tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71538907217157388602024-03-13T07:22:43.486-07:00Woodworking ToolsWe review various types and brands of woodworking tools for the benefit of our readers. We also discuss woodworking techniques relating to the woodworking tools we include in our posts.Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-45932665995047803032010-03-15T16:58:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:30:29.528-07:00The Importance of Woodworking Clamps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57JILUkwJI/AAAAAAAAALI/Zx8-RbGp9m0/s1600-h/Irwin+Clamps+200x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57JILUkwJI/AAAAAAAAALI/Zx8-RbGp9m0/s320/Irwin+Clamps+200x200.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Sometimes we take for granted the very things we cannot live without. Only, on the rare occasion where one of these things is not present do we realize its overwhelming importance to us. Some of these things are crucial to life support like air, gravity, water, food and even, it could be fairly argued, love. Others, while not fatal to us (if missing) are, nonetheless, crucial necessities to life as we know it. An example of this would be ball bearings which are used in cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, motors and machines. Another, to the woodworker, would be clamps, the subject of this present discussion and tool review.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57JkEn_MmI/AAAAAAAAALQ/1p7CAXQ30qU/s1600-h/Protected_Clamps_200x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57JkEn_MmI/AAAAAAAAALQ/1p7CAXQ30qU/s320/Protected_Clamps_200x200.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I want to point out that woodworking, as we know it, would simply cease to exist without clamps to hold wooden parts together while we are gluing or otherwise fastening them together. It’s not that there is anything in what I have said so far that is news to anyone. It’s simply a matter of being conscious of the value of things that bless us every day of our lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I once sold off the entire contents of a woodworking shop. I advertised each tool individually. The ads were hardly out when I received a flood of calls from woodworkers looking for clamps. I sold all the clamps I had the first day. It was then that I realized how much every woodworker needs clamps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">©2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-79907721183067638472010-03-15T16:35:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:31:35.446-07:00Does a Planer Belong in Your Workshop?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57B_mAZtKI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/RSWjPtfJIaY/s1600-h/Hand+Plane+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57B_mAZtKI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/RSWjPtfJIaY/s320/Hand+Plane+2.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the “old days” (whenever that was) lumber was simply sawn out of logs and left to air dry. If you wanted to be able to see the grain so that it could be matched with other boards, it had to be planed. If you wanted it planed, you needed a long bed hand plane and a lot of skill. With the invention of the planer, no one needed to plane boards by hand any more and the practice stopped in the name of “progress.” Today, most boards are delivered already thickness planed and some are even straight line ripped on one edge, making things very easy for the woodworker. So, why own a planer?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57CM8JVT3I/AAAAAAAAAKY/beAf8PyNUeM/s1600-h/Sawmill+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57CM8JVT3I/AAAAAAAAAKY/beAf8PyNUeM/s320/Sawmill+1.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Thickness planing does not end at the lumber yard. Lumber, once edge glued into panels is still uneven and the boards are never in perfect alignment with each other. Something must take this rough panel from, say, 1 7/8” down to its final thickness of , say, 1 ½”, smooth both sides. There are two ways of doing this that I know of: an abrasive planer (wide-belt sander or drum sander) or a planer that uses knives in a cutterhead. </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57CX64-eyI/AAAAAAAAAKg/tt1Uiio9kRs/s1600-h/Green_Koa_Lumber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57CX64-eyI/AAAAAAAAAKg/tt1Uiio9kRs/s320/Green_Koa_Lumber.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A combination of a knife planer and an abrasive planer would be ideal but not always affordable. This is because planers have a way of tearing chips out of loose grain. They are, however, much faster in removing material than a sanding machine. A sanding machine will never tear out chips but it may use up a lot of valuable production time. So, in an ideal world, where money didn’t matter, you could do most of the thicknessing with the planer and then finish up to the final thickness dimension with the sanding machine.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57Cpf1mmrI/AAAAAAAAAKo/eDrQyXKcObk/s1600-h/Old+Planer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57Cpf1mmrI/AAAAAAAAAKo/eDrQyXKcObk/s320/Old+Planer.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In fact, if you have the money and need to do your woodworking on an industrial scale, there are machines with a planer head followed by two or more sanding heads. I had the chance to use such a machine for several years. A friendly competitor bought it for his woodworking firm in Hawaii and had it shipped in by ocean freight from the mainland. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> This giant machine, made by Cemco, used 880 volt, 3 phase motors. A ten HP motor ran the conveyor belt and the one planing and two sanding heads each had 60 HP electric motors. It could plane and sand panels 52 inches wide. In size, it looked like a large, industrial printing press. My friend bought into a sawmill and had Hawaiian Koa wood shipped by barge from the Big Island to Oahu where he had constructed a dehumidification kiln next to the Cemco machine. Eventually, he over-extended himself financially and had to close his business. He found a buyer for the planer/sander but he had to ship the huge machine all the way back to the mainland because no one in Hawaii had a use for such a machine. Of course, I don’t know what your plans are for a planer but I’m pretty sure you won’t be buying a Cemco any time soon. That still leaves a lot of sizes and types of planers to discuss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A planer/jointer uses the same cutterhead for planing as it does for jointing. It looks like a jointer but it also has a space underneath the jointer table where you insert boards for planing. You feed the boards in one direction on the jointer table, above the cutterhead, and in the opposite direction through the planer underneath the cutterhead. This is because the cutterhead only spins in one rotational direction. A planer, if it has molding capability becomes a molder simply by removing the straight knives and replacing them with profile cutters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Most planers are constructed with the cutterhead mounted in the top part of the machine and a metal table with rollers underneath the lumber being planed. The thickness is adjusted by raising and lowering the table with relationship to the cutterhead above. The lumber is driven through the machine by the front roller or rollers which are usually serrated for better grip. The outfeed rollers are at the same height as the infeed rollers but they are usually not powered and are shiny and smooth. There are some large, expensive planers in which all rollers are powered.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57DL_g-QhI/AAAAAAAAAKw/hPaH0WKEGuk/s1600-h/Straight_Knife_Cutterhead_250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57DL_g-QhI/AAAAAAAAAKw/hPaH0WKEGuk/s320/Straight_Knife_Cutterhead_250.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are three types of cutterheads: straight knife, spiral and helical. The terms “spiral” and helical are often used interchangeably although this is inaccurate. There are strong similarities between the spiral and helical types but there IS a difference as I will explain. Straight knives are used on most planers in the less expensive range. For the most part, straight knives are fine but they do have two drawbacks: they are difficult to align with each other after changing and they tend to tear out loose grain more easily.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57DWQTyziI/AAAAAAAAAK4/fsahi2av2yc/s1600-h/Byrd__R__Helical_Cutterhead_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57DWQTyziI/AAAAAAAAAK4/fsahi2av2yc/s320/Byrd__R__Helical_Cutterhead_300.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Helical and spiral heads get around both problems to a large degree. It has been found that a bunch of small cutter blades arrayed in a spiral wrap around the cutterhead will minimize splintering. Helical knives are usually square or rectangular in shape and sharpened on either 2 or 4 sides. They are mounted directly onto the face of the cutterhead and, thus, require no adjustment to align them with each other. To change a cutter in a helical head, you simply remove the screw that holds it in place. If there are unused edges on the cutter, you can rotate that cutter to exposed the new edge to the wood and then replace the screw. You buy cutters by the box and replace them as needed: Sometime you replace just a few that have become nicked. At other times, all cutters have been dulled on all sides and it is time to replace them all.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57DvEDi1wI/AAAAAAAAALA/Xyh05hNsGPs/s1600-h/Spiral+Cutterhead+300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S57DvEDi1wI/AAAAAAAAALA/Xyh05hNsGPs/s320/Spiral+Cutterhead+300x300.jpg" vt="true" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The spiral cutterhead is different from the helical head in that Spiral Planer Cutterhead, a whole row of cutters, connected together in a flexible strip are attached to the spiral head, One row at a time. There are spiral tracks or indentations in the heads that locate the cutter strips. There may be three or so tracks on a spiral cutterhead. Helical cutterheads are much more common than spiral heads.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">©2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-74578206621615396742010-03-15T15:35:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:32:32.535-07:00What to Look for in a Cordless Drill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S563iRVD9vI/AAAAAAAAAJw/DgKxjNrZrRA/s1600-h/Hand_Drill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S563iRVD9vI/AAAAAAAAAJw/DgKxjNrZrRA/s320/Hand_Drill.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The original cordless drill had neither a motor nor a battery. There was a hand drill in my father's workshop long before he invested in an electric drill with a cord. The first battery-powered drill was the tool that started off the cordless revolution which eventually caused all sorts of tools to become available in cordless models. Some types of tools are more suitable to cordless use than others. Usually those tools that move around a lot in use and do not require large amounts of electricity are the best candidates for battery power. So, the electric drill, by its very nature, was the first tool to get a battery.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S5636aN3-iI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/09V7MnQNySQ/s1600-h/Drill_a_Hole_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S5636aN3-iI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/09V7MnQNySQ/s320/Drill_a_Hole_3.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Drilling a Hole When you are using a drill at many different locations, it’s a real pain to have to drag a cord around with you. At first, cordless drills weren’t very powerful and the batteries didn’t last that long. For a while, that was an excuse for woodworkers to resist the upgrade to cordless. Today’s cordless drills, especially in the 18 Volt class are both powerful in terms of torque and their lithium ion batteries are long-lasting. The chargers are fast and so, with two batteries to switch off, it’s hard to run out of juice.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S564EFfdM5I/AAAAAAAAAKA/Gip27T_5wgA/s1600-h/Drilling_a_Hole_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S564EFfdM5I/AAAAAAAAAKA/Gip27T_5wgA/s320/Drilling_a_Hole_2.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> So where do different models of cordless drill stand apart from one another? Actually, in several areas, the most important being tool weight and twisting power or torque. It used to be a rule that if you wanted more power and/or longer battery life, you had to accept heavier tool weight. While this is still true, in a general sense, important inroads are being made by major drill manufacturers to turn this equation around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Tool weight is important in a drill or impact driver because these are tools that you hold out at arm’s length all day and while 5 to 10 pounds may not sound like much, each weight increase from drill to drill counts for a lot at the end of a long day on the job even if your name is Hercules.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Power is important because drills are often used to drive screws even though there is a better tool for that job: the impact driver. Most 18 Volt cordless drills come with half-inch chucks and if you have ever drilled a deep ½” hole in hardwood, you know the need for power. You might even find yourself driving a large Forstner bit which is a lot more than 1/2". You don’t want to buy a drill that will bog down on the job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A drill is the kind of tool that a woodworker uses the most and so it is important to put on your thinking cap to make sure that you are buying the right one for your needs.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S564MTRSnWI/AAAAAAAAAKI/ZltiabsBaGg/s1600-h/Battery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S564MTRSnWI/AAAAAAAAAKI/ZltiabsBaGg/s320/Battery.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Cordless Drill Battery Battery size, expressed in amp hours is another important consideration. All Lithium Ion 18 Volt batteries are not alike in terms of size, weight or how long they will last between charges. That goes for chargers, as well. A half-hour charger, as opposed to an hour charger can make a real difference if you are constantly changing batteries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When you comparison shop the brands, you will note that drill power and drill weights are all over the place. So are the prices. You can save by buying factory-reconditioned tools but don’t buy an underpowered drill with a small battery just to save money. Don’t buy an overweight drill just because it has a bit more torque than its lighter competitor. Get the drill you need. You will thank yourself later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">©2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-23050884666789736282010-03-15T15:08:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:33:29.561-07:00Do You Need a Router Table or a Shaper in Your Workshop?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56waf6LJxI/AAAAAAAAAJI/05PJVHKH9HY/s1600-h/3_Sided_Shaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56waf6LJxI/AAAAAAAAAJI/05PJVHKH9HY/s320/3_Sided_Shaper.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Depending on how you look at it, there’s either no difference between a shaper and a router table or a there's great deal of difference. They are the same in that they both work by projecting a cutter or bit up through a hole in the table. The work piece is then run along a fence and through the cutter, producing a profile on the work piece matching that of the cutter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In, many other ways, however, they are quite different. The first question you might want to consider is: “Considering the type of woodworking I do (or I am likely to do) in the future, do I need a shaper or will a simple router table do the trick?” What will determine the answer to the question is the size of the profiles you want to create. You do not need to own both a shaper and a router table since many shapers can also spin router bits. However, you cannot spin shaper cutters on a router.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56wlzBDTlI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/CecOXyfyCk8/s1600-h/Girl_on_Shaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56wlzBDTlI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/CecOXyfyCk8/s320/Girl_on_Shaper.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you are used to working with routers and router tables, one of the first things you will notice the first time you turn on a shaper is how much quieter it is. The high-pitched whine of the router has been replaced by the quieter whirr that is characteristic of the shaper. The reason for this is two-fold: First, most shapers turn at slower RPMs (7000, to 10,000) than routers which scream along at 20 to 25 thousand RPM. And yet, when you consider the tip speed of the larger shaper cutter as opposed to the router bit, there may not be that much difference in speed at the actual point of cutting. Second, routers are direct drive while shapers use the quieter belt-drive system of rotation.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56wuepNFKI/AAAAAAAAAJY/zqCi6E6YNIo/s1600-h/Shaper_Cutters_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56wuepNFKI/AAAAAAAAAJY/zqCi6E6YNIo/s320/Shaper_Cutters_4.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Because shaper cutters are so much larger than router bits, they are attached to the shaper differently than router bits are attached to a router. Shapers use heavy metal spindles that are firmly attached into the shaper at the bottom of the spindle. Spindles usually come in 4 sizes: 1/2", 3/4", 1”, and 1 1/4" diameters. Some machines only include one spindle but others supply two or more. There are two types of spindles: “solid” and “interchangeable.” An interchangeable spindle has a hole in the top end which allows you to mount smaller diameter spindles and even router bit collets. An interchangeable spindle can also hold shaper cutters. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56w5PjhRXI/AAAAAAAAAJg/quw6tYs4rd8/s1600-h/Delta_1_1_4_inch_Spindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56w5PjhRXI/AAAAAAAAAJg/quw6tYs4rd8/s320/Delta_1_1_4_inch_Spindle.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Solid spindles are used only for shaper cutters. Cutters, spacers, rub collars and/or ball bearings are dropped onto the spindle shaft from above and then secured with a large, provided nut. The capacity of a shaper spindle is expressed in available space “under the nut.” The greater the capacity, the more cutters and spacers can be accommodated. Another important figure to look at when shopping for a shaper is the amount of “spindle travel.” This figure relates to how high or low the spindle can be with relationship to the table top. This relates to the maximum thickness of work piece that can be shaped with a profile. Multiple cutters can be put together to create different profiles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Generally speaking, the largest shaper cutters work better at lower RPMs. Most shapers will offer you two different speeds. The more expensive shapers may offer you as many as five. Changing speeds is done by moving the drive belt into another pulley position as on a drill press. And, like the drill press, belt tension must be slackened before this can be done. On most shapers, this is accomplished by simply moving a lever that releases the belt tension, then, moving the belt into another pulley position and finally, by moving the lever back to its original “tight” position.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Most shapers come with grooves for a miter gauge in both the table and the fence. This is to allow small pieces to be shaped safely and effectively. Another piece of equipment relating to safety is the “starter pin”. This is a metal pin, threaded on one end that screws into a threaded hole in the table near the location of the cutter. It gives you a place to rest the work piece against when beginning a freehand cut.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56xFYq_9gI/AAAAAAAAAJo/lTYAW8cNcp4/s1600-h/Ball_Bearing_Rub_Collars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56xFYq_9gI/AAAAAAAAAJo/lTYAW8cNcp4/s320/Ball_Bearing_Rub_Collars.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In a router table, there are two types of router bits you may use: (1) with or (2) without a ball bearing guide. If there is no ball bearing guide on the router bit, you MUST use the router table fence. Same with the shaper. The shaper may use a “rub collar” or a ball bearing on the spindle shaft to prevent the work piece from being drawn into the cutter deeper than the profile. If you are using a cutter without a rub collar or ball bearing, then you will need to use the fence that is installed on the table. The infeed portion of the fence is set further away from the operator than the outfeed fence. This difference determines the depth of cut. Most shapers allow you to “micro-adjust” the fence settings for perfect results.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When shaping irregular (not square) work pieces, you will have to work freehand which is inherently more dangerous than using the fence. To do this, you will probably need to remove the fence or, at least, set it back, out of the way, toward the rear of the table. You will need to construct an alternate kind of safety guard and this can be made from a round piece of 3/16” or thicker Plexiglas with a hole drilled through it at the center point. This guard must be a bit wider than the swing of the cutter. It should be mounted at the top of the cutter or cutters on the spindle and then fastened down with the spindle nut. Keep your fingers as far away from the cutter as possible while maintaining a firm grip on the work piece at all times. With the rub collar or ball bearing installed, you can press the work piece into the cutter without worrying about going too far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <strong>A shaper can be an extremely dangerous machine if not used properly. Anything I say in this piece or anywhere else should NOT be construed as giving advice that could lead one to do anything dangerous, harmful, injurious or fatal. In, fact, I would say that if you are ignorant of the dangers present in woodworking or are not willing to take the necessary safety precautions, then you should immediately give up woodworking and never go near a woodworking machine again. Here are some precautions you MUST take when using a shaper in the interest of your safety and that of others in your shop:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 1) ALWAYS use some sort of guard or, even better, a power feeder. A power feeder will completely cover the cutter danger area and will push the work piece against the fence as it pushes it through the cutter. Buy a power feeder and use it whenever you can. When the operation precludes the use of a power feeder, at least use an effective guard. Most shaper fences come with guards. Use the guard!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 2) Most shapers can be run forward or reverse. This is because some cutters or cutter configurations require that the shaper be run in reverse. Before you start any cut DETERMINE THE PROPER DIRECTION OF ROTATION for the cutter or cutters on the spindle. Then check and double-check that the machine is set to the proper cutting direction. If you feed a work piece into a shaper WITH the direction of rotation instead of AGAINST it, the shaper can easily pull the work piece out of your grip and send it flying like a missile through your shop with possible FATAL results.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 3) NEVER shape small or thin pieces. Instead, shape a larger piece of wood than you need and then rip off what you need on the table saw. Small pieces can also easily become missiles. Further, they will cause your fingers to be way too close to the cutter and if they slip, they may cause your fingers to go into the cutter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 4) USE A STARTER PIN when doing free hand work with irregular work pieces. It will give you much greater control and may prevent kick-back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 5) USE A MITER GAUGE WITH A HOLD_DOWN CLAMP whenever shaping the ends of narrow pieces like table or chair legs. To attempt this without a miter gauge and clamp is asking for a trip to the emergency room.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 6) USE JIGS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. A jig is a shop-made or other device designed to guide cuts for consistent and safe results.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 7) USE EYE AND EAR PROTECTION and wear a DUST MASK. The reasons should be obvious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One more piece of advice, although this doesn’t relate to safety as much as it does to work piece conservation. Always shape (or rout) the end grain of a square or rectangular work piece first and then rout along the sides. This way, you have a good chance of shaping or routing away the chip-out at the end of the end grain as you clean up the sides. Also, if you are shaping end grain, try to clamp a back-up board to the work piece so that it passes through the cutter immediately after the work piece, thus preventing chip-out. If you can afford it or think you might be doing a lot of end grain cuts, consider a machine with a sliding table. In a mass production setting, it can pay for itself quickly in time saved and repeated accuracy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-47660155159074277062010-03-15T13:40:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:34:21.644-07:00How to Get the Most Out of Your Band Saw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56lok0K41I/AAAAAAAAAHo/zvxW3w-We3s/s1600-h/Giant_Band_Saw_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56lok0K41I/AAAAAAAAAHo/zvxW3w-We3s/s320/Giant_Band_Saw_2.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> Any band saw can resaw. The question is: “How well and how thick?” The first thing you need to decide if resawing on your band saw is an activity in which you are likely to engage frequently, occasionally or never. For those of you who don’t know, resawing is the ability to cut thin slices or veneers out of a board standing on its edge on the band saw table, while being guided along a high fence. Where this pays off is when you are trying to get maximum mileage out of an especially fine, beautiful, expensive hardwood board.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56mbAr_0BI/AAAAAAAAAHw/jcyWTYDXJDc/s1600-h/Resawing_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56mbAr_0BI/AAAAAAAAAHw/jcyWTYDXJDc/s320/Resawing_2.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
