SSYTC058 Profile Pro on the C26 Genius

Another tool I got to play with at the wood show was the C26 Genius, a MiniMax combo– again from Gabbett Machinery.

Trying out the Amana Tool Profile Pro from Toolstoday.com, with a rebate cutter, then one of the profile cutters.

Photos are in an earlier post, but you can’t really see just how smooth the finish was, straight off the tool.

Cutters were changed without having to remove the cutter block from the spindle moulder – very easy system that positively aligns, and restrains the blades in the cutter block.

The starter set comes with 7 different profiles (including a straight rebate), but there are 137(!!!) different profiles to choose from for this cutter block, many costing around $US26.

SSYTC058 Profile Pro on the C26 Genius

SSYTC057 1st Hands-on Experience of the SawStop

At the wood show last weekend, I got to set off the SawStop mechanism, not once, but 3 times.

Funnily enough, I was quite tentative about it the first time – we are talking about an extremely violent reaction at massive speed.

However, in practice it was a lot quieter and more gentle than I was expecting (but just as fast!)  It was amazing just how easy it is to do something stupid, and how capable the SawStop is in allowing you to be able to get away without permanent disability.

You don’t change your work practices (you remain working as safe as ever) – noone wants to set it off even so.  Like airbags in a car, you’d not want to ever see them deployed, but if you did, you would be most grateful they were there.

So here is the video of the very first time I got to set off the SawStop brake.

SSYTC057 1st Hands-on Experience of the SawStop

Thanks to the guys from Gabbett Machinery / I Wood Like for letting me give the machine a workout!

SSYTC056 A ‘new’ tablesaw engine

At the local school fete, and the local (Port Philip) historic machinery society come each year with their eclectic collection of vehicles and machines.

A few looked like they would be ideal for powering a belt-driven machine, or a small workshop line shaft.

One I particularly looked at was indeed a motor that originally drove a tablesaw.

It is a 2.5HP petrol engine by the Sandwich Manufacturing Co, from 1926. It has a magneto ignition, and runs around 425RPM

It may be a 4 stroke, but when you watch the video, the movement of the lever under the magneto unit, and the valve operation is just how slow the firing rate is when the engine is idling.

A simple, clever regulating system means it just ticks over, firing the piston only when the motor slows below a certain speed. An impressively fuel efficient system. As load increases, the firing rate also automatically increases.

The ‘pot’ of boiling water is the cooling system. Instead of a radiator, the water is allowed to boil away, with the energy required to transition the water to steam being an effective method to pull heat out of the engine. Of course you have to monitor the water and oil level! The oil drip-feeds the engine, with just the required amount gravity fed in each stroke, which then works down past each surface needing to be lubricated.

An impressive unit from a bygone age.

SSYTC056 A ‘new’ tablesaw engine