Popular Woodworking 2006-08 № 156, страница 71

Driving the pointed ends of pinch dogs into the end grain across a joint takes only a few seconds, and holds as well as any other clamp. Yes, you make two ugly holes in the ends of your glue-up, forcing you to trim an inch or two when you're done. However, gluing up big and trimming to size keeps you out of trouble in at least three ways. You don't ruin the panel if: the pieces slip out of alignment, your first trim cut isn't quite square, or your planer leaves some snipe near the end.

One day in the shop, we started talking about pinch dogs, and how a $2 hunk of iron can do the work of a $40 parallel-jaw clamp. They also work much faster, and are a lot easier to carry and store. For some oddball clamping situations, pinch dogs are the only kind of clamps that really work.

We agreed that pinch dogs are among our favorite tools, and patted each other on the back for being smart enough to have them on hand. Then, we started thinking about the other inexpensive and unsung heroes that inhabit our toolboxes, and how they have affected our work.

It didn't take long to find good examples - most of mine live in my apron pocket or in easy reach near my bench. In addition to looking at our own tools, we decided to survey other experienced woodworkers we know. We found that we had a lot of common tools, and that these tools often led us to better ways of working.

We also found a tendency toward sentimental attachment. For many of us these inexpensive devices mark important points in our development - moments

in time when we "got it" and our skills took a leap forward.

Not the Number but the Size

Nearly everyone we talked to had a favorite measuring device. Slide calipers, inexpensive dial calipers and draftsman's dividers were all mentioned. The common theme

was that each of these tools provide you with precision without needing an exact number.

Craftsman and tool seller Rob Cosman put it this way:

A pair of 6" dividers — they are the best for transferring a measurement, no tape measure interpretation, aka fat ^l/\6", just shy ³/s", heavy ^A". They also leave a hole where a pen or pencil point can be set to get an exact mark.

Finishing guru Bob Flexner uses calipers for similar tasks.

Calipers. No need for the more expensive dial type. The slide type with the measurements right on the shank are plenty accurate. Calipers coordinate inside, outside and depth measurements so you can move easily from one to the other. Check the depth of a mortise so you know how long to make the tenon. Check the width or interior of a board or mortise so you can set your table saw fence using the depth gauge.

Chairmaker and author Kerry Pierce's favorite measuring tool is the simple wood and brass caliper from Stanley.

It is my favorite cheap tool. I use it primarily to size tenons for chair rungs, but I find myself reaching for it often to measure all kinds of diameters and thicknesses.

It's easy to think that precision in woodworking is about numbers. The lesson here is that avoiding numbers is a way to be more precise. Take that a step further by considering a way to clearly define a precise point on your work.

Cutting a Fine Line

Knives were one of the most frequently mentioned tools. The common use was as a great way to mark precise lines, not shaping wood. One inexpensive knife was mentioned many times: The common X-Acto knife, which will fit inside very small dovetails and other tight places. It will make a fine line that won't rub off and will register a cutting tool right where you want it.

In addition to this knife, one of my favorites is a "Whittlin Jack" knife (Whittlin' Jack #UC-423 $6.95), a tool that is smaller than

Precision in woodworking has a lot more to do with making two pieces fit together than with knowing what the measurement is to the thousandth of an inch. Use any of these tools to transfer a size from one part to another and forget about the numbers. It is much easier to leave one of these set than it is to remember if that was ¹/64" over or ¹/64" under.

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