For example, I made a lot of jewelry boxes with 3/8” thick sides. Considering that I had to sand all of the sides flat and smooth, I found that I could barely get 2 slices out of a 1” thick board or 3 slices out of a 1 1/2” board or 4 slices out of a 2” thick board. You need to allow 1/16” kerf waste for most band saw blades plus more if your blade wanders, which all blades do to a certain extent. Then all unevenness has to be sanded away in a drum sander or wide belt sander. In the end, you can't realistically expect to get two finished 3/8" box sides out of a board that is only 3/8"+3/8" +1/6" = 13/16" thick. You will need not much less than a full 1" thickness in your original board. Since most hardwood lumber is sold milled down to 7/8" for a so-called 1" board, you are faced with only getting one, 3/8" slice, not two. On the other hand, most 2" lumber comes milled down to 1 7/8", which allows you to bet three 3/8" pieces out, saving you money.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56mq8sIkvI/AAAAAAAAAH4/idsU5xwdPm8/s1600-h/Antique_Blue_Band_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56mq8sIkvI/AAAAAAAAAH4/idsU5xwdPm8/s320/Antique_Blue_Band_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> The more your band saw blade wanders, the more thickness you will need. The important thing is to minimize this wandering and there are five ways to do this: (1) blade tension (maximum recommended to keep the blade from flexing), (2) blade width (the wider, the better for stiffness), (3) blade type (designed specifically for resawing), (4) motor power (to drive the blade through the wood without bogging down) and (5) blade guides (the more blade control, the better).<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56m-k25FoI/AAAAAAAAAIA/bFUnaPXUMGE/s1600-h/Man_on_Blue_Band_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56m-k25FoI/AAAAAAAAAIA/bFUnaPXUMGE/s320/Man_on_Blue_Band_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
If you plan on doing a lot of resawing, pay close attention to the specifications of band saws you are considering for purchase, in light of what has been said above. If resawing doesn’t look like it will play a large part in your future, then you are probably more interested in cutting curves in thinner material. In this case, throat depth of your band saw becomes a very important consideration because, on a small band saw, you will be constantly bumping into the back of the throat and you may not be able to complete the curved cuts you have penciled out. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56nKotZ9-I/AAAAAAAAAII/9Tz5vxh2bCQ/s1600-h/Antique_Oliver_Bandsaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56nKotZ9-I/AAAAAAAAAII/9Tz5vxh2bCQ/s320/Antique_Oliver_Bandsaw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> Any 14-inch band saw will severely limit the width of cuts you can make to the left of the blade, so consider if this will present a problem for you. If you are planning on just cutting out small parts, fine. On the other hand, if you want to make large parts for furniture, then a small band saw just won't do. Of course, there is no limitation to the right of the blade, on a 14" (or any other) band saw, except that you will have to supply auxiliary support for your work piece if it extends very far off the edge of the table. Throat depth is not so much of a problem when you are using the band saw for resawing, although, for resawing, you will need to consider the maximum distance between the table top and the upper blade guide. That measurement determines how wide a board you can resaw on your band saw.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56niqAmMDI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/VvwGo7chN3o/s1600-h/Laguna_Tools_LT37_37_inch_Band_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56niqAmMDI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/VvwGo7chN3o/s320/Laguna_Tools_LT37_37_inch_Band_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
When shopping for a band saw, don’t be fooled into thinking that an 18” band saw will give you a full 18” between the blade and the back of the throat. Band saws are measured by the outside diameter of their wheels. These wheels are mounted inside the cabinet, one above the table and the other, below. Actually, there is an upper cabinet and a lower cabinet connected by a “column”. The blade travels upwards from the lower (powered) wheel through and inside the column to the upper (idler) wheel before reversing direction and going downwards through the upper blade guide, then the table, then the lower blade guide before returning to the lower wheel.<br />
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Because the column takes up a certain amount of space, an 18” band saw will not normally have a full 18” throat. It will be something less than that, perhaps 17½” (if you are lucky) or even 17”. So, if you need a full 18” of clearance, you will need a 20” band saw. Prices climb with throat depth simply because as throat depth increases, the wheels and the cabinets must increase in size accordingly. In short, the whole machine gets bigger.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56nstelV9I/AAAAAAAAAIY/Kb4khRQgFW8/s1600-h/Band_Saw_Blades_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56nstelV9I/AAAAAAAAAIY/Kb4khRQgFW8/s320/Band_Saw_Blades_2.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> Small band saws with small wheels may not be tall enough to sit on the floor like larger ones. With small band saws, you must either mount them on a bench or purchase or build a stand. Usually the stand is included in the price of the smaller saws. Conversely, when working on a very large, industrial band saw, count on the table top being quite high off the floor to accommodate the lower wheel and its cabinet.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56n-ih5A2I/AAAAAAAAAIg/9KGrEXFIIbk/s1600-h/Large_Band_Saw_Blade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56n-ih5A2I/AAAAAAAAAIg/9KGrEXFIIbk/s320/Large_Band_Saw_Blade.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
When you order blades for your band saw, do so in quantity. There are few sure things in life but blade breakage is guaranteed. Always have replacement band saw blades on hand so you don't end up breaking your only blade right in the middle of a project. When you do order blades, you can usually find the best prices online but you will need to allow for delivery time and shipping costs. You can buy blades from the saw manufacturer but it is usually cheaper to purchase them from a vendor who specializes in band saw blades. If you can’t find the exact size your band saw uses, you can ordinarily have your blades custom-welded to any length you need.<br />
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There are times when you want a specialized band saw blade for a specific use like resawing. Here, the challenge is to get a reasonably smooth cut but not to have so many teeth that it causes an undue amount of friction, heat and wandering. In a case like that, it may be best to buy directly from the manufacturer of your band saw. Band saw blades designed to cut tight curves are as narrow as 1/8”. For most curves, I have found 1/4" blades to be sufficiently narrow. The narrower the blade, the more likely it will be to break quickly but it can track tighter curves than wider blades. For really tight curves, a scroll saw may be a better tool than a band saw. Resaw blades should always be as wide as your band saw can accommodate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56oJ_JB00I/AAAAAAAAAIo/NGYeJ2eF1Nw/s1600-h/Carter_Ball_Bearing_Guides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56oJ_JB00I/AAAAAAAAAIo/NGYeJ2eF1Nw/s320/Carter_Ball_Bearing_Guides.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> There are two basic types of blade guides on band saws: "blocks" and "ball bearing guides". Blocks can be made out of smooth metal, non-metallic composite or ceramic material. Ball bearing guides are more expensive but are much easier on blades in that there is minimal friction and, therefore, reduced heat. There are side guides in any band saw to restrain the blade from moving left or right and a single block or bearing behind the band saw blade to keep it from moving backward when pressure is applied to the front of the blade by the work piece. After-market ball bearing guides with full installation instructions can be obtained from manufacturers such as Carter. The more expensive band saws come already equipped with ball bearing guides.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56oVJ8sAXI/AAAAAAAAAIw/3-pHun7xZmc/s1600-h/Rotary_Phase_Converter_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56oVJ8sAXI/AAAAAAAAAIw/3-pHun7xZmc/s320/Rotary_Phase_Converter_4.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> Like other stationary power tools, very large band saws usually have three phase motors. You should not consider purchasing one of these unless you have three phase power available at the place where you will be using the saw. Three phase power is usually only available from the power company in commercial or industrial areas and cannot be found in residential areas. The only way to have three phase power in a home woodworking shop is to use a phase converter that is large enough for the power requirement of your largest three phase motor. If you plan on running more than one three phase motor at a time, you will need a correspondingly larger phase converter. There are two types of phase converters: rotary (looks like a big electric motor) and electronic. Rotary is better if you can find it. Search for phase converters online.<br />
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A two speed band saw is useful if you are planning on cutting metal or very dense hardwoods. Running the band saw on the slow setting will mean that while it will take longer to make cuts, it will reduce heat from friction and extend blade life. Metal cutting band saw blades are widely available for cutting mild steel and non-ferrous metals. Never use a metal cutting band saw blade to cut wood. Never use a wood-cutting band saw blade to cut metal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ojl6sXlI/AAAAAAAAAI4/6kvfI8OahB0/s1600-h/Band_Saw_Tire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ojl6sXlI/AAAAAAAAAI4/6kvfI8OahB0/s320/Band_Saw_Tire.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> Some band saw wheels are bare metal. If you want to track narrow blades, your band saw wheels should have rubber “tires” that are glued onto or inserted into grooves in the metal band saw wheels. These tires are usually crowned. By adjusting the blade tracking device, you can get the blade to stay in one position on the tires or metal wheels.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56owIvVHHI/AAAAAAAAAJA/Hp0Pt0Q-swI/s1600-h/Band_Saw_Wheel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56owIvVHHI/AAAAAAAAAJA/Hp0Pt0Q-swI/s320/Band_Saw_Wheel.jpg" vt="true" /></a><br />
Another adjustment moves the upper band saw wheel up and down to increase or decrease blade tension. You will need to release this tension to change band saw blades and, on the newer band saws, you can usually find a lever that does this for you. If not, you will have to loosen the tension knob enough to install a new blade on the wheels. Then re-apply the tension, using the blade tension scale, appropriate to the blade width you are using. Wide blades will require more tension than narrow blades. Narrow blades can break if too much tension is applied. Large band saw blades can wander off the band saw wheels if insufficient tension is used. Always refer to the tension scale on your band saw. Don't guess.<br />
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After the band saw blade is tensioned properly, disconnect power to the motor and turn the upper wheel by hand to verify that the band saw blade is tracking properly. If not, make appropriate tilt adjustments to the upper wheel until the band saw blade stays in the approximate center of both wheels. A hand wheel or knob is provided on any band saw for this purpose. If the wheels are slightly out of alignment with respect to each other, you can still track a band saw blade. In this case, the band saw blade will be more to the back of one wheel while being more to the front of the other wheel. This discrepancy should eventually be adjusted or "tuned" out of your band saw, but, for now, it’s OK as long as the band saw blade stays on the wheels while cutting. Once you have the band saw blade tracking properly, reconnect the power and start cutting.<br />
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Bob Gillespie<br />
Woodworker<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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© 2010 Robert M Gillespie, Jr.Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-55330793375422876132010-03-15T13:10:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:35:35.760-07:00Three Kinds of Circular Saws for Three Different Jobs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56VEeqm9CI/AAAAAAAAAG4/Nx6_6LNFsng/s1600-h/Big_Foot_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56VEeqm9CI/AAAAAAAAAG4/Nx6_6LNFsng/s320/Big_Foot_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> While there are many types and sizes of circular saws on the market, I would like to discuss what I believe to be the three most important categories. They are: plunge saws with guide rails, worm drive or hypoid saws for construction use and standard-drive circular saws suitable for both home and construction use. Before I delve into all of that, however, I’d like to take a quick look at the basics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A circular saw allows you to take a relatively small tool to a large work piece and cut it without too much back-breaking labor. In the past, the price for this convenience was inaccuracy because there was no really easy way to force a circular saw to cut straight along a pencil line. For rough construction work like roofing and decking, this was no problem. For fine woodworking, however, the circular saw was not the tool of choice. Most woodworkers rely on the table saw to get the long, straight cuts they need and for good reason. The fence on a table saw gives the constant reference point needed for straight cuts.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56VW_CuUbI/AAAAAAAAAHA/1IoRjDxzkRE/s1600-h/Man_Using_Circular_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56VW_CuUbI/AAAAAAAAAHA/1IoRjDxzkRE/s320/Man_Using_Circular_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Sometimes, however, using a table saw to trim the top of a huge conference table, for instance, turns out to be an impossible task, especially when trying to trim off the ends at 90 degrees to the sides. That’s when a very carefully planned approach using a circular saw seems to deliver the best final result. I would draw a pencil line using a long straightedge exactly where I wanted the trim cut to go. I would then carefully measure the distance between the inside (or outside) of the saw blade and the edge of the foot plate of the saw. The next step would be a second pencil line, parallel to the first one and separated from it by the distance I measured between the inside (or outside) of the saw blade and the edge of the foot plate. I would locate an absolutely straight board (ripped straight on the table saw, if necessary) and clamp this across the table top as a guide along the second pencil line. Then, I could make a pretty straight cut along the first pencil line. I would then repeat this for the other end of the table top.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ViFTlLzI/AAAAAAAAAHI/_Bp16NK_T2E/s1600-h/Festool_TS_75_EQ_with_Guide_Rail_200x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ViFTlLzI/AAAAAAAAAHI/_Bp16NK_T2E/s320/Festool_TS_75_EQ_with_Guide_Rail_200x200.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In the past few years, this process has become a whole lot easier. There are now several makes and models of plunge saws that run along metal guide rails, cutting right next to the edge of the rail without cutting into the rail itself. The guide rails don’t even need to be clamped to the surface being cut because they have material underneath that keeps them from sliding around. If you feel more comfortable clamping down the guide rail, this can be done, as well. It’s a simple matter to lay the guide with its edge along the cut line and then to take the saw and run it down the rail, cutting right next to the lip of the rail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Because these saws are plunge-type saws, you can begin and/or end a cut in the middle of a sheet of plywood. You could cut out a window or door opening, for instance and have it come out clean and square every time. The best thing about using these track saws is the confidence they give you: You KNOW you can do a perfect job, quickly, accurately, over and over again.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56VrYN3lSI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/cP3SyLaZi9U/s1600-h/Steel_Worm_Drive__Skilsaw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56VrYN3lSI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/cP3SyLaZi9U/s320/Steel_Worm_Drive__Skilsaw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Another kind of circular saw I’ve used a lot over the years, mostly for construction, is the worm drive saw pioneered by Skil. A framing carpenter needs to be able to cut a lot of lumber all day long. While accuracy is always desirable, it is not as critical to the framer as it would be to a finish carpenter or cabinet maker. Speed is the thing that the framer wants on his side and he (or she) does not want to be saddled with a saw that can’t cut the mustard, so to speak. He doesn’t want his circular saw to bog down in the middle of cutting a 2 x10 joist or have the sole plate hang up every time it goes across the edge of another board. He does not want to have the saw blade slipping around the saw arbor. What he wants is clean, fast accurate cuts: In short, power.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56V3hIvV9I/AAAAAAAAAHY/uWrYWpxpu-Q/s1600-h/Framer_Using_Circular_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56V3hIvV9I/AAAAAAAAAHY/uWrYWpxpu-Q/s320/Framer_Using_Circular_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A worm drive saw delivers the constant power he needs because there is no slack or play anywhere between the powerful motor and the saw teeth that are doing the cutting. The worm gear cuts down a bit on saw blade RPM but trades this off for torque. It is torque, more than speed, that powers a saw blade through thick, wet wood. A diamond-shaped arbor makes it virtually impossible for the blade with a matching diamond-shaped hole to rotate around the arbor. Keeping the number of saw teeth down to 18-24 teeth on a 7 1/4" saw blade also helps. The only problem with early Skil worm drive saws was the weight with those large motors and all that gearing. The solution was to use magnesium instead steel in the construction of the saw wherever possible. The modern magnesium worm drive saws weigh only about 14 to 15 pounds which is more than a standard circular saw but manageable in the strong hands of a muscular framer.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56WDsCLb9I/AAAAAAAAAHg/mnR-LINADgk/s1600-h/Hitachi_Circular_Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56WDsCLb9I/AAAAAAAAAHg/mnR-LINADgk/s320/Hitachi_Circular_Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The final category included the kind of saw that most people think of as a circular saw. It is lighter than the worm drive saws and, for most uses, it's plenty powerful enough. Some of these saws are now also be made out of magnesium parts and weigh just over 10 Lbs. This makes them easy to use by the average do-it-yourselfer. Did I mention that they are a lot less expensive than the other types?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-45306726598435327642010-03-15T12:40:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:36:27.865-07:00The Table Saw: Heart of Any Fine Woodworking Shop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56KohB_PYI/AAAAAAAAAFY/30i6XZcQ_Pw/s1600-h/Antique+Table+Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56KohB_PYI/AAAAAAAAAFY/30i6XZcQ_Pw/s320/Antique+Table+Saw.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are many things you will want to consider before purchasing a new table saw for your shop. There are three main types of table saws: (1) the lightweight, inexpensive and portable contractor’s saw, (2) the cabinet saw, so-named because it has an enclosed cabinet as opposed to open base and (3) the new breed of so-called “Hybrid” table saws which fill the price gap between contractor’s saws and cabinet saws. This discussion will be only concern cabinet saws because, in my experience, nothing less will do for a shop that produces fine woodworking. Smaller saws lack both the accuracy and capacity of cabinet saws.