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WORKSHOP GUI DE
The start-up wattage of a power tool is gener-
al l y 30-40% hi gher than the runni ng wattage.
Usi ng the formul a
(vol ts
x dmps
=
watts), you
can avoi d overl oadi ng an el ect ri cal ci rcui t by
det ermi ni ng whet her t he maxi mum l oad a
tool wi l l draw exceeds the amperage of the
ci rcui t . 0n a 11O-vol t ci rcui t , f or exampl e, a
7%-i nch ci rcul ar saw woul d draw 18 amos
(110
x znl ps
=
2000). The saw coul d over-
l oad a 1S-amp ci rcui t , but not a 20-amp one.
.
Wear appropri ate safety equi pment:
safety gl asses, a face or dust mask i f
you ar e sandi ng, and hear i ng pr ot ect i on
i f you are operati ng tool s for an extend-
ed per i od of t i me.
.
Cl amp al l workpi eces securel y whenev-
er possi bl e to keep both hands free to
nnpr ai p i hp i nnl
.
Be aware of t he posi t i on of t he power
cord at al l t i mes.
.
Make al l adj ust ment s t o a t ool wi t h t he
i nnl r nnl r r oocd
POWER T()()L SAFETY TIPS
o
Mai nt ai n and cl ean t ool s r egul ar l y.
Keep al l bl ades and bi t s shar p, cl ean,
and undamaged. Check regul arl y f or
l oose part s and f rayed cords.
r
Never carry a connect ed t ool wi t h your
f i nger on t he t ri gger.
.
Ti e back l ong hai r and avoi d wear i ng
l oose cl ot hi ng. Remove r i ngs and ot her
j ewel r y
t hat can cat ch acci dent al l y i n
movi ng part s.
.
Do not overreach. Keep proper f oot i ng
and bal ance at al l t i mes.
.
Make sur e t hat l i ght i ng and vent i l at i on
i n t he work area are adequat e.
o
Do not use tools if the floor is damp or wet.
.
Keep your wor k ar ea cl ean and t i dy;
cl ut t er can l ead t o acci dent s. Keep pet s,
chi l dr en, and onl ooker s away f r om t he
work area.
r
Concent r at e on t he
j ob.
Do not r ush
or t ake short cut s. Never work i f you are
t i r ed, st r essed or have been dr i nki ng
al cohol or usi ng any medi cat i on t hat
i nduces dr owsi ness.
TYPICAL POWER TO()I
WATTAGE RATING
T00r WATTS AI
START-UP
Ai r compressor
(3-hp)
4000
Tabl e saw
(%-hp)
4000
Saber saw I 500
Ci rcul ar saw
(7%")
2000
Ci rcul ar saw
(6%")
1800
Bel t sander I 500
Bench gri nder (%-hp)
1 500
Orbi tal sander 900
Router I 500
El ectri c dri l l
(%")
800
El ectri c dri l l
(%")
600
Power pl ane
600
El ectri c dri l l
(%")
500
Random-orbi t sander 500
HVLP spray system 400
PLUGGING IN SAFELY
Checki ng groundi ng and l oad requi remenl o
Ensure trhal a
Vower
Iool i s rated el ecLri cal l y oafe, checki nq
i t o nameVl at e. A oamVl e nameVl al e i s shown above. A t ool
shoul d be approved by l he UL (Underwnt ers Laborat ori eo) or
COA (Canadi an SLandards Associ al i on). Al oo make sure t hal
t he
Vower
t ool i e grounded or doubl e-i neul aLed.
A grounded t ool has a l hree-pronq pl uq and may be marked
" qr oundi nq
r equi r ed" ' , a doubl e- i nsul al ed t ool i s mar ked
" doubl e
i neul aNed" and may bear Nhe symbol ehown. For a
?ower
Lool or ext en; i on cord wi t h a Nhree-Vronq pl uq, use
onl y a ei mi l ar ouNl et : never bend or r emove Lhe t hi r d, or
qroundi nq,
Vronq
of a pl uq. Eneure t haN Lhe out rl eL, ueual l y
on a 15- or 20- amp ci rcui t r, can
Vrovt de
euf f i ci ent current , f or
Nhe
Vower
Nool . CheckNhe amperaqe rat ri ng of Lhe power t ool
on i ts namepl al e; i f i N i e rated af, 1O or more am?ereo, Iurn
of f any hi qh current r-drawi ng appl i anceo operal i nq onl he
s ame el ecLri c al ci rcui t r.
BRAN/
@
BELT SAISDIR
2.4A
,rr ro
42653 426
HI/o
CAUTION:
["t*it:i?i5l6, u". "*Ly TDENT.AL RE'LA.EMENT
pARrs.
@
illAl{UfACURtR uo1",".,"o
THE ART OF WOODWORKING
SHARPENING
AND TOOI CARE
THE ART OF WOODVVORKING
AI\IDTOOLCARE
TI ME-LI FE BOOKS
ALEXANDRI A, VI RGI NI A
SWENING
ST. REMY PRESS
MONTREAL. NEW YORK
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facobs
THE ART OF WOODWORKING was produced by
ST. REMYPRESS
THECONSUITANTS
Mil<e Dunbar builds fine fumiture at his worlshop in Portsmouth,
New Hampshire. The author of seven books and a contributing
edrtor of American Woodworker and Early American Life maga-
zines, Dunbar also offers Windsor chairmaking seminars across
NorthAmerica.
Giles Miller-Mead taught advanced cabinetrnaking at Montreal
technical schools for more than ten
years.
A native of New
ZeaLand, he has worked as a restorer of antique furniture.
Td Fuller is product manager at Delta lnternational Machin-
erylPorter Cable
(Canada). He is currently working in new
product development and marketing for woodworking tools
and equipment. He is also an amateurwoodworker.
Sharpening & tool care.
p. cm.- (The Art of woodworking)
Includes index.
ISBN 0-8094-9933-9
1 Woodworking tools- Maintenance and repair.
2. Sharpening of tools. I. Time-Life Books.
IL Title: Sharpening and tool care.
III. Series.
TT186.545 1994
684' .08' 028-dc20 94-26232
CIP
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R 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
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CONTENTS
6 INTRODUCTION
86 MAINTAINING PORTABTE
POWER TOOLS
12 SHARPENING BASICS 88 Maintenance tips and schedules
14 The cutting edge
90 Anatomy of a router
16 Sharpening tools and accessories 92 Anatomy of a saber saw
18 Benchstones
94 Anatomy of a plate
joiner
20 Bench grinders
95 Anatomy of an electric drill
96 Anatomy of a sander
24 SHARPENING AND MAIN- 97 Anatomy of a circular saw
TAINING HAND TOOLS 98 Repairing portable power tools
26 Handsaws
30 Chisels and gouges
104 MAINTAINING STAIIONARY
39 Bench planes
POWER TOOLS
46 Scrapeis
106 Basic stationary tool maintenance
51 Roughing and shaping tools 108 Thble saws
55 Braces and bits
113 Radial arm saws
I20 Band saws
58 SHARPENING POWER TOOL 126
|ointers
and planers
BLADES AND BITS 131 Drill
Presses
60 A gallery of blades and bits I33 Lathes and shapers
6I Tools and accessories
136 Other tools
for sharpening
62 Router bits and shaper cutters
140 GLOSSARY
64 Molding knives
65 Drill bits
r42 INDEX
70 Circular saw blades
73 Band saw blades
144 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
79
Jointer
and planer knives
TNTRODUCTION
Richard Starr on the
\ALUE
OF
SHARP TOOLS
\/\/
hen I was a kid I thought working wood was really difficult. Ir was, too,
Y Y because my dad's tool bench was dominated by rough screwdrivers and
assorted wrenches, dull saws, and a few auger bits. I remember it with fondness
because it helped set me on mylifet path, but it sure didrt't encourage me to mas-
ter the pieces of rough, splitty pine that I occasionally worked on.
Sharp hand tools were a revelation to a guy who grew up thinking that wood-
working required some sort of special genius and alot of powerfrrl equipment.When
I encountered a craftsman who built fine country furniture, miles from the nearest
power line, I was inspired to learn as much as I could about how to make tools work
well. As a result, wood became a much more welcoming material to me. Today, as a
seasoned teacher ofwoodworkingto children, myjob is to help mystudents appreciate
thepossibilities ofwood. Thelastthing Iwantto do is let themworkwithbumtools.
It is easy to fall in love with hand tools. I have a small collection of time-mellowed
implements that I would not think of putting to work They represent a history of effort
and problern-sohing that is a comfort to my modern mind" I also hara other fine old tools
thatare frequentlyput into service. Butthe tools I use werydayin teachinghave much
las of an aura about thern Kids bang them around and drop than all too frequently. What
is important about them is that they work right.
The difference between a dull tool and a sharp one is something every wood-
worker needs to know.It is the difference between the frustrated kid I was and the
kids I teach today. When I show a child how to whittle, he or she is expected to try
every knife on the rack, usually four or five tools. Only by making this comparison
will it become clear which are really sharp and which are
just
okay.
Every woodworker has his or her own preferred way to sharpen an edge tool.
Some use oil stones, slow sandstone wheels, Arkansas stones or leather strops. Others
prefer
fapanese
water stones, the use of which is almost a ritual. ln my school shop,
I need to work quickly and I have long since settled on a grinding belt and buffing
wheel. At home, I have fallen in love with the new technology of diamond stones.
I firmly believe that, while sharp tools are essential, there is no one right way to
sharpen tools, only the best way for you. It takes time to figure it out, but it is time
you must be willing to spend. It is like building the foundation of your home.
Everything else rests on it.
Richard Stan has taught woodworking to middle school students in
Hanover, New Hampshire, since 1972. His bookWoodworking with Kids
is publishedby Thunton Press. Starr has written numerous articles
forEtne
Woodworking, Today's Woodworker and other publications. His televi-
sion seriesWoodworking for Everyone was broadcast on public television.
INTRODUCTION
Philip Lowe discusses
MAINTAINING
PO\MERTOOLS
tepping up to a poorly maintained machine can create a spectrum of emotions
from apprehension to frustration. When the handwheel on your table saw forces
you to one knee, requiring two hands and all of your strength to raise the blade, and
when the machine screams and smoke billows as stock is fed through, face it: Itt
time to do a little maintenance!
Perhaps the most straightforward part of shop maintenance is the obvious reason
behind it safety and efficiency. It is very important to keep cutting implements sharp.
More accidents occur with dull tools because more force is required to operate the tool.
You ll need a few tools to get you started, including a grease gun, an oil can, WD-
40*, graphite, silicon spray, and paste wax. It is also convenient to have a set of
wrenches, sockets, hex wrenches, and brushes for cleaning gears. Finally, pick up
some abrasives such as steelwool, fine silicon carbide paper, and a mill file for debur-
ring shafts and nicks in tabletops.
Cutters such as saw blades, knives for
jointers
and planers, shaper cutters, bits for
routers and drill presses and turning tools must be kept sharp and free of pitch and
resin in order to cut cleanly. Pitch and resin on cutters and saw blades, which can
cause kickback, can be removed with spray oven cleaner. Some in-house sharpening
can be done to carbide tools with a diamond stone. High-speed steel cutters such as
turning tools and shaper knives can be sharpened on a bench grinder or honed with
a bench and slip stones.
Alignment of tables and fences is also important. The position of a tabletop is
important especially if it has slots cut in it for miter gauges. The slots need to be par-
allel to the cutters. The same is true for fences.
Lubricate gears and ways that raise and lower arbors and tables. Lubrication of
exposed gears and ways should be done with graphite, spray silicon, or paste wax These
drylubricants prevent build up of sawdust that would occur if the parts were greased
or oiled. Bearings with grease fittings or oil caps should be attended to periodically
with the appropriate lubricant.
The tables and beds of all machines should be inspeaed and, if necessary, filed flat.
These surfaces should be kept free ofrust and paint splatterings and should be cleaned
with steel wool or fine silicon-carbide paper. Once clean, an application of paste wax
will help prevent rust and allow stock to slide across the surface with less effort.
Philip C. Lowe makes
fine furniture
in his studio in Beverly, Massachusetts. Lowe
has been building
furniture for
clients throughout North America
for
the past 25
years, and has spent 10 years as head instructor of the
furniture
program at North
Bennet Street School in Boston, Massachusetts. He is
ffiliated
with theErneWood-
working series of videos and his written worles
frequently
appear in their magazine.
I
INTRODUCTION
Ian Waymark talks about
DIFFERENTWAYS
TO SHARPEN
'
|
'
h. old adage
"Tools
do not make the craftsmad'contains a degree of truth.
I Still, sharp tools-although theywill not make you a craftsperson-will great-
ly improve and enhance your skills. In fact, in my opinion, a great deal of skill dis-
played by today's crafupeople is based largely on their ability to create and maintain
a keen edge on their cutting tools.
Mywood turning travels throughout North America, Australia, and New Zealand
have brought me in contact with many first-class woodworkers, carvers, wood turners,
and
just
plain
"hewers"of
wood. Theyhave worked in schools, homeworkshops, and
craftfairs,with avarietyoftools fromtheverybathigh+peedsteelto the crudesthome-
made implemens. Still, they all had one thing in common: They used sharp tools.
As varied as the crafts and craftspeople are, so are their methods and tools used
for sharpening. Each one, used correctly, will create a keen cutting edge. The best
are those that do not overheat cutting edges. This is probably the most common
problem experienced by novices when sharpening tools. It is especially serious if the
tool is made of carbon tool steel rather than high-speed steel. When carbon tool
steel is heated until it turns blue the
'temper"
or
'hardness"
is removed, and the tool
becomes soft and will not hold an edge for more than a few seconds. High-speed
steel, on the other hand, will sustain a great deal of heat without damage.
The simple solution to"tip burning"is to use shaqpening equipment that does not
generate high heat or to use equipment that is constantly cooling the cutting edge as
it is being ground. Wet grinding will assure the woodworker a cool cutting edge for
two reasons: First the grinding wheel is flooded with a coolant (usually
water) to pre-
vent heat buildup and second, the wet grinding wheels usually turn at a very slow
rate which reduces the heat generated by the grinding process. Personally, I find the
wet grinding system both too slow and too messy. My experience with wet grinding
has been one of constantly cleaning the slurry of sawdust and water from the stone.
Mypreference for sharpeningis awhite aluminum oxide grindingwheel followed
by a quick touch-up on an extra-fine neoprene honing wheel. I choose the aluminum
oxide wheel simply because its porosity makes it a very cool grinding wheel compared
to old gray stone or the sandard sanding belts or disa. It is also very fastcutting, there-
by reducing the time at the grinder and reducing the time allowed for the heat to
build up on the cutting edge. To hone my tools I use a neoprene wheel because it is
fast and it maintains the hollow grind formed by the grinding wheel.
IanWaymarkhas taught industrial education in Canadafor 16 years.
He is the owner of Woodturner'sWorld, a store on Gabriola Island,
British Columbia, that specializes in wood rurning tools. Waymark
designed the Orca 1 lathe and the Sabre Sharpening Center.
l {
i
I
a
I
1
t
%
SWENNGBASICS
I
t on. time or another, virtual-
l. \ lv everv woodworker has
looked upon tool sharpening as a
rainy-day task, an onerous duty
undertaken only as a last resort that
seems calculated to delay progress on
the moment's favorite project.
Although it may be impossible to
persuade all woodworkers to embrace
the
joys
of tool sharpening-as some
do-sooner or later, most adopt an
attitude of enlightened self interest,
an understanding that regular atten-
tion to tool condition will speed,
rather than retard, progress and
improve bottr the quality ofwork and
enjoyment of it.
In
Japan,
apprentice woodwork-
ers spend years at the sharpening bench before attempting to cut A somewhat older technology also provided the foot-pow-
wood. The practice is rooted in reality: To cut and finish wood, ered sandstone grinding wheel and its descendant, the bench
one must use sharp tools. grinder (page
2?),which saves much labor in removing nicks
The most realistic route to sharp tools for most woodworkers and forming bevels before final honing.
Iies in regular attention. When sharpening and maintenance are This chapter is intended to remove the mystery and some of
adopJed ats part of regular worlshop routine, the time required the labor from the sharpening process. With a grinder, a few
is reduced-and the benefits of keen edges are quickly realized. benchstones, an understanding of the process (page
14), and
There are many
jigs
and accessories that promise quick and practice, you can have shaqper tools-and derive more pleasure
easy results, and no shortage of techniques with the same goal. from your woodworking.
A
Japanese
finish
stone is being used to polish the back of a bux chisel.
Waterstones like the one shown at left are a good choice
for
puxing the
final
polish on a blade. The
fine
abrasive slurry on the surface of the
stone is
formed
by particles of abrasive and metal mixing with water.
The nicked cutting edge of a plane blade is
squared on a bench grinder. Clamping the blade
in a commercial grinding jigkeeps
the end of
the blade perpendicular to the grinder's
abrasive wheel.
But all sharpening work comes
down to this: Tools are sharpened
by wearing away steel to form a fine
edge, and polishing that edge so it
slices as accurately and effortlessly
as possible. Among manytools, two
are essential: a sharpening stone
and a grinder.
Once, all sharpening stones
came from the ground; sandstone,
novaculite. and other materials
have been quarried and cut into
bench stones
(page
18) from the
earliest days of woodworking.
More recently, technology has pro-
duced synthetic stones that substi-
tute for the dwindling supply of
natural abrasives.
l 3
THE CUTTING EDGE
A
cutting edge can be defined as
A two flat, polished surfaces meet-
ing at an angle. Since most blades are
designed to be pushed through wood,
a keen cutting edge is essential, partic-
ularly for dense hardwoods that can
quickly blunt tools. Any flaw, like a nick
in a planer knife or a chisel blade, will
be transferred to the wood being cut.
Do not assume that
just
because a
chisel is new that its edge is as sharp or
as straight as it should be. Even the best
H(lW SHARP IS SHARP?
Smoothing a cufting edge
The quality of the cutting edge and finish on a tool blade depends
on the si ze of abrasi ve parti cl es
used to sharpen i t. Just as you
would sand a tabletop with progressively finer grades of paper,
sharpeni ng begi ns wi th coarse abrasi ves and moves up through
fi ner gri ts. The onl y di fference i s the si ze of abrasi ve parti cl es
involved. For example, a coarse IndiarM stone has particles
mea-
suring about 173 microns across, while a hard Arkansas oilstone
has smal l er parti cl es-about 10 mi crons. Commeri cal honi ng
compound used for buffing has extremely fine particles, as small
tools need to be sharpened when new, In its simplest form, sharpening
and regularly thereafter. In order to is like sanding: It consists of the
achieve a keen cutting edge, steel is tem- wearing away of one material by a
pered to a certain hardness when the harder material, using successively
tool is forged. Since tempering is done finer abrasives. When the bevel of a
athightemperatures,thetoolmaywarp chisel is drawn across a sharpening
slightly as it cools. You can skirt this stone, the abrasive particles scratch
problem by choosing tools made with the surface of the chisel uniformly,
high-quality steel. Even the best steel is creating a flat surface. As shown
likely to show manufacturing imper- below, finer and finer stones make the
fections. Low-quality tools, however, scratches finer and finer, until a mir-
may never achieve and hold an edge. ror-like finish is achieved.
The difference betyveen a dull and sharp cutting edge
becomes obvious when a blade cuts into wood. On the left-
hand side of thewood surface shown atleft, awell-sharp-
ened chisel severed the wood
fibers
cleanly, producing thin
shavings; a dull chisel tore the wood
fibers
on the right-hand
side of the board. Another way to determine whether a blade
is sharp or dull is to examine the cutting edge itself; a dull
edge reflects more light than a sharp one.
as 0.5 mi cron.
(By
compari son, the di ameter of a human hai r i s
approximately 40 microns,) The photos above, of a chisel blade
magnified approximately 200 times, reveal how sharpening improves
a tool's edge. A dull chisel
(above,
left)has grooves and pits on
its back and a nicked edge. These flaws will leave a rougher fin-
ish on wood than the smooth back and edge that is achieved
after the chisel is sharpened and polished on a finish waterstone
(above,
righ).fhe waterstone has abrasive particles
measuring
1 mi cron i n di ameter.
T4
SHARPENING BASICS
THE SHARPENING PR(ICESS STEP-BY-STEP
BEVELS AND MICROBEVELS
Honi ng a mi crobevel
When a tool bl ade i s razor-sharp, more
force i s necessary to dri ve the bl ade i nto
the wood, and i ts edge i s more l i kel y to
be bri ttl e. By honi ng a secondary bevel ,
or mi crobevel , on top of the fi rst
(i nset),
you can i ncrease the cutti ng effecti ve-
ness of t he t ool and prol ong t he l i f e of
the cutti ng edge. Mi crobevel s are sl i ght-
l y steeper than the ori gi nal bevel of the
tool .
(For
a l i st of common bevel angl es
for vari ous bl ades, see the back endpa-
per of thi s book.) l t can vary from as l i t-
tl e as 2" to as much as 10"; the steeper
the mi crobevel , the tougher the edge. Yet
the microbevel should not be ovenvorked.
A few l i ght strokes on a benchstone i s
usual l y suffi ci ent to
produce a smal l hai r-
l i ne stri p at the edge of the mai n bevel
(l eft).
l t the mi crobevel i s wi der than hal f
of the wi dth of the bevel , the bevel shoul d
be reestabl i shed by sharpeni ng.
STEP 1: GRINDING 0R LAPPING
For badly scratched or nicked cutting edges, start the process
by squari ng the cutti ng edge,
gri ndi ng the bevel , then l ap-
pi ng or fl atteni ng the back of the bl ade. Gri ndi ng i s done wi th
a bench gri nder and coarse stones such as Washi ta; l ap wi th
rough abrasi ves or l appi ng compounds on a l appi ng pl ate.
STEP 2: SHARPENING
For tool s that do not need gri ndi ng, sharpeni ng can start
here. l ni t i al sharpeni ng removes any roughness on t he
bevel and establ i shes a fi ne wi re burr on the back of the
bl ade. Sharpeni ng i s done by hand or wi t h bevel -set t i ng
j i gs
on medi um stones such as soft Arkansas.
STEP 3: H0NING
Honing uses progressively finer stones such as hard Arkansas
or Japanese finishing stones to smooth out the scratches on
the bevel caused by sharpeni ng. Then the tool i s turned
over and l apped to remove the burr on the cutti ng edge.
The microbevel
(below)
is also honed at this stage.
STEP 4: P0LISHING
For a razor-sharp edge and a mi rror-l i ke f i ni sh, t he t ool
can be
pol i shed
wi t h hard bl ack Arkansas, cerami c or
Japanese fi ni sh stones, as wel l as strops i mpregnated wi th
fi ne buffi ng compounds.
l 5
SHARPENING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES
Honing aompound
A^ ^ l i a ) + a r l n + h
' ' rr""-
wheel of
4rrnder
to
polieh eharpened
bevel: contains
a mixLure of
chromium diox'
rde and other
fine abraaivea
Neoprene poliahing wheel
Kubber wheel for qrindinq and
eharpenin4; available in
4rite
between 90 and 24O. Wheel muat
turn away from t.ool edge Lo pre-
vent it from catchinq the ed7e
Aluminum oxide wheel
)tandard wheel for
7rtnding
and
oharpening; available in 6- and
B-inch aizeo and a ranqe of qrito
Benchatone (page 18)
Any oilatone or
wateretone uaed
to hone or
aharpen
Benah grinder (page 21)
Medium-grit wheel (left-hand eide) equaree
and
4rinde
blade: cloth wheel (riqht-hand
etde) poliehee cutLinq edqe
Dregger
Uaed to Lrue or reohape qrinder
wheele and expooe a freah cuL-
Linq eurface. 7tar-wheel dreeaer
(above) hae up to four star-
eha ped wh eela; diam ond
-
poi nt
dreaaer (below) featurea a dia-
mond eet in a bronze tip
Felt wheel
Available in aofL, medium,
and hard: dreaeed with
buffin4 compound for final
poliehing of cuttinq edqe
Multi-t'ool jig
9 kew'
4
rr ndi ng ji7
/iqhL,
Lop) holde akewa at 20'
an4le and pivote on cen-
Ler pin to grind radiua-
ed akew chiaela. )liding
eharpentna iia
(riaht.
mid)te) crZklpi ioote
under crosabar. Doth
are attached to an adiuat-
able tool reeL (riqht,
bottom), which mounta
to bench in front
of qrinder.
Wet/dry grinder
(paqe 21)
Lar4e, water-bathed
wheel honee bevele:
waLer prevenLe tools
from overheatinq and
carriee away meLal
and
4ri t.)mal l er,
dry
wheel uaed for
4rindtng
t 6
Lapping aompounds
)et of ailicone carbide
powdere ueed in con-
junction with a lappin4
plate to flatten and pot-
iah tool backa;
4rita
ran4e from 90 to 600
Angle checker
Braae quide for
checking bevel
and microbevel
anqlee of oharp-
ened toola;
anqles ran1e
from 15'to 12O'
Sharpenin7 atone holder
Securea oilatones and wateratonea
up to B inchea lonq for aharpening;
rubberfeet hold atone in
place
Honing guide and anqle
jig
For honinq plane bladee,
Device holda blade at appro-
priate an1le for honin7 a
bevel: rotatina the wheel
SHARPENING BASICS
Auger bit file
Uaed to eharpen auqer bite and other drill bita: one
end hae no teeth on edqea and other end hae teeth
only on ed4ea to preventfilin4 adjacent eurfacea
Cant-aaw file
Uaed in place of a three-equare
file in openinge of lesa than 60'
5ingle-aut baatard mill file
Uaed to aharpen spade bita
and true the rima of
Foretner bitE
Three-aquare file
Trian7ular file uaed for eharp-
eninq Foretner and multi-
apur biLe
Dia m o n d- coated h o ni ng filea
Uaed to aharpen carbide router
bita; atored inaide their pivotin7
handlee. thown above from top:
cearae, medium, and fine filee
Diamond needle file
Small half-round file uaed
on top of the jiq eete
anqlee between 15'
and 35'
9t'rop
A leather atrip
1lued
to a handle; dreaaed
with commercial honin7 compound or other
tsitfiles
Boron-carbide etonee uaed to
aharpen router bita: qivea a finer
finiah than diamond honin7 fileo of
equal qrit. Handle featurea maqni-
fying lena for checkinq aharpneae
Wateratone atorage unit
Tlaatic reaervoir uaed to immerae up
to four watergtoneg for atoraae
between ah a rp e n i n q a; featu rea
clampe that can be flipped
for aharpeninq band-
aaw bladea
4
fine abraaivea to polieh a
up to hold the wateratone
for aharpening or honing
and a glaea lapping plate
t 7
BENCHSTONES
1-h.
benchstone i s the most com-
I monly found sharpening accessory
in the shop. Once referred to as natur-
al stones, 6enchstones now encompass
many man-made materi al s, rangi ng
from al umi num oxi de to cerami cs.
Many
"stones"
include fine diamond
bonded to steel.
Sharpening stones are generally divid-
ed into two groups according to the
lubricant used with them: oil and water.
Lubrication serves to disperse ground
particles and prevent them from clog-
ging the stone. Choosing between the
two is mostly a matter of feel; some
woodworkers prefer the edge a glassy
hard blackArkansas oilstone gives a tool;
others like the fine control a softer
fapanese
finish waterstone offers.
Naturally occurring oilstones have
long been regarded as the finest sharp-
A COTTECTI()N
()F
BENCHST()NES
OILSTONES
ening stones.
Quarried
from novaculite
and sold as Washita and fukansas stones,
these sharpening surfaces are becoming
scarce. If your budget permits, natural
stones are a good investment; they will
last a lifetime.
Synthetic substitutes made of alu-
minum oxide
(IndiatM
stones) or silicon
carbide
(Crystolonr')
are less expensive
and
just
as effective as natural stones,
though they tend to wear more quickly.
An economical comoromise is the use of
an India" stone foi rough sharpening
and whetting, and a hard Arkansas stone
for honing and polishing. When using
oilstones, wipe them often with a rag to
prevent glazing. Do not use a heavy oil,
as it inhibits the abrading process; a light
machine oil cutwith kerosene worls best.
Waterstones are
Japanese
in origin,
and cut much faster than oilstones.
Because they use water, rather than oil as
the lubricant, there is no oily mess left
on clothes and workpieces. Waterstones
come i n fi ner grades than oi l stones,
making them popular with woodwork-
ers who like to hone and oolish. Because
they are softer than oilstones, new abra-
sive is constantly exposed during use,
and the slurry formed by the water will
form a fine polishing paste.
Waterstones have their drawbacks,
however. Because they are softer than
oi l stones, they must be trued more
often
(page 19).
Tool s shoul d be dri ed and wi ped
with oil thoroughly after sharpening
to prevent rust. Waterstones al so
should be stored in water. If
your
shop
i s prone to col d temperatures, keep
your waterstones from freezing, as they
will shatter.
Hard Elack Arkaneae
An extra-fine, lOOO-4rit nat-
ural atone uaed for razor-
dental and other
5ofb Arkanaaa
A medium, SOO-qrit
natural stone ueed
for initial aharpenin4
of dull ed7ea
Hard Arkansaa
A fine, BOO-4rit
natural atone uaed
for honinq toola to
a aharp edqe
Waehita
A coarse, faat-cuttin4
15O-qrif, natural etone
uaed for flattenin7
and lapping badly
nicked toolo
Combination stone
AIao known aa an lndiat' atone.
