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A full version of Popular Woodworking Magazine, No. 124, October 2001 in pdf format. This is a tool-buying issue for calendar year 2002, with articles comparing 632 different hand & power tools.

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  • October 2001 #124

    Straight Talkon ToolsThe only guide that recommends tools worth buying

    637 TOOLS COMPAREDEDITORS PICK THE 97 BEST!

    12-VOLT PG14DRILLS

    BAND SAWS PG20

    BISCUIT PG28JOINERS

    BRAD PG32NAILERS

    DRILL PG38PRESSES

    DUST PG44COLLECTORS

    HAND TOOLS PG50

    JIGSAWS PG54

    JOINTERS PG58

    MITER SAWS PG62

    MORTISERS PG66

    ROUTERS PG70

    SANDERS PG78

    TABLE SAWS PG82

    THICKNESS PG86PLANERSEXCLUSIVE FAR EAST REPORT

    What You MustKnow AboutChinese Tools

    www.popwood.com

  • POPULARWOODWORKING October 20012

    Admit it. Spending money on tools andmachinery for your shop can producelots of anxiety. Your budget is limited, andso is your knowledge of all the product lines.Go to the store, buy on-line or over the phoneand the salespeople arent giving you anyconfidence that youre making the right de-cision, either. If youre lucky, you may havea friend who owns a tool youre interestedin, but its several years old and there are lotsof new models to consider now.

    We publish this comprehensive ToolBuying Guide for only one reason. That isto give you the best chance you have to makethe right decision the first time when se-lecting a new piece of equipment for yourshop. Our goal is to arm you with more thanenough knowledge to put you in the com-fort zone when you open your wallet.

    On the following pages youll find 17 cat-egories of woodworking tools as well an im-portant article about whats going on in man-ufacturing these days. In specific tool cate-gories, ranging from table saws to combina-tion squares, we give you three importantpieces of information:

    We tell you what are the important fea-tures to evaluate and compare among all thetools in this category (as well as those fea-tures that dont count for much at all).

    We list all the brands and models avail-able in the U.S. market with their specs andstreet prices.

    And we go the extra mile and makespecific recommendations about the mod-els we have actually used in the PopularWoodworking shop and have confidence in.

    We also know that all woodworkers arenot alike. Some of you are just getting start-ed, others have years of experience but keep

    a casual attitude about your hobby. Othersare passionate about spending time in theirshops almost every day, or are pros depend-ing on their skills and tools to make a livingand support a family. Clearly, different wood-workers make different demands on theirtools and have different expectations aboutreliability and how much to spend.

    For these reasons, we make our buyingrecommendations in three user categoriesso you can match yourself to the right tools.

    In this years Guide we added the mostessential non-powered woodworking handtools as a category: low-angle block planes,combination squares and chisels. For spaceconsiderations, we dropped scroll saws andlathes for this year. In the cordless drillcategory, we focused on 12-volt models only.In our opinion, this is the right sized cord-less drill for most, but certainly not all, wood-working shop applications. These 12-voltdrills deliver the power and runtime to getthe job done without the weight that makesyou feel like you just did 100 arm curls.

    And if you fret over the question of ad-vertiser influence on editorial recommen-dations, dont. Our job is to serve you, ourreaders. Not only is it our job, but truthful-ly, your subscription or newsstand purchasegoes a lot further in paying our bills thandoes advertising income.We just couldntafford putting anyone other than you first.

    One final note, many thanks to the EdwardB. Mueller Company in Cincinnati, Ohio,for allowing us to shoot photos in their store.PW

    FROM THE EDITOR

    Buy With ConfidenceSave money and find your comfort zone.

    Contents6 CHINA BOUND

    A lot more tools are nowbeing made in China. Whatdoes this mean for pricesand quality?

    14 12 VOLT DRILLS

    20 BAND SAWS

    28 BISCUIT JOINERS

    32 BRAD NAILERS

    38 DRILL PRESSES

    44 DUST COLLECTORS

    50 HAND TOOLS

    54 JIGSAWS

    58 JOINTERS

    62 MITER SAWS

    66 MORTISERS

    70 ROUTERS

    78 SANDERS

    82 TABLE SAWS

    86 THICKNESS PLANERS

    T O O L B U Y I N G G U I D E 2 0 0 2

  • The Toughest Glue on Planet Earth

    Hardwoods, softwoods, pressure-treated or exotics Gorilla Glue

    is tough enough to hold themall. Incredibly strong, nearlyinvisible glue lines, and100% waterproof. Just the wayserious woodworkers demand it.Call 800-966-3458 for adealer near you, or visitwww.gorillaglue.comto find out more.

    MeasureTwice.GlueOnce.

    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200014

    August 2001, Vol. 21, No. 4 www.popularwoodworking.com

    Editor & Publisher Steve Shanesy

    Art Director Tricia Barlow

    Senior Editors David Thiel,Christopher Schwarz

    Project Illustrator John W.Hutchinson

    Photographer Al Parrish

    Editorial Intern John Tate

    Editorial Assistant Barb Brown

    Contributing EditorsNick EnglerBob FlexnerGlen Huey

    Scott PhillipsTroy Sexton

    Technical Advisers:Bill Austin Makita USA. Inc.Scott Box Delta International

    Chris Carlson S-B Power ToolBill Crofutt Grizzly Industrial

    Dale Zimmerman Franklin International

    General Manager Jeffry M.LapinEditorial Director David Fryxell

    CIRCULATION

    David Lee, Director

    Lynn Kruetzkamp, Group Manager

    PRODUCTION

    Barbara Schmitz, Director of ManufacturingMartha Wallace, Magazine Production Dir.Heather Griffin, Production Coordinator

    ADVERTISING

    National Sales RepresentativeBill Warren, Five Mile River Assoc. LLCRR1 Box 1400, Stockton Springs, ME 04981Tel. (207) 469-1981; Fax (207) 469-3050

    [email protected] Sales

    Joe Wood, Tel. (513) 336-9760Fax (513) 336-9761

    [email protected] Advertising Sales

    Joan Wright,Tel. (800) [email protected]

    Advertising Production CoordinatorDebbie Thomas, Tel. (513) 531-2690, ext. 219

    [email protected]

    SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Subscription inquiries,orders and address changes can be made at

    www.popwood.com (click on Subscriber Services).Or by mail:Popular Woodworking,P.O.Box 5369,

    Harlan, IA 51593 or call (515) 280-1721.Include your address with all inquiries.

    Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.

    NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Curtis Circulation Co.,730 River Rd.,New Milford,NJ 07646,

    (201) 634-7400, fax (201) 634-7499

    ATTENTION RETAILERS:To carry Popular Woodworking in your store, call ReadersService at 800-844-7075, or write: Popular Woodworking

    Magazine Dealer program, c/o Readers Service, 4099 MartelRoad, Lenoir City, TN 37772

    Back issues are available for $6.50 ($8.50 Canada; $10.50 otherforeign). Ohio residents include 6% sales tax. Send check or

    money order to: Popular Woodworking/F&W PublicationProducts, PO Box 2031, Harlan, IA, 51593 or call 1-888-419-

    0421. Please specify publication, month and year.

    Woodworkers Book Club: 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati,OH 45207; (513) 531-8250

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  • If youre not in the habit of check-ing labels on your new tools andmachinery purchases, you might besurprised to learn that Made inChina is showing up a lot more fre-quently these days. Dont make themistake and think this means theproduct was made in the Republicof Taiwan, the island country off thecoast of mainland China.

    With increasing frequency, prod-ucts once made in Taiwan are nowbeing manufactured in China. Whatcan we expect from such a shift? Willquality suffer? What about prices?Just who is having woodworkingequipment made in China now? Andwhy would manufacturers make sucha huge change just when their prod-ucts have finally won broad accep-tance with U.S. woodworkers?

    Importers and manufacturers ofTaiwan-made woodworking equip-ment have worked hard during thepast 15 years for respect in the mar-

    ketplace. Whether the bad rap Madein Taiwan was deserved in the earlydays is not only debatable but, likemost issues, a lot more complicatedthan consumers imagine.

    From the first days that Taiwaneseequipment began arriving in ourports, there were real quality differ-ences among the various importers.Quality differences still exist and canvary on what may seem to be thesame product coming from the samemanufacturing plant. But its fair tosay now that overseas manufactur-ers are producing millions and mil-lions of dollars in good-quality wood-working equipment. Some of itsmade by companies that import theirentire line from Taiwan; some of itsmade for venerable names who once

    built exclusively in the United Statesand now import some products. Eitherway, the American woodworker isreaping a huge benefit from theseimported tools.

    As woodworkers, we groan reg-ularly at constant price increases forlumber. But when it comes to toolsand equipment, particularly ma-chines from Taiwan, we dont stopto think what a bargain they are.A case in point: I bought my firsttable saw, a Delta/Rockwell model10 contractor saw, in 1981. I addedlong guide bars for the fence and cast-ers and paid just over $850. Whatsthat saw cost today? Equipped witha Biesemeyer fence, just over $850.Essentially, its the same saw with afar superior fence.

    Just for fun, I went to a web sitethat allows you to calculate the costmy table saw in 1981 and then ad-just it for 20 years of inflation. Today,my $850 saw should cost $1,833.

    CHINABOUND

    Now that Taiwanese woodworking tools are accepted by U.S. woodworkers,

    manufacturing is moving again. This time, to mainland China.

    What will this mean for American consumers?

    Woodworking tool manufacturing is

    by Steve Shanesy

    Contact Steve at 513-531-2690 ext. 238 or [email protected].

    POPULARWOODWORKING October 20016

  • www.popwood.com 7

    Remembering back to that day in1981 when I bought the saw, I recallthat although the price didnt seemtoo expensive then, todays pricesby comparison are quite reasonable.In fact, some prices are almost un-believable. You can buy a Taiwanesecontractor table saw from GrizzlyIndustrial with many of the same fea-tures as my original Delta/Rockwellfor only $325 plus $48 shipping.

    When you think about the costof a reasonably equipped home shop,

    the prices are even more amazing. Ifyou had bought a contractor saw, 6"jointer, small planer, drill press and14" band saw in 1980, you wouldhave paid about $3,200 thatsabout $6,100 in inflation-adjusted2001 dollars. Open up any wood-working catalog today and you canbuy the same equipment and spendas little as $1,400 and as much as$2,600, depending on brand. At$6,100 for stationary equipmentalone, Im certain the number of

    home woodworkers would be a frac-tion of what today is one of top-ratedhobbies in the United States amongmature adult males.

