Bench Tips: Filing Wire, and Cutting Wire Lengths

Many times as we work with metal hammering, texturing, or bending it, it becomes work-hardened. Some metal is sold in this hardened state. Too much work-hardening can make the metal crack! Texturing the metal can not only make it hardened but miss-shaped. It must be annealed or softened making it bendable.

Wire cut with flush cutters still have slightly pointed ends. Easily file them flat without bending the wire by placing the wire inside flat-nose pliers with just the tip hanging out the other side. This holds the wire while filing it flat.

Additionally, place the wire into the very point of the “V” shape in the bench pin with the end pointing upward. This holds the wire so it can be filed flat.







If you’d like to saw the wire instead of cutting it with pliers, make a channel across the top of the bench pin using a wood saw.

Now place the wire into the channel hanging it out the distance needed and saw it off against the side of the bench pin. Additionally, if cutting the same length wire (less than the width of the bench pin), mark the distance from the edge of the bench pin to the length of the wire on top of the bench pin. After cutting the wire, slide the next length out to the correct distance and then cut it.

Saving $$ by Making your Own Inexpensive Sanding Discs

This tip is for those of you who like to use a sanding disc with your rotary tool. I don’t know about you, but sanding discs just don’t last long and can become very costly. Here is a way to make your own.
You will need:

• Plastic milk jug or a 1 liter plastic jug 
• small punch or awl 
• rubber cement or spray adhesive 
• sandpaper (you choose the grit) 
• scissors mandrel shank 
• small screw driver 
• circle template
•  fine tipped marker

1.  Cut a flat section of plastic out of the milk jug.
2.  Trace the cut plastic shape onto the back of your sandpaper.
3.  Cut out the sandpaper shape.
4.  Apply rubber cement or spray adhesive to the back of the sandpaper and to the plastic piece.
5.  Allow both to dry.
6.  Attach the sandpaper to the plastic by pressing them both together.

7.   Trace 1” circles onto the plastic try to get them close as possible.
8.  Cut circles out with scissors.





9.  Punch a small hole into the center of each circle.

10. Attach the sanding disc to the mandrel by pressing the mandrel’s screw through the disc’s center hole.

A sanding disc quickly sands flat edges, and is bendable allowing you to sand tight areas. 

Lets hear about your ideas on making a tool to save money! Post your comments here.