Teach a new trick to your dogless vise

If your bench vise lacks one of those handy pop-up dogs for holding a workpiece flat on the bench, here's an easy remedy. Unbolt the wooden face from the vise's movable jaw, then extend the mounting holes downward about 1" to make them into recessed slots, as shown in the drawing below. (Use à 1/2" straight bit in your router to create the recess.)
Now, remount the jaw face using machine screws inside and washers and wing nuts outside. The wooden jaw face can now be quickly raised and, being softer and wider than the steel dogs on dog-equipped vises, is easier on your workpieces.
—Syl Helminiak, Bozman, Md.
 

Finally, a use for that free sample of dental floss

After sanding a piece of scrollwork, the fine veining can fill with sawdust that not even my shop vacuum or a blast of compressed air can clear. In these cases, I insert a piece of flat, unwaxed dental floss into the pilot hole of the vein, and floss away the dust. You may find it easier to thread the floss if you stiffen the end with a pinch of yellow or white glue.
—Charles Flynn, Fort Smith, Ark.