Surefire plug alignment

To hide wooden plugs, it helps to align the grain of the plugs with the grain of the workpiece. However, sometimes—particularly on small plugs—you can't tell which way the grain runs. Before cutting the plugs, draw a pencil mark parallel to the grain as shown. The mark guides you when gluing the plugs in place, and disappears when you sand the plugs flush.

—Richard Rentfrow, Raleigh, N.C.