Popular Woodworking 2007-08 № 163, страница 6
Out on a Limb by christopher schwarz, editor 117 POPULAR 1 • WooDworking Learn How. Discover Why. Build Better. ® The Curse of the Creepy Kleenex he first time I ever became concerned about dust collection I was sitting on the couch with my toddler daughter on my lap. All day long I had been sanding cabinets that were destined for the addition we were building on our house. I was beat. I took a deep breath. I sneezed. What ended up in the tissue sent my little girl squirming off my lap and set me to wondering about the health problems that come from breathing dust. It was alarming because I thought I had done enough to fight airborne dust. I had a shop vacuum with a premium filter that I attached to my sanders. My table saw, jointer and planer all were ducted to a single-stage collector with felted bags. I even kept the door to my shop open whenever I worked. But all that wasn't enough to prevent my tissue from filling up with stuff that looked like it attacked Steve McQueen in "The Blob." So I did three radical things that day. I put away my large right-angle random-orbit sander. It was the sander that always seemed to send up a plume of dust when under load. I latched its case tight and haven't opened it now for seven years. If you need a big sander like that, drop me a line. Then I bought a cartridge respirator for when I use my palm-grip random-orbit sander. I'll be honest: I hate the respirator. It's kind of heavy and gets slimy when I work up a sweat. But you know what? The thing works. Notjust for keeping out dust, but also for lacquer fumes. I have a begrudging respect for the respirator, much as I loathe to don it. The third thing I did was I resolved to use handplanes more. And this was the hardest of the three changes. Though I was already using planes quite a bit, I was still doing a lot of sanding. But I forced myself to finish my surfaces with planes, even though I was worried about ruining the project at hand. That third decision turned out to be the best one. Hand-planes turned the most dreaded part of every project (power sanding) into a task that was as enjoyable as the j oinery. Yes, there was a learning curve. And yes, it cost me time and money. But I don't regret the decision. In this issue, Scott Gibson takes a good look at dust collection in our Woodworking Essentials series in the middle of the magazine. You may not make the same decision that I did about how to deal with shop dust. But pretty much all of us need to do something to clear the air. Ifyou're making terrifying tissues after your sanding sessions, remember this: Things that get clogged up (filters, planers, lungs) eventually stop working. New Feature on Jigs This issue we launch a new column: "Jig Journal" (it's on page 24). It's not your typical woodworking jig column with Rube Goldberg gizmos. These are jigs designed to be used every day. Check it out. PW Customer Service How can I contact customer service with questions regarding my subscription, including a lost or damaged issue? Visit popularwoodworking.com/customerservice. Or write to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Or, if you prefer the telephone, call toll-free 877-860-9140 and a customer service representative will be happy to help you. When does my subscription expire? The date of your subscription expiration appears on your magazine mailing label, above your name. The date indicates the last issue in your subscription. Can I get back issues of Popular Woodworking? Back issues are available while supplies last. Visit popularwoodworking.com/backissues. Or if you know the exact month and year of the issue you want, call our customer service department toll-free at 800-258-0929 to order. What if I want more information about the projects and tools I read about in Popular Woodworking? For all editorial questions, please write to Popular Woodworking Editorial, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236. Or e-mail popwood@fwpubs.com. Does Popular Woodworking offer group discounts? Group discounts are available by special arrangement with the publisher. For more details, send an e-mail to Debbie Paolello at debbie.paolello@fwpubs.com or call 513-531-2690 ext 1296. Our Privacy Promise to You We make portions of our customer list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services we believe you may enjoy. If you do not want to receive offers and/or information, please let us know by contacting us at: List Manager, F+W Publications 4700 E. Galbraith Road Cincinnati, OH 45236 Safety Note Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers place safety devices on their equipment for a reason. In many photos you see in Popular Woodworking, these have been removed to provide clarity. In some cases we'll use an awkward body position so you can better see what's being demonstrated. Don't copy us. Think about each procedure you're going to perform beforehand. 10 ■ Popular Woodworking August 2007 PHOTO BY AL PARRISH |
