Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog

If there’s a tool out in the woodworking arena that garners more attention these days than SawStop, someone please bring it to my attention. I see scads of responses on most forums about these saws and when I’m out talking with fellow woodworkers, I inevitably get asked about SawStop saws.

Recently, SawStop introduced a contractor saw. As I assembled this new machine in the Popular Woodworking shop, I thought a few photos and some first impressions I had during the process would be of interest.

Click here to read more. And, if you have a comment or questions, please click "comments" below and post you thoughts.

—Glen D. Huey

The trend in cordless tools is small. We've seen compact drills and drivers from Bosch and Milwaukee, and we've been impressed. This new generation of tools puts the power and performance of a traditional 12v cordless drill in an easy-to-use, lightweight and compact package. Last week, representative from Craftsman dropped by our shop to show us what they are launching this November. We liked what we saw, and we've all added the kit to our Christmas lists.

What you see is a new line of 12v Lithium-ion powered cordless tools that Craftsman has named NEXTEC. The drill is similar in size and feel to the entries from Bosch and Milwaukee, but has added a keyless chuck so you aren't limited to using hex-shank bits. In the upper left is a flashlight with an array of LEDs that provides a lot of light. But the big news in our book is in the center of the picture – a compact cordless jigsaw.

I immediately thought back to my days of installing cabinets on job sites and what a great tool this would have been to have in my tool box. You can grab the upper portion in your fist and squeeze the trigger to use it as you would a conventional jigsaw. Change your grip 90° and it's a miniature reciprocating saw that takes both T-shank and hook-shank blades. It will fit in tight places and the lightweight and comfortable grip make it easy to control.

Details and specifications are being finalized, and the production models should be very close to what we saw. The tools will be sold as a kit, with the drill, flashlight and saw, along with two batteries and a charger, in a soft-bag organizer. That's a nice combination of tools and the expected price of $139 makes it even more attractive. If you're thinking of a new drill, start thinking of a new drill and a new jigsaw, and be patient because you'll have to wait a while. I think the wait will be worth it.

— Bob Lang

Norton IM83 Portable Waterstone Sharpening System

I'm not the most organized person in the world. In fact, I'm without argument the messiest person in our office and shop. I do OK if there is a system in place that I can follow without thinking too much about it. But if there isn't a place for everything, then I just put everything all over the place. This is one of the reasons I like the Norton IM83 Sharpening Set. In one case, which is just a bit larger than a lunchbox, is everything I need to keep my edge tools honed.

In the top of the box is a three-sided gizmo that holds three waterstones: #1000, #4000, and #8000 grit. It is designed to hold two of the stones in a bath of water, and the third in position for use. As I move up through the grits, rotating the holder brings the next stone into position, soaked and ready to use. I don't have room for a dedicated sharpening station, or the discipline to keep myself from piling stuff on one if I had it, so this makes it easy to contain the mess when it's time to hone, and it only takes a minute to pack it all back up.

In the bottom of the box is a second storage compartment where a flattening stone lives, and there is space down there for a few rags and other sharpening sundries. Also included in the set is a DVD on techniques for sharpening freehand. I learned to sharpen before workable jigs to hold the chisels or plane irons were readily available, and I have a philosophical bias to sharpening freehand. My argument is this: To use edge tools effectively you need to develop a feel for the relationship between your hands, the work and the tool. Sharpening is a great way to develop this feel, although I will admit it took time to learn and sometimes I have a bad day when a jig might be helpful.

One of the things I like about the Norton waterstones is that they are abrasive enough to cut quickly, but soft enough to provide useful feedback while sharpening. Some people may find the #4000- and #8000-grit stones to be too soft; it is possible to poke a corner of the tool into the stone. When I learned to sharpen, I was taught to try and take a slice off the stone with the tool. In the six months that I've been using these stones, I've learned to be less heavy-handed and apply more pressure coming back than going forward. I start to sharpen by putting the primary bevel flat on the stone.

I then raise the handle of the tool a bit to make the secondary bevel a few degrees steeper. I lock my wrists and move the edge back and forth in as straight a line as I can. Swinging with my shoulders while keeping my elbows and wrists locked works for me. I'm not picky about the exact angles involved; I've found if I'm in the neighborhood, the tool will work. With the Norton waterstones, if I'm applying too much pressure to one side or if I'm at too steep of an angle, I'll remove a tiny divot from the surface of the stone. This annoyed me at first, but now I feel that it is making me a better sharpener.

