Woodworker's Journal 2009-33-1, страница 58

Today's Shop

"Acquire the power tools first, then buy hand tools, sharpening gear, vises and clamps, etc., little by little as needed or as your budget allows."

58 February 2009 Woodworker's Journal

The full complement of benchtop tools I'd recommend for building cabinets and furniture and for tackling home improvement wood projects includes a table saw, jointer, band saw, thickness planer, router table, drill press and combination belt/disc sander. I'd also include a power miter saw (it does overlap with the table saw just a bit, so consider it an optional tool if you wish). Let's look at each of these machines individually and examine what it can —• and cannot — do, as well as explore a few suggestions for setting up benchtop tools in your shop.

Table Saw: Heart of the Shop

The centerpiece of woodworking shops both large and small, a good table saw lets you do a vast array of straight-edged cuts to tackle all manner of wood projects, from utility shelves to tables and chairs to

Jointer for Straight Edges

A serious cabinet and furniture maker might say that a table saw

Today's Shop continues on page 60 ...

Although not as robust as a full-size floor model jointer, this benchtop version is a truly handy tool. Putting a straight edge on a piece of stock before cutting or shaping it is essential in many machining situations.

For accurate mitering and crosscutting, the author recommends upgrading your saw with an aftermarket miter gauge with long fence and flip-down stops.

kitchen cabinets. Although I usually recommend a 10" contractor's saw for its power and capacity, the majority of benchtop saws also sport 10" blades and are more portable and stowable, making them a great choice for shop-real-estate-challenged woodworkers. Most benchtop models offer the same depth of cut as contractors' saws and a decent 24" rip capacity, although their universal motors (the kind found in portable power tools) are noisier and less torquey. To save your back from lifting and

carrying drudgery, look for a bench-top saw that features an integrated folding stand, like the Bosch 4100 or Ridgid TS2410LS (see the lead photo on the previous page). Folding stands make it easy to pivot the saw from a vertical storage position to a horizontal position, ready to go to work. Wheels on the stand let you roll the saw where you need it — to the site of the job or perhaps out onto the driveway, when it's a nice sunny day.

To get the most out of a benchtop saw, make sure it's fitted with a sharp, high quality, thin-kerf blade, which takes less power to run than a standard-kerf blade. If you often use the saw for crosscutting chores, consider buying an aftermarket miter gauge (see photo, above). Its long fence helps you cut longer stock more safely, and flip stops allow you to easily cut multiple parts to the same length.