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Using Carpet Tape

I've found countless uses for double-faced cloth carpet tape over the years. Here are some of my favorites:

Attach patterns made of plywood or hardboard to your workpiece with carpet tape. Rough-cut the board close to the pattern, then use your router and a pattern bit with a bearing that follows the template to rout the board to final shape. (Note: See Routing Multiples)
Stick carpet tape on the flaps of hinges to keep them from moving while you mark their location, drill screw holes, and position doors.
Make triangular clamping blocks and stick them to the outside edges of mitered corners with carpet tape. Then use regular straight clamps across the blocks for the glue-up.
To align false fronts on drawers, push the drawer carcase into its opening in the cabinet. Stick carpet tape to the back face of the drawer front. Then position the drawer front in the opening, making sure you have even gaps on all sides, and push the drawer front against the carcase. Pull out the drawer and screw on the front. You can leave the tape in place.
Attach auxiliary fences to your table saw or router table fence with carpet tape. They hold tight, and there are no clamps to get in the way.

Keith Hennessey
Des Moines, IA