Bringing the stones back to a flat surface is quick work with the flattening stone, and the stones are 1" thick. It would take a truly obsessive sharpener a long time to wear one out, but it is possible. My conclusion is that Norton has reached a good compromise with the composition of these stones. They cut fast, leave a keen edge and can be easily maintained. Having the complete set in one handy box that fits in a small space is a plus. The kit sells for around $200 from many retailers, and is also available with oilstones instead of waterstones. I think it's an excellent solution for sharpening. And if you need the jig, there's room to store it in the bottom of the box.

-- Bob Lang

Plow planes are workhorse of the hand-tool shop when it comes to cutting joints with a plane. With a plow plane you can, if you are so inclined, cut many of the important joints for a carcase: rabbets, grooves and even tongues.

Before electric power tools became affordable, plow planes were even a status symbol among craftsmen. If there was one fancy tool with ivory inlay and nickel silver tips in your chest, it was your plow.

Since World War II, plow planes have all but vanished from tool catalogs – their functions being taken up by routers and table saws. But now Veritas, the manufacturing arm of Lee Valley Tools, has revived this important form. And I think that anyone who gives this tool a try will get hooked on how easy it is to use, how crisp the results are and how fast you can make simple joints.

The Veritas version of this tool improves on many of the details of the old tools (both the metal and wooden versions) that have vexed woodworkers for generations. Let’s start with the fence, which is the heart of the plow.

To make a straight groove, the fence must be locked parallel to the skate – the thin rail of iron that’s the plane’s sole. All vintage plows I’ve worked with require fussing to get the fence parallel. The Veritas makes it almost impossible to skew the fence, and you can thank router technology for that. Veritas uses, in essence, router collets to lock the fence in place. And the collets work quite well.

Another improvement is the fence itself. Wooden plows eject shavings onto the bench (nice). But vintage metal plows eject them into your fence and hand. This means that you have to clear that trap every few passes. Veritas improved the way shavings eject. And though it’s not a jam-free set-up, you do have to clear the tool of curls far less than usual.

The third major improvement is in the controls themselves. Everything adjusts through knurled knobs – no tools are required. Metal plows require at least one screwdriver. Wooden plows require a mallet to adjust.

The Veritas comes with a 1⁄4" cutter (the most useful size) in durable A2 steel. Four other sizes are available from 1⁄8" to 3⁄8". The plane body is lightweight at 1 lb. 14 oz. and is made from unbreakable ductile iron. The plane costs $199 with a 1/4" cutter. Additional cutters are available individually or in a set. The plane is available only through Lee Valley Tools.

In use, I found the tool superior to my old plows. Everything locks with hand pressure, and the tool balances on the work. The fence has a large bearing surface so you can keep it firmly against your work, a critical point (and the fence is bored to accept a longer wooden fence if you require it). The workmanship on the tool is top-notch.

Here’s the best part: This is the Veritas Small Plow. With a name like that, you have to think that other versions are on the way.

— Christopher Schwarz

Made for joinery. Here you can see how the fence is relieved so you can close it up to cut rabbets. Also note the slight curved shape of the depth stop. This prevents the stop from ramming into your work.

From June 2006 Popular Woodworking

Wenzloff & Sons Backsaws Make the Cut

The hand-tool crowd lives and dies by the hand saw. But even for the rest of us, no matter how many electrons we consume in our shops (and I consume my fair share) we all need a couple decent hand saws for the all-too-common tricky cut.

Now we have one more choice when selecting the right saw. Veteran cabinetmaker Mike Wenzloff of Forest Grove, Ore., has recently taken up custom sawmaking as his primary business and his early offerings are excellent. Thanks to his long career as a professional woodworker, Wenzloff’s backsaws are exceptionally functional and a joy to use – the wood, split brass nuts and brass back are expertly finished to a high degree.
I test drove two of his adaptations of the now-vanished Disston No. 9 backsaw – one saw was filed with rip teeth and the other with crosscut teeth. The saws are surprisingly large (201⁄2" long) and heavy (11⁄2 pounds) – both attributes are assets to cutting fast and true. The saws are hand-sharpened and track a line quite well.
The crosscut saw had 14 points per inch; the rip saw had 11 ppi. If you need something different, just ask. Wenzloff makes this saw in a variety of lengths and with 9 to 15 ppi. There also are a variety of wood species you can choose for the handle.

