Post-it notes. You just put one on your table & put your glue on it and you can work with a toothpick for fine gluing and when done throw it away. They stay put and are inexpensive. I also use them for mixing small amounts of paint. The paint doesn't soak through and it doesn't slide off the table. Toss when done. I also do the same with epoxy paint but do this a little different. I put a dab of epoxy in one upper corner and a dab of hardener in the other corner. I then take a toothpick to bring down some epoxy. another toothpick to bring down the hardener and a third toothpick to mix it. As long as you don't get the toothpicks together they won't harden and you can mix just what you need and they will stay usable for hours until mixed. I hope this is clear, it is a big help to me.

Irene

Smoking chimney: This is just an idea, but since the incense burners are usually ceramic, how about lining the bottom and sides of your chimney with ceramic tile cut to fit?

Karyn Zabrouski

TeePee Crafts: They now have a fantastic selection of 1/144 furniture to paint, both modern and antique style. I went dizzy going up and down. They have just updated their web site and there is now some wonderful photos of dolls houses ,as well as decorated eggs. Well worth a visit to their site and also there is a list of other shows they do. For those with the link in Favourites/bookmarks, you may need to update it, as it changed. http://www.teepeecrafts.co.uk/

Pauline, Mansfield, UK

Fancy toothpick uses: I use the toothpicks for many things. I have used them for parasol handles. If you go to my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/l.b.lee and look at the colonial house, I used them for the stair spindles. If you go to ebay user name l.b.lee, I used them for the 1/4 scale kitchen set. I use them for the posts on my 1/4 scale four-poster and canopy beds. I have clipped off the carved part, painted it gold, and used it for a faux hinge (see the front door bookend in the early efforts picturetrail list). I also used the clipped carved part as a carved detail affixed to a wash stand I built. Lotsa cool stuff to made from these babies.

Linda in Leroy, OH

Tip: to make a marking gauge and have 2 tools in 1 here is what I did. I took an angle gauge. One of those inexpensive tool that has a wing nut and a sliding metal arm so you can duplicate angles. Using the open channel that permits you to move the arm to the angle being duplicated; take a small bolt and put a nut onto it (with a washer if needed between the nut and the open end of the bolt. Slip the bolt thru the channel of the arm. Thread on an other nut with a washer. (the washer facing the head of the bolt). Clamp the metal arm of the gauge between the two nuts and washers. Sharpen the free end of the bolt to a point.   By sliding the metal angle arm so that he bolt gets closer to the wing nut and measuring the distance from the point of the bolt to the body of the angle gauge; you can set the distance from the point of the bolt and the main arm of the device so that you now have a marking gauge and an angle gauge at the same time.

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL.

I Spy roombox. I work in an elementary school library and can't believe I haven't thought of that one myself - what a great idea! I have already done a Three Bears Cottage based on the illustrations in Jan Brett's book and a room scene with mice based on a Brambly Hedge illustration, and those both live full-time in the library. I am thrilled at all the attention and close scrutiny these scenes receive from the kids every day. The I Spy books are constantly checked out until they are worn out, and I bet I could come up with a great scene that would resemble the books (but the poem will be a challenge!)

Have you seen the Look-Alike books? These are scenes made from everyday objects, and a great source for ideas to use up all those little "thingies" we've all kept around.

Chris in Minnesota

Splintering of wood on the scroll saw. If you want to prevent splintering of the wood you are cutting; clamp it between two pieces of scrap wood. that way all the splintering will be on the scrap wood.

DrBob...Delray Beach, FL.

Glue: I have found that in many of my craft projects, JB WELD, Quick, is great stuff to glue with. It is a 2 part, sets up fast, and they even recommend it to replace nuts on small bolts... Am sure it has its limits, but worth a try.

Margie Smith

"Strapping" down the Dremel: I hope by "strapping down" the Dremel you mean to hold it securely so you have two hands free. I will assume that is your intention. I have done this. The method I used is as follows;

I obtained a piece of channel metal; the channel wide enough for the Dremel to rest in but still sit higher then the edges of the channel. I clamped it in place with a steel hose clamp. Then the channel was C clamped to the work bench. I had two hand free after that. I hope this is what you intended.

Drbob...Delray Beach FL.

Dremel choices: I have both the mini mite and the regular corded Dremel. I got the mini first and use it all the time. If you get it order or buy an extra battery. My hardware store will order anything I need for Dremel and other tools. They got me a velcro pad attachment for my black and decker palm sander for instance. I use the corded Dremel for the router table and heavier work, or if both batteries are being charged on the mini. You can get more info on Dremel on their site.

For the mini carpenter doing pin door hinges; I mini drill (pin vice) the door top and bottom, glue in pins, clip excess with a side cutter (dikes) drill hole in upper door frame, then hole in door sill. I glue the door sill in after inserting top pin and then bottom pin in doorsill, tipped out and slide doorsill in to line where glue is positioned for sill, takes some cutting and fitting sometimes. My doors always seem to need a little more fitting here and there, Mini Dremel with a sanding drum does great for this work, then repaint, insert with glue on sill, voila! I do not glue the pins in the door frame, just in the door, that way I get a longer pin, stability, and can use a larger pin (read nail)

I have a large collection of bits and attachments for Dremel, collected over many years. You can even etch with a diamond point. (I found some second hand.)Carbide bits can be used for sharpening everything. I sharpen knives for friends occasionally. Scissors, exacto knives, etc. I use a cuttoff wheel for cutting new window or stairway holes, with a pilot hole drilled first of course.

Rhoda, Whidbey Island WA