A aynthetic atone made from
aluminum oxide with 90 arit
on one face and 600 on
the other: uaed for
4eneral
aharpen-
l 8
inq and honinq.
SHARPENING BASICS
TRUING A BENCHSTONE
Flattening the stone
Al l benchst ones wi l l devel oo a hol l ow i n
the center after prol onged use. To true a
benchstone, fl atten i t on a machi ned sur-
f ace, such as gl ass pane or a l appi ng
tabl e. For oi l stones, rub the surface wi th
a ci rcul ar mot i on
(l ef t )i n
a sl urry made
from a coarse l appi ng compound mi xed
wi th honi ng oi l . Start wi th a coarse gri t
and work through fi ner gri ts unti l the
stone i s fl at. To true a waterstone, use
water i nstead of honi ng oi l for the sl urry,
or weVdry si l i con carbi de paper taped
to the l appi ng surface.
WATERSTONES
Japaneae frniahing stone
An extra-fine, 12OO-6rit eyn-
thetic atone made from ceri-
um oxide; uaed for final honin4
and poliohinq; amall Nagura
stone ueed to create alurry
Diamond etone
Available in a ranqe of qrita between
OTHER STONES
5lipatone
A ahaped atone ueed
forturninq and carvinq
A hard aynthetic stone made from micro-
aaopic diamond cryatala bondad to aolid
ateel
plate;
feabures a true, flat aurface
that will not wear like other 6tonee.
Japaneee coarae sione
A coarse, 1BO-4rit eynthetic
atone made from ailicone car-
bide; uaod for flattenin7 and
lappinq badly nicked toole
toola,featurinq both rounded and
anqled ed4ea; a ran7e of qrita ia
available in both oil and water type6
Gouge slipstone
A conical etone uaed
ror qouqe5; concave
qur-
face aharpens outaide ed1e-
of tool, while convex aurface deburra
the inside ed6e. A ranqe of
6rito
ia
available in both oil and water typeo
Ceramia et'one
A fine, hard lOOO-4rit ayn-
thetic atone made from
bonded aluminum oxide;
uaed for honin6.
Needa no
lubricant
22O and 12OO for any oharp-
enin7 or honing taak
BENCH GRINDERS
f,
rom squaring and sharpening plane
I' irons to polishing chisels and turning
tools, the bench grinder is a worthwhile
addition to a woodworking shop's sharp-
ening station.
Bench grinders are classified accord-
ing to their wheel diameter. Standard 5-
to 8-inch benchtop models, with %- to
%-horsepower motors, are the most pop-
ular sizes. Larger wheels are better, as
smaller wheels can produce exaggerat-
ed hollow-ground bevels. Grinders can
be mounted on a work surface or fas-
tened to a separate stand.
Rotating around 3500 rpm, a bench
grinder removes steel faster than a sharp-
ening stone. Unfortunately, it also heats
up the tool, and you may lose the tool's
temper. If the steel begins to change col-
or during grinding, deepening to a true
blue, the temper has been lost, and the
tool must be reground. Motorized whet-
stones and wet/dry grinders feature
IDENTIFYING GRINDER WHEETS
water-bathed wheels that turn at slower
speeds, such as 500 rpm, allowing you
to grind tools without constantly dip-
ping them in water for cooling.
Most grinders can be equipped with
optional rubber sharpening wheels, cloth
buffing wheels, and leather strop wheels
in addition to standard abrasive wheels.
which come in a variety of grits (see
b elow
).
Grinding wheels will eventually
The cuning edge of a skew chisel gets
a sharpening on a wet/dry grinder.
Because the large wheel of this type of
grinder rotates relatively slowly and is
continually bathed in water, the blade
being sharpened remains cool, which
reduces the risk of destroying its tem-
per. Standard bench grinder wheels
often rotate at speeds that
qre
too
fast
for
honing many tools; as a result, the
tool's steel can easily overheat.
become dull and clogged with metal par-
ticles, and their edges may go out of
square. A wheel dresser
(page
22) canbe
used to true the face of a glazed wheel
and square its edges.
Courteey ofthe American National Standarda lnatitute
wheel to gri nd carbon-steel tool s, and then hone wi th a bench-
stone, buy a wheel marked A 80 H 8V. Thi s means the wheel i s
al umi num oxi de
(A),
f i ne-grai ned
(80),
and rel at i vel y sof t
(H),
wi th a medi um structure or concentrati on of abrasi ves
(8).
The
parti cl es are bonded together by a process
of heat and fusi on
known as vi tri fi cati on
(V).
For hi gh-speed steel tool s, a medi um
hardness of I or J i s better. l f you pl an to use your tool s ri ght
off the gri nder, choose a wheel wi th a grai n si ze of 100 or I20.
ABRASIVE TYPE
ABRASIVE
(GRA[{)
SrZE
GRADE
SCATE
STRUCTURE
BOiID
TYPE
Choosing a
grinder
wheel
The wheel s suppl i ed on gri nders are usual l y too coarse for use
wi th fi ner tool s. A wi de vari ety of repl acement stones are avai l -
abl e, but sel ecti ng the ri ght one i s no si mpl e matter. You need
to deci pher the codes marked on the si des of the wheel s,
descri bi ng thei r composi ti on and abrasi ve qual i ty. The chart
above wi l l hel p you i nterpret these codes.
(They
are usual l y
found sandwi ched between two numeri cal manufacturer' s sym-
bol s pri nted
on the si de of the stone.) l f you pl an to use a
STAI{DARD MARKING SYSTEM CHART
C: Si l i con carbi de Z: Al umi num zi rconi um
Medium: 30, 36, 46, tine: 70, 80, 90, 100, Very fine: 220,240,280,320,
54, 60 120, 150, 180 400, 500, 600
A: Al umi num oxi de
Coarse: 8, 10, 12, 14,
16, 20, 24
Soft Medium
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 t 4 1 5 1 6
0pen
etc
B: Resi noi d BF: Resi noi d rei nforced E: Shel l ac 0: Oxychl ori de R: Rubber
RF: Rubber rei nforced S: Si l i cate V: Vi tri fi ed
Had
Y Z
Dense
I 2
20
SHARPENING BASICS
STANDARD BENCH GRINDER
Grinding wheel
Spark defleator
Directa aparko downward
and away from the operator
M edi u m BO-
7rit
alu min um
oxide wheel aquaree and
Eye ahield
eharpene cuttin4 edqee
Buffinq wheel
Felt or cloth
wheel poliehee
bevel of cut-
tinq edqeo
Wheel cover
Kemovable for
chan4ing qrind'
in7 or buffin4
wheela
Tool reet
adjuatment nut
Adjuetable to deaired anqle for
qrindin4 or buffin4; typically poei'
tioned within'/o inch of wheel
On/off awitch
WET/IIRY GRINDER
Wet wheel
Upper tool rest
Adjuatable to desired
anqle for qrindin4 or
honinq; typically poei-
tioned within'/e inch of
wheel. Featurea alot
for olidinq anqle jiq
lO-inch,22O-qrit wheel la bathed in
water to keep toole cool durinq qrind-
inq and honin4; rune at 70 RPM
Eye shield
Lower tool rest
Adjuetable to
deaired anglefor
4rinding;
typically
Tool rest
adjuetment
handles
poeitioned within
'/u
inch of wheel -
Five-inch, lOO-qrit wheel uaed for preciaion
ed4e qrindin7; runa at 3450 RfM
21
SHARPENING BASICS
DRESSING A GRINDING WHEEL
Trui ng the wheel
A gri ndi ng wheel shoul d be t rued when
ri dges or hol l ows appear on the stone or
i f i t becomes di scol ored. You can use
either a star-wheel or diamond-point dress-
er. To use a star-wheel dresser
(right),
move the gri nder' s
tool rest away from
t he wheel . Wi t h t he guard i n posi t i on,
swi t ch on t he gri nder and but t t he t i p
of the dresser agai nst the wheel . Then,
wi th your i ndex fi nger resti ng agai nst the
tool rest, move the dresser from si de to
si de. To use a di amond-poi nt dresser
(below),
hold the device between the index
f i nger and t he t humb of one hand, set i t
on the tool rest, and advance i t toward
the wheel unti l your i ndex fi nger contacts
the tool rest. Move ei ther dresser back
and f or t h acr oss t he wheel unt i l t he
edges are square and you have exposed
fresh abrasi ve.
ltl IIt lllt llll lll IllJ llll llll tll llu ilfl IllJ lll1 lllt illl ilt lllt tll]
9HO7 Tt?
eLandard qri ndi nq wheel mounl -
ed on the l efY-hand si de of a
bench qri nder, neo?rene or fel t,
buffi n7 wheel e mounl ed on the
ri qh|-hand requi re a chanqe of
Iool pooition for buffing oo
f,he Iool does noN calch
i n Nhe whee| Anol her
eol uLi on i s f,o reveree the ri ahL-
handwheel quardt o ex?oeeNhe rear
of l he wheel (ri ght ). l n t hi s poei t i on, I he
buffi nq wheel opi ne away from you i nol ead
of l owarde you, oo you can butr Lhe Nool aL
Lhe same an7l e ao you do when qri ndi nq i t .
Diamond-
point
dreaeer
22
SHARPENING BASICS
A MOBII.E SHARPEI{ING DOTLY
A sharpeni ng st at i on i s more t han
j ust
a dedi cated space for sharpen-
i ng. l t i s a way of keepi ng al l of your
benchstones,
grinding jigs,
and sharp-
eni ng accessori es cl ean and wel l -
organi zed. The sharpeni ng stati on
shown bel ow i s essenti al l y a sturdy
l ow bench wi th a storage shel f. The
uni t i s bui l t f rom %-i nch pl ywood
and 1-by-3 stock. By adding locking
casters, it becomes a mobile sharpen-
i ng dol l y that you can wheel about
the shop to wherever you need to
sharpen: at the l athe, the carvi ng
bench, or near t he si nk.
To bui l d t he dol l y, cut t he base
from %-inch plywood. Make it large
enough to incorporate all your sharp-
eni ng
gear
so that i t i s not too cl ut-
tered; up to 3-by-6 feet i s a good
size. Screw four corner blocks to the
underside of the base, and fasten a
l ocki ng caster on each bl ock.
To strengthen the dol l y, cut the
pieces for the skirts and legs from
1-by-3 stock. The l egs shoul d be
l ong enough for the top to si t at a
comfortable height; between 32 and
36 i nches i s ri ght for most peopl e.
Screw the l eg pi eces
together, then
attach the ski rts to the l egs' i nsi de
faces. Fasten the shel f and the too
to the skirts. lf desired, glue a water-
and oi l -proof pl ast i c l ami nat e work
surface to the top.
Once you have built the dolly, mount
a standard bench grinder or weVdry
gri nder
t o t he end of t he bench so
that both wheel s are accessi bl e.
Secure a lapping table
(insef)
at the
opposi te end for l appi ng and fl atten-
i ng stones. Thi s i s si mpl y a pi ece of
%-i nch tempered pl ate gl ass secured
wi th cl eats to a pi ece of %-i nch pl y-
wood, fastened to the top. Have the
gl ass
cut three ti mes l arger than your
largest bench stone.
Now mount your most commonl y
used benchstones either by using cleats
or screwing their wooden storage box-
es t o t he t abl et op; count ersi nk t he
fasteners. Other accessori es coul d
i ncl ude a vi se or a portabl e l i ght posi -
ti oned to shi ne on the gri nder.
23
SWENNGA]\TD
GHANDTOOTS
I
espite the proliferation of pow-
Ll er tools in recent
years,
hand
tools are still an imporiant part of
the modern woodworking shop.
Handsaws, chisels, and planes play
a vital role in many cabinetmaking
tasls, from cutting
joints
and chop-
ping mortises to smoothing stock.
For some crafts, like carving and
turning, hand-cutting tools such as
gouges and skew chisels are virtu-
ally indispensable.
One distinct advantage that hand
tools offer over their electrically
powered counterparts is that they
are relatively straightforward to sharpen and maintain. With
hand tools, there are no hidden circuit boards or sealed com-
ponents, no carbide-tipped blades that must be sharpened
professionally. With most hand tools, such as saws and chisels,
what you see is what you get a handle, often made of wood, and
a steel cutting edge. True, not all hand tools are quite this sim-
ple. Bench planes feature screws and levers for adjusting the
angle and position of the cutting edge. Still, all the parts are
The simple shop-made
jig
shown above,
consisting of a dowel wrapped in a piece of emery
cloth, is ideal
for
cleaning and removing burrs
from
the rounded edge of gouges.
easily accessible, allowing you to
sharpen and maintain the tool in
the shop. In fact, with a little elbow
grease and the right materials, you
can even restore a rusty old hand
plane to better condition than when
it was first bought
(page 40).
Setting yourself up for hand tool
sharpening and maintenance re-
quires no great investment. Allyou
need are solvents for cleaning, a few
commercial devices for adjusting
blades, stones and files for honing
and sharpening-and the proper
technique. The following pages will
show you how to care for and sharpen the most commonly
used hand tools, from handsaws
(page 26) and chisels and
gouges
(page
30) to bench planes (page
j9),scrapers
(page
46),
and bits for braces and hand drlls
(page
55).
The work is relatively easy, but the rewards are consider-
able. Hand tools that are well sharpened and properly main-
tained will improve the quality of your projects and prolong the
life of
your
tools.
The cutting edge of a drawknife is honed by an axe-
stone. Holding one handle of the tool as shown at
left and butting the other handle against the crook
of the arm exposes the entire edge
for
sharpening.
25
HANDSAWS
t,
t;!n;
i#
/ji;
;
.'tJ
Fi l i ng ri psaw teeth
Ri psaws have wi del y spaced t eet h wi t h f rom f i ve t o seven
t eet h per i nch
(TPl ).
They al so have a more
pronounced
set
t han ot her saws. Bot h f eat ures enabl e t hem t o cut qui ckl y
al ong t he grai n. As shown above, t he l eadi ng edges of ri p
teeth are al most verti cal . To sharpen the teeth, use a tri an-
gul ar mi l l f i l e, drawi ng i t st rai ght across each t oot h at a 90"
angl e t o t he bl ade axi s.
Q
harpeni ng a handsaw i s a three-step
r.J operati on. As shown on page 28, the
process begi ns wi th
j oi nti ng,
or fi l i ng
the tips ofthe teeth so that they are all the
same height. This is followed by setting
the teeth to the correct anele. This ensures
that the blade cuts straigf,t and does not
stick in the kerf. Setting involves bending
the teeth alternately to each side of the
blade's centerline. The final step in the
process i s sharpeni ng i t sel t , t ypi cal l y
with a file.
Not all handsaws are identical. The
shape, spacing, and set ofthe teeth vary
according to the type of cutting the saw
will perform. The spacing between teeth
is usually expressed in TPI, or teeth per
inch. The following pages describe how to
sharpen rip saws, combination saws, and
both
Japanese
and Western-style crosscut
saws. Because oftheir very fine teeth, dove-
tail and tenon saws should be sent out to
a professional for sharpening.
Leading edqe
\t/- |
I T
I l a
: J
\ ' 60'
-!z
Fi l i ng combi nati on teeth
Combi nat i on saws are dual -purpose saws t hat can be used
for both ri p cuts and crosscuts, al though they ri p more sl owl y
than a ri p saw and cut more roughl y than a crosscut saw. Com-
bi nati on teeth sl ope forward and backward at the same angl e
(about
60' ) and both edges are bevel ed. Sharpen both edges
usi ng a t ri angul ar mi l l f i l e
(above),
t i l t i ng t he handt e of t he
f i l e down sl i ght l y.
A commercial saw set bends the teeth of a combination saw to the proper angle
with the blade clamped in a bench vise. Setting the teeth of a saw blade is a key step
in the sharpening procees, producing a kerf that prevents the blade
from
binding.
ANATOMY OF SAW BIADES AND FILING ANGLES
26
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Sharpening crosscut teeth
The teeth of a crosscut saw are closely spaced-eightto 12
TPI i s typi cal -and they have very l i ttl e set. Crosscut teeth
feature sl oped l eadi ng edges wi th bevel s, whi ch enabl e them
to cut cleanly across the
grain. As with rip saws, the teeth are
sharpened wi th a tri angul ar mi l l fi l e, Hol d the fi l e at the same
angle as the bevel, which is typically 65"
(above).
Sharpening Japanese closscut teeth
Japanese saws, whi ch cut on the
pul l
stroke, have tal l , narrow
teeth wi th very l i ttl e set. Al so, the teeth are bevel ed on l ead-
i ng and t rai l i ng edges, and on t he t i ps. Al l edges shoul d be
sharpened wi th a feather fi l e hel d at about a 60' angl e to the
blade
(above),
gHO?
TI?
A eaw holder
Storinq handaaws properly will both
el i mi nate cl utt' er and keao the tool s
acceeei bl e and oafe from damaqe. The
eimple device shown here can be ueed
Lo hanq a oaw on Nhe ehoV wal l i n pl ai n
view. Cut a wood ecrap a liffile thicker
than l he eaw handl e to the oame
?ro-
file ae the opening in the handlei uoe
Nhe oVeni nq' ae atempl ai e, Fasten
the pi ecetothewal l at a conveni ent
hei qht,then screw a emal l bl ockwi th
rounded endst ot hepi ece ao at ' urn-
buckle. Make the turnbuckle ohoraer
Nhant hewi dt h of t he handl e openi nq,
but l on7er than l he hei qht. Leave the
ecrew eliqhtly loooe eo thatyou can
piv oI th e tu r nb u ckl e v e rti c ally to
eecure lhe eaw to the wal|
27
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
A BENCH VISE SAW HOTDER
Secured i n a vi se, the si mpl e
j i g
shown at l eft wi l l hol d a saw at a
conveni ent hei ght for sharpeni ng.
Make the
j aws
from two pi eces
of %-
inch plywood
about 10 inches long and
7 i nches wi de. Then saw two %-i nch-
t hi ck st ri ps and gl ue
t hem al ong t he
i nsi de f aces of t he
j aws,
f l ush wi t h
the top end; the strips will grip
the saw
bl ade. Fasten the two
j aws
together
near the bottom end, screwi ng a stri p
of %-i nch pl ywood
bet ween t hem.
Fi nal l y, bor e a hol e f or a car r i age
bol t through the mi ddl e of the
j aws
and i nstal l the bol t wi th a washer and
wi ng nut .
To use the
jig,
secure the bottom end
in your vise. Loosen the wing nut, slip a
saw blade between the
jaws,
and tight-
en the nut to hold the saw securelv.
SHARPENING A HANDSAW
1
Jointing the teeth
I Mount t he saw t eet h-uo i n a vi se wi t h
a wood
pad
on each si de of t he bl ade f or
prot ect i on.
I nst al l a f l at mi l l bast ard f i l e
i n a commerci al saw
j oi nt i ng j i g.
Hol d t he
j i g
f l at agai nst t he si de of t he bl ade and
pass the fi l e back and forth across the
ful l l ength of the teeth
(ri gh\.fhi swi l l
f l at t en al l of t he t eet h t o t he same
hei ght. A few passes shoul d be suffi ci ent.
28
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
r)
Setting the teeth
L Wi tn the saw sti l l i n the vi se, adj ust
a saw set t o t he same TPI as t he bl ade.
Starti ng at ei ther end of the bl ade, posi -
ti on the fi rst tooth that i s bent away from
you bet ween t he anvi l and t he punch
bl ock. Squeeze t he handl e t o set t he
tooth
(right).
Work your way down the
l ength of the bl ade, setti ng al l teeth that
are bent away from you. Then turn the saw
around i n the vi se and repeat the process
on t he remai ni ng t eet h.
Fi l i ng the teeth.
Refer to the appropri ate i l l ustrati on
on page 26 or 27 for the proper fi l e and
fi l i ng angl e for the saw you are sharpen-
i ng. For the crosscut saw shown at l eft,
hol d a tri angul ar fi l e at about a 65" angl e
to the bl ade wi th i ts handl e ti l ted down
sl i ghtl y. As you fi l e the teeth, work from
one end of t he bl ade t o t he ot her, f i l i ng
al l the teeth that are set i n one di recti on.
Then turn the saw around to sharoen the
remai ni ng teeth.
29
CHISELSAND GOUGES
f
hisels and gouges must have razor-
U sharp edges to work properly.
Sharpening a standard woodworking
chisel is simple; all you need is a combi-
nation sharpening stone. For most chis-
els and gouges, you will have to hone and
polish the cutting edge as well as pro-
duce the correct bevel angle for the blade.
Well-sharpened blades are essential
for turni ng chi sel s and gouges. Dul l
cutti ng edges not onl y produce poor
results; they are also more difficult to
control and dangerous to use. This sec-
ti on of the chapter expl ai ns how to
sharpen and refurbish a wide range of
chisels and gouges.
Even the most rusted and pitted blade can
be renewed with steel wool, mineral spirits,
clean rags, and a bit of elbow grease.
INVENTORY
()F
CHISELS AND GOUGES
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
REPLACING A CHISEL
()R
GOUGE HANDLE
1
Turni ng the new handl e
I Tur n a new handl e f or a chi sel or
gouge on t he l at he. Cut a bl ank f r om a
dense, st rong hardwood l i ke ash or hi cko-
ry. The grai n shoul d run t he l engt h of t he
bl ank. A oi ece t hat i s 1% t o 2 i nches
square and a f ew i nches l onger t han t he
f i ni shed l engt h you need wi l l yi el d a sui t -
abl e handl e. Mount t he pi ece bet ween
cent ers on t he l at he and t urn i t t o a
smoot h cyl i nder usi ng a roughi ng gouge.
Buy a brass f errul e f or t he handl e, Then
use a part i ng t ool t o t urn a t enon on one
end of t he bl ank i o accommodat e t he
f er r ul e. Measur e t he i nsi de di amet er of
t he f errul e wi t h di al cal i pers
(ri ght )and
si ze t he t enon t o f i t t i ght l y.
r)
Mounti ng the fenul e and the bl ade
I Remove t he handl e f rom t he l at he,
set i t end-down on a work surf ace, and
tap the ferrul e i n pl ace wi th a mal l el
(far
/ ef f ). Next , remount t he handl e on t he
l at he and shape i t wi t h a skew chi sel and
spi ndl e gouge. Once you are sati sfi ed wi th
t he handl e' s shape and f eel , bore a hol e
i n the tenon end to accommodate the tang
of t he bl ade. Bore t he hol e on t he l at he
wi t h a Jacobs chuck at t ached t o t he t ai l -
st ock; make sure t he hol e i s cent ered i n
t he bl ank. The hol e' s di amet er and deot h
depend on the type of tang. For a round-
sect i on, unt apered t ang, t he hol e shoul d
be 2 t o 3 i nches deep and equal t o t he
t ang di amet er . For a squar e- sect i on,
tapered tang, dri l l two hol es as you woul d
count erbore f or a screw and pl ug: Make
the top hal f the same di ameter as the tang
1% i nches f rom t he t i o and t he bot t om
hal f t he same wi dt h as t he t ang % i nch
f rom i t s t i p. I nsert t he bl ade i nt o t he han-
dl e and r ao t he but t end of t he handl e
wi th a mal l et hear l efi l .
3 l
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
)/-
\ \ \ t
' )
----/--r-
; l
SHARPENING A STANDARD CHISEL
r)
Pol i shi ng and fl atteni ng
Z ne back si de of the bl ade
Sat ur at e t he f i ne si de of t he st one and,
hol di ng t he chi sel bl ade f l at on t he st one,
bevel -si de up, move i t i n a ci rcul ar pat t ern
(ri ght)
unti l the fl at si de of the cutti ng
pdqp
i s
qmnnt h
1
Honi ng the cutti ng edge
I The two-step
procedure
shown on thi s
page can be used to sharpen any standard
chi sel , such as a f i rmer, pari ng, or mort i se
chi sel . St art by honi ng a secondary bevel
on the forward edge of the exi sti ng one-
called a microbevel
(insef)-then polish
and
fl atten the back si de of the bl ade. To form
t he mi crobevel , l ay a combi nat i on st one
coarse-si de u0 on a work surface between
two cl eats secured wi th screws. Saturate
t he st one wi t h t he appropri at e l ubri cant ,
i f necessary, unt i l i t pool s
on t he surf ace.
Hol di ng t he bl ade wi t h t he exi st i ng bevel
fl at on the stone, rai se i t about 5' and sl i de
t he cut t i ng edge al ong t he st one i n l ong,
el l i pti cal passes (l eft).
Appl y moderate
Dressure unt i l a mi crobevel f orms. Turn
the stone over and make a few oasses on
t he f i ne si de.
J Z
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING A ROUGHING.OUT GOUGE
1
Gri ndi ng the cutti ng edge
I Sharpen a roughi ng-out gouge on a bench gri nder equi pped
wi t h a medi um gri ndi ng wheel and a f el t wheel . Posi t i on t he
guard and t urn on t he machi ne. Hol di ng t he bl ade bet ween t he
f i ngers and t humb of one hand, set t he cut t i ng edge on t he t ool
rest and advance i t unt i l t he bevel l i ght l y cont act s t he gri ndi ng
wheel . l f you want to change the bevel angl e of the cutti ng edge,
adj ust the tool rest to the desi red angl e. Wi th your i ndex fi nger
agai nst the tool rest, rol l the bl ade on the wheel
(/eff)
unti l the
enti re edge i s ground. Keep the bevel fl at agai nst the wheel at
al l t i mes. Cont i nue, checki ng t he bl ade regul arl y, unt i l t he cut -
ti ng edge i s sharp and the bevel angl e i s correct. To prevent the
bl ade f rom overheat i ng, occasi onal l y di p i t i n wat er i f i t i s car-
bon steel , or remove i t from the wheel i f i t i s hi gh-speed steel
to l et i t cool down.
^
GOUGE-SHARPEl{I1{G J IG
The
j i g
shown at ri ght wi l l hol d a gouge so t hat
t he bl ade cont act s t he gri ndi ng wheel at t he
correct angl e. The di mensi ons i n the i l l ustrati on
wi l l accommodat e most t urni ng gouges. Cut
the base and gui de from %-i nch pl ywood. Screw
the
gui de
together and fasten i t to the base wi th
countersunk screws from underneath. Make the
gui de openi ng l arge enough f or t he arm t o sl i de
through freel y.
Cut the arm from 1-by-2 stock and the tool
support from %-inch plywood. Screw the two parts
of the tool support together, then fasten the bot-
tom to the arm flush with one end. For the V-block,
cut a smal l bl ock to si ze and saw a 90' wedge out
of one si de. Gl ue the
pi ece to the tool support.
To use the
j i g,
secure i t to a work surface so
the arm l i nes up di rectl y under the gri ndi ng wheel .
Seat t he gouge handl e i n t he V-bl ock and sl i de
the arm so the bevel ed edge of the gouge si ts
f l at on t he gr i ndi ng wheel . Cl amp t he ar m i n
pl ace. Then, wi t h t he gouge cl ear of t he wheel ,
swi tch on the gri nder and reposi ti on the tool on
the
j i g.
Rol l the bevel ed edge across the wheel
(right,
bottom).
Guide
(top) %" x 1' 1" x 9"
(ei dea) %" x 1%" x 9"
Arm
t / o" x 1%" x 13%"
Tool auppott
( bac k ) %" x 2" x 2%"
( bot t om) %" x1%" x2' 1"
Eabe
%" x 3 " x 1 3 %"
J J
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
llii lllt lll fiI1 llli lll lill lli llt
jifi
ttj ]lll lllJ illt lllr lilt llll tlll
1HO? TI ?
Shop- m a de honin g guides
and rugl removerg
The i nsi de edgeo
of qou4ee can be
di t ri cul N No hone
and etrop i f you do
noN have a el i VoLone
or eLrop wi Nh Nhe cor-
r)
Pol i shi ng the cutti ng edge
L Sntttto the eri nder' s fel t wheel and
move the tool rest out of the way. Hol d
a st i ck of pol i shi ng compound agai nst
the fel t wheel to i mpregnate i t wi th abra-
si ve. Gri p t he handl e of t he gouge i n your
ri ght hand and hol d t he bl ade bet ween
t he f i ngers and t humbs of your l ef t hand.
Then, wi t h t he gouge al most ver t i cal ,
set t he bevel f l at agai nst t he wheel .
Li ght l y rol l t he bl ade f rom si de t o si de
agai nst t he wheel t o pol i sh t he bevel . A
sl i ght burr wi l l f orm on t he i nsi de edge
of the tool . To feel for the burr, run your
f i nger gent l y across t he i nsi de edge of
t he bl ade. To remove i t , rol l t he i nsi de
f ace of t he bl ade agai nst t he wheel unt i l
the burr rubs off. Avoi d overbuffi ng the
bl ade; t hi s wi l l dul l t he cut t i ng edge.
Test the tool for sharpness by cutti ng a
scrap across t he grai n. The bl ade shoul d
produce a cl ean shavi ng.
rect , ehaVe. You can make
\ :
a gouqe- honi nq
4ui deby
wr ap-
\ t
pi i q i dowel *i ti oool sri t sand- \
VaVer
(near ri qht). For etroppi nq,
ei mpl y fol d a eLri p of l eaLher to fi t
the i nei de edqe of the
4ou4e
(far ri qht).
You can al eo uee Nheee j i qs l o cl ean rusl
or oi l Ni na f rom an ol d bl ade.
