Popular Woodworking 2005-11 № 151, страница 36
Tool Test Traditional English Mortising Chisels from Ray Iles Most modern mortising chisels these days are poorly ground, misshapen and uncomfortable to use. It's no small wonder that we've invented many ways to get around using these difficult hand tools. So I was particularly pleased when I learned that Ray Iles had begun making traditional English mortising chisels in the style that graced the tool chests of 18th- and 19th-century woodworkers. These chisels are something quite extraordinary. They're massive (the 3/s" weighs more than 13 ounces) so the tools motor into the wood. The handles are oval and tapered side-to-side and front-to-back, so you always hold the chisel in line with your work. The blades are slightly pyramidical shaped in cross-section, so the tool is easy to remove after you drive it into the wood. And finally, Iles chose to use an exotic steel, D2, which promises to be tough and durable. The D2 is indeed tough - a blessing and a curse. It took some extra time to flatten the backs and sharpen the secondary bevel (a steep and durable 35°). But once sharpened, they held an edge longer than my high-carbon and A2 mortising chisels. The fit and finish on these tools is quite good. The handles are well-fitted to the blades. The backs were nearly flat out of the box (almost as good as a Lie-Nielsen) and all the details of the tools help justify the chisels' premium cost. Once you use one of these old-school chisels, you're unlikely to switch back. Thanks to their weight and beefy handle (which endures hard blows), the tools dive through difficult woods such as white oak. And because you're not tied to a jig or a machine, your mortises can be at any angle and anywhere you can reach. It's a liberating experience to use one. If you want to try one tool, buy the 5/l6". I think you'll be hooked. — Christopher Schwarz For more information, circle #179 on Free information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Ray Iles Mortising Chisels Street price: $53.95 to $97.95 each Sizes: 3/i6", V4", 5/i6", 3/a", 7/i6", V2" Handles: Beech Blades: D2 Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$$ Tools for Working Wood: 800-426-4613 or Toolsforworkingwood.com JDS Dust Gate Switches Dust Collector Even in a small shop, traipsing back and forth to the dust collector to turn it on and off can be a nuisance. Sometimes, laziness rules and the collector won't get switched on at all - the "I only have a small cut to make syndrome." JDS Co. has packaged a clever, inexpensive and easy-to-install device that will save you shoe leather and time; and it will end the excuses for not switching on your dust collector every time. Simply stated, this low-voltage rig moves the collector's on/off switch from the collector itself to the dust gate, which regulates air flow to your machine. Open the blast gate and on goes the collector; close the gate and it shuts off. You can connect multiple gates together so each one regulates the collector. The setup couldn't be more simple. Mount the system control box near your dust collector. Install a JDS Dust Gate then connect the two gate wires to the length of 22-gauge wire provided, run the connecting wire to the control box and connect the wires to the two wire terminals on the controller. Polarity isn't important so any connection will work fine. Next, unplug the dust collector and plug in the control box in its place. Lastly, plug the dust collector into the control box. Done. Additional blast gates are added by simply splicing those switch wires into the existing gate wires. JDS offers control boxes for either 110-volt collectors up to 1.5 horsepower, or 220V for up to 3 -hp dust collectors. All JDS Dust Gates are well-made metal units that fit standard 4" rigid dust collection pipes or 4" hoses. The 110V Start-Up Kit includes the control box, one blast gate, wire connectors and 100 feet of low-voltage wire. It sells for $53.99. The 220V version is $62.99. The available expansion kit includes two Dust Gates, wire connectors and 100 feet of wire. It sells for $35.99. — Steve Shanesy For more information, circle #180 on Free information Card. SPECIFICATIONS JDS Co. Dust Gate Street price: $53.99 110V/$69.95 220V Includes: Controller box, electronic dust gate, 100 feet low-volt wire, connectors Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$ Company: 800-480-7269 or jdstools.com 34 Popular Woodworking November 2005 |
