On today’s show, we’re celebrating Get Woodworking Week by doing an all email episode!
Around the Web
– Investigating the age of furniture by analyzing wood rings.
– David Marks’ Blog
– Japanese planing competition.
– Amazing wood watches!
Emails
– Pug is looking for some advice on molding plane makes and manufacturers.
– Larry is battling rust in his pole barn shop.
Marc recommends he refer to the following links: Rust Prevention for Woodworkers, Rust Prevention, and The Best Rust Preventers (Paid article)
– Akos is looking for advice on staining thin veneer sheets.
– Chris is considering his grinding options for repairing blunt and damaged blades.
– Darryl has a Delta TP305 planer and wants to adjust it for a perfect cut, but doesn’t know how.
– Will is looking for advice on a saw purchase as well as a smoothing plane purchase.
– Walter wants our thoughts on sanding plywood.
– Jack is thinking about trying the frequency-based Thein tensioning system for tensioning his bandsaw.
Are you interested in setting up a recurring donation to help support the show? Use the links in the left column to help out today!
14 replies on “WT120 – We’ve Got Mail”
As always, good show.
For Daryl with the Delta planer… I have a similar but I think older Delta planer and I know there is a chain that goes between the two screws that raise and lower the planer bed. It’s located below the bed and in my case it’s under the bed so I found it by turning the planer on it’s side and taking off the bottom.
The chain runs on two gears with 6 teeth. If yours is similar you should be able to remove a gear and turn the chain and other gear one tooth in the direction you need to adjust. The gear in mine is indexed to only go back on the screw one way, but with the chain free you can turn the other screw by 1/6th increments and just re-engage the teeth.
Again, if yours is like mine, that should give you a pretty fine adjustment and with some trial and error get you acceptably close to level. I looked and I don’t see the chain on an exploded diagram of your planer, but there must be something connecting the two screws.
Hope that helps.
On the rust prevention… After listening to Matt, it sounds like we need to put block heaters under any cast iron surfaces to keep them warmer than the air!
I’ll stick to just putting a cover on it LOL!
Good show.
On the SS ZCI conversation…..I’m not sure that aftermarket ‘blanks’ exist as they do for other saws – I’m not sure if they’re just more complicated to make (look at the underside of one) or it’s that the material needs to not trigger the brake.
There is an aluminum insert available (about $90) which has replaceable wooden inserts (about $10 for a 4-pack) . It’s not really the answer to the “cost effective” question submitted, but if you want to customize the ZCI for a number of blades (think dado blades) then this might be a good options.
Another great show guys! Keep’em coming. I really enjoy listening while I’m tinkering in the shop after the boys have gone to bed, and it’s too late to run any of the bigger tools.
On the Sawstop insert plate.. Granted they have some grooves under it but i’m pretty sure there not that hard to make. the only holes you need are the one for the arbor nut and the arbor shaft holder.. and those are when the blade is fully up.
I think that the back nuts are useful but the front lock/unlock could bre replace by a small metal screw (on my contractor saw, there a hole under the hole where you put your finger tu release the locking lever. just drill a small tappered hole and put the screw there.
Keep up the good work,
Jeff C.
Have been listening to the podcast for the last year or so, always enjoy it. As a very proud SawStop owner for a little over three years I wanted to weigh in on the issues with making your own zero clearance insert. Some US retailers would likely ship the SS made inserts to the listener. Especially, I would think west coast or Hawaii.
While you were right to point out that the blanks for the dado heads are pretty much the same as standard (you could always tap the would to take a few small set screws for micro leveling). The standard blade insert is not the same and this is because of the riving knife and its clamp mechanism need their own slot behind the blade kerf. With the extra slot for the knife, the insert is a bit less solid. So, to keep the insert rigid and durable I believe that SS has made its inserts a bit bit thicker and puts the little locking/lifter handle on the front…the thicker material then requires all the relief on the underside to accommodate the arbor nut, washer and knife clamp when the blade is all the way up and/or tilting for bevels.
On additional note: when the saw was first purchased the insert was already cut. Once you cut some bevels the kerf gets a little bit ragged and isn’t so much zero clearance. I recently bought a new insert and the riving knife slot was already cut and the relief cuts underneath too, but the blade kerf was not. The new insert is now my 90 degree insert and has stayed very tight to the blade and the older one is for bevels and less critical clearances (lots of rip cuts).
Vacuum-infusion for wood dyes:
http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/vacuum-infusing-chamber.htm
The operative feature is that the air is removed first, then sufficient dye liquid is introduced (without breaking the vacuum) to cover the pieces inside the vessel. Finally, the vessel is pressurized so that the air above the dye’s surface helps push the dye into the wood.
Simple help for grinding on a cheap, dry grinder: Always grind multiple chisels in batches of half a dozen or so. Chisel #1 goes on the wheel for a single pass then back in the water. Chisel #2 goes on the wheel for a single pass then back in the water. Lather, rinse, repeat. By the time you get through the batch, chisel #1 is chilled and ready for another pass.
I like the process for handling chisels on a grinder…great way to force a cool down.
Hi Guys,
Regarding the e-mail about the Record bench vice, I own several Record vices and from what was described in the podcast it is a common problem, it happens when you crank down on the vice it engages the quick release so it never fully tightens, because they are completely metal they need constant maintenance and greasing especially around the quick release spring.
Record Power are a U.K based company making tools for over 100 years.
keep up the good work
I just received a catalog from Infinity cutting tools and they had a after market Zero Clearance throat plate for the saw stop. its a aluminum plate that holds a smaller insert that is cheaper so you can make one for any blade combination. I think its the same one John Fitz (below) was talking about. Here is a link to it http://www.infinitytools.com/SawStop-ZCI/products/1820/
Hi guys,
Re. Larry’s rust problem.
I live near the coast and left my new table saw uncovered after unpacking and setting up. I did apply some SilverGlide (liberally) after washing away the protective goo but the top still started showing signs of rust after just a few weeks.
My solution was as Matt suggested: covering the cast iron surface. I took a two-part approach–which has worked but is probably overkill: I cut a large piece of corrugated cardboard to fit the shape of each of my cast iron tables–including the jointer and planer; I cover all machines with canvas drop sheets (from the home shop–not cheap but seem to be effective). Also, I still use the SilverGlide for slipperiness and rust protection. The down side is that all of these covers need to be removed before I can get to work, which can be a bummer some times when you just want to get to work.
Interestingly, since building a cross cut sled for the table saw, I’ve done away with the cardboard for that machine; although the sled base doesn’t cover the entire table top, I’ve continued to leave the machine covered with a drop cloth and no problems so far (haven’t made it through the we Aussie winter yet, however!).
Ps. I also keep all of my hand tools in their boxes, wrapped in the original anti-corrosive paper they arrived in, inside a cupboard and coated in Lie Nielsen’s camellia oil. No real problems there yet.
Michael
I think the unsung hero in Fine Woodworking’s article on rust prevention is the common WD-40. To my eye the WD-40 treated steel looked as good as the samples from their “Best Overall,” CRC 3-36. Given how well it worked and that everyone probably has a spray can (or three) of WD-40 around, I think it should get recommended more often for rust prevention. Plus, you can go to Home Depot and get a gallon(!) of the stuff AND a plastic WD-40 spray bottle for about $20. Given it was formulated to displace water (Water Displacement formula # 40), we probably shouldn’t be surprised that it works well at rust prevention. After reading the Fine Woodworking article I switched completely to WD-40 for rust prevention. I keep some rags damp with WD-40 around in the basement and garage and give a quick wipe down to my chisels, saw blades & tool tops when I’m done using them and am putting things away.