PROBLEM-SOLVING PRODUCTS
Accurately Size Dowels in any Species
any species that will accu- rately match a drilled hole, THE PRODUCT: Dowel Plate including a counterbored Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, MADE BY: screw hole. Lie- Inc. Nielsen WHAT IT DOES: Makes perfectly THE SETUP: Dowel round, accurately sized dowels for Included are the plate, a Plate plugs and accents plastic storage bag, and some well-written instruc- AVAILABLE AT WOODCRAFT: tions. The plate has two #823413 pre-drilled, countersunk parts such as chair spindles as shown PRICe: $44.99 holes that provide the in Photo B. It was immediately appar- tester: John English option of permanently ent that it would deliver plugs that mounting it over a precisely fit a Forstner bit drilled hole, series of relief holes that with no voids for glue to escape and The dowel plate is a beautifully made, you could drill in your bench as in taint a finish. very simple tool that reflects the Photo A, or it can be clamped in The heavy steel plate is ¼" thick extraordinary quality that we have place for temporary use. If perma- and measures 7 x 1½". Made from A2 come to expect from Tom Lie-Nielsen. nently mounted, it’s a good idea to tool steel that has been cryogenically It is made from cryogenically treated mortise it flush into the benchtop. treated (subjected to extremes of cold tool steel, and is available in both temperature to temper it), the plate inch and metric versions. Simply tap TRIAL RUN: In our test, the has a perfectly ground and finished a slightly oversized dowel (it doesn’t Dowel Plate made quick work of siz- feel. The seven holes are machined have to be round) through one of ing dowels perfectly for plugs. It can straight for the first 0.025", and are the holes, and the result is a plug in also be used to cut precise tenons on then cut with a 6° taper on the under- side. This provides a cutting edge on the top surface that pares the wood as in Photo C, and a relief below that reduces friction and allows the shear- ing action to take place as in Photo D. While it will probably never need to be sharpened (it rates at 60 on the Rockwell scale, which is pretty darn A C hard), the plate could theoretically
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64 woodcraft magazine D e c 2 0 0 7 / J a n 2 0 0 8 4HE &INEST (IGH 1UALITY 3AWS -ADE IN 3HEFl ELD be touched up by dressing the top surface with a series of ^3INCE ^ waterstones. The inch version cuts dowels to 1/8, 3/16, ¼, 5/16, .EW ,YNX 3AW 2ANGE 3/8, ½ and 5/8" diameters. -ADE %XCLUSIVELY FOR 7OODCRAFT BY 4HOMAS &LINN #O BEST APPLICATIONS: The Dowel Plate is per- fect for making plugs in contrasting species, and for sizing round tenons for a precise fit. In a pinch, it can be used to check the diameter of bolts, bars, and bits as shown in Photo E. Threaded bolts are marginally smaller than their nominal diameter, so they’re not so tight a fit that they will normally damage the plate.
TESTER’S TAKE: The Dowel Plate is one of those tools that you could live without, but once used, you'll reach for it again and again. It elevates something as simple as plugging screw holes to an art, delivering the kind of precise results that mark the subtle difference between work and craftsmanship. The callouts are clearly engraved and large enough for eyes with a few miles on the odom- eter. This is a lifetime invest- 4HOMAS &LINN #O ment, and it comes with a (ARVEST ,ANE guarantee from Lie-Nielsen 3HEFl ELD 3 %' %NGLAND that is good for the life of the 4EL WWWm INN GARLICK SAWSCOUK &AX INFO m INN GARLICK SAWSCOUK 5 out of 5 biscuits tool.
w w w . W o o d c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m woodcraft magazine 65 PROBLEM-SOLVING PRODUCTS
Machinist Precision in the Woodshop
THE PRODUCT: Precision Triangle Set MADE BY: Pinnacle Professional Quality Tools WHAT IT DOES: Brings extreme accuracy to joinery and machine set-ups AVAILABLE AT WOODCRAFT: #147623 PRICE: $44.99 Pinnacle Precision Triangle Set tester: John English
Metalworkers don’t usually have the pocket, and both will last a lifetime a durable black finish, and laser luxury of a fluff factor. Their work if properly cared for. engraved in 1/16" increments. Also can’t often be sanded or trimmed to included are three knurled brass fit, so their layouts must be precise. THE SETUP: The Precision knobs (with plastic washers) that The Precision Triangle Set from Triangle Set comes with an MDF are used to hold the two squares Pinnacle brings that kind of accu- protective holder that can be together in their storage case. racy to the woodshop in the form screwed to the shop wall. The two of two extremely precise triangular triangular squares are heavy duty TRIAL RUN: With both 45° squares. One is just 4½", which (¼"-thick anodized aluminum), and 90° corners, the two squares are is perfect for storage in an apron beautifully machined, coated with ideal for checking the accuracy of blades and machines Photo A. They are accurate to 1/1000", and the larger square is just the right size to check a table saw blade tilt, bandsaw tables, the positive stops on a mitersaw. The black finish is non-glare and easy on the eyes. The smaller square fits comfortably in an apron pocket and A C is ideal for checking drawers, case-
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66 woodcraft magazine D e c 2 0 0 7 / J a n 2 0 0 8 PROBLEM-SOLVING PRODUCTS
work and frames during assembly or glue-ups Photo B. dented corner). The squares are extremely flat, which But the real magic comes when the squares are used as means that the faces can be used to check things like a set. Using one of the knurled knobs to lock their posi- the plane of a circular saw blade. The readouts are large tion, they are ideal for transferring angles Photo C. With enough for older eyes, and the ability to swing and lock into position, they make they show up really well short work of scribing Photo D, especially when one of against the black back- the holes is used to guide the pencil. And as layout tools ground. they work well together to create a series of angles that 5 out of 5 biscuits includes 45°, 90°, 135° and 180° Photo E. As they are aluminum, they can be used on those occasions where a woodworker needs to work metal and uses a magnet to clean up filings. WHAT PRODUCTS PERPLEX YOU? Have you ever looked in a woodworking catalog or BEST APPLICATIONS: Light, strong and browsed in a woodworking store and encountered extremely accurate, the Pinnacle Triangle Set is ideally a product that baffled you? You eyeball the item, suited to machine setups, drawings and layout work, read the promotional information, but still don’t see and checking the accuracy of joints during assembly and the product’s value? Hopefully, with this column in glue-up. Woodcraft Magazine, these days are over. We’ll select a few “mystery products” for each issue and show how to use them beyond the manufacturer’s take. TESTER’S TAKE: These are rugged tools We’ll point out their pluses, problems, practical shop designed for a lifetime of use. I accidentally dropped the applications, and grade them. If you know of a few larger square on a tiled floor and was surprised to find such products that need more explanation, email us at no damage whatsoever (not even a scratch, let alone a [email protected] to let us know.
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