I have got to hand it to my primate shop partner Tom… he’s been keeping this baby chugging along for the week (with a little bit of my help).  Maybe I have been wrong about him – hey may not be totally worthless.  At least, sometimes, he can serve as a bad example.

Today, I want to share another tip with you – one that I can’t seem to pound through Tom’s thick skull.

You can have a bunch of great tools in your shop. And, in some cases, you may have had to drop more than a few bananas to buy them. There’s nothing wrong with that. I mean, if  you can get the right tool for the right job – I mean, come on – that makes your time in the shop that much more enjoyable.

And, I can remember the day when my pal bought this.  Now, this is a really cool tool. It’s called a Mortise Pal, and about four years ago.  And, when he bought it, he thought it was better than two banana daiquiris…  I mean, easily cutting properly sized mortises in projects in the right place the first time… without having to buy a mortising machine… man.

When he got it back to the shop, that guy woke me from a nap and asked me to set up the router.  So, with a few grumbles, I headed to the shop to set things up and get a few test boards. And, ya know what?  That tool worked like advertised.

That’s when the big lunkhead threw it into a drawer where he promptly forgot about it…  What a shame.

If he had it handy, he could do a few more projects with it. Maybe get some practice with it. Maybe build something worth hanging on to for a few decades…

Yet, it sits in its box.

So, what I had to do was organize his shop. I even took the time to write on the outside of the box which tool resides within. I even put it where the lovable lunkhead can see it.

Will he use it more?  Who knows. But, at least I made it a little bit easier for him to find it. Let’s see if you really can teach an old woodworker some new tricks…

Oh, and I can’t believe how good the articles are from the rest of the blogging community this year.. some awesome stuff.  Here are some more:

•  Mike Lingenfelter – The Inquisitive Woodworker: Get Woodworking Week 2013
• Kari Hultman – The Village Carpenter: We all have a first project
• Steve Ramsey – Woodworking for Mere Mortals: Get Woodworking!
• Rob Rozaieski – Logan Cabinet Shop: Quick Tip #13: Don’t Fear the Hide Glue
• Rob Rozaieski – Logan Cabinet Shop: Quick Tip#14: Choosing Chisels
• 2Sand:  Woodworking NOT for dummies
• Popular Woodworking: My first woodworking project?

Oh, and here’s another video done for this week. This time, it’s  from Bill Akins.  I think you will enjoy…

Oh, and don’t forget … we have a few give aways for some very lucky new woodworkers.  They are:

Infinity Cutting Tools: A kit of the six most essential router bits as recommended by Wood Magazine in issue #151.  Two round overs, a rabbeting bit with seven different diameters of bearings, a flush trim bit, a chamfer bit and a 1/2″ straight cutting bit. With these babies, your router can go from an expensive electric paperweight to a true heavyweight in your shop. They are a mix of 1/2″ and 1/4″ shanks, so keep that in mind.

Bessey Clamps: Two kits (one for each of two winners) – each featuring:

• Bessey Tool Bag
• 5 x LM2.004  –  light duty bar clamp
• 10 x XM5  –  spring clamps
• 2 x BPC-H34  –  ¾” pipe clamp H-style
• 1 x VAS-23 – Variable angle strap clamp
• 2 x UK3.012  –  UniKlamp parallel clamps
• 2 x TGJ2.506+TK  – profiled rail malleable cast bar clamps

Bora Tools: A set of English squares and a marking gauge.

Lou Quallenberg Studios: This is a new addition from our new friend Lou (in Llano, Texas… home to some of the best barbecue in the Lone Star State). To be eligible you must do each of the following (Most of this is on Faeebook): #1 comment on a blog post in Mesquite Musings #2″Like” our Mesquite Furniture Page on Facebook #3 Friend or Subscribe to Lou Quallenberg on Facebook #4 “Like” Barney the Woodshop Wonder Dog on Facebook #5 Post a photo of a wood project that you made, want to make or are making to the Mesquite Furniture page on facebook – It does not have to be made from mesquite. (You cannot be a regular woodworking hobbyist or pro – this is for newbies people!)  Check out Lou’s site to find out more about the contest.

Highland Woodworking: And, we are looking for a school/group/organization who works with kids in the 1st through 4th grade range to win four of their Kid’s Toolbox Sets, each featuring a smaller sized hand saw, hammer, screwdriver, tool belt and the ever-important safety glasses.  Additionally, they are also throwing in eight of their kids catapult woodworking kits, where young woodworkers (and those very young at heart) will end up with a great project that can fling items across the room.