34
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
A SPINDLE GOUGE
r)
Honi ng the cutti ng edge
L Once t he bevel has been sharpened on t he gri nder,
use a f l at benchst one i o pol i sh t he t ool t o a razor-sharp
edge. Sat urat e t he st one wi t h oi l , t hen rol l t he out si de
bevel across t he abrasi ve surf ace hbove) t o hone t he
bevel on t he cut t i ng edge.
1
Sharpeni ng on a bench gri nder
I Posi t i on t he guard properl y and t urn
on the gri nder. Hol di ng the bl ade between
t he f i ngers and t humb of one hand, set
the bl ade fl at on the tool rest and advance
i t unt i l t he bl ade l i ght l y t ouches t he st one
(/eff).
Adj ust the tool rest to create the
desi red bevel angl e. Rol l t he cut t i ng edge
on t he wheel and pi vot t he handl e f rom
l ef t t o ri ght whi l e keepi ng t he bevel f l at
on the gri ndi ng wheel at al l ti mes
(i nset).
Cont i nue r ol l i ng t he bl ade and movi ng
t he t ool handl e f rom si de t o si de unt i l t he
edge i s sharpened, st oppi ng f requent l y
t o check t he gri nd and cool t he t i p, Hone
the cutti ng edge and remove the burr by
hand, as shown bel ow, or use the gri nder' s
felt wheel
(page
34).
Q
Removi ng the burr
r.J Use a convex sl i pstone matchi ng the curvature of the gouge
to remove the burr that forms on the i nsi de of the cutti ng edge.
Lubri cat e t he sl i pst one i f needed and hone t he i nsi de edge unt i l
t he bur r i s el i mi nat ed.
35
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING A CARVING GOUGE
1
Whetti ng the outsi de bevel
I Set an oi l stone on a pl ywood base, screw cl eats to the base
around the stone to keep i t from movi ng, and cl amp the base to
a work surface.
(The
l eather strop i s used to pol i sh
the outsi de
bevel i n step 4). Saturate the stone, then set the outsi de bev-
el of the gouge fl at on i t. Starti ng at one end, move the bl ade
back and f ort h al ong t he st one wi t h a rhyt hmi c mot i on, si mul -
taneousl y rol l i ng the tool so the enti re bevel contacts the sharp-
eni ng surface
(above).
Avoi d rocki ng the bl ade too far, as thi s
wi l l t end t o round over i t s corners and bl unt t he cut t i ng edge.
Cont i nue unt i l t he bevel i s smoot h and a burr f orms on t he
i nsi de edge of the bl ade. You can al so carry out thi s step on a
gri nder, as shown on page 33, but i f you use t he machi ne be
sure t o adj ust t he angl e of t he t ool rest t o mat ch t he bevel
angl e of the gouge.
r)
Honi ng an i nsi de bevel
Z On "you have sharpened the gouge' s
out si de bevel , use a coni cal sl i pst one t o
hone a sl i ght i nsi de bevel on the bl ade and
to remove the burr formed i n step 1. Put a
few drops of oi l on the cutti ng edge of the
gouge. Then, hol di ng the stone on a work
surface, move the bl ade back and forth
along the stone making sure that you keep
the cutting edge well away from your fin-
gers. Conti nue unti l the burr i s removed and
an i nsi de bevel of approxi matel y 5' forms.
36
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Q
Pol i shi ng the i nsi de bevel
r.J Use a fol ded pi ece of l eather to strop
the inside bevel of the gouge. Spread some
pol i shi ng compound on t he l eat her and
fol d i t so i ts edge matches the i nsi de curve
of t he gouge. Draw t he bl ade al ong t he
l eather repeatedl y to pol i sh the i nsi de bev-
el
(l eft).
Thi s can al so be done usi ng the
f el t wheel of a bench gri nder.
Pol i shi ng the outsi de bevel
Spread some
pol i shi ng compound on the strop and use the
same rol l i ng t echni que shown i n st ep 1 t o pol i sh t he out si de
bevel
(above).
Check the i nsi de bevel ; i f a burr has formed,
repeat step 3. You can al so use a bench gri nder and a fel t
wheel i mpregnated wi th pol i shi ng compound
(page
34)
f or t hi s t ask.
37
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING A V.T()OL
1
Whetti ng the outsi de edges
I Sharpen each si de of a V-t ool sepa-
ratel y. Set up and saturate an oi l stone as
you woul d t o sharpen a carvi ng gouge
@age
36). Hone one outside bevel of the
V-tool as you woul d a chi sel
(page
32),
movi ng t he bl ade back and f ort h al ong
t he l engt h of t he st one and keepi ng t he
bevel f l at on t he st one. Repeat on t he
other side of the V
(right).
SIop working
when you have removed the rough marks
f rom t he ground edge and a smal l burr
forms on the i nsi de of the edee.
r)
Removi ng the hook
I Wnen you sharpen the outsi de bevel s of a V-tool , a hook of
excess metal wi l l form at the apex of the V
(i nset).
Thi s hook
must be ground away before you hone the i nsi de bevel i n step
3. Hol di ng t he t ool on t he st one, rol l t he corner across t he sur-
face
(above).
Move the tool from end to end al ong the stone
unt i l you wear away t he hook and an out si de bevel f orms at
t he apex of t he V, f ormi ng one cont i nuous bevel ed edge. Thi s
process wi l l creat e a burr i n t he cent er of t he i nsi de edge,
whi ch i s removed i n st eo 3.
Q
Honi ng the i nsi de bevel
r-,1 To remove the burr formed i n steps I and 2, ano none an
i nsi de bevel , use a t ri angul ar sl i pst one t hat mat ches t he angl e
of t he V-t ool bl ade as cl osel y as possi bl e.
Cl amp t he st one
securel y i n a bench vi se and saturate i t wi th oi l . To avoi d crush-
i ng the stone, do not overti ghten the vi se. Draw the end of the
bl ade' s i nsi de edge back and f ort h al ong t he st one
(above),
appl yi ng l i ght downward pressure
unt i l t he burr i s removed
and a sl i ght i nsi de bevel f orms. To f i ni sh, pol i sh t he edge wi t h
a leather strop
(page
37) or the felt wheel of a grinder (page
34).
38
BENCH PLANES
I
good-qual i ty bench pl ane can be
A costly, but there is no reason why it
should not last a lifetime-or two. This
section shows how to care for a plane,
and includes information on sharpen-
ing and adjusting the tool. You can save
vourself some money-without sacri-
hcing a whit of quahly-by refurbish-
ing an old plane (page
40). Even a tool
that has been abused and discarded by
someone else can be brousht back to life.
ANATOMY
(lF
A BENCH PLANE
Tightening the
frog
setscrews is a
fun-
damental step in
the reassembly
of the bench plane
(page 45).
Lateral adjuot-
ment lever
Levela blade in
mouth of plane,
allowin7 the uaer
to aet it parallel
to the oole
Cap iron screw
)ecurea blade
Cap lock
Holda lever cap in place
and appliee tenaion to
t.he blade aeoembly
Lever cap aarew
Securea lever
cap, cap iron,
and blade to fro4
Depth-of-cut
adjuatment knob
)eta the cuttin7
depth of the blade;
a %z-inch depth ia
ideal for mdst
operationa
Frog
9upporta
blade: pooition
of fro7 deter-
minea width of
mouth opening
Frog adjuatment 6crew
Turned to alide fro4 back and
forth, widenin7 or narrowtnq
mouth openinq; ahould be poai'
tioned ao that openin4 ie
between %z and'/,a inch
att
9ole
Frog
6etoarew
Locke frog
in place
Lever cap
Muet be loos-
ened and lifbed
off to remove
ca? iron and
blade
Cap iron
Exerts preggure
on blade, pre-
ventinq chatter
by makinq the
aaaembly more
riqid
Blade
A[ao known aa
plane iron; inatalled
'bevel
down on fro4,
For beet reauha, it
ehould barely pro'
trude from mouth
39
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
REFURBISHING A BENCH PLANE
1
Di ssassembl i ng and cl eani ng the pl ane
I Ref er t o t he anat omy i l l ust rat i on on page 39 t o hel p you
take the pl ane apart. Start by l ooseni ng the l ever cap screw and
rel easi ng the cap l ock, then take off the l ever cap, cap i ron, and
bl ade and set t hem asi de. Next , l oosen and remove t he f rog
setscrews and separate the frog from the sol e of the pl ane. You
can al so unscrew t he f ront and back handl es f rom t he body.
Cl ean each part i ndi vi dual l y usi ng a brass-bri st l ed brush
di pped i n mi neral spi i l s
(abovd.
r)
kppi ng the sol e of the pl ane
L tape a l ength of emery paper
to a smooth and fl at surface,
such as a gl ass pl ate or saw tabl e. Reattach the handl es and the
frog to the body of the pl ane, then sl i de the sol e al ong the emery
paper, applying even pressure to keep the sole flat
(right).
Con-
t i nue l appi ngt he sol e unt i l t he met al on i t s bot t om surf ace i s uni -
f orml y bri ght and cl ean, i ndi cat i ng t hat t he sol e i s l evel . Check
the sol e for square
(step
3) peri odi cal l y.
40
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Checki ng the sol e for square
The bottom and si des of the
pl ane' s
sol e shoul d be exactl y
at 90' t o each ot her. Hol di ng t he pl ane i n one hand, but t a
combi nat i on square agai nst t he bot t om and one si de of t he
sol e hbove).
Repeat for the other si de. The surfaces shoul d be
square bot h ways. l f not , you wi l l need t o cont i nue l appi ng
t he sol e and t he si des.
SHARPENING A PLANE BLADE
1
Checking the cutting edge for square
I Use a combi nat i on souare t o det er-
mine whether the cutting edge of the plane
bl ade i s square to the si des
(/eff,).
l f i t i s
not, square the cutti ng edge on a bench
gri nder, maki ng sure to adj ust the gri nder' s
tool rest at 90" to the wheel.
41
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
r)
Creati ng a hol l ow-ground bevel
Z Shar peni ng a
pl ane
bl ade i nvol ves
t hree st eps: creat i ng a bevel on t he
bl ade' s cut t i ng edge, honi ng a mi crobev-
el on t he f i rst bevel , and removi ng t he
burr that resul ts from the honi ng process.
To create the fi rst bevel , cl amp the bl ade
bevel -down i n a commerci al gri ndi ng j i g
and adj ust the tool rest to create a 30'
bevel . Hol di ng t he
j i g
on t he t ool rest ,
advance i t t owar d t he wheel unt i l t he
cut t i ng edge makes cont act
(above).
Sl i de t he bl ade si de-t o-si de across t he
wheel , pressi ng l i ght l y. Check t he cut -
t i ng edge peri odi cal l y
and st op gri ndi ng
when the bevel forms.
tlll fill ll11 tlll lllt IIl
jill
lllt tll] tlll ilil llil llil illJ tlll llt ljlj llll
5HO7 Tt?
Gri ndi ng wi th a eander
l f you do not own a bench qri nder,
you can gri nd a
Vl ane
bl ade
. , ,
on abel i sander. ' l nst al l a
, r/
l OO-7ri t bel t,, mount Lhe
,.,'
Nool upoi de down i n a
s|,and, and secure
the ol and
Lo a work
surtace.
Turn on
Nhe sander
and hol d t he
beveled eide of
I he bl ade on Nhe
bel l atl he aVVro-
pri al e angl e.
A' )
A L
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Honi ng the mi crobevel
Once
you sharpen t he pl ane bl ade' s
cutti ng edge on a gri nder, as i n step 2, the
result will be a hollow-ground bevel
(insef,
l ef l . l f you di d t he
j ob
by hand on a
sharpeni ng st one, you wi l l obt ai n a f l at
bevel
(i nsef,
ri ght).l n ei ther case, you
need to hone a mi crobevel on the fi rst
bevel . Pl ace a combi nat i on sharpeni ng
stone fi ne si de up on a work surface.
Screw cl eats to the tabl e agai nst the
stone to keep i t from movi ng. For a hol -
l ow-ground bevel , cl amp t he bl ade i n a
commerci al angl e-set t i ng honi ng gui de
wi th the bevel touchi ng the stone.
Saturate the stone wi th the appropri ate
l ubr i cant and t hen, hol di ng t he honi ng
gui de, sl i de t he bl ade back and f ort h
f rom end t o end al ong t he sharpeni ng
surface
(right).
Apply moderate
pressure
unti l a mi crobevel forms. l f you are start-
i ng wi t h a f l at bevel , cl amp t he bl ade i n a
commerci al angl e-set t i ng honi ng
gui de
wi th the bevel touchi ng the stone. Then
rai se the angl e of the bl ade a few degrees
and compl ete the operati on as for a hol -
l ow-ground bevel .
Lapping the bun
The honi ng process wi l l creat e a t hi n
ri dge of metal , or burr, on the fl at face of
the blade. To remove the burr, saturate
t he f i ne si de of t he st one agai n. Hol di ng
t he bl ade
perf ect l y f l at on t he st one,
bevel si de up
(l eft),
move i t i n a ci rcul ar
pat t ern
unt i l t he f l at si de of t he cut t i ng
edge i s smooth.
43
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
f,
Testing the blade for sharyness
r,f Cl amp a softwood board to a work
surface and, hol di ng the bl ade bevel -si de
up i n your hands, cut across the
grai n
of
the surface
(ri ght).
A sharp bl ade wi l l
cl eanl y sl i ce a sl i ver of wood f rom t he
board wi thout teari ng the wood f i bers,
Honing the end of the cap iron
Secure a benchstone to vour work
surface; i n the i l l ustrati on at l eft. a di a-
mond stone, whi ch shoul d be l ubri cated
with water, is shown in its own box. Set
the front porti on of the cap i ron that con-
tacts the bl ade fl at on the stone and sl i de
it in a circular pattern
on the surface
(/eft).
Cont i nue unt i l t he t i p of t he cap i ron i s
perfectly
flat. This will guarantee
that wood
chi ps wi l l not become trapped between
the iron and the blade once the two pieces
are reassembl ed.
44
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
ASSEMBLING AND ADJUSTING A BENCH PLANE
1
Posi ti oni ng the bl ade assembl y
I Posi t i on t he cap i ron on t he t op f ace of t he bl ade
ext endi ng about %o i nch beyond t he end of t he cap i ron.
Ti ghten the cap i ron screw
(above,
l eft). Then pl ace the
bl ade assembl y-i ncl udi ng t he bl ade, cap i ron, and l ever
cap-i n posi t i on on t he f rog. The gap bet ween t he f ront edge
of t he bl ade and t he f ront of t he mout h shoul d be bet ween
%z and %a i nch. l f t he gap i s t oo wi de or narrow, remove t he
bl ade assembl y and l oosen bot h f rog set screws about % t urn.
Then adj ust t he f rog adj ust ment screw t o set t he proper gap
(above,
right). Tighlen the setscrews and reposition the
bl ade assembl y on t he f rog, securi ng i t i n pl ace wi t h t he cap
l ock.
Centeri ng the bl ade and adj usti ng
the depth of cut
Hol di ng t he pl ane upsi de down, move t he
l ateral adj ustment l ever unti l the cutti ng
edge i s paral l el to the sol e and centered
i n the mouth. To set the cutti ng depth,
turn the depth-of-cut adj ustment knob so
the blade
protrudes
from the mouth
(left).
About %z i nch i s desi rabl e; l ess f or hi ghl y
fi gured woods. Conf i rm the setti ng wi th a
test cut on a scrap board. The shai i ngs
shoul d be paper-t hi n.
f ) an+h- nF- r t f t
adjuatment knob
Lateral adjuatment
45
SCRAPERS
p roperl y honed, a hand or cabi net
I scraper is unsurpassed for smooth-
ing and flattening a wood surface before
fi ni shi ng. For ei ther type of scraper,
sharpening is a four-step process, shown
beginning on page 47. First, the edges
of the scraper are fi l ed square, then
honed, and finallv turned over into a
burr and a hook (page
40. You can pro-
duce the burr and the hook in two steps
with a standard burnisher, like the one
shown below, or create the hook in one
operati on wi th a vari abl e burni sher
(photo,left).The
result is a cutting edge
that should be capable of slicing paper-
thin curls of wood from a workoiece.
Honing a hand scraper is simple work
with the help of the variable burnisher
shown at left. The device
features
a car-
bide rod mounted within the wood body.
Aknob on the top adjusts the angle of
the rod, providing precise control of the
burnishing angle, while the
jig
is run
back and
forth
over the cutting edge.
INVENTORY
(lF
SCRAPERS AND ACCESSORIES
trol than a hand scraper
Burniaher
Forma the fine burr and hook on the cutting edge of a
ecraper after honin4. Kound modele are ueually uaed for
curved ecrapero and trianqular modda for rectan4ular
gcrapers;
tri-burntaher ehown combinea round,
46
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING A HAND SCRAPER
1
Fi l i ng the edges square
I Secure t he scraper i n a vi se, edge up, wi t h a wood bl ock
on one si de t o keep i t ri gi d. Cl amp a mi l l bast ard f i l e i n a
commerci al saw
j oi nt er
and press t he
j oi nt er
f i rml y agai nst
one si de of the scraper. Exert moderate pressure as you make
several passes back and forth al ong the edge of the tool
(above)
unti l the exi sti ng hook di sappears and the edge i s
f l at . Turn t he scraper over i n t he vi se and repeat t he process
for the other edge.
r)
Honi ng the edges
Z- Secure a combi nat i on sharpeni ng st one f i ne-sroe up on a
work surface wi th cl eats and l ubri cate i t. Pressi ng the scraper
fl at on the stone, rub each face wi th a ci rcul ar moti on
(above)
unt i l any roughness produced by f i l i ng di sappears. Next , hol d
the scraper upri ght and sl i de the edges back and forth di ago-
nal l y across t he st one unt i l t hey are smoot h wi t h sharp cor-
ners. To f i ni sh, agai n sl i de t he f ace l i ght l y over t he st one t o
remove any Durrs.
Q
Burni shi ng the edges
r-,1 Wi oe a ti nv amount of oi l onto the
eage oi the sci aper to reduce fri cti on
between the burni sher and the scraper.
Start to form a hook on each cutti ng edge
of the scraper by l ayi ng the scraper fl at
on a work surface wi th an edge extendi ng
of f t he t abl e, t hen run t he burni sher back
and forth along the edge
(left),
exerting
strong downward pressure. Turn the
scraper over and burni sh the edge on the
ot her f ace. Now burni sh t he ot her cut t i ns
edge the same way.
47
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Turni ng the hook
Secur e t he scr aper edge up i n t he
vi se and wi pe a l i t t l e mor e oi l ont o i t s
edge. Hol di ng t he bur ni sher l evel , make
a few passes al ong the edge i n one di rec-
t i on unt i l t he edge swel l s sl i ght l y.
Appl y moderat e pressure t o t urn t he
edge outward on one si de
(nght).
Then
hol d t he burni sher so t hat t he handl e i s
10" t o 15" above t he hori zont al and con-
t i nue t o burni sh unt i l t he edge t urns over
i ni o a hook. To form a hook on the other
si de of the edge
(bel ow),
repeat the
process wi th the scraper turned around
i n t he vi se. The great er t he pressure you
appl y, t he bi gger t he hook. Turn t he
scraper over i n t he vi se and t urn t he
hooks on the opposi te edge.
SHARPENING A CABINET SCRAPER
1
Fi l i ng the edge
I Al t hough i t s edge i s bevel ed, a
cabi net scr aper i s shar pened i n much
t he same way as a hand scraper. St art
by f i l i ng t he bevel , t hen pol i sh t he bevel
(step
2) and turn over a hook
(steps
3
and 4. Remove t he bl ade f rom t he cabi -
net scraper by l ooseni ng t he t humb-
screws hol di ng i t i n pl ace. Cl amp t he
bl ade bevel ed-edge up i n a vi se between
t wo wood pads. Then run a bast ard mi l l
f i l e al ong t he bevel , usi ng a combi na-
t i on square peri odi cal l y t o check t hat t he
angl e remai ns a|45"
(ri ght).
48
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
r')
Polishing the bevel
Z. Secure a sharpening stone to a work
surface; i n the i l l ustrati on at l eft, a di a-
mond stone i s shown i n a sharpeni ng box.
Lubricate the stone, then hold the scraper
bl ade fl at-si de down and sl i de the bl ade
i n a ci rcul ar pattern to remove any burr
formed by fi l i ng. Next, turn the bl ade over
so the bevel is flush on the stone and
repeat to
pol i sh
the bevel . A few passes
shoul d be suf f i ci ent , Use t he combi na-
ti on square to hel p you mai ntai n the bev-
el angle at45'
(step
1).
Burnishing the cutting edge
Hold the scraoer blade bevel down on
a work surface with the cutting edge over-
hangi ng the tabl e. Wi pe some oi l on the
edge and, hol di ng a burni sher at a sl i ght
angle to the blade, pass the rod back
and forth across its flat edge
(below).
Apply strong downward pressure
forming
a hook on the cutting edge.
49
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Formi ng the hook
Secur e t he bl ade bevel up i n a
machi ni st ' s vi se and appl y a l i t t l e more
oi l on i t . Hol di ng t he burni sher i n bot h
hands f l ush agai nst t he 45" bevel , pul l
the tool toward your body; mai ntai n con-
stant downward pressure (above).
Gradual l y t i l t t he handl e of t he burni sh-
er unt i l t he rod i s at angl e of about 15'
t o t he bevel . Thi s wi l l compl et e t he
hook on t he cut t i ng edge.
lm lllr ilfi llll lll illl ull lll lltl filt llt llll llll ]xl lll] lllr l]lr I]lJ
5HO? Tt?
M ai nl ai ni n g l he a o r rect
burni ohi ng angl e
l l ol di ng a burni eher aN Nhe
?roper
anql e i e Nhe key No burni ohi nq Nhe
bevel of a cabi nel ecraper. Ao a
vi eual qui de, uee a proNractor
and a equare No mark a l i ne at ,
a 45' anql e on t he wal l
f aci nqyouwhenyou
A
do Nhe burni ehi nq.
LocaNebhe mark at
eye level direcbly in
l i ne wi bh your vi ee.
Ao, you
VaeeN, he
, bur-,

ni sher al onqNhebevel ,
l ry to keep Lhe rod
Var-
al l el wi t h t he l i ne on Nhe wal l ,
50
ROUGHING AND SHAPING TOOLS
1-h.
hand tool s featured i n thi s sec-
I ti on ofthe chaoter are as di verse as
the individual tasks needed to work a
standing tree into a piece of furniture.
They range from rough to fine-axe
to spokeshave, an i mpl ement most
often used to whi ttl e a workoi ece to
i ts fi nal form.
For the sharpener, however, all these
tools share one feature: They are single-
bladed tools that rely on a correctly
angled bevel to cut wood properly. The
following pages will show you how to
hone and polish each ofthe tools shown
below. The first step in the process
involves smoothing away defects and
restoring the bevel on the blade, if the
cutting edge requires it. This can be done
on a bench grinder as you would a plane
blade
(page
42) or ona wet/dry grinder
(photo,
right). To prolong blade life, grind
onlywhat is required to restore the edge.
Also, be carefi.rl not to overheat the blade;
this can destroy the temper of the met-
al. One advantage of the wet/dry grinder
is that you do not have to interrupt the
grinding periodically to cool the blade.
The water-bathed wheel automatically
takes care ofthis concern.
A wet-dry grinder touches up an ax
blade. To create a uniform bevel across
the blade, it is important to hold the
blade square to the grindingwheel and at
a constant angle.
lnahave
A curved drawknife typi-
cally ueed to ohape a work-
piece afLer adztn1; blade ia
beveled on outer eide only
Adzea
Curved ehaping toole for
rou7hinq out hollowed work-
piecea: hollowin4 adze (left)
Spokeahavea
Metal flat-face model (top) emoothe
and ahapea flat or convex aurfacee;
wooden apokeehave (bottom) ie a
traditional tool featuring a low cut-
tinq an4le for ehapinq end qrain. Eoth
are puehed or pulled with the qrain
ie beveled on outeide ed4e
Hewing hatchet
For rou4h ahapinq
4reen
wood: beveled on one eide
only for etraiqht cuttinq
Drawknife
Ueed to debark qreen wood
loq aectione and ehape oLock;
blade ie ueually beveled on one
eide only for otraight cuttin4
5 1
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING SPOKESHAVES
Sharpeni ng a wooden spokeshave bl ade
Remove t he bl ade f rom t he handl e by pi nchi ng t he t angs t hat
prot rude t hrough t he handl e and pushi ng t hem downward. For
sharpeni ng, t he bl ade i s hel d upsi de down f rom i t s usual cut -
t i ng posi t i on-t hat i s, wi t h t he t angs f aci ng down rat her t han
up. To prevent t he t angs f rom cat chi ng on your work surf ace
duri ng sharpeni ng, set your sharpeni ng st one at op a wood
bl ock t o provi de t he necessary cl earance. Hol di ng t he bl ade
by the tangs, set i ts bevel fl at on the stone. Because the bl ade
i s l onger t han t he wi dt h of t he st one, hol d t he cut t i ng edge
di agonal l y as you sl i de t he bevel back and f ort h on t he st one.
Repeat wi t h t he bl ade angl ed t he ot her way. Repeat agai n wi t h
t he bl ade hel d st rai ght bbove). 0nce t he sharpeni ng i s com-
pl et e,
t urn t he bl ade over and hone t he f l at si de t o remove t he
burr f ormed by t he sharpeni ng process.
Honi ng a metal spokeshave bl ade
To remove the bl ade from the handl e, l oosen the screw i n the
mi ddl e of t he handl e. Set up a benchst one on a work surf ace;
a water-l ubri cated di amond stone i n a sharpeni ng box i s shown
above. l nstal l the bl ade i n a commerci al honi ng gui de (above,
l eft) and hone the cutti ng edge as you woul d a pl ane bl ade
(page
43I To flatten the sole of a flat-soled spokeshave,
pass
the
sol e back and forth al ong a medi um-gri t benchstone
(above,
ri ght).
Cont i nue unt i l t he met al has uni f orm sheen.
52
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING A DRAWKNIFE
SHARPENING AN INSHAVE
Honi ng an i nshave
Cl amp t he i nshave t o a work surf ace so t he cut t i ng edge i s f ac-
i ng up, as shown above. Use a sl i pstone to hone the edge. Start
wi th a rough-gri t stone and progress to a fi ner one. Work wi th a
ci rcul ar mot i on unt i l a uni f orm shi ne devel ops on t he bl ade.
Gi ve the fl at si de of the bl ade a few strokes to remove any burr.
0nce t he bl ade i s sharp, pol i sh t he bevel wi t h a l eat her st rop
and pol i shi ng compound
(page
37), f i ni shi ng wi th a few passes
on t he f l at si de of t he bl ade t o remove t he burr. l f t he i nshave
has a kni fe-edse-bevel ed on both si des-hone the other si de.
Honi ng a drawkni fe
Secure one handl e of t he drawkni f e i n a
machi ni st ' s vi se wi t h t he bl ade I evel and
t he bevel f aci ng up. Then l ubri cat e a f i ne
benchst one-i n t hi s case, a combi nat i on
stone-and rub the stone al ong the l ength
of the bevel , usi ng a ci rcul ar moti on
(l eft),
To hone a mi crobevel on t he pri mary bev-
el , adj ust t he angl e of t he st one sl i ght l y.
Fi nal l y, make a f ew passes on t he f l at si de
of the bl ade to remove anv burr formed
by sharpeni ng.
SHARPENING AN ADZE
Honi ng an adze
Secur e t he adze i n a bench vi se, as shown above. Wr ap a
sheet of emery paper around a dowel whose di ameter cl osel y
mat ches t he cur ve of t he adze bl ade. Hone t he cut t i ng edge
usi ng a back- and- f or t h mot i on al ong t he l engt h of t he bevel .
Hone t he f l at si de of t he bl ade wi t h a sl i pst one t o r emove any
bur r . l f t he adze has a kni f e- edge hone t he ot her si de.
53
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
POLISHING THE BLADE
Usi ng a bench gri nder
Once you have sharpened the bl ade of a
roughi ng or shapi ng tool , pol i sh the bevel
and remove any burr formed by the
pro-
cess on the fel t wheel of a bench gri nder.
For a metal spokeshave bl ade, i mpreg-
nate the wheel wi th pol i shi ng compound
and ol ace the bevel of the bl ade on the
trai l i ng edge of the wheel
(above).
Move
the bl ade si de to si de to exoose the enti re
bevel to the wheel . Buff the bl ade onl y
enough to remove the burr, usi ng a l i ght
t ouch t o avoi d roundi ng t he edge. Run
the whol e l ength of the bevel back and
f ort h across t he wheel t o ool i sh i t uni -
f orml y. Repeat on t he f l at si de of t he
bl ade. Test the cutti ng edge for sharp-
ness on a piece of softwood
(page
44).
'
lll"'trIl
"'flI'
1x1"' fil
-
lllf'.flI-1lf
'llf
lll*fil- llll'
"llll "fill'
lll ffi
'
lII' lll
?HO? TI?
Choooi nq a durabl e
axhandl e
Deepi te the avai l abi l i ty of
a vdriety of oynlheXic com-
pounde,
wooden-handl ed
axee remai n
VoVul ar,
They
are l i qhL and etrronq, and
feature a wel l -bal anced feel ,
The ol ren7th of the handl e
depends on l he ori enNal i on
of t he qrai n t o l he axhead.
