Popular Woodworking 2004-10 № 143, страница 33
Dadonator Makes the Cut After months of testing the new Dadonator stack dado set from Infinity Cutting Tools I'm convinced this tooling gives you a premium cut at a less-than-premium price. I tested this dado set against sets from Freud and Forrest, and found that the Dadonator held its own. The bottoms of the cuts were just as flat and smooth, and the edges were as free from splinters as in the higher-priced tools. One unique feature of the Dadonator is that the chippers have six teeth instead of the four found on other premium sets. These extra teeth, the tooth geometry and the precise machining make for very smooth cuts in both plywood and solid wood. A couple of things to note: This 8" set isn't exactly 8" in diameter, more like 7 7/8". And the j oints produced by the Dadonator (without shims) were between .008" to .01" undersized on our saw, something that is readily remedied with the included shims and is common among other stack dado sets, too. Bottom line: It's a good tool at a good price. — CS SPECIFICATIONS Dadonator Street price: $180 Outer blades: 8", 24-tooth, -5° hook Chippers: 1 - 3/32"; 4 - Vs"; 1- Vi6" Performance: ••••O Price range: $$$$$ Infinity Cutting Tools: 800-430-9920 or infinitytools.com For more information, circle #179 on Free Information Card. Noden Adjust-A-Bench Because woodworkers come in a variety of heights, one bench height doesn't satisfy all. And the perfect-height workbench is a moving target - the height is always wrong for some project. The Adjust-A-Bench satisfies all. Capable of adjusting from about 27" to just under 44" tall (with 12 locking positions in between), the bench base changes heights simply, with no motors or hydraulics. Lift from each end a few notches at a time until you've reached your optimal height. A foot pedal releases the locking bar to lower the top. Assembly does require some time and extra materials. Because the bench length is adjustable to meet your needs, you provide the bench vises, wood stretchers and threaded rods for assembly between the leg sets. Because of the adjustable height, I was a little skeptical of the bench's stability, but it provides a solid, heavy-duty work surface. By adding the optional caster set, the bench is quickly portable and still easy to lower into a solid working position. Though the bench base is pricey, after using it for a couple of months in the shop, I feel the money was well spent - even after buying the SPECIFICATIONS Adjust-A-Bench Street price: $380, top and stretchers not included Caster set: $160 Performance: ••••O Price range: $$$$$ Adjust-A-Bench: 609-882-3300 or geocities.com/adjustabench casters. The Adjust-A-Bench is always just the right height and always in the right location for whatever the job. — DT For more information, circle #180 on Free Information Card. VERITAS BULLNOSE IS PRECISE, VERSATILE Bullnose planes are workhorses in my shop. They're ideal for cleaning and fine-tuning rabbets or flushing up the fit of sides and dividers in an assembled cabinet. Plus, with the front toe piece of the tool removed, a bullnose plane acts as a pretty good chisel plane to clean up glue or waste in corners. The new bullnose shoulder plane from Veritas has improved on the vintage version of this tool by adding some quality features. Set screws on the sides and a Norris-style adjuster help position your iron more accurately. And the mouth of the tool is adjustable thanks to a small screw in the toe piece. This screw also acts as a stop to prevent damage to the iron when installing the toe piece. The plane wasn't difficult to set up. The sole was .0015" hollow under the toe, which I quickly lapped flat. The 1 "-wide iron was in good shape and took less than 20 minutes to prepare for use. The sides were ground perfectly square to the sole - a key indicator of quality. Compared to vintage bullnose planes, the Veritas is heavier at 1 lb. 4 oz., more comfortable and far more precise. — CS Street price: $130, item #05P42.01 Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$$ Lee Valley: 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com CIRCLE NO. 183 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD. TOOL RATINGS Performance is rated on a one-to-five scale. You won't see a low rating ("one or two") because we don't publicize inferior tools. "Five" indicates the leader in the category. Five dollar signs indicates highest price in the category. Three indicates an average price. If you have tool questions, call me at 513-531-2690 ext. 1255, or e-mail me at david.thiel@fwpubs.com. Or visit our web site at popwood.com to sign up for our free e-mail newsletter. Photos by Al Parrish, PW staff and courtesy of manufacturers. — David Thiel, senior editor popwood.com 31 |
