Popular Woodworking 2006-08 № 156, страница 29
Ashley Iles Carving Tools: Good Steel and Good Handles Last summer and fall I extensively tested several carving gouges from English toolmaker Ashley Iles. Midway through the testing, I was impressed enough to go out and buy several additional gouges. Both the long-handled "London" pattern and short-handled palm tools were comfortable in the hand and nicely finished with beech handles and excellent quality steel. They compared favorably to the Pfiel gouges I already own, have a nicer finish on both the handle and blade, and are competitively priced. I was particularly impressed with the condition of the blades. Many new carving tools look nice, but the shininess is due to overbuffing. The Ashley Iles blades were accurately and finely ground so only minimal honing was needed before using them. In use, they held their edges very well. Hundreds of sizes and sweep patterns are available, as are several different sets. You also receive a discount by ordering six or more chisels. — Robert W. Lang For more information, circle # 154 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Ashley Iles Carving Tools London pattern chisels: $28.95 and up Palm chisels: $19.95 and up Handles: Round beech w/ ferrule Blades: High carbon steel, Rc 61 hardness Performance: ••••O Price range: $$$ Tools for Working Wood: 800-426-4613 or toolsforworkingwood.com Dado Wiz Zeros in on Perfect Fit for Dados or Grooves Our staffhas an ongoing discussion about the best way to make dados. Whether using a dado stack or router, the trick is getting the dado or groove the proper thickness to match the material. I prefer using a router; that's why I was pleased to learn about the Dado Wiz. The Dado Wiz (the black plate shown at right) locks to most clamps and guides (5/s" thickness maximum). Temporary pins are put in place on the Wiz and a sample piece is used to adjust the guide to perfectly fit the shelf or divider material. The included brass template guide and your or V2" router bit is then used to make two passes (one up, one back) to make a perfectly sized groove or dado with a single setup. The Dado Wiz slides on your guide during the cut, controlling the position of the bit. The Dado Wiz efficiently answers a need when routing dados. It does come at a price that's a little steep, but if you prefer routed dados, this j ig belongs in your shop. —DT For more information, circle # 155 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Dado Wiz Street price: $159 Template guide: fits 13/i6" hole Possible dado widths: V4" to 1V2" Performance: ••••• Price range: $$$$$ Woodline USA: 800-472-6950 or woodline.com VERITAS BEVEL SETTER At first blush I looked at this tool and said, "Twenty-five bucks for this?" Then I took a closer look and realized how many things it will do. I now believe it's $25 well spent. Actually it's only $24.50, but let's not quibble. To understand this tool, think of the bevel setter as more of a Swiss Army Knife for angles. You can set a sliding bevel accurately to V20 anywhere between 0° and 60°. Or you can use your sliding T-bevel to gauge an angle and then use the setter to find out what that angle truly is. Flip the sturdy 3" x 7" stainless steel blade over and you've got setups for seven of the most common dovetail angles, as well as settings for 12 polygon miter angles. And just for good measure, they've added a scale on each long edge marked in inches (by V16") and millimeters respectively. The indicator marks on the bevel setter are etched and the finish is excellent. The machined aluminum fence moves smoothly and locks effortlessly with a knurled brass knob. Non-mar pads on the back of the fence keep the blade looking nice. The folks at Lee Valley/Veritas continue to stretch their imaginations and offer tools that a woodworker will not only want to own, but will use constantly. The bevel setter is another in that line of tools. Contact Lee Valley at 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com. — DT 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 popularwoodworking.com to sign up for our free e-mail newsletter. — David Thiel, senior editor popularwoodworking.com I 27 |