Choose an axwi l h a handl e
t hat has l he qrai n runni nq
paral l el to Ihe cuLNi n4 edqe
(bottom); handles wiNh the
grai n runni ng perp endi cul ar
(top) to Lhe facd tend Lo
break more eaei l y.
54
BRACESAND BITS
f,
lectric drills have largely superseded
Lhand tools for boring holes in the
modern woodshoo. Nevertheless. most
woodworkers still keep braces and hand
drills handy, because these tools have
unique capabilities not readily dupli-
cated by power tools, such as working
in tight quarters or boring a hole to a
precise depth.
Maintaining these hand tools is main-
ly a question of keeping their moving
parts clean and sharpening their bits. To
clean a brace, unscrew the chuck shell
and remove the
jaws,
as shown at right.
Use the same cleaning procedure as you
would for the parts of a bench plane
@age
a0). The remaining pages of this
chapter describe how to sharpen auger
and spoon bits.
Cleaningthe chuckis an essential
element of maintaining abrace.
The exploded view of a brace chuck
in the photo at right shows the
parts that require cleaning the
shell and the two-piece
jaw.
ANATOMY OF AUGER AND SPOOI{ BITS
Cuttinq edqe,
or lip
Auger bit
The cuttinq edqe-or lip-bitee, pulle, and quideo the
bit into the workpiece; the apure acore the outline of
the hole so t'hat' the lip doee not t'ear the wood fibere
55
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
SHARPENING AN AUGER BIT
1
Filing the cutting edge
I Secure the bi t i n a bench vi se.
then use a needl e fi l e to sharpen the
cutting edge.
(You
can also use a spe-
ci al i zed auger bi t fi l e for the
j ob.)
Hol d
t he f i l e on t he l eadi ng edge and make
a few strokes al ong the surface.
Repeat with the other cutting edge.
Filing the spur
Posi ti on the bi t upri ght i n the vi se.
Hol di ng t he f i l e f l ush agai nst t he i nsi de
edge of one spur, make several strokes
across the surface
(right)
unlil you pro-
duce an even shi ne on the spur. Repeat
wi th the other spur.
56
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Removi ng burrs from the spurs
Hol di ng a ver y f i ne di amond hone on
a work surf ace, sl i de t he out si de edge of
one of the bi t spurs on the stone to remove
any burr f ormed by sharpeni ng
(ri ght ).
(You
can al so use a pi ece of very f i ne
emery cl oth.) Work wi th a l i ght touch and
use onl y enough strokes to remove the burr,
or you r i sk r educi ng t he bi t di amet er .
Reoeat wi th the other spur.
SHARPENING AN SPOON BIT
Sharpeni ng a spoon bi t
Spoon bi t s can be sharpened easi l y on a benchst one. I n t he
i l l ust rat i on above, at l ef t , a di amond st one i n i t s own sharpen-
i ng box i s shown. Hol di ng t he out si de of t he bi t ' s nose on t he
stone, rock the bi t across the surface wi th a semi ci rcul ar moti on.
Hol d t he bi t at t he same angl e t hroughout t o ensure t hat t he
nose i s honed uni f or ml y. 0nce t he shar peni ng i s compl et ed,
ool i sh bot h si des of t he nose on t he f el t wheel of a bench
gr i nder . l mpr egnat e t he wheel wi t h pol i shi ng compound and,
hol di ng t he bi t vert i cal l y, l i ght l y t ouch t he f ront of t he nose t o
the wheel
(above,
right). Repea| with the back side.
57
)
r t
I
- J
r l
i l
' l
, l
I
L . l
i _ l
t l
i l
i l
i - l
L , J
SWENNGPO\AIER
TOOLBIADESATD
BITS
ike any cutting or shaping tool,
a power tool with a dull blade
or bit cannot perform well. A dull
drill bit will tend to skate offa work-
piece, rather than biting deanly into
the wood. A sawblade or router bit
with blunted cutting edges may
burn stock. And wood that is sur-
faced by a
jointer
or planer with
unsharpened knives may be diffi-
cult to glue up or finish.
In addition to cutting and shap-
ing properly, well-sharpened blades
and bis offer other benefits, includ-
ing reduced wear and tear on motors,
less operator fatigue, and longer life
for the blades and bits themselves.
Manufacturers of power tool blades
and bis generally recommend send-
ing their products to a professional
sharpening service. However, the
job
can often be done in the worlahop.
This chapter will showyou how to sharpen a wide variety of
power tool blades and bits, from router bits and shaper cutters
(page 62) to
jointer
and planer knives
(page
79). In a pinch,
even abroken band sawblade can be soldered together
(page
76).
A wist bit is sharpened on a bench grinder with the help of a commercial grind-
ing
jig
that holds the bit at the proper angle. Originally destgned
for
the metal-
wo*ing industry, twist bits took their place in woodworking as the use of power
tools grew. They need periodic sharpening to bore holes cleanly and accurately.
Designed to replace the metal guide bloclcs sup-
plied with most band saw6 heat-resistant gtide
blocl<s mnhelp prolongbladelife. Madefrom a
graphite-impregnated resin that is its own lubri-
cant, these nonmetallic bloclcs last longer than
metalblocl<s and canbe set closer to theblade,
allowing more accurate and controlled cuts.
cutting edges ofyour blades and bis razor-sharp. But remem-
ber that a keen edge always starts with the quality of the steel
itself; for long life and ease of sharpening, always choose bits
and blades made from the best steel.
Still, there are times when you
should turn to a professional, par-
ticularly if blades and bits have
chipped edges or have lost their
temper as a result of overgrinding.
Some router bits also must be pre-
cisely balanced, something that is
difficult to achieve in the shop. fu a
rule of thumb, it is a good idea to
send out your bits and blades to a
sharpening service periodically, or
everysecond time theyneed a major
sharpening. Once you have sharp-
ened an edge properly, it should
last for a long time-the occasion-
al honing is all that it takes to main-
tain it.
The pages that follow cover the
basic techniques for sharpening
power tool blades and bits in the
shop. With a little practice and the
right accessories, you can keep the
59
A GALLERY OF BLADES AND BITS
Drill bits
(pa7e 65)
Molding head
and knivea
(paqe 64)
ffifi$
Commercial reain
aolvent (page 71)
Cleana pitch,
and planer while they are atill in cutter-
head; diamond-ahaped cuttinq etone
aharpena while aauare
gtone
removeo
the burr from thi face of the knife
qum,qaw-
duat, and
reain from
circular aaw
bladee and
router bits
aaw blades
(paae
70)
'
Jointer knivea
(paqe B5)
Planer knivea
Knife honing guide
a
TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES FOR SHARPENING
Drill bit grinding attachment (page 58)
Holdo %- to %-tnch-diameter twiat bita for
oharpeninq; mounted to work aurface and
ueed wrth a bench arinder
Router bit eharpener
A boron-carbide aLone uaed to aharpen carbon
ateel, htqh-epeed eteeL and carbide-tipped
router bita;
4ivee
a finer finiah than
dtamond ftlea of eaual arit. Handle
featurea maqnifyinq leno
for checkin4 eharpneee
Drill bit-aharpening jig (page 66)
Towered by an electric drill, Lhie
jiq
eharpena hi7h-apeed ateel
twiet bita and carbide
maaonry bite up to
'l
inch rn drameLer;
holder eecurea bit.
aL proper depth and
angle aqainet eharp-
ening otone inoide jiq
J f f i
t *
Circular saw blade-settinq
jig (page 72)
Clamped in bench viee to
joint
and eet the f,eeth of circu'
Iar sawe up Lo 12 inchee in diameter. Dlade ra locked tn
ji7
and rotated aqainet file to jointteeth; Leeth are eet
by tapprng them wtth a hammer aqainaL mandrel
Knife-aetting jigs (page 79)
Magnetic jiq ueed to hold jointer
or planer knivea at Lhe correct
heiqht for tnetallaLion in the
machine, Jiqe for planer (below)
are ueed tn paire for knivee up
to 20 tnchea long; ji7 for jotnter
(ri7hL) aete knivee up to B inchea
in lenqLh, and can be
extended with a third
bar for knivee up to
14 inchee lonq
Jointerlplaner-knife
aharpenling jig (page 79)
Uaed to aharpen jointer and planer
knivea: knife ie clamped tn jtq and
rear ecrew adjueLe Lo hold knife
at
proper
anile aaainaL
^l
Circular saw blade-
eharpening jig (page 72)
MounLed on workbench to
eharpen ctrcular saw bladea
after qrindinq and oettinq:
blade ie held in jiq while taper
file ta drawn acroos the Leeth
at Lhe proper ptLch and anqle
ROUTER BITS AND SHAPER CUTTERS
Secured in abench vise, one ofthe cut-
ting edges of a shaper cutter receives its
final
sharpening with a
fine
diamond
hone. The process is a two-step operation,
beginning with a medium hone (far
left).
Because they operate at high speeds, dull
router bits and shaper cutters oyerheat
quickly. Cutters that are properly sharp-
ened make smoother, more accurate cuts.
SHARPENING A NON-PILOTED ROUTER BIT
Sharpeni ng the i nsi de faces
Cl ean any pi tch, gum, or sawdust off the
bi t wi th a commerci al resi n sol vent
(page
71), then use a ceramic or diamond sharp-
eni ng fi l e to hone the i nsi de faces of the
bit's cutting edges. A coarse-grit file is best
i f a l ot of materi al needs to be removed;
use a f i ner-gri t f i l e f or a l i ght t ouch-up.
Hol di ng the i nsi de face of one cutti ng edge
flat against the abrasive surface, rub it back
and forth
(right).
Repeat with the other cut-
ti ng edge. Hone both i nsi de faces equal l y
to maintain the balance of the bit. Take care
not to file the bevel behind the cutting edge.
62
POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
SHARPENING A PITOTED ROUTER BIT
1
Removi ng the pi l ot beari ng
I Before you can sharpen a pi l oted router bi t, you need to
remove t he pi l ot beari ng. Use a hex wrench t o l oosen t he
bearing
(above).
Ilf
"llf "flr1lf"lflf'fir
1lr"1lf'1lf1ll-1ll-llflflftlt-1flftll'1flr1lr
5HO7 Tt?
A storage raakfor
ehaper auttero
thaoer cul l ers are
ofEen sol d i n cumbersome
\\X
packagi nqt hal can con-
\
tri bul e Io cl ul ter. Orqani ze
\\
'
your ehaVer bi te wi th a ehop-
made otroraqe rack like the
one ehown here. The rack will
keeo l he aul l ero vi si bl e and
accessible. Drill a oeries of holee
i n a board and ql ue dowel o i n l he
hol es Lo hol dl he cul f,ere.To
Vre-
venf, l he cutl i ng edqeo from ni cki nq
each ol her, uoe your l arqeet-di ame-
t er cut l er ao a qui det o opaci nql he dowel hol eo. l f you
pl an i o hanq l he rack on a wal l , bore the hol es atr a ol i qht
anql e eo that,the cutters wi l l nol ol i p off the dowel s.
r' )
Sharpeni ng the bi t
L Sharoen the bi t wi th a cerami c or
di amond sharpeni ng f i l e as you woul d a
non-piloted bit
(page
62); Ihen re-install
the beari ng wi th the hex wrench. l f the
beari ng does not rotate smoothl y, spray
a l i t t l e bear i ng l ubr i cant on i t . l f i t i s
worn out or damaged, repl ace i t.
63
MOLDINGKNIVES
SHARPENING M(ITDING KNIVES
Sharpening molding knives
The cutti ng edges of tabl e saw or radi al
arm saw molding knives are easy to touch
up or sharpen whi l e they are mounted i n
t he mol di ng head. Cl amp t he head i n a
bench vi se wi th one of the kni ves cl ear of
the bench, then use a slipstone
(above)to
hone i ts i nsi de face as you woul d a router
bit
(page
62l. Reposition the head in the
vi se t o hone t he remai ni ng kni ves. Use
the same number of strokes to hone each
kni fe so that you remove an equal amount
of metal from them al l . and mai ntai n thei r
i denti cal shapes and wei ghts. An al terna-
ti ve method i nvol ves removi ng the kni ves
with a hex wrench
(right)
and sharpening
them on a fl at oi l stone,
64
DRILL BITS
SHARPENING TWIST BITS
Usi ng a bench gri nder
Hol di ng t he bi t bet ween t he i ndex f i nger and t humb of one hand, set i t on t he
gri nder' s t ool rest and advance i t t oward t he wheel unt i l your i ndex f i nger con-
tacts the tool rest. Ti l t the shaft of the bi t down and to the l eft so that one of
the cutti ng edges, or l i ps, i s square to the wheel
(above).
Rotate the bi t cl ock-
wi se t o gri nd t he l i p evenl y. Peri odi cal l y check t he angl e of t he cut t i ng edge, as
shown i n t he phot o at ri ght , and t ry t o mai nt ai n t he angl e at about 60". Repeat
f or t he second cut t i ng edge. To keep bi t s sharp, use t hem at t he speed recom-
mended by t he manuf act urer. Wi pe t hem occasi onal l y wi t h oi l t o prevent rust .
To bore clean holes, the cutting edges of
twist bits should be angled at about 60".
As you sharpen a bit, periodically check
the angle with a protractor. Butt one
of the cuttirtg edges against the base of
the protractor and swivel the arnt
flush
against the side of the bit.
65
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
Usi ng a commerci al
j i g
Set up the
j i g
fol l owi ng the manufacturer' s
i nstructi ons. For the model shown, secure
an el ectri c dri l l to the
j i g;
the dri l l wi l l rotate
t he sharpeni ng st one i nsi de t he devi ce.
Adj ust the angl e bl ock to the appropri ate
angl e for the bi t to be sharpened and i nsert
the bi t i n the depth gauge. The gauge wi l l
enabl e you
to secure the bi t at the correct
hei ght i n the hol der. Fi t the bi t hol der over
Ihe biI hbovd and then use it to remove
the bi t from the gauge. Now secure the bi t
and hol der to the angl e bl ock. Turn on the
dri l l and, hol di ng i t st eady, sl owl y rot at e
the bi t hol der a ful l 360' agai nst the stone
i nsi de the
j i e
ti eht).
Appl y l i ght pressure;
too much force wi l l overheat the bi t.
66
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
SHARPENING FORSTNER BITS
1
Gri ndi ng the i nsi de bevel
I To touch up a Forstner bi t, true the top
edge of t he bi t ' s ri m wi t h a f i l e, removi ng
any ni cks. l f the bevel ed edges of the cut-
t i ng spurs i nsi de t he ri m are uneven, gri nd
t hem usi ng an el ect ri c dri l l f i t t ed wi t h a
rotary gri ndi ng attachment. Secure the bi t
i n a bench vi se as shown and gri nd the edges
until they are all uniform
(right).
r)
Sharpeni ng the chi p l i fters
I t l se a si nsl e-cut mi l l bast ard f i l e t o
l i ght l y f i l e t he i nsi de f aces of t he cut t ers.
Hol d t he f i l e f l at agai nst one of t he cut -
ters-also known as chip lifters-and make
a few strokes along the surface
(left).
RepeaI
wi t h t he ot her cut t er . Fi ni sh t he
j ob
by
honi ng t he bevel ed edges i nsi de t he ri m
wi t h a sl i pst one.
67
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
HONING MUTTI.SPUR BITS
1
Fi l i ng the cutti ng spurs
I Secure t he bi t upri ght i n a bench vi se and use a t ri angul ar f i l e t o hone t he
l eadi ng edge, or face, of each spur
(above).
Fi l e wi th each
push
stroke, towards
t he bi t ' s brad poi nt , t i l t i ng t he handl e of t he f i l e down sl i ght l y. Then f i l e t he t rai l -
i ng edge, or back, of each spur t he same way. Fi l e al l t he spurs by t he same
amount so t hat t hey remai n at t he same hei ght . Make sure you do not over-f i l e
the cutti ng spurs; they are desi gned to be %z i nch l onger than the chi p l i fters.
SHARPENING BRAD.POINT BITS
1
Fi l i ng the chi p l i fters
I Cl amp t he bi t upri ght i n a bench vi se
and f i l e t he i nsi de f aces of t he t wo chi p
l i fters as you woul d those of a Forstner bi t
(page
67). For a brad-point bit, however,
use a tri angul ar needl e fi l e
(ri ght),
honi ng
unt i l each cut t i ng edge i s sharp and each
chi p l i f t er i s f l at .
Fi l i ng the brad poi nt
Fi l e the chi p l i fters as you woul d those of
a Forstner bi I
(page
67).Then, fi l e the brad-
poi nt unti l i t i s sharp
(above).
68
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
r)
Fi l i ng the cutti ng spurs
L Use t he needl e f i l e t o hone t he i nsi de
faces of the bi t' s two cutti ng spurs. Hol d
the tool wi th both hands and f i l e towards
the brad-point untrl each spur is sharp
(rghf),
H(INING SPADE BITS
Fi l i ng a spade bi t
Secure t he bi t i n a bench vi se and use a
smooth si ngl e-cut mi l l bastard fi l e to touch
up the two cutti ng edges. Fi l e on the push
slroke
(\efl,
tilting the handle down slightly
to match the angl e of the cuttrng edges;
between 5" and 10" i s typi cal . Then touch
up the cutti ng edges on ei ther si de of the
point the same way
(inset),Iaking
care not
to al ter i ts taoer. Do not remove too much
met al at t he base of t he
poi nt ,
as t hi s wi l l
weaken t he bi t .
69
CIRCULAR SAW BLADES
CHANGING TABLE SAW BLADES
The commercial blade carrier shown
above is a handy storage device that
will protect your circular saw blades
from
damage and make it easier to
transport them. This model accom-
modates uD to ten L]-inch blades.
1
Removi ng a bl ade
I Worki ng at t he f ront of t he t abl e,
remove t he i nsert and wedge a pi ece
of scrap wood under a bl ade tooth to
prevent t he bl ade f rom t urni ng. Use
t he wrench suppl i ed wi t h t he saw t o
l oosen the arbor nut
(/eff). (Most
tabl e
saw arbors have reverse threads; the
nut i s l oosened i n a cl ockwi se di rec-
ti on.) Fi ni sh l ooseni ng the nut by hand,
maki ng sure t hat i t does not f al l i nt o
t he machi ne. Caref ul l y l i f t t he bl ade
and washer off the arbor. Carbi de{i pped
bl ades are best sharpened professi on-
al l y; but hi gh-speed st eel model s can
be sharpened i n the shop
(page
72).
A worn or damaged bl ade shoul d be
di scarded and repl aced.
r)
Instal l i ng a bl ade
Z- St i Oe t he bl ade ont o t he arbor wi t h i t s t eet h poi nt i ng i n t he di rect i on of bl ade
rotati on
(toward
the front of the tabl e). Insert the fl ange and nut and start ti ghteni ng
by hand. To f i ni sh t i ght eni ng, gri p t he saw bl ade wi t h a rag and use t he wrench sup-
pl i ed wi th the saw
(above).
Do not use a pi ece of wood as a wedge, as thi s coul d
resul t i n overt i ght eni ng t he nut .
70
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
CHANGING PORTABLE CIRCUTAR SAW BLADES
Removi ng a portabl e ci rcul ar saw bl ade
Set the saw on i ts si de on a work surface
wi t h t he bl ade housi ng f aci ng up. Ret ract
t he l ower bl ade
guard and, gri ppi ng t he
bl ade wi th a rag, l oosen the arbor nut wi th
the wrench suppl i ed wi th the saw
(ri ght).
Remove the nut and the outer washer, then
sl i de t he bl ade f r om t he ar bor . As wi t h
t abl e saw bl ades, car bi de- t i pped bl ades
shoul d be sent out f or shar peni ng, but
hi gh-speed steel types can be sharpened
i n t he shop. To i nst al l a bl ade, pl ace i t on
t he ar bor wi t h i t s t eet h poi nt i ng i n t he
di r ect i on of bl ade r ot at i on. I nst al l t he
washer and t he nut , and t i ght en t hem by
hand. Hol di ng t he bl ade wi t h t he rag, use
t he wr ench t o gi ve t he nut an addi t i onal
quarter
turn. Do not overti ghten.
CLEANING CIRCUTAR SAW BTADES
Soaki ng t he bl ade
Cl ean t he bl ade usi ng a commer ci al r esi n
sol vent .
( Commer ci al
oven cl eaner , t ur -
pent i ne, or a sol ut i on of hot wat er wi t h
ammoni a can al so be used. ) For st ubbor n
pi t ch and gum deposi t s, soak t he bl ade
i n t he cl eani ng agent i n a shal l ow pan
and use a br ass- br i st l ed br ush t o cl ean
the teeth
(/eff).
7 I
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
SHARPENING CIRCULAR SAW BLADES
1
Joi nti ng the teeth
I To shar pen t he t eet h of a ci r cul ar saw bl ade, i nst al l t he
bl ade i n a commerci al saw-set t i ng
j i g
f ol l owi ng t he manuf ac-
turer' s i nstructi ons. For the model shown, the bl ade teeth shoul d
be poi nt i ng count ercl ockwi se. I nst al l t he
j oi nt i ng
head on t he
j i g,
but t i ng i t s f i l e up agai nst t he saw t eet h. Then t i ght en t he
t humbscrew unt i l t he t eet h drag agai nst t he f i l e. To
j oi nt
t he
t eet h so t hey are al l t he same l engt h, cl amp t he
j i g
i n a bench
vise and rotate ihe blade against the file clockwise
(above).
After
each rot at i on, t i ght en t he t humbscrew sl i ght l y and repeat unt i l
the ti p of each tooth has been fi l ed fl at.
Sharpeni ng the teeth
Once the saw teeth have been i oi nted
and set , f i l e t hem usi ng a commerci al saw-
sharpeni ng
j i g.
Mount the
j i g
to a workbench
and i nst al l t he bl ade l oosel y on t he
j i g
so
t he bl ade t urns. Fol l owi ng t he manuf act ur-
er' s i nst ruct i ons, rot at e t he t ri angul ar f i l e
i n t he f i l e hol der and adj ust t he gui de arm
to match the requi red pi tch and angl e of the
saw teeth. Starti ng wi th a tooth that i s poi nt-
i ng to the ri ght, fi l e the cutti ng edge by sl i d-
i ng t he f i l e hol der al ong t he t op of t he
j i g
(ri ght).
RoIaIe the bl ade countercl ockwi se,
ski ppi ng one t oot h, and repeat . Sharpen al l
the ri ght-poi nti ng teeth the same way. Adj ust
the tri angul ar fi l e and the gui de arm to work
on the l eft-poi nti ng teeth and repeat, sharp-
eni ng al l t he t eet h you ski pped.
r)
Setting the teeth
Z. Remove t he
j oi nt i ng
head f rom t he
j i g
and i nst al l t he set -
t i ng head. Al so remove t he
j i g
f rom t he vi se and set i t on t he
bencht op. Adj ust t he head f or t he appropri at e amount of set ,
or bend. Usi ng a pi n punch and bal l -peen hammer, l i ght l y st ri ke
every second tooth agai nst the setti ng head
(above).
Remove
the bl ade and reverse the posi ti on of the setti ng head. Rei nstal l
t he bl ade wi t h t he t eet h poi nt i ng i n t he opposi t e di r ect i on,
and repeat f or t he t eet h you ski pped, agai n st ri ki ng every
second tooth.
72
BAND SAWBLADES
Secured between two wood blocks in
a bench vise, the teeth of a band saw
blade are sharpened with a triangular
file.
Band saw blades can also be honed
while they are installed on the machine.
The teeth should be sharpened periodi-
cally and set after every three to
five
sharpenings. In
fact,
a propefly honed
and set band saw blade will perform
bener than a brand new one.
SHARPENING A BAND SAW BLADE
1
Gl eani ng the bl ade
I Bef ore sharpeni ng a band saw bl ade, remove sawdust and
wood chrps f rom i t . Make sure you rel ease t he bl ade t ensi on
f i rst bef ore sl i ppi ng t he bl ade of f t he wheel s. Then, hol di ng t he
bl ade between two cl ean rags
(above), pul l i t away i n the di rec-
ti on opposi te i ts normal rotati on to avoi d snaggi ng the cutti ng
edges i n t he mat eri al .
73
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
O
Instal l i ng the bl ade for sharpeni ng
L You can shar pen a band saw bl ade
either on a bench vise
(photo,
page 73) or
on the machi ne. To i nstal l the bl ade on the
band saw f or sharpeni ng, mount i t wi t h
t he t eet h poi nt i ng i n t he di rect i on oppo-
si te thei r cutti ng posi ti on-that i s, faci ng
up i nst ead of down. Turn t he bl ade i nsi de
out and gui de i t t hr ough t he t abl e sl ot
(right),
holding it with the teeth facing you
and poi nt i ng
up. Sl i p t he bl ade bet ween
t he gui de bl ocks and i n t he t hroat col umn
sl ot , t hen cent er i t on t he wheel s. Make
sure the bl ade gui de assembl y i s rai sed as
hi gh above t he t abl e as i t wi l l go.
Q
Sefti ng the bl ade
r-J l f the teeth need to be set, adj ust a commerci al saw set to
t he same number of t eet h per i nch as t he band saw bl ade.
Secure t he bl ade i n a handscrew and cl amp t he handscrew t o
the saw tabl e. Starti ng at the handscrew-end of the bl ade, posi -
t i on t he f i rst t oot h t hat i s bent t o t he ri ght bet ween t he anvi l
and punch
bl ock of t he saw set and squeeze t he handl e t o set
the tooth
(above).
Work your way up to the gui de
assembl y, set-
ti ng al l the teeth that are bent to the ri ght. Then turn the saw
set over and repeat for the l eftward-bent teeth. Conti nue setti ng
al l the bl ade teeth secti on by secti on. To ensure you do not omi t
any teeth, mark each secti on you work on wi th chal k.
Sharpeni ng the bl ade
Sharpen t he t eet h t he same way you set t hem, worki ng on
one bl ade sect i on at a t i me. Hol d a t ri angul ar f i l e at a 90" angl e
t o t he bl ade and sharpen each t oot h t hat i s set t o t he ri ght ,
gui di ng
t he f i l e i n t he same di r ect i on t hat t he t oot h i s set
(above).
Then sharpen the l eftward-bent teeth the same way.
Use t he same number of st rokes on each t oot h. Once al l t he
t eet h have been sharpened, remove t he bl ade, t urn i t i nsi de
out and rei nst al l i t f or cut t i ng, wi t h t he t eet h poi nt i ng
down.
Tensi on and t rack t he bl ade
(page
123. )
frlade quide
aeeembly-
74
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
ilti llJ ]ltt lllJ llli ilu llrJ ilIj lll1 llli tjlj llll lllt lll llll lllJ lllJ ilil
9HO7 Tt ?
Roundi ng a band oaw bl ade
To hel o zrevenN a new band saw
bl ade f rom bi ndi nq i n
Lhe kerf of curved
cul s, use a si l i con- ]
carbi de sbone wi t hout
I l l i l l
oi l Lo round i t E back
i
i i l l l
Instal l i ng heat-resi stant
gui de bl ocks
Repl acrng your band saw' s standard
gui de
bl ocks wi t h heat -resi st ant bl ocks wi l l
l engt hen bl ade l i f e and promot e more
accurate and control l ed cuts. Remove the
ori gi nal bl ocks by usi ng a hex wrench to
l oosen the setscrews securi ng them to the
upper gui de assembl y
(above).
Sl i p out
t he ol d bl ocks and i nsert t he repl ace-
ment s. Pi nch t he bl ocks t oget her wi t h
your t humb and i ndex f i nger unt i l t hey
al most t ouch t he bl ade.
(You
can al so
use a sl i p of paper to set the space be-
t ween t he gui de bl ocks and t he bl ade).
Ti ghten the setscrews. The front edges
of t he gui de bl ocks shoul d be
j ust
behi nd
the bl ade gul l ets. To reposi ti on the bl ocks,
l oosen t hei r t humbscrew and t urn t hei r
adj ust ment knob t o advance or ret ract
t he bl ocks. Ti ght en t he t humbscrew and
repeat the process for the gui de assem-
bl y l ocat ed bel ow t he t abl e.
oi l t o round i t E back
i l l l , ' f
edqe, ae ehownher e.
I l
\
ANNach t he st one t o
r1l l l l
a ehoV-made handl e. l l \ l l i : i r
r;
,
,
Tenei on and I r ackt he
l l l t l l
;
bl ade (pa1e 123),f,hen
turn on Nhe saw, Weari nq
eaf ety qoqql eo, hol d Nhe etone
aqai not l he back of t he bl ade and
ol owl y pi vot the eLone. Turn off the eaw afNer a f ew mi nutee.
l n addi t ri on No roundi ng t he back of Lhe bl ade, t he ot one wi l l
smool h any bumpe where trhe bl ade ende are wel ded t' oqeNher.
75
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
REPAIRING A BROKEN BAND SAW BTADE
!
Setti ng up the bl ade i n the sol deri ng
j i g
4- Secure a commerci al sol deri ng
j i g
i n
a machi ni st ' s vi se. Next , use a brush t o
spread f l ux on t he bevel ed ends of t he
bl ade and % i nch i n from each end. Posi ti on
t he bl ade i n t he
j i g
so t he t wo bevel ed
ends are in contact
(right).
Make sure the
bl ade i s ti ght and strai ght i n the
j i g.