    Are Lower Prices Ahead?According to some major manufac-turers and importers, the great newsfor woodworkers is that prices mightdrop even more during the next sev-eral years. Some, such as Jet ToolsJohn Otto, woodworking productmanager, project prices to drop some

  • POPULARWOODWORKING October 20018

    and then bounce back to todays leveland then hold steady for another 15years. The contrary view, and oneheld by Scott Box, manager of prod-uct development for Delta Machinery,is that prices will hold steady. Allthis good price news is being madepossible by yet another shift in toolmanufacturing. Many Taiwanesemanufacturers are moving to main-land China, where labor costs areabout one-tenth of those in Taiwan,land is plentiful and cheap, envi-ronmental standards are lower andsafety standards are relaxed.

    In manufacturing, its not a newtrend. In the 1950s, some tool man-ufacturing left theUnited States forJapan. By 1980, man-ufacturers were onthe move again toTaiwan. Several yearsago, the move acrossthe Straits of Taiwanbegan, and noweverything from shoesto tennis rackets tosome woodworkingmachinery is nowbeing produced inChina. Not that youwould notice, butabout 90 percent of

    all drill presses are madein mainland China today.Principal importers in theU.S. market are Delta,Ridgid and Craftsman.

    The question wood-working consumers mustask is: Will there be a priceto pay for the low prices?Will some of the qualityissues that arose with someimporters after the moveto Taiwan repeat as man-ufacturing shifts to China?The complaints aboutTaiwanese-made equip-ment largely stemmed fromimporters who were in-

    experienced in working withTaiwanese manufacturing, accord-ing to industry insiders. In the UnitedStates, the typical manufacturing fa-cility makes many of the parts for itsproducts, buys some basic or specialtyparts and then assembles the prod-uct. In Taiwan manufacturers areprimarily assembly plants with vir-tually every part and componentsourced from outside vendors. Forexample, to make a benchtop tablesaw, completely separate companiescast the aluminum top, mill the top,form the plastic base, supply themotor, supply the motor mount andblade tilt mechanism, supply the

    In 1997, the author visited the Rexon factory in Taichung,Taiwan, and saw various products from different manufacturersrolling off assembly lines. Miter saws are just one example of high volume products that are making the switch fromTaiwan to mainland China, as Delta Manufacturing has done for some of its miter saw products.

    Taiwanese workers assemble Delta benchtop planersat one of its partner factories, Shin Hou, in Taichung.

    At the same plant, parts for automobile anti-lock brakesystems by ITT were also being made.

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  • fence, supply the fence rails. Themore parts a machine has, the morevendors are involved. The simplestparts could be supplied by a vendorwith crude fabrication equipmentand manufacturing techniques that,from a quality and part consistencypoint of view, would be unaccept-able in the United States.

    Early complaints about machinesof Taiwanese origin concerned mo-tors and inconsistencies with re-placement parts. And, of course, thecomplaint by U.S. manufacturersthat their American-made machineswere being copied and sold for sub-stantially lower prices. As one man-ufacturer put it, R & D in Taiwanmeans Research and Duplicate.Some importers went so far as to copythe color and even the instructionmanual from a U.S.-made machine.To top it off, one story goes that animporter suggested its customers goto the U.S. manufacturer of the copiedmachine for replacement parts.

    In the mid-1980s, DeltaManufacturing filed a complaint withthe Federal Trade Commission to

    block importers from selling equip-ment in Deltas trade dress. Basically,that means equipment that so close-ly resembles a Delta model that aconsumer might be fooled into think-ing it was a Delta.

    Attacking importers on the issueof trade dress was about the only re-course American manufacturers hadbecause most of the patents on theirequipment had run out. Of course,the other alternative, which manu-facturers like Delta said they would-nt do, then eventually did, was begina Taiwan-importing operation.

    Once quality-minded importers,including those with U.S. manu-facturing origins, began Taiwan op-erations with their own representa-tives and engineers on the scene,most quality issues were settled. Today,Jet, Delta, Grizzly, Bridgewood andEmerson Electric (the manufactur-er of Ridgid woodworking tools andformerly Craftsman woodworkingmachines), all maintain offices andrepresentatives in Taichung, Taiwan.Some, like Jet and Emerson, keepoffices in Hong Kong as well to over-

    see operations in mainland China.As yet, Jet has little, if any wood-working product made in China asfinished goods, but does source someparts, particularly rough iron cast-ings, from the mainland. The com-pany has had other equipment man-ufactured in China for years, but itis not woodworking related, accordingto Cliff Rickmer with Jet.

    Taiwanese manufacturers haveprospered by supplying woodwork-ing equipment to the United States.Understanding the value of the busi-ness, they have invested in mod-ernizing their plants, hiring engi-neers and training their employees.

    It seems like a mind-bogglingnumber, but U.S. manufacturers/im-porters estimate the number of wood-working tools and machines cominginto this country at between 2.5 mil-lion and 2.8 million finished unitsannually with a retail value between$765 million and $1 billion.

    U.S. importers praise these sup-pliers for improving existing prod-ucts or even presenting new prod-uct altogether instead of just copy-

    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200110

    Raw casting for contractor saw tabletops await machining in this dirt-floor machine shop in Taichung wheresandals are worn by most of the workers.Although located in the city, a rice field was next door and an apartment buildingadjacent to that.

    Taichung, Republic of Taiwan, is the tooling centerof the world, but land scarcity, rising labor costsand demands for lower prices at U.S. retailersare forcing some manufacturing to relocate tomainland China.

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    ing. Theyve learned the money isin new products, so now they arebringing ideas to us, says Otto of Jet.

    Success a Double-EdgedSword for TaiwanSo if prices are already low when ad-justed for inflation, why is there apush for even lower prices? An agingbaby boom population taking up thewoodworking hobby, reasonablypriced tools, and the concentrationof retail power by home center mega-stores such as Home Depot and Lowesall ensured the success of manufac-turing in Taiwan. Now these forceshave driven, if unwittingly, somemanufacturing off the island and onto mainland China.

    Some U.S manufacturers/im-porters say the promise of greaterunit sales by the big retailers comeswith the demand for lower prices.And since most of the efficienciesin the manufacturing process haveeliminated as much cost as possible,reducing the cost of labor is the solerecourse. With labor shortages andrising wages in Taiwan, the vast low-wage labor pool in China is the ob-vious solution.

    Added to this are huge incentivesto relocate, such as:

    An aggressive campaign by the

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  • Chinese government to attract busi-ness investment.

    Millions of dollars worth of in-frastructure being built by the main-land government.

    An opportunity for more at-tractive profit margins by manufac-turers and importers alike.

    Even a chance for Taiwanesemanufacturers to hedge their betsand protect their investments shouldrelations between the mainland andTaiwan lead to a possible invasion.By far, Taiwanese investment in main-land China surpasses that flowing infrom any other country.

    Will Quality Suffer? One key question for American con-sumers is whether the move to themainland will hurt the quality ofwoodworking tools. Will the sameproblems, or even different ones,show up as was the case in the earlydays following the move to Taiwan?

    Virtually all manufacturers/im-porters agree that things will be dif-ferent this time. And they have somecompelling arguments. The expla-nation goes something like this: Theimporters are continuing to workwith many of the same Taiwanese

    manufacturers with whom they havelong, established relationships. Thesemanufacturers are building new fa-cilities in China, not relying on old,state-run factories.

    The Taiwanese manufacturers areworking with Chinese suppliers whoare also investing in the new facili-ties. The result is a large facility withthe separate principal manufactur-ers under one roof. For example, Boxof Delta Machinery described onenew plant as composed of an alu-minum injection molding operation,a plastic molding operation, a ma-chining facility and paint line allfeeding parts to an assembly area.This type of integrated manufac-turing arrangement follows a suc-cessful Volkswagen car building modelin Mexico. All these various opera-tions are using modern, high-techequipment. Lastly, only certain typesof products lend themselves to thismanufacturing method. These aremachines produced in large volumeand require only a few, highly skilledworkers but many more lower skilledlaborers to produce. This fits theavailable labor pool for much ofChinas developing industrial areas.

    High-volume products that have

    moved to China are often bench-top machines, including power miterbox saws, small band saws, jointers,grinders and table saws. High vol-ume hand power tools such as cord-less drills and jigsaws also fit the for-mula. Says Otto of Jet Tools, its thehigh-volume consumer-grade toolsthat will be moving to mainlandChina. On the other end of the spec-trum, says Box of Delta, the big in-dustrial-grade machines such as bigjointers and shapers, machines withbig castings, have been made in Chinafor some time.

    Cautious Optimism Woodworkers and future woodworkersshould be optimistic about pricesand the quality of their future wood-working tools and machines. Thelatest developments in Asian man-ufacturing point to a possible recipefor success. But all new ventures hitoften unforeseen bumps in the roadand its likely the cruise across theStraits of Taiwan will not exclusivelybe of the honeymoon variety. Foryour own future tool purchases, prac-tice a concept made popular by for-mer President Ronald Reagan trust, but verify. PW

    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200112

    At Hsum Tsao, a Taichung aluminum die cast molding plant, a worker knocks off excess aluminum from a miter sawfence casting (left). Castings for benchtop saws are stacked for machining and assembly later (right).

  • Every year as we travel the coun-try to woodworking shows, wereshocked and amazed at how big andpowerful cordless drills have become.Its fair to say theres a small part ofus thats impressed with the perfor-mance of these heavyweights. Butthe small bones in our wrists knowbetter. For most woodworking, a 12-volt drill is more than enough.

    If youre a contractor or profes-sional deck builder, then your ob-jections have been noted, so go aheadand purchase that 24-volt workoutmachine. For the rest of us, hereswhat to look for in a 12-volt drill.

    Handle DesignMost cordless drills these days are T-shaped, with the handle comingdown near the middle of the drill. Afew are pistol-grips, where the han-

    dle comes down from the back endof the drill, like on most corded drills.

    T-handle drills are more balancedand will stand upright (usually) onyour bench. Pistol-grip drills allowyou to put more of your weight be-hind them usually not a big issuewith woodworking.

    TorqueCordless drills with 12-volt batter-ies are available with 1 amp-hourbatteries all the way up to 3 amp-hour batteries. The amp hours areanalogous to the gas tank on yourtruck. The bigger the tank, the far-ther you can go. More amp hoursgive you more run time. Also criti-cal is the amount of torque producedat the chuck. Torque is measured ininch-pounds for cordless drills; high-er numbers are better. The more

    torque you have, the less likely youregoing to bog down in a hole.

