I am always looking for more efficiency in my shop. There is a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it, so anything I can adjust to save even a few seconds at a time is worth looking at, even if they are not directly related to sanding supplies.

On my table saw for example: It came with a 12 foot cord. When I moved into my current shop, I had the electrician provide me with a 20 foot "pigtail" for the plug so I can set my saw anywhere in the shop. This has worked out as intended, but I found myself bending over all the time to unplug the saw when I moved it or changed blades. I change blades quite often, so this started to become a sore spot as well as a safety issue. There is always the temptation to swap blades without bothering to unplug.

The other day it occurred to me that the 12 foot cord on the saw was not really needed with the long pigtail. I shortened the cord so that the male plug end is right at the switch. This makes it VERY fast and easy to unplug the saw whenever I need to without turning and bending. I just hang the disconnected pigtail on top of the switch box so I can plug right back in once the blades are changed.

This is a very easy fix to a fairly minor problem that not only makes my work more efficient, but also safer and more enjoyable. There are a million ways you can improve your work environment and flow to save time and hassle as well. For example, you can sign into your account at 2sand.com and let your previous order history help you track what sanding supplies you have ordered in the past and track when you may need to order again! Not running out of a critical grit or belt is always more efficient!

Feel free to share your solutions to minor inconveniences around your shop. You can comment here on the blog, on our Facebook Page, or on Twitter