Popular Woodworking 2000-04 № 114, страница 56
Tool Test Continued from page 68 Performance: ••••O Value: ••••O Porter-Cable, 800-487-8665, or www.porter-cable.com Portei^Cable Revamps its 12-volt Cordless Drills for Improved Comfort and Performance Porter-Cable has redesigned and repackaged its line of 12-volt cordless drills to offer greater run time and torque. In an independent lab test commissioned by Porter-Cable, the new 12-volt unit sank 153 wood screws in a single charge (25 more than the closest competitor), 49 3" lag screws (16 more than the closest competitor) and drilled 42 holes with a 7/s" auger bit (eight more than the closest competitor). Boasting 330 inch-pounds of torque, the 9866 offers two speed ranges (0-400 rpm and 0-1200 rpm), a 20-position clutch and an electric brake. Powered by high-capacity 2-amp-hour NiCd batteries, the 3/8" drill is available in three kits. The 9866 includes a drill, charger, two batteries and a case for $140. The 9866F includes all of the above plus the model 869 cordless flashlight for $150. The 9866S replaces the flashlight with a 3.6-volt cordless in-line screwdriver for $155. Porter-Cable changed the shape and battery of the drill as well, improving the grip and converting the battery to a slide-on-from-the-rear attachment, which we like. The drill feels great, performs like a trooper and quite honestly, the 3.6-volt screwdriver is the best we've tried. It performs like a tool, not a toy. This is a great redesign and makes it a smart tool for workbench or job-site applications. For more info., circle #182 on the Resource Directory Coupon. Cut Your Curves Instead of Sanding Them I've always wanted to buy an oscillating spindle sander to shape curves that I've cut with my band saw. But I've never had the cash. So I bought one of those inexpensive drum sanders that attaches to your drill press. It works OK, but now there's something better. Microplanes look like the drum sander you chuck into your drill press, but instead of sandpaper, there are rows of tiny sharp teeth that look like a cheese grater. These teeth slice the wood instead of abrading it. The result is there's no dust flying in your face. Instead, tiny chips fall to the floor. And you also don't have to worry about burning the sandpaper on the drum by staying in one place for too long. In all fairness, it seemed to me that the Microplane Rotary Shaper cuts slower than an oscillating spindle sander. Plus, the finished surface still needs some finish sanding, especially on end grain. But the lack of dust (and the inexpensive price) more than makes up for these small faults. Microplane Rotary Shapers are available in three sizes: 1", 11/2" and 2" diameters. You also can buy rasps, hacksaw blades, Surform soles and yes, even kitchen graters for hard cheeses and garlic that use the Microplane technology. So if you've cooked one too many sanding sleeves, it's time to take a look at the Microplane. At about $20, you can't lose. PW For more information, circle #183 on the Resource Directory Coupon. Performance: ••••O Value: ••••O Microplane 501- 968-5455 www.microplane.com 70 12 Popular Woodworking April 2000 toolScoop PORTER-CABLE ADDS NEW MITER saws To LinE Planned for release in March are two new miter saws from Porter-Cable.This category has been small and intermittent in the company's product line, but with the new 12" #3802 compound miter saw and the 10" #3807 sliding compound miter saw (shown above)we expect to see products with mass appeal and staying power in the marketplace. While not available for testing yet, here are some of the specifics: Selling for about $530,the #3807 features a 15-amp, 5,000 rpm motor with electric brake, dual-rod linear ball-bearing guide system and will miter a 2 x 12 at 90 degrees and a 4 x 4 at 45 degrees. The 12" model 3802 (costing about $350) offers a 15-amp, 3,500 rpm motor with electric brake and will miter a 2 x 8 at 90 degrees and a 4 x 4 at 45 degrees. As soon as we get our hands on these tools we'll let you know how they perform. HEiRLoom sta-sharp tools A newly announced metallurgical advance from Heirloom Tools is reported to increase the life expectancy of carbide-tipped blades and bits by at least 50 percent.This improvement comes from an eight-step process that bonds the molecular structure of materials more tightly.The treated saw blades still get dull, but not as quickly,and with proper instruction, less material needs to be removed during sharp-ening.This extends the life of the blade, as well as the useful life of the sharpening. Heirloom Tools does not manufacture blades, but rather performs the Sta-Sharp process on existing quality blades and bits.The cost for the process is the difference between retail price and list price for currently available blades and bits. For example,a Sta-Sharp-treated Wisconsin Knife Works (WKW) 60-tooth triple-chip 10" saw blade would cost about $75. We have one of the blades and are anxiously testing it for future publi-cation.We'll let you know what we find. For more information, visit www.heirloomtools.com or call 513-576-0336. |
