GRJensen

I have posted my entry in the "Got Jigs? Challenge" twice (once on 8/3/10 and another today on 8/4/10), but neither shows up.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/30135/telescoping-crosscut-sled

Am I doing something wrong?

I have never had a radial arm saw, and never will.

A friend offered to give me one (he has 2 ... both 60's vintage DeWalt 10"), and I said 'No, Thank You'. Why? I have used both of his saws, and I just don't feel safe with them.

I'm far more comfortable with my table saw and CMS.

Not to make this a political issue, but Carlos Osorio could become a poster child for tort reform. Gee, who would have ever thought a saw blade spinning at 5000rpm could be dangerous!

So long as this kind of stuff is allowed to continue, we will all be paying for Mr. Osorio's negligence.

Suits and damage awards like this cost everyone in the long run.

I won't buy anything made by Apple ... iPod, iPhone, iPad, iWhatever. Any company that treats their dealers, resellers, and independent programmers the way Apple does is not going to get a nickel of my hard-earned cash.

Hand-cut dovetails can be fun to learn to make. I spent a couple of Saturdays and several evenings in the shop with my dovetail saw, and a pile of scraps. No pressure, no deadlines, no design specs ... I just kept sawing away until I felt comfortable moving on to a real project.

Deciding on the joinery method is sort of like choosing the right tool for a given job. Dovetails are strong and can be attractive, but other joints can work just as well depending on the material you are using and the application.

I have made a few projects with box/finger joints, but the drawers in my shop cabinets were all done with lock rabbets.

Why did I use lock rabbets? The drawers were all built with 3/4" stock, the lock rabbets are strong (though not as string as dovetails), and I can do them in a fraction of the time it would take to do dovetails. If I were using 1/2" stock for the same drawer, I would probably have done them with dovetails for added strength.

Thanks, Norm, for giving us so much.

This announcement is sad, but not unexpected. With the state of the economy, most companies are cutting anywhere they can including the dollars they budget for advertising, promotions, and sponsorships.

The New Yankee Workshop has always been a first-rate production ... too bad the sponsors can't find a way to support quality programming.

I would have two concerns with this sled. First, I don't like reaching over the blade. Second, a sled with a rear fence is, IMHO, easier to push through the blade and the rear fence can function as a backer board to minimize tearout.

pcsexpat - You are **NOT** the only one that can't get a full dado stack on the arbor. That is a major failing of benchtop saws. I had two (Delta and Jet models) and couldn't do wide dadoes on either of them. Some of the higher-priced jobsite saws may be able to take a full stack, but I got tired of folling around with them and bought a Jet contractor saw. Problem solved.

Would I buy one of the Chinese knock-offs? Probably not. I have come to value quality over price when it comes to tools, and don't mind spending a little more to get something that is of enduring quality and value. I have spent much of the past few years building my collection of hand-planes, starting with my Dad's old Stanley No 5. My collection now includes a Stanley No 3 (1898), a Stanley No 4 (1910), a Stanley No 7 (1920), a Stanley No 92 (1940's), a pre-WWII Craftsman filister plane, etc. My point here is that (with the exception of a newer Stanley block plane) I could have spent a lot less money and probably got something that 'works'. I sure woudl not have spent countless hours in the shop restoring and tuning these old planes. But I get a tremendous rush everytime Dad's old jack plane cuts shavings so thin you can read newsprint through them!

When I saw this a few days ago, my first reaction was "Naw ... this didn't really happen."

I still don't know if it was an act or not, but in my mind there is nothing either positive or humorous about it.

Speaking of tablesaw safety, the TV commercial with the board kicking back and hitting someone in the back makes me groan everytime I see it. No doubt, the folks who made that commercial thought it was funny. Apparently they don't realize how dangerous a flying missile like that is.