And if the price of the No. 9 is too much, Wenzloff also sells the saw as a nearly finished kit for $110 – you essentially finish shaping the handle and fit it to the blade.In addition to the No. 9 saw, Wenzloff also makes pure custom saws and a halfback saw –  a smallish panel saw with a short brass back. Wenzloff was tweaking the handle of that saw at press time; we’ll give you an update on that saw and its performance in a future issue.
The Wenzloff saws rank up there with other premium makers, including Lie-Nielsen, Adria and Gramercy Tools. And, as a bonus, you can get your saw easily customized to your liking. I think you’ll be as impressed with these saws as I was.

— Christopher Schwarz

More information on these saws from Wenzloff & Sons

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From June 2006 Popular Woodworking

Grizzly’s Baby Drum Sander Rocks

Early in my career I was spoiled forever by a 42"-wide, three-head wide-belt sander. I can’t keep from comparing other sanders to that, and this new drum sander from Grizzly isn’t that kind of machine. But it is, without a doubt, the best value in a thicknessing sander suitable for small-shop use that I have seen. Many small-scale sanders use lightweight materials and leave one end of the machine open to gain  width capacity.  Grizzly has taken a different approach – keep it simple and solid. It has some limitations in capacity and precision, but considering performance and price, this is the machine I want in my shop.

It won’t sand a wide tabletop or a wide assembled door, but it can sand the parts before you put things together. I’d rather put together good parts than risk making more work with an unpredictable machine. I found no sniping or variation across the width from the pieces I sanded with the G0459. It was hard to hit a precise thickness due to the flexibility in the hook-and-loop abrasives, but this flexibility eliminates many of the problems found in rigid drums. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.

Setup was minimal; I needed only to attach the crank handle and dust port. The drum and drive motors had plenty of power and changing the abrasives was simple and painless. The conveyor belt is the same rubber found on industrial machines, and the gear-driven four-post height adjustment operated smoothly.

The pluses outweigh the minuses, but it isn’t a perfect machine. I’d move the speed control to the same side as the other controls, and change the knob that holds the lid down. If the hood were extended down, the dust collection would be improved, and the requirement to tape the ends of the abrasive rolls doesn’t seem right. I can easily live with these shortcomings to gain the performance, ease of use and predictability of this machine.

— Robert Lang

More information on the drum sander from Grizzly

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From June 2006 Popular Woodworking

Dead-on accuracy from a drill press table isn’t necessary for woodworkers. But it sure is nice to be able to hold your work securely, and have a fence that guides the work with convenient stops for repeated cuts. Drill-press manufacturers haven’t bothered to provide such an animal with their machines, so it’s up to us to add it after the fact.

Aftermarket drill press tables either go too far or not far enough. The Quick-Stop LP from Woodpeckers is just about right. Priced at $129 (which is a little higher than we’d prefer, but acceptable) you get a good-sized table with four T-track inserts (two with scales). The tracks support the included two hold-downs (nice, convenient and solid) and a just-right fence.

The fence is a good length for woodworking needs and isn’t so tall that it interferes with the drill press chuck or handles. While the fence provides the necessary height for most drill press activities, there are applications where a taller fence would be advantageous, such as mortising. In those instances an auxilliary fence can be added. The fence is easily adjusted to the left or right with quick-release cam locks and from front to back with knurled knobs. But my favorite features are the two 1"-wide flip stops  – there when you need them, and out of the way easily when you don’t.

Every woodworking drill press should come from the manufacturer complete with a table like this. But until that happens, it’s nice to know that the Woodpeckers Quick-Stop table is there for us.   

— David Thiel

More information on the drill press table from Woodpeckers

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From June 2006 Popular Woodworking

A Bright Addition to the Category

This is the first true router to bear the Ridgid name. A trim router was introduced about one year ago, but this is the one we’ve been waiting for. And for a first router this dual-base model, well … shines! First off, this router performs well. The 12-amp motor with electronic feedback provides plenty of power. I tested edge profiles and  3⁄4"- x 1⁄2"-deep groove cuts in a single pass in white oak with no problems. The motor’s soft start provides a pleasant and safe experience, and the noise level isn’t unpleasant, either.

