Popular Woodworking 2005-02 № 146, страница 32
Tool Test continued from page 28 Bosch Power Box CD/Radio There are many indispensable tools in a woodshop. One that is always present, but usually not considered a tool, is a radio. Ifyour shop radio only has an AM dial it's time to trade up - and Bosch has a good option. The Power Box is not just a shop radio. It's equipped with four GFCI power outlets to run other tools, and an integrated Bosch battery charger (for 12-24 volt Bosch batteries). A battery can also power the player when not near an electrical outlet. Plus, a 12-volt DC outlet is included for charging cell phones. It also has an AM/FM digital radio, CD player with anti-skip technology and an auxiliary jack for MP3 players. An integrated antenna removes worries of someday sticking a coat hanger in the hole to get reception. The whole thing is surrounded by an aluminum roll cage designed to protect the radio from a 10' drop. The Power Box also is sealed against dust - a shop must. And the sound is really quite good, with some kickin' bass! — DT For more information, circle #177 on Free Information Card. face of the stone is #1,000 grit; the other is #8,000 grit. I'm fond of the Norton stones and find them to be a less-expensive alternative to the premium Shapton waterstones, which are still my favorite system. In general, Norton stones cut fast and seem to wear considerably longer than my set of man-made Japanese waterstones. With this single stone and some method to flatten it (a diamond stone; or plate glass and wet/dry sandpaper), you'll be able to handle almost all of your honing needs. PW — CS SPECIFICATIONS Bosch PB-10CD Power Box Street price: $170 ($150 without CD) Present stations: 20 FM, 10 AM Battery charger: 12, 14.4, 18 and 24 volt Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$ Bosch: 877-267-2499 or boschtools.com SPECIFICATIONS Norton #1,000/#8,000 Waterstone Street price: $60 to $65 Size: 1" x 3" x 8" Performance: ••••O Price range: $$$ Lie-Nielsen Toolworks: 800-327-2520 or lie-nielsen.com Tools for Working Wood: 800-426-4613 or toolsforworkingwood.com For more information, circle #178 on Free Information Card. GRAHAM BLACKBURN'S NEW BOOK EXPLORES CLASSIC TECHNIQUES When I was a wee lad of nine or 10 years old I built my first workbench with the help of some inadequate hand tools and an extraordinary book: Graham Blackburn's "Illustrated Furniture Making." Unlike other books about hand tools, Blackburn's was focused on how to use hand tools, not on collecting them. That great book is out of print, and there is still surprisingly little written on that topic that's available. So Blackburn took the contents of that book and added new material plus information drawn from his articles in this magazine, Fine Woodworking and Woodwork to create the newly published "Traditional Woodworking Techniques" (Blackburn Books). This handsome hardbound book has 352 pages that show you how to perform many woodworking operations using hand tools, from rabbets to dados to dovetails. There are entire chapters on carving, moulding, mortise-and-tenon joints, drawer-making and miters, plus nine projects that reinforce the skill lessons. The book ($65) is an essential part of any hand-tool user's library. To order, call 845-6794990 or visit blackburnbooks.com. — CS 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 513531-2690 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 Norton's Newest Stone a Good Combination of Grits Most people will tell you that sharpening is like sanding - you must progress through several grits for good results. After a year of experimenting, I've found that when honing the tiny secondary bevel on chisels and plane irons, you can go straight from a #1,000-grit stone to a superfine #8,000-grit polishing stone and still get a superb edge. (I do find that a #4,000-grit stone helpful when preparing the backs of chisels or plane irons, however.) Now Norton Abrasives has developed a new combination waterstone that allows you to do this operation with a single stone. One 30 Popular Woodworking February 2005 |
