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  CST/Berger LM30 Rotary Laser Kit

  • Created by: ragswl4
  • Published: 11-15-2007, 10:56 PM
  • 0 comments

  CST/Berger LM30 Rotary Laser Kit

  As we have started framing the garage at the new home site our foundation contractor recommended that we purchase a laser to lay out the level lines for the walls. So after some research I purchased this CST/Berger unit at the Borg for $399 + tax. I must say that I am inpressed with this laser. It only took about 5 minutes to establish the level lines for the side and back walls of the garage. The unit is very easy to operate. It levels manually but takes only a minute or so to do it. The system...

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  BT3000 To 3100 Shim Upgrade

  • Created by: crokett
  • Published: 11-02-2007, 09:41 AM
  • 5 comments

  BT3000 To 3100 Shim Upgrade

  Upgrading the shims avoids the issue of the BT3000 shims dropping out and causing the blade-raising mechanism to bind.
  
  
  

  Before you begin:
  

  Call Ryobi technical support at 1-800-525-2579 with the serial number from your saw to
  verify that your saw is eligible for the upgrade. Some earlier BT3000s are not.

  
  
  
  

  ‘Right’ and ‘Left’ designations assume you are starting by looking at the front of the saw.
  

  These instructions assume a stock

  ...

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  RIKON 70-100 Mini Lathe

  • Created by: ragswl4
  • Published: 10-05-2007, 03:12 PM
  • 10 comments

  RIKON 70-100 Mini Lathe

  The lathe arrived today. Although I will not be able to play with it for some time I did remove it from the packaging and set it up on a work table just to inspect it and make sure it would run. I must say I am very impressed with the fit and finish of this lathe. There is no paint where it shouldn't be, the bed is polished nicely and not a spot of corrosion. The handles are all chromed metal and feel very solid. The only plastic part on the lathe is the belt cover. Changing belt speeds is a...

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  HF Combination square set

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 09-19-2007, 10:37 AM
  • 10 comments

  HF Combination square set

  I got the Centech 4-piece combination square set HF#92471 for around 6-7 bucks. I think it was on sale for $6, a buck off the regular price. Having a decent Stanley Comb. Square, I wanted a protractor and centerfinder attachment. I figured for $6, how bad can it be? Came in a wooden case which it turns out was the best part. The fit and finish was awful. the metal was rough, the paint rough and peeling and the parts did not slide well at all. I guess the square and centerfinder move OK (locking screw ...

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  Lie-Nelson Low Angle Adjustable Mouth Block Plane

  • Created by: Jeffrey Schronce
  • Published: 09-08-2007, 08:24 PM
  • 3 comments

  Lie-Nelson Low Angle Adjustable Mouth Block Plane

  I have put off hand tool work for a few years now. I finally took the plunge on some nice MHG chisels a few months ago due to demands for dovetailing. A set of waterstones ensued to sharpen them. It was clear that I was sliding down the hand tool slope but I still was very apprehensive about hand tools. Frogs, back bevels, spinwheels . . . a whole new world of terms I really had no desire to learn. I picked up a good hand plane book and while full of information it really didn't point me in the...

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  DeWalt DW056

  • Created by: cork58
  • Published: 09-03-2007, 07:16 PM
  • 0 comments

  DeWalt DW056

  I needed more outlets in the shop and hired a friend of mine to do the work. When he got out his cordless to remove the wall plates I thought maybe I had made a mistake if he tries to put them back on with this thing. Next he is putting the new box in and I heard this clicking and he was putting the screw in just as much as he wanted to. O.K. I say. What is that Todd. He just laughed and handed it to me. After a few screws, lag bolts and nuts and bolts I knew I had to have one. I gave it...

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  Sears router

  • Created by: tellittojake
  • Published: 08-20-2007, 04:00 PM
  • 5 comments

  Sears router

  Nice features for half the price of the higher end products. While I do think that DeWalt, PC, Milwaukee etc. are well made and worth the price they ask for the better names, I do not always have hundreds of dollars to make another purchase at any given time. The new Routers from Sears are certainly a huge step above the Skil and B&D offerings, at only a slightly higher retail. I love the soft start, PC compatable base for bushings, work light and noise level that is not as deafening as some. If...

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  Steel City Mortiser

  • Created by: twistsol
  • Published: 07-29-2007, 04:57 PM
  • 0 comments

  Steel City Mortiser

  Just ordered and recieved the Steel City Benchtop Mortiser and wanted to put a quick review of it up. It's not the cheapest mortiser around at $289 plus shipping, but it feels like a quality piece for the price. I have to admit that this is my first mortiser so that may color my views. To start with, it's heavy, about 90 pounds, with a very solid cast iron base and fence. The DHL guy was good enough to unload it next to the garage so I only had to drag it a few feet into the garage to set it up...