1
Gri ndi ng the broken ends of the bl ade
I A broken band saw bl ade can be
repai red i n the shop. Start by creati ng a
20' bevel on each end of the bl ade usi ng
a bench gri nder (l eft).
As shown i n the
i nset, the bevel s wi l l i ncrease the contact
area bet ween t he t wo bl ade ends when
you j oi n
t hem, st rengt heni ng t he
j oi nt .
Then use a pi ece of emery cl oth to rough-
en bot h bl ade ends; sand t he surf aces
unt i l t hei r bl ui sh col or di sappears. Thi s
wi l l hel p t he sol deri ng al l oy adhere t o t he
bl ade surface properl y.
76
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
Soldedng the blade ends
Heat the
j oi nt
wi th a propane torch,
t hen unrol l a l engt h of t he sol der and
t ouch t he t i p t o t he
j oi nt -not
t o t he
fl ame. Conti nue heati ng the
j oi nt (above)
unt i l t he sol der covers t he
j oi nt
com-
pl etel y. Turn off the torch and l et the
j oi nt
cool .
Fi l i ng the
j oi nt
Once the
j oi nt
has cool ed, remove
the bl ade from the
j i g
and wash off the
flux with warm water. lf there is an excess
of sol der on the bl ade, fi l e i t off careful l y
with a single-cut bastard mill file
(left)
unti l the
j oi nt
i s no thi cker than the rest
of the blade, lf the
joint
separates, reheat
i t t o mel t t he sol der, pul l i t apart , and
repeat steps 2 through 4.
77
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
FOLDING AND STORING A BAND SAW BLADE
1
Hol di ng the bl ade
I Before stori ng a band saw bl ade, remove any rust from i t
wi th steel wool and wi pe i t wi th an oi l y rag. Then, weari ng safe-
ty goggl es and gl oves, grasp
the bl ade wi th the teeth faci ng
away from you; poi nt your l eft thumb up and your ri ght thumb
down
(above).
Twisting the blade
Pressi ng your ri ght t humb f i rml y agai nst t he bl ade, t wi st
i t by pi vot i ng your ri ght hand upward. The bl ade wi l l begi n t o
form two loops
(above).
Coi l i ng the bl ade
Wi thout pausi ng or rel easi ng the bl ade, keep rotati ng i t i n
t he same di rect i on whi l e pi vot i ng your l ef t hand i n t he oppo-
si t e di rect i on. The bl ade wi l l coi l agai n, f ormi ng a t hi rd l oop
(above).
Secure the bl ade wi th stri ng, pi pe cl eaners, or pl asti c
twi st ti es.
78
IOINTER
AND PLANER KNIVES
A pair of magnetic
jigs
holds a planer
knife at the correct height in the cutter-
head, allowing the knife to be
fixed
in place accurately. Such
jigs
take the
guesswork out of the trickiest phase of
sharp ening planer kniv es-installing
them properly. Periodic sharpen-
ing ofplaner knives is essential. Stock
that is surfaced by dull knives is dffi-
cult to glue and does not accept
fin-
ishes well. A similar
jig
is available
for
setting
jointer
knives.
HONING J(lINTER KNIVES
1
Cl eani ng the kni ves
I Joi nt er kni ves can be honed whi l e t hey are i n t he cut t er-
head. St art by cl eani ng t hem. Shi f t t he f ence away f rom t he
tabl es and move the guard out of the way. Maki ng sure the
j oi nt-
er i s unpl ugged, rotate the cutterhead wi th a sti ck unti l one of
t he kni ves i s at t he hi ghest poi nt i n i t s rot at i on. Then, hol di ng
the cutterhead steady wi th one hand protected by a rag, use a
smal l brass-bri stl ed brush soaked i n sol vent to cl ean the kni fe
(above).
Repeat for the other kni ves.
79
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
r)
Al i gni ng the i nfeed tabte
L withthe knives
Cut a prece of Yri nch pl ywood
to the wi dth
of t he
j oi nt er ' s
i nf eed t abl e and secur e i t
t o t he t abl e wi t h doubl e- f aced t ape. The
pl ywood wi l l protect
the tabl e from scratch-
es when you hone t he kni ves. Next , adj ust
the i nfeed tabl e so that the bevel ed edge
of t he kni ves i s at t he same l evel as t he
t op of t he pl ywood.
Set a st r ai ght boar d
on the pl ywood and across the cutterhead
and, hol di ng t he cut t er head st eady wi t h
t he bevel ed edge of one kni f e par al l el t o
t he t abl e, l ower t he i nf eed t abl e unt i l t he
bot t om of t he boar d cont act s t he bevel
(l eft).
Use a wood shi m to wedse the cut-
t er head i n ol ace.
Honi ng the kni ves
Sl i de a combi nat i on st one evenl V
across the beveled edge of the knife
(right).
Move t he st one wi t h a si de-t o-si de mot i on
unt i l t he bevel i s f l at and sharp, avoi di ng
cont act wi t h t he cut t erhead. Reoeat t he
process t o hone t he remai ni ng kni ves.
80
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
SHARPENING J()INTER KNIVES
.|i tii dr iill llj ,Ij ,jji JL tJ l|t ii]l ,ll il[ llll lli lill lil 'ii
1HO? TI ?
thifting knives
for longer life
To
Vrol onq
t he l i f e
of a set ol
j oi nter
1 Removi ng t he kni ves
t -
I To gi ve j oi nt er
kni ves a f ul l - f l edged
shar peni ng, r emove t hem f r om t he cut -
t er head. Unpl ug t he machi ne, shi f t t he
f ence away f r om t he t abl es, and move
t he guar d out of t he way. Use a smal l
wood scr ap t o r ot at e t he cut t er head
unt i l t he l ock scr ews secur i ng one of
t he kni ves ar e accessi bl e bet ween t he
t abl es. Cover t he edge of t he kni f e wi t h
a r agl o pr ot ect your hands. t hen use a
wrench to l oosen each screw
(above).
Li f t t he kni f e and t he r et ai ni ng wedge
out of t he cut t er head.
kni ves LhaN have been
ni cked, l oosen Lhe
tocK 5crew6 Oecur-
i ng one kni f e and
sl i de t he kni f e
aboul ' / a i nch i n ei Nher di r ect r i on. I i qht en l he
l ock screwe and careful l y rotaLe trhe cuLl er-
B I
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
r-)
Cl eani ng the retai ni ng wedge
L Cl ean any pi t ch or gum f rom t he ret ai ni ng wedge usi ng a
brass-bri stl ed brush di pped i n sol vent
(above,
l eft). ff the face
of t he ret ai ni ng wedge t hat but t s agai nst t he kni f e i s pi t t ed or
rough, you may have t roubl e set t i ng t he kni f e hei ght when rei n-
st al l i ng t he kni f e. Fl at t en t he f ace of t he wedge as you woul d
t he sol e of a pl ane (page
40) unt i l i t i s smoot h. Al so use t he
brush t o cl ean t he sl ot i n t he cut t erhead t hat houses t he ret ai n-
i ng wedge and kni fe
(above,
ri ght).
?
I nst al l i ng t he kni f e i n a sharpeni ng
j i g
r - J Use a commer ci al kni f e- shar peni ng
j i g
t o shar pen t he
j oi nt er
kni f e. Cent er
t he kni f e i n t he
j i g
bevel up and cl amp i t
i n pl ace by t i ght eni ng t he wi ng nut s; use
a rag to protect your hand
(ri ght).
Make
sure t hat t he bl ade i s paral l el wi t h t he l i p
of t he
j i g.
l f t he kni f e does not ext end out
far enough from the
j i g,
i nsert a wood shi m
bet ween t he kni f e and t he i i p cl amns
B2
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
Sharpeni ng the kni fe
Set a sharpeni ng stone on a fl at, smooth work surface; i n
t he i l l ust rat i ons on t hi s page, a di amond-gri t wat erst one i s
shown. To adj ust t he
j i g
so t he bevel ed edge of t he
j oi nt er
kni f e i s f l at on t he st one, t urn t he
j i g
over, rest t he bevel on
t he st one, and t urn t he wi ng nut s at t he ot her end of t he
j i g
hbovd. Lubri cate the stone-i n thi s case wi th water-and
sl i de t he kni f e back and f ort h. Hol di ng t he knob-end of t he
j i g
f l at on t he work surf ace and pressi ng t he kni f e on t he st one,
move t he
j i g
i n a f i gure-ei ght pat t ern (bel ow).
Cont i nue unt i l
the bevel i s fl at and sharp. Careful l y remove the kni fe from the
j i g
and hone the fl at si de of the kni fe to remove any burr formed
i n the sharpeni ng process.
83
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
R
Rei nstal l i ng the kni fe i n the
j oi nter
: , f I nser t t he r et ai ni ng wedge i n t he cut -
t er head cent er i nc i t i n t he sl ot wi t h i t s
grooved edge faci ng up. Wi th the bevel ed
edge of t he kni f e f aci ng t he out f eed t abl e,
sl i p i t bet ween t he r et ai ni ng wedge and
the front edge of the sl ot, l eavi ng the bev-
el pr ot r udi ng f r om t he cut t er head.
fi
Setti ng the kni fe hei ght
L, f Adj ust t he hei ght of t he kni f e usi ng a
commerci al
j i g (page
85), or do the
j ob
by
hand, as shown at ri ght. Cover the edge of
t he kni f e wi t h a r ag and par t i al l y t i ght en
each l ock scr ew on t he r et ai ni ng wedge.
Use a smal l wooden wedge t o rot at e t he
cut t er head unt i l t he edge of t he kni f e i s
at i t s hi ghest poi nt - al so known as Top
Dead Cent er or TDC. Then, hol di ng t he cut -
t erhead st at i onary wi t h a wedge, pl ace a
st rai ght hardwood board on t he out f eed
tabl e so that i t extends over the cutterhead.
The kni fe shoul d
j ust
brush agai nst the board
al ong t he kni f e' s ent i r e l engt h. l f not , use
a hex wrench to adl ust the kni fe
j ack
screws.
Once t he kni f e i s at t he cor r ect hei ght ,
t i ght en t he l ock scr ews on t he r et ai ni ng
wedge f ul l y, begi nni ng wi t h t he one i n t he
cent er and worki ng out t oward t he edges.
Sharpen and i nst al l t he remai ni ng kni ves
the same way.
B4
SHARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
INSTALLING J()INTER KNIVES
Usi ng a kni fe-setti ng
j i g
WITH A JIG
The
j i g
shown at ri ght f eat ures magnet i c
ar ms t hat wi l l hol d a
j oi nt er
kni f e at t he
correct hei ght whi l e you ti ghten the retai n-
i ng wedge l ock screws. I nsert t he kni f e i n
t he cut t erhead and posi t i on i t at i t s hi gh-
est poi nt as you woul d t o i nst al l t he kni f e
by hand
(page
84). Then mark a l i ne on
t he f ence di rect l y above t he cut t i ng edge.
Posi t i on t he kni f e-set t i ng
j i g
on t he out -
f eed t abl e, al i gni ng t he ref erence l i ne on
t he
j i g
ar m wi t h t he mar ked l i ne on t he
f ence, as shown. Mark anot her l i ne on t he
fence di rectl y above the second reference
l i ne on t he
j i g
ar m. Remove t he
j i g
and
ext end t hi s l i ne across t he out f eed t abl e.
( The
l i ne wi l l hel p you qui ckl y posi t i on
t he
j i g
t he next t i me you i nst al l a kni f e. )
Reposi t i on t he
j i g
on t he t abl e, al i gni ng i t s
r ef er ence l i nes wr t h t he mar ked l i nes on
the fence. Then use a wrench to ti shten the
lock screws
(rEhf).
SHARPENING PLANER KNIVES
Removi ng and i nst al l i ng a pl aner kni f e
Remove a ol aner kni f e f rom t he machi ne
and sharpen i t as you woul d a
j oi nt er
kni f e
(page
Bi ). To rei nst al l t he kni f e use t he
kni f e- set t i ng gui de suppl i ed wi t h t he
machi ne or a commerci al l y avai l abl e mod-
el l i ke t he one shown on page 79. Pl ace
t he kni f e i n t he pl aner cut t er head and
part i al l y t i ght en t he set screws. Hol d t he
kni f e-set t i ng gui de besi de one of t he set -
screws so that i ts two feet are resti ng on
t he cut t erhead on each si de of t he open-
i ng, Then adj ust t he set screw wi t h a hex
wrench unti l the edge of the kni fe contacts
the bottom of the gui de (/eff).
Repeat for
the remai ni ng setscrews.
< r l
Jointer knife-
eettinq jig
85
-e*t\
ING
PORIABLE PO\ATERTOOLS
hatever their price range or
list offeatures, all portable
power tools will work better and last
Ionger ifthey are cared for proper-
ly. At its most basic, preventive
maintenance is easy to do and takes
no more than a few minutes. At the
end of your work day, for example,
get in the habit of cleaning dust and
dirt from your tools. Refer to the
schedules on page 88 for addition-
al maintenance ideas. When you
buy a new tool, register the warranty
and file the owner's manual in a
convenient place and follow all the
operating and maintenance instruc-
tions suggested by the manufac-
turer. Owner's manuals typically
include troubleshooting guides to
help users recognize and handle
malfunctions. Keep your tool's orig-
inal packaging should you need to
return an item for servicing.
Because
portable
tools are elec-
trically powered, caring for them is cal repair, you are better offtaking
as much a matter of safety as of
performance. Today's power the tool to an authorized service center. If you do elect to open
tools are designed to insulate thi user from electrical ihock, up a tool to repair or replace an internal component, label
but any tool that develops an electrical problem canbehaz- the wiring and the parts you disconnect to help you reassem-
ardous. This chapter provides illustrations of the portable pow- ble the tool properly. The age and value of a tool is also a con-
er tools commonly used in woodworking with cutawayviews sideration. The most worthwhile remedy for a 2O-year-old
of their principal electrical and mechanical components. The drill with a burned-out motor may be a new drill rather than
drawings are designed to help showyou where these parts are a new motor.
A combination square confirms that the blade of a circular saw is per-
pendicular to the tool's base plate. All power saws rely on this alignment
for
accurate cuts. To correct the adjustment, Ioosen the bevel adjustment
knob shown in the photo at left and tilt the base plate until the square is
flush
against both the plate and blade, then tighten the knob.
A belt sander in a commercial stand is paired
with a p\nuood truing
jig
to correct a router's
out-of-round sub-base, which can produce
imprecise cuts. To correct the problem, install
a centering pin in the router, drill a hole in the
jig
to hold the pin, and turn on the sander.
Then slowly rotate the sub-base against the belt
until it is perfectly round.
typically located and recognize
where a tool may have a problem.
Fortunately, the parts of a pow-
er tool that endure the most abuse
and most often suffer damage are
those that are also the easiest to
access: the plugs, power cords,
motor brushes, and on/offswitch-
es. As shown beginning on page 98,
these components can be replaced
easily and inexpensively. Before
undertaking a repair, however,
check whether the tool is still cov-
ered by the manufacturer's warran-
ty. Opening up a tool that is still
under warranty will usually void
the guarantee.
The deci si on to repai r other
parts of a portable powei tool, such
as the motor and motor bearing,
for example, depends on a number
of factors, including your own abil-
ities. Unless you feel comfortable
making an electrical or mechani-
87
MAINTENANCE TIPS AND SCHEDULES
f
here are no industry-wide standards
I for servicing portable power tools
designed for the home shop. Manufac-
turers of industrial-use oower tools issue
maintenance schedules for their products,
but these tools typically undergo heavier
use than the average home workshop
tool. For industrial tools, servicing is usu-
ally scheduled every 100 hours ofuse
and includes a comolete overhaul. Brush-
es are replaced, bearings are cleaned and
lubricated
(or
replaced), and the wiring,
motor, and other electrical components
are checked and, ifnecessary, repaired.
For the typical power tool in the
home shop, however, maintenance
schedules and requirements are less
clearcut. Much depends on how a tool
is used. A circular saw used by the week-
end woodworker to cut the occasional
plank will obviously require less atten-
tion than one used by a busy carpenter
or cabinetmaker who regularly relies on
Checki ng portabl e power
tool s
The chart at ri ght l i st s t he checks t hat
shoul d be made on portabl e power tool s
on a regul ar basi s. Devel op a t i met abl e
t hat sui t s your work habi t s. Tool s t hat
are used frequentl y or that get heavy use
shoul d be checked often.
his tool to crosscut 8/4 stock and saw
sheets of plywood to manageable lengths.
The chart below lists the checks that
should be made on many portable pow-
er tools. The tasks listed are straightfor-
ward and can be done in a matter of
minutes. How often you perform these
checks will depend on your own needs
and circumstances. As a rule of thumb,
any tool that does not perform the way
it is designed to should be investigated.
You can do the work yoursell but be
aware that troubleshooting electrical
problems in a power tool requires spe-
cialized, equipment as well as a sound
knowledge of how to use it. If you are
uncomfortable working with electrici-
ty, take the tool to an authorized service
center for reoair.
While tools made a few decades ago
can be completely disassembled, many
recent models feature internal compo-
nents that are factory-sealed and virtu-
ally inaccessible. In some tools, for
example, the bearings are mechanical-
ly pressed onto the motor spindle.
Attempting to separate the bearing from
the motor in such tools without the right
instrument will destroy the bearing.
Manufacturers claim that such devel-
opments in tool technology have pro-
duced more durable, longer-lasting
products. While this is no doubt true,
one consequence for the power tool buff
of tools with no
"user-serviceable
parts"
is that repairs can only be carried out by
properly equipped service centers.
To get the most from your tools and
keep repairs to a minimum, refer to the
tips listed on the opposite page. Read
your owner's manual before using a tool
to make certain you can operate it prop-
erly. And never tryto use a tool for a task
for which it is not designed. A tool will
fail when subjected to stress it is not built
to handle.
T00t
Router
Saber Saw
Plate Joiner
Electric Drill
Bel t Sander
Gircular Saw
MAINTENANCE
Check the col l et for pl ay and run out
(page
91)
Cl ean t he col l et and soi ndl e
Ensure that the sub-base i s smooth and free of damage
Check the gui de rol l ers and bl ade supports for wear
Check t he bl ade cl amo
Check that base i s square to bl ade
Check the pl unge mechani sm for pl ay
Check the bl ade and spi ndl e for wear
I nspect t he pi ns and gl i des
Insoect the dri ve bel t
Check the chuck beari ng for pl ay
Inspect the chuck for wear
Check the steel pl aten
and cork
pad
for wear
Check the dri ve bel t
Check the end rol l er for damage or excessi ve pl ay
Inspect the condi ti on of the rubber on the dri ve rol l er
Lubri cate the
gears
Check the arbor beari ngs
Check the guard return spri ngs
Check bl ade al i gnment
Check the pad for wear or spl i tti ng
Check the eccentri c beari ng
(on
random-orbi t sander)
Check the pad support
Orbi tal Sander
88
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
MINIMUM WIRE GAUGE FOR EXTENSION C()RDS
AMPERAGE RATING OF TOOI
0-2. 0
2.r-3.4
3. 5- 5. 0
5. 1- 7. 0
7. t - r 2. 0
12. T- T6
MINIMUM GAUGE FOR DIFFERENT LENGTH CORDS
MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR
PORTABTE POWER TOOTS
.
Read your owner' s manual careful l y
before operating any tool.
.
Do not use a tool if any of its parts
is loose or damaged; inspect blades,
bits, and accessories before starting
an ooerati on.
.
Keeo bl ades and bi ts cl ean and
sharp; di scard any that are chi pped
or damaged.
o
Turn a tool off if it produces an unfa-
mi l i ar vi brati on or noi se; have the tool
serviced before resuming operations.
.
Do not l eave a tool runni ng when i t
i s unattended.
.
Fol l ow the manufacturer' s i nstruc-
ti ons to change bl ades, bi ts, or acces-
sori es; unpl ug the tool fi rst.
.
Before cutti ng, shapi ng, or sandi ng
a workpiece, remove loose knots using
a hammer; inspect salvaged wood for
nails and screws before cutting.
r
Do not attempt to cut through nails;
thi s can cause ki ckback and al so rui n
a bl ade or bi t.
.
Use the appropriate wire gauge when
replacing a damaged power cord or
usi ng an extensi on cord.
.
Keep the power cord out of the tool's
path;
do not use the tool if the cord
is frayed.
.
Make sure the bl ade or bi t i s not
i n contact wi th the workoi ece when
you turn on a tool ; al l ow the cutter to
come to full speed before feeding it
into the stock.
.
Do not force a tool through a cut;
thi s can snap a bl ade or cause i t to
veer off course. Allow the blade or bit
to cut at its own speed.
.
Make sure that any keys and adjust-
ing wrenches are removed from the
tool before turni ng i t on.
.
Keep a tool ' s ai r vents cl ear of saw-
dust to avoid overheating the motor.
r
Do not use a tool for extended oeri-
ods of ti me wi thout al l owi ng i t to cool .
50'
18
18
18
16
T4
I 2
75'
18
18
16
I 4
t z
10
100'
18
16
L4
I 2
10
Ghoosi ng the proper wi re gauge
Usi ng an extensi on cord wi th the wrong gauge may cause a drop i n l i ne vol tage, resul t-
i ng i n a l oss of power, excessi ve heat, and tool burnout. To determi ne the mi ni mum
wi re gauge needed for the tool and task at hand, see the chart above. l f, for i nstance,
yourt ool has a 4-amp mot or and you are usi ng a 5O-f oot ext ensi on cord, t he mi ni -
mum gauge shoul d be 18. Choose onl y round-j acketed extensi on cords l i sted bythe
Underwri ters Laboratory
(UL),
or the Canadi an Standards Associ ati on
(CSAI.
lllt illl lllr lll lll] filr lllr illl l]l1 lllt llll llll l]lt llll llil llll llll llll
5HO7 Tt?
5t ori ngbi t e
The cutl i nq ed4ee of router and dri l l
bi te, parLi cul ari l y Nhoee maAe of car'
bi de, can be ni cked i f Ihey are Ihrown
NoqeLher i n el oraqe. Trot' ecl your
bi be wi l h a oi mpl e ehop-made hol der.
l n a bl ock of wood. bore a eeri ee of
hol ee Lhe si ze of l he bi t shanke
and store Nhem wi bh trhe
cuLti nq edqe uV.
89
ANATOMY
OF A ROUTER
Upper moior bearing
LocaLed aL end of moLor
ahaf| to reduce fricLion
a9 motor armaTure
apine; may be aealed
Eleatronic variable
apeed control
Eruoh aeaembly
A eprinq-loaded carbon
rod encaaed in a houo-
in4; conducta currenl,
to the mot;or arma-
ture. Exceeeive eparke
flyin4 from Lhe m,otor
indicaLe worn bruahea
?train reliever
Deeiqned to prevent,
cord wear and fraying
On/off switch
Plunge loak knob
Dit can be plunqed
when knob ra looa-
ened; Li7htened to
Iock deotred cut-
Lin4 depth in place
Depth etop bar
SeLe cuI;tin7
depth; qap
bel,ween end of
bar and aLop
ocrew equala
depth of cuL
Power aord
Depth stop bar clamp
Looaened to rel eaae
depth otop bar; tt7hhened
f,o eet cutti nq depth
PIug
Eaee plate
or sub-base
Muat be emooLh
and free of qouqea
Turret etop
KoLatee to poertion approprt-
ate etop ecrew under depLh
etop bar; hei7ht of each acrew
te adjuotable to vary cuLtin4
depth of aucceesive paeeee
90
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
CHECKING THE COLLET FOR RUNOUT
Usi ng a di al i ndi cator and a magneti c base
I nst al l a cent eri ng
pi n i n t he rout er as you
woul d a bi t and set the tool upsi de down
on a met al surf ace, such as a t abl e saw.
Connect a di al i ndi cat or t o a magnet i c
base and ol ace the base next to the router.
Turn on the magnet and posi ti on the router
so the centeri ng
pi n contacts the pl unger
of t he di al i ndi cat or . Cal i br at e t he di al
i ndi cat or t o zero f ol l owi ng t he manuf ac-
turer' s i nstructi ons. Then turn the shaft of
the router by hand to rotate the centeri ng
pi n (ri ghi l .
The di al i ndi cator wi l l regi ster
col l et runout-the amount of wobbl e that
t he col l et i s causi ng t he bi t . l f t he runout
exceeds 0. 005 i nch, repl ace t he col l et .
Usi ng a feel er gauge
l f you do not have a di al i ndi cator, you can
t est f or col l et runout wi t h a f eel er gauge
and a st rai ght hardwood bl ock. Wi t h t he
cent eri ng
pi n i n t he col l et and t he rout er
upsi de down on a work surface, cl amp the
bl ock l i ghtl y to the tool ' s sub-base so the
pi ece
of wood t ouches t he pi n. Turn t he
router shaft by hand; any runout wi l l cause
t he cent eri ng pi n t o move t he bl ock. Then
use a f eel er gauge t o measure any gap
between the
pi n
and the bl ock
(/eft).
l f the
gap exceeds 0.005 i nch, repl ace the col l et.
9 1
ANATOMY OF A SABER SAW
Trigger-loak button
Locke tri4qer awitch in depreeeed
poeiLion for conLinuoue eawinq
5train reliever
Deaigned to prevent
cord wear and fraytn4
Gear aeaembly
Ecaentric
arank bloak
Drivea
reciprocating
ahaft
Power cord
Elade clamp
Securee blade
to ahafD; blade
Erush aaeembly
A epring-loaded carbon rod
encaaed in a houeinq: conducLa
current to the mo'or armal;ure.
Exceeaive aparko flyinq from
the motor ei4nify worn brueheo
is rnaerted in
collar and aet-
ecrew ie tiqhtened
Reaiprocatin7 ahaft
Guide roller
Supporto back
of blade
Motor bearing
Located at end of motor
ahaft to reduce friction
aa motor armature
opina; may be eealed
Eaee plate or shoe
ffi
Eaee plate oetsarew
g
-.---
Looeened to ttlt
Wa
baee ptate
a
Plug
Variable speed dial
92
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
SOUARING THE BLADE
lllt tlll ljll ljll lill lill lll1 lllt llll tl| llll llil lllr llll lllJ illj llll llll
1HO? TI ?
Extending blade life
l f mosf, of the ol ockyou
cut i s
3/ +
i nch or t hi nner,
l he t op t hi rd of your bl ade
wi l l be Lhe onl y port i on showi nq
wear.To make bel Ner uoe of l he
ful l l enql h of the cutLi nq edqe,
i nsl al l an auxi l i ary ehoe on t he baee
pl al e of Lhe eaw oncet heNopt hi r d of
a bl ade begi no No dul l . To make I he ehoe,
cul a pi ece of Yz-i nch pl ywood Nhe eame
l en4I h as t he baee
Vl at e
and el i qht l y wi der.
Hol d Lhe wood a4ai noLt rhe pl at e and mark
Lhe outl i ne ol Nhe nol ch cul ouN for Nhe bl ade.
Ghecki ng the bl ade angl e
Square a saber saw bl ade each ti me you
i nst al l a new bl ade. Unpl ug t he saw,
t hen secure i t upsi de down i n a bench
vi se as shown above. Use a combi nat i on
souar e t o check whet her t he bl ade i s
square wi th the base pl ate. l f not, l oosen
the base olate setscrew with a hex wrench
and t i l t t he pl at e unt i l t he bl ade but t s
f l ush agai nst t he squar e. Then t i ght en
the setscrew.
1aw ouNIhe notch and cut, a el oLfor Nhe bl ade. )crew
Lhe auxi l i ary ehoe i n
Vl ace,
maki nq oure NhaI t he back
of Lhe bl ade f i t e i n Nhe el oL (l f Nhe bl ade i e noI 6u?-
porLed, i t may wander and break when you are cutIi n7.)
93
ANATOMY OF A PLATE
IOINER
Fixed-angled face
)eta qap between cutter wheel
and Lop face of workpiece; elidee
up and down on adjuatable fence Depth adjuatment knob
For aettin7 cuttin4
depth of cutter wheel
On/off switch
Locking lever
)ete adjuat-
able fence at
any anqle from
O" to 90'
Adjustable fenae
Keepa faceplate aquare
to beveled aurface;
fence reeta on top of
workpiece during cut
Cutter
wheel
Loaking nut
)ecurea baae plate
to motor houetng
?lu6
----,
Power cord
94
ANATOMY OF AN ELECTRIC DRILL
Motor bearing
Located at end of motor
ahaft t.o reduce friction
ag motor armaf,ure
apina; may be sealed
Erush aesembly
A oprin7-loaded carbon rod
encaaed in a houainq; conducts
current to the motor armature,
)parka flyinq from the motor ia
a aian of worn brushes
Revereing switah
Changea direction
of motor rotation
Variable speed trigger switch
Dial aeta motor apeed
95
ANATOMY OF A SANDER
Druah aaeembly
A sorina-loaded carbon rod encaeed tn a
hoiaini: conducLe current Lo Lhe moLor
Motor bearing
Located aL end of moLor ehafL
to reduce frtction ag maLor
armature epine: may be eealed
armaLure. Exceeatve eparke flyinq from
the motor te a etqn of worn bruehee
On/off trigger
Power
cord
Plug
Eleatria aam
Pad
Paper
clamp
Pad oupport
96
ANATOMY OF A CIRCULAR SAW
REPAIRING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
The cap housirtg of a router is lifted off the body of the
tool, revenling the wiring connections
for
the toggle switch
inside. As shown irr the photo at right, gaining access to
the intentnl conlponents of most portable power tools is
simply a matter of loosening the retaining screws that
secw'e the tool housing to the body. The cap providing
access to the brush assembly
for
this router is located on
the side of the tool body to the right of the switch.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS
.
