Alex Workshop

Having good tools are a crucial part of working in any kind of workshop. If you buy jet power tools then you will be getting a great value for your money. This business gives you a great range of power tools that can improve the quality of your existing workshop or help you create a new one. From a table saw to a power drill, they have everything you need to succeed.

Jet Lathe

This type of lathe is very easy to put together and has well written instructions to make everything running smoother for you. You may also receive another bonus tool depending on what kind of lathe you purchase. Some of the lathes will have a 8 piece chisel set or other types of tools with them. You can save money when you buy a lathe from this company. If you already own chisels, it doesn’t matter because you can always use more.

Jet Lathe Features

-There are up to 6 varying settings for speed and this can range from 550 to 3000 rpm which gives you a wider range of options.

-The settings also have 35″ length between the center.

-Lots of horsepower and ¾ horsepower motor.

-There is 12″ swing over bed.

Table Saw

If you get a good Jet table saw then you will have all the power you need for your personal wood working shop. You can choose between 3 to 5 horsepower motor on your table saw depending on your needs. Expect a 30 to 50 inch fence. It is quite simple to set up your table saw and the instructions are easy to read. Your blade will need to be replaced once in awhile, but the saws will last for decades.

Jet Table Saw Features

-A suspended motor drive mechanism.
-For safer use there is a blade guard and an anti kick back piece.
-You can attach a suction hose to the dust collection piece to keep things cleaner.
-The cross section is contoured on the rail to give you more surface area.
-There are two start buttons to prevent accidents.
-The fence will lock to the forward rail.

More Jet Power Tools

You can find Jet planers in different styles such as an open and a close stand. You can also find one that is portable for working in other places. These come in cast iron and steel, which makes them stable and durable. The planer has 3 horsepower and the motor is kept cool by a fan. It also comes with a 3-inch dust chute, extendable rollers, and controls that are magnetic. The table can adjust with no problems so they are more useful.

If you buy a Jet floor mount drill it wil have ¾ horsepower motor and will come with 12-16 speeds, this will depend on which model you purchase. You can et a 13-inch table that has loads of room to work. You can also get the 45-degree tilt feature with a quick release clamp too.

The Jet bench mount drill gives you 16-speed settings that go form 200 to 3630 rpm. Since the workspace is 10 x 13 inches you will have lots of room. You will also get a ¾ horsepower motor with this tool. Jet tools make creating your own workshop easier than ever.

Linden J. Walhard
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/a-jet-table-saw-will-make-your-life-easer-127233.html

This is a video that i made for a contest that Gibson for musicians and craftsmen to make their own versions of the famous Gibson Les Paul electric guitar.  Watchmy progress in this and my other videos.  I think you’ll be impressed..

Duration : 0:1:12

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Technorati Tags: contest, Gibson, Guitar, home, Les, made, Paul

As any woodworking fanatic will know a bench is an essential fixture in any good workshop. Fine woodworking benches can either be portable or a permanent fixture. Some even may come equipped with drawers, vises or a drafting table tilt top. But a good quality bench will not only help the work to go faster and more accurately it will also keep the user safe.

Today a good workbench will come in all shapes and sizes. It may be a small foldable one that can be taken from job to job or it may be heavy furniture like piece with drawers and cabinets, which is a permanent fixture in someone’s workshop. Often the permanent woodworking benches have a standard top and their counter height is normally about 36″ from the ground. This is ideal for many woodworking projects, but if you want you can purchase an adjustable bench. This is particularly handy if you want to tailor them to your own height and also the tools that you will be working with.

So when looking for a bench what should you be considering?

1. Look for one that you feel most comfortable with. If you can visit your local store and try out a few woodworking benches to see what suits you best. It is important that the bench is not only comfortable for your size but also how you work. This will ensure that you will have a safe and convenient place in order for getting your work done.

2. Look at what kinds of accessories you can get for your woodworking bench or what is included. Many woodworking benches come with a vice that is attached to them. There are three main types of vice that are available. The front vice screw, the tail or end vice screw and the quick action vice (but this is more often used for those working in metal). Also many woodworking benches come with dog holes as well as bench dogs that can be used for clamping operations. They can also be used as stops in order for work to butt up against them. These are often 19mm in diameter and are either made from hard wood, solid brass or some other soft material such as plastic in order that they do not damage what the person is working on.
So remember when looking for fine woodworking benches you should consider the points above. But probably the most important thing is finding a bench that you will comfortable working at.

