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Canoe Made of Chopsticks :: Longship Made of Popsicle Sticks
2008-06-10 18:48:00
How can you NOT read a forum thread like this: Canoe made from disposable chopsticks. Per Swenson posted this over at SawmillCreek. Here’s the canoe: A bit about the canoe: “A former city employee in the Fukushima prefecture town of Koriyama has built a 4-meter (13-ft) long canoe from thousands of used disposable chopsticks recovered from the city ...
More About: Made , Sticks

Top 16 ?Gadget? Woodworking Tools: Gadget Gambles that Paid Off
2008-06-10 17:49:00
I saw this great little post over at SawmillCreek… Do you have a good Gadget tool……? The OP (original poster) describes gadget tools like this: “You kind of feel funny when you sucker in and buy one…. but then you find that its a really great thing to have and you like it and use ...
More About: Tools , Paid , Woodworking

Life-Size Wooden Sculpture of a VW Bus: Video + Pics
2008-05-19 21:16:00
Recently I wrote about David C. Roy’s kinetic wood sculptures - you have to see them to believe them. The same holds true for these sculptures by artist Lee Stoetzel. Among his works are a full size model of a VW Bus, several Mac computers, a bicycle made of mesquite and a chopper. Here’s a video ...
More About: Video , Life , Sculpture , Size , Wooden

8 Sayings That Prove They?re Not Woodworkers
2008-05-16 16:35:00
Sometimes all they have to do is open their mouth… and you beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are NOT a woodworker. I found a thread at Woodnet that had me spitting coffee on the monitor… What’s the wierdest thing a non-woodworker ever said to you? The thread spins off somewhat into “what does ...
More About: Prove

Most Used Belt Sanders: Porter Cable vs. Dewalt vs. Bosch
2008-05-09 17:04:00
The belt sander is a go-to tool for taking lots of wood off in a hurry. Getting the right one for your needs - and deciding between a belt sander and other options like the random orbit sander - will depend on your needs. A thread at WoodNet set me off on a belt sander odyssey ...
More About: Belt , Porter , Cable , Dewalt , Sanders

Parallel Clamps: Jet vs. Bessey
2008-04-28 21:11:00
The SawmillCreekers chimed in recently when one of their own asked about Jet parallel clamps. Clamps and power tools are two things you can never have enough of, so of course I rolled up my sleeves and started counting responses. The conversation spread far from just parallel clamps, but that’s what I focused on for the ...

Top 5 Most Popular Random Orbit Sanders
2008-04-26 18:35:00
Random Orbit Sanders are woodshop standards around the world. The random orbit means that the grit doesn’t make a noticeable “pattern” in the surface of your woodworking project. If you’re shopping for a new one - or your first one - this article gives you insight into which brands are most popular with woodworkers. I counted ...
More About: Random , Popular

Grizzly G5013 17? Band Saw vs. Jet JWBS-18X 18? Band Saw
2008-04-17 18:36:00
A Woodnetter asked his fellows recently what their thoughts were on a battle between the Grizzly G5013 and the Jet JWBS-18X. For the record, the 17″ Grizzly G5013 placed first in our survey for our band saw buying guide. That said, the Jet is a fine machine worthy of consideration. A bit of detail for you ...
More About: Band

Top 4 Most Used Woodworking Squares
2008-04-16 22:20:00
Woodnetter Zane Moseley wants a new square. He went to his fellow WoodNetters and said: “I’m thinking of buying a quality square like a Starrett or Incra that will last for years and give trustworth readings. The 12″ starrett combo square seems a bit long. They have a 4″ double square that looks pretty appealing. ...
More About: Woodworking

6 Ways to Seal a Tube of Caulk
2008-04-08 19:02:00
Caulk is - in the grand scheme of things - pretty cheap. Still, there’s no point in wasting it, especially when you crack a new tube and only use half of it. SawmillCreeker David Klug asked “When ever I use a caulking tube I rarely use all of the material in it and when I ...
More About: Tube , Seal