Both bases have clear baseplates that provide a good view of the work. Even better, a pair of L.E.D. lights mounted to the motor wash the work area in illumination.  Though the motor has a collet lock, Ridgid also included two wrenches. I appreciate this little extra as I find uses for both methods during different routing operations. The plunge base was smooth during use, but I thought the plunge lock flipped too far to the center of the router, making it a reach for my hands to grab while I was  holding on to the handles. I appreciated the addition of a dust-collection-attachment accessory for the plunge base, but with shorter bits the hole in the accessory was too small to allow the collet to reach far enough to make the cut. The depth adjustment was decent, but nothing special. I’d still like to see a micro adjust that works on one of these two-base plunge router kits.

The fixed base comes with a useful centering cone. The base is set up for use in a router table and includes a through-the-base adjustment mechanism. One upgrade might be to have indicator marks on the wrench and the base to gauge the changes in bit height in a router table. This feature is offered when using the router freehand. The quick bypass on the depth adjustment is nice, allowing fast adjustments with or without the fine-adjust mechanism in play.

The Ridgid R2930 is a good addition to the dual-base router category. It’s priced competitively and with the added bonus of work lights, it stands apart from the crowd. 
 
— David Thiel

More information on this tool from Ridgid

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Why joints fail and why woodworkers fail as scientists

Whenever my late Uncle Archie came to visit, he would drive my mother crazy with where he chose to sit. He was a big man, weighing over 350 pounds and he invariably would choose a small, delicate Queen Anne reproduction from the 1890s with a needlepoint seat. Maybe he enjoyed making my mom gasp with fear or maybe he just liked sitting in a chair that he sat in as a kid. In any case, that little chair never complained, never creaked and never failed. It was made by a man who knew his trade. Luckily for the chair, my mom's peace of mind and my uncle's pride, the chair maker didn't rely on information he read in a magazine somewhere.

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is what's the best/strongest/correct joint to use in woodworking? The answer usually starts with several other questions. What's the application? What wood? What are your skills? What tools do you have available? With those variables in mind, you can make an intelligent choice, but there will be several options that are all "more than strong enough." It's a multiple choice question with multiple correct answers.

Most woodworking joints have evolved over thousands of years. Woodworkers learned to make them based on their own experience, and the experience of the people who taught them. To make successful joints you need a little experience, a basic knowledge of the workings of wood and glue, and a bit of common sense. But in the 21st century we want a definitive answer. We want numbers and we want proof. We want something in writing we can point to when we're not sure of ourselves.

Like other magazines, we have tested joints to destruction.

The last time we did it was in December 2005, and our weapon of choice was the anvil. It was a silly notion, and the point of the tomfoolery was that pseudo-scientific testing in a magazine is a rather pointless endeavor. There are so many variables in material, techniques and proportions of joints that gathering meaningful data would require thousands of samples and take months if not years to complete. If you only break a few joints, you might well be measuring the quality of the raw material, the skill of the guy who put things together, or several other variables that have nothing to do with what you want to learn.

Which doesn't mean the anvil test was meaningless. It did show us some surprising things, notably how good today's glues are, and how important it is to consider proportions of joints in the context of the pieces being joined. We knew going into the test that a well-made draw-bored mortise-and-tenon joint is incredibly strong, and that dowel joints almost always fail eventually. We now know a bit more about how and why and we had some fun doing it. But it bothers us when we see a test that takes itself too seriously, or when joints are labeled as "not so good" when the flaw is in the size and placement of the components, or of the wood rather than the joint.

If woodworking were more science than art, it wouldn’t be as much fun. If you want to read the “Anvil Test” click here. Keep in mind that it was written by a woodworker, not an engineer in destructive testing. It contains a lot of good information about different joints, but it doesn’t reveal which is the best/strongest/correct joint. I hope it makes you smile and make you think about how you approach the craft. That’s the whole idea.

— Bob Lang

From August 2006 Popular Woodworking

Exquisite!

