Popular Woodworking 2003-12 № 138, страница 34
Tool Test Trend Airshield Protects Against Dust and Debris A face shield was one piece of safety equipment I never made a habit of using. Then I took up turning and my perception changed quickly. Not only did flying chips and fine dust get my attention, but the very real possibility of a chunk of wood flying off the lathe pushed my safety button. It seems every turner has at least one such horror story. I was about to buy a typical face shield, aware that fogging and dusty insides are an unfortunate reality, when I discovered the Airshield by Trend, an established British company just entering the U.S. market. I've had a chance to use the Airshield for several months now, and not only do I find myself reaching for it when I'm firing up the lathe, but also when doing dusty routing operations, extended table-saw work and re-sawing on the band saw. The polycarbonate visor does a fine job of protecting the face, but where the Airshield excels is in preventing the inhalation of ambient fine dust. This is accomplished by the filtration of intake air (minimum 4.94 cubic feet per minute) drawn into the enclosed shield area by an on-board, lightweight battery-powered fan. The fan creates positive air pressure inside the shield to push out rascally dust that might leak in around the seals between the shield and the user's head. As a very pleasant side benefit, the airflow is pleasantly cool, even in hot weather. There's one downside to the Airshield: The new mask gives off an unpleasant, but not overwhelming, smell. In time, this smell dissipates, and I'm confident it eventually will go away altogether. Think of it as the opposite of a new car's smell. The total headgear weighs only 1.62 pounds and the Swiss-made fan motor is quiet. It is powered by a rechargeable four-hour NiCad battery (which is included with the Airshield). You can add a second battery pack for eight hours of service. The flexible and adjustable face seal fits comfortably as it guards against dust entering the face area. The head strap adjusts in two directions to a maximum size of 241/2". The Airshield comes with a charger, main filter, pre-filter, airflow indicator, visor overlay and bag. — Steve Shanesy For more information, circle #170 on Free information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Trend Airshield Street price: $275 Battery time: Four hours (eight-hour optional) Motor sound level: 70 db Weight: 1.62 lbs. Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$$ Trend Machinery: 859-485-2080 or trend-usa.com or airwareamerica.com Primus Smoothing Plane a High-tech Woodie When it comes to hand tools, I've always been torn between the heritage of my mother (mostly British) and my father (all German). Usually the British side wins out, as I prefer backsaws to frame saws, for example. But lately I've been intrigued by the German wooden planes from E.C. Emmerich that approach planing a bit differently than the familiar Stanley/Bailey-style planes. I tested the E.C.E. Primus Reform smoothing plane, the Mercedes-Benz of the E.C.E. line. This 87/b" -long plane has a cherry body that's wedded to a dense, hard-wearing sole made from lignum vitae. The iron is 17/b" wide and almost Vb" thick. Some of the differences between this plane and traditional metal planes were quite nice. The iron is bedded at 50° instead of the 45° found on Stanley bench planes. This higher angle is better for woods that are curly or inherently difficult to plane. You'll experience less tear-out. Also nice is the adjustable throat. With most Stanley planes you have to disassemble the tool to move the frog forward and close the throat. On the E.C.E all you do is loosen a screw and nudge the mouthpiece where you want it. The blade-adjustment mechanism is smooth and sweet with zero backlash. And the weight of the tool made it easy to use all day. On the downside, I didn't much care for the mechanism that pivots the iron left-to-right (called "lateral adjustment" by some). The lever did not give me as much finesse as simply tapping the iron lightly with a hammer. Finally, as with all wooden planes, there is a lot more maintenance necessary with the sole. Whenever the seasons change you need to true the sole or the plane won't work right. Generally, this plane is less expensive than other high-end smoothers from Lie-Nielsen and Clifton. That, and its unique set of features, make it worth a serious look. — Christopher Schwarz SPECIFICATIONS Primus Reform Smoothing Plane Street price: $175 Weight: 2 lbs. 7 oz. Made in: Germany Performance: ••••O Price range: $$$ David Warren Direct: 800-724-7758 or ecemmerich.com For more information, circle #171 on Free information Card. continued on page 34 32 Popular Woodworking December 2003 |