SawStop Bandsaw Prototype - Video
2008-04-08 18:37:00
I just saw this on YouTube, thought you’d dig it. It’s pretty old I think but still cool! Here are some other posts that mention SawStop: Sawstop vs. Powermatic PM 2000 in the Professional Wood Shop BOSCH Places Second in Battle of Power Tool Brands! Guess Who Got First? (SawStop placed 17th) The 11 Top Woodworking Power Tools That ...
More About: Video , Prototype

Building a UniSaw ?Frankensaw? From the Ground Up
2008-04-07 22:30:00
There are over 4,000 ToolCrib newsletter readers and over 500 visitors a day to the blog. I’m afraid this post about building a UniSaw out of spare parts is only going to appeal to about 4 of you. But I know that those who like it are REALLY going to like it In other ...
More About: Building , Ground

How Sharp is Sharp Enough for Woodworking Tools (+video)
2008-04-02 22:50:00
So I’ve been spending a little time in the Woodworking Hand Tools section over at Woodnet. That’s right - I’ve been exploring the crazy world of the Galoot One member posed the question - how do you guys measure sharpness? There’s not a good measure for sharpness, at least not that I could ...
More About: Video , Sharp

Getting the Most Out of Your Benchtop or Contractor Table Saw
2008-03-19 17:27:00
When I researched and wrote the ToolCrib.com table saw buying guide I pretty much panned benchtops. I recommended to folks that they go for a guide and circ saw if they were seriously considering a benchtop. Sometimes you’ve just got to work with the tools at hand though. Maybe you got a benchtopper before you ...
More About: Table , Contractor

Cyclone Dust Collectors: Gorilla vs. Clear Vue vs. Grizzly
2008-03-17 19:34:00
For those new to wood shop dust collection, a cyclone dust collection system differs from older dust collection systems because almost no dust reaches the filter - it all ends up in the collection bin. Until I started reading through this thread on WoodNet - with over 200 posts - I didn’t realize that nothing ...
More About: Clear , Gorilla , Cyclone

ToolCrib.com?s Ultimate Guide to Free Woodworking Workbench Plans
2008-03-10 20:31:00
We all know what the most dangerous power tool in your workshop is (it’s you … so what’s the most useful/important tool? No, it’s not your table saw… it’s your WORKBENCH. Woodworkers often look at the workbench as an essential project, a core project that both teaches and creates a highly useful product. My ...
More About: Free , Guide , Plans , Woodworking , Ultimate

The Quest Begins for a Wooden Guitar Hero Controller?
2008-03-08 00:09:00
Now… there are no details yet if this could work, but the gamer geeks at WoodNet are wondering about creating a wooden Guitar Hero controller. As a fan of Guitar Hero (along with my wife and nephew) this topic caught my attention. I started searching around in the hopes that someone will actually make some ...
More About: Quest , Controller

Do You Wear Your Wedding Ring in the Shop?
2008-03-05 19:11:00
Rings are always mentioned when it comes to power tool safety - in that list of things NOT to wear in the shop. Along with long hair, dangling necklaces and long sleeves, rings can get caught in the machinery and cause you serious physical harm. That said, the LOYL (love of your life) may cause you ...
More About: Interviews , Wedding , Shop , Ring , Wear

Questions to Ask When Buying a Used Powermatic 66 Table Saw
2008-02-28 19:18:00
Whenever a woodworker mentions he’s in the market for a hybrid table saw there’s always someone standing around to tell him he should just take the money and invest in a used cabinet saw. A SawmillCreek member (a Creeker) asked his fellow woodworkers to help him evaluate a used Powermatic 66 opportunity he found online. I ...
More About: Buying , Questions , Table

Do You Have a TV In Your Wood Shop?
2008-02-12 19:28:00
A member at the SawmillCreek forum asked his fellow creekers whether they had TVs in their shops… he needed some data to show to his wife because he was seeking her agreement on a new TV. I’m someone who’s easily distracted so having a TV on while I’m working would drive me nuts. I was blown ...
More About: Wood , Shop