    Battery TypeAs you shop for a drill, youll noticethat some come with NickelCadmium (NiCad) and some withNickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) bat-teries. Which is better?

    According to battery experts,Nickel Metal Hydride technologygives you more run time in the samesize battery cell.

    NiMH batteries are also more en-vironmentally friendly. The cadmi-um in NiCad batteries must be dis-posed of in a controlled manner.NiMH batteries are more expensive,and some manufacturers haventjumped on the bandwagon yet say-ing the technology isnt perfect.

    SpeedsAll but the least expensive (and light-est duty) drill/drivers offer some nicefeatures you wont find on many cord-ed drills, including variable speeds.

    Many drills are available withboth variable speed and two-speedcapability. Theyre different featuresthat work together. Variable speedis the ability to control infinitely therotations per minute (rpm) of thechuck by increasing or decreasingthe pressure on the trigger. This al-lows better control over your work,to keep a drill bit from wandering offthe mark, or to start a screw in theright spot. The two-speed capabili-ty allows the drill to be switched fromone speed range to another, likeswitching from first to second gearin your car. Torque in low speed ishigher, but the top rpms are lower.This is best for large-diameter drill

    Bigger is not always better in the world of cordless drills. Figure out how much power you need without breaking your wrist.

    Get the most torque and highest amp-hours you can afford. Make sure your drill is variable speed. This will be listed on the side of the gearbox as,

    for example, 1-1,000 rpm. Drills without variable speed are more difficult to control. A high- and low- speed selector is handy for setting your tool to drill holes

    or drive screws. Dont get worked up about the number of clutch settings. Six or more will be enough.

    SHOPPING GUIDELINES12-volt drills

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200114

    12voltdrills

    On pistol-grip drills, the handle comes down at the rear of the motor. You can put more of your weight behind the drill with this arrangement, but thisshould rarely be necessary with these drills.

  • bits. In high speed, the rpms areincreased, but with less torque. Thisis best for small diameter drill bits.

    ClutchesAnother finesse feature is the clutch,something available on only a fewcorded drills. The clutch allows youto disengage the motor when a cer-tain amount of resistance is met.Why is this important? You can setthe clutch to sink screws perfectlyflush and then disengage the motor(it makes a clicking sound when itdoes this). The clutch also keeps youfrom ripping the head off that solidbrass screw. Clutch settings rangefrom none to 24, but we tend to thinksix or more settings is plenty for mostwork.

    ChucksChucks on drills appear very simi-lar, but closer inspection will showsome important differences. To start,a maximum 38" jaw opening is stan-dard on many drills under 14.4 voltsize. If you use bits with large shafts,buy a drill with a 12" chuck. Next,check the construction of the chuck.They can be mostly plastic with metaljaws, half metal and half plastic, orall metal. In most cases the half-and-half chuck is sufficient, but for moredurability, an all-metal chuck is best.Finally, take a look at the jaws them-selves. Do they close to allow no

    opening whatsoever, or do they closewith a small gap? The jaws shouldclose to hold at least a 116" drill bit.

    One feature we recommend is akeyless chuck. Nearly universal oncordless drills, the keyless chuckmakes changing from bit to driver atoolless job. Keyless chucks are nowavailable in two-sleeve or single-sleeve designs. The two-sleeve vari-ant requires both hands to loosen ortighten the chuck. Single-sleevemechanisms allow one-handed op-eration. A built-in shaft lock pro-vides the opposing force. One ap-plication where we usually recom-mend a keyed chuck over the key-less variety is when using hole saws,auger bits and other larger tooling.A keyed chuck allows you to closethe jaws more tightly on a bit, re-ducing the chance of slippage.However, keyless chucks are begin-ning to close this gap, too.

    One other feature worthy of com-ment is an electronic brake. Whilehardly a deal-breaker if not provid-ed, a brake can speed up your workbecause you dont have to wait forthe bit to spin down after each hole.

    ChargersFinally, a quick word about charg-ers. The industry standard is a one-hour charger, which for most appli-cations is quick enough. Fifteen-minute chargers are available as an

    occasional user Hitachi FDS12DVA , Hitachi has the

    market cornered when it comes tobargain drills that perform. Thoughit doesnt produce the same amountof torque as more expensive models,youll hardly notice.

    Ryobi HP1802MK2, If you want tosave a few dollars, then check outthis drill/driver, which has the heft,feel and features of a more expen-sive drill without the price tag.

    serious home woodworker,advanced woodworker & professional user Metabo BST12 Impuls, This drill is

    definitely worth seeking out. It isdecidedly a heavy-duty drill with anadded feature no other drill has: apulsing feature. This feature, whichyou can switch off, makes it easier tosink screws in difficult woods andremove stuck screws.

    Porter-Cable 9866, Porter-Cablesdrill/drivers get better each year, andthis one is priced to compete withanything out there. This is a shopfavorite.

    Milwaukee 0501-23, Pros know thatMilwaukee makes drills that aredesigned to take a beating. Pick oneup, and you may never go back.

    Makita 6216DWBE, Makita excels atdesigning cordless tools, and its top-of-the-line 12-volt cordless drill isdesigned to run all day, everyday.

    Panasonic EY6407NQKW, Panasonicdrills enjoy almost a cult-like follow-ing. These are tough and reliabledrills.

    PWRecommends

    These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworkingand have earned their recommendation.

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  • Handle type:T= T-handle;P=Pistol grip;NA=Not available, = PW Recommends

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200116

    BRAND & MODEL STREET TORQUE MAX. BATT. AMP # CLUTCH WEIGHT #/TYPE HANDLE BRAKE COMMENTSPRICE IN./LBS SPEED(L/H) CHARGER HOUR SETTINGS (LBS.) BATTERIES TYPE

    12 VOLTBlack & Decker FS12 $99 115 800 3hr 1.3 24 3.5 2/NiCad T Y Best New Tool 1998B & D FSD122K-2 79 125 0-800 3hr 1.3 36 3.5 2/NiCad T Y Quick connect chuckBosch 3305K 139 200 400/1200 1hr 1.4 6 3.4 2 /NiCad T Y Performance 4.5 starsBosch 3315K 165 225 400/1200 1hr 1.7 16 4.3 2/NiCad T Y 15 min. charger optionalBosch 3360K 159 400 500/1500 1hr 2.0 16 4.8 2/NiCad T Y 12" chuck, soft gripCraftsman 27121 160 350 350/1100 1hr 1.7 24 4.4 2/NiCad T YCraftsman 27123 190 400 400/1400 1hr 1.7 24 4.6 2/NiCad T YCraftsman 27124 230 525 400/1400 1hr 2.0 24 6.8 2/NiCad T Y Aux handle 12"chuckCraftsman 27125 270 625 400/1400 1hr 2.0 24 7.1 2/NiCad T Y Aux handle 12"chuckCraftsman 27127 250 500 400/1400 1hr 2.0 24 7.0 2/NiCad T Y Aux handle 12"chuckCraftsman 27398 99 230 330/1000 1hr 1.3 24 3.5 2/NiCad T YDeWalt DW953K-2 170 210 400/1200 1hr 1.3 17 3.8 2/NiCad T YDeWalt DW980K-2XRP 180 350 450, 1400, 1hr 1.7 22 4.9 2/NiCad T Y 3 speeds, 12"chuck

    1800Fein ABS12-2 EUQ 250 230 340/1200 50min 2.0 13 4.5 2/NiCad T Y Best New Tool 1998Festool CDD12 ES 340 221 380/1100 15min 1.7 18 4 1/NiCad P Y Also uses 9.6 batt.Hitachi FDS12DVA 125 191 350/1050 1hr 1.4 22 3.4 2/NiCad T YHitachi DS13DV2 195 200 350/1200 1hr 2.0 22 4.2 2/NiCad T Y 12" chuckMakita 6227DWE 159 200 350/1100 1hr 1.3 16 3.3 2/NiCad T YMakita 6213DWAE 209 287 450/1400 1hr 2.0 18 4.2 2/NiCad T YMakita 6313DWAE 209 225 450/1400 1hr 2.0 18 4.4 2/NiCad T Y 12" chuckMakita 6213DWBE 219 287 450/1400 1hr 2.2 18 4.2 2/NiMH T YMakita 6213DWBLE 229 287 450/1400 1hr 2.2 18 4.2 2/NiMH T Y w/flashlightMakita 6011DWE-2 199 239 450/1350 1hr 1.3 12 4.2 2/NiCad P Y Also uses 9.6 batt.Makita 6216DWBE 249 320 400/1300 1hr 2.2 17 4.6 2/NiMH T Y Met. gear housingMetabo BST12 Impuls 188 282 450/1450 1hr 1.4 20 3.5 2/NiCad T Y Pulse featureMetabo BST12 Plus 203 466 450/1600 1hr 2.0 20 3.8 2/NiCad T Y Performance 4.5 starsMilwaukee 0502-20 129 220 360/1100 1hr 2.0 19 3.8 1/NiCad T Y Reversible batteryMilwaukee 0502-23 149 220 360/1100 1hr 1.3 19 3.8 2/NiCad T Y Reversible batteryMilwaukee 0501-20 129 220 360/1100 1hr 2.0 19 4.2 1/NiCad P Y 12" chuck, revers. battMilwaukee 0501-23 149 220 360/1100 1hr 1.3 19 4.2 2/NiCad P Y 12" chuck, revers. battPanasonic EY6406FQKW 165 293 350/1000 30min 2.0 18 3.8 2/NiCad T Y Elec. feedbackPanasonic EY6407NQKW 180 293 350/1000 45min 3.0 18 4.0 2/NiMH T Y 12" chuckPorter-Cable 9866 137 330 400/1200 1hr 2.0 20 5 2/NiCad T Y Performance 4.5 starsPorter-Cable 9866F 175 330 400/1200 1hr 2.0 20 5 2/NiCad T Y w/flashlightRyobi HP1202MK2 60 N/A 0 - 550 5hr 1.5 24 3.5 2/NiCad T N Mag trayRyobi HP1442MK2 80 N/A 330/1100 1hr 1.7 24 3.9 2/NiCad T Y Mag trayRyobi HP1802MK2 100 N/A 350/1300 1hr 1.7 24 4.8 2/NiCad T Y Mag traySkil 2480-02 53 90 700 3hr 1.3 6 3.5 1/NiCad T NSkil 2480-04 75 90 700 3hr 1.3 6 3.5 2/NiCad T NSkil 2492-04 85 175 400/1200 1hr 1.3 16 3.5 2/NiCad T Y Performance 3 starsSkil 120VXT 79 100 850 3hr 1.0 6 3.9 1/NiCad T N w/corded back-upWagner WB120K-2 90 NA 550 3hr NA 6 3.3 2/NiCad T Y

    stats

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    option on some models, and as a stan-dard item on a couple. On the op-posite end of the scale, some lowercost drill/drivers are sold with a three-or five-hour charger. While this seemsa deficit compared to a one-hour

    charger, if your use of the tool re-quires less frequent use, a three-hourcharger can save you money. Alsocheck on the type of charge beingprovided. Some chargers require thebattery be removed after charging,

    while others can remain in the charg-er with a continuous trickle chargeto maintain full charge. Better charg-er technology improves the life ofyour batteries, and keeps your drillready. PW

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  • When readers call with ques-tions about what tools arenecessary in their shops, band sawsare never very high on their lists, orthey seem to be an afterthought. Ohyeah, and a band saw. If theres onething to be said about band saws, itsthat theyre frequently underrated.They rip, they crosscut, they bevel,they miter, they cut simple and com-pound curves, they resaw and theymake a pretty cool cold cut slicer.But seriously, dont underestimatethe band saw every shop shouldhave one.

