Woodworker: Andrew DrakeDrake built this media cabinet (23 in. deep by 62 in. wide by 29 in. tall) to fit his classic Craftsman house. He calls it his “first real woodworking project.” The Honduran mahogany cabinet with ebony accents is darkened with potassium dichromate and finished with wipe-on polyurethane. From Fine Woodworking #207
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Triton TPT125 Planer
Accessing the knives on the Triton for changes was not difficult, but getting the knives out was tricky, because no magnetized handles were provided to lift the knives off the cutterhead. There is a 2-1/2-in.-dia. dust port, and chip collection was good when hooked up to a shop vacuum. The housing has an open top and just one return roller on top, making it impossible to stack boards there in between passes through the machine. Also, there is no gauge that indicates how much material you are removing in a pass, making it one of four planers that don’t offer this feature.
Sliding compound miter saws have become a woodshop staple. Their ability to squarely crosscut wide boards and to cut difficult miter and bevel angles is huge. Festool’s Kapex KS 120 REB fulfills these duties with aplomb. The design keeps the saw close to the wall, allowing for a small footprint. The cut is rigid and precise provided you use good technique. It accepts 20mm blades, about 10 1⁄4 in. Its maximum width of cut is 12 in..
This saw performs as well as the others, but its price and inconveniences make it hard to recommend. As far as the positives go, the handle is comfortable to grip. In use, its power switch works for both righties and lefties. However, other ergonomics are OK at best. It’s also another saw with the bevel lock at the back, meaning it’s a reach to get to. The tool has good bevel and miter range. It’s the only worm-drive saw, but I did not notice any difference in cut. The saw cannot sit flush to a wall.
Seemingly identical to the Shop Fox W1844, the Grizzly G0785 collected a few less chips in our test—but was still roughly average among the five small models. Emptying was easy, thanks to a bag that stays in place on the canister while you operate the band clamp, which also works well. Both units hang well on their brackets.
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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