Latest Added

Some more sale content-

Triton routers & spares

Radial Arm saw

You don’t see that every day

A Torque Workcentre Router Master, and some TWC accessories (couple are prototypes) have now been added to the Tool Sale page.

Fun while it lasted

Had to take back the CNC Shark to Carbatec today – thanks for the loan!  It was interesting to experience CNC machining, and I can see how having a CNC router would be very useful in a cottage industry setting.

It is quite a different animal to a laser, but both operate on a similar, adjacent playing field.  One of each would make an ideal setup – some jobs are perfectly suited to one, some to the other.  Both work from a subtractive perspective, so a 3D printer would provide the additive component.  That shouldn’t be too far away now.

Think next time, one of the requirements for a CNC router, is to have one that doesn’t have a router that screams so loudly when it operates.  Many of my machines are moving towards a quieter form of woodworking (not as far as getting away from murdering electrons mind), but at least either quiet brushed motors, the even quieter brushless, or induction motors on the larger machines.  Having a small thing that screams for the 2-3 hours of a larger CNC job is just not pleasant!  The CNC Shark doesn’t have to use the Bosch router, so I’d be looking for a different router if I did get one of these.

So back to more traditional forms of woodworking, at least for the time being.  I expect at some stage that each of these options will be available in the shed, just not sure about the timeline.

Tool Sale Tab is now open

Hopefully some bargains in there that are tempting!  See top right of the website if looking for the tab.

I’ve only put up a few items so far.  Plenty more (mostly smaller, some larger) items to be added as soon as I can get to them.

 

3D Rounding

There are router bits, and router bits.  They come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny and cute, to the massive and scary.  And I have router bits at both ends of that spectrum, and a fair few in between.

The router bit is the real tool after all.  The router is just a motor to spin that bit quickly.  And having the right tool for the job is the name of the game.

Having coped with the idea that some router bits can be cute, and knowing full well some are large and mean looking, I am not sure if I have ever described a router bit as “fun”.

 

Ok, yes, they are not a toy, and they can draw claret with the best of the tools in the workshop, but it is fun when a tool works so superbly, that you honestly cannot think of a way they can be improved.  Perhaps fun is not quite the right word.  Enjoyable?  A pleasure to use.

They are the descriptions I am giving to a bit that I used the first time the other day, while making the wooden toy vehicles.  It is the Amana 3D rounding over bit from Toolstoday.com, and it works brilliantly.  A normal rounding over bit can work in two dimensions – the table (or router base) runs along the side of your workpiece, and a bearing controls the depth of cut so it rounds over your square corner nicely.

But what if you have a compound curve (and quite common in wooden toys, particularly bandsawn components)?  You come across a concave section, and there is no way you can get the router bit to that section.  Out comes the sandpaper, and you try to match the curves and radius.

This is where the 3D router bit comes into its own.  Instead of having just a bearing on the end, this router bit also comes with a sleeve (that can also spin) that restricts vertical movement as well.  The benefit of this is that you can use the router bit above the table, without the need to rest the workpiece on a flat surface.  This sleeve performs that function instead.

And with an overall length of over 95mm, there is plenty of clearance to reach inside concave curves and still effect a roundover.

You still have to keep fingers away (I don’t need my fingers rounded over!), but I found the router bit very easy to use, even when climb cutting, without any risk of a catch.  The bit is still only taking off a small amount of timber, and the double guides (sleeve and bearing) prevent any real opportunity to get a dig in, or take off more than intended.

There is both a 1/8″ and a 1/4″ version.  I have the 1/8″ version, as I tend to like having a subtle rounding over – enough to prevent splinters, or sharp edges for the young and inquisitive, but still retain some of the crispness of a tight corner.  Having one of each would be ideal, to keep the options open.

Available from Toolstoday.com as I mentioned, this is thinking outside of the box, and is both really clever, and well executed (quality).  And yes, I’ll stick to calling them fun to use!

Lathe Area Organisation

Further progress on the turning corner. Shelving in, light installed, chisels mounted, sawdust made 🙂

The Forbes Faux Pas

Forbes Magazine has written a very indepth article about The Wood Whisperer.

Famous in our circles, it looked to be a pretty major step forward for woodworking bloggers.

Unfortunately, the Wood Whisperer that Forbes refers to (http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnalley/2014/04/17/the-wood-whisperer/) is not Marc “The Wood Whisperer” Spagnuolo, but one “Frank Pollaro”. I’d include a screenshot, but I rather avoid having to argue “Fair Use” against a copyright claim.

Unfortunately for Forbes, “The Wood Whisperer” is trademarked, and not to Frank Pollaro. Oops!

Still, it’d be nice to be Frank. According to the article, he can make a dining table worth $1/2 a million, and has over $2 million worth of timber for future projects.

Wonder if he uses Triton Woodracks too?

Recommissioning Triton History

I debated whether to use the Triton POS router bit cabinet again, (that is Point of Sale by the way!), and decided that despite it not being the most efficient storage system, it is a good display

And maintains a little bit of Triton history. Not sure how many other copies of this cabinet still exist. Once, pretty much every Bunnings store had one.

Still, loaded up, it doesn’t make too bad a router bit storage. I still have to fit another dozen or so bits in (not to mention the bit sets that will be stored separately).

Belt Sanding

Many years ago now, I got the Black and Decker “Power File”. That may be one name for it, but it really is a very narrow belt sander.

(Mine predates the cyclonic dust collection).

There are also air-powered versions, and Fein have one as well, if you are looking for an upmarket brand

Seems the concept is widening, and it may be that I just haven’t seen them before. Again, not called a belt sander, but there is this version by WorkSharp for shaping knives

And this version from Fein for pipe polishing. Never knew pipe polishing was taken so seriously!! Metabo have a version as well.

I’m sure there are applications to woodworking- anyone seen or used one of these in the workshop?

Triton and……..

Triton
Hills
GMC
Kincrome

As Michael discovered independently today, Kincrome have indeed dropped Triton.

I have been discussing this for the past few weeks with Triton, and although a new distributor has been found, I cannot recognise/remember the name.

Hopefully for Triton’s sake, there won’t be any decrease in availability or product range, or further increase in price.

Until the product makes a regular appearance in the hardware mega-houses, it remain pretty hidden to the majority of the general consumers.

There is an awesome competition coming out with the launch of ManSpace TV, and I’ve suggested Triton get some product included in that. It sounded of interest, not sure if anything has come of it as yet. The current (and original) circular saw, and router are still excellent examples of those power tools.

Watch this space!