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The table saw is the heart of your shop. You will use it more than any other machine and its accuracy and capacity will determine the quality and size of what you will be able to produce. This is akin to picking someone to marry: Ideally, it’s for life and you will have to live with your decision for a long time to come. Therefore, rushing into purchasing the first table saw you see, without doing your homework, is like a quickie Las Vegas marriage, always a gamble.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56K35atQ8I/AAAAAAAAAFg/H-hG9KX0Vjc/s1600-h/Blade-n-BOARD+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56K35atQ8I/AAAAAAAAAFg/H-hG9KX0Vjc/s320/Blade-n-BOARD+3.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are many things you should consider before you should consider before investing your hard-earned dollars in any particular machine. As I have said again and again, any woodworking machine you buy should be just slightly more capable than what you will demand of it now or what you imagine you would likely to demand of it in the future. While price is important, affordability should not be the sole determining factor in your purchasing decision. If you can’t afford the saw you need, wait until you can. Don’t saddle yourself with a table saw that may drive you crazy every day of your life. Take a few moments to consider what you really need and which machine will best fill the bill for you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I’d like to take a minute to talk about the features that you should be looking for and what these features will mean to you after you unpack and set up your new table saw. These features include: motor horsepower, blade size, trunnion construction, tabletop flatness, tabletop size, arbor size and arbor bearings, sawdust extraction, ease of operation including raising, lowering and tilting the blade, tilt of the blade (left or right), the necessity of a magnetic switch and the importance of its location, ease of access to the interior of the cabinet, accuracy and ease of operation of the fence, the amount of rip space to the right and the left of the blade, safety features and table saw mobility around the shop. In addition to the table saw itself, you may want to construct an outfeed table around the back of the saw, if space permits. We’ll talk about that, as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MOTOR HORSEPOWER</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LJQySvDI/AAAAAAAAAFo/STstZpOIbWU/s1600-h/3-Phase+Motor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LJQySvDI/AAAAAAAAAFo/STstZpOIbWU/s320/3-Phase+Motor.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Motor horsepower and blade size are closely related. The larger the blade, the more horsepower you will need to cut, at full blade height, through a piece of wood. Too much power is never a problem. Too little power can cause the saw to bind, slow down and even stop in the middle of a cut. This is not good, nor is it safe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The smallest motor I would even consider for a 10-inch saw would be 3 horsepower. For a 12” to 14” saw it would be 5HP and for a 14” to 16” saw, I’d like 7.5 HP. You will also need to consider if the saw motor is single or three phase. Three phase motors use electricity a bit more efficiently. If you don’t have three phase power at your location, however, you will either have to buy single phase or purchase and install a phase converter large enough for your saw motor. Most saw motors use 230 or 460 VAC power, so make sure you have available in your shop the voltage your saw will require. Three phase motors can run on 208 to 220 volts or higher, depending on the motor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE TRUNNION</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LYWicq-I/AAAAAAAAAFw/OjZUhOQXD3w/s1600-h/Trunnion+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LYWicq-I/AAAAAAAAAFw/OjZUhOQXD3w/s320/Trunnion+2.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The trunnion is the mechanism inside the cabinet which is responsible for both raising and lowering the blade and tilting the blade for bevel cuts. It is controlled from the outside of the saw by two separate wheels or cranks: one for raising and lowering the blade (usually found on the front of the cabinet) and the other for tilting the blade (either left or right, depending on the saw) which is usually, but not always, located on the side of the cabinet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The trunnion determines the accuracy of your cuts so you want to be sure that it is well built and accurately machined. The saw blade must always be exactly where you need it to be. Furthermore, the trunnion must be easy to operate. It should not require Superman to raise or tilt the blade. As time goes on, you may find that it is harder to turn the wheels or cranks that operate the trunnion. This is usually because of sawdust contamination of the gears and/or lack of lubrication. Some better saws have ways of eliminating sawdust from the cabinet into an external dust port before it can get into the gears. Other saws come with self-cleaning gear teeth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TABLE FLATNESS AND SIZE</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LjXw6uSI/AAAAAAAAAF4/setOpkevQds/s1600-h/Cast+Iron+Table+Top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LjXw6uSI/AAAAAAAAAF4/setOpkevQds/s320/Cast+Iron+Table+Top.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One table saw manufacturer I know believes in “aging” its cast iron machine table tops before milling them flat. The tops are cast and then left outside in a “bone yard” to bend, bow, warp and twist in the sun and rain for a year or so. Then, they are brought inside where all the rust is removed and the table top is ground absolutely flat and polished to sheen. The theory is that the metal needs to settle into a place where all post-casting movement has ceased and that the table should not be ground flat before this is done. Otherwise, the table may move out of absolute flatness after it is part of your new table saw and that it not at all desirable. Why? Because the flatness of your table saw top will determine the accuracy of your cuts. Be sure to check your new table saw for table flatness with a straightedge on or before delivery and afterwards from time to time. Lay the rule across the table top at all angles and check for daylight under the rule or rocking of the straightedge on the table top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The size of the cast iron table saw top is also important: the larger the better. When you are sawing large objects, you want as much flat table surface as you need to support the work piece flat to the blade for accuracy. Larger table size is usually accomplished by attaching cast-iron table wings to the edge of the main table. These wings must be as flat as the table and the seam they create must be aligned so that the top of the wing is flush to the table saw table along its entire length.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ARBOR SIZE AND ARBOR BEARINGS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The saw blade is mounted on an arbor with an arbor nut and the arbor is turned by the motor usually via pulleys and 1 to 3 V-belts. The arbor is mounted into the trunnion inside two or more arbor bearings. These should be sealed from dust for obvious reasons. The size of the arbor determines the size of the hole in the middle of the saw blade. This is usually 5/8” for a 10” blade and 1” or larger for blades larger than that. The strength and alignment of the arbor and the bearings which support it determine the accuracy and smoothness of the table saw. Vibration and noise should be kept to a minimum and the saw blade should be straight in the table from front to back at all elevations and bevel angles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BLADE TILT</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Most table saw trunnions are made to tilt either left or right (but not both) to a maximum of 45 degrees from vertical. If you have a choice, and you usually do, never buy a right-tilt saw for the following reason. A right-tilt saw tilts the blade towards the fence and can pinch a work piece into the fence, causing a jam or, worse, a kickback just as the cut is finishing. Further, on a right-tilt saw, the blade is tilting towards the fence and could cut into and ruin it if the fence were to be inadvertently moved too close to the spinning blade. A left-tilt saw tilts away from the fence and instead of pinching the work piece, allows it to rise vertically slightly, if need be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">KICKBACK AND PERSONAL SAFETY</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LwmJ84MI/AAAAAAAAAGA/tsNQx3EepiA/s1600-h/Riving+Knife.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56LwmJ84MI/AAAAAAAAAGA/tsNQx3EepiA/s320/Riving+Knife.png" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There is a rule that says, “Never stand directly behind a horse or a table saw.” Sooner or later every table saw operator will do something stupid that causes a kickback. If the operator makes it a practice to avoid standing where the kickback will occur behind the blade, he or she will probably avoid the severe injury that can be inflicted by a flying piece of wood striking the face, neck, chest or arms of the woodworker. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56L8uL0WFI/AAAAAAAAAGI/CrUUYhXjXTw/s1600-h/Push+Device.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56L8uL0WFI/AAAAAAAAAGI/CrUUYhXjXTw/s320/Push+Device.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are many hold-down and anti-kickback devices on the market. Some are good and some are a hazard in themselves. I had a large metal combination hold-down and anti-kickback device get caught in the saw blade, ripped off the fence to which it was clamped and flung into a plate glass door behind the saw. I heard it go whistling past my right ear. It missed me because I was standing, as always, well to the left of the saw blade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Woodworking can be a dangerous business. Always use a push stick or similar device. Fingers are not replaceable. Never try to rip narrow strips next to the fence. Instead, cut them off of the left side of the work piece. In this case, you would stand to the right of the blade. In short, think ahead about the possible complications of what you are about to do, keep your eyes wide open (wearing goggles, of course) and keep your wits about you at all times.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MG2QdOzI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/CwWauI_8yC4/s1600-h/Magnetic+Swsitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MG2QdOzI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/CwWauI_8yC4/s320/Magnetic+Swsitch.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Another important safety device is the magnetic switch. This device protects you after an electrical power failure. If the power fails and you have a regular switch, the saw will come back on when the power comes back on. If you were to be near the blade at the time, this could be disastrous. A magnetic switch will not allow the saw to start again until you press the button. The location of the switch is also important. It should be right out front where it can be quickly accessed by a hand, foot or knee in the event of an emergency. The off button should be wide, red in color and should extend outside of the switch box like a mushroom for fast access.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SAWDUST EXTRACTION</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MRY5J8eI/AAAAAAAAAGY/3MNdswBP47c/s1600-h/Dust+Collector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MRY5J8eI/AAAAAAAAAGY/3MNdswBP47c/s320/Dust+Collector.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My ideal would be to never have a speck of dust reach the gears of my table saw trunnion and that all sawdust would be sucked away from the saw blade and out of the machine as soon as it was made. I would never need to clean out sawdust from inside the saw cabinet and the trunnion would always operate smoothly and easily. While I don’t expect to ever see my dream fully realized, there are saws on the market today that closely approach this level of efficiency in sawdust extraction. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Some saws shield the blade in a casing underneath the saw table and suck the dust out directly from there. Others slant the floor of the saw cabinet towards a dust collection port. Many just allow the sawdust to accumulate on the floor under the saw until you clean it out. You will always have some cleaning of the interior to do. Perhaps you won’t wait until the sawdust has totally encased the trunnion gears packing itself up to the bottom of the table top. You will need to connect the saw to a dust collector through its dust port. The suction of the dust collector should be about 350 CFM for a 10” saw and more for a larger saw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CABINET ACCESS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> At least one, but preferably two or more access doors should be provided leading into the cabinet of the table saw. The one you will use most often will be for cleaning out the interior of sawdust. Another should give easy access to the motor, trunnion and belts for adjustment and repair. Many saws provide a removable access panel instead of a second door. That’s fine for occasional motor, arbor, belt and trunnion access but you will want the sawdust door to open and close easily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE FENCE</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MeipdW7I/AAAAAAAAAGg/eq67lJyqXb4/s1600-h/Biesemeyer+Fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MeipdW7I/AAAAAAAAAGg/eq67lJyqXb4/s320/Biesemeyer+Fence.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The saw should come with a Biesemeyer or similar type fence included in the purchase price. This type of fence locks and aligns itself to a rectangular tube attached to the front of the saw table when you press down on a handle. Fence accuracy and ease of operation will be important every time you touch your table saw and so a cheap fence is no bargain. The fence will probably read measurements along a stick-on measuring tape on the top of the front fence rail tube. You will need to carefully adjust the fence for accuracy. Instructions of how to do this should come with the set-up instructions for the saw. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The fence must be aligned so that the front of the blade and the rear of the blade are exactly the same distance from the fence at all settings. Once you have ascertained that the blade and fence are parallel to each other, you must cut some test boards to accurately set the fence to the scale. Set the fence to exactly 2” on the measuring scale. Rip a test board and measure it. Adjust the fence to the scale by moving the viewer’s hairline left or right. Rip more boards until you have exact accuracy. The viewer through which you see the tape should be strong in magnification.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RIP CAPACITY</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MsxJYMGI/AAAAAAAAAGo/6HTgc5vRpuc/s1600-h/Rip+Capacity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56MsxJYMGI/AAAAAAAAAGo/6HTgc5vRpuc/s320/Rip+Capacity.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Your new saw must have a rip capacity equal or wider than the widest thing you will ever want to rip. Usually, a cabinet saw will have a rip capacity of around 30 inches or 50 inches. A large rip capacity to the right of the blade will require an extension table to support work wider than the cast iron table. Many times, this extension table is included with the saw or, alternatively, you can easily build you own. The fence must have a tube or rail long enough to achieve the maximum with you want to rip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you consider that a sheet of plywood measures 48” in width, I would think that you might want to opt for a 50-inch rip as opposed to the slightly less expensive 30” rip capacity. You might want to rip off only one inch from that sheet of plywood and, while doing that, you will want the plywood to be fully supported. You might want to crosscut a sheet of plywood into two 48” pieces. You also should consider the rip space to the left of the blade: The wider, the better. Sometimes, you might want to accomplish tasks that require the fence to be put over to the left side of the blade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TABLE SAW MOBILITY</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56M4iuUShI/AAAAAAAAAGw/oNWz504F8-c/s1600-h/Caster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56M4iuUShI/AAAAAAAAAGw/oNWz504F8-c/s320/Caster.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Some shops are small enough to require that all machines be able to roll around on the floor. The theory is that you pull out only the machine you are using at the time. In planning your shop, you should decide if your space requirements will mean that everything has to roll, some machines but not others have to roll or all machines can remain in their own positions permanently. Many cabinet saws offer the optional extra of some sort of mobility device. In the case of a table saw, you don’t want it rolling around while you are pushing lumber through it and so the wheels must retract enabling the saw to rest on its cabinet base on the floor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Some of the nicer table saws have the caster wheels permanently mounted inside the cabinet so they are never seen and are never in the way. A foot pedal controls raising the saw up into the mobility position and then lowering it back down onto the floor. If your table saw does not have this feature, after-market mobility bases can be purchased as needed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BUILDING AN OUTFEED TABLE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The ideal solution is to have enough shop space so that you will never have to move your saw around at all. In this situation, you can construct an outfeed table to support large work pieces and long lumber as they leave the back edge of the table saw table. Ideally, depending on space available, you should build this outfeed table so that it extends eight feet or more in back of the blade. You can use the space underneath the table for lumber storage and/or drawer space. The table can also serve as a work bench for the construction of large cabinets and tables. You can use it for pipe clamp glue-ups and spray painting layout, as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Needless to say, the table must be exactly the same height as the top of the table saw table and you may need to extend the slots for the miter gauge into the beginning of the top of the outfeed table. If your saw extension table extends 50 inches or so to the right of the blade, so should your outfeed table and it should extend along the entire back edge of the table saw to the left of the blade. The saw should ideally be oriented so that you can bring long lumber through the shop door and directly onto the saw table without having to turn a corner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you keep what you have read here in mind, you should be able to find a machine that is perfect for your needs. Remember, cheap price guarantees neither satisfaction nor success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-90928499885166110342010-03-15T11:29:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:44:28.990-07:00How to Make a Miter Saw Table<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S55_kDWvIaI/AAAAAAAAAE4/NlzdjhyAmX0/s1600-h/Miter_Saw_Table_Table_4_200h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S55_kDWvIaI/AAAAAAAAAE4/NlzdjhyAmX0/s320/Miter_Saw_Table_Table_4_200h.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Miter saws can be used in a woodworking shop as a permanently installed tool or on the jobsite as a portable or semi-portable unit. I will discuss the construction of miter saw tables appropriate to both types of installations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The purpose of a miter saw table is two-fold: (1) to elevate the saw to a comfortable working height for the operator and (2) to provide a surface to the left and/or right of the saw for the extension of the fence and to provide support for long materials while being cut. If you have ever tried to cut a 45-degree miter at one end of a 2 x 6 x 12, you know why a miter saw table or roller stand is absolutely required.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Very often, miter saws are used to make repetitive cuts of the same length. Some sort of saw stop comes in handy and greatly speeds production time for this sort of application. A saw stop must mount to something to hold it in place, usually a fence. You can make your own fence out of a very straight piece of wood or metal or you can do as I did and purchase a commercially available moveable stop that slides along an aluminum track that includes a stick-on measuring tape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>PERMANENT SAW TABLE FOR SHOP USE</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S55_0OHpOBI/AAAAAAAAAFA/jIrvcvwYYSk/s1600-h/Miter_Saw_Table_2_200h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S55_0OHpOBI/AAAAAAAAAFA/jIrvcvwYYSk/s320/Miter_Saw_Table_2_200h.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Since I buy lumber in lengths up to 14 feet long, I decided to build a very long miter saw table in my woodworking shop. You may not have the physical space for this in your shop so you may have to reduce my measurements accordingly. The longer you can build it, the better off it will be for you but any length of saw table is better than no table at all. My miter saw table measures 8 Feet to the left of the saw blade and another 8 feet to the right of the saw blade. This way, I can support the full length of a sheet of plywood on either side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The saw table is constructed over 2 x 4 framing and contains multiple storage drawers below the table which I use to store small tools and supplies. If you prefer, the space underneath the saw table can be left open for shelf space or lumber storage. I suggest that the top surface be 3/4" Melamine or Formica over 3/4" particle board. If you can use the entire 4-foot width of the Melamine or particle board, by all means do so, especially if your miter saw is of the “sliding compound miter” type. As for overall table height, I would suggest that you build the miter saw table so that the top of the table comes to your belt line when standing. This will give you a comfortable working height and still allow you to bend over the table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There should be a gap cut through saw table top in the area where the saw is to be mounted. This gap must be exactly as wide as the top of your miter saw and must be open to the front of the table. The gap should close behind the top of the miter saw. The saw must be mounted in this gap so that the top of the miter saw table is flush with the top of the saw table. The miter handle must be free to move its full travel in both directions, left to right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Anticipate the need for this gap as you are framing the underside of your miter saw table because you will need to construct a shelf underneath to support the weight of the miter saw. You might want to make this shelf adjustable in micro increments so that you can get the top of the saw platform exactly flush to the top of the saw table. You can do this with lag screws with washers in sliding slots through the shelf sub-structure and into the table framing. Slightly loosen the lags and tap the table up or down with a rubber hammer before tightening the lags fully. Use a long straightedge in all directions to make sure that the miter saw and the miter saw table are flush with each other. Mount the saw securely to the shelf using lag screws.