Popular Woodworking 2003-12 № 138, страница 91

Festool PS300EQ Trion Jigsaw

Festool's newest jigsaw design has the best toolless blade-changing system we've seen. The fancy lever-assisted device moves the blade forward to clear the blade guides and completely releases the jaws from the blade. It is simple and effortless.

The 6-amp variable-speed motor provides excellent power for all your cutting needs, and the forked-guide system for the blade - with its adjustable carbide pads and rear-bearing support - gives superior blade support and results in minimal blade deflection.

Other nice features include the detachable

13' high-quality rubber power cord. It's great if you ever need to replace the cord, and it makes storing the tool even easier. The jigsaw's shoe bevels to 45° to the left or right and uses an onboard wrench to adjust. The Trion is one of the lightest and fastest-cutting orbital jigsaws on the market, making user fatigue less of a concern.

Available in either the barrel-grip model shown or in a top-handle design (PSB300EQ), the jigsaws cost $250. It's just about the most expensive jigsaw available, but it really is German (and Festool) craftsmanship at its best. — DT

Contact Festool at 888-337-8600 or festool-usa.com

Lie-Nielsen Boggs Spokeshave

Once you learn how to tune up a spokeshave, the world of curves is opened wide for you. The problem is that most modern spokeshaves are so poorly made they're more useful for tenderizing a steak than woodworking. Lie-Nielsen Toolworks has changed that with the design assistance of chair-maker Brian Boggs. This new spokeshave puts most modern shaves to shame.

The tool is heavy (12 ounces of bronze, steel and hickory) but it's comfortable and balanced during use. The Vs" -thick A2 cutter is bedded in the body better than any spokeshave we've ever seen. Combine that with the massive bronze cap that holds the cutter in place and it's no wonder that

you get wispy shavings after a quick honing of the cutter.

Every shop needs at least one spokeshave. They can fair a band-sawn curve faster than any oscillating spindle sander. They can shape curved and rounded surfaces (think about cabriole legs) with more precision than any other tool I know. And they are indispensible for making chairs. While some people might balk at the $125 price tag (most spokeshaves cost between $25 and $85) the truth of the matter is that this tool is worth all that and more. — CS

Contact Lie-Nielsen at 800-327-2520 or lie-nielsen.com

Shapton Sharpening Stones

When choosing a sharpening system, most woodworkers are bewildered by the wide range of options available. So know this: The best all-around sharpening system we've ever tried is the Shapton "professional series" line. Compared to waterstones, Shaptons cut as fast (or faster), wear much more slowly and don't have to be soaked before use -just squirt some water and go.

I guess it's fair to say I like them the most because I have to mess with them the least. Sharpening is extraordinarily quick, so I'm not leaning over them forever as I try to get a good edge. And because they wear

more slowly, flattening them is quick and painless.

Shaptons have been sold in Japan for 20 years but have exploded in the American market this year with the introduction of the professional line, which contains 10 different stones.

For the woodworker, you really need three stones: the #1,000, the #5,000 and the #8,000 grit. The Shapton cast-iron lapping plate also is nice for flattening the stones, but you can get great results with an extra-coarse diamond stone, too. The Shapton system is pricey ($49 for #1,000, $76 for #5,000 and $95 for #8,000), but I believe it's a bargain compared to traditional waterstones, which quickly dish and wear out. — CS

Contact Shapton USA at 877-MYBENCH (692-3624) or shaptonstones.com

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108 Popular Woodworking December 2003