    They come in a variety of sizesand prices to fit just about every wal-let and shop. Its a tool thats best setup and left in place, so take a lookat your space requirements, then de-cide how much machine your wal-let can afford.

    Benchtop ModelsOn the inexpensive end of the scale(mostly) are the benchtop band saws.Ranging in price from $100 to $800,with the majority ending up around$175. They come in both two- andthree-wheel configurations in 8"to 12" sizes (determined by the di-

    ameter of the wheel). The throatdepth (the distance between theblade and the neck of the saw) is usu-ally an inch or so less than the wheeldiameter. And the resaw capacityranges from 3" to 612", though ac-tually resawing on some of these ma-chines would be challenging.

    In deciding between a two- orthree-wheel design, the largest dif-ference is the increased throat depthwith the addition of the third wheel.The downside to that deceptivelysimple decision is that in the three-wheel design the sharper turns in theblade reduce blade life, and it can beharder to get the blade to track prop-erly.

    In general, unless youre strappedfor cash or space, youll get betterperformance from a floor-model bandsaw. If benchtop is your only option,look for the best motor output andlargest throat and resaw capacities.

    Floor-Model Band SawsFloor-model band saws cost more(averaging in the $500 to $800 range,with a number of commercial mod-els running into the thousands), andthey are the best choice for home

    shops. Ranging from 10" up to 24",the most common floor model sawsare the 14" designs.

    Offered in either open- or en-closed-stand designs (open standsare frequently less expensive, butthe enclosed-stand design decreas-es vibration and makes a more sta-ble tool), most 14" saws offer 6" ofresaw capacity as standard, but alsooffer the option of a riser kit to in-crease that capacity to 12". Thesekits cost from $60 to $100 and in-clude a cast chunk of metal to ex-tend the neck of the saw, extendedblade guards and usually a longerblade (required). If you want to oc-casionally resaw a board wider than6", make sure the riser block optionis available on your saw.

    As with the benchtop models,motor performance will affect thequality of the machines cut. A larg-er motor (check the amps or watts,not horsepower) will make the cuteasier to make.

    Other features to consider in anyband saw include: blade guides, fences,wheel brushes, rack-and-pinion bladeguards and brakes on larger models.

    GuidesBlade guides can make or break aband saw. They keep the blade inalignment and stop it from wander-ing during a cut. Good guides pro-vide straighter, smoother cuts. Thestandard guide parts on most bandsaws include a rear thrust bearing (tosupport the blade from the back) anda set of metal blocks to keep the bladefrom moving side-to-side during acut. This guide arrangement appearsabove the table and below.

    Though the stock guides are ad-

    Usually an also ran to the table saw, the band saw is a surprisingly versatile machine that belongs in every shop.

    bandsaws

    POPULARWOODWORKING October 2001

    Buy the largest motor you can afford in any size band saw. Check for the best capacity, both height and width. Look for the option to increase height capacity with a riser block. If possible, buy a model with a worthwhile rip fence. Check the guide system for easy adjustability and smooth movement. If you can afford an enclosed stand, good, but dont sweat it

    if the other features are available. A 14" saw is practical for most home (and many commercial) workshops.

    Larger saws are generally prized for their resawing capacity.

    SHOPPING GUIDELINESfor band saws

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  • equate for most operations, after-market upgrades to these guides im-prove tracking and decrease heat.These systems include synthetic-guide block systems (such as CoolBlocks) and, most recently, ceram-ic guide blocks to replace the metalblocks. These reasonably inexpen-sive upgrades ($15 or so) allow theblade to be held tighter without in-creasing heat on the blade.

    Other guide upgrade options in-clude a couple designs from Carter(616-451-2928) including one to re-place the blocks and thrust bearingaltogether ($150), or the Stabilizerthat can be used on 14" or smallerblades. It replaces the thrust and sidebearings with a single grooved bear-ing ($65). Iturra Design (888-722-7078) offers a variation that replacesthe metal side guide blocks withblocks utilizing small bearings forabout $60.

    When it comes down to decid-ing whether to replace your guideblocks, let your work dictate yourdecision. If youre disappointed withyour saws performance it may beworth a try. But you may also lookto one other area that affects per-formance, the blade.

    BladesJust like your car, if you spend lots ofmoney on a quality machine andthen put cheap or ill-matched tireson it, youre not going to get the rideyou expect. There are a few thingsto remember about band saw blades.For tight curves, use a narrower blade;with dense woods, use a blade withmore teeth per inch; and for resaw-ing, a wider blade with fewer teethper inch provides the best perfor-mance. A good general purpose bladeis a 38" blade with six teeth per inch.PW

    occasional user Delta 28-150, This two-wheel bench-

    top model is a great starter band sawthat provides easy-to-use featureswithout taking up a lot of space.

    Grizzly G1052, For a little extra cash,this two-wheel benchtop adds a lotof metal to the mix, making it a solidperformer with a larger motor.

    Grizzly G1019, Though benchtopmodels save space, we recommend afloor model whenever possible. Thebargain priced G1019 offers power,capacity and accepts a 6" riser block.

    serious home woodworker Inca 205, If your working space forces

    you into a benchtop band saw, thismodel offers some pretty large fea-tures in a small space.

    JET JWBS-C14CS & 14CS, A 14" bandsaw that has the nice features everyband saw should have, the Jet is agreat floor model choice for theserious home woodworker.

    advanced woodworker or professional user Delta 28-280, While comparably close

    to the Jet above, this Delta floormodel has more cast iron and contin-ues to be a staple in many profes-sional woodworking shops.

    Laguna LT18, Pros are frequentlylooking for greater capacity andresawing performance. The LagunaLT18 provides both in a well-craftedEuropean design.

    These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworkingand have earned their recommendation.

    PWRecommends

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  • POPULARWOODWORKING October 2001

    MODEL PRICE SIZE RESAW CAP. TABLE TILT BLADE MAX. HP VOLTS WEIGHT COMMENTSIN. IN. LEFT, RIGHT GUIDES BLADE (IN.) (LBS.)

    BENCHTOPInca 205 $400 8 512 45, 0 M 38 13 115 44 with rip fenceCraftsman 21459 180 9 312 0, 45 M 38 13 120 35 work lightDelta 28-150 170 9 334 3, 45 CB 38 13 120 33 work lightGrizzly G1052 180 9 418 15, 45 BB 38 12 110 100 with rip fenceRyobi BS901 100 9 312 0, 45 BB 38 13 120 30Tradesman 8168 350 10 4 0, 45 BB 38 13 115 36Inca 340 800 1012 612 45,0 M 12 34 115 80 with rip fenceCraftsman 21451 210 11 3 0, 45 M 38 13 120 32 three wheelsGrizzly G8976 140 12 458 0, 45 BB 38 34 110 38 three wheels

    FLOORDelta 28-195 $310 10 7 3, 48 CB 12 12 120 75Craftsman 22432N 350 12 6 10,45 M 12 58 115 103 open standJet JWBS-120S 340 12 6 10, 45 M 12 12 115 138 open standCraftsman 22414N 550 14 6 15, 45 NM 34 112 115 202 open standDelta 28-275 600 14 614 3, 45 M 34 34 115 201 open standDelta 28-280 740 14 614 3, 45 M 34 1 115/230 224General 90-100M1 605 14 7 0, 45 M 34 1 115/230 210Grizzly 1019 315 14 614 10, 45 M 34 34 110/220 203 with rip fenceGrizzly G1019Z 335 14 638 15, 45 M 34 1 110/220 165 open standJet JWBS-14CS 580 14 6 10, 45 P 34 1 115/230 197Jet JWBS-14MW 630 14 6 10, 45 P 34 1 115/230 206 3-speed, open standJet JWBS-140S 500 14 6 10, 45 P 34 34 115/230 183 open standJet JWBS-C14CS 695 14 6 10, 45 BB 34 1 115/230 200 Carter guidesJet JWBS-C14MW 630 14 6 10, 45 BB 34 1 115/230 209 Carter guidesJet JWBS-C140S 630 14 6 10, 45 BB 34 34 115/230 186 Carter guidesLaguna LT14 795 14 8 15,45 CB 1 112 220 240Lobo BS-0143 330 14 6 10, 45 NM 12 34 115 167North State WA-14M 425 14 614 10, 45 M, BB 34 1 115/230 250Powermatic 44 650 14 9 15, 45 BB 34 1 115/230 212Ridgid BS1400 500 14 6 10, 45 M 34 34 120 178 Lifetime warrantyShop Fox G9970 550 14 7 0, 45 M 1 1 110/220 215 with fenceStar WBS14 325 14 634 10, 45 - 58 34 115/230 195Star WBS143 375 14 634 10, 45 - 58 34 115/230 195 3 speedsTradesman 8157 580 14 614 10, 45 BB 12 1 115/230 162Transpower SB500 265 14 6 10, 45 NM 34 1 110 180Bridgewood BW-15BS 330 15 6 10, 45 M 1 34 115 151Craftsman 24393N 700 15 812 0, 45 M 34 34 115 234 3 speedsGeneral 490 1,250 15 634 10, 45 M 34 34 115/230 310Grizzly G1148 445 15 712 10, 45 M 34 1 110/220 175 2 speedsEuroshop B-16 1,595 16 10 5, 45 ES 1 2 230 288Grizzly G1073 625 16 734 10, 45 M 1 2 110/220 456 with rip fenceGrizzly G1073Z 695 16 734 10, 45 M 1 2 110/220 480Hitachi CB75F 2,950 16 111316 0, 45 P, BB 3 2.8 115 309Laguna LT 16 1,100 16 12 0, 45 ES 1 1-12 220 320Laguna LT 16 HD 1,895 16 12 5, 45 ES 138 3 220 385Laguna LT16 SEC 1,595 16 12 5, 45 BB/ES 1 2-12 220 320Lobo BS-0163 620 16 10 10, 45 ES 1 1-12 115 270Shop Fox G9971 825 16 812 10, 45 BB 114 1-12 110/220 335Transpower SB600 560 16 6 10, 45 CB 1 1-12 110 270Bridgewood PBS-440 1,795 17 12 0, 45 ES 1316 3 230 480 fence; foot brakeCraftsman 24396N 1,200 18 11 0, 45 M 1 1 115 330 2 speedsEuroshop B-18 1,895 18 12 5, 45 ES 1 212 230 390General 90-260M 1,725 18 938 10, 45 CB 114 112 115/220 495Grizzly G1012 695 18 10 5, 45 M 114 2 220 350 3 speeds