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Once the miter saw is mounted, you can begin to construct the fence or fences. A simple, inexpensive fence can be constructed using 1 x 4 or 1 x 6 clear fir boards. These boards should be hand selected for straightness and jointed on one edge. One board will be the actual fence and the other will keep it straight from behind. The fence sits with its jointed edge on the saw table top while the back-up board lies flat on the table, behind the fence, with its jointed edge joined to the bottom of the fence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Before joining the two boards together, slotted holes should be cut into the back-up board for the purpose of mounting and adjusting the fence position on the table top with reference to the fence on the miter saw. These slots should be slightly wider than the shaft diameter of the lag screws you intend to use to mount the fence to the table. Cut a few equally spaced slots in the back-up board perpendicular (at right angle) to the fence. A 2 x 4 joist should be located under the table top, centered underneath the slots in the back-up board. This will give the lag screws something solid to bite into.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Before mounting the fence or fences to the miter saw table top, draw a pencil or chalk line where the front of the fence is to be positioned. Take a long straightedge, lay it flat on the miter saw’s metal table and push one edge of it long the miter saw’s metal fence. Keeping it in this position, draw a pencil line along the table top, out as far as possible. Repeat on the opposite side of the saw if you have tables on both sides of the saw. Extend this pencil line as far as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Place the fence along the pencil line with the end of the wooden fence almost touching the end of miter saw’s metal fence. (Leave a 1/16” gap between the wooden fence and the metal fence.) Drill appropriately sized holes for the lag screws through the table top and into the 2x4 joist underneath the table top (one for each slot). Screw the fence to the table loosely so that it can be adjusted. Use the long straight edge on the miter saw’s table and on the front of the fence to align the fence perfectly and screw down tightly. Repeat for the other side of the table if there is one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> For the left fence, place a "right to left" reading stick-on measuring tape along the top of the fence. For the right fence, place a "left to right" reading stick-on measuring tape along the top of that fence. Before sticking down, the tapes must be aligned perfectly. The left tape is measuring the distance from the left side of the saw blade teeth and the right tape is measuring the distance from the right side of the saw blade teeth. With a simple wooden fence like this, you can use wooden stop blocks clamped to the fence with C-clamps for repetitive cuts.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ADf7Jo4I/AAAAAAAAAFI/3A_lQjwpVTI/s1600-h/Kreg_48Inch_Top_Trak_Fence___Flip_Stop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ADf7Jo4I/AAAAAAAAAFI/3A_lQjwpVTI/s320/Kreg_48Inch_Top_Trak_Fence___Flip_Stop.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A slightly more expensive and far better alternative is to use a metal track or tracks with a flip-up stop and measuring tape built in. Such a device is manufactured by Kreg Tools and is available in 4-foot track lengths that can be butted together to make longer lengths. My miter saw table requires four 4-foot tracks, two for each side of the saw. The track is mounted to the top of the wooden fence you just made. You will have to adjust the height of the wooden fence (2 1/4"+ above the table top) so that the bottom of the flip-up stop clears the table by about 1/16” in the down position.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The nice thing about the flip-up stop is that it can be flipped up out of the way without loosing its measurement setting along the measuring tape. If you were making repetitive cuts and you needed to stop to use the saw momentarily for a different kind of cut, you could resume your repetitive cutting immediately without losing any accuracy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>PORTABLE MITER SAW TABLE FOR JOBSITE USE</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ATexRW2I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/AWzknx9umrA/s1600-h/Miter_Saw_Table_6_200w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S56ATexRW2I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/AWzknx9umrA/s320/Miter_Saw_Table_6_200w.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A jobsite miter saw table is usually made with the saw mounted to the extreme right end of the table. I have found that most miter saw manufacturers make their metal table surfaces so that they are 3 1/2" above the table on which the saw is resting. A very straight, milled 4 x 4 (3 1/2" x 3 1/2") can be mounted onto the table top, almost abutting the left side of the metal table of the saw. The 4 x 4 should extend out the full length of the supporting table to the left and be mounted to the supporting table. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A fence can be attached to the back side of the 4 x 4. Use a 1 x 6 or 1 x 8 clear fir board for this purpose. As in the permanent table above, the front of the fence must align perfectly with the miter saw’s metal fence. If a wider support surface is needed, a second 4 x 4 can be mounted directly in front of the one with the fence attached to it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A Kreg Trak system with a flip-up stop can also be used on this portable miter saw table. Just make sure the wooden fence is ripped to the proper height to allow the flip-up stop to clear the table by 1/16”. (Fence is 2 1/4" + above the top of the 4 x 4.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> As for the support table, I have used a plastic fold-up table from Costco. They come in various sizes to suit your particular need. Or, you can make your own table out of 2 x 4’s and 3/4" plywood. Design it so that the legs can fold up for transportation and storage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">©2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.</span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-85841847053358832532010-01-20T18:30:00.000-08:002010-01-21T19:13:05.797-08:00AIR COMPRESSORS FOR AIR SANDERS<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1fB0HdzlYI/AAAAAAAAAEg/4Me-QpJii6U/s1600-h/AirCompressorInternal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" mt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1fB0HdzlYI/AAAAAAAAAEg/4Me-QpJii6U/s200/AirCompressorInternal.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My experience in manufacturing fine hardwood furniture has taught me that about half the time involved in producing each chair, table or cabinet is taken up with sanding. When you are trying to make a living in the woodworking business with hourly employees you must cut wasted time to an absolute minimum. This does not mean becoming a slave driver but, rather, removing any and all obstacles that may be slowing down construction, sanding and finishing. I started out my woodworking career with a ¼-sheet electric sander, quickly graduated to a random orbit electric disc sander and finally realized that I could substantially shorten sanding time with an air palm sander. I settled on a 5” Dynabrade sander and Sears 3HP air compressor. It took me less than an hour to realize my mistake: the little compressor I bought could not begin to keep up air demands of the air sander. It would run out of air pressure almost immediately and the air sander would slow down to the point of being useless. I would then have to wait for several minutes for the pressure to build up again to get another minute of sanding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> To make matters worse, I had three employees hired as sanders and so I would need to keep three machines running at top speed all day long. I did some math and discovered that I would need a ten horsepower compressor with a large tank to do this. I was lucky to find a used one for not too much money but it required three phase power and lots of it. More money went out for an electrician to wire it up to the building’s 208 volt 3-phase power. The compressor was so loud it could be heard all over the building and down the block but it powered those three sanders from dawn to dusk. The good news is that it paid for itself in saved sanding time very quickly.</span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Air sanders are aggressive and efficient. They are light in weight when compared to their lesser electric cousins. My sanders took to them immediately and production took off. I was as happy as they were. Soon there was another machine requiring large amounts of air in the shop: an Onsrud inverted pin router. Plus, it was great to be able to blow sawdust off benches and machines while cleaning upon the shop at the end of the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Years later, I built a smaller woodworking shop in my home which only required one sander running at a time. For that shop, I purchased a compressor half the size and isolated in a soundproof room in one corner of the shop. I ran ¾” galvanized pipe under the shop floor to three regulators at three different convenient locations. The machine I purchased for that shop was a 5 HP Ingersoll Rand model with an 80 gallon tank. At the 80 PSI required by my Dynabrade sander, the compressor would produce enough air all day long. I must say that that compressor was very well built. All I had to do was keep an eye on the oil level in the sight glass. At night, I would turn off the master air valve on the side of the machine, leaving the electricity on, to silence the compressor for the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I must assume that, having read this far, you have some interest in using an air compressor to power air tools in your shop. There are a few things to consider carefully in selecting the right compressor for your particular needs. As a rule of thumb, a 5 HP air compressor will power one air sander, a 7.5 HP machine will power two and a 10 HP machine will be needed for three sanders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The size of the tank is an important consideration: the smaller the tank, the more often the compressor will need to cycle on and off and too much of this is hard on the motor and compressor pump over time. I would not even consider an air compressor used to power an air sander with less than a 60 gallon tank and I would feel much more comfortable with an 80 gallon tank.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1fCWxpDLsI/AAAAAAAAAEw/W0M1lzOTBy4/s1600-h/Sanding+with+Air.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" mt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1fCWxpDLsI/AAAAAAAAAEw/W0M1lzOTBy4/s200/Sanding+with+Air.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The type of electrical power required is another consideration. If you have three phase power available at your location, fine. Three phase motors tend to use electricity a bit more efficiently than single phase motors. Large air compressors will all require 3 phase power but the 5 HP models come either way. If you do not have 3 phase power available, you can manufacture it with a rotary or electronic phase converter as I did in my smaller shop. Whether you use single or three phase power, you will need 230V AC power for single phase motors and 208 to 230V AC for the three phase variety. Three phase motors are not as picky about exact voltage as are single-phase models. Be sure to check the voltage and amperage requirements of any air compressor before you buy it. Electricians can be expensive if you don't have the right kind of power already available.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Two-stage compression is a must for a machines of this size. Two-stage machines have two cylinders, one larger than the other. Air is first introduced into the large cylinder where it is partially compressed and sent to the smaller cylinder for final compression into the tank. As air is compressed, heat is produced and so a good machine will always have a finned intercooler built in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Compression not only produces heat but squeezes water out of the air which ends up in the tank. Tanks can rust internally over time and if this is not kept in check, the air tank an eventually explode causing tremendous damage and even death. That is why it is critically important to drain the accumulated tank water every day. Most machines come equipped with a drain valve at the lowest point of the tank. If you don’t want to spray water all over the floor under the compressor, you may want to consider piping it from the valve to another location such as under the floor or into a drain. Piped water will flow uphill into a sink because it is being pushed out of the tank by compressed air. Fancier models may include an automatic tank drain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> You will need at least one regulator and a water trap in line before it. These are not expensive. A regulator allows you to set the correct air pressure for the tool you will be using (say, 80 PSI) instead of tank pressure (say, 175 PSI).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Air output of a compressor pump is expressed in standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM) or just cubic feet per minute (CFM). Not all 5 HP compressors put out the same volume of air per minute. This is a function not only of motor horsepower but also the efficiency of the compressor pump the motor is powering. The higher the CFM, the less your compressor will have to cycle on and off to keep up with the demands you are putting on it. A small compressor pump on a huge tank will produce no more air than on a small tank. The only difference will be in the number of times the compressor cycles on an off each hour and the time it takes to recompress the tank on each cycle. In the end, you need to pay attention to SCFM (or CFM) more than you do motor horsepower or tank size. Air is the end product of any compressor and the CFM must be sufficient to the job at hand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> All reciprocating air compressors throw out oil with the air they compress. When the tank reaches it’s designed maximum pounds per square inch, a pressure switch will interrupt electrical power to the motor. Simultaneously, a certain amount of oily air will be released into the shop environment. You may see oil collecting on the wall behind the compressor and on the pump and compressor pump over time. This is not cause for alarm but periodic cleaning may be needed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Reciprocating (piston type) air compressors make noise and this is something you need to plan on for the sake of yourself, your workers and others who surround your location. If quiet is an important criteria, you may want to consider spending the extra money for a screw-type air compressor. Screw-type compressors have no pistons or cylinders. Air is compressed in turbine fashion by a large metal screw, turning at a very high speed. These compressors just purr compared to the reciprocating type but they are very expensive. They sound more like a quiet jet engine than a loud truck motor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> If you are in the market for an air compressor to power your air sanders and other air tools, be sure to check out our reviews of stationary reciprocating compressors from 5 to 10 HP at <a href="http://perfectwoodworking.com/aircompressorsreview/">http://perfectwoodworking.com/aircompressorsreview/</a>. We look at a variety of machines in various sizes from Campbell Hausfeld, Ingersoll Rand, Porter Cable and Quincy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010 PerfectWoodworking.com</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For similar woodworking articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FNZrz0BiI/AAAAAAAAAEA/BX3NfAnJi78/s1600-h/JigsawwithWoodworker2Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FNZrz0BiI/AAAAAAAAAEA/BX3NfAnJi78/s200/JigsawwithWoodworker2Me.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I’ve been using jigsaws longer than I’d like to admit. I found the first one lying around my dad’s woodworking shop in the basement of my childhood home. A few years after that, I purchased a cheap one from Sears. That jigsaw gave me the quick usefulness that all jigsaws provide but there were persistent and annoying problems without apparent solutions: First, The blades had no guides so they would always wander away from the cut line, especially when I was trying to track curved pencil lines. Second, when cutting curves in thick material, the blade would bend toward the outside of curves. Third, early jigsaws did not have orbital pendulum action and so they would load up and burn in thick materials. Changing blades required a screwdriver and you had to be careful not to lose the set screw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Today’s top-quality jigsaws have eliminated all of those problems and are, by comparison to the earlier models, revolutionary. I will confine my remarks to better quality machines because there are still bargain basement models out there with the problems I just outlined. Having said that, here are the important things that you should be looking for in your next jigsaw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> At the top of my list are the subjects of blade tracking and blade guides. Take a close look at how each manufacturer has approached these challenges because you are probably not going to get a chance to try out your next jigsaw before buying it. Look for specifics: Some manufacturers simply say something like “superior blade tracking” without saying how this is accomplished. Others are convincingly descriptive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Another issue with all jigsaws is wood splintering. Most, but not all, jigsaw blades are designed to cut on the upward stroke which means that the splintering often occurs on the good side of the board or plywood. Splintering can be minimized in two ways: fine-cut blades and anti-splinter inserts mounted in the saw foot immediately adjacent to each side of the blade. Fine-cut blades cut slowly and so if speed is a requirement and you are using a more aggressively-toothed blade a splinter insert is an absolute necessity unless you plan to sand and/or rout away the splintered area later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Frequent blade changes are a fact of life with all jigsaws. In the interest of production efficiency, this process should be as fast and easy as possible. Gone are the days of screwdrivers, Allen wrenches and set screws. You want a saw that lets you pop blades in and out in rapid fashion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you are health conscious and want to minimize airborne dust in your work area, you may want to collect dust right at its source by connecting a vacuum hose to the saw. In that case, check for a dust port and make sure that it is compatible with your vacuum hose. Personally, I prefer to wear a good dust mask and thus avoid the inconvenience of dragging a vacuum hose along with the machine when I am trying to control the machine along curves.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FNrI5Y6zI/AAAAAAAAAEI/zGowElrd69o/s1600-h/JigsawwithWoodworker6M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FNrI5Y6zI/AAAAAAAAAEI/zGowElrd69o/s320/JigsawwithWoodworker6M.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I mentioned orbital pendulum action above and I would not even consider buying a machine without it. My first orbital machine was a Bosch barrel grip model. I was allowed to try one out in a woodworking store while I was on a business trip and it went home to Hawaii in my suitcase. Here’s why: The salesman had a piece of eight-quarter White Oak and encouraged me to cut some curves in it. There were four orbital settings on that machine with the first being “no orbital action” and each one after that being more aggressive than the one before. With the orbit in the “off” position, I began a cut. As I expected, the machine slowly labored through the cut and I knew that if I pushed it any harder, the blade would either burn or break. Then, at the suggestion of the salesman, I put the orbit lever in position “4,” the most aggressive, and made another cut. The blade flew through the thick Oak as if it were butter. There is a bit more splintering than before but not really that much. Sold, American!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A side benefit of an oscillating jigsaw is extended blade life. When a blade is stuck inside a cut, it has nowhere to dissipate the heat. The pendulum action oscillates the blade in and out of the cutting face, letting cool air in while the blade is away from the cut. At the same time, the accumulated sawdust is allowed to drop out of the cut so the blade is always cutting new wood, not old sawdust. That’s why it can go faster and cooler.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Most good machines, but not all, have Electronic Speed Control (ESC) which is an important nicety. ESC is like the cruise control on your car: It maintains a constant speed with changing load conditions. The harder you push the jigsaw, the more electrical power is delivered automatically to the motor so that the saw blade will not slow down. The analogy is your car on cruise control going up a hill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Many jigsaws today are available in two different body styles: barrel grip and top-handle (sometimes called D-handle). I have owned both and I have a personal preference for the barrel grip style because it is easier to control when making fine cuts. Just like when using a router or any hand power tool, a low center of gravity and a solid grip equate to better control. With a top-handle machine, your hand is at the top of a taller machine and the tendency to tip over is greater. With a barrel grip jigsaw the center of gravity is as low as it can be. There is a knob on top, right over the blade, for your other hand for better control. The big, round barrel is easier to hang onto than the thinner D-Handle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jigsaw manufacturers usually measure motor power in terms of amperage, rather than horsepower. This is fine because amperage is a more reliable indicator of actual power than horsepower. The more amperage, the more power and power is important when cutting thick or dense materials.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The speed of the jigsaw blade is expressed in “strokes per minute” or “SPM.” The more, the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Cutting depth is something you will want to consider when dealing with very thick or dense materials. In soft wood, cutting depth refers to the maximum distance between the bottom tooth on the blade and the foot plate of the jigsaw when the blade is fully extended. In metal, plastic or other materials, cutting depth is based on the ability of the saw and blade to cut through dense or resistant materials.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jigsaws are often used to cut expensive and delicate materials such as veneered plywood panels and a standard, steel foot plate may leave scratches as it travels along behind the blade. Some manufacturers offer coated foot plates, some provide an “overshoe” for the foot plate and some completely fail to address this issue. If you cut delicate materials that can be easily marred, pay careful attention to this feature (or lack of it.