Get The Fuck Out
Shop and garage tricks so good you say it out loud. Zip ties, scribing, improvised tools and more.
Zip Tie Tricks
26 rules
Tuan CTLash a crossed joint
Run 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.
Carl's Creative CornerDrilled-hole cable mount
Drill 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.
DaveHaxBundle and comb cables
Group 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.
Workshop MakerSplice two cords
Overlap 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.
The No Way GuyReuse a zip tie
Slip a thin blade or pin under the locking pawl inside the zip tie head to release the ratchet, and the tie backs out undamaged.
DaveHaxZip-tie jar opener
Loop 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.
Layout & Joinery
10 rules
Letterman MebelSquare with a rope
Use 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.
WeldermanScribe a corner brace
Lay 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.
Chop ScienceScribe an odd angle
Hold both boards in their final positions, overlap them, and scribe the joint line directly off the parts instead of measuring the angle.
Construção e TransformaçãoMitered deck border
Run 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°.
The No Way GuyTape measure, second job
Use 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.
Custom arch by batten
Loft 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.
Tool Hacks & Improvised Tools
10 rules
ToolerHacksJigsaw → mini bandsaw
Mount 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.
ToolerHacksKerf-slot tool rack
Cut 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.
The No Way GuyMake snap ring pliers
Grind 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.
The No Way GuyTap in a socket
Drop 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.
The No Way GuySeam ripper depin
Use 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.
The No Way GuySandpaper grip
Put 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.
Garage & Automotive
12 rules
The No Way GuyRead a blown fuse
Pull 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.
The No Way GuyStuck or rounded lug nut
Use 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.
The No Way GuySpring hose clamp pliers
Grip 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.
The No Way GuySpring clamp fork trick
Straddle 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.
The No Way GuyReverse the ball mount
Flip 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.
The No Way GuyHeat a plastic dent out
Warm 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.
Materials, Paint & Adhesives
10 rules
Alley PickedATF + acetone penetrant
Mix 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.
The No Way GuyWire nut caulk cap
Twist 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.
Handy SpaceInner tube gasket
A 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.
MrVexBagged concrete cobbles
Fill 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.
Flooring VideosValve on a trash can
Fit a bulkhead valve near the base of a heavy trash can to turn it into a gravity dispenser you open and close on demand.
Alley PickedNewspaper on glass
Wipe glass and mirrors with crumpled newspaper for a streak-free, lint-free finish.
Shop Setup, Storage & Rigging
10 rules
ElectroBOOMMount a power strip
Drive 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.
The No Way GuyFolding engine hoist
An 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.
Alley PickedWood drawer dividers
Cut thin wood strips into custom partitions sized to your actual tools, so everything stays in its own compartment.
The No Way GuyFold a tarp solo
Fold 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.
The No Way GuyInflate a tight glove
Blow air into the glove to inflate it first — the puffed-out fingers open up so your hand slides straight in.
The No Way GuyReseal a drink can
The plastic cap off a grease cartridge snaps onto a standard drink can — keep one to reseal an open soda or beer.