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  • PW recommendsM= metal, BB=ballbearing, CB=CoolBlocks, NM=non-metal, P=plastic,ES=European-styleball bearing

    key

    POPULARWOODWORKING October 2001

    The LT16 band saw is a perfect example of theEuropean-style band saw. Instead of a cast frame,the machines body is made from welded panels.These machines are remarkably rigid and vibratevery little.

    Benchtop band saws stow easily and are econom-ical, but youre going to wish you had a bigger machine when you want to resaw a 6"-wide board.

    MODEL PRICE SIZE RESAW CAP. TABLE TILT BLADE MAX. HP VOLTS WEIGHT COMMENTSIN. IN. LEFT, RIGHT GUIDES BLADE (IN.) (LBS.)

    Grizzly G4186Z 895 18 938 10, 45 M 114 2 110/220 345 with rip fenceJet JWBS-18 1,130 18 10 10, 45 ES 112 112 115/230 320Laguna LT18 2,095 18 12 5, 45 ES 138 3 220 451Laguna LT18RM 3,295 18 1514 5, 45 ES 2 5 230 561Lobo BS-0183 800 18 1112 10, 45 ES 112 2 230 360Mini Max S45 1,895 18 10 0, 45 ES 34 212 230 330North State WBS1803 795 18 1012 10, 45 M 112 2 115/230 425North State WBS18L 975 18 10 0,45 M 1 2 115/230 330Transpower SB800 635 18 9 10, 45 CB 1 2 220 390Delta 28-640 2,000 20 11 4, 45 BB 1 2 230 585Euroshop B-20 3,095 20 13 5, 45 ES 114 3 230 458General 390 3,200 20 1212 12, 45 M 1 2 230 865General 90-360 2,200 20 1138 0, 45 M 138 2 220 640Grizzly G1258 1,395 20 1378 10, 45 BB 114 3 220 613 foot brakeInca 710 1,895 20 8 45, 0 BB 1 112 115/230 175 3 speedsPowermatic 2013 2,695 20 1238 15, 45 BB 112 2 230 740 fence, worklightLaguna LT20 2,495 20 12 10, 45 ES 138 5 220 545Lobo BS-0202 1,600 20 1134 10, 45 ES 134 3 230 620North State WBS-20 1,495 20 11 10, 45 BB 112 3 230 700Seco SK-20BS 1,545 20 10 10, 45 BB 1 3 220 816Star WBS20L 1,900 20 12 10, 45 BB 112 3 230 575Transpower SB1000 1,220 20 1112 10, 45 NA 134 3 220 650Woodtek 959571 1,500 20 1212 0, 45 BB 1 2 230 551Bridgewood PBS-540 2,195 21 14 0, 45 ES 138 4.8 220 595 fence;foot brakeGeneral 90-600 3,800 24 1334 0, 45 M 3 35 230 990General 90-460 2,795 24 1338 10, 45 M 138 3 220 705Grizzly G7211 1,895 24 1534 10, 45 BB 114 5 220 725 712 hp avail.Grizzly G7212 1,895 24 1534 10, 45 BB 114 712 220 750Laguna LT24 2,995 24 1514 10, 45 ES 112 5 220 725North State WBS24 1,900 24 11 10, 45 BB 112 5 230 800

    stats

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  • Whether you consider themcheating, or just taking ad-vantage of technology, its hard toargue that the biscuit joiner hasntmade a dramatic impact on wood-working joinery.

    Offering quick, simple and gen-erally reliable joints for a wide rangeof applications, this descendant ofan angle grinder has made it possi-ble for a woodworker of almost anyskill level to build strong furniturewith one simple joinery machine.

    The FenceThe basic machine is a modifiedangle grinder with a blade and a

    fence. The fence is the key featureto evaluate. Its complexity can varyfrom the simple plastic job on theCraftsman17501, to the sophisticat-ed highly refined fence on the PorterCable 557. Fences on the basic mod-els will let you cut a joint at 0 and45. Move up the feature scale andyou get continuous adjustment from0 to 45 to 135. Look for a fencethats easy to adjust and accurate. Itshould stay put when locked down.The fence should lock parallel to theblade, otherwise the parts beingjoined will not align across the joint.

    The ease of adjusting the fenceand the depth stop is also a major

    consideration. Check the knobs tosee if theyre easy to turn. Make surethey stay set when tightened. If youcant get the fence and depth stop toadjust correctly, the tool might aswell be a paperweight. Also checkout the size of the fence. Large fencesmake it easy to make an accurate cut.

    The last thing to consider on thefence is the way the blade openingis held firm against your work as youplunge. Here are your options: twotiny pins that make small holes inyour work, which are covered upwhen the joint is glued together. Orthere are rubber nibs or a materiallike sandpaper to accomplish thesame goal. Were partial to the rub-ber and abrasive faces.

    BladesMost biscuit joiners are equippedwith an anti-kickback blade. Theseare desirable, though biscuit joinersrarely kick.

    Also critical is the blades runouton the arbor. The less runout, thebetter the fit of the biscuit and thestronger the joint. Check out ourchart on the next page for the mea-sured runout of all the major brands.

    Finally, check to see how easy it isto change the blade. This can varyfrom simple to major surgery. Wefound the blade on the Makita 3901the easiest to change.

    Biscuit SizesThe work you do determines thekind of biscuit you will use. If youbuild a lot of face-frame cabinets,there is a special biscuit for you. Ifyou do picture frames, you need atool that cuts slots for mini biscuits.For joining flat surfaces like table

    Make sure you buy a machine with an accurate and versatile fence. Otherwise, saveyour money until you can afford to buy a better machine.

    Dont sweat the motor. Weve used all these machines, and the motors work well. We prefer anti-kickback technology on the blades. Kickbacks are rare; lets keep

    them that way. Buy some decent biscuits. We tested all the major brands and prefer Porter-Cable,

    Lamello and Kaiser.1

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200128

    biscuitjoinersLove em or leave em, biscuit joiners are here to stay. Its hard not to sell the heck out of something thats so fast.

    The Freud JS100 (left) is a few-frills tool that hasremained popular for decades.The Craftsman biscuit joiner(right) is an in-line machine, withthe motor directly over the blade.

    SHOPPING GUIDELINESfor biscuit joiners

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  • tops, almost any tool will do (exceptthe mini-biscuit joiners).

    There are only three original sizedbiscuits: #0, #10, and #20. Theserange in size from 134" for the #0 to214" for the #20, and they are all thesame thickness. The face-frame bis-cuits currently sold by Porter-Cableare smaller than the #0 at 114".Craftsman sells mini-biscuits for itssmall joiner. They are numbered #1,#2, and #3. Their sizes are 58", 34"and 1", and are thinner.

    Lamello also makes a wide vari-ety of specialty biscuits, everythingfrom biscuit hinges, biscuits forknock-down joints and translucentbiscuits for use in solid-surface ma-terial, such as Corian.

    In general, big biscuits are greatfor large, edge-to-edge applications,such as tabletops. Porter-Cables mid-sized biscuit is made for face frames.Craftsmans small-sized joiner is greatfor craft projects or special applica-tions.

    The quality of your biscuits is alsoimportant. We tested every majorbrand of biscuit to see how consis-tent their sizes were, how much theyswelled and how many broken oneswe encountered in a box.

    The three best brands, accord-ing to our test, are Porter-Cable(whose biscuits are made of birch),Lamello and Kaiser (both of whichare made from beech). Better bis-cuits make for better joints, so dont

    skimp on the biscuits.

    Other FeaturesMake sure you try the switch beforeyou buy. Some switches are holdoversfrom the angle grinder. Located onthe side of the barrel, they take a lit-tle bit of getting used to.

    The other type of switch is a trig-ger on the back of the barrel. Theseare easier to use, though theyre morelikely to be pressed accidentally ifyou drop the tool.

    Most of the tools feature a switchthat allows you to lock the motor on a handy feature for large jobs.Some of the lock-on buttons are apain to use, so check those out, too.

    The next feature to look at is dustcollection. Most joiners have a bagto collect the chips flying out the sideof the machine. Take a fitting fromyour shop vacuum and see if it fitsthe model youre looking at. Its bestto use a vacuum when cutting morethan a few biscuit slots because thebags fill quickly and the ports clogeasily.

    Dont get too worked up aboutthe motors amperage. Theres lessthan a 3-amp difference among allthe major brands.

    Lastly, noise is a consideration.The motors can be loud, and all ofthem operate in a decibel level wherehearing protection is required. PW

    occasional user Freud JS100, This tool made biscuit

    joinery affordable for the masses,and its still a workshop favorite. Forthe money, you cant buy a betterentry-level tool.

    serious home woodworker Freud JS102, This updated model

    includes a more versatile fence, ablade thats easier to change and aprice that still beats many of its com-petitors.

    Makita 3901, Weve been using thistool for years in our shop and havefound it to be accurate and totallyreliable, as you would expect with aMakita tool. Its also lighter in weightthan some newer tools, which makesa difference if youve got a lot ofslots to cut.

    advanced woodworker or professional user Porter-Cable 557, Without a doubt,

    this is the most versatile tool avail-able on the market today. The fenceis capable of almost any sort of gym-nastics you can dream up. It alsocomes with a smaller cutter for face-frame biscuits. The only downside isthat you need to shim the facearound the cutter slightly. Porter-Cable had to change this because ofpatent concerns.

