Popular Woodworking 2004-12 № 145, страница 59
JOINTECH Digital Router Lift Jointech 800-619-1288 or jointech.com I was impressed with the Jointech SmartLift Digital Router lift even before putting a router in it. The digital readout allows you to set the height of the router bit to ViOOO" (or Vioomm) simply by turning the handle and looking at the digital readout on the insert plate. If you like, you can reset the zero point at any time, and accurately move the router up or down a specific amount. Want to cut a VV'-deep groove? Raise the cutter until it's flush with the tabletop, hit the zero button and turn the crank until the display reads .250. It's that quick, that easy and incredibly accurate. For quick adjustments, one complete turn of the handle moves the router This electronic digital wizardry is housed in a well-engineered, well-made package. The geared mechanism that provides the motion is completely enclosed to protect it from dust, and backlash has been virtually eliminated. I especially liked the aluminum insert plate - smooth and flat. One of my favorite things about the insert is that the leveling screws can be reached and adjusted with the insert in place, and that the three injection-molded ABS insert rings lock in place with a simple twist. Mechanically, this lift is excellent, solid, precise and very user-friendly. Add in machine-shop digital measuring capabilities for a few dollars more (around $375, check the company's web site for routers accepted), and you have the ultimate router lift. — Robert W. Lang LEE VALLEY Roller Stand In my book, most roller stands would be more useful if they were melted down and cast into something that actually works. I've never found a stand that was durable, easy to adjust and versatile. That long-held opinion, however, has just been changed. The Lee Valley outfeed roller stand is the first one of its kind that I would actually consider purchasing. And, I might add, it's an excellent value to boot. Let's look at some of my favorite features: The head that catches your boards is well designed. An angled steel ramp catches any board that droops (up to lV2") and guides it over eight independently swiveling casters. These casters work far better than rolling-pin stands or ones with transfer balls. They support your boards without pulling them in odd directions. Where the stand really shines is how you can adjust it in so many ways. A leveling foot fixes its stance on uneven floors. The steel ramp can be raised or lowered. The head can be tilted up to 4And the entire head can be raised and lowered in small increments (up to IV2") simply by turning a knob. The whole package folds up tidily and unfolds with an impressive 29" x 22" stance. Like all Lee Valley products, this one is built from durable materials and is well-priced - just $79. — CS Lee Valley 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com Lie-Nielsen 800-327-2520 or lie-nielsen.com LIE-NIELSEN Chisels After month after month of using (and abusing) the heck out of these tools I can say that the Lie-Nielsen bevel-edge chisels are the most comfortable, balanced and durable chisels I've used. Case-in-point: The most recent tool cabinet I built has more than 70 hand-cut dovetails. After chopping out those, I cut a few more dovetailed drawers for demonstrations, pared a bunch of tenons and squared up the rounded ends of several mortises. The chisels' edges were just starting to show some wear - so I honed them up one night just to have something to do. Based on the venerable Stanley 750 chisel, these tools are lightweight enough to wield like a pencil while dovetailing, which lends you enormous precision. The perfectly finished American hornbeam handles take a tremendous beating without splitting and fit perfectly in my hands while paring. The blades are durable thanks to the cryogeni-cally treated A2 steel. And they have small side bevels (a rarity in new chisels these days), which allow you to clean out dovetails without bunging up the corners. The chisels unbeveled faces came perfectly flat and quickly polished up to a mirror shine. If you have a nice set of chisels and are completely happy with them, stick with it. But if for any reason you are in the market for a set of lifetime tools, put the Lie-Nielsens ($250 for a set of five) at the top of your short list. — CS 64 100 Popular Woodworking December 2004 |
