No Southern-fried Southern boy wants to be called a Yankee, but we share the characteristics of shrewdness and thrift. Thus, each month we include a money-saving tip. It’s OK if you call me “cheap.”
What are you going to use to mix your different woodworking concoctions in? The underside of a plastic food container makes a great mixing surface for two-part epoxy.
If the only plastic box around is full of cookies, you have no choice but to eat them before turning it over to use for an adhesive-mixing surface. If you get in trouble for that, just say, “Jim Randolph said I had to!”
Nothing, however, beats the underside of an aluminum soda pop can. And, they are still recyclable after you finish your project!
Allow the aluminum to achieve ambient temperature prior to adding glue ingredients. The can, glue and project would/should all be the same temperature. A cold can will likely interfere with curing and/or sticking properties of the glue.
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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 sent to DrRandolph@MyPetsDoctor.com. 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.