Rust remover: A great rust remover can be made using stuff you have on hand. Mix one part table salt with one part baking soda. Add just enough water to make a paste. Gently rub the affected area with the paste--the rust is gone!

This method works very well on solid surfaces--but is not quite so good on fabrics. The big advantage to using baking soda/salt is that it is virtually non-abrasive. Many rust removers will scratch--this will not. I do this all the time on my Formica counter tops--after four years they are still spotless, white, and are not dull. I have also used this paste to remove other stains such as grape juice, tea, and mustard. Try it--it really works!

Jeri Moriarty, Manassas VA

Glue: I was just at Michael's and saw that they had a dry adhesive marler. If you pressed the item together while the glue was wet (blue) it was a permanent bond, after the glue had dried (clear) a temporary one. It was available in both a thick and fine point. Haven't tried it yet, but I'll let you know how it works.

Emily in Toronto

Removing Residue: WD40 Yes, it is the same stuff we use on our household items. It is a lubricant that does a magnificent job releasing almost anything sticky. The only thing I've ever used to remove Museum Putty. I have also used it on mini items by filling a hypodermic syringe w/WD40. This allows me to place the tiniest of drops on the yuck I wish to remove. I let is sit, testing gently every few min. When the sticky has softened, I wipe the goop and the WD40 off with a soft towel. For the sticky spot left by price tags, I simply moisten a cloth w/WD40 and wipe away the residue. I can't tell you why it works, I only know I have had very good luck with it for many years. The product seems to be very environmentally friendly for any surface I have ever applied it to.

Becky

Super Glue Applicator: Just made couple of these for friends, and thought I'd post the instructions. Applying super glue can be messy. If you make a simple tool it will help a lot. Cut a small dowel about 6 inches long and drill a small hole in the end to hold a sewing needle. Using a belt or disk sander, while WEARING SAFETY GLASSES grind about one half of the eye off leaving a U shape. If you don't have a sander, I suppose you could use a file or sandpaper, but would probably take quite awhile. Maybe have a friend with a disk or belt sander do it for you.

Put a drop of super glue on a piece of wax paper and dip the needle in the glue and touch it to where you want to apply it and capiliary action will draw the glue to your work.

And on the subject of super glue, if you have trouble of it going bad long before it is used up--I have had very good luck with this: When you buy a bottle, throw the cap away--NEVER replace the cap. Second, when you use it, set it down on the table with a bang. This will cause the glue around the tip to go back down into the bottle. Glue left around the top and cap will start to cure and this will eventually cause all the glue in the bottle to go bad. I used a plastic cap from aerosol paint can to hold the bottle so doesn't tip over on the workbench.

Dean Jenson

Super Glue Applicator: Just made couple of these for friends, and thought I'd post the instructions. Applying super glue can be messy. If you make a simple tool it will help a lot. Cut a small dowel about 6 inches long and drill a small hole in the end to hold a sewing needle. Using a belt or disk sander, while WEARING SAFETY GLASSES grind about one half of the eye off leaving a U shape. If you don't have a sander, I suppose you could use a file or sandpaper, but would probably take quite awhile. Maybe have a friend with a disk or belt sander do it for you.

Put a drop of super glue on a piece of wax paper and dip the needle in the glue and touch it to where you want to apply it and capiliary action will draw the glue to your work.

And on the subject of super glue, if you have trouble of it going bad long before it is used up--I have had very good luck with this: When you buy a bottle, throw the cap away--NEVER replace the cap. Second, when you use it, set it down on the table with a bang. This will cause the glue around the tip to go back down into the bottle. Glue left around the top and cap will start to cure and this will eventually cause all the glue in the bottle to go bad. I used a plastic cap from aerosol paint can to hold the bottle so doesn't tip over on the workbench.

Dean Jenson

Power Saw - Push Sticks: To keep your fingers away from the blade, make some simple push sticks. Buy some pencil erasers, the kind you slip on the end of a pencil that are sort of triangle shape. Either put them on a pencil or a piece of dowel. Make two of them, and sort of walk the wood past the blade using both hands--use one to push wood past the blade, then use the second one to push while moving the first back and so on. After you have used these awhile, the eraser will have lots of nicks so just replace the eraser--and tell yourself, those cuts could have been on my finger!!!

