Bed of staples Takes the Torture Out of Finishing

Whether you spray or use a brush, finishing the bottom of a bowl, vase, or other small project always proves difficult. By elevating the project on this grid of staples as shown at top, you can rotate it easily and apply the finish to the bottom edge without the project sticking to the surface it's resting on.

Start by placing a piece of ¹⁄₄ "-thick cardboard on top of a piece of foam rubber. Now, take a staple gun and drive several rows of ¹⁄₂ "-long staples through the cardboard and into the foam. When you turn over the cardboard and peel off the foam rubber, you'll have a convenient, reusable bed of staples on which to place bowls, turned objects, and other small projects for finishing.
—A.V. Joyce, Stittsville, Ont.