Unpl ug a tool before undertaki ng any repai r to i ts i nternal
components; you may i nadvertentl y contact current i n a
defective tool-even with the on/off switch turned off .
.
Al l ow a power tool to cool before servi ci ng i t.
.
Use onl y repl acement parts that meet the same speci f i ca-
t i ons as t he or i gi nal s.
.
When a power tool stops worki ng, determi ne whether or
not the probl em ori gi nates outsi de of i t before you take i t
apart. Caref ul l y exami ne the tool ' s power cord; a frayed
cord or a broken pl ug i s a common cause of fai l ure.
.
Before di sassembl i ng a power tool , make a di agram of
wi re connecti ons to make reassembl y easi er.
.
Before undertaki ng a repai r, contact the manufacturer to
fi nd out i f a servi ce manual for the tool i s avai l abl e.
REPLACING A BRUSH ASSEMBLY
Removi ng and i nstal l i ng a brush assembl y
Brushes are spri ng-l oaded carbon rods or bl ocks t hat conduct
el ect ri ci t y t o t he rot at i ng armat ure of a power t ool ' s mot or. Over
t i me, br ushes wear or become damaged. You can access t he
assembl y by unscrewi ng the brush cap on the tool body-normal l y
a pl ast i c cap roughl y t he si ze of a di me. l f t here i s no brush cap,
you wi l l have to remove the motor housi ng to access the brushes.
Once you have l ocat ed t he brush assembl y, caref ul l y l i f t i t out of
t he t ool . To t est t he brush, push on i t t o check t he spri ng. l f t he
spri ng i s damaged or t he brush i s pi t t ed, uneven, or worn short er
than i ts wi dth, you wi l l need to repl ace the assembl y. Some brush-
es are marked wi t h a wear l i ne. Buy a repl acement at an aut ho-
ri zed servi ce cent er f or your brand of t ool . To rei nst al l a brush
assembl y, f i t i t i nt o posi t i on i n t he t ool
(ri ght ),
Then i nsert
and t i ght en t he brush cap or reat t ach t he mot or housi ng.
98
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
REPLACING A SWITCH
1
Removi ng the ol d swi tch
I Set the tool on a work surface, maki ng
sure t hat i t i s unpl ugged. For t he rout er
shown at l ef t , remove t he cap housi ng
to expose the swi tch mechani sm. Loosen
t he swi t ch ret ai ni ng nut and screws, t hen
di sconnect t he wi res securi ng t he mecha-
ni sm t o t he t ool . l f t he wi res are con-
nect ed by wi re caps, si mpl y l oosen t he
caps
(l ef t )
and unt wi st t he wi res. l f t he
connect i ons ar e sol der ed. sni o t he con-
nect i ons wi t h pl i ers. Use short st ri ps of
maski ng t ape t o l abel t he wi res t o hel p
you reconnect them properl y.
r)
I nst al l i ng t he repl acement swi t ch
L Buv a reol acement swi tch at an autho-
ri zed servi ce cent er, not i ng t he model and
seri al numbers of your
t ool . Connect t he
new swi tch to the wi res i n the tool housi ng,
reversi ng t he st eps you t ook t o t ake out
t he ol d one. Remove t he maski ng t ape
st ri ps f rom t he wi res, t wi st t he wi re ends
f rom t he t ool and swi t ch t oget her, and
screw a wi re cap ont o each connect i on t o
secure and i nsul at e i t . Fi t t he swi t ch i nt o
posi t i on i n t he t ool housi ng, scr ew t he
swi t ch br acket i n pl ace, and t i ght en t he
swi tch retai ni ng nut wi th awrench
(i l ghi l .
Repl ace t he t ool ' s cap housi ng.
99
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
REPLACING A POWER C()RD
1
Accessi ng t he cord' s wi re t ermi nal s
I The wi r e t er mi nal s connect i ng a t ool ' s power cor d t o t he
swi t ch mechani sm ar e cont ai ned wi t hi n t he mot or housi ng.
For t he sander shown at ri ght , reach t he t ermi nal s by removi ng
t he auxi l i ar y handl e and l ooseni ng t he scr ews secur i ng t he
mai n handl e t o t he t ool body. Remove t he handl e t o expose
t he wi r e t er mi nal s.
/)
Di sconnecti ng the ol d power cord
L On a
power cord wi th a two-prong pl ug, there are usuary
two wi res from the cord connected to wi re termi nal screws i n
t he t ool housi ng. Unscrew t he pl ug ret ai ni ng bracket secur-
i ng t he cord t o t he t ool housi ng, l oosen t he t ermi nal screws
(bel ow),
and caref ul l y remove the power cord' s wi re ends
f rom t he t ermi nal s. Use st ri ps of maski ng t ape t o I abel each
termi nal to hel p you attach the wi re ends of the new cord to
the appropri ate termi nal s.
100
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
Prepari ng the repl acement power cord
Buy a repl acement power cord at a hardware st ore or an
aut hori zed servi ce cent er, maki ng sure i t has t he same speci f i -
cat i ons as t he ori gi nal cord. The wi re ends of new power cords
are usual l y covered t o t he end wi t h
j acket i ng
and i nsul at i on. To
prepare t he cord f or i nst al l at i on, use a kni f e t o cut away a f ew
i nches of t he
j acket
coveri ng t he t wo wi res. Then st ri p of f about
% i nch ol t he
pl ast i c
i nsul at i on around t he wi res, exposi ng t he
ends. You can al so use wi re stri ppers for thi s task
(page
102).
Avoi d cutti ng i nto the metal wi re; i f you sever any of the strands,
sni p of f t he damaged sect i on and r emove mor e i nsul at i on t o
uncover a f resh sect i on. Use needl e-nose pl i ers t o caref ul l y t wi st
t he wi re st rands snugl y t oget her
(l ef t ),
t hen bend t he wi re ends
i nt o semi ci rcl es t hat wi l l hug t he t ermi nal s i n t he t ool housi ng.
Pl ace t he wi re around t he screw cl ockwi se f rom t he l ef t si de, so
i t wi l l wrap around as t he screw i s t i ght ened.
I nst al l i ng t he repl acement cord
Hook t he wi r e ends ar ound t he t er mi nal s i n t he t ool
housi ng, maki ng sure t o at t ach each wi re t o t he appropri at e
screw. Remove t he maski ng t ape. Hol di ng t he power cord i n
posi t i on, screw t he cord ret ai ni ng bracket i n pl ace (bel ow),
t hen rei nst al l t he handl es on t he t ool bodv.
r01
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
REPLACING A PLUG
1
Removi ng the ol d
pl ug
and
prepari ng
the power
cord
I Use a kni fe to sl i ce through the power cord
j ust
above the
pl ug. Prepare t he cut end of t he power cord f or t he repl ace-
ment pl ug as you woul d when repl aci ng a new power cord
(page
100). Start by cutti ng away about 2 i nches of the cord
j acket
wi th a kni fe
(above,
/eff), then removi ng about % i nch
of i nsul at i on t o exDose t he bare wi re. Thi s can be done wi t h
/)
Gonnecting the
power
cord
L rcme repl acement pl ug
Buy a pl ug at a hardware store, maki ng
sure i t has t he same number and shaoe
of prongs as the ori gi nal . The pl ug shown
consi sts of two parts: the prong secti on,
whi ch i ncl udes t he t ermi nal , a pl ug
case,
and ret ai ni ng screws t hat hol d t he t wo
parts together. Sl i p the end of the power
cord t hrough t he pl ug case, t hen at t ach
each wi r e end t o t he t er mi nal s on t he
plug (right),
tightening the screws to hold
the wi re ends securel y.
t he kni f e or wi re st ri ppers. Wi t h t he st ri ppers, si mpl y i nsert
t he wi re end i nt o t he appropri at e-si ze openi ng, squeeze t he
jaws
of the strippers together
(above,
right), and pull
the wire
out . The devi ce wi l l sever t he i nsul at i on. Then use needl e-
nose pl i ers t o t wi st t he wi re ends t oget her and f orm t hem
i nto a hook.
t02
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
'flf"
ffi*llf'1[l"ffi
-fll'
lll"$1lll"'llf-ff'fl11lrffilnfll$r1flf
1HO? TI?
Di eabl i ng a powertool
To
prevenN
unaulhorized use of a
power tool, olip Ihe boll of a mini-
padl ock trhrough one of the ti nes
i n l he power cord pl uq. The l ock
wi l l make i t i mpoooi bl e to pl uq
i n l he Nool . l f you are uoi ng
a keyed loak, slore the
keye out of lhe way
i n a cupboard or
drawerlhaf, can
be l ocked.
Q
Assembl i ng the
pl ug
r.J 0nce the oower cord wi res are con-
nect ed t o t he pl ug, assembl e t he t wo
part s of t he pl ug. Pul l t he casi ng over
the pl ug and ti ghten the retai ni ng screws
unti l they are snug
(above).
To compl ete
t he r epai r , t i ght en t he pl ug r et ai ni ng
cl amp screw. Thi s wi l l securel y hol d t he
pl ug and the power cord together.
103
%r#
;
- . . C. #
ffi
ffi#
GSTA|IONARY
PO\AIERTOOLS
A magnetic-base dial indicator checls the
spindle of a drill press
for
runout-the
amount of wobble that the spindle would
transmit to a bit or accessory. For accurate
drilling the runout should not exceed
0.005 inch. If it does, the spindle should be
replaced or repaired
(see page 131).
these tasks, such as checking belts,
cleaning switches, and keeping
tabletops clean
(page 106), apply to
most of the tools. Other mainte-
nance tasks are specific to the design
of a particular machine, such as
cleaning and adjusting the blade
height and tilt mechanisms on
a table saw
(page 112),fixingan
unbalanced band saw wheel
(page
122), orbleeding water from an air
compressor
(page 139).
Knowing how to tune up your
stationary tools will not only give
you a deeper understanding of
how they work; it will also provide
you with a list of things to check
when shopping for used models.
Is a
jointer's
fence square? How
much runout does a drill press
chuck have? Does the miter gauge
of a table saw slide smoothly?
Many woodworkers tune up
their stationary tools
just
before the
start of a major project. This can be
difficult to schedule if you are one of those woodworkers who
has many projects on the go. In such cases, it is a good idea to
devote a little time periodically to maintaining your stationary
tools. That way, every project will benefit from the best your
tools can give.
he precision and consisten-
cy we expect from stationary
woodworking machines are only
possible if the equipment is kept
clean and findtuned. Whetheryou
have a cantankerous old band saw
that needs to be cajoled into making
a straight cut, or a brand-new radi-
al arm saw that has slipped out of
alignment on the way from the fac-
tory, learning how to adjust your
stationary machines properly will
improve the results and increase
your pleasure from them.
Many woodworkers are appre-
hensive about exploring the nuts
and bolts of their tools, and many
owner's manuals do not encourage
tinkering. However, most station-
ary power tools are quite simple
in their design and construction.
Taking the top offa table saw, which
sounds like a major operation, is
fairly simple to do and it can quick-
ly reveal how the machine works,
and exactly what you should clean, adjust, or tweak to keep
it running smoothly.
The chapter that follows presents the major stationary pow-
er tools used by woodworkers and explains the basic mainte-
nance and troubleshooting procedures for each one. Some of
Wth the wheel covers open, a long straightedge confirms that the wheels
of a band saw are
Parallel
to each other and in the same wrtical plane.
As shown in the photo at left, the straightedge should rest
flush
against
the top and bottom of each wheel. The tilt knob on the top wheel can be
adjusted to bring the top wheel into proper alignment.
105
BASIC STIITIONARY TOOL MAINTENANCE
Drive belts transmit
power
from
the motor to
the movingparts in
many stationary power
tools, including the
joint-
er, disc sander, planer,
qnd
table saw Inhigh-
torque tools such as the
table saw shown in the
photo at right, threebelts
are used to driye the
arbor. Any drivebelt that
is cracked or wom exten-
sively should be replaced.
CHECKING DRIVE BELTS
Checki ng bel t tensi on
Too much bel t tensi on can strai n a stati onary tool ' s motor bear-
i ngs, whi l e too l i ttl e tensi on often l eads to sl i ppage and exces-
si ve wear, To check dri ve bel t tensi on on the
j oi nter
shown
above, unpl ug the tool and remove the panel
coveri ng the bel t.
Then pi nch the bel t between the pul l eys wi th one hand
(above,
bD. f he amount of def l ect i on wi l l varv wi t h t he t ool : as a rul e
of thumb, the bel t shoul d fl ex l rzi nch for every i nch of span
between pul l eys. l f there i s too l i ttl e or too much tensi on, adj ust
i t fol l owi ng the manufacturer' s i nstructi ons. For smooth opera-
ti on, the pul l eys
shoul d be al i gned; i f they are not, l oosen the
adj ustment setscrew on the motor pul l ey wi th a hex wrench
(above,
ri ght), and sl i de the pul l ey
i n l i ne wi th the other pul l ey.
106
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
MAINTAINING TABTET()PS
MAINTAINING SWITCHES
Cl eani ng a power swi tch
The swi tches on stati onary tool s can become cl ogged, causi ng
the swi tch to strck or even preventi ng i t from operati ng. l f the
swi t ch st i cks, unpl ug t he t ool , remove t he swi t ch cover and
Cl eani ng a stati onary machi ne tabl etop
To keep stock runni ng smoothl y, cl ean the
t abl et op f requent l y, wi pi ng of f any pi t ch
or gum deposi t s wi t h a rag and mi neral
spi ri t s. Remove any rust or pi t t i ng wi t h
fi ne steel wool and penetrati ng oi l
(l eft),
t hen wi pe of f any resi due and sand t he
area wi th fi ne sandpaper. A coat of paste
wax rubbed on and t hen buf f ed wi l l make
pushi ng wood i nt o t he cut t i ng edge much
l ess t i ri ns.
cl ean t he swi t ch i mmedi at el y. To prevent such probl ems, peri -
odi cal l y cl ean out t he swi t ch by bl owi ng compressed ai r i nt o
iI hbove).
r07
TABLE SAWS
tlt
h. table saw is the cornerstone of
I manyworkhops, putto use in near-
ly every phase ofevery project. Because
of its crucial role, your table saw must
be consistently accurate and its parts
square and true. The normal forces of
routine use will eventually throw a table
sawout ofalignment. Even a newmachi-
ne straight offthe assembly line usually
needs a certain amount of adjustment
before it can perform safely and properly.
The table saw comDonents that need
to be checked and aligned are those that
come in contact with the workoiece dur-
ing the cut: the blade, table, miter gauge,
and rip fence. Ifany ofthese parts is not
i n proper al i gnment, you ri sk burn
marks, tapered cuts, or kickback.
The si mpl e tune-up procedures
shown below and on the pages that fol-
low will improve the performance of any
CHECKING TABLE ALIGNMENT
table saw. It is a good idea to take the
time to undertake them before starting
a new
proiect.
For the sake of efficien-
cy, follow the steps in the order they
appear. You will onlybe able to align the
miter gauge with the saw blade, for
example, if the table has been squared
with the blade. For safety, remember to
unplug your saw before performing
these checks and adjustments.
Most table saws
feature
worm gear
and rack mechanisms connected to
crank wheels to raise and tilt the arbor
assembly and blqde. These mecha-
nisms can become caked with pitch
and sawdust, preventing the saw
from
operating smoothly. In the photo at
right, compressed air is being used to
cleqn the blade height mechanism.
1
Checki ng the tabl e al i gnment
I The face of the mi ter gauge
and the bl ade must be perfectl y
perpendi cul ar. To check t hi s, posi t i on t he mi t er gauge at t he
front of the saw bl ade. Cl amp a square wood bl ock agai nst the
mi ter gauge wi th the end of the bl ock butted agai nst a saw bl ade
t oot h. Mark an X on t he bl ade next t o t he t oot h; t hi s wi l l enabl e
you t o check t he same sect i on of bl ade shoul d you need t o
repeat the test after performi ng
step 2. Sl i de the mi ter gauge and
the bl ock together toward the back of the tabl e whi l e rotati ng the
bl ade by hand
(above).
The bl ock shoul d remai n butted agai nst
the tooth as the bl ade rotates from front to back. l f a gap opens
bet ween t he bl ock and t he t oot h, or t he bl ock bi nds agai nst t he
bl ade as i t i s rotated, you wi l l need to al i gn the Iabl e
(step
2).
108
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
r)
Al i gni ng the saw tabl e
Z nal ust t he saw t abl e f ol l owi ng t he
owner' s manual i nst ruct i ons. For t he mod-
el shown, use a hex wrench to l oosen the
tabl e bol ts that secure the top to the saw
sland ?ight); the bolts are located under
t he t abl e. Loosen al l but one of t he bol t s
and adj ust t he t abl e posi t i on sl i ght l y; t he
bol i
you l eave ti ghtened wi l l act as a pi vot,
si mpl i f yi ng t he al i gnment process. Repeat
the bl ade test
(sfep
l ). Once the tabl e i s
correct l y al i gned wi t h t he bl ade, t i ght en
t he t abl e bol t s.
Checki ng t he bl ade angl e
Remove t he t abl e i nsert , t hen but t a
combi nat ron square agai nst t he saw bl ade
between two teeth
(l efD.
fhe bl ade of the
squar e shoul d f i t f l ush agai nst t he saw
bl ade. l f t here i s a gap bet ween t he t wo,
rot at e t he bl ade angl e adj ust ment crank
unt i l t he saw bl ade rest s f l ush agai nst t he
square' s bl ade. Reposi ti on the angl e adj ust-
ment st op so t hat t he bl ade wi l l ret urn t o
i ts
proper posi ti on
each ti me i t i s adj usted.
109
MAINTAINING STA|IONARY POWER TOOLS
SOUARING THE MITER GAUGE
\ /
, / :
Aligning the miter gauge with the saw table
Wi th the mi ter gauge out of the tabl e sl ot,
use a combi nat i on souare t o conf i rm
t hat t he f ace of t he gauge i s square
with the edge of the gauge bar
(above,
I ef t ). l f i t i s not , use t he adj ust ment
handl e on the gauge to square the two.
Then pl ace the mi ter gauge i n i ts tabl e
slot and butt the square against the gauge
(above,
right). The blade of the square
shoul d f i t f l ush agai nst t he gauge. l f
there i s a gap between the two, have
t he gauge machi ned square at a met al -
worki ng shop.
Illl ljll l]ll llj llll tlll l]ll fitl lllt ljll lllt filt ljlt tllj llll lllt llll tlll
1HO? TI ?
Fi xi n1 al ooee
mi ter gauge
To el i mi nate
exc e o6iv e si d e
-t
o
-
ei d e
Vl ay
of the mi ter qauqe
in iIs sloL, remove the
qauqe f rom t he t abl e
and pl ace trhe bar
edqe up on a board, \
Uee a bal l -oeen ham-
mer and a pri ck punch
Lo etri ke the edqe of the
bar i n a otaqqered pa|tern
every i nch al ona i t. Thi s wi l l rai every i nch al onq i L Thi s wi l l rai ee bumpo on l he edqe
of the bar and resul L i n a Ni ahuer fi t, i n the el oL, l f Nhe
fi L i s Noo Ii qht,, fi l e Ihe bumpe down as neceooary.
1 1 0
MAINTAINING STAfIONARY POWER TOOLS
TESTING THE TABLE SAW FOR SOUARE
ALIGNING THE RIP FENCE
Adj usti ng the ri p fence
Lock t he ri p f ence i n pl ace al ongsi de t he mi t er sl ot . l f t he f ence
and t he sl ot are not paral l el , adj ust t he angl e of t he f ence f ol -
l owi ng t he manuf act urer' s i nst ruct i ons. Some model s f eat ure
adj ustment bol ts at the front of the tabl e that you can l oosen or
Checki ng your adj ustments
Test the accuracy of your tabl e saw adj ust-
ment s by crosscut t i ng a coupl e of scrap
boards. To check the bl ade-to-tabl e al i gn-
ment , mar k an X on a boar d and cut i t
f ace down at your mar k. Then t ur n t he
cutoff over and hol d the cut ends together
(board
A in the illustration at left). Any gap
between the two ends reoresents twi ce the
error i n t he t abl e al i gnment ; i f necessary,
repeat the test shown i n step 3 on page
109. To check the mi ter gauge adj ustment,
crosscut the second board, face down as
wel l , f l i p one
pi ece
over, and but t t he
two pieces together on edge
(board
B).
Agai n, any gap represents twi ce the error
i n the adj ustment. l f necessary, square
the mi ter gauge agai n
(page
110).
ti ghten wi th a hex wrench to change the al i gnment
(above,
l eft);
others have fence adj ustmeni bol ts that you can l oosen wi th a
wrench
(above,
ri ght). For thi s model , adj ust the fence paral l el
to the mi ter sl ot, then reti ghten the adj ustment bol ts.
1 1 1
MAINTAINING STA|IONARY POWER TOOLS
LEVELING THE TABTE INSERT
ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT AND TILT MECHANISMS
Cl eani ng the trunni ons
l f your t abl e saw' s bl ade st i cks or moves sl uggi shl y when you
rai se or t i l t i t , cl ean t he hei ght and t i l t adj ust ment mechani sms
i nsi de the saw. Start by removi ng the tabl etop fol l owi ng the man-
ufacturer' s i nstructi ons. Bl ow out the sawdust wi th comoressed
ai r, then cl ean the movi ng parts wi thi n the saw. Start wi th the
bl ade hei ght and ti l t mechani sms
(above,
/eff), usi ng sol vent and
Adjusting the leveling screws
To set the tabl e i nsert l evel wi th the saw
t abl e, pl ace
a square board across t he
i nsert and t he t abl e. Adj ust t he l evel i ng
screws at the corners of the i nsert wi th a
hex wrench
(lefD
until the insert is f lush
wi t h t he t abl et op. You can al so adj ust
t he i nsert sl i ght l y bel ow t he t abl e at t he
f ront and sl i ght l y above t he t abl e at t he
back; thi s wi l l prevent the workpi ece from
cat chi ng or bi ndi ng on t he i nsert duri ng
the cut. l f your saw' s i nsert does not have
l evel i ng screws, fi l e or shi m the i nsert to
make i t l i e f l ush wi t h t he t abl e.
a brass-bristle brush to remove stubborn pitch and hardened saw-
dust deposi ts. Then scrub the machi ned ways on the front and
rear trunni ons
(above,
ri ght). Once al l the parts are cl ean, l ubri -
cate al l the movi ng parts wi th a graphi te or si l i con-based l ubri -
cant ; oi l and grease shoul d be avoi ded as t hey t end t o col l ect
dust. Repl ace the tabl etop and fi ne-tune the saw
(page
108).
t12
RADIALARMSAWS
I
radial arm saw's many pivoting and
A sliding parts enable you to pull a
blade tluough a workpiece in a variety of
angles and directions. This flexibility,
however, can lead to problems. Unless
the sads moving parts are kept in align-
ment, its perfonnance can become slop-
py and potentially dangerous.
The procedures that follow will help
you
fine-tune a radial arm saw so that it
will cut accurately and safely. Adjusting
a radial arm saw can be time-consuming
because of its many moving parts. To
make the adjustments manageable, you
can perform them in two steps: testing
and adjusting the table, clamps and roller
bearings (page 114), and aligning and
squaring the blade
(page 1 17).
For safety, unplug your sawwhile per-
forming these checks and adjustments.
One of the most common problems with the radial arm saw is
blade rotation that is not parallel or perpendicular to the table,
known as blade heel. A simple L-shaped sounding
jig
shown in the
photo at right can help you diagnose and correct heeling. A blade
that is turning true will produce a uniform sound as its teeth
brush against the sharpened dowel projectingfrom the
jig.
The
sound of a heeling blade will change as its teeth touch the dowel.
CLEANING THE SLIDING MECHANISMS
Cleaning the track and bearings
Use a sol uti on of ammoni a and water to
cl ean your radi al arm saw' s track and rol l er
beari ngs. Pul l the yoke as far back as i t
wi l l go,
then wi pe the track usi ng a cl ean
rag dampened with the solvent
(left).
Push
the yoke toward the col umn and cl ean the
front
portion
of the track. Next, clean the
rol l er beari ngs, l ocated to the front and
rear of the carriage that connects the yoke
to the arm. Wrap the rag around your finger,
di p i t i n the sol vent, and hol d i t agai nst
the rol l er beari ng whi l e pushi ng the yoke
away from you. Coat the track and bear-
i ngs wi th l i ght machi ne oi l , then wi pe off
the excess.
1 1 3
MAINTAINING STA|IONARY POWER TOOLS
ADJUSTING THE TABLE
Level i ng the tabl e wi th the arm
Ti l t t he saw' s mot or unt i l t he arbor poi nt s
down, i t s end sl i ght l y above t abl e I evel .
Then swi vel t he arm t o posi t i on t he arbor
over t he r ai l nut s on bot h si des of t he
t abl e; i n each posi t i on measur e t he gap
bet ween t he arbor and t he t abl e. l f t he
measur ement s ar e not equal , r ai se t he
l ow end of t he t abl e by t ur ni ng t he r ai l
nut i n a cl ockwi se di r ect r on, usi ng t he
head of an adj ust abl e wrench t o l ever up
the tabl e surface
(l eft).
f hen make the
same adj ust ment on t he ot her si de of t he
t abl e. Reoeat t he measurement s t o make
sure t he t abl e i s l evel .
ADJUSTING THE CTAMPS
1
Adj usti ng the mi ter cl amp
I Swi vel t he arm t o t he ri ght t o a posi -
t i on bet ween 0" and 45". Lock t he mi t er
cl amp, whi ch on t he saw shown i s l ocat ed
at t he f ront end of t he arm. Try t o push
the end of the arm toward the 0' posi ti on
(ri ght ),
l f t here i s any pl ay i n t he arm,
adj ust t he cl amp t hat hol ds i t i n pl ace.
For t he model shown, use a hex wrench
t o t i ght en t he mi t er cl amp adj ust ment
screw, l ocat ed i nsi de an access hol e at
t he back end of t he arm.
tt4
MAINTAINING STAIIONARY POWE,R TOOLS
r)
Adj usti ng the yoke cl amp
L Rotate the yoke to a posi ti on between the ones used for
cr osscut t i ng and r i ppi ng. Lock t he yoke cl amp handl e, t hen
use bot h hands t o t ry and push t he mot or t o t he crosscut t i ng
posi ti on (above).
The motor shoul d not budge; i f i t does, adj ust
t he cl amp t hat l ocks i t i n posi t i on. For t he model shown, t i ght -
en t he adj ust ment nut l ocat ed under t he ar m f ol l owi ng t he
manuf act urer' s i nst ruct i ons, Lock t he cl amp and check agai n
f or pl ay.
Q
Adi usti ng the bevel cl amp
\ , , Ti l t t he mot or t o a oosi t i on bet ween 0' and 45", Lock t he
bevel cl amp, t hen use bot h hands t o t ry t o move t he mot or
(above).
l f t here i s any l ooseness, adj ust t he cl amp. For t he
model shown, use a socket wrench to ti ghten the motor support
nut at t he back of t he mot or, t hen rel ease t he cl amp and t ry
t i l t i ng t he mot or t o each of t he preset angl es; i f you cannot
move the motor, l oosen the support nut sl i ghtl y. Otherwi se, l ock
i he cl amp agai n and check once more f or pl ay i n t he mot or.
Adj usti ng the ri p cl amp
Lock t he r i p cl amp, t hen use bot h
hands t o t r y t o sl i de t he yoke al ong t he
arm
(l eft).
The yoke shoul d not move; i f
i t does, adj ust t he cl amp. For t he model
shown, r el ease t he cl amp. t hen use a
wr ench t o t i ght en t he nut at t he end of
t he r i p cl amp bol t . Tr y sl i di ng t he yoke
al ong t he ar m; i f i t bi nds, l oosen t he l ock
nut sl i ghtl y. Otherwi se, recheck the cl amp
and t i ght en t he nut f ur t her i f needed.