    Lamello Classic C2, Lamello inventedbiscuit joinery, and the companysEuropean-made tools are precisionmachines. The price of the tool ishigh, but many professionals areglad to pay it.

    PWRecommends

    These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworkingand have earned their recommendation.

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200130

    CRAFTSMAN CRAFTSMAN DEWALT FREUD FREUD LAMELLO LAMELLO MAKITA PORTER-CABLE RYOBI17501 27730 DW682K JS100 JS102 CLASSIC C2 TOP 20S 3901 557 JM81K

    Street price $100 180 150 100 125 329 629 160 200 115

    FENCE# of Detents 6 2 2 3 3 5 5 3 3 4Material Plastic Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum Aluminum SteelAngle Capacity 0-135 0-90 0-90 0-135 0-135 0-90 0-90 0-90 0-135 0-135Size in inches 334 x 514 212 x 434 212 x 458 2 x 434 2 x 434 212 x 5 212 x 5 238 x 5 334 x 514 334 x 514

    MOTORAmps/No Load 3.5 2.8 2.7 2.8 2.7 2.64 4.0 2.47 3.08 3.55Amps/Load 6.7 6.75 5.89 3.89 4.49 4.07 5.89 4.93 5.29 6.08Amps Variance 3.2 3.95 3.19 1.09 1.79 1.43 1.89 2.46 2.21 2.53dB/No Load 102 104 103 103 104 105 101 102 98 101

    BLADE# of Teeth 8 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 8Anti-Kickback Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No YesBlade Kerf 0.159 0.155 0.150 0.155 0.154 0.154 0.133 0.153 0.159 0.191Hole Kerf 0.165 0.166 0.154 0.164 0.157 0.159 0.159 0.156 0.159 0.191Variance 0.006 0.011 0.004 0.009 0.003 0.005 0.026** 0.003 0.000 0.003

    OTHER STATSCord Length 10' 8' 8' 7'8" 7'8" 10' 10' 9' 7' 10'Weight in lbs. 6.5 6.7 6.9 6.14 7 7.3 7.11 6.15 7.7 6.8Body Style In-line Right Angle Right Angle Right Angle Right Angle Right Angle Right Angle Right Angle Right Angle In-lineSize Biscuits 0,10,20 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20, 0,10,20

    max max A,B,max A,B,max S,D, max S,D, max S,D, max S,D, max,FFNon-Skid Material R/face Pins Pins R/pads R/pads R/pads R/pads R/face Grit face R/faceDust Collection Box Bag/VP Bag/VP Bag/VP Bag/VP VP VP Bag/VP Bag/VP Bag/VP

    PW RATINGSBlade Change 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 4 2Ergonomics 2 3 4 3 3.5 4 4 4 4 2Overall Performance 2 4 4 3 4 5 5 4 5 2

    Where do Biscuits Come From?As important as the tool itself is the lowly biscuit.But justwhere do these little suckers come from? KathleenOberleiter, the dealer sales manager for Lamello, says hercompany has one plant in Switzerland that produces bis-cuits for Europe and the United States. In addition to pro-ducing biscuits under its own name,Lamello also makes thesame quality biscuits for Makita and Black & Decker (andBlack & Deckers sister company,DeWalt).

    Lamello (800-252-6355) brags that its beech biscuits arecompressed and within one-tenth of a millimeter in thick-ness with a moisture content between 8 and 10 percent.

    Here in the United States,Porter-Cable (800-487-8665)started making its own biscuits in Jackson,Tenn., in the mid-1980s.Then the company concluded it would be better tohave another company make the biscuits.Now Hill WoodProducts of Cook,Minnesota,makes all of Porter-Cablesbiscuits. In fact,Hill Woods plant is the only major producerof biscuits in this country and makes between 60 percentand 70 percent of the biscuits sold in the United States, saysHill Wood President Steve Hill. Instead of beech,Hill Wood makes biscuits using Northern white birch.

    Interestingly,Hill says Hill Wood does not compress thewood for its biscuits and relies on the moisture in the glueto swell the biscuit and lock the joint tight.The companysequipment is capable of compressing the biscuits,but Hillsays hes found that wood can compress unevenly, resultingin biscuits of different thicknesses.Hill Wood cuts its bis-cuits to the same thickness within 5-thousandths of an inch.

    So how does birch compare to the European beech? Hillsays beech is actually a little harder and the grain is a bittighter than in birch,but that its real close.The glue or thewood is more likely to fail than the biscuit, he says.

    Freud (800-334-4107),a major player in the biscuit mar-ket,has its biscuits made by a Spanish firm that makesbiscuits for many other firms,according to Jim Brewer,vicepresident of operations.Freuds biscuits are made of beechand are compressed,he says.

    Kaiser biscuits,which are made in Austria from beech,are distributed in the United States by Practical ProductsCo. (800-847-8839) of Cincinnati,Ohio,according to DonaldBaltzer,company president.Kaisers are well thought of inEurope and are compressed during manufacturing.

    * Angles past 90 (including 135) can easily be achieved by attaching the 90 fence and adjusting the angle of the adjustable fence.** Blade geometry for the Top 20 is different than all the other blades.The teeth are offset.As a result, the variance is not a measure of runout.Pl. = plastic,Al. = aluminum, R=rubber, FF=face frame, Ratings on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being outstanding and 1 being unacceptable, = PW Recommends

  • Most woodworkers can avoidowning a brad nailer for anawfully long time. Sure, there aretimes when it would cut your as-sembly time in half, keep from hav-ing to wait 30 minutes for the glueto dry and make any moulding job(either on furniture or in your house)a lot faster and simpler. But you canget by without. But with air gunscosting about $120, why should you?

    Of course its not just the bradnailer you need to buy. The com-pressor and hose will impact yourbottom line. Already have a com-pressor? Great. Nailers will operateon almost any size compressor. Dont

    have one yet? You can get a small-er compressor for around $200 andyoull find lots of uses for it (everblow up an air mattress?). You canalso buy a combination kit and geta brad nailer with a compressor forabout $250.

    Why Brad NailersAir fasteners can be roofing nailers,small staplers and dozens of sizes andapplications in between. For the av-erage woodworker, the 18-gauge(about 132" square) nail offers plen-ty of holding power and leaves a lessobvious hole in your wood. Brad nail-ers come in lengths from 34" to 218",

    which should provide for every jobshort of framing a house. Brad nail-ers tend to be grouped into two ca-pacity categories: those that startwith shorter lengths (38") and topout at 114" or so; and those that startat 58" and will fire up to 2" lengths.There are certainly variations avail-able, but in general, those are thestandards. While you may have spe-cific needs for shorter brads, in gen-eral woodworkers use the longerlengths.

    Depth of DriveOne feature to consider on a bradnailer is the method for adjustinghow deep the nail is set. When a bradsinks into wood, it can be set flush,above or below the woods surface.This depth can be controlled by mod-ulating the amount of air being fedto the gun at the compressor, or onsome nailers, by adjusting a me-chanical setting at the nose of thegun to adjust how close the nose isto the wood. Both work (with someadjustment) but the mechanical op-tion will keep you from running backand forth to your compressor.

    Oilless OperationMost brad nailers require a drop ofoil before each days use to keep thecylinder moving easily. Some toolson the market offer oilless operation,which can be handy and one lessthing to remember, but it will cost alittle extra. Oilless operation also re-moves the risk of oil spraying out thetools exhaust port and onto yourwork. Most brad nailers now offeran adjustable, or rear-mounted ex-haust to combat that problem.

    A brad nailer may be considered a luxury by some woodworkers, but they probably havent tried one yet. Its a handy tool that will speed up your work.

    Buy a nailer with the largest capacity range that best suits your needs. In general buying too affordable a nailer can mean less quality. Look for a mechanical depth-of-drive adjustment on the tool. If possible (and necessary) look for a combination kit to get started in air tools. Dont disregard a nailer requiring oil. Its not a big problem, and youll save money.

    SHOPPING GUIDELINESfor brad nailers

    bradnailers

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200132

    The Porter-Cable BN200V12brad nailer is a switch hitter.Without a compressor, it ispowered by an on-boardcompressor fueled by a 12-volt battery. When a com-pressor is handy, you canhook it up to the fitting atthe rear. This tool is too new for us to test. Stay tuned.

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  • Safety FeaturesIn general, brad nailers are requiredto fire only at a moderate pace. Whilesome nailers offer what is referred toas bump firing (pull the trigger andfire repeatedly by depressing the nosesafety against the wood), this isntreally a necessary or recommendedfeature for woodworkers. Rather asequential firing tool with a restric-tive nose safety (requiring the nosebe lifted off the wood before the trig-ger will fire again) is the better wood-working choice.

    Another common safety lock-outis the use of double-triggers. A dou-ble trigger requires first one, then asecond trigger be pulled to fire thegun. These guns do not have a nosesafety.

    JammingOne last feature is a way to easily re-move jammed brads from the cham-ber. Many brad nailers offer a re-movable nose to quickly clear awaythe jammed brad. This nose-piecemay require an allen wrench to re-move, or use a simple flip-latch re-quiring no tools. While this is a fea-ture to consider, todays nailers areless prone to jamming and we would-nt base a purchase on this feature.

    Pneumatics for NewbiesAs mentioned earlier, one of the greatways to enter the pneumatic worldis to purchase one of the nailer/com-pressor combination kits. Availablein a number of different configura-tions, most include a 2hp compres-sor, gun, hose and fittings for between$250 and $300. If you piece out thecomponents, this is an economicalway to get started.

    One word of caution, though.While we recommend a 2" capacitybrad nailer for most woodworkers,its not that easy to find a starterkit with a 2" capacity brad nailer.Accuset offers one for around $300,but most brad nailer kits will includea 112" or 158" capacity nailer. If youplan on purchasing two brad nail-ers, or anticipate using a larger fin-ish nailer, then this is still an eco-nomical route. If not, you may wantto still consider piecing together yourset, starting with the larger capaci-ty brad nailer.

    Finally, some companies offer atool that will fire both brads and sta-ples. These are good in a pinch, justbe prepared to fiddle with the gun abit when you switch from firing bradsto staples. PW

    occasional user If youre an occasional woodworker,

    there are lots of other tools youshould buy before you get a bradnailer and compressor. When youstart building lots of cabinets withtrimwork, youll be ready for one.

    serious home woodworker Accuset A200BN, This 2" brad nailer

    has earned a permanent place in ourshop at the magazine. It feels goodin the hand and is amazingly reliable.

