects. I made my moxon vise out of 2x4. For the alignment boards, simple butt joint too and scrap wood.

What really counts is the result of the work, not the jig that is used to make it. Some people spend 80% of their time on their shops and 20% on builds, some the opposite...I belong to the latter.

Simon

For square drawers, if you plow the drawer bottom grooves first (which of course precludes the use of drawer slips -- a different debate) you can have an even simpler alignment jig. A little scrap of the drawer bottom material slipped into the groove to hold things in alignment side-to-side. Removes one degree of freedom during the marking out. Then it isn't quite so difficult to hold things with one hand while knifing with the other.

I've seen that one in old publications and more recently espoused by Chris Becksvort (spelling?).

And I've tried the blue tape and also just rubbing soft chalk (the big, fat sidewalk chalk sticks work great) on the endgrain before and after knifing. Works, but the B.T. is probably better.



We seem to be skinning cats at a very rapid rate in this thread.  

[Handplanesandmore]

For square drawers, if you plow the drawer bottom grooves first (which of course precludes the use of drawer slips -- a different debate) you can have an even simpler alignment jig. A little scrap of the drawer bottom material slipped into the groove to hold things in alignment side-to-side.

That groove trick can be seen here at 2:33
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2017/09/...er-at-work

Some people do not set the marking gauge to the thickness of the sides (eg protruded pins). For them, the beauty of the alignment board lies in allowing them to fine-adjust the top board (usually the tail) in or out to get the perfect alignment without altering the squareness relationship. Mike Pekovich who does a fair amount of such work would benefit from the alignment board, compared to his cumbersome two-part jig.

Simon

[DonSlaughter]

As petty as this feels to me, I feel obliged to comment, since Mike Pekovich states in the video that he came up with the blue tape tip. He "discovered" this method 2 years after I had posted it on my website and on a number of forums, including here. I did email him after his FWW article, since it would have been polite for him to mention that the method was not "new", and he gave me some gumph about having posted it in videos before. I tracked back every video he made, and the earliest was 2 years after my own article. Just for the record.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Alrightythen, Mr Cohen. You definitely get all the credit for coming up with that world shaking discovery and I appreciate it very much.  Before ever hearing of your 'blue tape trick' I was using plain old masking tape....since junior high school in 1959.  Would never have thought of the blue tape if not for your discovery!   THANK YOU!

[Derek Cohen]

Alrightythen, Mr Cohen. You definitely get all the credit for coming up with that world shaking discovery and I appreciate it very much.  Before ever hearing of your 'blue tape trick' I was using plain old masking tape....since junior high school in 1959.  Would never have thought of the blue tape if not for your discovery!   THANK YOU!

Don, that's a bit pissy. Particularly when I clearly stated that my only role was to be the first to write about it (as far as I am aware). Indeed, I always question those you claim to have "invented" techniques. There is nothing new under the sun. Have you had your coffee today? 


Regards from Perth

Derek

[bargrove]

Alrightythen, Mr Cohen. You definitely get all the credit for coming up with that world shaking discovery and I appreciate it very much.  Before ever hearing of your 'blue tape trick' I was using plain old masking tape....since junior high school in 1959.  Would never have thought of the blue tape if not for your discovery!   THANK YOU!

It is not a question of invention so much as one of publication.  Mr. Cohen has publicized this method with many detailed refinements on a number of forums and woodworking sites. Taking credit for an idea requires due diligence (especially when publishing a book).  Acknowledgements are at least a courtesy.
johnbarfielddesign.com

[Handplanesandmore]

I agree giving credit where credit is due is an honorable thing to do especially when you publish something. Question is did Mike P. know about Derek's tape trick when he showed his own method? Only he could tell.

But Derek should be proud that he had shared his invention/discovery/finding/etc. and benefited those who used it.

Simon

[bargrove]

I agree giving credit where credit is due is an honorable thing to do especially when you publish something. Question is did Mike P. know about Derek's tape trick when he showed his own method? Only he could tell.

But Derek should be proud that he had shared his invention/discovery/finding/etc. and benefited those who used it.

Simon

When taking credit for an original design, I do a web search. Takes a few minutes.  Any kind of search mentioning woodworking and blue tape would have come up with Mr. Cohen's postings. 

johnbarfielddesign.com