Rules of ThumbGet The Fuck Out
Get The Fuck Out
72 rules across 6 topics. Each is a tested starting point with the source credited.
Zip Tie Tricks
Lash a crossed jointRun the tie diagonally across the X — over one member and under the other — then cinch, so the diagonal wrap clamps the crossing and stops it pivoting.Drilled-hole cable mountDrill a hole beside the run (or two holes, one each side), feed a zip tie through, wrap it around the conduit and cinch — you get an anchored clamp anywhere you can drill.Bundle and comb cablesGroup cables with zip ties into one loom — and where you need to identify individual runs, link several ties into a flat comb so each wire sits in its own channel.Zip-tie jar openerLoop a zip tie around the lid, cinch it tight, and pull the tail as a lever — you get grip plus leverage instead of just squeezing harder.Replace a zipper pullThread a small zip tie through the hole in the zipper slider and trim it — it becomes a new pull tab.Drill-bit depth stopWrap a zip tie around the drill bit at the target depth and stop drilling when the tie reaches the surface.Drill paint stirrerChuck a bundle of zip ties in a drill and spin them in the can — the flexible tails whip the paint without throwing it everywhere.Splice two cordsOverlap the two cord ends and bind them together with a zip tie so the join stays slim enough to feed through a guide or eyelet.Tether a capLeash the cap to its bottle with a zip tie so it can't get put down somewhere and lost.Hold a hingeZip-tie the hinge to the door or jamb to hold it in position while you drive the first screws, then cut the tie off.Zip-tie spacing gaugeUse a zip tie head as a fixed spacer and step it along the line — each mark is set off the last one, so they come out even without measuring any of them.Extend a zip tieJoin two zip ties head to tail — feed one tie's tail into the other's head — to make a single longer tie.Zip-tie compassPair a zip tie with a pen — pin one end at the centre and use the tie as the radius arm — to scribe a circle on card or board.Emergency beltLink zip ties head to tail into a chain long enough to go around your waist, and cinch the last one to close it.Pen holder blockBuild a small holder using zip ties as the retaining loops — the ties form the pockets, and a block or panel gives them something to mount to.Close split loomTie corrugated split loom shut along its length with zip ties in the corrugation valleys so the slit stays closed.Lash a guard or a jigLash a guard, shield or tool into a jig with zip ties to hold it in position — but never zip-tie a power tool's trigger or safety switch on.Paint cut-in guardZip-tie a thin shield to the brush so it rides against the adjacent surface and keeps paint off it while you cut in.Graft and branch markerUse a zip tie to girdle or mark a branch for air-layering or grafting — it holds a precise position and it's visible from across the garden.Melt the tail smoothBriefly touch a flame to the cut end so the sharp edge rounds off — a second at most, just enough to soften the corner.Mini fish tapePush a zip tie through the conduit as a mini fish tape, tape the wire to the head, and pull it back through.Hang containers under a shelfZip-tie jars or containers beneath a shelf so small parts hang in the dead space instead of taking up shelf area.Beaded zip-tie braceletThread beads onto a zip tie and close it into a loop for a quick bracelet — the ratchet head sizes it and holds it.Pliers tension trickGrip the tail with pliers and pull — you'll cinch a tie far tighter than by hand, which is what you want on a bundle that has to stay put.Funnel on a poleZip-tie a plastic sheet, funnel or shield to a rod or pole to make a reach tool — the ties hold shape and position without any hardware.Reuse a zip tieSlip a thin blade or pin under the locking pawl inside the zip tie head to release the ratchet, and the tie backs out undamaged.
Layout & Joinery
Custom arch by battenLoft the arch full size, bend a thin plywood batten through your two spring points and the peak, and trace along it — the bent strip finds a fair curve on its own.Square with a ropeUse a rope or thin strip as a compass to strike two equal arcs from points on your baseline; the line through where the arcs cross is a true perpendicular.Scribe a corner braceLay the brace stock across the corner in position, scribe where it crosses each frame member, and cut on those lines instead of calculating the miter.Scribe an odd angleHold both boards in their final positions, overlap them, and scribe the joint line directly off the parts instead of measuring the angle.Mitered deck borderRun a picture-frame border around the deck and cut the corner miter with a circular saw on the boards in place, so the joint closes on the real corner instead of a nominal 45°.Curved stair templatingTemplate and scribe each piece directly off the built curve rather than calculating it, and clad the curved faces with thin strips that bend to follow the radius.Tape measure, second jobUse the serrated scribing edge on the tape's hook to score a mark, and use the extended blade as a stiff straightedge to guide a knife for a quick straight cut.
Tool Hacks & Improvised Tools
Jigsaw → mini bandsawMount a jigsaw blade-up under a small table and back the blade with a bearing guide — it becomes a mini bandsaw, and the rear bearing stops the blade wandering.Kerf-slot tool rackCut a row of evenly spaced saw kerfs across the top of a wood block and drop each tool shaft into a slot so it hangs by its handle.Make snap ring pliersGrind small points onto the tips of a cheap pair of needle-nose pliers so they seat in the snap ring eyelets — you've made snap ring pliers.Tap in a socketDrop the tap's square shank into a snug-fitting socket and turn it with a ratchet or breaker bar when you have no tap wrench.Seam ripper depinUse a sewing seam ripper to lift the locking tab — its fine hooked point slips under the tab so you can back the terminal out without breaking the housing.Sandpaper gripPut a small piece of sandpaper grit-side down between the driver bit and the stripped screw — or between the wrench jaws and a rounded nut — and the grit bites enough to break it loose.Spin nuts with a drillAttach the nut to your drill — zip-tie it to the chuck or thread a matching bolt into the chuck to carry it — and let the drill spin the nut down the rod.Grind inside a boxMake the cut inside a cardboard box so the sparks and grinding dust are caught in one place instead of redecorating the shop.
