Popular Woodworking 2006-12 № 159, страница 45

ir Steel City Tools Machinery Line

We've never given a "Best New Tool" award to a company's entire line of machinery, but this is an exceptional year, and these are exceptional tools.

To be fair with you, we haven't gotten to build any furniture with these tools yet, but after four editors inspected the tools at the company's headquarters and at an August woodworking show, we were impressed.

These tools are serious, as evidenced by the close look we gave the company's table saws. The trunnions on the company's three styles of cabinet saws look like the trunnions on older beefy machines we're familiar with. The T-square-style fences on the saws glide smoothly across the table - thanks to some clever engineering. And what is also nice is what the saws don't have: a lot of bells and whistles. Instead, the company's engineers upgraded what was important, such as the optional titanium nitrite coating for the top, which reduces galling and rust.

This was the same level of attention to detail throughout the line. The 15" planer comes standard with a clever Wixey-brand digital depth gauge - the only upgrade a machine like this needs.

The Steel City steel-frame band saws (a 14" cast-iron saw is in the works) are thoughtfully designed with a tensioning

★ Veritas Pullshave

Scooping out a chair's seat can require several hard-to-find or expensive tools. And even with the right tools, it's a task that requires some strength and dexterity.

Now Veritas, the manufacturing line of Lee Valley Tools, has developed a new tool for saddling seats that is ergonomic, easy to adjust and a good value. Veritas calls it a Pullshave, and it looks like a paint scraper that was wedded to a curved-sole spokeshave. The shape of the tool and its handles allow you to pull the tool toward your body, which increases your strength and control. The traditional travisher, on the other hand, requires more wrist and thumb action and it isn't always easy to press

system that uses two springs. Plus, on the band saw as well as all the other machines, many of the handles are metal instead of the plastic we've come to expect.

And the prices? You'll be pleased. The machines aren't a low-price leader, but they do seem a lot of machine for the money.

Of course, the proof will be in how these machines perform, and we're making plans to test several of the tools in the line. But after inspecting the machines like a customer would in a store, I can honestly say I was ready to get out my checkbook and plunk some serious money down on these tools. And after 10 years of seeing more new tools than I can count, that is saying something.

615-225-9001 or steelcitytoolworks.com

the tool down against the work as much as you'd like.

The Pullshave uses the same robust blade-adjustment mechanism found on the

company's spokeshaves, which is a welcome feature. Vintage travishers can be tricky to adjust properly. And finally, one of the greatest things about the tool is that it's available. Chairmakers have long had to search (or save) for a good tool. Now a phone call and $130 is all you need to get scooping.

800-871-8158 or leevalley.com

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Popular Woodworking December 2006