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Dust can hurt you, and dust collection now stands alongside safety glasses, hearing protection, and hard hats as standard safety equipment. Recent tool design reflects this awareness. Dust pick-ups are being built into sanders, routers, planers, and saws. As with most safety equipment, the problem...
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I tested eight saws: the Bosch 1590EVSK, Craftsman 27719, DeWalt DW321K, Hitachi CJ120V, Makita 4340FCT, Metabo STEB105 Plus, Milwaukee 6266-22, and Ridgid R3120. I used them for three weeks on boatbuilding and cabinetmaking jobs, and dialing-in finish carpentry. I noted features that made the saws...
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Sliding Compound Miter Saws
I tested five 12-inch sliding compound miter sawsmthe Bosch 4412, DeWalt DW708, Hitachi C12FSA, Makita LS1212, and Ridgid MS1290LZmout on framing and trim jobs, and then back in our shop. While expecting one saw to serve these three distinct purposes simultaneously is unreasonable, I do expect to...
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This isn't a super high-end cabinet saw for a dedicated woodworking operation, but it is a versatile tool and a no-brainer improvement to any growing shop or on-site operation. What's more, the price is fantastic. We give it high marks.
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The cordless jigsaw category is open for business. We compared five models for power, performance, and convenience. Eight years ago, I tested one of the first cordless jigsaws to hit the market, and it was awful! It had the power of a dull handsaw and the maneuverability of a concrete block...
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Cracking the code, cutting a new edge, shifting a paradigm, or re-imagining the commonplace are the traits that drive companies, designers, and engineers forward. They are what makes them great at their jobs and what compels them to create the new tools, ideas, and innovations that make it easier...
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Before I went into woodworking and custom boat building, I built and remodeled houses. Oddly, some of my earliest band saw work came framing a cloverleaf-shaped custom home. We spent days pushing 2x12s through the boss's rickety band saw, making miles of curved plates and parts for a funky mansard...
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In the old days it was easy to pick out the better finish nailer because cool features like depth adjustment, no-mar caps, and swing-out noses for clearing jambs were few and far between. Now these features–and more–are pretty much standard on most pro-grade nailers, and the definition of a 'good'...