Douglas Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/what-to-look-for-when-considering-a-woodworking-bench-107420.html

Two main types of wood are softwood and hardwood. Another popular choice is manufactured wood like plywood. Which type of wood you choose to use for your projects depends upon a variety of factors including: budget and cost, needed strength, hardness, grain characteristics and coloring, stability, weight, durability and availability.

Softwood

Beginning word crafters most often start out using softwood like pine because as it’s soft, it’s easier to work, plus you don’t need expensive tools to get quality results. Pine is readily available at local lumberyards and home centers, note that it does have limitations in furniture making since it is a soft wood and can damage easily.

Softwood comes from a coniferous (cone-bearing) or an evergreen tree. Popular varieties include fir, pine, cedar, spruce, hemlock and redwood. Although these types of woods are used a lot in the home construction industry in flooring and other projects, redwood and cedar are excellent choices for outdoor projects like benches, and pine is used a lot in “Early American Country Style” bench and other furniture projects.

Couple of tips:

- Pine and other softwoods generally absorb and lose moisture more than hardwoods, hence they are not considered as stable.

- Buy your lumber at least two weeks before starting your project and keep it indoors.

- You can usually find softwoods in standard thickness and widths like 1 X 4 at 3/4″
thick and 3 1/2″ wide, similar to construction materials.

Note that wood is most often priced per lineal foot, with the price increasing accordingly for wider boards.

Hardwood

Hardwood lumber comes from deciduous trees. Among the main domestic varieties are maple, oak, birch, cherry, ash, walnut and poplar. Poplar and red oak are those commonly stocked in home centers and lumberyards. And stock is generally sold in similar dimensions as it is in softwood, also by the lineal foot. You can call ahead to see what types of wood are available and in what sizes at specialty lumber and construction supply stores.

Working with hardwoods is quite different from working with pine. For example, you cannot drive a screw through hardwood lumber without first boring a pilot hole. Plus cutting as well as planing hardwoods requires very sharp tools.

Hardwoods like ash and oak are known as open-grain woods, with alternating areas of relatively porous and dense wood, and are good to use with furniture crafting. Open-grain areas absorb the color readily when stained, while the harder areas are more resistant. This tends to accentuate the grain patterns and can create a dramatic effect.

For more information about flooring, visit: http://www.tipsonflooring.com and for more information on benches visit http://www.bench411.com

Jim Ames
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/choosing-wood-for-your-projects-softwood-and-hardwood-134200.html

This is the class description:

Students taking this class will work on a pre-selected project using either hand tools and/or small power tools. The project will include most phases of woodworking skills: cutting, gluing, sanding and assembly. Materials for this project will be furnished, however, students are encouraged to bring their own power or hand tools to use.

Any suggestions?

That would depend on how well the shop is equipped with shop tools and hand tools. Start by bringing a good apron, tape measure and pencil. If you are serious about woodworking in the future you'll want your own tools because you won't be able to use THEIR tools and shop forever. I do a lot of woodworking in my small garage. I started out slowly and over the course of a few years have 90% of everything I need. The best investment I made was the Ridgid portable table saw and portable sliding compound miter saw which cost me about $500. each, but have already paid for themselves over and over again. I also have lots of portable drills, circular saws and belt sanders. Because I also do remodeling of other people's homes, I own some pneunamatic nailers and power tools and a good air compressor to power them. Good Luck

Chess is a very old game that pits two simulated “armies”, evenly matched, across a simple terrain. Each game is a fierce combat fought by foot soldiers, knights, kings, and queens. Although Chess does not deal with numbers and equations, it is like math in many ways. Playing chess has always involved problem-solving skills, which are imperative when working out math equations that have many steps. However, unlike math, the ultimate aim in a Chess game is to vanquish the opponent by “killing” the opposing King. Chess is one of the most popular board games in the world, and possibly the most time-consuming. Truly, life’s too short for chess, and because players spend hours staring at the Chess Board, it is small wonder they are willing to invest large sums of money for purchasing intricately carved, stylish wood chess sets.