1 1 5
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
CARING FOR THE STIDING MECHANISMS
r)
Adj usti ng col umn-to-base tensi on
L Wt pe t he col umn cl ean, t hen l oosen t he f our set scr ews
on t he f ront of t he col umn base usi ng a hex wrench. To check
col umn- t o- base t ensi on, use bot h hands t o t r y t o l i f t t he end
of t he arm
(above,
l ef t ); t here shoul d be l i t t l e or no gi ve t o
t he col umn. Tur n t he el evat i ng cr ank i n bot h di r ect i ons; t he
ar m shoul d sl i de smoot hl y up and down. l f t her e i s excessi ve
movement at t he col umn- t o- base
j oi nt ,
or i f t he ar m
j umps
or
' l
Adj usti ng the carri age rol l er beari ngs
I To check t he carri age rol l er beari ngs,
press your t humb agai nst each one i n t urn
whi l e sl i di ng t he carri age away f rom your
hand. The beari ngs shoul d t urn as t he car-
ri age sl i des al ong t he arm. l f your t humb
keeps one of t hem f rom t urni ng, you wi l l
need to ti ghten the beari ng; i f the carri age
bi nds on t he arm, a beari ng wi l l need t o be
l oosened. I n ei t her case, adj ust t he bear-
i ng whi l e hol di ng t he bol t st at i onary wi t h a
second wrench
(l efi l .f
i ghten or l oosen the
bol t as requi red, t hen ret i ght en t he nut .
vi brat es as i t i s rai sed or l owered, adj ust t he f our bol t s l ocat -
ed i n t he access hol es on t he back cover of t he base. Reoeat
t he t est s and, i f necessary, make addi t i onal adl ust ment s. Then
try pushi ng the arm si deways
(above,
ri ght); i f there i s any rota-
t i on of t he col umn, t i ght en t he set screws
j ust
enough t o pre-
vent movement . Run t hrough t he t est s a f i nal t i me, f i ne-t uni ng
t he adi ust ment s.
l l 6
MAINTAINING STA|IONARY POWER TOOLS
SqUARING THE BLADE
1
Squaring the blade with the table
I Set the saw' s
yoke
i n the crosscutti ng
posi ti on and i nstal l a bl ade. Rel ease the
bevel cl amp and t i l t t he mot or count er-
cl ockwi se as far as i t wi l l go i n the 0" posi -
ti on. Rel ock the cl amp. To check the bl ade
position, butt a framing square between two
saw teeth
(right).Ihe
square should fit flush
agai nst t he si de of t he bl ade. l f any
gap
shows between them, adj ust the bevel
clamp setscrews and tilt the motor to bring
the bl ade fl ush agai nst the square.
r)
Squaring the blade with the fence
Z. Rel ease t he mi t er cl amo and swi vel
t he arm t o t he ri ght as f ar as i t wi l l go i n
t he 0"
posi t i on, t hen rel ock t he cl amp.
Rel ease the ri p cl amp and butt one arm of
a f rami ng square agai nst t he f ence whi l e
t he ot her
j ust
t ouches t he bl ade t oot h
nearest t o t he t abl e. Hol di ng t he bl ade
steady, slide the yoke along the arm
(left);
pul l
sl owl y t o avoi d dul l i ng t he t oot h. The
blade should make a constant rubbing sound
as i t moves al ong the edge of the square.
l f a gap opens up between the bl ade and
t he square, or i f t he bl ade bi nds, adj ust
the setscrews i n the col umn base fol l ow-
i ng t he manuf act urer' s i nst ruct i ons.
I17
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
C()RRECTING BLADE HEEL
El i mi nati ng verti cal bl ade heel
Ti l t the motor countercl ockwi se as far
as i t wi l l go i n t he vert i cal posi t i on, t hen
l ock t he bevel cl amo. To t est f or vert i cal
heel i ng, posi t i on t he soundi ng
j i g
so t hat
t he t i p of t he hori zont al dowel al i gns wi t h
a bl ade t oot h near t he back of t he t abl e.
Lower the bl ade and send i t spi nni ng back-
ward so you can sampl e t he sound as i n
sl ep I
(ri ght ).
Sl i de t he yoke al ong t he
ar m and r epeat t he pr ocess,
adj ust i ng
t he hei ght i f necessary; once agai n l i st en
f or changes i n t one. l f t here i s a di screp-
ancy, rel ease t he yoke cl amp and adj ust
t he mot or' s posi t i on f ol l owi ng t he manu-
f act urer' s i nst ruct i ons. Ret est unt i l each
t est
produces
si mi l ar t ones.
1
Fi ne{uni ng hori zontal rotati on
I I nst al l a bl ade and set t he mot or i n i t s
hori zont al posi t i on; t i l t t he mot or count er-
cl ockwi se as f ar as i t wi l l go, t hen l ock t he
bevel cl amp. To t est f or bl ade heel , bui l d
an L-shaped soundi ng
j i g
and bore t wo
hol es i n i t . Sharpen t he ends of t wo dow-
el s and f i t t hem i nt o t he
j i g
as shown. Then
posi t i on t he
j i g
t o al i gn a bl ade t oot h near
t he back of t he t abl e di rect l y over t he ver-
ti cal dowel . Lower the bl ade unti l the tooth
rest s l i ght l y on t he dowel ; cl amp t he
j i g
i n pl ace. Wear i ng a wor k gl ove, spi n t he
bl ade backward, l i st en, and caref ul l y not e
t he sound
(/ ef f ).
Sl i de t he yoke al ong t he
arm t o al i gn a t oot h near t he f ront of t he
t abl e over t he dowel and repeat t he t est .
The sound shoul d be the same i n both posi -
t i ons. l f i t i s not , adj ust t he mot or support
nut accordi ng to the manufacturer' s i nstruc-
t i ons and repeat t he t est .
1 1 8
MAINTAINING STA|IONARY POWER TOOLS
TESTING Y()UR ADJUSTMENTS
Testi ng the saw for square
You can check the accuracy of your adj ust-
ment s t o a radi al arm saw much as you
would for a table saw
(page
112). To deter-
mi ne whet her t he bl ade i s square t o t he
saw t abl e, mark an X on a wi de board and
crosscut i t at
your mark. Then t urn one
pi ece
over and hol d the cut ends together
( A
i n t he i l l ust r at i on at r i ght ) . Any gap
between the two ends represents twi ce the
error i n t he bl ade-t o-t abl e al i gnment ; i f
necessary, repeat t he adj ust ment shown
on page 1 17. Now but t t he t wo boards
agai nst t he f ence
(B).
l f t he t wo pi eces do
not fi t together perfectl y the bl ade i s not
square to the fence. Agai n, any gap repre-
sents twi ce the error; i f necessary, square
t he bl ade t o t he f ence.
INSTALLING A FENCE AND AUXILIARY TABLE
Cutting a kerf in the fence and auxiliary table
I nst al l a f ence of %-i nch-t hi ck, knot -f ree
wood bet ween t he t abl e spacer and t he
f ront t abl e; make t he f ence sl i ght l y hi gher
t han t he t hi ckness of your workpi ece. For
an auxi l i ar y t abl e, cut a pi ece of %- i nch
hardboard or pl ywood the same si ze as the
front tabl e and use contact cement to gl ue
i t down, l eavi ng a sl i ght gap between i t and
the fence to prevent sawdust from
j ammi ng
bet ween t he t wo. Bef ore crosscut t i ng or
maki ng mi ter cuts, sl i ce through the fence
and Yrc t o % i nch deep i nt o t he auxi l i ary
tabl e i n the 90' and 45' oaths of the bl ade.
Then, rai se t he bl ade above t he t abl e and
rot at e t he mot or t o t he ri ppi ng posi t i on.
Tur n on t he saw and l ower i t t o make a
%o- i nch- deep cut . Pul l t he yoke al ong
t he ar m t o f ur r ow out a shal l ow r i p
t r ough i n t he auxi l i ar y t abl e.
gO"
ker-t
Auxiliary table
l l 9
BAND SAWS
Tl or many woodworkers the band
-I saw's thin, flexibte blade makes it the
tool of choice for cutting curves, resaw-
ing, and making fine, straight cuts. And
because the blade teeth cut downward,
there is no danger ofkickback.
Since the band saw blade is only
supported on the crown of two large
After many hours of use, the tires on
band saw wheels can become worn,
caked with sawdust, or stretched out of
shape.If the thickness of aband saw tire
is uneven around thewheel. inserting a
screwdriver blade under the tire, as
shown in the photo at left, and work-
ing it around the tire's circumference
can restore its proper shape.
wheels, it must be properly tensioned
and tracked (page
123) every time you
change blades, otherwise you risk
crooked cuts and broken blades. Setup
adjustments for the machine are not
time-consuming, but they are impor-
tant. Particular attention should be paid
to the alignment of the wheels (page
123). Misaligned wheels can Gruse exces-
sive blade vibration. Also periodically
adjust the guide assemblies and check
the table for square (page
123).
Ifthese procedures do not restore a
poorly cuuing saw to peak performance,
the wheels or tires may be to blame. The
steps shown below and on the follow-
ing pages detail how to correct out-of-
round and unbalanced wheels, and will
make your band saw cut straighter and
help its blades last longer.
CHECKING THE WHEELS
1
Checking the wheel bearings
I Open one wheel cover, grasp
t he
wheel at the si des, and rock i t back and
torl h
(ri ght).
Repeat whi l e hol di ng the
wheel at the top and bottom. l f there i s
pl ay i n t he wheel or you hear a cl unki ng
noi se, remove the wheel and repl ace the
beari ng. Then repeat the test for the
other wheel .
r20
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
r)
Testi ng for out-of-round wheel s
I Start wi th the upper wheel . Braci ng a
st i ck agai nst t he upper gui de assembl y,
hol d t he end of t he st i ck about \ e t nch
away f rom t he wheel ' s t i re. Then spi n t he
wheel by hand
(right),
lf the wheel or tire
i s out of round, the gap between the sti ck
and t he wheel wi l l f I uct uat e; t he wheel
may even hi t t he st i ck. l f t he di screpancy
exceeds %: i nch, remedy the probl em (sfep
3). Reoeat the test for the l ower wheel .
Q
Fi xi ng an out-of-round wheel
r. , f St art by det ermi ni ng whet her t he
t i re or t he wheel i t sel f i s t he probl em.
Try st ret chi ng t he t i re i nt o shape wi t h
a screwdri ver
(photo,
page 120),l hen
repeat t he t est i n st ep 2. l f t he wheel
i s st i l l out of round, use a sandi ng bl ock
t o sand t he t i re; t hi s may compensat e
f or uneveness i n t he t i re. For t he l ower
wheel , t ur n on t he saw and hol d t he
sandi ng bl ock agai nst t he spi nni ng t i re
(left).
For the upper wheel, leave the saw
unpl ugged and rotate the wheel by hand.
Repeat st ep 2 agai n. l f t he probl em per-
si st s, t he wheel i t sel f i s out of r ound.
Have i t t rued at a machi ni st ' s shop.
t2r
-
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
ATIGNING THE WHEELS
1
Checki ng wheel al i gnment
I To ensure that vour band saw wheel s
are paral l el to each otfrer anO i n the same
vertical plane, hold a straightedge against
them
(page
104).The straightedge should
rest fl ush agai nst the top and bottom of
each wheel. lf the wheels are out of align-
ment, try to bri ng the top wheel to a ver-
t i cal posi t i on wi t h t he t i l t knob. l f t he
strai ghtedge sti l l wi l l not rest fl ush, mea-
sure the gap
between the recessed wheel
and the straightedge
(above)to
determine
how far you need to move the outermost
wheel i n
(step
2).
llll llll lll tllj lltt lll l1ll ll|J IlJ ll|l llfi llll lll llt lllt llll IjIJ tltl
1HO? Tt?
Zalanaing a band saw wheel
To checkl hewheel s of aband i t : ,
garyf orbal ance, eVi n each one
)
by hand. Wheni t comeot o regt ,
make a mark atbhe bottom and
opi n i t aqai n. l f t he mark comest o
reetr al lhe bollom more than lwo
limes oul of lhree, the wheel ie imb al-
anced. To correal . l he probl em,
dri l l
ehallow holee between Ihe rim
and opokee atl he heavy
Voi nX
(ri1ht). Remount, lhe wheel and
pefform f,he heet, aqain. Bore a6 .,
many hol eo as neceoaary.When
j
the wheel ol ope returni nq No l he
o am e
p
ooi l i on, i t i s b al anced.
r)
Shifting the outermost wheel
l inrcatignment
Remove the outermost wheel fol l owi ng
the i nstructi ons i n your
owner' s manual .
(l t
i s better to shi ft the outermost wheel
i n t o correct t he al i gnment rat her t han
t o move t he i nner wheel out ; t hi s keeps
the wheels as close as
possible
to the saw
frame.) Then shi ft the wheel by removi ng
one or more of the factory-installed wash-
ers
(above). (lf
there are no washers, you
can shi m the recessed wheel wi th wash-
ers to bri ng the wheel s i nto al i gnment.)
Rei nstal l the wheel and ti ehten the axl e
nut . Repeat st ep 1.
t 22
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
TENSIONING AND TRACKING THE BLADE
Tracki ng the bl ade
Unpl ug t he saw and t urn t he t ensi on han-
dl e at the top of the saw cl ockwi se to rai se
t he t oo wheel and i ncrease t ensi on on t he
bl ade. Defl ect the bl ade from si de to si de
to gauge the tensi on. Increase the tensi on
unti l the bl ade defl ects aboul Yo i nch to
ei t her si de of t he vert i cal . To t rack t he
bl ade, l ower t he upper gui de assembl y,
t hen spi n t he upper wheel by hand t o
check whether the bl ade i s tracki ng i n the
center of the wheel . l f i t i s not, l oosen the
t i l t knob l ock screw. Then spi n t he wheel
whi l e turni ng the ti l t knob
(ri ght)
to angl e
t he wheel unt i l t he bl ade i s cent ered.
ADJUSTING THE GUIDE ASSEMBLIES
1
Setting the thrust bearings
I Check by eye to see i f the upper gui de
assembl y i s square t o t he bl ade. l f not ,
l oosen the gui de assembl y setscrew, adj ust
the assembl y so that the beari ng i s square
t o t he bl ade, and t i ght en t he set screw.
Then, l oosen t he beari ng t humbscrew and
t urn t he adj ust ment knob unt i l t he t hrust
beari ng
j ust
t ouches t he bl ade. Back t he
beari ng off sl i ghtl y
(l eft)
and ti ghten the
t humbscrew. The l ower gui de assembl y
t hrust beari ng, whi ch i s l ocat ed di rect l y
beneat h t he t abl e i nsert , i s adj ust ed t he
same way. To check t he set t i ng, spi n t he
upper wheel by hand. l f t he bl ade makes
ei t her beari ng spi n, back t he beari ng of f
sl i ghtl y and recheck.
r23
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
r)
Setti ng gui de
bl ocks
Z- To set the upper
gui de
bl ocks, l oosen
t hei r set scr ews and pi nch t he bl ocks
together usi ng your thumb and i ndex fi nger
unti l they al most touch the bl ade. Al terna-
ti vel y, use a sl i p of paper or a feel er gauge
(left)
Io set the space between the blocks
and t he bl ade. Ti ght en t he set scr ews.
Next, l oosen the thumbscrew and turn the
adj ustment knob unti l the front edges of
t he gui de bl ocks ar e
j ust
behi nd t he gul -
l ets. Ti ghten the thumbscrew. Set the l ow-
er gui de bl ocks the same way.
SOUARING THE TABLE AND BLADE
1
Al i gni ng the tabl e
I To ensure t hat t he mi t er gauge sl ot
i s properl y al i gned on bot h si des of t he
t abl e sl ot , set t he mi t er gauge i n i t s sl ot
and sl i de the gauge back and forth across
t he t abl e. The gauge shoul d sl i de f reel y
wi th onl y moderate pressure. l f the gauge
bi nds, use l ocki ng pl i ers t o remove t he
al i gnment pi n. Then, i nser t t he pi n i nt o
i t s hol e and use a bal l -peen hammer t o
tap it deeper
(right)
until the miter gauge
sl i des f reel v.
r24
MAINTAINING STA f IONARY POWER TO OLS
Checki ng the tabl e angl e
Wi th the tabl e i n the hori zontal
posi -
ti on, remove the tabl e i nsert, then butt a
combi nati on square agai nst the si de of the
saw bl ade as shown. The souare shoul d fi t
flush against the table and blade
(right).
l f there i s a gap between the two, l oosen
the two tabl e l ock knobs underneath the
t abl e and make sure t he t abl e i s seat ed
properl y on t he t abl e st op. Ti ght en t he
l ock knobs. l f the gap remai ns, adj ust the
table stop Gtep 3).
Aligning the table stop
Ti l t the tabl e out of the wav, then use
two wrenches as shown to adj ust the tabl e
st oo. Use t he l ower wrench t o hol d t he
l ock nut stati onary and the upper wrench
to turn the table stop
(left).
Turn the stop
cl ockwi se to l ower i t and countercl ockwi se
to rai se i t. Recheck the tabl e angl e.
125
IOINTERSAND
PLANERS
tf
h. team ofjointer and thickness
I planer are responsible for squaring
the edges and faces ofa workpiece. The
success of anywoodworking project rests
on these first crucial steps, so it is essen-
tial that both machines are set up prop-
erly. Even the most accurate table saw
will only compound errors made at the
jointing
and planing stage.
Accurate
jointing
depends on precise
alignment of the two tables and the
fence. Begin by ensuring that the out-
feed table is at the same height as the
cutting edges of the knives at their high-
est point, also known as Top Dead
Center or TDC ftelow).Then check that
the tables are perfectly square to the fence
and aligned with each other
(page
127).
Because it has more moving parts,
the thickness planer requires a little more
attention. Most importantly, always
check to see that the feed rollers are
properly adjusted
(page
129) and that
the planer's bed is parallel to the cutter-
head along its length (page 130).
Most jointers
have 90" positive stops
that can be
fine-tuned
if the
fence
cannotbe accurately squared to the
table through normal adjustment.
For the model shown
(left),
the
90" positive stop is a springJoaded
plunger that sits in an index collar.
To
fine-tune
the
fence
position, the
index collar is adjusted by means of
a setscrew
SETTING OUTFEED TABLE HEIGHT
1
Checki ng tabl e hei ght
I Wi t h t he
j oi nt er
unpl ugged, use a
small wooden wedge to rotate the cutter-
head unti l the edge of one kni fe i s at i ts
hi ghest poi nt. Then hol d a strai ght hard-
wood board on the outfeed tabl e so that
i t extends over the cutterhead wi thout
contacting the infeed Iable
(right).The
kni fe shoul d
j ust
brush agai nst the board.
Perform the test al ong the l ength of the
kni fe, movi ng the board from the fence
to the rabbeti ng l edge. Repeat the test
f or t he ot her kni ves. l f a kni f e f ai l s t he
test, adjust its height
(page
84I lf none
of the kni ves i s l evel wi th the board, rai se
or lower the outfeed table by loosening the
tabl e l ock and movi ng the outfeed tabl e
adj ust ment handl e.
t26
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TO OLS
ALIGNING THE TABLES AND FENCE
1
Al i gni ng the tabl es
J- Remove t he
l oi nt er ' s
f ence, t hen r ai se t he i nf eed t abl e
t o t he same hei ght as t he out f eed t abl e. Use a st rai ght edge
t o conf i rm t hat t he t wo t abl es are absol ut el y l evel . l f t he al i gn-
ment i s not perfect, adj ust the hori zontal posi ti on of the tabl es.
The model shown features eccentri c tabl e supports that can be
adj ust ed by f i rst l ooseni ng a l ocki ng screw and t hen t appi ng an
adj ustment cam wi th a hammer and screwdri ver
(above,
l eft),
r)
Adj usti ng the posi ti ve stop
L f t ne out f eed t abl e i s st i l l not l evel
wi t h t he kni ves, adj ust t he
j oi nt er' s posi -
t i ve st ops, whi ch
prevent
t he t abl e f rom
movi ng out of al i gnment whi l e i n use.
For t he model shown, f i rst t i ght en t he
out f eed t abl e l ock and l oosen t he t wo
l ock nut s on t he ot her si de of t he t ool .
Back off the two posi ti ve stops and then
adj ust t he hei ght of t he out f eed t abl e
wi th the adj ustment handl e
(sfep
l ) unti l
t he t abl e i s l evel wi t h t he kni ves at t hei r
hi ghest poi nt of rot at i on. Ti ght en t he
t abl e l ock. Ti ght en t he posi t i ve st ops as
f ar as t hey wi l l go, t hen t i ght en t he l ock
nuts
(lefD.
When t he t abl es are perf ect l y l evel , t i ght en t he l ocki ng screws.
l f you have a
j oi nt er
wi t h gi b screws, adj ust one or more of t he
gi b screws at t he back of t he t ool unt i l t he st rai ght edge rest s
f l ush on both tabl es
(above,
ri ght); remove the pul l ey cover,
i f necessary, t o access t he screws. l f you moved t he out f eed
t abl e duri ng t hi s process, recheck i t s hei ght
(page
126).
r27
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
r)
Squari ng the fence wi th the tabl es
L Wttn the fence set i n i ts verti cal posi -
t i on, hol d a t r y squar e on t he out f eed
t abl e near t he cut t er head and but t t he
squar e' s bl ade agai nst t he f ence. The
square shoul d f i t f l ush agai nst t he f ence.
l f there i s any gap between the two, sl ack-
en t he l ocki ng handl e, t i l t t he f ence unt i l
i t i s f l ush wi t h t he square, and ret i ght en
t he handl e
(l ef | . f he
90' posi t i ve st op
shoul d be engaged i n t he i ndex col l ar. l f
t he f ence i s st i l l out -of -square, adj ust t he
positive stop
(page
126).
One of the most common
j oi nti ng
and planing defects is snipe, or a
concave cut at the trailing end of a
workpiece. On a planer, snipe occurs
when there is too much play between
the table and the
feed
rollers, and
can be corrected by proper
feed
roller
adjustment (page 129). On a
jointer
(ri ght),
sni pe occurs when the out-
feed
table is set lower than the knives
at their highest point ofrotation, and
can be corrected by aligning the out-
feed
table
(page
126).
t28
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
PLANERS
Cl eani ng pl aner r ol l er s
Pl aner f eed r ol l er s can get di r t y qui ckl y
when pl ani ng pi tchJi l l ed softwoods such as
pi ne. Per i odi cal l y use mi ner al spi r i t s or a
sol uti on of ammoni a and water wi th a brass-
br i st l ed br ush t o cl ean met al f eed r ol l er s
of pi t ch and r esi n. Cl ean r ubber f eed
rollers with a sharp cabinet scraper
(right).
Adj usti ng feed rol l ers
Sometimes it is necessary to increase pres-
sure on a
pl aner' s
f eed rol l ers, as when
pl ani ng narrow st ock or when st ock sl i ps
as i t i s f ed i nt o t he machi ne. I n ei t her
case, t he i nf eed rol l er shoul d f i rml y gri p
the board.
(Some pl aners
feature a serrat-
ed met al i nf eed rol l er; i n t hi s case t he
pressure shoul d be enough t o move t he
board but not so much t hat t he rol l ers
l eave a serrated pattern i n the board after
i t i s
pl aned. )
On most
pl aners,
t he f eed
rol l ers are adj usted by turni ng spri ng-l oaded
screws on t op of t he machi ne. For t he
model shown, r emove t he pl ast i c
caps
and adj ust t he hex nut s wi t h an open-end
wrench
(l eft).
Make sure after adj usti ng
t he f eed r ol l er s t hat t he t abl e i s par al l el
to the rol l ers
(page
130). l f the rol l ers do
not carry t he wood smoot hl y t hrough t he
pl aner af t er adl ust ment s, cl ean t he rol l ers
or wax t he t abl e.
129
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
Checki ng the tabl e for l evel
To check i f your pl aner ' s t abl e i s l evel
and paral l el t o t he cut t erhead, run t wo
j oi nt ed
si ri ps of wood of t he same t hi ck-
ness through opposi te si des of the machi ne
(l ef t ), I hen
compare t he resul t i ng t hi ck-
nesses. l f there i s a measurabl e di fference,
adj ust t he t abl e accor di ng t o t he manu-
f act urer' s i nsi ruct i ons. l f your model of
pl aner has no such adj ust ment , reset t he
kni ves i n t he cut t erhead so t hat t hey are
sl i ght l y l ower at t he l ower end of t he t abl e
to comoensate for the error.
Lubri cati ng the hei ght adj ustment
To ensure smoot h operat i on, peri odi cal l y
cl ean the pl aner' s hei ght adl ustment mech-
ani sm, f i r st usi ng a cl ean, dr y cl ot h t o
remove sawdust and grease. Then l ubri cate
t he t hreads wi t h a Tef l onrM-based l ubri -
cant or automoti ve beari ng grease; oi l shoul d
be avoi ded as i t may st ai n t he wood.
130
DRILL PRESSES
J)
ri l l presses have a reputati on as
l-rf workhorse machines that rarely-
if ever-require maintenance. And yet
they can slip out of alignment
just
as eas-
ily as any other stationary power tool.
Most drill press problems are found
in the chuck and table. A table that is
not square to the spindle is the most
common problem, and is easily reme-
died. Runout. or wobble. is a more seri-
ous problem, and can be traced to the
spindle or chuck. If the problem lies with
the spindle, it can often be fixed simply
by striking the spindle with a hammer
until it is true; if the chuck is at fault, it
must be removed and replaced.
Do not neglect the drill press'belts
and pulleys in your maintenance. Check
the belts for wear, and always keep them
tensioned properly. Periodically check the
bearings in the pulleys, and replace them
if they become worn.
The speed of many drill presses is changed by a sys-
tem of belts and pulleys housed in the top of the tool.
To keep the belts at the proper degree of tension, these
drill presses
feature
a lever that loosens the belts
for
changing and tightens them to set the correct tension
(right). A beb should
flex
about 1 inch out of line.
SQUARING THE TABLE
1
Al i gni ng the tabl e
I I nst al l an 8-i nch-l ong st eel rod i n t he dri l l press chuck as
you woul d a dri l l bi t , t hen rai se t he t abl e unt i l i t al most t ouches
the rod. Butt a try square agai nst the rod as shown; the bl ade
shoul d rest fl ush agai nst i t
(above).
l f there i s a gap, adj ust the
tabl e fol l owi ng the manufacturer' s i nstructi ons. For the model
shown, remove the al i gnment pi n under the tabl e, l oosen the
t abl e l ocki ng bol t , and swi vel t he t abl e unt i l t he r od i s f l ush
wi t h t he square. Ti ght en t he l ocki ng bol t .
r')
Conecting chuck runout
L Use a di al i ndi cator to see i f there i s any runout, or wob-
bl e, i n the chuck
(page
105). l t there i s, rap the rod wi th a
bal l -peen hammer
(above)and
then measure for runout agai n;
0. 005 i nch i s consi dered t he maxi mum acceot abl e amount .
Pul l t he arm of t he di al i ndi cat or oui of t he way each t i me you
tao the rod.
1 3 1
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
REPLACING THE CHUCK
Removi ng and remounti ng a chuck
Chucks are commonl y at t ached t o t he
qui l l of a dri l l press wi th a tapered spi n-
dl e.
(Ol der
model s of t en have chucks
that are si mpl y screwed i n pl ace.) To
remove a faul ty chuck that features a
t aper ed spi ndl e, f i r st l ower t he qui l l
and l ock i t i n pl ace. Fi t an open-end
wrench around t he spi ndl e on t op of
the chuck and gi ve the wrench a sharp
upward bl ow
(above).
The chuck shoul d
sl i de out . l f not , rot at e t he spi ndl e and
try agai n. To remount the chuck, press-
fi t i t i nto the spi ndl e by hand. Then, wi th
the chuck' s
j aws
ful l y retracted, gi ve the
chuck a sharo bl ow wi th a wooden mal l et.
llll lltt lll l]tl lllt tllt llll IIt tlti illl illt lll fitl llll lll1 fitl llll llll
5HO? TI ?
Ch e aki n g tabl e ali gn m ent
To check whebher a dri l l preoo
t abl e i e equare No Nhe eVi ndl e,
make a 90' bend aL each
end of a 12-i nch l en7Ih
of wi re coal hanqer.
l neerl one end of the
wi re i n I he chuck
and adj uot t he
tabl e hei qhl
unti l Ihe obher
end of rhe wi re
l uoI
Loucheo Ihe
Labl e. KoI aLeI he wi re; i I shoul d
barel y ecra?e Nhe Iabl e aI al l
poi nl e duri nq i Ne roIaNi on. l f not,
adi uet , I he t abl e.
r32
LATHES AND SHAPERS
The drive centers of a lathe should be
kept as sharp as your turning tools.
If the spurs or point ofa drive center
are dull or chipped, they will not grip
the workpiece properly. Drive centers
are sharpened on
q
bench gri nder or
with a
fiIe
(right). A 35" bevel on the
underside of each spur works best.
LATHES
Sandi ng the l athe bed
l f your shop i s i n a humi d cl i mat e, t he bed of your l at he may
devel op a t hi n l ayer of rust whi ch can prevent t he t ai l st ock
and t ool rest f rom sl i di ng smoot hl y. To keep t he l at he bed
cl ean, remove any rust as soon as i t appears by sandi ng t he
bed wi t h f i ne sandpaper
(above), 200-gri t
or f i ner, t hen appl y
a oaste wax.
I J J
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
Draw-filing the tool rest
Because it is made of softer steel than the
turni ng tool s used agai nst i t, the beari ng
surf ace of t he t ool rest wi l l devel op l ow
spot s, marks, and ni cks wi t h const ant
use. l f not remedi ed, these i mperfecti ons
wi l l be transferred to the workpi eces you
turn, or cause the tool to ski p. You can re-
dress a tool rest easi l y wi th a si ngl e-cut
bastard mill file. Draw-file the rest by hold-
i ng t he f i l e at an angl e and pushi ng i t
across the work from right to left in over-
l appi ng strokes
(/eff).
Conti nue unti l you
have removed the ni cks and hol l ows, then
smooth the surface with 200-grit sandpa-
per
or emery cl oth.
Checking for center alignment
Turni ng between centers requi res preci se
al i gnment of dri ve centers between head-
stock and tai l stock, otherwi se you wi l l
produce off-center turni ngs. To see i f the
dri ve centers l i ne up, i nsert a four-spur
dri ve center i n the headstock and a l i ve
center i n the tai l stock. Sl i de the tai l stock
along the bed up to the headstock
kight).
The
points
of the drive centers should meet
exactl y. l f they do not, you may have to
shi m the tai l stock or fi l e down i ts base.