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Machine weight is the next consideration. My knee-jerk reaction is to look for the lightest machine so that I won’t tire so easily during a long day of cutting. On second thought, the light weight is nowhere near the advantage as it would be in, say, an impact driver or electric drill because the jigsaw’s weight is almost always resting on the material being cut. Further, light weight could mean that the manufacturer skimped on construction materials, possibly substituting plastic parts for metal as a cost savings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Stroke length is the distance the saw teeth travel up and down while cutting. This is almost universally one-inch and so it is not a useful number when comparing models from different makers. Generally speaking, the longer the stroke, the faster the cut and the shorter the stroke, the smoother the cut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jigsaws can make bevel cuts, usually up to 45 degrees from vertical, both left and right. The more bevel, the thinner the material that can be cut. Adjusting the bevel can be hard or easy. Some jigsaws require you to use a screwdriver, hex wrench or Allen wrench to loosen or tighten a set screw that holds the foot in a particular position. Other jigsaws are designed with the adjusting mechanism built-in and, thus, requiring no tools. Opt for the latter when possible, everything else considered.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FN7OtPIRI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/FZdmf8D7vTs/s1600-h/JigsawwiothWoodworker5M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FN7OtPIRI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/FZdmf8D7vTs/s320/JigsawwiothWoodworker5M.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> All jigsaws vibrate and make noise. Obviously the less vibration and noise the better. Vibration is transmitted to the point of cutting and affects your ability to control the cut. More importantly, vibration is tiring when it goes into the operator’s hand and arm. Various manufacturers have approached this problem in different ways but the most common anti-vibration technique is to “counterbalance” the motor. The other way is to put vibration-absorbing material on the outside surfaces of the machine that come into direct contact with the hand(s) of the operator. Padding will not, of course, minimize the vibration transmitted to the blade at the point of cutting. Noise reduction varies by machine design and the only way to make this comparison requires running the jigsaws you are considering for purchase.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Some jigsaws come equipped with a variable speed wheel to set the maximum speed of the tool for better cutting results in different materials. This is different than the speed control of the variable speed trigger. Full speed on the trigger will always be limited by the setting of the variable speed wheel. Most triggers have a lock-on feature because holding the trigger on all day long can actually make your hand go numb. Barrel grip jigsaws do not have a trigger but use a lock-on type thumb switch instead. If you have the variable speed set at half-speed and you lock the trigger or thumb switch, you will get half-speed at full trigger deflection until you change the setting on the wheel.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Most jigsaws come equipped with some sort of air blower to keep chips away from the cut line. The air blower on the earlier machines was located half-way between the operator’s chin and nose. Some manufacturers mount the blower nozzle near the point of cutting, others on the top of the machine. Some have adjustable nozzles. The important thing is effective chip and dust removal so you can see where you are supposed to cut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Another aid to clear vision of the cut line is a built-in light. LED lights are best because they are bright white and last virtually forever. Just in case they don’t, see if they are replaceable and available.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FOHfBmh5I/AAAAAAAAAEY/xh6Lw8-xvJM/s1600-h/JigsawBladesMedium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S1FOHfBmh5I/AAAAAAAAAEY/xh6Lw8-xvJM/s320/JigsawBladesMedium.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are several blade types available and you will have to use the one that your jigsaw is designed to accept. There is a difference in blade types. The T-shank is my preference because it stays locked in the saw plunger. Other types include tang shank and U-shank. Once you know what type of blades your jigsaw requires, be sure to check for the availability of blade types and designs appropriate to the work you will be doing. Rough cut blades power through thick and coarse materials but leave a lot of splinters. These blades usually less and bigger teeth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Fine cut blades have many more teeth, leave fewer and smaller splinters but cut slower and are generally shorter in length. They also may be thinner (front to back) to allow for tighter turns around sharp curves. They will break more easily than a coarse blade. Metal cutting blades are also available. Use these only for metal because they will not cut wood very easily and they will load up and burn in wood. On the other hand, a wood-cutting blade will not be able to cut metal effectively. Depending on the manufacturer, there are many other specialized types of blades available. Make sure you always have plenty of extra blades available to avoid unexpected trips to the store right in the middle of a job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> If you'd like to see how a selection of top-quality jigsaws from Bosch, Dewalt, Festool, Hitachi, Makita Tools, Milwaukee and Porter-Cable stack up in light of what has been said above, check out "Jigsaw Reviews" at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/jigsawreviews/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/jigsawreviews/</a>.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010 PerfectWoodworking.com</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For similar woodworking articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> With an edge sander, I can even sand large, round table tops using a jig with a pivot pin in the center. (See my woodworking article on that subject at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/edgesanderjigarticle">PerfectWoodworking.com/edgesanderjigarticle</a>.) My machine uses 6” x 108” sanding belts and has about a three-foot platen surface. Outside curves are sanded on the front table and inside curves on the end table using the curvature of the idler drum. My edge sander does not oscillate and neither the front table nor the platen can be tilted. Most machines being sold today are less limited than that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> My technique is to mark the final profile to be sanded with a pencil line on the workpiece and then cut just outside of that line by about one blade width with the band saw or a jig saw. If the work piece is too large to manage on the band saw, I use the jig saw (sabre saw) to make the cut. After that, I use the edge sander to bring the work piece down to its final dimensions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> An <em><strong>oscillating</strong></em> edge sander keeps the sanding belts from loading up and burning by constantly moving the sanding belt up and down with reference to the work piece. An edge sander with a tilting front table or a tilting sanding head allows you to sand bevels and even compound angles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you’ve used edge sanders much, you know that, at a certain point, the sanding belt is going to go, announcing its departure from this world with some scary rumblings followed by a loud bang. I have never been hurt by this but I have always jumped away from the machine at the first sign of trouble.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> One good way to keep this from happening is to make sure that your sanding belts are no more than 6 months old because the glue that holds the lap or butt joint together tends to dry out and weaken with time. When ordering sanding belts, keep this in mind. Ordering sanding belts in large quantities may not a bargain in the end if you are ordering more sanding belts than you can use up in 6 months. Butt jointed sanding belts will leave a smoother finish but lap joints are much stronger and less likely to come apart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Another explosion-avoidance technique is to, whenever possible, avoid sanding sharp, pointed edges that can tear into the sanding belt and rip it up. If your machine has a coating on the platen, such as graphite, that will help reduce the friction between the back of the belt and the platen which will reduce heat buildup that shortens the life of your sanding belts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Dust collection on any edge sander is an absolute must and the dust collector must be large enough to handle any amount of sanding dust that might be created by your edge sander. If you don’t already own a dust collector that can suck up at least 600 cubic feet of air per minute (or more) you will have to add the cost of that machine onto the cost of the edge sander. So, when considering the cost of an edge sander, make sure you are looking at the total cost, not just the cost of the edge sander </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">itself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> To assist you in selecting the best edge sander for your personal or business use, take a look at our review of four machines from Delta, Jet and Powermatic at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/edgesanderreviews2/">PerfectWoodworking.com/edgesanderreviews2/</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We examine several types of machines in a wide price range.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For similar articles and tool reviews, see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">PerfectWoodworking.com</a></span><br />
<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0v0hB7mlDI/AAAAAAAAADw/0LwEX84y9DQ/s1600-h/DeWalt+DW718+12-inch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0v0hB7mlDI/AAAAAAAAADw/0LwEX84y9DQ/s200/DeWalt+DW718+12-inch.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The sliding compound miter saw tops the list of woodworking tools that can make accurate and smooth angled cuts used in everything from fine cabinet work to house building. It's lesser cousins include cut-off saws, so-called "chop saws" and any miter saw without the slide.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Do you need a 12" miter saw or will a 10" miter saw do? The pros of choosing a 12” miter saw over a 10” miter saw are greater cutting height and depth and usually more power. The advantage of a 10” miter saw is lower weight and lower cost. If a 10” miter saw will make all the cuts you can envision making in your shop or on the jobsite, by all means choose the smaller miter saw. The design and quality will be similar or identical within any particular brand.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Obviously features such as maximum height of cut, maximum depth of cut, horsepower and weight will be different and you can see those differences clearly when sever machines are compared side-by-side.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The obvious advantage of a sliding compound miter saw over a standard miter saw without a slide is that you can crosscut wider lumber in a single pass. With or without the slide, a miter saw can make chop cuts. A chop cut will always give you a finer, smoother result but on wider lumber, you may need to push-through as well and that is what the miter saw slide makes possible.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are many things to look for in shopping for the best miter saw and which miter saw you pick will depend largely on what you plan to do with the miter saw. If you are looking for a permanently bench-mounted miter saw in a woodworking shop, you don’t need to concern yourself so much with size and weight. However, if you are planning to tote your miter saw to and from and around various job sites every day, size and weight will become very important as will a well-located carrying handle.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Most miter saws (with one, notable eception) are priced in the same neighborhood and so, if you are comparing models, price should not be a consideration. Concentrate on the features that are most important to you because, in this way, there can be significant differences between machines.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> So, what are you going to be using your miter saw for? If you are just going to be making repetitive crosscuts into 2 x 4 lumber, just about any of these machines will suffice. You might, however, want to choose one with soft start and an electronic brake. If, on the other hand, you will be making critically accurate cuts into expensive hardwoods or crown molding, it would seem that accuracy, micro fine adjustment controls with digital LCD readout, large vertical height capacity and an excellent laser might top your list of requirements. Is the laser adjustable to left or right of the blade? One miter saw even features dual lasers, one down each side of the blade, clearly and accurately marking out the kerf the blade will make before the cut is made.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Other important considerations relate to bevel and miter adjustments. Look at how far, left and right, these adjustments can be made. Sometimes, 45 degrees just is not enough of an angle. Look how easily and accurately these adjustments can be made on each of these woodworking tools. Does the miter saw allow for micro fine adjustments? How many pre-set detents are there in both the miter and bevel scales? Can you make a cut near, but not exactly on a detent? Is there a miter detent override? Where are the controls and how do they work? Is everything within easy reach and easy to operate?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> What kind of blade comes with the saw and what size is the arbor hole? If the answer is something other than 5/8” or 1”, you may be locked into buying your blades from the saw manufacturer and you may well find better blades elsewhere. Usually, when I purchase a miter saw, I discard the blade and replace it with one that will make the smoothest, most accurate cuts possible like the Forrest Chopmaster. The extra expense is absolutely worth it if you are making critically accurate joints in fine hardwoods or crown molding. If you are only making rough cuts into fir for framing, you might want to consider a blade with fewer teeth and a more aggressive cut.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> How is dust collection accomplished with each saw? Does the port match the hose on your shop vacuum or will you have to depend on a dust bag? Will you have to buy a new vacuum that fits your miter saw? How much percentage of total dust made by your miter saw will your vacuum system and dust port remove?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Is the motor on the miter saw you are considering direct or belt drive? Does this miter saw have soft start, electronic speed control or variable speed? Is the miter saw motor large enough for the jobs that will be presented to it? How large is the miter saw table (for stability of large work pieces)? How much does the miter saw weigh (for portability)? How is the cord stored when the miter saw is being carried to the jobsite?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Your head may be spinning with all these considerations but you can get your questions answered and find the best machine for you in our review of 12" and 10" sliding compound miter saws at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/mitersawsreview/">PerfectWoodworking.com/mitersawsreview/</a>. We compare and contrast saws from Bosch, DeWalt, Festool, Hitachi, Jet, and Makita and we even give you a side-by-side comparison chart of all the features of these amazing machines.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews, see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">PerfectWoodworking.com</a></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When they first came out years ago, impact drivers were very popular in Japan but it took a while for Americans to realize what a terrific advantage impact drivers have over an electric drill when it comes to driving long screws into wood, especially decking. American companies like Porter Cable caught on to the idea and started competing with impact drivers offered by overseas companies. The idea for impact drivers was born long ago with the inventions of (1) the impact wrench, used in every automotive garage, and (2) the hammer drill used to power masonry bits into concrete and other extremely hard materials.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The technology that allows them to do this is sometimes referred to as “hammer and anvil” meaning that, unlike the simple twisting action of an electric drill, the impact driver literally “pounds” the screwdriver bit around as if being repeatedly being hit by a hammer. This action gives these woodworking tools tremendous power that simply would not be possible if the same screwdriver bit were chucked up in an electric drill with the same size motor and battery. An additional advantage is that there are hex shank drill bits available so that your impact driver can double as a quick-change cordless drill thus becoming one of your most versatile woodworking tools.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The first time I picked up an impact driver, a 12-volt Makita, I thought it looked, to me, like a toy. I then tried it out by driving a 3-inch deck screw into a 4” x 4” piece of fir. I was amazed as I watched (and felt) the tiny machine effortlessly drive the screw home, sinking the head below the surface of the wood. I had to remember to keep a lot of hand pressure against the tool so that the screw driver bit did not pop out of the screw head and strip it. From that moment forward, I have never been without one of these amazing machines at my side.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Over the years, these drivers have been improved to the point of near perfection and this includes the batteries that power them. Battery size has grown from 9.6 volts to 18 volts and more. More than that, battery life has been greatly extended from what it was with the advent of Lithium Ion technology and subsequent improvements on that. In fact, a significant part of the cost of any impact driver, whether it comes from Makita Tools, Bosch or DeWalt is the battery or batteries that come with it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> You may have noticed that most manufacturers of cordless woodworking tools have started selling so-called “bare tool bodies” meaning that they come with no battery or charger included and a greatly reduced price tag. The reason for this is that most manufacturers (but not all) have discovered that if they make all their tools run on the same 18-volt Lithium Ion battery, they can sell more bare tool bodies while locking in their customers to their brand. End users love this because they do not have to keep laying out hard-earned money for shelves full of different batteries and chargers but, rather can just buy the bare woodworking tools that share the same battery.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Several manufacturers like Makita Tools have included two or more speed ranges in their impact drivers. Sometimes, too much power is not always a good thing. You can destroy small screw heads and break screw shafts. The more power used, the less battery life. Just because you have a 400 HP motor under the hood of your car does not mean that you drive around town with the accelerator pedal to the floor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> While a 12 or 14.4 volt impact driver will suffice for most jobs, an 18 volt model is well worth the small increase in price. If you are interested in perhaps purchaing an 18 volt Impact driver, check out our review of four models from Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Milwaukee at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/impactdriversreview/">PerfectWoodworking.com/impactdriversreview/</a>. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Woodworker</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">© 2010</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">PerfectWoodworking.com</a></span>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-52367196874203514832010-01-11T18:43:00.000-08:002010-01-21T19:16:42.278-08:00WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT ROUTERS <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wood router is essential among woodworking tools because it adds decorative detail that enhances and defines the final appearance of your woodworking project. Used correctly, the wood router is to the woodworker what a fine paintbrush is to an artist. It's all in the details.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0vdjogPxtI/AAAAAAAAACw/k7GFCcIbbrc/s1600-h/RocklerFlutingJig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0vdjogPxtI/AAAAAAAAACw/k7GFCcIbbrc/s320/RocklerFlutingJig.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are four, basic types of wood routers on the market today: laminate trimmers, lightweight or low-powered routers in the 7/8 to 1 1/2 HP range, medium-powered routers in the 1¾ to 2¼ HP range and high-powered routers in the 3-4 HP range. Each has its use and I have owned all of them at the same time. The laminate trimmers do what their name implies as well as other light-weight tasks such as making hinge mortises. They are only suitable for small router bits but they are easily maneuverable and fit nicely right in your palm.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you need more horsepower but still like the ease of a lightweight router, the 7/8 to 1/12 HP routers will do a fine job of spinning router bits up to ½” radius round-over bits. Every shop should have one of these handy for bench-top work. They are a bit small for router table use. 2¼ HP woodworking routers have sufficient power to spin large router bits through hardwood and yet they are still light enough to be manageable as bench-top wood routers. While any wood router over 2 HP can be used in a router table, I prefer the high powered ones for that application because there is no need to worry about how heavy they are and you might as well have as much power handy as you might need. Most, but not all, of these larger routers are plunge routers. The high horsepower is necessary to plunge large bits deep into hardwood to make mortises and the like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If I could only afford one wood router, it would be the 2¼ HP variety because it is light enough for most bench-top work and can also be used in a router table. If I could afford two routers, I would probably have a 7/8 to 1½ HP wood router for bench-top work and a 3½ HP wood router under my router table. I don’t like mounting and dismounting routers under my router table, so having a lighter wood router on hand near the bench at all times really speeds things up.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I’d like to make a few observations about routers. Fir</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">st, I suggest you consider using only high-quality carbide-tipped router bits in these woodworking tools whenever possible. They can be re-sharpened many times and they usually don’t burn up and load up if they are kept sharp. High-speed steel bits don’t last long, they are not worth sharpening and they dull quickly, burning your workpiece as they soon load up and turn black from burning. Sometimes, however, the bit profile you need may only be available in a high speed steel bit but this is the exception rather than the rule.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0vd9xM55oI/AAAAAAAAAC4/iW5zxiGuYec/s1600-h/Router5Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0vd9xM55oI/AAAAAAAAAC4/iW5zxiGuYec/s320/Router5Large.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Second, as hand-held power woodworking tools, heavy and/or top-heavy routers are hard to manage. Not only will you be struggling with them all day, they tend to tip easily which can often ruin a cut or leave an incomplete cut. If a smaller, low-profile wood router could have spun that bit, then that is the wood router you should have been using. On the other hand, an under-powered wood router will not do a good job and may not even be safe. Also, be sure to check the weight of any wood router you may be considering, if it is to be hand-held. Heavy woodworking tools are tiring and clumsy to use all day long. A pound or two less can make a big difference.