Smitty
JAN/FEB
2004
Volume 47/Issue 1
IN
THIS ISSUE
Project
Articles
•
A New Kitchen
• Wooden Utensil Rack & Knife
Block/Cutting Board
• Gallery Rail Paper Towel Holder
DEPARTMENTS
•
Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners
•
New Baby Workshop Calendar
Academy Notes
Clean
Cuts - Pt. 4- Using Oriental Waterstones
Service Pointers
Keeping
Your MARK V Running Smoothly
Safety Tips
Router Safety
What's
New
Bandsaw
Cover and 6" Drum Sander Sleeves
EDUCATION
• Find
A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
•
National
Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH
ONLINE
CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
•
Request
Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online
Replacement Parts Catalog
MARK
V INFORMATION
•
Find
A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
•
Request
MARK V Information Package
LINKS
•
Links Worth Visiting
•
Free Woodworking
Tips
FEEDBACK
Contacting
Shopsmith
Copyright
2003.
Shopsmith, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
ASK
SMITTY!
Here
are the questions . . .
and SMITTY’S answers for this issue!
Planers
and Jointers - which is best?
From L. Myers, via e-mail:
I am about to purchase a Shopsmith MARK V and am planning to build
new cabinetry for the home. Additionally, Is a planer and a jointer the
same and would I need both? Finally, if the Shopsmith MARK V is so accurate,
why would I need a Jointer?
A planer and a Jointer are NOT the same. A Jointer is primarily for smoothing the EDGES of boards (in Shopsmith's case, up to 4-1/8" wide)....while a Thickness Planer is designed to smooth the SURFACES of boards (in Shopsmith's case, up to 12" wide).
If you're doing any kind of cabinet or fine furniture work, you really need a Jointer. Also, a planer is an extremely desirable machine to own because it allows you to plane all the lumber you buy to EXACTLY the same thickness...a HUGE benefit when it comes to ensuring the precision and finished results of the projects you build. That's because lumber thicknesses can easily vary from store-to-store and batch-to-batch by up to 1/32" or more. This can seriously affect the outcome of your projects. Plus...a planer will allow you to buy rough-sawn lumber... saving you $ .10 to $ .20 per board foot.
So, why do you need a Jointer? Because virtually ALL sawblades leave minute “mill marks” on the cut edges of boards. If, for example, you're joining a series of boards together to form a wider panel, a Jointer will smooth these “joining” edges so well that once assembled, you'll never see any cracks or gaps between the boards.
You can also bevel the edges of boards with a Jointer, cut tapers, smooth narrow board surfaces and perform some other handy tasks. A Hollow-Ground Planer (saw) Blade (Part # 505547) will, to a certain extent, do the same job until you can afford to add a Jointer to your collection...but by and large, the Jointer is a better tool for this task.
Efficient
MARK V dust collection
From Dave Gandy, via e-mail:
I hook my DC3300 to the Lower Saw Guard chute, but it doesn't seem
to do a very good job of catching the dust when I am using the table saw
on my MARK V Model 510. (Upgraded to 520).
I have watched a lot of demos and even went to one of your academies, and your hook- ups do a much better job than mine does.
Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong? There is nothing wrong with the DC3300. It works superbly on everything I use it for except the Lower Dust Chute.
The Upper Saw Guard helps the collection process. Hopefully, you're using this, too.
Another potential problem is the width setting of your Lower Guard. If it's sides are too close together or too far apart, this will hinder dust collection. Ideally, the “outer” side (the side furthest from the headstock) should be about an inch or so away from the saw blade.
Is your Tie Bar Guard (Part # 514115) attached properly to the Table Bar & Tube (Part # 514344)? This Guard helps direct sawdust to the Lower Guard when in position. Without it (or with it improperly installed), sawdust can easily escape the Lower Guard. Look at your “Exploded Parts Diagram” in your Owner's Manual to be sure the Guard is installed properly.
Blades
for older model Shopsmith Jigsaws
From Tom Cooke, via e-mail:
Years ago I bought a Shopsmith Jigsaw, and it is a fine tool. I
understand the Jigsaw has not been manufactured by Shopsmith for many
years. Are blades still available for it?
Shopsmith's Scroll Saw Blades will fit quite nicely on your older Jigsaw.