134
MAINTAINING STAIIONARY POWER TOOLS
SHAPERS
Checki ng l or spi ndl e runout
Set a magnet i c-base di al i ndi cat or f ace up
on t he shaper t abl e so t he pl unger of t he
devi ce cont act s t he spi ndl e. Cal i brat e t he
gauge to zero fol l owi ng the manufacturer' s
i nst ruct i ons. Then t urn t he spi ndl e sl owl y
by hand
(ri ght ).
The di al i ndi cat or wi l l
regi st er spi ndl e runout -t he amount of
wobbl e t hat t he soi ndl e wi l l t r ansf er t o
the cutter. Perform the test at i nterval s
al ong t he l engt h of t he spi ndl e, adj ust i ng
i t s hei ght %i nch aI a t i me. l f t he runout
exceeds 0. 005 i nch f or anv of t he t est s,
reol ace t he soi ndl e.
Squari ng the fences
The t wo hal ves of a shaper f ence-or a
router tabl e fence-must be perfectl y par-
al l el , ot her wi se
your cut s wi l l be uneven.
To square t he f ences on a shaper, f i rst
l oosen t he f ence l ocki ng handl es. Hol d a
strai ghtedge agai nst the fences. The two
hal ves shoul d but t agai nst t he st rai ght -
edge
(l eft).l f
not, add wood shi ms behi nd
t he f ences unt i I t hey are paral l el .
r 35
OTHERTOOLS
Because a scroll saw blade is held in
clamps that pivot on the end of the
sAw's arms during a cut, replacing a
blade is a tricky task that risks stretch-
ing and snapping the delicate cutting
edge. The model of scroll saw shown at
Ie[t
features
a unique blade-changing
wrench that holds the blade clamps
steady as the blade is tightened.
SCR(ILL SAWS
Checki ng bl ade tensi on
The blades of a scroll saw-like those of a
band saw-requi re proper
tensi on to cut
ef f ect i vel y. Too l i t t l e t ensi on wi l l cause
excessi ve vi brati on and al l ow the bl ade to
wander duri ng the cut. Too much tensi on
can l ead t o bl ade breakage. To adj ust
bl ade t ensi on on t he model shown, f i rst
ti l t the bl ade tensi on l ever forward. Then
adj ust the bl ade tensi on knob
(ri ght)
to
i ncrease or decrease bl ade t ensi on. Ti l t
the bl ade tensi on l ever back and test the
bl ade. l t shoul d def l ect about % i nch
when
pushed
from si de to si de. Pl uck the
bl ade and r emember t he sound. l t wi l l
al l ow you t o t ensi on t he bl ade qui ckl y i n
f ut ure. Al ways adj ust t he t ensi on when
you change bl ades.
136
MAINTAINING STA| IONARY POWER TOOLS
1HO? TI?
lnotalling an air pump
Older scroll eaws and
oomeforeiqn modele
Squaring the blade
To souare the scrol l saw' s bl ade to the
tabl e, butt a combi nati on square agai nst
the bl ade as shown. The square shoul d f i t
fl ush agai nst the bl ade. l f there i s a gap,
l oosen the tabl e l ock knob and adj ust
t he nut on t he 90' st op unt i l t he t abl e
i s l evel and t here i s no
gap bet ween
t he square and t he bl ade. Ti ght en t he
lock knob Gbove).
oflen comewith- I
ouN a eawdusl {;
blowec a device
S
l hat keeost he
cult inq lin e clear while
the eaw ie in use.
Asi mpl e el ectri c
aopari um pump
and tume co??er
tubinq
Qiqht)
can
dot het ri ck at a
fu'action of the cost
of a eawdusi bl owi n7 atl achment. Si mpl y i nserL a10' to 1Z' i nch
len7th of copper tubing into the
?um?'o
plaotic air hose, makinq an
airLiqht oeal, Tape the hose to lhe oaw e upper arm, and bend t'he
copfe, end to p'oint at, the blade. ?inch thb'end of rhe t'ube eliqhrly
to direct,the air and increase it's
preeeure.
r 37
MAINTAINING STAfIONARY POWER TOOLS
BELT.AND.DISC SANDERS
Testing for trueness
To measure whether the wheel i s true, fi rst
remove any abrasi ve di scs. Connect a di al
i ndi cator to a magneti c base and set the
base on t he t ool ' s di sc t abl e. Pl ace t he
device so that its arm contacts the disc and
turn on the magnet. Cal i brate the di al i ndi -
cator to zero fol l owi ng the manufacturer' s
i nst ruct i ons. Turn t he sandi ng di sc by
hand, and read the resul t
(l eft).
The di al
i ndi cator wi l l regi ster the trueness of the
wheel . Perform the test at vari ous ooi nts
around t he di sc. l f t he amount of wobbl e
exceeds 0.005 i nch for any of the tests,
adj ust the motor
posi ti on
or have the bear-
i nsq r onl r ned
Tracki ng the sandi ng bel t
To st rai ght en a sandi ng bel t t hat i s not
tracking true, turn the belt-and-disc sander's
tracki ng knob cl ockwi se or countercl ock-
wi se whi l e the tool i s runni ng
(ri ghl .
f o
correct severe tracki ng probl ems, unpl ug
the tool and rel ease tensi on on the sand-
i ng bel t by pushi ng down on t he t racki ng
knob. Cent er t he bel t on t he pul l eys and
rel ease the knob. Then turn on the tool
and adj ust t he t racki ng knob as requi red.
Al ways track the bel t when changi ng bel ts
or i nst al l i ng a new one.
138
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
AIR C(lMPRESSORS
Drai ni ng the compressor
When an ai r comoressor has been used for
an extended oeri od of ti me or i n exceed-
i ngl y humi d condi t i ons, moi st ure wi l l col -
l ect i n the tank. Thi s moi sture may cause
rust; i t can al so be sprayed out wi th the
ai r, whi ch can rui n a spray l acquer f i ni sh.
To drai n the moi sture, shut off the motor,
relieve all
pressure from the tank, and open
the drai nage val ve at the bottom
(ri ght).
Drai n t he t ank
peri odi cal l y, dependi ng on
how often you use the compressor.
Changi ng the oi l and ai r fi l ters
After every 100 hours of operation, change
an ai r compressor' s oi l . To drai n t he oi l ,
shut off the motor, relieve all
pressure from
the tank, and l oosen the drai n
pl ug wi th a
wrench. Col l ect the ol d oi l i n a contai ner
and di spose of i t safel y. Cl ose the drai n
pl ug and f i l l t he pump wi t h t he oi l recom-
mended by the manufacturer
(l eft).
Do
not overfi l l the
pump. Al so check the ai r
filter weekly. To clean the air f ilter, remove
the housi ng and l i ft off the fi l ter
(i nset).
Cl ean the fi l ter i n a sol uti on of detergent
and water; replace it if it cannot be cleaned.
r39
GLOSSARY
A-B-C
Abrasive: A coarse powder or a
piece of paper or fabric coated with
grit particles used to smooth wood.
Arbor: A shaft driven by a station-
ary power tool motor to turn a
revolving blade or other cutting
implement.
Bearing: A machined part located
on a motor shaft, permitting the
shaft to turn without friction.
Belt tension: The measure of how
tight a stationary power tool drive
belt or abrasive belt is stretched
across its pulleys.
Benchstone: Any natural or synthetic
sharpening stone used at the bench.
Bevel cut Sawing at an angle from
face to face through a workpiece.
Blade heeh Blade rotation that is not
perfectly parallel to the fence of a table
saw or the arm of a radial arm saw.
Blade set: The amount that saw
teeth are alternately offset to left and
right, allowing a blade to cut a kerf
slightly wider than its own thickness
to help prevent binding.
Blade tension: The measure of how
tight a band saw blade is stretched
across its wheels.
Brushes: A carbon or copper con-
ductor that delivers current from the
stationary element of an electric
motor to the rotating coil.
Buffing: Polishing a sharpened
edge to a mirror-like finish using
a cloth or rubber wheel impregnat-
ed with fine abrasive compounds.
Burnisher: A rod-like steel tool
used to turn a lip on a tool edge,
especially scraper edges.
Burr: A small ridge formed on the
flat face of a tool blade as a result
of the honing process.
Cap iron: A metal plate screwed to
a plane blade, preventing chatter
and the buildup of wood chips.
Carbide-tipped blade: A saw blade
on which the teeth are made of a
compound of carbon and steel;
such blade edges are stronger and
stay sharper longer than conven-
tional high-speed steel blades.
Chip lifter: The machined surfaces
on a Fortsner or multi-spur bit
directly behind the cutters.
Chuck Adjustable
jaws
on a drill
or drill press for holding bits or
other accessories.
Collet The sleeve that grips the
shank of a router bit.
Combination bladq A circular saw
blade designed for making both
crosscuts and rip cuts.
CrosscutA cut made across the
grain of a workpiece.
D-E-F-G.H-I
Dado head: A blade, or combina-
tion of blades and chippers, used to
cut dadoes in wood.
Dado: A rectangular channel cut
into a workpiece.
Dial indicator: A measuring device
with a magnetic base used to deter-
mine runout on stationary and
portable power tools, typically cali-
brated in thousandths of an inch.
Drill point angle The angle to
which a drill bit must be ground and
sharpened for efficient cutting.
Drive belt Any rubber belt that con-
nects a stationary power tool motor
with its arbor or spindle, sometimes
through a system of pulleys.
Drive center: A lathe accessory
mounted in either the tailstock or
headstock to support turning work;
can either be fixed or turn with the
work by means of ball-bearings.
Feeler gauge: A precisely ground
metal blade, furnished in sets, used
to accurately measure the gap
between tool parts.
Fence: An adjustable guide designed
to keep the edge or face of a work-
piece a set distance from the cutting
edge of a tool.
Ferrule: A metal ring that tightens
around the end ofa handle to pre-
vent splitting.
Frog: The part ofa hand plane that
supports the blade; usually the frog
can be moved back and forth to ad-
just
the mouth opening of the plane.
Grinding: The initial step in sharp-
ening where nicks are removed, the
cutting edge is squared, and the bev-
el is established; typically done on a
bench grinder.
t40
Gullet The gap between teeth on a
saw blade.
Honing: The process of converting
a rough-ground edge to a smooth,
uniform cutting edge.
Hoolc A uniform burr turned on
the cutting edges of a scraper.
Infeed: The part of a machine's
table that is in front of the blade
during a cutting operation.
l-K-r-M-N-O-P-Q
fointing:
Cutting thin shavings
from the edge and face of a work-
piece until they are flat and square.
Kerf: The space left when wood is
removed by the saw blade.
Kickback The tendency of a work-
piece to be thrown back in the direc-
tion of the operator of a tool.
Lapping: Rubbing the face of a
plane or chisel blade across a sharp-
ening stone to remove the burr that
results from honing the blade.
Microbevel A secondary bevel honed
on the cutting edge of a blade.
Miter cut A cut that angles across
the face of a workpiece.
Oilstone: Any natural or synthetic
sharpening stone that uses oil as
a lubricant.
Orbital action: The up-and-forward
movement of some saber saw blades
on their upstroke; replaces the tradi-
tional straight up-and-down action
of a reciprocating-type saber saw.
Also. the eccentric motion of the
abrasive disc on an orbital or ran-
dom-orbit sander.
Out-of-round wheel A band saw
wheel that is not perfectly round.
Outfeed: The part of a machine's
table that is behind the blade during
a cutting operation.
Platen: A support plate for sandpa-
per belts on sanders.
Positive stop: An adjustable screw
on a stationary power tool used to
keep the tool's table at a set angle,
typically 90'and 45o.
Quill:
A sleeve surrounding the
spindle of a drill press; the amount
that the quill can be raised and low-
ered determines the depth of hole a
drill press can bore.
R-S
Raker: A tooth in a saw blade that
clears sawdust and wood chips out
of the kerf.
Reverse thread: A machined thread
that tightens and loosens in the
opposite direction to the rotation
of the tool bit so that the cutter
remains tight during operation.
Rip cut A cut that follows the grain
of a workpiece-usually made along
its length.
Runout The amount of wobble in
tool's arbor or spindle.
Sharp: A cutting edge is said to be
sharp where two flat, polished sur-
faces meet at an angle.
Slipstone: A sharpening stone with
curved edges used to sharpen gouges
and other similarly shaped tools.
Snipe: A concave cut created by a
jointer
or planer at the end of a
workpiece, the result of improper
pressure on the workpiece or inac-
curately set table height.
Spindle: The threaded arbor on a
power tool that turns cutters and
accessorres.
Square Two surfaces of a workpiece
that are at 90" to each other.
Stropping: Polishing a sharpened
edge to a mirror-like finish using
strips of leather impregnated with
fine abrasive compounds.
T-U-V-W-X.Y-Z
Tearout The tendency of a blade
or cutter to tear the fibers of wood,
leaving ragged edges on the surface
of the workpiece.
Teeth per inch
(TPI):
A unit of
measurement used to identifr types
and uses of saw blades by the num-
ber of teeth per inch of blade length.
Ternper: The degree ofhardness
in tool steel; also, the color of steel
after the tempering process.
Tracking: Adjusting a band saw
blade or abrasive belt so that it is
centered on the tool's wheels.
Waterstone: Any natural or synthet-
ic sharpening stone that uses water
as a lubricant.
Wheel dresser: A device used to
true the working surface of a grind-
ing wheel and expose fresh abrasive.
r4l
INDEX
Page reference s in italics indicate an illus-
tration ofsubject matter. Page references
in bold indicate a Build It Yourself project.
A-B-C-D
Abrasives, b ack endp ap er
Adzes, 51,53,54
Air compressors, 139
Air pumps:
Scroll saws. 137
Axes,51,54
Choosing a durable ax handle (Shop
Tip), sa
Band saws:
Blades, .123
repairing broke n blades, 7 6- 7 7
rounding a band saw blade (Shop
Tip),75
sharpening, T3-74
storage, 78
Guide assemblies, 1 23- 1 24
Heat-resistant guide blocks, 59, 75
Table alignment, 1 24- 1 25
Wheels, 120-121
alignment, 104, 122
balancing a band saw wheel (Shop
Tip), 122
Belt sanders, 88
Bench grinders, 16, 20,21
Grindingjigs,13
Multi-tool
jigs,
16
Reversing wheel guards for buffing
(Shop Ti p),22
Wheels
dressing,22
identification. 20
Bench planes, 39
Assembly and adjustment, 3fl 45
Blades
grinding with a sander (Shop Tip), 42
honing guide and anglejigs, 17
sharpening, 41-44
squaring, 13
Refurbishing, 4G41
Benchstones. 13
Oilstones. 18
Truing, 19
'Waterstones,
12, 17,18, 19
Bevels, back endpaper
Microbevels, 15
Bi ts,60
Dri]ls
auger bits, 55-57
brad-point bits,68-69
drill bit grinding attachments, 58, 61
drill bit sharpening
jigs,
6 1, 66
Forstner bits. 67
multispur bits, 68
spade bits, 69
spoon bits, 55, 57
storage, 89
twist bits, 58, 65-66
Routers
non-piloted bits, 62
piloted bits, 63
router bit sharpeners, 61
storage, 89
Storing bits
(Shop Tip), 89
Blades, 60
Band saws. 123
Bench planes, 13, 17,41-44
Circular saws, 61 72,86
Radial arm saws,64, 113, 117, 118, 119
Saber saws, 93
Scroll saws. 136-137
Shapers,62,6j
Table saws, 64,70, 109
See also Knives
Braces,55-57
Brush assemblies, 98
Build It Yourself:
Hand tools
bench vise saw holders. 28
gouge-sharpening
jigs,
33
Mobile sharpening dollies, 23
Chisels:
Handles,3I
Sharpening,32
Circular saws, 88, 97
Blades
alignment, 86
blade-setting
jigs,
61, 72
blade-sharpen ing
jigs,
6 1, 7 2
changing, 7.1
cleaning, Tl
sharpeting, T2
Compressors, 139
Disc-and-belt sanders, 1 38- 1 39
Drawknives, 24, 51, 53, 54
Dressers, 16,22
Drill presses, 131
Chucks, 131-132
Runout.105
Table alignment, 131
checking table alignment
(Shop
Tip), 132
Drills,88, 95
Bits
auger brts, 55-5./
bit grinding attachments, 58 6l
brad-point bits,68-69
Forstner bits, 67
multi-spur bits, 68
sharpening
jigs,
61, 66
spade bits, 69
spoon bits, 5t 57
storage, 89
twist bits, 58, 65-66
See also Drill presses
E.F.G.H
Electrical outlets,
front
endpaper
Electric drills. See Drills
Extension cords.89
Files, 17
Gouges,25, 30
Handl es,3l
Sharpening
carving gouges, 3G37
gouge-sharpening jigs,
33
roughing-out gouges, 3 3
-
3 4
spindle gouges, 35
v-tools, 38
Shop-made honing guides and rust
removers (Shop Tip), 34
Grinders. See Bench grinders
Grinding, 15
Handsaws:
Bench vise saw holders, 28
Fiing,26-27,29
loirlting,29
Setting,26,29
Storage
saw holders (Shop Tip), 27
Hand tools, 25
Drills.55-57
Roughing and shaping tools, 5.1-54
See alsoBench planes; Chisels; Gouges;
Handsaws; Scrapers
Hatchets. SeeAxes
Honing, 15
r-J-K-L
Inshaves, 51,53,54
Iigs:
Grinders
grinding jigs,l3
multitool
jigs,
16
Hand tools
gouge-sharpening jigs, 28
handsaws,28
Plane honing guide and an$e
jigs,
17
Routers
plywood truingjigs, ST
Sharpening power tools
circular saw blade-settirrg
jigs,
61, 72
circular saw blade-sharpening
j i gs,61,72
drill bit grinding attachments, 5& 6l
drill bit sharpening
jigs,61,66
jointer/planer
knife-setting
jigs,
61, 79
r42
f
ointer/planer knife-sharpening
ji9s,61,82-83
planer/jointer magnetic knife-
setting
jigs,
29, 85
twist bit sharpening
jigs,
66
Jointers,
126
Knife-setting
jigs,
61, 79
Knife-sharpening
jigs,
61, 82- 83
Knives
betrels, back endpaper
installation, 85
sharyenrng,79-84
shifting knives for longer life
(Shop Tip), 8l
Positive stops, 126, 127
Sni pe,128
Table alignment, 1 27- 1 28
Table height, .126
Knives:
Jointers
bevels, back endpaper
installation, 85
knife-setting
jigs,
61, 79
knife-sharpening
jigs,
61, 82-83
sharpening, 79-84
shifting knives for longer life
(Shop Tip), 8l
Molding knives, 64
Planers
banels, back endpaper
knife-setting
jigs,
61, 79
knife-sharpening
jigs,
61, 82-83
Lapping, 15
Lathes,133-134
Lowe, Philip, S-9
M-N-O-P-Q
Microbevels, 15
Oilstones, l8
Orbital sanders. 88
Planers, 126
Cleaning, 129,130
Knives
betrels,back endpaper
knife-setting
ji gs, 6 1, 79
knife-sharpening
jigs,
61, 82-83
sharpening, 79,85
Rollers,.l29
Table alignment, 130
Planes. See Bench planes
Plate
joiners,
88, 94
Plugs,102-103
Polishing, 15
Power tools:
Brush assemblies, 98
Drive belts, 106
Electrical supply,
front
endpaper, 89
cords, 100-101
phtgs,102-10j
switches, 99, 107
wattage ratings,
front
endpaper
Lathes, 133-134
Maintenance, 8, 87-89, 105
Plate
joiners,
88
Safety precautions,
front
endpaper, 98
disabling a power tool
(Shop Tip), i03
Scroll saws, 136-137
installing an airpump (Shop Tip), l3Z
Shapers, 62,135
storage racks for shaper cutters
(Shop Tip), 63
TabIes, 107
See alsoBand saws; Bench grinders;
Circular saws; Drill presses; Drills;
Jointers;
Planers; Radial arm saws;
Routers; Saber saws; Sanders;
Table saws
R-S-T-U-V
Radialarmsaws, 113
Auxiliarytables, l19
Blades
blade heel, 113, 118
squari ng, 117,119
Cl amps, 11+115
Cleaning, ll3
Fences,119
Molding knives, 64
Sliding mechanisms, l13, lI6
Table adjustment, 174
Routers, 88,90,98
Bits,62-63
router bit sharpeners, 6l
storage, 89
Collet runout, 9l
Sub-bases
truing,87
Saber saws, 88, 92
Blades
extending blade life (Shop Tip), 93
squaring, 93
Safety precautions:
Power tools,
fo
nt endp ap er, 98
disabling a power tool (Shop Tip), 103
Sanders, 88, 96
Disc-and-belt sanders, 1 38- 1 39
Scrapers, 46
Banels, back endpaper
Sharpening
cabinet scrapers, 46, 48- 50
handscrapers, 46, 47-48
maintaining the correct burnishing
angle
(Shop Tip), 50
Scroll saws:
Blades, 136-137
Installing an air pump (Shop Tip), l3Z
Shapers, 62,135
Storage racks for shaper cutters
(Shop Tip), 63
Sharpening stones. see Benchstones
Sharpening techniques, 6, I 1, 13-15
Sharpening to ols, 1 6- 1 7
Belt sanders
grinding with a sander (Shop Tip), 42
Burnishers,46
maintaining the correct burnishing
angle (Shop Tip), 50
variable burnishers, 46
Dtessers, 16,22
Mobile sharpening dollies, 23
For power tools, 6l
See also Bench grinders; Benchstones
Shop Tips:
Hand tools, 27, 34,42, 50, 54
Portable power tools, 22, 89,93, 103
Stationary power tools, 63, 75, 81, 110,
122, 132, 137
Spokeshaves, 51,52,54
Starr, Richard,6-2
Stones. see Benchstones
Strops, back endpaper, 17
Switches, 99, 107
Table saws:
Blades
angle adjustment, 109
changrng, T0
storage, T0
Cleaning, 108, 112
Height and tilt mechanisms, -l12
Miter gauges
fixing a loose miter gauge (Shop
Tip), 110
squaring, lI0
Molding knives, 64
Rip fences, I l1
Table alignment, 108-109, 111
Table inserts, 112
Tip burning, l1
Tools. See Hand tools; Power tools;
Sharpening tools
Twist bits:
Bevels,back endpaper
w-x-Y-z
Waterstones, 18, -19
fapanese
finish stones, 12,18, 19
Storage units, 17
Waymark, Ian, l&11
Wet/dry grinders, 16, 20, 21
r43
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The editors wish to thank the
following
SHARPENING BASICS
Cooper Tools, Apex, NC; Delta International Machinery/Porter Cable, Guelph, Ont.; Diamond Machinery Technology Inc.,
Marlborough, MA; Garrett Wade Company, New York, NY; Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Ottawa, Ont; Record Tools Inc., Pickeiing, Ont.;
The Woodworkers Store, Rogers, MN; Tool Trend Ltd., Concord, Ont.; Unicorn Abrasives of Canada, Brockville, Ont.;
Veritas Tools Inc., Ottawa Ont./Ogdensburg, NY; Woodcraft Supply Corp., Parkersburg, WV
SHARPENING AND MAINTAINING HAND TOOLS
Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; Anglo-American Enterprises Corp., Somerdale, Nf; Black and Decker/Elu Power Tools,
_Hunt
Valley, MD; C-ooper Tools, Apex, NC; Delta International Machinery/Porter Cable, Guelph, Ont.; Diamond Machinery
Technology Inc., Marhorough, MA; Garrett Wade Company, New York, NY; General Tools Manufacturing Co., New York, IriY;
Great Neck Saw Mfrs. Inc. (Buck Bros. Division), Millbury MA; Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Ottawa, Ont.; Norton Abrasives
Canada Inc., Montreal,
Que.;
Record Tools Inc., Pickering, Ont.; Robert Sorby Ltd., Sheffield, U.K./Busy Bee Machine Tools,
Concord, Ont.; Sandvik Saws and Tools Co., Scranton, PA; The Woodworkers Store, Rogers, MN;
Veritas Tools Inc., Ottawa Ont./Ogdensburg, NY; Woodcraft Supply Corp., Parkersburg, \4IV
S}IARPENING POWER TOOL BLADES AND BITS
Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; Adwood Corp., High Point, NC; Anglo-American Enterprises Corp., Somerdale, NJ;
Black and Decker/Elu Power Tools, Hunt Valley, MD; Cooper Tools, Apex, NC; Delta International Machinery/Porter Cable,
Guelp!, Ont.; Diamond Machinery Technology Inc., Marlborough, MA; Garrett Wade Company, New York, NY;
General Tools Manufacturing Co., New York, NY; Great Neck Saw Mfrs. Inc. (Buck Bros. Division), Millbury, MA;
Hitachi Power Tools U.S.A. Ltd., Norcross, GA; Laguna Tools, Laguna Beach, CA; Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Ottawa, Ont.;
Norton Abrasives Canada Inc., Montreal,
Que.;
Record Tools Inc., Pickering, Ont.; Sandvik Saws and Tools Co., Scranton, PA;
The Woodworkers Store, Rogers, MN; Tool Trend Ltd., Concord, Ont.; Veritas Tools Inc., Ottawa Ont./Ogdensburg, NY;
Woodcraft Supply Corp., Parkersburg, \MV; Woodstock International, Bellingham, WA; Wood Systems Inc., New Beilin, WI
MAINTAINING PORTABLE POWER TOOLS
Adjustable CI?Tp Co., Chicago, Irt Bhck and Decker/Elu Power Tools, Hunt Valley, MD; Delta International Machinery/Porter
Cable, Guelph, Ont.; Dewalt Industrial Tool Co., Hampstead, MD; General Tools Manufacturing Co., Inc., New York, NY;
Hitachi Power Tools U.S.A. Ltd., Norcross, GA; Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Ottawa, Ont.; Newman Tools Inc., Montreal,
Que;
Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, IL; Stanley Tools, Division of the Stanley Works, New Britain, CT;
Steiner-Lamello A.G Switzerland/Colonial Saw Co., Kingston, MA; Tool Trend Ltd., Concord, Ont.
MAINTAINING STATIONARY POWER TOOLS
Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; Campbell Hausfeld, Harrison, OH; Cooper Tools, Apex, NC; Delta International
Machinery/Porter Cable, Guelph, Ont.; General Tools Manufacturing Co., Inc., New York, NY; Hitachi Power Tools U.S.A. Ltd.,
Norcross, GA;
|elEquipment
and Tools, Auburn, WA; Newman Tools Inc., Montreal,
Que;
Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, IL;
Stanley Tools, Division of the Stanley Works, New Britain, CT; Vermont American Corp., Lincolnton, NC and LouisvilleiKY
The
following
persons also assisted in the preparation of this book:
Lorraine Dor6, Graphor Consultation, Solange Laberge, Rob Lutes, Genevidve Monette
PICTURE CREDITS
Cover Robert Chartier
6,7 Marie Louise Duruaz
8,9 Steve Lewis
l0,llPerry Zavitz
14 (Iower left, lower right)Hans Blohm
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ABRASIVE CHART
TYPE OF ABRASIVE
Emery paper
Garnet sandpapel
Al umi num oxi de sandpaper
Si l i con carbi de sandpaper
WeUdry si l i con carbi de sandpapel
Si l i con carbi de l appi ng compounds
Steel wool
ABRASIVE OUALITY
Cnar co. f ai r l v cnf i
Medi um
Medi um t o f i ne; har d
Fi ne; har d
Fi ne; ver y har d
Ext r emel y f i ne and har d
Coarse to fi ne; soft
USES
Fl at t eni ng pl ane sol es
Fi ner gri ts used for general
sharpen i ng
Fi ner gr i t s used f or honi ng t ool
bl ades and bevel s
Honi ng t ool bl ades and bevel s
Lappi ng backs of t ool bl ades
Pol i shi ng t ool s; l appi ng backs
of tool bl ades
Cl eani ng t abl es of st at i onar y
power tool s
WORKSHOP GUI DE
AVAILABLE GRITS
Coarse/med i um/f i ne
50-280
40-400
80-600
60- 1 200
90-600
0/00/000/0000
MAKING A C()MBINATION STROP
Nol hi nq pul a a mi rror f i ni sh and razor-eharV edqe
on Lool e l i ke an ol d-f aehi oned et rroo. A combi naLi on
st roV l i ke Nhe one ehown bel ow al l owe you t o work uV
to a hi qh pol i eh wi th several qradee of buffi ng com'
Vounds.
To make t he st roV, ei mVl y cut a
Vi ece
of
2- i nch- squar e har dwood eNock abouN12 i nches
l onq and l ur n a handl e on one end. Gl ue el r i pe of
ecrap l eaNher Lo each of t he f our si dee; harness
l eat rher worke besL, al t houqh an ol d bel t r wi l l do t he
Lri ck. The f i rst l hree ei des can be charged wi Lh
coaroe t o f i ne buf f i nq compoundo: f or f i nal
Vol i ohi nq,
Lhe l aet , ei de i e ueed wi Lhoul any compound.
BEVEL ANGLES FOR CUTTERS
vg
Turning
acraper: 8O'
,''-------------)
,"\to"
?
Chi sel s:3O'
(parin4 chteel 20",
morttetnq chieel 4O')
ffi
Jointer and planer
kni ves:35'
Plane iron: 3O'
(eofLwoode 25")
Oouge:
35'-55"
9kew:3O"
Twiet. bit:59"