Popular Woodworking 2004-11 № 144, страница 33
Penn State Dust Collector Muffler Every woodworker is aware of how important dust collection is for the safety of your lungs. But every one of us has spent time talking over the noise from a dust collector as well. How about knocking five to 10 decibels off that noisy dust collector and saving your hearing? The Suppressor from Penn State Industries took seven decibels off the Delta single-bag collector in our shop. Seven decibels may not sound like a lot, but decibel increase and decrease is calculated as a logarithm, so this "slight" change is the difference between annoying and dangerous. The Suppressor works a lot like the silencer on a gun, fitting on the dust collector at the intake connection. The metal cylinder is double-walled with acoustic insulation between the walls. In testing in our shop we saw a change from 82 dB to 75 dB with the device in place. Installation is fairly simple (though permanent) using a bead of silicone caulk to seal one end to your machine. Then a hose is added between the 5" connector at the other end and the bag section on your machine. Connections may vary depending on your machine, and a side attachment may require a couple of rivets as well as silicone, but it really works. — David Thiel For more information, circle #181 on Free Information Card. Splitter will Save Your Bacon If you don't have a splitter on your table saw, put down the magazine when you finish reading this review and order a Micro Jig Splitter. For about $20 and 30 minutes of your time you can make your saw significantly safer. The splitter - a small wafer of tough polycarbonate plastic - fits snugly behind your blade to greatly reduce the chance of kickback. And - most importantly - it's easy to remove and replace when you need to make dado, bevel or through-cuts. Because this device is so simple to remove and replace you'll actually use it (unlike the unwieldy stock splitters). The Micro Jig Splitter works only with V8"-wide saw blades and you need a zero-clearance insert to make it work. The package includes everything you need to install the j ig (even the drill bit) plus excellent instructions. Also worth noting is that the Micro Jig actually comes with two splitters, and each face exerts a different amount of pressure against your stock and the rip fence. This 'vLl SPECIFICATIONS The Suppressor (SUP1000) Street price: $80 Performance: •••OO Price range: $$$$$ Penn State Industries: 800-377-7297 or pennstateind.com SPECIFICATIONS Micro Jig Splitter Street price: $20 Description: Splitters included: 2; each face exerts different pressure in .003" increments Performance: ••••• Price range: $ Micro Jig: 407-696-6695 or microjig.com allows the splitter to function as a mini-featherboard, adding accuracy to your rips. Few products are for every woodworker, but this one is. I highly recommend it. — CS For more information, circle #182 on Free Information Card. AMANA IN-STILE & RAIL Making a flat-panel door using plywood should simplify the door-making process, but plywood thicknesses can vary, complicating the process. Amana's In-Stile and Rail system uses spacers and shims to adjust both the rail and stile cutters to perfectly fit the thickness of your plywood. Each well-made, two-piece set will accommodate V4" and V2" plywood material. In Vn", the panel groove will adjust from 3/i6" to 9/32". In V2" the groove adjusts from 7/16" to 17/32". Available in concave, bead or ogee profiles, each set is mounted on V2"-diameter shanks and can shape door frames from 5/s" to 1V8" thick. Just as with a dado stack that uses shims, the bit sets will require some fine-tuning until the perfect thickness setting is achieved. Amana has made this easier by including detailed drawings of the bits and how they should be arranged, calling out specific thicknesses for each of the shims and spacers. The In-Stile and Rail sets sell for about $155. This isn't a set you buy on a whim, but if your woodworking involves plywood panel doors, these bits will improve the fit and reduce the rattle. For more information, visit the Amana web site at amanatool.com. —DT For more information, circle #183 on Free Information Card. ABOUT OUR 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. — David Thiel, senior editor popwood.com 31 |