The Top Five Power Tools We Buy But Never Use…
2008-02-11 16:51:00
Have you ever dropped tens of dollars or even hundreds on a woodworking tool or accessory that you never used? These are the tools that are collecting dust instead of making it… Maybe it was a deal too good to pass up. Maybe it was an accessory to your table saw or router. No matter how you came by it though, you’ve never found use for it. The WoodNetter Mike C asked a similar question recently and we went and tallied up the responses to bring you the top five woodworking tools we buy but never use… And for the record “never use” roughly means “haven’t used once in the past year.” Read through the list and let it be a warning to you… not that you shouldn’t buy any of these tools, but just to think twice before you do. Also, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for an interesting theory… or even a conspiracy… about why we buy needless tools Disclaimer: This survey represents a single forum’s o...
More About: Power , Tools

The Ultimate Guide to Making Wooden Hinges
2008-02-04 17:32:00
I love woodworking forums. The free flow of information, the friendships, the “strong discussions” about power tools… One of my favorite forums remains FamilyWoodworking.org, both for the spirit in which they built it and the friendliness of the guys posting there. Here’s an example of what I consider to be a “gem” of a Family Woodworking ...
More About: Guide , Ultimate , Wooden

Drum Sander Leaving Lines in Wood?
2008-02-04 15:58:00
A Wood Netter wrote in to his buddies to ask about the lines left in his wood by his 18″ Delta drum sander. Here’s what he said: “I’m wondering if anyone can help me out in eliminating lines in the wood after sanding on a drum sander (18″ Delta). I’ve ran the grit schedule of 80, 120, and I”m ...
More About: Drum , Lines , Leaving

Video: John Deere Just Killed Your Chain Saw
2008-01-25 19:40:00
Don’t let your chain saw watch this video… he won’t come out of the shed for shame. This is a video of John Deere’s 1270D Wheeled Harvester that I found over at WoodNet. Apparently the thing has computer functionality too: “The harvester comes fully equipped with a John Deere processing head combined with a powerful John ...
More About: Video , Killed , Chain

Tool Belts vs. Shop Aprons in Your Woodshop
2008-01-22 15:54:00
A great question came up over at the FamilyWoodworking.org woodworking forum (FW is a welcoming and friendly spin off of SawmillCreek.org). Mr. Sean Wright over there wrote recently: “When in your shop, do you wear a tool belt, a shop apron, or just work clothes?” “Up until recently I just wore work clothes. Then I picked up ...
More About: Tool , Shop , Belts

When Kickback Calls? Six Favorite Table Saw Splitters
2008-01-18 23:29:00
What is it about kick back that opens up your eyes to the importance of a splitter on your table saw? I think this quote from a ‘Creeker just about sums it up: “Yesterday, I actually had a pretty serious kick-back incident with a 30″ long piece of 2×4 I was trying to rip in half. ...
More About: Calls , Table , Favorite

Power Tool Decibel Levels Could Be Hurting Your Ears
2008-01-15 17:10:00
Do you wear hearing protection while running your woodworking tools? If you’re using tools louder than a band saw (roughly rated at 90 decibels) then you should PROTECT YOUR EARS. A woodworker over at the ‘Creek got his hands on a decibel measuring instrument and got a read on the tools that he uses regularly. You ...
More About: Power , Tool , Ears

Best Table Saw Miter Gauge: Incra vs. Osborne vs. Kreg
2007-12-15 17:20:00
Do your woodworking projects turn out a little less (or more…) than square? It might be time for you to graduate from the table saw miter gauge that came with your machine. A recent thread at the WoodNet forum, “Considering buying an aftermarket miter gauge,” set me off on a quest to see what other woodworkers ...
More About: Table , Osborne , Gauge

Band Saw Tire Maintenance
2007-12-13 17:05:00
Take care of your tools and they will take care of you. Band saw tire maintenance is a must! A recent post in WoodNet offered some great advice on cleaning band saw tires. To round things out I dug around for more band saw tune up resources and pulled out the stuff just relating to ...
More About: Maintenance , Tena , Tire

Grizzly 1023 vs. Delta Unisaw and Craftsman Hybrid
2007-12-11 16:40:00
Some people like boxing. I like a good power tool face off in the forums, where woodworkers start posting in ALL CAPS AT EACH OTHER in defense of their favorite brand. To me there’s a lot of good wisdom in these kinds of fist fights, er… conversations A recent WoodNet forum post asked about ...
More About: Hybrid , Delta , Craftsman