Popular Woodworking 2004-12 № 145, страница 60
MICRO JIG Table Saw Splitter Micro Jig 407-696-6695 or microjig.com This year the price of safety has been lowered to just $20. And the number of reasons for not having a splitter on your table saw has been reduced to zero. The Micro Jig Splitter is the simple answer to a variety of problems with current table saw designs. Stock splitters are flimsy, hard to adjust and nigh impossible to remove and replace. Most aftermarket splitters are pricey (up to $130). Many of us have vowed to make a homemade splitter, few ever do. In just 30 minutes you can make your saw 30 times safer with the Micro Jig. The splitter is a small wafer of tough polycarbonate plastic, and it 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. And it costs only about $20 (a thin-kerf version sells for $25 to $30). Here's the not-so-good news: the Micro Jig Splitter works only with saws that have a zero-clearance insert. So if you're still using a stock throat insert, you'll have to upgrade to make this work. The Micro Jig package includes everything you need to install the jig (even the drill bit), good instructions and a second splitter that's configured to work like a small featherboard. There are no more good excuses. Get safe. Get a Micro Jig Splitter. — CS VERITAS Low Angle Jack Plane Veritas planes get better with every new model the company introduces. The Veritas Low-angle Jack plane might just be the company's best tool yet (until next year, of course). From a manufacturing standpoint, everything about this tool is spot-on. The sole was dead flat, the sides were ground perfectly square to the sole and everything moved smoothly and positively. Here's more proof that well-made tools are not a thing of the past. (If I could make one change, it would be to make the handles a bit smoother, but this is something you can do at home.) Apart from the excellent manufacturing specs, there are two real standout features of this tool that will make you sit up and pay attention. The mouth of the plane is 5" back from the toe. This novel arrangement allows you to accurately edge-j oint longer pieces than you'd normally be able to do with a 15"-long plane. Also, there's a small knob behind the movable front shoe that you're gonna like. That knob acts as an adjustable stop for the shoe. You'll never bang the shoe against the blade again. And you'll be able to clear the mouth of shavings quickly and easily. The plane is heavy (6 pounds), made of unbreakable ductile iron, equipped with a nice 3/l6"-thick A2 steel blade and a precise Norris-style adjuster. In a modern shop that uses both power and hand tools, this plane is ideal for truing edges and even final smoothing. And it's an excellent value at $179. — CS Lee Valley 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com NEXT YEAR'S BEST NEW TOOLS? DeWalt Cordless Nailer Line New from DeWalt is a line of four 16-gauge cordless nailers. The big news here is the ability to fire as fast as you want, with no pause for recycle time. We're waiting for a more woodworking-friendly 18-gauge nailer, but we like the speed! • DeWalt: 800-433-9258, or dewalt.com Freud Avanti Router Bit Line New from Freud is the Avanti 15-piece set (the most common profiles) of router bits offering Freud quality at an affordable price ($200). These uncoated bits are manufactured with carbide designed for one or two sharpenings (rather than five or six) to keep the price affordable. • Freud: 800-334-4107 or freudtools.com Grizzly/General spray booths Just out this year are a handful of easily stored finishing booths from Grizzly and General International. These are designed for the small shop or serious hobbyist who wants to spray finish. Four models are in the pipe, starting at about $1,000. We'll keep you informed. • Grizzly: 800-523-4777 or grizzly.com; General: 514-326-1161 or general.ca Hitachi Router kit Hitachi is launching a 21/4 hp single- or variable-speed router with both a fixed and plunge base in a kit, priced about $200. It's not a new concept, but we're anxious to see what Hitachi has done with the idea. • Hitachi: 800-829-4752 or hitachi.com/hpt Ryobi 18-volt One+ System Ryobi recently announced a new cordless tool system that will offer all of its 18-volt tools without a battery or charger. This keeps the price of the tools low, and a pair of batteries will cost less than $40, while a one-hour diagnostic charger runs $20. Buy exactly the tools you need - not bad. • Ryobi: 800-525-2579 or ryobitools.com PW popwood.com 101 |