    Porter-Cable BN200A, Porter-Cables2" brad nailer is surprisingly light-weight and balanced. We also likethe fact that the safety is behind thenose of the gun so its easier to putthat brad right where you want it.

    Craftsman 18424, If moneys a littletight, this lightweight 2" gun willsave you a few dollars over the otherbrands.

    advanced woodworker or professional user Senco SLP20, For years, this has been

    the industry standard in professionalshops. Its reliability and versatilityare well-documented. With propercare, this tool will last you a lifetime.

    Senco FinishPro 25, This newer toolfires longer brads than any otherbrad nailer on the market, 218".

    Makita AF502, Though expensive, thistool has one of the most unique andconvenient safety devices, built intothe entire nose-piece. A separatelock-off makes the option of bumpor sequential fire safe. This is a quali-ty tool for the pro woodworker.

    PWRecommends

    These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworkingand have earned their recommendation.

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    Safety - RN=restrictive nose,2T=two triggers,Y=yes, N=no,= PW Recommends

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 200134

    accuset Micropinner: In a Class By ItselfFor those very fine pieces of woodworking or smaller intricate projects weve hadexcellent success with the 23-gauge A100MP micro-pinner from Accuset. This small toolallows you to apply mouldings and assemble small pieces with barely a hole showingfrom the nail. While the length capacity is limited to 1", this should be sufficient for thetype of applications this tool was designed for. At around $130 its not a tool to buy justfor the heck of it, but weve found more uses for this finesse tool than expected.

    BRAND & MODEL STREET NAIL SAFETY BUMP RUBBER QUICK DRIVE AIR WEIGHT COMMENTS PRICE LENGTH SYSTEM FIRING TIP CLEAR DEPTH PRESSURE (LB)

    (IN) NOSE? ADJ. (PSI)

    18-GAUGE BRAD NAILERSAccuset A125BN $90 58-114 RN N Y Y N 70 - 100 2.3Accuset AN125 129 58-1 RN N Y Y N 70 - 100 2.4 Nailer/staplerAccuset A200BN 129 58-2 RN Y Y Y Y 70 - 100 3.4Airy ADA 0251CFE 119 58-2 RN Y Y Y Y 70 - 100 2.9 Performance/value:4.5Bostitch BT-35-KIT 130 58-138 RN N N Y N 70 - 100 2.4Bostitch BT-50-KIT 160 1316-2 RN N N Y N 70 - 100 2.6Bostitch SB-1850BN 100 58-2 RN N N Y N 70 - 100 NA Bostitch SB-1842BN 90 58-158 RN N N Y N 70 - 100 NA Campbell Hausfeld NB003099 70 38-114 RN N N N N 50 - 100 2.6Campbell Hausfeld NB004099 100 58-2 RN Y N Y N 70-110 2.8Craftsman 18409 80 38-114 RN Y N N N 60 - 100 2.2 Oilless Craftsman 18424 120 58-2 RN Y N N N 60 - 100 2.6Craftsman 18454 120 58-112 RN Y Y N N 60 - 100 2.6 Nailer/staplerDeVilbiss NB1252X4 89 38-114 2T Y N Y N 70 - 125 NA DeVilbiss NB2002X4 129 38-2 2T Y N Y N 70 - 125 NA DeVilbiss NBSNC2X4 129 38-138 2T Y N Y N 70 - 125 NA Nailer/stapler DeWalt D51238 150 58-2 RN Y Y Y Y 70 - 120 2.8 Trigger lockDuo-Fast DBN-4450 299 58-158 2T N N N N 70 - 120 2Duo-Fast DBN-4440 260 12-114 2T N N N N 70 - 120 2Grizzly G6045 70 38-114 RN Y N Y N 60 - 100 2.6Grizzly G6046 80 38-1916 RN Y N N N 60 - 100 2.9Grizzly G6047 100 58-2 RN Y N Y N 70 - 110 3Grizzly G8126 100 38-114 RN Y Y N N 60 - 100 2.6Hitachi NT32AE 85 58-114 RN Y N N N 70 - 120 2.6Hitachi NT50AE 120 34-2 RN Y N N N 70 - 120 3.2Jamerco JTBN1832 70 58-114 RN Y N N N 52 - 100 2.5Jamerco JTBN1832A 90 58-114 RN Y N N N 70 - 100 2Jamerco JTBN1850A 130 58-2 RN Y N N N 70 - 100 2.7Jamerco JT1838SB42 130 58-158 RN Y N N N 60 - 100 2.5 Nailer/staplerMakita AF502 309 58-2 RN Y Y N Y 65 - 120 2.5Makita AF503 169 58-2 RN Y Y N N 65 - 120 2.4Paslode IM200-F18 429 58-2 RN N Y Y Y 4.9 Cordless Finish NailerPaslode T200-F18 119 58-2 2T Y Y Y Y 70 - 100 2.1 Finish nailerPaslode T125-F18 99 58-114 2T Y Y Y Y 70 - 100 1.75 Finish nailerPorter-Cable BN200V12 259 34-2 RN N Y Y Y 70-120 NA 12v batt or compressorPorter-Cable BN125A 95 58-114 RN N Y Y Y 70 - 120 2.3 Performance/value:4.5Porter-Cable BN200A 138 34-2 RN N Y Y Y 70 - 120 2.5 Performance/value:4.5Senco SLP20 169 58-158 RN N N Y N 70 - 120 2.3 OillessSenco FinishPro 25 200 58-218 RN N Y Y Y 70 - 120 2.7 Turbo optionSpotnails CB1820 90 316 -114 RN Y N N N 85 - 100 2.6Spotnails DB1825 175 12-1916 RN Y N N N 85 - 100 3.1Spotnails GB1832 199 78-2 RN Y N N N 85 - 100 3.3Woodtek 832-371 120 58-112 2T Y N N Y 80 - 100 2.3Woodtek 832-378 147 34-2 2T Y N N Y 80 - 100 3.5Woodtek 882-371 80 58 2T Y N N Y 80 - 100 2.3 Nailer/stapler Woodtek 914-547 140 58-1316 2T Y N N Y 55 - 95 3 Nailer/stapler

  • For most woodworkers, the drillpress isnt the most importanttool in your shop. But its a tool youllmiss if you try to go without it. Drillpresses excel at drilling consistentholes into your work with very lit-tle effort. For many people, drill press-es may sit idle for long stretches be-fore being put to use. But with ad-ditional attachments, the drill pressbecomes a mortiser or a spindle sander,increasing its usefulness.

    Capacities on drill presses are de-termined by measuring the distancefrom the center of the chuck to thepost. An 8" benchtop drill press hasa 4" throat capacity from the post tothe chuck.

    Sold as benchtop and floor mod-els, expect a 4" to 812" capacity onstandard benchtop models (whichare priced from $80 to almost $1,000,with most around the $180 mark).Standard floor models will rangefrom 612" to 11" capacity and costbetween $195 and $3,700 and av-erage around $400. Both benchtop

    and floor model radial drill presseshave a much larger capacity.

    Choosing between a benchtopor floor model drill press is likelyto come down to price and throatcapacity. Many of the other featuresare similar among the models. Thoughbenchtop units limit the possibleheight of the piece being drilled, theheight limitation can be workedaround by mounting it to a work sur-face and swinging the head so it ex-tends over the edge of the work sur-face.

    One feature that is standard onmost drill presses is the ability to op-erate at variable speeds by changingthe orientation of the drive belts onstepped pulleys. Some models allowspeeds to be changed without stop-ping the machine or moving thebelts. This feature is more importantthan most users realize, as specificspeeds will provide better perfor-mance from bits. Larger bits performbetter at slower speeds, while small-er bits work well at higher speeds.

    See the chart below to make sureyoure getting the most from yourdrill press tooling.

    Closely related to speed is themotor size. Its not important to havea large motor on a drill press. Inessence, a drill press does the sametype of work an electric drill does,but it is more accurate. A 16 hp to34 hp is the normal range for bench-tops, while floor models will run from12 hp to 2 hp.

    One of the features that allowsdrill presses to be more accurate thanan electric drill is an adjustable depthstop. Employing either a threadedshaft with stop-nuts attached to thequill, or an internal limiter that keepsthe handle from turning past a cer-tain spot, the depth stop allows youto drill hole after hole to exactly thesame depth. Some drill press mod-els offer both types of depth adjust-ment. Either will work, though youmay find that you have a personalpreference.

    Now that weve got the bit spin-ning at the proper speed and to theproper depth, lets take a look atwhats holding the wood. The tablesthat most drill presses are outfittedwith are holdovers from when drillpresses were crossover tools from themetalworking shops. The tables maybe square or round, and if youre luckytheyll offer slots you can use to mounta plywood sub-table. The critical fea-ture on the table is the way it adjusts.Tables move up and down using asimple friction sleeve (mostly foundon benchtop units) or a rack-and-pinion system operated by a crank.In either case, if you get the chanceto try the machine, make sure the

    Making holes that are all the same depth and all straight into your work might not sound like a big deal until you try to do that without a drill press. Trust us, you need one.

    drillpresses

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 2001

    BIT SPEEDSBIT TYPE SOFTWOOD HARDWOOD

    twist116" - 316" 3,000 3,00014" - 38" 3,000 1,500716" - 58" 1,500 7501116" - 1" 750 500

    bradpoint18" 1,800 1,20014" 1,800 1,00038" 1,800 75012" 1,800 75058" 1,800 50034" 1,400 25078" 1,200 2501" 1,000 250

    BIT TYPE SOFTWOOD HARDWOOD

    pilot-point18" - 316" 3,000 3,00014" - 38" 3,000 3,00012" 3,000 1,500

    spade14" - 12" 2,000 1,50058" - 1" 1,750 1,500118" - 112" 1,500 1,000

    forstner14" - 38" 2,400 70012" - 58" 2,400 50034" - 1" 1,500 500118" - 114" 1,000 250138" - 2" 500 250

  • table is easy to use and moves smooth-ly. We recommend a rack-and-pin-ion system whenever available.

