Back-saving dustpan for pennies

This stand-up dustpan, made from salvaged parts, is easy on both your back and wallet. Cut the body of the dustpan from a square-bottom plastic pail used for everything from cat litter to bulk food items. (You can often get free ones from doughnut shops, delis, bakeries, and restaurants.) The plywood backer prevents the fasteners from pulling through and protects the plastic from fatigue. The handle for my dustpan came from a broken snow shovel, but any handle or dowel will work. After cutting the handle to length, use your bandsaw to cut a ¹⁄₄ "-deep x 8 ¹⁄₄ "-long notch in one of the ends. Mark and cut the pail to the profile shown, using either a pair of snips, or a rotary tool with a general-purpose cutting bit (such as Dremel 561 MultiPurpose Cutting Bit). Sand a bevel on the leading edge of the pan for easy dust sweep-up. —Raj Chaudhry, New York City