Popular Woodworking 2007-02 № 160, страница 14
Tool Test continued from page 26 Gramercy Rasps A good rasp is a simple tool that performs a multitude of tasks: tweaking the fit of a mortise and tenon, rounding an edge or shaping a curved form. It's the sort of tool that can change from ""never heard of it" to ""can't live without it" the first time you use one. The best ones have the teeth formed by hand, leaving a random pattern of scratch marks that can be removed with a stroke or two of a scraper. A couple of years ago we tried the French-made Auriou rasps and were quickly sold on them. The only drawback we could see was the price. It's justified by the labor-intensive way they are made, but out of reach for many of us. Gramercy Tools has just introduced hand-cut rasps at a more reasonable price. The set of three rasps I tested had progressively finer teeth as they decreased in size, which makes them a good combination of tools to go from rough shaping to fine work. Compared side by side with the Aurious there was no significant difference in performance. I'll pocket the savings and buy another Gramercy rasp or two. — RL For more information, circle # 168 on Free Information Card. specifications Gramercy Tools Hand-cut Rasps Street price: $53.95-$72.95 each 3-piece set: 5", 6V2" and 9V4": $164.77 Material: surgical-grade stainless steel Teeth per inch: 25, 18 and 11 Performance: ••••O Price range: $$$ Gramercy: 800-426-4613 or toolsforworkingwood.com Veritas Scraper Shave One of the things I love about chairmaking is also one of the things I hate about chairmaking: You have to shape curved parts where the grain can change direction in three or four places on the same piece. The Veritas Scraper Shave is the solution to this problem. It allows you to take fine finishing cuts like you would with a scraper, but you can bear down on the work with immense control like you can with a spokeshave. This tool has serious mass (10.1 ounces) and excellent fit and finish. The high-carbon blade sharpens easily and takes a nice hook. Then you just drop the blade into the steel body, tighten the two brass thumbscrews, then go to work. The shave, which resembles a gunstock scraper, is excellent for flat surfaces, outside curves and any shaped work. It's a clean-up tool more than a shaping tool and is used after you rasp your piece to shape. This style of tool is so useful that many woodworkers specifications Veritas Scraper Shave Street price: $59 Blade: .040" thick, Rc 48-52 Toe material: brass Handles: African rosewood Performance: ••••O Price range: $$ Lee Valley Tools: 800-871-8158 or leevalley.com would make their own. But now you don't have to. PW — Christopher Schwarz For more information, circle # 169 on Free Information Card. infinity router-bit set How do you accurately test a seven-piece professional set of Infinity router bits? Let's face it, you could spend months in the shop trying to accomplish such a feat by using them day in and day out while building several projects and studying their performance along the way. I didn't have that kind of time, so I applied some standard tests to check the precision of the manufacturing. I used micrometers to check the various steps in the rabbet combination bit, to check the diameter of the bearing in relation to the cut on the flush trim bit and to the cut of the 3/4" pattern bit. I moulded a piece of hardwood with the V2"-radius roundover bit in a handheld router, and with the V2" cove bit in the router table in order to check for a matching fit and determine if they could be used for a drop-leaf profile. I found that they all worked superbly under shop conditions. But the true test of a packaged set is: Are these bits the ones most often used in a professional woodworking shop or that most woodworkers would use in their shops? Or, did they select a few usable bits and finish out the set with less-than-desir-able contents? No, this is a useful set. Each of these bit profiles has been a workhorse in my shop during the past 12 years. I've used them all and I find myself using at least one during each of my woodworking projects. This is a nicely assembled selection of router bits for use in your shop and these bits also have V2" shanks for added strength and durability. The set is $149.90. For more information, call 877-872-2487 or visit infinitytools.com. — GlenD. Huey 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 chris. schwarz@fwpubs.com. Or visit our web site at popularwoodworking.com to sign up for our free e-mail newsletter. — Christopher Schwarz, editor 28 Popular Woodworking February 2007 |
