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Video comments on working with the plane
Plane works well if I an attentive to my methods and iron sharpness.
Porter Cable 20v MAX lithium cordless tools
The circular saw is a disappointment. It has cutting power but the shoe is wiggly. If you need a precise circular saw, choose a different format. Otherwise the P-C tools I tested are good quality withpowerful, high-torque motors and relatively basic features.
3 styles of folding sawhorse
I get sent products to review sometimes. I’m an amazon vine reviewer. If you review a lot of stuff they’ll probably invite you to be one too. I reviewed a lot of books to start with. I haven’t reviewed many books lately due to the time required to read them. Once in awhile something I can really use becomes available. Here’s my comments on the Portamate folding sawhorses (about $100 a pair) compared to other styles (about $60 a pair) I use as well.
If you want to fall in love with furnituremaking - read this book!
I read this book when I was just starting out. It isa spiritual revelation in terms of what it means to work with wood – and do it well. It’s not a book of plans and there isn’t enough informationin here to teach you how to build anything if you don’thave any skills. This book (and Krenov’s others) are about Feelings. Theyare about discovering the wood and discovering a designprocess that produces furniture that is finely proportionedand intimate –...
Bigger isn't always better.
I have 8 routers and this one is my favorite. I will confess that several of my routers are older orhave limited features and I’ll just leave them set up withthe same bit for a long time. Having a lot of routerslets you do that. An old Craftsman from a garagesale never got used for anything but trimming edge-banding. This Festool router is lightweight and it is easy to usewith one hand. It has variable speed, excellent dust collection and smooth plunging action. The plungedept...
The best book on power-tool joinery
I have a lot of woodworking books. About 60 of them. Yeung Chan’s book is one of the best and most practicalof them all. He shows several ways to make each jointso even with a modestly equipped shop you’ll be ableto make quality joints. Yeung’s jig designs are great too. They aren’t complicatedor hard to build and he explains how to make sure theyare accurate. Gary Rogowski also wrote some great books about making joints – but if you get just one get ...
Lightweight saw cuts with power and precision
I don’t like the big 10 and 12” Slide compound saws. They aretoo heavy to easily move around. I’m a relatively young man andI am strong, but still I don’t like lifting much more than 40 lbs. if I’m installing trim. I bought this saw because I was doing a job where I had to miter9” wide crown moulding and my older 12” miter saw (not a slider)wasn’t able to do it, even on the flat. The larger a blade on one of these sliding saws, the more ...