Chess can be easily played anywhere. For just a few extra dollars, you can purchase beautiful wood chess sets that enhance your gaming experience. Many varieties of wood are used to make wood chess sets. The traditional or commonly used woods are Golden Rosewood and Boxwood. Some of the more exotic woods include Ebony, Red Sandalwood, and Rosewood. The riches of wood chess sets seem to be inexhaustible. Many chess aficionados prefer wood chess sets because of the elegant feel and natural look of the units. It is indeed astonishing that even after centuries of analysis, Chess poses us with ever new and ever more profound questions.

Although Chess is the fairest of games, the rules of chess do not keep score of accumulated interim results. A player can build up a sizeable advantage over his opponent and keep it during most stages of the contest. But a few seconds lack of attention can squander all his hard work. In chess no one counts advantages, only the ultimate result matters. There is a well-known saying among chess players: “You learn more from the games that you lose than from the games you win.” Of course, to learn from your lost games you must have the strength to face up to them rather than trying to forget that they ever happened.

Chess is so popular that there are actual chess tournements that happen all around the world. These tournements challenge even the best chess players. There is usually a monetary award given to the winners. These awards range from small financial rewards and go as high asa you can imagine.

Keith Londrie
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/custommade-wood-chess-sets-56910.html

In this episode, I discuss a fundamental woodworking joint, the mortise and tenon.

Duration : 0:9:42

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Technorati Tags: mortise, tenon, wood, woodworking

Wood Shop Fire Prevention

By Lee Bowman

Fire prevention is cheap compared to the cost of your equipment.

The best fire prevention is a clean shop and good wiring.

Sawdust flies through the air then settles down in hard to find places that do not get cleaned up and creates a fire hazard. Your first investment should be a dust collection system connected to your table saw, miter saw, and anything else that creates sawdust. The dust collection system should be grounded with a copper wire running through the inside of the plastic tube to your saw. Sawdust traveling through the tube causes static electricity, which can start a fire in the tube.

Other ways that fires start in wood shops are usually caused by sparks and bad wiring. If the motor on your table saw shorts out, for example, and throws a few sparks that land in sawdust, you have a fire starter. Same is true for bad wiring in the shop.

A hazard that people often overlook is spontaneous combustion caused by rags soaked with turpentine or other flammable solvents. Always put them in a tightly closed container.

Remember to post a couple of no smoking signs around the shop to remind friends who stop by not to smoke in the shop. A hot ash in the saw dust could mean new equipment and maybe new friends.

With a nice clean shop, and everything in good working condition, there still is a chance of a potential fire. To make sure no fire that might get started gets out of control you need the right fire extinguishers on hand. If you do not have fire extinguishers, you should invest in them as soon as possible. The best fire extinguishers for a wood shop are ones with a rating of 2A10B-C.

Depending on the size of you shop, you should have an extinguisher every 25 feet of walking space. They should be mounted near doors in your shop. Keep all the extinguishers charged and up to date. Dead extinguishers are as good as not having any extinguishers at all.

For more great woodworking tips, plans, magazines, and tools, go to http://www.leestoolbench.com

Copyright by Lee Bowman

Lee Bowman
http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/wood-shop-fire-prevention-87622.html

Part 1 of 3 -
John W. Nixon from Eagle Lake Woodworking demonstrates how to build a classic oak blanket chest. Some of the notable features include - Dovetailed Construction, Exposed Spline Joints, An Arts and Crafts inspired style, and replica hand-hammered hardware.

The 23 minutes video covers:
* Gluing up wide panels.
* Making a dovetailed box.
* Pattern routing.
* Spline joints.
* Shop-made laminate press.
* Installing hardware - hinges, lid support, & lockset.
* 3 step finish process using dye, stain and polyurethane.

Visit www.eagleLakeWoodworking.com to see the rest of the videos in this series, as well as videos on other woodworking topics.

Eagle Lake Woodworking is the home of the world’s first foot-activated motorized router lift that makes router table mortising quick and easy.

Duration : 0:9:37

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Technorati Tags: and, arts, blanket, chest, crafts, Dovetail, mission, oak, woodworking