More
Shaping and Surfacing
articles . . .
Tool Test: 3+ Horsepower Plunge Routers
Over The Edge: Power, control, and precision separate these 10 tools.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(April 27, 2009)
Portable Thickness Planers
Solid Surfacers: Test results for seven new planers.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(September 12, 2007)
Portable Planers
Ten 3-1/4-inch planers fit for flattening and trimming.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(June 4, 2007)
4-1/2-Inch Angle Grinders
Welders and auto body repair specialists have used angle grinders for years, but more masons, painters, and woodworkers are gearing up with these tools. Here's how nine new 4-1/2-inch models compare.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(November 1, 2001)
6-Inch Right-Angle Sanders
From stripping varnish to fine sanding, right-angle sanders do it all.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(September 1, 2002)
Low-Angle Block Planes
Low-angle block planes are among the few edge tools still used every day. Here's how six models compare for quality and performance.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(May 1, 2002)
3x21-Inch Belt Sanders
No Pain, No Grain: These new belt sanders run smooth, straight, and clean and take some of the pain out of sanding.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(May 1, 2003)
Routers
Two for One: Router conversion kits offer plunge- and fixed-base routers in one package.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(May 1, 2003)
3-HP Shapers
If you're serious about woodworking, you'll be adding a shaper to your shop floor. We tested five mid-size machines from 3 to 3.6 hp.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(April 1, 2004)
Trim Routers
Super Size: Bigger isn't always better. For light routing, in fact, trim routers
TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
(July 14, 2005)
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The workhorse sander for most tradesmen is the 5-inch-diameter random-orbit sander. Thanks to its ability to hog off stock with a coarse grit disk and leave a smooth, finished surface with a fine grit, this single tool has replaced the old progression of belt sander to half-sheet finish sander for many. It doesn't replace all sanders for all applications – but truth be told, it has replaced a lot of them over the past few decades. 