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Third, consider how you will be hanging onto the wood router while it is cutting. Are the handles comfortable enough for continuous use? Do the shape and material of the handles allow you to control the wood router properly. Some of these woodworking tools are also available with “D” handles (at extra cost) which may give you better control and feel. One wood router from Milwaukee even offers a padded grip around the exterior of the router base. One hand goes on the rubber grip while the other goes on a conventional knob.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Fourth, if your wood router is in the 2 1/4 HP range, you will want it to have a variable speed feature, especially if you are planning on using large bits like raised panel bits. You will need to run these large bits a bit slower. They will stay cooler and cut better at a lower speed. On the other hand, you will get smoother cuts with small bits of you keep the speed high. No matter what RPM you choose, you will want your wood router to be able to maintain that speed at all times, no matter how hard you push it. Electronic speed control allows your wood router to compensate for heavy loads by automatically adding a sufficient amount of extra power to keep your wood router spinning at the same speed it was before the cut began.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Fifth, (and this is a safety consideration) try to buy a wood router that has “soft” start-up. This would not be a needed feature in stationary woodworking tools but is an important safety device in a hand-held wood router. Historically, routers have had only one speed (high) and when you turn them on, they spin up quickly and the gyroscopic force of that can flip a spinning wood router right out of your hands. A soft start-up wood router gradually increases its speed from zero to full, thus eliminating almost all of the gyroscopic effect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0velNCZceI/AAAAAAAAADA/yMYgN6dw_LU/s1600-h/RouterCompass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0velNCZceI/AAAAAAAAADA/yMYgN6dw_LU/s320/RouterCompass.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Sixth, if you are going to be changing bits all the time, consider what steps you will have to go through to accomplish that task. Some routers have a shaft lock button so you only need one hand to hold down the button and one wrench to turn the collet nut. I’m kind of used to the two-wrench variety. I usually take the router motor completely out of its base, lay it on its side on the table, putting one wrench on the flat part of the shaft and the other wrench on the collet nut. If I am loosening the collet nut, I will first lower the shaft wrench to the table top and then push down towards the bench with the wrench that’s on the collet nut. If I am tightening the collet nut, I will put the collet nut wrench down to the table top and then push down against that with the shaft wrench on the flat part of the shaft.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you’ve used routers at all, you must have noticed that when you are loosening a collet nut, you will feel resistance at the start of the turn of the wrench and then it will turn freely for a while before resisting the wrench one more time. The first resistance comes from loosening the nut itself. The nut then unscrews a bit down the thread and then it begins to push against the collet, releasing it from the shaft of the router bit. When you are tightening a bit into a wood router, you will feel resistance only once as you squeeze the collet around the shaft of the bit while turning the nut as far as it will go.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Some people like to change router bits with the wood router upside down on the table with the two wrenches sticking out to the side. In this case, the technique is to arrange the wrenches so that you can squeeze their handles together with one hand to loosen, or tighten, the collet nut. For these people, some manufacturers make routers with flat tops. If find this way to be a bit more clumsy than laying the wood router down on the bench and there is less leverage in case of a stuck bit.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0ve-Te_A3I/AAAAAAAAADI/slpXJEh6HK8/s1600-h/RouterBit4Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0ve-Te_A3I/AAAAAAAAADI/slpXJEh6HK8/s320/RouterBit4Large.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Seventh, router bits come in three shank sizes, ¼”, 3/8” and ½”. The half-inch shank bits are only slightly more expensive than the quarter-inch ones and yet, they give you a distinct advantage. With a larger diameter shank and a larger diameter collet, there is much less chance of slippage under heavy loads. Consider buying only ½” shank bits, especially if you are spinning large cutters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Eighth, some of these routers offer “above router table” height adjustment capability. This is usually accomplished by sticking a hex T-wrench into a hole provided. It’s hard to adjust the height of a wood router accurately from underneath a router table while on your knees, fighting gravity. An even more elegant solution is to purchase a router lift for your router table. If this interests you, check out my article at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/routertablearticle/">PerfectWoodworking.com/routertablearticle/</a> entitled “How to Build Your Own Router Table.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Ninth, there are three types of wood router bases: conventional, spiral and plunge. In a conventional fixed base, the router motor just slides straight up and down in the base and is clamped into position. The spiral-type base has an adjustment ring that turns in a spiral groove cut into the outside of the router motor casing, thus raising or lowering the router motor relative to the base. A plunge router base clamps onto the router motor and then pushes the wood router and router bit down unto the work piece from above. Some routers are offered in kits containing two or more types of bases so that you only need to buy one router motor for a variety of uses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0vfOH9kc3I/AAAAAAAAADQ/cLnCgdmPlkA/s1600-h/RouterTableCrosscutSled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/S0vfOH9kc3I/AAAAAAAAADQ/cLnCgdmPlkA/s320/RouterTableCrosscutSled.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Tenth, some of these woodworking tools gauge and control their fine depth-of-cut with a spiral ring while others utilize a geared shaft attached to a calibration knob. All routers have a means of making gross height adjustments by releasing the lever or cam that locks the router motor into the base. Once adjusted to a position close to the final position, the fine depth-of-cut adjustments can be made in increments as small as 1/64 of an inch and, in the case of one router reviewed here, 1/128 of an inch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Eleventh, consider that motor amperage is usually a better indicator of motor power in woodworking tools than stated horsepower. All 2 1/4 HP routers claim to develop 2 ¼ HP but their amperage (electrical power used) varies from 11 to 13 amps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Twelfth, and finally, there are some less important (to me) but nice features available on some, but not all, of these woodworking tools including: the availability of a 3/8” collet, an automatic motor power lock-off during bit-changing, a carrying case, a clear plastic sub-base for better viewing, a detachable cord set, a dust proof switch, a switch that can be located left or right for the comfort and convenience of the operator, oval, rubber-molded handles, self-releasing collets and a way to fine adjust the sub-base so that it is exactly centered around the bit shaft.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The ability to center the sub-base means nothing if you are only using ball bearing router buts but if you are using router guides mounted around the bit shaft, it is vitally important that the bit shaft be centered within the guide. If your bit is not perfectly centered when using template guides, your cut will move from side to side as you turn the router around while cutting. Since the guide is mounted to the sub-base, the hole on the center of the sub-base must be concentric with the router bit shaft.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> If you think, after reading this post that a 2 1/4 H.P. router might be the right size for you and your shop, be sure to check out the review of five different routers of that size from Bosch, DeWalt, Makita, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Milwaukee and Porter-Cable at <a href="http://perfectwoodworking.com/routerreviews/">PerfectWoodworking.com/routerreviews/</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">© 2010</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">PerfectWoodworking.com</a></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In a tool review at </span><a href="http://perfectwoodworking.com/jointerreviews"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, I take a look at several jointers of different sizes from different manufacturers which may help you select a new jointer that's just right for you and your shop. This post was excerpted from the beginning of that series of reviews.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jointer size is most commonly determined by the full width of the blades (knives). A 6” jointer makes a maximum 6”-wide cut. An 8” jointer makes a maximum 8” cut and so on. It would be rare to use the entire width of even a 6” knife set at once, so the real advantage of wide knives is that you can move the fence to use a shaper place on the knife when the knife becomes dull. The wider your blades, the more use you will get out of them before it is time to re-sharpen. I usually start with a sharp blade and the fence all the way to the right end of the cutter head and move the fence, in increments, a bit wider than the maximum board thicknesses, to the left until the blades are all used up.<br style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Sometimes, with curly or wavy grain structure, you will experience tear-out from the lumber edge even with sharp knives. Sometimes you can turn the board around and run it through again backwards with very shallow cuts until the edge is fully jointed and the tear-out is gone. At other times, you may have to settle for a sawn joint made on the table saw. Usually you can make fairly good glue joints this way, if you have to, but a jointed edge is always my first choice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The depth of cut is determined by the height of the in feed table with reference to the out feed table. The lower the in feed table, the more wood is removed with each pass over the jointer. It is not a good idea to take off too much wood with a single pass. The chances of tear-out increase with the depth of cut and you may end up removing more precious wood than you really needed to, to get your perfect joint.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In the jointer reviews at <a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/jointerreviews">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/jointerreviews</a>, I work from the smallest up to the largest and the least expensive up to the most expensive. Those reviews include the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=82&sid=AFW70" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delta 6" Variable Speed</a> Bench Jointer, the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17101&sid=AFW70" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jet JJ-6CS</a> 6" Closed Stand Jointer, the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17103&sid=AFW70" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jet JJ-8CS</a> 8" Closed Stand Jointer, the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17104&sid=AFW70" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 8"</a> Parallelogram Jointer, the <a href="http://www.lagunatools.com/jointers/jointer-industrial12">Laguna Tools 12"</a> Industrial Jointer and the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19835&sid=AFW70%20" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 16"</a> Parallelogram Jointer.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For Similar Articles and Tool Reviews see:</span></div><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com</span></a><br />
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</script>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-1791983293855898162009-12-04T21:07:00.000-08:002010-01-29T20:40:34.323-08:00HOW TO SHOP FOR A LATHE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxntCBsepoI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ZCuLBqQW_Kc/s1600-h/Delta+46-460+Variable+Speed+Midi+Lathe+%282%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxntCBsepoI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ZCuLBqQW_Kc/s200/Delta+46-460+Variable+Speed+Midi+Lathe+%282%29.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The more experience you have as a wood turner, the easier it will be to choose your next lathe. To accommodate everyone from beginner to expert, I will try to keep my comments basic and yet complete. If you are an expert, please bear with me. If you are a beginner, this post may save you a lot of headaches at the school of hard knocks.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <br />
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I’d like to start out by saying that creating beautiful lathe turnings is an art which requires a certain amount of specialized talent. The only way for you to know if you have this talent is to take some lessons from someone who does. You can be an excellent woodworker, adept at the table saw, band saw or router and yet, you may not have the particular kind of fine touch that it takes to be a master at the lathe. Before you fork out your hard-earned dollars for a dream lathe, get some experience first. <br />
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There are some basic things to know when shopping for a lathe and probably the most important question you might want to ask yourself is, “What do I want to produce on my new lathe?” and, “What do I think I might want to produce on my lathe in the foreseeable future?.” If all you ever want to do is turn pencil and pen blanks, a micro lathe is all you need. If you plan on turning out huge bases for round tables, you might want to consider investing in an industrial behemoth.<br />
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Numbers wise, you will want to consider the lathe’s bed length, the distance between the base of the tool rest and the center (diameter that can be turned), the maximum diameter of bowls that can be turned safely (usually on the outboard side of the lathe head), the horsepower and RPM of the lathe motor and the variable speed range.<br />
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One thing that may not be immediately obvious is that all lathes create vibration. This vibration is transmitted to the point where the cutting tool touches the wood. Vibration makes for poor or rough cuts and vibration must be dampened out as much as possible. A flimsy lathe stand is not going to do this for you. I went so far as to build a heavy lathe bench which incorporated a large box which I filled with sand bags. A heavy-duty stand might suffice for you, however.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Be sure to check out my review of six lathes, small to large, at </span><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. I examine and compare the Jet </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10782&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JML 1014 </span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10" x 14" Variable Speed Mini Wood Lathe, the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19791&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jet JWL-1220</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 12" x 20" Wood Lathe, the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22014&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delta 46-460</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Variable Speed Midi Lathe, The </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17111&sid=AFW70%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Delta%2046-460%20Variable%20Speed%20Midi%20Lathe%20%20%20Jet%20JWL-1220:%2012%27%27%20X%2020%27%27%20Wood%20Lathe%20%20%20JET%20Variable%20Speed%20Mini%20Lathe%20%20%20POWERMATIC%20-%20Model%204224,%203HP,%20Will%20Operate%201Ph%20or%203Ph,%20230V%20%20%20Powermatic%203520B%20Lathe,%202HP,%201%20or%203PH,%20220V%20%20%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jet JWL-1642-EVS-2</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 16" x 42" Full Size Wood Lathe, the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19862&sid=AFW70%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20JET%20-%20JWL-1642-EVS-2:%2016%27%27%20x%2042%27%27%20EVS%20PRO%20Wood%20Lathe,%202HP%20%20%20Delta%2046-460%20Variable%20Speed%20Midi%20Lathe%20%20%20Jet%20JWL-1220:%2012%27%27%20X%2020%27%27%20Wood%20Lathe%20%20%20JET%20Variable%20Speed%20Mini%20Lathe%20%20%20POWERMATIC%20-%20Model%204224,%203HP,%20Will%20Operate%201Ph%20or%203Ph,%20230V%20%20%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 3520B 20" x 34 1/2"</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Wood Lathe and the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17107&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 4224 24" x 42"</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Wood Lathe.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</span></a><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are many things to consider when comparing drill presses such as motor size, table size and features, quill stroke, task lighting, laser availability, rotation speeds, ease of speed change, number of speeds, reversible feed handle (for lefties) and even the size of the base (for machine stability). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> With regard to motor size, experience tells me that ¾ horsepower is about the smallest size motor I’d like to see on a drill press. Some models try to get away with a ½-horsepower motor. There are times, especially at higher belt speed ratios that a half horsepower motor will prove to be inadequate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I recently completed a side-by-side comparison review of 3 drill presses for </span><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/drillpressreviews"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/drillpressreviews</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. This review is excerpted from that article. The </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17186&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 2800 PM</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is, by far, the most expensive I reviewed. The other very capable drill presses in that article are </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18290&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delta's Model 17-959L</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21656&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jet Model JDP-17DX</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Those models are competitive with each other and list for about half the price of the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17186&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 2800 PM</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The thing about the Powermatic is that it is just plain neat! It has all the bells and whistles a designer could dream up. The person who designed this thing clearly knows a lot about drill presses and woodworking from personal experience. If money were no object it would be the drill press I would buy. A guy can dream, can't he? Here's the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17186&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 2800 PM</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> review: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17186&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">POWERMATIC 2800 PM</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 18” VS DRILL PRESS </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Like any Powermatic machine, this drill press has top quality, smooth operation and features to die for. It also has a somewhat hefty price tag when compared to other similar machines. That said, let’s take a look at what you get for your money so you can decide if it’s worth making the jump.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> This machine features twin LED lights, mounted in the head that do not cast shadows, head-mounted twin lasers that pinpoint the drill point, a 16” x 14” table with twin T-slots that expands to 16” x 26” when needed to support large work pieces. The table tilts left or right 90 degrees with a positive stop at zero degrees. A large handle makes raising or lowering the table easy. An additional, unique feature that is included in the price of this machine is an adjustable split fence with a dust collection port. A fence is essential to production work so plan on buying or making one if you don’t buy this machine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Speeds are easily changed from 400 to 3000 RPM with a handle on the upper left side of the head, meaning that you do not need to concern yourself with belt and pulley access. And, you can tell how fast or slow the machine is running by looking at a digital speed indicator right on the front of the head. Also in the front of the head is a lighted on/off switch with a key.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Powermatic gives you a full horsepower of motor power which insures that this machine can handle everything that is presented to it. The motor is single phase and can be run on either 115 or 230 volts AC. It is pre-wired for 115 volts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The 5/8” chuck is keyless, the depth stop is quick-setting and the feed handles can be mounted on the left or the right for ease of operation no matter which handle you like to use. Spindle travel is 4 3/8” for deep drilling capacity. For drilling into assembled projects, the maximum chuck to table distance is 30” and the maximum chuck to floor distance is 46”. The column diameter is 3 1/8”, the base measures 11 7/8” x 19 5/8”. The drill press weighs in at 287 lbs, and ships at 302 lbs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See the full three-drill press comparison review and many more tool reviews and articles at:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HELPFUL LINKS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(related to this post)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17186&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Powermatic 2800 PM Drill Press</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21656&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jet JDP-17DX Drill Press</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18290&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delta 17-959L Drill Press</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I have made many tables in my lifetime and I learned early-on that it is extremely inadvisable to fasten a solid wood table top rigidly to the table’s apron. The table top will move over time and if the movement is significant, it will tear the apron and the table apart. That is why I make all of my tables with a dado groove near the top, inside of the apron all around. I then manufacture wooden clips that will attach the table to the apron. The clips are screwed to the bottom of the table top. A “finger” is made by cutting away part of the clip at one end. This “finger” is inserted part way into the dado in the apron before being screwed to the table top.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Because the screw holes in the clips vary slightly in position from one clip to the next, I make a habit of marking the clips in numerical sequence with a felt tip pen. I mark the same number under the table top where it will be covered by the clip. This way, the top can be removed for refinishing and be replaced with all the screw holes lining up with the clips.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Movement of solid wood table tops can also be seen in the form of warping or cupping. 1 ½” x 2” cross bars can be mounted across the grain, under the table. They should be mounted with #14 brass screws screwed into the bottom of the table top. The holes through these cross bars must be slots to allow for movement of the table top. Never glue these cross bars to the table top as that will restrict table top movement. Three cross bars should be sufficient for the average dining table. The cross bars can be easily removed and replaced for table top refinishing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews, see: </span><br />