Garage & Automotive
Read a blown fusePull the fuse and look through it at the metal link — a clean unbroken strip is good, a broken or cloudy one is blown. If you're not sure, check continuity across the caps or blades.Stuck or rounded lug nutUse a 6-point impact socket, never a 12-point. If it's already rounded, hammer a slightly undersized 6-point socket onto it and drive it off with the impact.Spring hose clamp pliersGrip the clamp tangs with hose-clamp or slip-joint pliers, squeeze to release, and slide the clamp along the hose — a plier handle end can start or seat one where your fingers won't fit.Spring clamp fork trickStraddle the clamp ear with the tines of a metal fork, squeeze to compress the band, and walk the clamp along the hose where pliers won't fit.Reverse the ball mountFlip the ball-mount and slide it into the receiver reversed — it tucks the drawbar in so it sticks out less, and it turns a drop into a rise.Heat a plastic dent outWarm the dented or bowed plastic with a torch or heat gun, keeping the heat moving, until it softens enough to push the shape back — then hold it there while it cools.Keep the DEF spoutSave the flexible accordion spout from a DEF jug — it threads onto a washer-fluid jug and lets you aim a clean stream into a reservoir you can't reach.Spec a U-boltCaliper three dimensions — rod diameter, inside width, and leg length — to spec the replacement, then tap the legs to fine-tune the width so it seats.Belt-Minder chimeMany Fords let you disable the Belt-Minder chime with a buckle/unbuckle sequence performed with the ignition on — no dealer required. The exact count and timing vary by model and year.Pack a bearing in a bagSeal the bearing in a plastic bag with a glob of grease and squeeze the grease up through the rollers from the wide side until it comes out the narrow side.Thread a ratchet strapFeed the tail up through the slot in the ratchet mandrel, pull all the slack out by hand first, then crank — a properly threaded strap with the slack removed grips without slipping.Tie off the strap tailGather the excess tail and daisy-chain it, or tie it off with a slip knot near the ratchet, so it can't flap, fray, or catch the wind.
Materials, Paint & Adhesives
ATF + acetone penetrantMix roughly equal parts automatic transmission fluid and acetone for a cheap penetrating oil — the acetone carries the ATF into the rust, then flashes off and leaves the oil behind.Newspaper on glassWipe glass and mirrors with crumpled newspaper for a streak-free, lint-free finish.Craft acrylic touch-upUse cheap craft acrylic — with a simple stencil where you need a clean edge — for touch-ups instead of buying dedicated touch-up paint.Bag a wet brushWrap the loaded brush or roller tightly in a plastic bag so it stays wet for the next coat, and skip the wash-up entirely.Restore a stiff brushSpin a hardened or gummed brush against a wire or buffing wheel to comb the dried paint out of the bristles and bring it back to usable.Wire nut caulk capTwist a wire nut onto the cut nozzle of a caulk, silicone or adhesive tube — it caps and seals out air, and the cone inside holds the bit that would have skinned over.Inner tube gasketA slice of bicycle inner tube is a free rubber gasket — stretch a band over a mismatched neck or rim to seal or adapt one container to another.Bagged concrete cobblesFill small bags with concrete mix and lay them tight in a staggered grid — once cured they set into rounded, river-stone-look cobbles you strip and brush clean.Valve on a trash canFit a bulkhead valve near the base of a heavy trash can to turn it into a gravity dispenser you open and close on demand.
Shop Setup, Storage & Rigging
Mount a power stripDrive two screws at the spacing of the keyhole slots moulded into the back of the strip and hang it on them — or, if there are no keyholes, zip-tie it to a bench leg or cabinet side.Folding engine hoistAn engine hoist lifts and rolls any heavy object, not just engines — and buying the folding kind means it collapses flat against a wall between jobs.Chain shortening clutchUse a chain-shortening clutch — a grab or "lazy" hook — to take up one leg of a rated chain sling on the fly, seating the right link fully into the hook's slot.Wood drawer dividersCut thin wood strips into custom partitions sized to your actual tools, so everything stays in its own compartment.Bench caddyBuild a small wood caddy with compartments to corral pens, markers and hand tools in one place on the bench.Line wire shelvesCut plastic or coroplast sheet to lay over wire shelving so bottles and small parts sit flat instead of tipping through the grid.Fold a tarp soloFold the tarp down into one long narrow strip on the ground, then roll it tight from one end so it stays folded and packs small.Inflate a tight gloveBlow air into the glove to inflate it first — the puffed-out fingers open up so your hand slides straight in.Reseal a drink canThe plastic cap off a grease cartridge snaps onto a standard drink can — keep one to reseal an open soda or beer.Storm door closerThe slide washer on the closer rod locks the door open when you push it forward, and the screw on the cylinder end sets how fast the door shuts.