Dean Jenson

Microlux table saw: And for those of you that have the $300 Microlux table saw--Be sure you buy the carbide blade that is available for it. Though it is about $25. it will last forever, give you much smoother cuts and believe it or not, will be more accurate than the pressed steel blade that comes with the saw.

Dean Jenson

KLAY GUNS - Oh yes, you need to be Superman to get the polymer clays through it. But sometimes they can be really useful and here are some hints to make using them easier. 1. Knead your polymer clay (mixed with Mix-Quick to soften it all the more) until it is super soft. 2. You can coat the barrel of the tool with baby oil (I have never tried this but it is mentioned in a few instruction books. 3. Mix your color, fill the barrel and hand the Klay Gun to someone you know with strong hands (perhaps your DH), and have them extrude your clay. 4. If all else fails, you can try to stand on the two handles, plunger side down and your weight will extrude the clay. If anyone thinks I am joking here, then you have never tried to use a Kemper Klay Gun - desperation inspires ingenuity. There was also a question as to how to clean the gun. Bake the gun in the oven on low temperature for about 10 minutes. Let cool....the baked clay is easy to pick off the metal tool.

Mary Eccher

Extruding clay with a Klay Gun: I'm not sure if someone mentioned this already, but my sister mentioned that a polymer clay artist on Carol Duvall recommended the following:
Roll the logs of clay that you want to extrude.
Place a clay log in the Klay gun.
Heat a clay warmer pad.
Place the Klay gun in the warmer pad for 5 minutes.
Remove Klay gun and extrude the clay.

Alix in San Francisco

Easy tool for Klay Guns: You can modify a caulking gun (found in any hardware store) so that the Kemper Klay Gun fits inside. Then, you can use the caulking gun's pressure (many, many times stronger than just using your fingers) to push the polymer clay through. I've done this for several years and it works great. Nan Roche wrote an article in the December 1999 issue of Bead & Button that explains how to modify the caulking gun. (Her version is slightly different from mine, and I think hers is probably better.) The article is clearly written and has pictures, so it would be a lot easier to refer to Nan's article than to decipher anything that I'd try to explain in an email.

If you can't find Bead & Button magazine in your local library, you might go to their website and inquire about getting back issues. It's at http://www.beadandbutton.com/

Leina Johansson

Glue on Plexiglass: Do NOT use Goo Gone, or Goof Off on your Plexiglas. Or at least try it on a scrap first if you have some. Read the warning labels on any of this type of product. Goof Off states that it May cloud some plastics. I used it on a plastic box and it melted the plastic. What a mess. Had to hunt for a new little box for my project. (2 Boxes stacked together to make a greenhouse window). I was told rubbing alcohol will take glue off. You also might try ordinary paint thinner. Not Acetone, as it will also cloud plastic.

Diane in San Francisco Bay Area

Gluing Joints: I was taught that there should be squeeze-out of glue in a joint. This indicates that the joint is completely covered by the glue and the parts are in closest mutual contact. If you don't get the squeeze-out, you don't know either if your joint is secure.
1. Lack of complete mutual coverage will weaken the joint.
2. The glue is not as strong as the wood. If the parts are not on mutual contact, the strength of the glue has been substituted for the wood.
A properly glued joint should be stronger than the adjoining wood and the wood will fail before the joint does. If I am painting the item, I wipe off the excess glue. If I am staining, I let it dry and scrape off the glue.

Dave

Gluing Joints: Let the glue solidify until you can peel it off but don't leave it on long enough to get so hard you have to use a chisel. I don't use a wet rag on miniatures for three reasons: 1. It can actually soften the glue joints. 2. It will raise the grain of the wood and 3. It often causes cupping of the lumber across the grain.

Pam & Pete Boorum

Dremel Table Saw: Dremel no longer supports the table saw. I have some suggestions for you:
1. Before the belt breaks, take it off and make a tour of hardware, tool repair shops, auto parts stores, even plumbing supply stores to see if you can find a belt that looks like the one you want to replace (without the wear, of course).
2. Call 1-800 437-3635, which is Dremel's customer support and ask the question.
3. Go to http://www.dremel.com and then go to the Owners Club (it's free but you might have to register your e-mail address) and ask the question there. There are many folks on there that shareyour problem and perhaps someone can help.
The bottom line is really to try to get a belt before this one breaks. After it breaks, the dimensions are distorted.