<a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxM_dL2ThnI/AAAAAAAAABc/pF-dJK2DNEw/s1600/Model+2401+Pro+Series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxM_dL2ThnI/AAAAAAAAABc/pF-dJK2DNEw/s200/Model+2401+Pro+Series.jpg" yr="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong> </strong>While there are, no doubt, other ways to accomplish this magnificent woodworking feat, I am going to confine my remarks to the use of the Keller <a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/2401.html">Model 2401</a> Pro Series Dovetail Jig. Keller has other models available but this one seems best to me when considering both function and cost.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxM_pvs4vsI/AAAAAAAAABk/E_4ZoqUkUls/s1600/Pro+Clamp+Kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxM_pvs4vsI/AAAAAAAAABk/E_4ZoqUkUls/s200/Pro+Clamp+Kit.jpg" yr="true" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> This will not be a long post because the operation of this jig is elegantly simple. The complete kit consists of two, large aluminum templates, one for the pins and the other for the tails. It also includes two router bits, one for the pins and the other for the tails. These bits have ball bearing tracking collars mounted between the cutter and the bit shaft. The collar tracks around the template while the bit is cutting into the end grain of the work piece. Each template is screwed onto a piece of wood at right angle to the template. This wood is clamped to the one side of the work piece while the template rests on the end grain. The only adjustments relate to proper left/right placement along the edge of the work piece and setting the depth of cut on the router.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Complete instructions come with the kit and an instructional video is available. The width of each template is 24” (a <a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/1601.html">16” model</a> is available) but the length of cut is not limited to those dimensions. You simply cut all the dovetails on the template and then re-align the template so that the first position on the template is now lined up with the last dovetail (or pin) cut during the initial pass. Theoretically, you could cut dovetails all the way to the moon although no one has tried this yet. You can save some money by ordering the <a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/1601.html">16” model</a> but you will have to re-align the template more often for wide work pieces. With the standard (larger) bits that are included, you may cut dovetails in panels that are from 5/8” to 1” thick. A smaller bit set is available (at extra cost). With the smaller bits, you may cut dovetails into 3/8” to ¾” material. Normal pin spacing is 1 ¾” center to center. The dovetail angle is 7 degrees. A 1½ HP router or larger is required and the router collet can be either 3/8” or ½”. One-half inch is preferable. A <a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/clamp.html">Pro Clamp Kit</a> is available at extra cost for production work and is especially useful for making drawers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you want large dovetails in thicker stock, you might want to consider Keller’s <a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/3600.html">Model 3600</a>. These 36” wide templates will handle thicknesses from ½” to 1 ¼” thick. The standard bit set works with wood up to 1” thick. The optional small bit set is for wood thicknesses from ½” to ¾”. The optional large bit set is for stock 7/8” to 1 ¼” thick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">USEFUL LINKS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(related to this post)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">List prices are as follows:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/1601.html">Model 1601</a> $269</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Small Bit Set for Model 1601 $69</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Large (Standard) Bit Set for Model 1601 Included</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/2401.html">Model 2401</a> $369</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Small Bit Set for Model 2401 $79</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Large (Standard) Bit Set for Model 2401 Included</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/3600.html">Model 3600</a> $469</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Small Bit Set for Model 3000 $78</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Medium (Standard) Bit Set for Model 3000 Included</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Large Bit Set for Model 3000 $129</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kellerdovetail.com/models/clamp.html">Pro Clamp Kit</a> (For All Models) $119</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LUMBER SELECTION:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If at all possible, try to have all boards in the glue-up out of the same tree. If that is not possible, select lumber that is of similar color and grain pattern. The ideal glue-up looks like one, extremely wide board with the glue joints barely visible to the naked eye. Since this only an ideal, I try to get as close to it as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Another, less-important goal would be to have all boards in the glue-up of the same approximate width. I am not suggesting ripping the wider boards down to match the narrowest board as this would be a terrible waste of expensive lumber. I do suggest, however, ripping extremely wide boards in two to minimize the possibility of curling due to changes in humidity after delivery.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Straight or ribbon grain makes the best homogeneous final appearance while wavy or swirly grain makes for an interesting but more difficult glue-up. Swirly grain will require orientation of the individual boards to minimize the number of places that the grain line suddenly stops at the glue line rather than appearing to continue into another swirl in the adjacent board. This orientation is highly subjective.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">CROSS-CUTTING TO ROUGH LENGTH</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I always rough-cut my lumber into lengths an inch longer than the length of the final product. This allows the entire glue-up to be neatly trimmed to size after the glue is dry. It also makes the ripping and jointing process a lot easier as I will explain below. The same is true for the width of the glue up: Make sure it is about an inch wider than the final product after trimming.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RIPPING</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Kiln or air-dried lumber often decides to bow into a curve as it dries and this must be corrected before a glue-up can be accomplished. If my finished glue-up is only 3 feet long and it is coming out of a 14-foot bowed board, it will be far easier and economical to get the curve out of the 3-foot pieces than it would to remove the curve from the entire 14-foot board before cross cutting. This is one reason that you should always do your rough cross-cutting before ripping and jointing. Another reason is that a 14-foot, 2” thick x 12” wide board is pretty difficult to control on a jointer or table saw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If there is a bow in one or more of your rough-cut pieces, those pieces should first have the curved edges ripped off on the table saw. The concave side of the board should always be towards the fence. Measure from the fence out to the outside of the end of the board that is nearest the fence and set the fence to cut this width. Once you have trimmed off the convex side of the board, flip it over side-to-side and find the point where the outer edge of the board is closest to the fence (somewhere near the middle) and rip the board to that width. When all boards have been ripped straight, take them to the jointer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JOINTING</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The jointing process should now be fairly easy in that the boards have been ripped straight. Take shallow depth cuts to minimize the possibility of tear-out. In loose-grained lumber with a lot of swirls on the face side, tear-out is sometimes unavoidable. If this happens, try running the board over the jointer head in the opposite direction. If the tear-outs persist, you will have no other option than to rip the tear-outs away on the table saw. You will then have a sawn edge in your glue-up. If you have a clean-cutting table saw blade like a recently sharpened <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16456&sid=AFW70">Forrest Woodworker II</a>, this should not be much of a problem, especially if you plan on using a biscuit joiner to secure your glue-up. You probably won’t be able to tell which glue lines are jointed and which are ripped in the final product.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GRAIN MATCHING</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Lay out all the boards on your work bench and arrange them for best appearance. Obviously, if one side of the final product will show more than the other in a piece of furniture, then you will want to have the best-looking sides all on that side of the glue-up. Examples of this would be table tops and cabinet doors. You also must orient the boards so that the glue-lines are not accentuated, as discussed in the paragraph on lumber selection above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BISCUIT JOINING</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Whenever possible, make sure that you biscuit-join your glue-ups. I say, “whenever possible” because you will not be able to use a biscuit joiner on very thin lumber. On the other hand, very thin lumber (3/8”, for instance) does not usually have enough strength to pop open a joint. So, with very thin lumber, you will simply be using glue without biscuits. With regard to lumber ¾” or thicker, I have seen a number of table tops, cabinet doors and cabinet casings open up along a glue line after delivery. At this point, repairs are difficult or impossible so the extra step of biscuit joining is well worth the minor time and expense. Look on it as major headache insurance! If you don’t yet own a biscuit joiner, there are a number of great machines out there including <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1309&sid=AFW70">Porter Cable</a>, Lamello and Freud. There are also two good alternatives to using a biscuit jointer: Those are the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18160&sid=AFW70">Festool Domino</a> floating tenon joiner and the <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21339&sid=AFW70">Freud Doweling Joiner</a>. Different methods, same result.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When you have your boards laid out the way you want them in the glue-up, make sure all the ends are flush and the edge joints are touching. Double-check to make sure the glue-up will be about an inch wider than the final product after trimming. With a builder’s square or a straightedge mark a pencil line in 4” in from each end of the rough glue-up across the grain, crossing all glue lines but not continuing over the side edges of the glue-up. Make a similar pencil line across the grain at the mid-point of the boards. Make additional pencil lines half-way between the other pencil lines until all pencil lines are about 6” apart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Mark the boards on one end A,B,C or 1,2,3, etc. so that you can put them back together in the same order when it is time to glue them up. Put the boards aside and nail, screw or clamp a stop board (scrap) to the bench top, left to right in front of you and about a foot in from the edge of the bench. As you are applying pressure with the biscuit jointer, while making mortises for the biscuits, this stop board will keep the board you are mortising from moving away from you. Make a mortise wherever a pencil line touches a board edge on every board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">GLUE-UP AND CLAMPING</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There are two ways to clamp up a glue-up: horizontally on the bench top and vertically with the first board mortised-edge-up in a woodworking vise on the end or side of the bench. In the case of horizontal glue up, place pipe or bar clamps about 2 feet apart on the bench top with the clamp handles hanging slightly over the edge of the bench. Pre-adjust the clamps to an inch larger opening than they will be when tightened. Place the first board on edge on top of and across the clamps with the mortises facing up. Do the same with all the boards, in order. Make sure you have sufficient biscuits for the job ready. A small dispensing glue bottle with sufficient glue for the job should be within easy reach. The type of glue is important: If the glue dries too quickly you will have big problems and if the glue dries too slowly, you will be losing valuable production time. I like to use Franklin Titebond Glue or Franklin Titebond II for outdoor applications. These are aliphatic resin type glues that can be easily cleaned up with water. Ether formula gives a very strong joint and has a reasonable, 45 minute clamping time. Both of these glues are widely available in hardware stores, home improvement centers and woodworking stores.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Run about a 1/8”-thick glue line down the center of the edge of the first board, making sure that the glue drops into every biscuit mortise along the way. Then apply short glue lines on both sides of every mortise. This should result in sufficient glue so that it appears squeezed out of both sides of every glue joint after clamping. Insert a biscuit into each mortise. With 2” lumber you may need an extra glue line for the full length of the joint. There is no such thing as too much glue because you can wipe up the excess with a wet rag. There is, however such a thing as not enough glue and you will recognize that condition when you see that glue is not being squeezed out of the full length of both sides of the glue joint. That is called “starving the joint” and starved joints often open up later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Lay down the first board with the letter or number up and the mortised edge away from you. Apply glue in the same manner to each succeeding board wherever there are mortises and place biscuits in the far edge of each board, except, of course the last board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The board ends should be flush and the left clamp should be about 6” in from the end. The right clamp should be about 1-foot six inches in from the right end. This is because you will be placing alternately spaced clamps on the top side of the glue-up so that there is a clamp (top or bottom) about every foot. The top, right clamp will be in about 6” from the right end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Once you have all of this in place, start tightening the clamp handles. Clamp all the bottom clamps finger tight, then the top clamps finger tight. Then, go down the row of clamps tightening them fully, bottom, top, bottom, top, etc. With a wet rag, wipe off most of the excess glue. Turn over the entire glue-up and wipe the other side. Look at your watch or clock and add 45 minutes to the time. This will be the minimum clamping time, any time after which you may remove the glue-up from the clamps. Mark this time on the glue-up with a felt pen. If you have multiple glue-ups, you can stand this glue-up against a wall to get it out of the way while it dries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If you have been paying attention to the above, then you can figure out how to do a vertical glue-up in a vise which is suitable for smaller glue-ups and is easier to manage. The difference is that when it comes time to apply the glue, you will clamp the first board at its center in the vise with the mortises facing up. Apply the glue and biscuits. Apply glue to the mating edge of the second board and place it in correct orientation on top of the first board, and so on. Place the first clamp 6” in from the end, in front, the second clamp a foot away from the first clamp, in back and so on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Once your glue-up is out of the clamps, it is ready to be thickness sanded either in a drum sander or wide-belt sander. If you don't have either of these machines, don't worry. Most professional furniture-manufacturing shops in your area will be happy to thickness sand your glue-ups for an hourly rate. You might want to consider buying your own <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18492&sid=AFW70">drum sander</a> or <a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19864&sid=AFW70">wide-belt sander</a>, if you can justify the expense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> It is best to know the maximum width capacity of the sanding machine you will be using: 48”-wide glue-ups will not pass through a 36”-wide sander. If you know that you will have this limitation in advance, simply make two, 24” glue-ups and glue those together with biscuits after the thickness sanding is complete. The glue line won’t be perfectly even and so it will have to be sanded true with a random orbit sander. Your glue-up should be sanded to at least 150 grit. 220 grit is even better. Trim the glue-up on the table saw to its final dimensions, rout the edges, if appropriate, and then random orbit sand the final piece to 220 or 320 grit before finishing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HELPFUL LINKS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(related to this post)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16456&sid=AFW70">Forrest Woodworker II Table Saw Blade</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1309&sid=AFW70">Porter Cable Biscuit Joiner</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18160&sid=AFW70">Festool Domino Floating Tenon Joiner</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21339&sid=AFW70">Freud Doweling Joiner</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18492&sid=AFW70">SuperMax Drum Sanders</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19864&sid=AFW70">Powermatic Wide-belt Sanders</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> You will need a piece of ½” aluminum tubing as long as your lathe bed or a bit longer. You will also need some 1/8” thick aluminum sheeting or you can buy some aluminum cookie sheets. Purchase a box of 10-40 bolts 1 ½” long and a wing nut and washer for every bolt. Buy a second box of 10-40 bolts 1” long with nylon-lined lock nuts for every bolt. You will need (4) 3” angle irons with screws, as well. The rest of the parts can be made out of any scrap wood you may have laying around the shop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The design of this apparatus incorporates multiple feeler “fingers” suspended behind the lathe along the aluminum pipe. These fingers are adjusted to match the exact depth of the cuts in your original turned spindle. When you place a new spindle blank on the lathe, all of the fingers you adjusted will be laying on top of the blank. As you cut into the blank, prepare yourself to stop cutting as soon as the fingers relating to that cut drop down and through the cut.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Make two, vertical support posts about 6” higher than the top of the largest spindle blank you can turn on that lathe. Note the outside diameter of the aluminum pipe and drill a hole of that size near the top of each support post. Mount the posts using the angle irons on the lathe table immediately behind the lathe. Insert the pipe through both holes to make sure it fits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Make a bunch of wood blocks ¾” x 1¼” x 6” long. Drill a pipe sized hole in one end of each of them through the ¾” thickness. With the blocks laying flat, cut through from the end into the hole with a 1/8” table saw blade. With the blocks standing on edge, drill completely through each block between the hole and the end of the block. Use a drill diameter slightly larger that the shaft diameter of the 10-40 bolts. Insert one 1 ½” 10-40 bolt through the hole you just drilled and place a wing nut and washer on the end. The idea is that the wooden blocks will slip onto the pipe and the bolts and wing nuts will hold them in place by closing up the 1/8” cut you made on the table saw.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Drill another bolt hole of the same diameter about ½” from the other end of the block, centered with the block laying flat on the drill press table. Cut another 1/8” slot, 1” deep and centered through the 1¼” dimension, at right angle to the bolt hole. Remove one end of the pipe from the vertical support posts. You can now mount the blocks along the pipe before replacing the pipe in the vertical support post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Cut aluminum fingers out of the flat stock using a ¼” blade on the band saw. The fingers should measure 6” long and ¾” wide. Both ends should be completely rounded (3/8” radius) on an edge, belt or disc sander. Drill a 10-40 bolt hole in one end of each finger centered ½” from the end. Sand the fingers smooth, removing saw marks and burrs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Mount the aluminum fingers onto the ends of the wooden blocks, securing them in place with the 1” 10-40 bolts and lock nuts. The aluminum fingers must be free to move up and down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Now place your original spindle on the lathe. Set the fingers to just drop through, barely touching the depth of each cut. Place the first blank on the lathe with the fingers you just adjusted resting on top of the spinning blank. Start cutting and stop as each finger falls through.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews, see:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.finewoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.finewoodworking.com/</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxGZTw-GzYI/AAAAAAAAAA0/JmakE1P7JKg/s1600/MultiRouter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxGZTw-GzYI/AAAAAAAAAA0/JmakE1P7JKg/s200/MultiRouter.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxGZh3shG6I/AAAAAAAAAA8/CeKvU7Cu9QY/s1600/Stylus.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some woodworking machines are only meant for production work. This is because it takes too much time to set them up for just one cut. On the other hand, if you plan on making the same cut or joint over and over again, a production machine is the way to go. The advantage of using a production machine is repeatable accuracy with speed. Time is money and quality is everything.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Today, we will take a look at the </span><a href="http://jdstools.com/multi-router.aspx%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JDS Multi-Router</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, an expensive but fairly compact stationary woodworking machine that can make a variety of joints including mortise and tenon, angled mortise and tenon, box joints and dovetail joints. This machine incorporates a router and various router bits to make highly precise cuts in wood. The joints are made by a ball-bearing-tipped stylus tracking in aluminum templates that are easily mounted to the machine. The workpiece is clamped on an aluminum table which can move in and out, left and right and up and down, and which is controlled by 3 hand levers, one for each axis. <br />
