Popular Woodworking 2003-11 № 137, страница 17
Some dovetail jigs promise you everything... The Keller Dovetail System only promises what it can deliver. Fast setup. No test cuts. Precision joinery. Unlimited widths. Classic and variable spacing. Compound, acute and obtuse angles. Curved dovetails. Box joints. Made in USA since 1976. 20-yr. warranty. 30-day money-back guarantee. "Your best choice. It's the easiest of all the jigs to use and great for production use." -Woodworker's Journal VIDEO: $8.95 + $2 P/H KELLER & CO. 1327 'I' Street, Dept. P113 Petaluma, CA 94952 1-800-995-2456 707-763-9336 Keller Dovetail System Simple. Fast. Accurate. Enjoyable! CIRCLE NO. 128 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD. CIRCLE NO. 100 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD. Questions About QuickCAD I really enjoyed your article about AutoCad's QuickCAD (June 2003) and I have purchased the software. I'm very computer literate and also did some detailed drafting a couple of years ago, but I have no CAD experience. I intend to learn to use QuickCAD and create detailed plans of projects that will be somewhat complex, such as an executive desk and credenza. I intend to market the plans, so they must be very professional and a cut above the average in clarity and ease of comprehension. My questions are: 1. Is QuickCAD everything I need for plans of this type? 2. Is QuickCAD easier to learn than AutoCAD's higher-end software? 3. Does QuickCAD print to large-format printers as well as the small-format ones that you applauded in your article? Ed Hobbs Houston, Texas QuickCAD is no more or less difficult to master in the realm of two-dimensional drawings than AutoCAD. You'll have to remember, however, that QuickCAD is only a 2-D program. You can create isometric drawings that appear three-dimensional, but they're still just static 2-D illustrations. The isometric drawings I did for the article were done independently of the 2-D straight plan drawings. I've been bombarded with e-mail messages asking where the magic button is that will snap everything into a 3-D drawing. Unfortunately, there isn't one. To get that option, you need to move up to something such as TurboCAD. QuickCAD will print to any plotting device. The in-depth instruction manual should be able to give you guidance there. I can't really answer your question about QuickCAD being "good enough" for what you want to do because the phrase "good enough" is so subjective. I use AutoCAD 2000 for all of my magazine illustrations. The ability to run 2-D and 3-D simultaneously is a delight. It does, however, come with a price. The cost of the current edition of AutoCAD is $3,595. Yikes! I use it only because I'm an architect (illustrating is my second job and passion) and AutoCAD is the universal language of architecture. I'll summarize by saying that the QuickCAD program will always be my software-of-choice in its price range. —John Hutchinson, project illustrator Why are Some Planes So Expensive? I'd like the straight poop on handplanes. I remember getting instruction on the use of them during woodshop class in junior high school back in the early 1970s. I can guarantee you the school system did not shell out big bucks for those planes. When I go to Lowe's, I see Stanley planes for anywhere from $20 to $50. In woodworking magazines I see all these fancy planes selling for anywhere from $60 to hundreds of dollars. What's the deal with these expensive planes? I think having a block plane for my projects would be a good idea, but I sure can't see spending hundreds on one. Why are the expensive ones so much better than a low-cost Stanley plane? I can't imagine it being worth the extra money for occasional use on small projects. What is your opinion? Lane Wallace Knoxville, Tennessee A sharp well-tuned block plane is an asset in any shop. But if you're not building a lot of furniture, your best bet is to find an older block plane at a flea market. Inexpensive new planes are poorly made and require more tuning than vintage ones. Look for an old Stanley, such as a with no chips, cracks or major rust. These are pretty common and inexpensive ($5 to $15). You can read about every plane Stanley made at Patrick Leach's excellent web site, www.supertool.com. For woodworkers who expect to use their planes a lot, a vintage plane is still a good option, though you have to learn to restore it before you can use it - which is an obsession unto itself. I've brought a lot of old planes back to life in my time, but some years ago I decided I liked woodworking more than fixing old tools. I switched to the more expensive new tools and have never regretted it. Tools made by Lie-Nielsen, Veritas, Clifton and others are better-made, better-machined and work extremely well. After a couple of years, you'll forget what you paid for it and just be glad you own it. PW — Christopher Schwarz, executive editor 16 Popular Woodworking November 2003 |