Dave, Bradenton, FL

Dremel table saw belts: I know they are carried by Atlas Mfg. Co., 1829 Grant St., Santa Clara, CA. Phone 408-988-8002. Joanna Scarboro got 4 from him last year. You might also try http://www.dremeltool.com and see if they have them. They repair Dremels of all ages.

Barb Jones

Drive Belts for the Dremel Saw: Take off the current drive belt and using it for measurement to a store that specializes in vacuum repair and start to look at vacuum belts. When the huge seal broke on my autoclave (sterilizer) when in practice. I was told they do not make that model autoclave any more and I would have to buy a whole new machine for about $2,000.00. I went to the Vacuum shop with the broken seal and got 2 perfect replacements for under $10.00

DrBob

Dremel /fitting collettes and bits: Put your smallest collette in the Dremel and see which shanks fit that collette. Keep them in a separate pile. After you have sorted out which ones go into which collettes take a file and for the bits that fit the smallest collette make one (1) scratch mark near the free end of the shank. On the next group of bits that fit the next size collette make two (2) scratch marks and so on and so on. Then by glancing at a shank you can tell which collette it goes with.

DrBob

Dremel: you are concerned about the collets for the various bits. Most of the bits used with the Dremel tools are 1/8" dia. shaft and will fit the collet that comes with the tool. A few that can be purchased, such as the diamond engravers, etc., need a smaller collet that is not included in the kits. There are four collets that help you from 1/8" dia. shafts down to 1/32" (actually a hair diameter) Usually, if you use the bits that came with the set, you won't need another collet. Now, as you get better and buy more special bits, you might want to purchase the set of four bits. Before you do that, I would suggest you get the universal chuck which is like the chuck on your big drill and will handle all Dremel can provide you. The basic thing is that if the bit fits your collet, you are OK, If it won't tighten in the collet, you need another, smaller one.

Dave in Bradenton, FL

Gluing Leather: I work with leather all the time in my full size bookbinding and also in the making of my twelfth scale books and this is what I was taught by my master bookbinder teacher. You need time to position and work with the leather and so a glue with too much grip does not work. His formula was called 50/50 glue and was made as follows: 50 percent alcolin glue (wood glue / white glue) and 50 percent starch paste. *To make the starch paste you take a couple of table spoons of Mazena (corn flour) or powdered starch, put it into a heat proof jug or bowl, and mix with JUST enough water to make a smooth paste. Have a WOODEN spoon ready and pour BOILING (bubble, bubble, bubble) water onto the paste, stirring with the wooden spoon, until the paste goes thick and clear. STOP pouring immediately. You should end up with a clear, smooth, lump free mixture, the consistency of pouring custard. If not, chuck it out and start again from the *, this time obeying the SHOUTS! I can't give you quantities but they are not crucial. Now mix equal quantities of starch paste and alcolin glue and put it into a Tupperware with the lid on. It keeps forever. To work with your leather, place the leather, wrong side up, on wax paper, and brush with the 50/50 glue. Cover with more wax paper. Leave for 10 minutes and repeat. The leather can be saturated. Don't worry if it goes dark - it dries. The thicker the leather, the longer you can leave it to drink up this mixture. You will find that this gives you time to position and re position the leather as much as you want to.

Barbara B in South Africa

Gluing shingles: I have been building miniature houses for over 20 years and have never used anything other than white glue to attach shingles. In that entire time I think there might have been less than a dozen shingles that warped. Anyone familiar with Noel and Pat Thomas will find that they also use white glue to attach shingles. I just recent finished a RGT front opening kit for a customer and used shingles supplied by RGT. They were very thin (1/32") split pine shingles and as usual I used ordinary white glue and out of approximately 1400 shingles applied only 3 of them warped and then only slightly. I apply a thin line of white glue just below the pencil line I have put down and a thin line of glue along the top edge the already applied row of shingles. According to how long the row of shingles is I wait a few seconds or so for the glue to set and then start the next row of shingles. I also stain or weather the shingles after they have dried for a couple of days. To prevent the possible loosening of the shingles, an alcohol base weathering solution should be used. A good one is made by dissolving a little India ink in alcohol.

Garry Cosine