The vacuums reviewed range in price from $270 to $500 and have a variety of features that surely will sway purchasing decisions based on the type of work you do. The compact Fein Turbo II included convenient cord storage, a large carrying handle, and durable latches and casters. It was the quietest of the vacs tested. On the down side, its small can hang up on debris, there isn’t a drain for wet contents, and the switches are difficult to see.
Overall, the Fein is compact, easy to move around, and extremely durable in design and construction. It’s a quiet but powerful vac that we named Best Value.
The thick, felted bag on this Shop Fox is a plus and a minus. On one hand, it makes the unit much less expensive than collectors with canister filters, and also lighter and easier to hang on the wall. Without a separate plastic bag to catch chips, however, they stay in the felt bag, and the shortish zipper on the bottom makes it tough to shake them out. Otherwise, the W1826 is an excellent value.
The gauge has a quick and easy method for fitting the guide bar precisely to your tablesaw’s miter slot. This means the gauge can be recalibrated if necessary for continued accuracy. The face of the protractor head can be adjusted square to the table and also square to the guide bar. This ensures accurate cuts, and it, too, can be readjusted if the need arises. The protractor head has stainless-steel knobs and fittings and high-contrast, easy-to-read white numbers and increments.
Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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Sep 01, 2007
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