I’ve long been a fan of large shoulder planes and have many miles on my Lie-Nielsen 073, which I bought the first day it was available. So I wasn’t sure I needed the company’s new 3⁄4" shoulder plane when I ordered it. Surprisingly, the medium shoulder plane gets as much use as the bigger tool. The 3⁄4" width gets this tool into the bottoms of dados to clean out the unevenness or junk left by coarser tools. At 2.3 pounds, it weighs almost two pounds less than its bigger brother, which makes it a bit easier to wield when working narrow stock and small rabbets.


And, of course, it excels at its primary job – trimming tenon shoulders and cheeks.
Like all Lie-Nielsen tools, the medium shoulder plane is made to high standards. I placed a straightedge on the sole and it revealed that it was perfect. Then I placed a machinist’s square on the sidewalls to check their orientation to the sole. If the sidewalls aren’t perfect to the sole the tool will never work quite right. Both sidewalls were dead-on perfect all along the tool’s body.
The real surprise was the iron. With most tools, I’ve come to expect some serious work to flatten and polish the unbeveled face of the iron. Lately, I’ve found Lie-Nielsen (and its competitor, Veritas) to have irons that require almost no work. This one took a scant five minutes to sharpen and go. That’s worth something in my book.

Which brings me to the price: $175. You might be able to buy a vintage Preston, Record or Stanley shoulder plane for a bit less, but I ask you: How will you true up the sole or sidewalls if they’re not perfect? With the modern tools, you can send back the ones that aren’t perfect. And for those of us who prefer woodworking to metalworking (a show of hands, please) the price is incidental. Especially when you take into account this is the last one you’ll ever have to buy.

— Christopher Schwarz

More information on the Medium Shoulder Plane from Lie-Nielsen

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From August 2006 Popular Woodworking

In a world of mid-sized routers offering both a fixed and plunge base, the Triton MOF001KC is a competitively priced, dedicated plunge with lots of features. It’s a scaled down version of the 31⁄4  hp TRC001 plunge router, and offers all of the same features.

The MOF001KC has three plunge modes: free plunge, handle winder and micro adjust. The free plunge is just as it sounds and is selected by fully depressing the orange “plunge mode” button in the center of the right handle. The lever lock now controls the position of the plunge. To use the router with a more controlled plunge action, release the plunge mode button and pull the winder clutch ring (positioned on the inside of the right handle) toward the handle and then rotate the handle to move the motor up or down. Micro adjust is possible when in the winder mode by turning the micro-winder knob at the top of the router. The plunge options take a little getting used to, but once familiar, I found them handy.

 The MOF001KC is also designed for use in a router table. When in place, the micro adjust is accessed through the back with the included winder handle. When changing bits (in or out of a table) the collet is easily reached by fully extending the collet through the base. When fully extended, a collet lock engages so only a single wrench is required. Another feature for table use is the ability to easily remove the return spring, making in-table height adjustments easier.

The Triton router is outfitted with efficient at-the-base dust collection and a below-the-base dust shroud. The variable-speed motor is equipped with soft start and a power switch door that remains in the open position when the router is on. Both are good safety features. The router also comes with 1⁄4" and 1⁄2" collets, a seven-piece template guide kit, fence and circle cutter.

I found the MOF001KC router a bit loud  (91 decibels), but it performed well. It’s slightly larger than some of the competition, but overall felt good during use. The many features are an advantage, but may seem overwhelming until you become familiar with them.

 — David Thiel

More information on this router from Triton

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From August 2006 Popular Woodworking

Dado Wiz Zeros in on Perfect Fit for Dados or Grooves

Our staff has an ongoing discussion about  the best way to make dados. Whether using a dado stack or router, the trick is getting the dado or groove the proper thickness to match the material. I prefer using a router; that’s why I was pleased to learn about the
The Dado Wiz (the black plate shown at right) locks to most clamps and guides (5⁄8" thickness maximum). Temporary pins are put in place on the Wiz and a sample piece is used to adjust the guide to perfectly fit the shelf or divider material.

The included brass template guide and your 1⁄4", 3⁄8" or 1⁄2" router bit is then used to make two passes (one up, one back) to make a perfectly sized groove or dado with a single setup. The Dado Wiz slides on your guide during the cut, controlling the position of the bit.
The Dado Wiz efficiently answers a need when routing dados. It does come at a price that’s a little steep, but if you prefer routed dados, this jig belongs in your shop.

— David Thiel

More information on the Dado Wiz from Woodline

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