    A few words about radial drillpresses. By having the drill press headmounted on a sliding post, the throatcapacity can reach a maximum of18", almost twice that of many stan-dard floor models. The adjustablehead also allows the press to be usedat a number of different angles, addinga variety of applications. Thoughweve heard deflection concerns withthe radial design, our testing hasnt

    shown any significant problem. Wewould suggest, though, you makesure the bit is square to the table afterrotating the head. Though a littlefussier to deal with, a radial drill presscan significantly increase your toolscapacity without a lot more expense.

    Some available attachments toincrease your drill press abilities in-clude: a drum sander (to use the ma-chine as a spindle sander); or a mor-tising attachment, which wont beas efficient as a dedicated mortiser,but itll cost only about $75. PW

    Post to quill capacity is the most important feature. Decide between a floor or benchtop model based on your

    available space and the capacity you need. The easier it is to change the quill speed, the better. How easy is it to move and adjust the table? How easy is it

    to mount a sub-table? It might sound like a throwaway feature, but a good light mounted on the

    machine helps a lot.

    SHOPPING GUIDELINESfor drill presses

    occasional user Grizzly G7945, Grizzly Industrial got

    its start selling drill presses, and itshard to beat them on value. Thisbenchtop radial press has impressivestats and a great price.

    Grizzly G7946, The floor model radialmachine costs just a few dollars moreand, like its little brother, will occa-sionally save your bacon when youhave a tricky hole to make.

    Grizzly G7943, If space is a concernand you dont need the capacity of aradial press, check out this small butheavy unit.

    serious home woodworker Grizzly G7944, Its almost impossible

    to find a new 14" drill press for thisprice anywhere but at Grizzly. Agood machine at an incredible price.

    Delta 17-965, This 1612" unit is wellmade and is found in many proshops. The price is competitive, too.

    advanced woodworker or professional user Grizzly G7948, This monster 20" drill

    press has a table-saw-sized motor onback and an enormous table. For thisprice, you just cannot beat it any-where.

    PWRecommends

    These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworkingand have earned their recommendation.

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  • PW recommends

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    POPULARWOODWORKING October 2001

    MODEL STREET THROAT CHUCK QUILL SPINDLE RACK & HP WEIGHT COMMENTSPRICE CAP. (IN.) CAP. (IN.) TRAVEL (IN.) SPEED RPMS PINION TABLE LBS.

    BENCHTOPCraftsman 21908 $115 4 12 2 620 - 3,100 N 13 48 5 speedsDelta 11-950 100 4 12 2 620 - 3,100 N 14 49 5 speedsGrizzly G7942 80 4 12 2 620 - 3,100 Y 13 50Jet JDP-8 180 4 12 2 620 - 3,100 N 16 42 5 speedsTradesman 8050S 100 4 12 2 620 - 3,100 N 14 50 5 speedsWoodtek 829785 100 4 12 2 620 - 3,100 N 14 40Shop Fox H2271 110 414 12 158 620 - 3,100 N 13 49 oscillatingDelta 11-980 155 5 12 214 620 - 3,100 Y 14 70 5 speedsJet JDP-10 210 5 12 212 540 - 3,600 N 13 70 5 speedsRyobi DP101 100 5 12 214 570 - 3,050 Y 14 68 5 speedsTradesman 8062S 120 5 12 2 620 - 3,100 N 14 59Craftsman 21912 180 6 12 238 540 - 3,600 Y 23 83 fence;5 speedsDelta 11-990 170 6 12 238 620 - 3,100 Y 13 78 5 speedsFisch DP2000 230 6 12 212 500 - 3,100 Y 12 80 6 speedsStar S4016 195 612 58 3 195 - 3,500 Y 12 95Shop Fox H0626 220 658 58 314 250 - 3,050 Y 34 115 oscillatingGrizzly G7943 180 7 58 314 140 - 3,050 Y 34 160 12 speedsJet JDP-14J 305 7 12 314 195 - 3,630 Y 12 132 5 speedsJet JDP-14M 360 7 58 338 460 - 2,500 Y 12 132 16 speedsGeneral 34-02 760 712 12 412 460 - 4,910 N NA 174General 34-02-M1 990 712 12 412 460 - 4,910 N 34 174General Int'l 75-100 470 812 58 314 340 - 2,800 Y 34 180

    FLOORStar S4017 $255 612 58 3 195 - 3,500 Y 12 125 Tradesman 8080S 320 612 58 338 250 - 3,100 Y 12 156 12 speedsDelta 14-070 370 7 58 338 250 - 3,000 Y 12 157 12 speedsGrizzly G7944 200 7 58 314 140-3,050 Y 34 172 work lightJet JDP-14JF 370 7 12 338 200 - 3,630 Y 12 156 5 speedsJet JDP-14MF 380 7 58 314 460 - 2,500 Y 34 167 16 speedsYorkcraft YC-19FDP 259 7 58 3516 140 - 3,050 Y 34 176 work lightTranspower DP16 195 714 58 312 250 - 3,000 Y 34 130Craftsman 22915 300 712 58 318 250 - 3,100 Y 12 166 12 speedsCraftsman 22935 1,250 712 58 41316 300 - 3,300 Y 1 440General 34-01 880 712 12 412 460 - 4,910 N 34 196General 34-01-M1 760 712 12 412 460 - 4,910 N 34 196Powermatic 1150-A 1,650 712 12 6 400 - 5,300 Y 34 or 1 323Ridgid DP1550 300 712 58 334 250 - 3,100 Y 12 162 2-location handleLobo DP-016F 280 8 58 312 240 - 3,800 Y 12 135Delta 17-900 340 814 58 338 250 - 3,000 Y 34 194 12 speedsDelta 17-925 870 814 12 6 150 - 3,200 Y 34 230 variable speedsDelta 17-965 390 814 58 478 215 - 2,720 Y 34 195 16 speedsJet JDP-17MF 420 814 58 438 200 - 3,630 Y 34 178 16 speedsJet JDP-17FSE 310 814 58 338 200 - 3,000 Y 34 168 16 speedsWoodtek 816-805 379 814 58 314 250 - 3,000 Y 34 165Grizzly G7947 375 812 58 434 210 - 3,300 Y 1 275 work lightBridgewood BW1758F 300 812 58 3516 250 - 3,900 Y 34 150 work lightCraftsman 22917 400 812 58 314 200 - 3,630 Y 34 195 16 speedsGeneral 75-200 505 812 58 314 340 - 2,800 Y 34 200Lobo DP-186F 350 812 58 3516 190 - 2,640 Y 34 170Powermatic 1170 480 812 58 314 190 - 3,500 Y 1 180Shop Fox G9974 325 812 58 314 150 - 3,050 Y 1 200Tradesman 8106S 430 812 58 338 250 - 3,600 Y 1 183 16 speedsTranspower DP17 225 812 58 312 250 - 3,000 Y 1 178Grizzly G9749 1,550 958 58 6716 300 - 3,000 Y 112 750Craftsman 22920 600 10 34 41116 150 - 4,200 Y 1 282 work light

  • Radial drill presses, such as the G7945, give you immense throat capacity and the ability to easily make holes at compound angles. Whats the downside? Some people report problems with the head flexing something we haventencountered in our shop. Radial drill presses are a little fussier to set up because you need to check the head when yousquare it to the table to make sure its actually square.

    MODEL STREET THROAT CHUCK QUILL SPINDLE SPEED RACK & HP WEIGHT COMMENTSPRICE CAP. (IN.) CAP. (IN.) TRAVEL (IN.) RPMS PINION TABLE LBS.

    Grizzly G7948 425 10 58 434 210 - 3,300 Y 112 312 12 speeds/ lightGrizzly G7108 1,495 10 58 614 300 - 2,000 Y 2 717 variable speedPowermatic 2000 815 10 58 412 130 - 2,770 Y 112 328Bridgewood BW2501F 500 1014 58 458 150 - 4,200 Y 34 258 work lightGrizzly 9746 2,495 1014 58 518 60 - 1,500 Y 1 682Jet 20MF 845 1014 34 438 150 - 4,200 Y 112 288Woodtek 816-812 690 1012 58 41316 180 - 4,200 Y 1 346Grizzly G9747 3,695 1034 58 5 60 - 3,000 Y 112 682General Int'l 75-500 880 11 34 412 130 - 2,770 Y 1 340Lobo 222F 680 11 114 434 190 - 4,300 Y 1 360

    RADIALTradesman 8090S 180 13 12 4 620 - 3,100 N 14 62 Grizzly G7945 150 17 58 314 550 - 3,470 Y 12 100 benchtopGrizzly G7946 180 17 58 314 550 - 3,470 Y 12 150 5 speedsYorkcraft YC-16RDP 190 1714 58 458 550 - 3,470 Y 12 81 5 speeds

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  • I began my woodworking careerstanding in a pile of wood chipsat the back end of a 20" planer. So Iunderstand the benefit of dust col-lection. To keep the mess down, sure,but sucking dust into your lungs is anuisance and a health risk.

    Dust comes in many sizes in awood shop, and there are collectorsand air cleaners to keep your workplace safe from plain and toxic dust.

    Dust collectors come in a dizzy-ing array of sizes, from the portablesingle bag, 12 hp models to the com-mercial models that are larger thansome shops. While the smaller onesmay have an application in your shop,there are a number of modestly sizedunits that will fit comfortably intoyour shop and your budget.

    Collection units are of four vari-eties: the single-stage collector thatsucks in big and little chips and drops

    them in a bag for emptying later;two-stage collectors that suck thechips into a barrel and divert the finedust into a bag; cyclone collectorsthat generally do a better job of sep-arating the fine dust from the biggerchips than the other units; and aircleaners that extract fine particlesfrom the air in your shop by cyclingthe air through a series of filters.

    For the majority of woodwork-ers, a single-stage unit will provideadequate chip collection for a num-ber of machines and still not breakthe bank.

    It takes about 350 cfm (cubic feetper minute) to adequately pull chipsaway from a table saw. On the high-er end, a planer should be matchedwith between 400 and 500 cfm tokeep things clean. If used for onlyone of these machines, literally everydust collector made could handle

    the job. So why are some collec-tors better than others?

    Air movement measured in cfmis important, but there are other fac-tors as well. The collector is attachedto the machine by a hose. The lengthand diameter of the hose can reduceefficiency of the collector. If youchoose to hook your dust collectorto more than one machine and thesections of hose are not kept inde-pendent from each other (using blastgates to stop the air flow) the staticpressure drops. If you decide to haveyour dust collector positioned out-side of the main shop area, its qui-eter, but youve decreased the effec-tiveness with the extra pipe.

    While a great deal of math canbe applied to determine the best ma-chine for you, as a rule of thumb, acollecto