Popular Woodworking 2003-10 № 136, страница 12

Popular Woodworking 2003-10 № 136, страница 12

Get off to a great start

Letters

The MultiMaster Super Case

The new metal FEIPN MultiMaster Super Case has plenty of room to carry a selection of accessories and sandpaper. Contains:

• Felt Polishing Pad • Rasp

• 133 E-Cut blade • Grout blade

• Convex blade • Mini E-Cut set

MultiMaster Tile Kit

Now you can remove cracked or chipped ceramic tile or old grout The Multi-Master Tile Kit contains a Thin Carbide Blade, Normal Carbide Blade, Thick Carbide Blade, Carbide Rasp and 127 E-Cut Blade. Call 1-800-441-9878 or visit www.feinus.com now!

CIRCLE NO. 116 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD.

Dumb Mistakes Can Strike Us All, Right?

When Mounting Your Saw Blade, Make Sure You Know Front from Back

In regards to your article "The 16 Dumbest Woodworking Mistakes" (August 2003), here's another one to watch out for: mounting a saw blade backwards on your table, radial arm, miter or circular saw.

After using a masonry blade to cut some flat stone with my old 12" radial-arm saw, I remounted the saw blade and tried to crosscut a piece. The blade entered the cut, then stalled and started to smoke. Puzzled about why a sharp blade refused to cut, I removed it, looked over the perfectly sharp teeth and remounted it on the saw.

Same result. Then I looked again: The teeth were backwards! Now that's dumb.

Reversing the blade solved the problem, and that old blade is still cutting clean.

Barney Howard Sisters, Oregon

It's Not Really Dumb if You Have Learned Your Lesson

I'm afraid I don't agree with the title of your article "The 16 Dumbest Woodworking Mistakes." In my opinion, there are only two types of "dumb" mistakes: Those you don't learn from, and those you knew you were making but went ahead with anyway because it took too long to do things the right way. Most accidents come from the second type. A better headline would have been "16 Common Mistakes You Can Avoid."

Michael R. Turner Renton, Washington

Endurance Test Doesn't Give Fair Account of Tools' Values

I have been a faithful reader of your magazine because I greatly enjoy the articles by your senior editors and contributing editors. My skills are not up to the projects of Glen Huey and Troy Sexton, but I read their articles to get ideas.

However, when you venture into product endorsement by way of your Endurance Test, you raise my suspicions about your objectivity and lack of a comparative basis for your endorsement. The June 2003 issue with the testimonials to Titebond II and Bessey Tradesmen Clamps is a good example. They add nothing to the overall quality of your magazine and, in fact, detract from it. Who cares what you use in your shop when there is no comparison test? You probably got the product for free or, if you bought the product, the cost is a business expense.

Moreover, the statement in the clamp section that you get what you pay for is not a helpful rule of thumb. I do not have unlimited funds at my disposal - I need to know what product will get the job done at the lowest price. I do not ordinarily make wooden objects to sit outside, nor do I build a small volume of projects a year, so I would like to know what the bond strength and open time are for Titebond as well as its competitors.

The clamp section of the test report was more of the same. I believe that Besseys are overpriced. My belief, if erroneous, could have been corrected and my knowledge continued on page 14

WRITE TO US

Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from readers with comments about the magazine or woodworking in general. We try to respond to all correspondence. Published letters may be edited for length or style. All letters become the property of Popular Woodworking. How to send your letter:

• E-mail: popwood@fwpubs.com

• Fax:513-891-7196

• Mail carrier:

Letters • Popular Woodworking 4700 E. Galbraith Road Cincinnati, OH 45236

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Popular Woodworking October 2003