Popular Woodworking 2003-11 № 137, страница 29
Tool Test Fisch Oscillating Belt/Disc Sander - No Burns, No Dust Most woodworkers are familiar with the value of a belt/disc sander. They're also familiar with the problems of belt/disc sanders that are designed for metalworking and run at speeds that are too high, burning the wood they're shaping. Fisch Precision Tools has an answer that goes a step further. The new BDS-612001 Multi Sander offers the traditional 6" x 48" belt sander and 12" disc sander. But the designers also slowed the motor down to woodworking speeds, making burning wood nearly impossible. They've also added a very nice innovation to the belt sander by including an oscillation mechanism to move the belt 3/4" back and forth, further reducing the chance of burning and extending the life of the belt. There's one other thing woodworkers expect from a belt/disc sander - a lot of dust. While many manufacturers have added dust collection ports, they don't really seem to do the job. Fisch has added two ports, positioned correctly to do the most good. While you do have to move the hose connection from port-to-port or use two separate hoses, working dust-free is worth the effort. Of course, this is a quality sander in its own right, with a 11/2-hp motor that doesn't bog down under tough sanding. The beefy cast-iron tilting tables are ample to support the work, with the belt table measuring 6" x 10" and the disc table is 7" x 16". The belt sander transitions smoothly between either a horizontal or vertical stance. A wrench is required to make the transition, and while we would have liked to have seen this a toolless operation, the positive lock-down of the wrench will keep the arm from moving out of position. The base is an enclosed cabinet with the motor mounted inside (but still easily accessible). At 189 pounds, you won't have to worry about pushing the machine around your shop while you are sanding. The Fisch Multi Sander is priced to compete with other belt/disc sanders. But when you take into consideration the woodworking-friendly speed, oscillating mechanism on the belt sander and the efficient dust collection, we see the Fisch as an obvious choice. — David Thiel For more information, circle #175 on Free information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Fisch BDS-612001 Multi Sander Street price: $700 Surfaces: Belt - 6" x 48"; Disc - 12" Motor: hp, 3,400 rpm Oscillation travel: 3/4" Speeds: Belt - 1,570 square feet per minute; Disc - 2,000 rpm Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$ Fisch Precision Tools: 724-663-9072 or fisch-woodworking.com Ashley Iles American-pattern Bevel-edge Chisels When we tested 20 brands of bench chisels in 2001, the staff favorites - far and away - were the British-made Ashley Iles chisels. The steel took a keen edge and kept it through many abusive rounds of chopping out dovetail pins in white oak. The only complaint among some testers was that the handle was a bit beefy and bulbous. After two years of daily use in my shop at home, I sometimes wish the tools were a bit shorter when doing fine work. I got my wish. The new bench chisels from Ashley Iles are made using the same tough steel, but these are a bit shorter and have smaller-size bubinga handles. As a result, these chisels feel better in medium- and small-sized hands and are well-balanced for precision work, especially when removing waste between dovetail pins and tails. Like their bigger brothers, these American-pattern chisels are well-manufactured. The face of the blade (sometimes called the back) required very little work to get it flat and mirror-polished. The chisels have obviously been carefully heat-treated because they were both hard (we measured 59 on the Rockwell "C" scale) and tough - they hold an edge like a Japanese chisel. The handles are nicely turned and the bubinga is tough enough for the mild sort of mallet work that bench chisels are designed for. But perhaps most amazing is the price of these beauties. A set of six chisels (H" wide to 1") is just $100.82. A complete set of 11 chisels (1/8" wide to a whopping 2") is only $211.55. You could pay more money and not get chisels of this quality. We're impressed. — Christopher Schwarz For more information, circle #176 on Free information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Ashley Iles American-pattern Bevel-edge Chisels Street price: Set of six costs $100.82 Sizes available: 1/s" to 2" Hardness: 59 Rc Handles: Bubinga Performance: ••••£ Price range: $$ Tools for Working Wood: 800-426-4613 or toolsforworkingwood.com 28 Popular Woodworking November 2003 |
