WoodDance Studio » Review

Makita LS1013FL Compound Sliding Miter Saw

admin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:29:11 +0000

I finally bought a new Compound Miter Saw to replace my Bosch 3915. My Bosch compound miter saw is still in great working condition but it has a problem with the blade guard. You can read about the common problem elsewhere.
I say finally because for two years I’ve had to lift the guard with my thumb while pressing down on the saw until the bump in the guard slide passes the bearing before beginning each cut, otherwise the saw will NOT move down. Years, ugh!

I chose the Makita LS1013FL 15 Amp 10-Inch Dual Bevel Compound Sliding Miter Saw with Laser and Fluorescent Light despite several ‘issues’ I have with the saw. The first thing that does not appeal to me is the location of the miter gauge arrow. It’s on the far right, at the fence. Beside having to twist around to that side of the machine to see what angle you are selecting, you cannot see the setting while material is against the fence. WTF? The rest of the Makita’s details seem beautiful. This will be my first saw with a flex work-light and a laser. I can’t count the jobs I’ve clamped a halogen above my saw station to get in a few more cuts end of the day.
It’s much smoother and with a more powerful cut than the DEWALT DW716 I had. My new Makita is mounted on a Rigid Mobile Miter Saw Stand, which is damn heavy but very helpful.

I picked up the Makita LS1013FL for $399 at Home Depot due to a mismarked label.

slab and a box for my ‘touch’

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:11:39 +0000

I finished a bench made from a pine slab that’s been sitting around for 20 years. I sent a picture to my friend who gave me the wood almost a decade ago. He said his father will enjoy giving a “I told you so” to his wife who questioned keeping the piece for so many years.

This past weekend, I built myself a secure box to protect a new Logitech AudioStation and my iPod Touch while on the jobsite, complete with power outlets, extended cord and metal speaker grilles.

A 4×6 served the final blow to a cheap RCA radio with an AUX input I used before so I set out to find a replacement, this time with a dock. At the beginning of the summer I purchased the least expensive unit I could find at Circuit City, the GPX BI108B Radio Docking System, as a “disposable” jobsite radio.

The GPX BI108B Radio Docking System is an FM radio with an iPod dock and a special spot for the new iPod shuffle. I used this GPX unit on my jobsite for about three months with my iPod Touch but most of the movable parts have broken off. Sensing imminent destruction of my iPod Touch I bought an iPod shuffle and clipped it on. It’s a great combo but the volume is seriously lacking, especially over the din of construction. Unplugged, the radio burned through a set of batteries in a day, the sound is distorted over volume 6 and though it’s form factor is a plus, it just isn’t cutting it on the job.

I found a rebate deal for the Logitech AudioStation Speaker System, bringing the MSRP $149 radio to $29.99. Now, this is a much louder, much more substantial radio system for the iPod. I built the box from maple and 1/2″ plywood to encase the Logitech system. My new jobsite radio case has a heavy-duty 8′ power cord, two outlets on the exterior and is wired inside with antennas and an A/C outlet for the radio. I used lexan for the ‘window’ and aluminum grilles to protect the speakers. I’ll wrap them with material to keep out dust when I find some.

I used a drawer lock to latch the lid, sprayed the interior and exterior black, stained the lid, applied my stencil and plugged it in.

Gorilla Ladder

admin — Thu, 22 May 2008 05:18:14 +0000

I like my Gorilla 4-in-1 Ladder. It is a little heavy to tote around but it’s well worth it’s weight on the jobsite!

I was looking for another on Amazon and found 106 reviews resulting in a 4.5 star rating for the Werner 22-Foot Type 1A 300-Pound Duty Rating Telescoping Multiladder.

I have used almost every combination these ladders offer. This week I am building a deck on uneven ground and just about anywhere I drop this ladder it’s stable. Having a heavier duty product and two sides to stand on makes it a better work platform than any of my other ladders.

The Wing Little Giant Ladder System 22- Foot 300-Pound Work Platform also gets a 4.5 star rating but from 40 reviews. The Little Giant has wheels and is a 30% more expensive than the Werner.

Of course I like my lighter ladders for most situations but my Gorilla Ladder is without a doubt one important tool on my jobsite.

Sharpening correctly changed my skill level.

admin — Sat, 02 Apr 2005 02:00:55 +0000

Hello, I’d like to write a quick recommendation because learning to sharpen my chisel and plane blades correctly changed my skill as a carpenter forever.

One day I took the time to learn how to correctly sharpen a chisel and went out and splurged for the DMT W6F 6″ Diamond Whetstone Sharpener, Fine with Hardwood Box and from that day on my skill as a carpenter changed.
I carry this diamond sharpener in my toolbox and use it regularly. I also carry the coarse model, DMT W6C 6″ Diamond Whetstone Sharpener.

Instructions on how to sharpen are available on the DMT website.

As an active carpenter I sharpen my tools on a regular basis. Sometimes I will resharpen a chisel more than once in a single day. When the skill of sharpening a chisel on the DMT Diamond Bench Stones was mastered my chisel became my favorite and most versatile tool and the quality of my work changed dramatically.
I would recommend diamond sharpening plates for anyone interested in sharpening their own steel and I would say that for a craftsman, these are an invaluable asset and a mandatory addition to one’s daily tools. I couldn’t live without them.