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  Hitachi SB 10Y 4 x 8 Belt-Disc Sander

  • Created by: twistsol
  • Published: 07-15-2007, 08:35 PM
  • 45 comments

  Hitachi SB 10Y 4 x 8 Belt-Disc Sander

  The old 4 x 6 Ryobi was making sounds you don't won't to hear. Might have been the brushes, but that is usually a noiseless affair till the last breath before the vital signs cease to exist. 6 years or hard driving and $99 latter, not bad but not "just" what I needed. I looked at the Jet 6 x 9 for $399. Nice but the price was a bit much. I can't justify that much machine in my case with frequent, but still occasional use. I watched and waited for one to appear used.. but not in a 3 month perio...

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  Router Edge Guide For Dado

  • Created by: Jeffrey Schronce
  • Published: 07-06-2007, 03:54 PM
  • 0 comments

  Router Edge Guide For Dado

  This is a basic project that I thought would be useful for some of you folks that are new to routers. I tried to photo document, even the relatively evident, so a beginner can use the instructions. I am sure I have borrowed heavily from other people in making the jig, however I didn't use any plans so I am not citing references. Material : Material is a matter of choice. I used 3/8" Baltic Birch because I happen to have a good supply due to a friendly woodworker giving me a bunch of cutoffs....

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  Tapered Legs on the Jointer

  • Created by: Thom2
  • Published: 07-06-2007, 03:45 PM
  • 2 comments

  Tapered Legs on the Jointer

  About a year ago I promised a write-up on tapering legs using the jointer. I'm not quick, but I got it done.
  
  All of the following assumes you've milled your legs to size and have your joinery figured out. In this case I'm using sliding dovetails for the apron to legs, so I did all of that milling first.
  
  The legs I'm doing are 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 red oak, I'm using a 5/16 depth of cut on the jointer. You can change the depth of cut if you find you're not comfortable with that b...

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  Belt Replacement

  • Created by: jmayko@sbcglobal.net
  • Published: 07-06-2007, 11:21 AM
  • 14 comments

  Belt Replacement

  Hello everyone,
  
  I just spent an interesting couple of days with my BT3000. I broke a belt and had “one of of those days”.
  First I did a search on this site and read just about everything on belt and arbor bearing replacement.
  I choose Replacing Arbor Bearings on BT3000 by big tim.
  
  Replacing Arbor Bearings - BT3Central Forums
  
  And Belt Replacement Instructions By Ed Ellickson
  
  Belt Replacement Instructions
  
  
  
  Big...

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  Shop Fox W1677 3hp Cabinet Saw

  • Created by: eddy merckx
  • Published: 07-01-2007, 09:45 PM
  • 2 comments

  Shop Fox W1677 3hp Cabinet Saw

  Since so many of us are upgrading to bigger saws, I thought it would be helpful to provide a review of one possible alternative route. After deciding to go upgrade to cast iron, I shopped for contractor's saws, hybrid saws and cabinet saws. I eventually realized that I'd end up with a cabinet saw anyway, so why not skip the middle man? After reading lots of reviews and looking at saws in person, I decided on the Shop Fox or Grizzly 1023 (same saw) equipped with a Shark Guard. Full cabinet saw...

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  Harbor Freight Chisels

  • Created by: PineTar
  • Published: 06-17-2007, 12:41 PM
  • 3 comments

  Harbor Freight Chisels

  I picked up a 6 piece Chinese Chisel set for $8.00 at Harbor Freight expecting to find I actually had a 6 piece gasket scraper set (1/4" thru 1 1/2"), but once I cleaned them up with some wet/dry sandpaper and glass (Scarysharp trick) and gave them a little hollow grind with a cool grinder I was delighted to find they work just fine and keep an adequate edge for what I was doing (softwood shaping). I wouldn't expect them to hold up under heavy pounding and abuse, but I was trimming some round tenons...

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  Jet JJ-8CS 8" Jointer

  • Created by: drumpriest
  • Published: 05-18-2007, 02:25 AM
  • 0 comments

  Jet JJ-8CS 8" Jointer

  I got this jointer at such a steal that I couldn't pass on it. I was thinking to go with the 8" powermatic, but went jet for 2 reasons. 1. Price that I got, 2. Handwheel control, which I like better on jointers. The jointer came in a large crate and a box. The box contained the stand and motor, and was roughly 100 lbs, the crate contained the jointer top and fence, at around 300 lbs. My rather large friend Steve and I managed assembly on our own. (actually Steve just helped move the top) I...

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