Over the years I have developed my index finger as a highly skilled glue-spreading appendage. Combine it with a proper bead of glue on the edge of a board and I can spread it evenly in nearly one swipe. The only bad part is the glue left on your finger then puts glue where you … Read more
Tool Reviews
Milled-Tooth Plane-Maker’s Floats Review
Lee Valley recently added Japanese milled-tooth plane-maker’s floats to their product line-up, and I’ve been using them the last few days to tweak some through-mortises. These are similar to the previously available Xfine mille d-tooth files, but the floats are tapered in profile making them more adaptable to different size openings and special situations. Both … Read more
Pet Peeve Bites the Dust
Some machines are easy to set up to collect dust and chips while others defy all attempts. On the easy list are most stationary machines: Plug the hose into the port and it works pretty well. On the contrary list are miter saws (more to come on that, but part of my solution is a … Read more
Tool Test: Kreg Shelf-pin Jig
by Steve Shanesy
Page 14
From the April 2012 issue, #196
If your idea of a jig for drilling shelf-pin holes is a piece of pegboard, there’s an affordable alternative from Kreg Tool that allows you to step up your game. And even if you have moved beyond pegboard, this new jig will cut down on the possibility of drilling sets of holes in wrong locations.
You know the problem – misaligning the jig when you switch from cutting one row of holes to another. Opportunities to mess up are endless.
This shelf-pin jig, although compact, offers a number of features. It provides two options for setting the pin-hole locations from the cabinet edge. It has a fence to consistently repeat that setting and requires no tools to switch from the 1″ setting to the 2″ option.
Tool Test: Philadelphia Furniture Workshop Moxon Vise
by Megan Fitzpatrick
Page 14
From the April 2012 issue, #196
While Moxon-style twin-screw vises seem to be breeding like rabbits these days (see our November 2011 issue, #193 and our December 2010 issue, #187), this version, developed by Alan Turner and Mario Rodriguez at Philadelphia Furniture Workshop (and available through Tools for Working Wood) has some interesting features.
Perhaps most useful (for those who prefer to build furniture rather than shop fixtures) is that for just $30 more than the cost of the Benchcrafted twin-screw vise hardware alone, this vise arrives ready to use.
Web site: Tools for Working Wood Read more
Tool Test: Bessey Auto-adjust Toggle Clamps
by Steve Shanesy
Page 12
From the April 2012 issue, #196
Toggle clamps are an indispensable workholding device for jigs, but they are a bit fussy to adjust to the desired height and clamp pressure. Leave it to Bessey to come up with clever innovations that give the traditional toggle clamp a big leap forward.
With these new versions, variation in thickness of the work is a non-issue. You can clamp a wide range of thicknesses, from a thin veneer to 23⁄4″ stock, without a single adjustment. Just lift the lever handle, change material and lower the lever. Done. A simple screw adjustment provides a clamping pressure range from 50-550 pounds per square inch, and the selected pressure does not change when the material’s thickness changes.
Web site: Bessey Tools
Video: See this toggle clamp in action. Read more
Tool Test: Liogier Hand-cut Rasps
First-class shaping tools from France.
by Robert W. Lang
Page 12
From the April 2012 issue, #196
In 2004, Popular Woodworking introduced hand-cut French rasps to American woodworkers. Those tools from Auriou were definitely a cut above what was previously available, and we happily added them to our tool kits.
A few months ago, we learned about another French maker, Liogier – a company similar to Auriou Toolworks at Forge de Saint Juery (Auriou’s current name). Both are family owned and have been making these tools for generations. I ordered a couple of cabinetmaker’s rasps and have been using them for the last few months. As with the Auriou rasps, these tools are a delight to use, and well worth the price.
Web site: Liogier
Video: Watch how these tools are made. Read more