Welcome to “Tips From Sticks-In-The-Mud Woodshop.” I am a hobbyist who loves woodworking and writing for those who also love the craft. I have found some ways to accomplish tasks in the workshop that might be helpful to you, and I enjoy hearing your own problem-solving ideas. Please share them in the COMMENTS section of each tip. If, in the process, I can also make you laugh, I have achieved 100% of my goals.
When you open a can of paint there is always paint on the lid. Some of that paint is usable. If you wash the lid of your paint can each time you open it, all of the paint will be usable.
And, I mean, wash it thoroughly. Doing so will allow you to use it as a palette, which is especially useful for small projects.
I put an entire coat on this stool with just the paint inside the lid.
And for tightwads like me, who cannot stand to allow anything to go to waste, it’s a good feeling, like putting a little money in the bank.
If you use all of the paint on the lid and have more painting to do, give the lid a quick rinse or immerse it in water to prevent the paint from drying before you get to cleaning it.
Wash the lid when you wash your brush. Take Steve Johnson’s advice and don’t use the kitchen sink for washing brushes! When you’re ready for definitive cleaning, scrub that baby with a stiff brush and soap. Tap it back onto the can firmly. Speaking of which, cleaning the lid will make it easier to remove next time!
Jim Randolph is a veterinarian in Long Beach, Mississippi. His earlier careers as lawn mower, dairy farmer, automobile mechanic, microwave communications electronics instructor and journeyman carpenter all influence his approach to woodworking. His favorite projects are furniture built for his wife, Brenda, and for their children and grandchildren. His and Brenda’s home, nicknamed Sticks-In-The-Mud, is built on pilings (sticks) near the wetlands (mud) on a bayou off Jourdan River. His shop is in the lower level of their home.Questions and comments on woodworking may be written below in the comments section. Questions about pet care should be directed to his blog on pet care, www.MyPetsDoctor.com. We regret that, because of high volume, not all inquiries can be answered personally.