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Movement along any axis can be stopped with clamping screws and collars incorporated into the machine. A particular cut may require that the machine be allowed to float freely in two directions while being restricted from any movement along the remaining axis.<br />
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As an example of how this machine operates, I will discuss how I have made production runs of dovetailed jewelry boxes. The motivation to use a production machine is pure and simple: If you can do accurate, detail work in a short period of time, you can produce high-quality items in volume and thus make more sales and therefore more money. You can also demand more money for fine details like dovetailed corners.<br />
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Before getting started with my jewelry boxes, I had to determine what dimensions would work best, considering that I would be using a machine to make equally-spaced dovetails of the same size. I found that I could make two dovetails in the corners of a jewelry box that measured 2 ¼” high. Three dovetails would have required increasing the height of the finished box and I decided that that dimension would not be as pleasing to the eye.<br />
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The next step involved stock preparation. The finished stock had to be of consistent thickness and width to work in this machine. The final thickness was to be 3/8” for the sides and top. The bottom was to be 1/8” plywood, covered by a velvet pad. The plywood bottom fitted into a 1/8” saw kerf cut ¼” above the bottom of the box.<br />
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For economy’s sake, I chose to resaw three pieces each out of each piece of 2” (8/4) lumber. Before resawing, I cut the 2” lumber into pieces a bit wider than the final dimension of 2 ¼” (about 2 ½”). I set the resaw to cut three equal pieces out of each piece of raw lumber. I then used my SuperMax Drum Sander to thickness dimension these pieces down to 3/8” thick @ 220 grit. These pieces there then trimmed to final width (both edges) on the table saw. The final lengths of 12” (fronts and backs) and 7” (sides) were then cut on the miter saw using a </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11099&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Forrest ChopMaster </span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">blade that leaves a mirror-like cut.<br />
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On the </span><a href="http://jdstools.com/multi-router.aspx%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Multi-Router</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, one template is used to cut the tails with a dovetail cutter and the other template is used to cut the pins with a straight spiral cutter. Setup takes a while and wastes some wood so it is advisable to have some cheap wood available of the same dimensions and thickness as the final wood species. Table adjustments have to be made on the in/out axis to get the correct depth of cut which is then locked in position. A detailed manual is included with the machine, so I won’t bother to duplicate that here. Suffice it to say that the workpiece is clamped into a fixed position on the table and the left/right and up/down axes are left to float free while the stylus tracks each template. Trial and error will eventually give you a perfect fit in your scrap wood and, once that has been achieved, you can start production on the final workpieces. Tails can be cut on both ends of the sides and pins on both ends of the front and back pieces or vice versa, if you prefer.<br />
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Now, it’s back to the table saw to cut the grooves for the plywood floor. You must stop your cuts just short of going through the ends of the workpieces. Mark pencil lines on the table saw table to show you where to begin and where to stop. The idea is to lower the workpiece into the sawblade which is set to 1/8” above the table. When the workpiece hits the table, it should be just a bit ahead of the front stop line. Pull the workpiece back to the stop line before pushing it forward to the rear stop line. Stop the saw before lifting each workpiece off the blade for reasons of safety.<br />
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The finished, dovetailed pieces are pushed together with a bit of Titebond glue while inserting the plywood bottom into 1/8” pre-cut groove. Clamp the box square for 45 minutes.<br />
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Box tops can be made oversize, sanded to 3/8” @ 220 grit and then trimmed to fit the boxes, either overlay with hinges or inset with brass pins drilled into the back corners. Once you have determined the final dimensions of the top, you should be able to safely fit all of the boxes due to the accuracy of your </span><a href="http://jdstools.com/multi-router.aspx%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Multi-Router</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-made boxes. I like to rout all corners of the box and top with a 1/8” round-over bit before sanding.<br />
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The boxes and tops should be sanded to at least 220 grit with a random orbital sander and by hand before finishing. I chose to spray on a gloss finish (catalyzed varnish). You may prefer something else. If you are going to spray, I’d like to suggest that you make yourself a lazy susan (parts available from </span><a href="http://woodworker.com/4-square-lazy-susan-mssu-240-001.asp?search=lazy%20susan%20hardware&searchmode=2"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker's Supply</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">). Take several pieces of 1/8” ply the same size as the box bottoms, drill a hole in each corner and insert bright flat head box nails into the holes. The holes should be drilled the same size or smaller than the shafts of the nails to keep the nails from slipping back out of the plywood. Place the ply, nail points up, on the lazy susan and place the box on top of the nail points. Once a box is sprayed, you can pick it up by the plywood and set it aside to dry. When spraying tops, the sharp nail points will not leave visible marks in the finish.<br />
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The final touch is the velvet lining. You will need poster board, 3M spray-on adhesive, 1/8” foam padding and velvet. The velvet can be found at any </span><a href="http://www.distinctivefabric.com/fabric.php?product=STRVELV1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">dry goods store</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and the other the other items at an arts and crafts store like </span><a href="http://www.benfranklinstores.com/%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ben Franklin</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> or </span><a href="http://www.michaels.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael’s</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Cut the velvet to extend 1” in all directions beyond the pre-cut poster board. Cut out 1” x 1” squares from each corner of the velvet (you may have to adjust this to accommodate the foam padding.) Spray glue the padding onto the poster board. The padding should be cut a bit undersize with reference to the poster board. Wrap the velvet over the padding and glue the flaps onto the back of the poster board. The poster board should be pre-cut to exactly fit the box with the velvet wrapped around the edges. This may take some experimentation but the final dimension can be repeated over and over again.<br />
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In closing, I assume that you can now see that in such a production run, there is a massive amount of set-up time which should be more than off-set by the efficiency of repeatable accuracy. On the other hand, I could cut the dovetails for one box by hand but they would not look as tight and smooth as those cut by the machine. In short, if you are thinking about purchasing a new or used </span><a href="http://jdstools.com/multi-router.aspx%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Multi-Router</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, plan on making a lot of boxes in each production run.<br />
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HELPFUL LINKS<br />
(related to this article)</span><a href="http://jdstools.com/multi-router.aspx%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JDS Multi-Router</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://woodworker.com/4-square-lazy-susan-mssu-240-001.asp?search=lazy%20susan%20hardware&searchmode=2"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lazy Susan Parts</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.michaels.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael’s Crafts</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.distinctivefabric.com/fabric.php?product=STRVELV1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Velvet Supplier </span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.benfranklinstores.com/%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ben Franklin Stores</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11099&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Forrest ChopMaster Saw Blade </span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie<br />
Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The purpose of a miter saw table is two-fold: (1) to elevate the saw to a comfortable working height for the operator and (2) to provide a surface to the left and/or right of the saw for the extension of the fence and to provide support for long materials while being cut. If you have ever tried to cut a 45-degree miter at one end of a 2x6x12, you know why a saw table or roller stand is absolutely required.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Very often, miter saws are used to make repetitive cuts of the same length. Some sort of saw stop comes in handy and greatly speeds production time for this sort of application. A saw stop must mount to something to hold it in place, usually a fence. You can make your own fence out of a very straight piece of wood or metal or you can do as I did and purchase a commercially available moveable stop that slides along an aluminum track that includes a stick-on measuring tape.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PERMANENT TABLE FOR SHOP USE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Since I buy lumber in lengths up to 14 feet long, I decided to build a very long table in my woodworking shop. You may not have the physical space for this in your shop so you will have to reduce my measurements accordingly. The longer you can build it, the better off it will be for you but any length of saw table is better than no saw table at all. My saw table measures 8 Feet to the left of the saw blade and another 8 feet to the right of the saw blade. This way, I can support the full length of a sheet of plywood on either side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The table is constructed over 2x4 framing and contains multiple storage drawers below the table which I use to store small tools and supplies. If you prefer, the space underneath the saw table can be left open for shelf space or lumber storage. I suggest that the top surface be ¾” Melamine or Formica over ¾” particle board. If you can use the entire 4-foot width of the Melamine or particle board, by all means do so, especially if your Miter saw is of the “sliding compound miter” type. As for overall table height, I would suggest that you build the table so that the top of the table comes to your belt line when standing. This will give you a comfortable working height and still allow you to bend over the table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There should be a gap cut through table top in the area where the saw is to be mounted. This gap must be exactly as wide as the top of your miter saw and must be open to the front of the table. The gap should close behind the top of the miter saw. The saw must be mounted in this gap so that the top of the miter saw table is flush with the top of the saw table. The miter handle must be free to move its full travel in both directions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Anticipate the need for this gap as you are framing the underside of your saw table because you will need to construct a shelf underneath to support the weight of the miter saw. You might want to make this shelf adjustable in micro increments so that you can get the top of the saw platform exactly flush to the top of the saw table. You can do this with lag screws with washers in sliding slots through the shelf sub-structure and into the table framing. Slightly loosen the lags and tap the table up or down with a rubber hammer before tightening the lags fully. Use a long straightedge in all directions to make sure that the saw and the saw table are flush with each other. Mount the saw securely to the shelf using lag screws.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Once the saw is mounted, you can begin to construct the fence or fences. A simple, inexpensive fence can be constructed using 1x4 or 1x6 clear fir boards. These boards should be hand selected for straightness and jointed on one edge. One board will be the actual fence and the other will keep it straight from behind. The fence sits with its jointed edge on the table top and the back-up board lies flat on the table top, behind the fence, with its jointed edge joined to the bottom of the fence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Before joining the two boards together, slotted holes should be cut into the back-up board for the purpose of mounting and adjusting the fence position on the table top with reference to the fence on the miter saw. These slots should be slightly wider than the shaft diameter of the lag screws you intend to use to mount the fence to the table. Cut a few equally spaced slots in the back-up board perpendicular (at right angle) to the fence. A 2x4 joist should be located under the table top, centered underneath the slots in the back-up board. This will give the lag screws something solid to bite into.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Before mounting the fence or fences to the table top, draw a pencil or chalk line where the front of the fence is to be positioned. Take a long straightedge, lay it flat on the miter saw’s metal table and push one edge of it long the miter saw’s metal fence. Keeping it in this position, draw a pencil line along the table top, out as far as possible. Repeat on the opposite side of the saw if you have tables on both sides of the saw. Extend this pencil line as far as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Place the fence along the pencil line with the end of the wooden fence almost touching the end of miter saw’s metal fence. (Leave a 1/16” gap between the wooden fence and the metal fence.) Drill appropriately sized holes for the lag screws through the table top and into the 2x4 joist underneath the table top (one for each slot). Screw the fence to the table loosely so that it can be adjusted. Use the long straight edge on the miter saw’s table and on the front of the fence to align the fence perfectly and screw down tightly. Repeat for the other side of the table if there is one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> For the left fence, place a "right to left" reading stick-on measuring tape along the top of the fence. For the right fence, place a "left to right" reading stick-on measuring tape along the top of that fence. Before sticking down, the tapes must be aligned perfectly. The left tape is measuring the distance from the left side of the saw blade and the right tape is measuring the distance from the right side of the saw blade. With a simple wooden fence like this, you can use wooden stop blocks clamped to the fence with C-clamps for repetitive cuts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A slightly more expensive and far better alternative is to use a metal track or tracks with a flip-up stop and measuring tape built in. Such a device is manufactured by Kreg Tools and is available in 4-foot track lengths that can be butted together to make longer lengths. My table requires four 4-foot tracks, two for each side of the saw. The track is mounted to the top of the wooden fence you just made. You will have to adjust the height of the wooden fence (2 ¼”+ above the table top) so that the bottom of the flip-up stop clears the table by about 1/16” in the down position.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The nice thing about the flip-up stop is that it can be flipped up out of the way without loosing its measurement setting along the measuring tape. If you were making repetitive cuts and you needed to stop to use the saw momentarily for a different kind of cut, you could resume your repetitive cutting immediately without losing any accuracy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PORTABLE TABLE FOR JOBSITE USE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A jobsite table is usually made with the miter saw mounted to the extreme right end of the table. I have found that most miter saw manufacturers make their metal table surfaces so that they are 3 ½” above the table on which the saw is resting. A very straight, milled 4x4 (3 ½” x 3 ½”) can be mounted onto the table top, almost abutting the left side of the metal table of the saw. The 4x4 should extend out the full length of the supporting table to the left and be mounted to the supporting table.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A fence can be attached to the back side of the 4x4. Use a 1x6 or 1x8 clear fir board for this purpose. As in the permanent table above, the front of the fence must align perfectly with the miter saw’s metal fence. If a wider support surface is needed, a second 4x4 can be mounted directly in front to the one with the fence attached to it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> A Kreg Trak system with a flip-up stop can also be used on this portable table. Just make sure the wooden fence is ripped to the proper height to allow the flip-up stop to clear the table by 1/16”. (Fence is 2 ¼” + above the top of the 4x4.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> As for the support table, I have used a plastic fold-up table from Costco. They come in various sizes to suit your particular need. Or, you can make your own table out of 2 x 4’s and ¾” plywood. Design it so that the legs can fold up for transportation and storage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HELPFUL PRODUCT LINKS</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(related to this post)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11363&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kreg 48” Top Trak Fence and Flip Stop</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxCEaE0C9uI/AAAAAAAAAAs/9hhol4aItko/s1600/Kreg+48Inch+Top+Trak+Fence+%26+Flip+Stop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxCEaE0C9uI/AAAAAAAAAAs/9hhol4aItko/s200/Kreg+48Inch+Top+Trak+Fence+%26+Flip+Stop.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.rockler.com/tech/RTD10000051AB.pdf"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kreg Top Trak Installation Instructions </span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/mitersawsreview/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reviews of various 10” and 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saws</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
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</script>Bob Gillespiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09825485741271060705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7153890721715738860.post-67883404756321020942009-11-26T19:01:00.000-08:002010-01-29T20:48:01.228-08:00SANDING & SCRAPING INSIDE CURVES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxAy3fxutqI/AAAAAAAAAAU/RWMMRfljf7E/s1600/Rockwell+SoniCrafter+Large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxAy3fxutqI/AAAAAAAAAAU/RWMMRfljf7E/s200/Rockwell+SoniCrafter+Large.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The tighter the curve, the harder it’s going to be to sand. A gently curved chair leg, for instance, can be easily sanded using the exposed drum on one end of an edge sander. A curve with a 2-inch radius (four-inch diameter) requires a smaller drum which might be an option on a spindle sander. Curves with less than a 1-inch diameter might not be machine sandable and might require sandpaper wrapped around the end of your index finger or a mechanical device such as the </span><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22172&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rockwell SoniCrafter </span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">detail sander with the finger sanding attachment.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxA8K389kuI/AAAAAAAAAAk/ODCFd8dJ_W8/s1600/Cabinet+Scraper+Set,+Scraper+and+Mill+File.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jW35HvmJnn0/SxA8K389kuI/AAAAAAAAAAk/ODCFd8dJ_W8/s200/Cabinet+Scraper+Set,+Scraper+and+Mill+File.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> In the end, all curves, regardless of diameter, will require some degree of random orbital or hand sanding to remove the linear scratches left by drum sanding. I have found scrapers to be useful in this regard, as well. I am referring to the kind of scraper that is made from a rectangular piece of steel and which is sharpened with a smooth mill file to true the edge and then with a burnishing tool to create a small “hook” on the edge. It is the hook that does the work and so, as the hook wears away, the scraper must be burnished again and again to restore the hook.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Scrapers are also available in shapes other than rectangular for conformation to the type of curve being scraped. Some of these scraper shapes, by their very nature cannot be accurately trued up with a flat mill file but burnishing can be accomplished with a hand-held burnishing tool or jig. Scraping should always be followed by sanding with a fine grit sandpaper (220 or 320).</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HELPFUL PRODUCT LINKS</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(related to this post)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22172&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rockwell SoniCrafter, with Finger Sanding Attachment </span></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=4898&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cabinet Scraper Set, Scraper and Mill File</span></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10718&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Scraper Sharpening Jig, with Scraper</span></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19725&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bahco Scrapers</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1080&sid=AFW70%20"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mill File</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><a href="http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10718&sid=AFW70"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bob Gillespie</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Woodworker</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For similar articles and tool reviews see:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.perfectwoodworking.com</span></a></div><br />
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