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Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Woodworking But Were Afraid to Ask

Mar 162007
 

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Woodworking But Were Afraid to Ask
Quite often we receive questions from customers prefaced by “Please don’t tell anyone I asked you this, but…” or “I’m embarrassed to admit I don’t know this, but…” or “I’ve been woodworking since high school shop class, but I don’t know…”

So we've decided to address several of those nagging little questions that you just can’t bring yourself to ask your woodworking buddies.

What exactly is a board foot and how do I determine the number of board feet in a piece of wood?

What is the difference between Flat Top, ATB, and Combination tooth saw blades and which kind should I use?

I know what a dovetail joint is, but what is a half-blind or blind dovetail?

What is the "Golden Ratio"? Why is it referred to so much in woodworking and furniture design?

Almost every article I read about sharpening refers to “Scary Sharp”? What the heck does that mean?

What finish should I use on children’s toys?

Visit Highland Woodworking for more questions AND the answers.

Irwin Quick-Grip XP Bar Clamp & Spreader

Mar 152007
 

165701.jpgThe Irwin Quick-Grip XP Bar Clamp & Spreader is a super heavy-duty version of Irwin’s famous one-handed Quick-Grip Clamp. They’ve replaced the standard bar with a thicker/wider steel I-beam that definitely resists bending, bowing and racking. The jaws of the XP toe in like a good bench vise, so clamping pressure stays exactly where you want it. Irwin claims the XP can achieve 900 lbs of clamping force when using two hands. Of course we just had to take it apart to see why it’s able to exert so much more force than standard one-hand clamps. Pulling the metal plate off the trigger housing, we noticed two sets of massive clutch plates that give you a fantastic mechanical advantage. The first set moves the jaws for clamping/spreading while the trigger release operates the second set. The trigger provides enough leverage to free the clamp even at maximum pressure without pinching your hand or shooting the bar back at you.
Like all current issue Quick-Grips, the XP’s fixed head reverses with a pull of a clip for spreading operations. If you’ve ever tried to repair a chair or tighten tongue and groove flooring, then you know how handy this feature is. Oh, and don’t worry about losing the retaining clip, it’s permanently attached. Irwin also seems to have eliminated the annoying habit of pads popping off the jaws. The bottom line is that these are some impressive clamps that should hold up and perform well in real world conditions.
Visit Highland Woodworking for more information.

Don’t Miss Highland Woodworking’s Spring One Day Sale!

Mar 132007
 

Highland Woodworking Spring One Day SaleSaturday, May 5th
9am-4pm
1045 N. Highland Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30306

Come spend the day at Highland Woodworking for our Spring One Day Sale! We’ll have free woodworking demonstrations throughout the day, free refreshments, door prizes and special in-store pricing on hundreds of items.

The shops and eateries here in Virginia-Highlands will keep your family fed and busy all day, so bring the whole clan and come on down! We won’t have a tent, so there will be parking available in our lot.

Directions to Our Store

Adjustable Torque Screwdriver with 28 Bits

Mar 122007
 

Adjustable Torque Screwdriver with 28 BitsHere’s a truly unique screwdriver that stands out in a crowd – an Adjustable Torque Screwdriver with 28 Bits! With a turn of a wrist, the spring loaded slip clutch goes from 2-36 in/lb of torque with an accuracy of ±6%. When you’ve reached the desired torque, the clutch disengages. A built-in scale indicates your setting.

If you’re looking for a gift, they can’t possibly have one of these yet. Comes with 26 hex bits with 1/4″ shanks, a 2″ extension, and a 1/4″ drive adapter for sockets, all in a fitted plastic case.

Visit Highland Woodworking for more information.

Small Shop Dust Collection Simplified

Mar 122007
 

Small Shop Dust Collectionby Chris Black

Dust collection is one of those topics you could write a book about and several people have. The book Woodshop Dust Control, Revised by Sandor Nagyszalanczy is probably the best one out there. Dust control is something you know you should do, but where do you start and how do you proceed? You’ve probably asked yourself questions like, do I need a central system, what about grounding and how much is this going to cost?

For most small general woodworking shops, dust control is simple and affordable. Learn a few basic concepts up front that you can apply to most situations, and the specifics will take care of themselves.

Visit Highland Woodworking for the full article.