What’s That On Your Worktop?

[Dennis]

It might have been me asking the question, because I’m incurably curious about other people’s methods, so here are some unusual items you will find on mine.

1. This unpromising grey sponge is an abrasive, which painters and decorators use to rub down between coats. I bought ten of them for a pound in Lymington Market more than ten years ago and there are still five left. They had a brilliant tool stall there and probably still do. I reach for one to create an instant brushed finish on sheet metal and for brightening strip solder. It will also quickly matte acrylic.

2. Those ceramic palettes from an art shop take up space, but they are heavy and stable. The long one is used for flux and snipped solder. The round one takes all the small parts of a work in progress, so that they are less easily lost. Parking red hot metal is never a problem. At the end of a project they look pretty grotty and are revived by a scrub under the hot tap.

3. That pressurised container contains… well….pressurised gas. I call it an air duster and it is meant to blow clean the spaces in keyboards. It quickly gets rid of a pile of filings, dust, or water droplets which can be resistant to blowing by mouth. I have shortened the plastic tube provided and inserted a narrow silver one to improve my aim. It lasts for about a year and comes under the heading of luxury, but I would never be without it.

4. Sharpening plates with a diamond coating come in sets, from pound shops with a tool section and are sometimes found in Aldi, or Liddle. This sharpening block is a posher version. There is nothing quicker at perfecting a straight edge on sheet metal, particularly for an indifferent filer like me. On a DIY day they might sharpen the blade of a plane or a chisel too.

So what’s that strange thing on your worktop then? Dennis.

[Lucie]

I have a stack of half a dozen milk pans for melting various waxes in large quantities. I keep meaning to get around to getting something safer (electric and thermostatically controlled), especially as I have now had a couple of "pan fires" due to being terrifyingly absent minded, but can't seem to find anything suitable.

I too love my can of pressurised air and the little diamond sharpening plates

[CJ57]

The air can sounds a great idea and I love lidls, my OH has to drag me away so must look out for the sharpening set.
I have the top half of a wooden dolly peg that I more often use for doming as I foun the steel ones are too pointed. I wish I'd bought the wooden set now but they were a lot more expensive.
I used to use a darning mushroom for doming until I bought a stake, it's really broad and shallow though and still has it's uses.
The wooden rolling pin is also still kicking about even though I have a couple of bangle madrels I like the fact that it isn't tapered. I seem to have a liking for wooden tools, how strange!
All my pliers etc are in handleless mugs which is a throwback to college days and I've never thought to change it and it means my favourite mug still has a life in another form. Think they call it up cycling now

[caroleallen]

Among the strange things in my studio are 8 fish kettles for heating up the dyes for my aluminium.

[Truffle & Podge]

A wierdish thing i have is a set of finger protectors made from cutting the appropriate finger off latex gloves then wrapping that orangey medical tape round while on the finger, i have different sets for different polishes and i like them because they are reusable rather than having to keep changing the expensive finger protection tape. They also slip on and off really quickly.

[Dennis]

What's the orangey medical tape, Tasha?

[Truffle & Podge]

What's the orangey medical tape, Tasha?

I think it's called microporous first aid tape i picked it up for about 49p in savers. Its a very sticky crepey looking tape
hope this helps sorry but i chucked the box and have a brain like a sieve lol
x

[ShinyLauren]

A wierdish thing i have is a set of finger protectors made from cutting the appropriate finger off latex gloves then wrapping that orangey medical tape round while on the finger, i have different sets for different polishes and i like them because they are reusable rather than having to keep changing the expensive finger protection tape. They also slip on and off really quickly.

This is such a good idea! I currently have very shiny and very thin thumbnails.