Helpful Hint - Your Modeling Workbench Needs This Container

Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis

Helpful Hint

As I have written elsewhere, you need to be regularly changing out the No. 11 blades in your hobby knife (X-Acto knife as it is commonly called whether manufactured by X-Acto or not). Otherwise, you will be unable to make accurate cuts or scoring. Changing blades does not mean, once a month - it can mean changing your blade a few times during even one work session.

So where do your used blades go? Don't toss them into the waste basket near your workbench (your workbench does have a dedicated waste basket I hope), that only endangers yourself, your loved ones, and your trash men.

Of the many published photographs of hobby workbenches I have seen, I don't ever recall seeing such a receptacle front and center.

On my workbench, I have a plastic covered tub such as this one. You need not purchase it; it can be a recycled food container. Just wash it thoroughly, you don't want to smell rotting food at your workbench. 

It must have a small opening on top. In my case, the opening already existed - don't ask me where I found this cast off; can't recall, too many years ago. If your tub does not have such an opening, then you can just cut or drill one out yourself. Cannot hurt to take a black marker and identify what this is for - reminds you and others not to toss it too soon.

And keep this receptacle for used blades near your work area.

When it is full then you can toss it into the trash safely - as an extra precaution, you can use some wide tape to keep the lid on and seal the opening.