Popular Woodworking 2008-12 № 173, страница 40

GRAMERCY

Crosscut Carcase Saw

The carcase saw is one of the three essential backsaws when cut-tingjoints by hand (you'll also want a dovetail and tenon saw). The carcase saw is useful for all manner of precision crosscuts, from simply gettinga board to the exact length to cutting high-tolerance tenon shoulders. You need a good one.

The new Gramercy Tools carcase saw stands up against the other premium brands and has some extra features that we like. The saw is exceptionally smooth-cutting, thanks to its hand-filed and handset teeth. Plus the saw has a bit more [leant than others, which also contributes to its smoothness. ("Fleam" is the bevel on the front of each saw tooth.)

The saw's blade isa little longer than most at 12", and it has a blade that tapers in width from heel lo loe, like old saws. And it's quite lightweight (12.6 ounces), which makes it easy to wield. I was impressed by the prototype, which I used during the summer; the first production models are even nicer. I particularly like the tool's delicate and traditional look (and the crisp etch on its blade).

The market for premium backsaws has been getting fierce, with several new boutique makers entering the fray this year (and more

to come). The Gramercy is definitely not an also-ran. Its distinct set of features have launched it into the very top tier of makers and it deserves your careful consideration.

VERITAS

Skew Rabbet Planes

BYRDTOOL

Shelix Cutterheads for

TOOLS FOR WORKING WOOD ■ 800-426-4613 ■ toolsforworkingwood.com

Veritas continues to fill out the line of essential planes that woodworkers need to do joinery by hand. Last year, Veritas released its excellent plow plane. This year, the company hit a home run with its skew rabbet planes.

These planes come in right-and left-hand versions (having hot h allows you to work with varying grain directions). And the tools have every detail and adjustment you need to make clean rabbets both with and across the grain.

The tool's iron is skewed, which pulls the tool into the cut and results in cleaner cuts overall. The fence uses router-collet technology to ensure the fence locks square. And the cross-grain nicker is fully adjustable and easy to sharpen.

In use, the plane is comfortable to hold and easy to wield. I had the tool making crisp rabbets in less than 25 minutes out of the box (and that included sharpening). That's saying something for rabbet planes, which arc complex tools.

If you like cut-tingjoints by hand (or you perhaps want to learn), a rabbeting plane is essential. And you can t do better than the Veritas.

Need more proof? Then check out our fu 11 review of this tool in the Tool Test column of this issue on page 36.

Portable Planers

Byrd Tool makes amazing spiral cutterheads for machinery that are quiet, clear the chips efficiently and leave a fantastic surface, even in difficult woods. The cutterhead technology-called Shelix-alsoallowsyou to use small carbide inserts that you can easily replace if you hit a nail. Plus, the carbide lasts a long time.

Until now, these cutterheads were available only for bigger machines. Now Byrd Tool has begun making aftermarket Shelix heads for some portable planers, including the DeWalt 13" DW735. And others are in the works, including Ridgid and Delta planers. At about S410 for a Shelix replacement head, it might be better to update your existing planer than replace it. PW

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