If only the operator was this accurate....

[Bas]

I ordered the brass router bars from Rockler. They were on sale for $9.95, free shipping, couldn't resist of course. Got them yesterday.

Just for fun, I get out my trusty Harbor Freight digital calipers. I measure the 1/4" bar.

0.250"

That's freaky. I measure the 1/2" bar.

0.499"

I exhale. Display now shows 0.500"

Scary how accurate that stuff is.

 

[Jim Murphy]

Okay, that's firsthand proof of the damaging effect of warm breath on measuring devices when doing critical measurements. Obviously, the heat of your warm breath caused the calipers to expand when you exhaled, and the result was immediately obvious on the display.

Remember rule # 245.5 of woodworking:

Always hold your breath while making and transferring measurements

And don't forget 245.6:

Resume breathing after measurement is complete. Failure to comply could result in serious injury or death!

(Expect a warning label about this on all measuring devices by July 2008, so go ahead and buy your devices now before the regulation takes effect.)


On a serious note, the brass setup bars make precise cuts much easier, as long as you can find material that's actually in increments of 0.25 thick. The last 3/4" ply (that was actually marked 3/4" instead of 21/32") I bought from the Borg measured 0.659 (with breath held, of course), so the setup bars were no help. They work great on the mill it yourself wood, though.

 

[JimmyC]

Yeah Bas . but does it measure 21/64ths.:rolf:

Jimmy

 

[gordonmt]

Remember rule # 245.5 of woodworking:

Always hold your breath while making and transferring measurements

And don't forget 245.6:

What are these numbered Woodworking rules? Are they related to the Ferengi rules of aquisition? :lol:

 

[sapwood]

Remember rule # 245.5 of woodworking:

Always hold your breath while making and transferring measurements

And don't forget 245.6:

What are these numbered Woodworking rules? Are they related to the Ferengi rules of aquisition? :lol:

:rolf::rolf:

Roger

 

[Bas]

What are these numbered Woodworking rules? Are they related to the Ferengi rules of aquisition? :lol:

Here are a few....the rest are left as an exercise to the reader.

1. Once you have tools... never give them up
2. Never pay more for lumber than you have to
3. Never allow family to stand in the way of getting more tools
4. A man is only worth the sum of his tools
5. Keep your ears open for kiln-dried Walnut
6. Small print leads to Amazon deals
7. Opportunity plus instinct equals fine furniture commissions
8. Hand tools are eternal.
9. Anything worth doing is worth doing for money.
10. A deal is a deal ... until a better one comes along.
11. A tool is a tool is a tool (but only between woodworkers).
12. A woodworker without tools is no woodworker at all.
13. Grain matching is not guaranteed.
14. Never place friendship above tools.
15. A wise man can hear tool bargains in the wind.
16. Nothing is more important than your health--except for your tools.
17. There's nothing more dangerous than a woodworker with too many clamps
18. Never make fun of a woodworker's tool cases... insult something he cares about instead.
19. It never hurts to suck up to the NCWW moderators.
20. She can touch your body but never your tools.
21. Tools are their own reward.

(http://www.sjtrek.com/trek/rules/)

 

[DavidF]

A fine set of rules I would say.

 

[Bas]

Jimmy - I don't know. But, I have it on good authority that I can clamp someone's head in a LV vise with exactly 21/64" to spare! I suggest we test the voracity of that theory :-D

 

[junquecol]

Accurate? A couple years back, I bought some 7/8" wrenches from flea market vendor. One made in Tiawan, one made in (you guessed it) China. The one from China didn't fit arbor nut. Measured the arbor nut- 0.787". Measured the wrench- 0.785". Now who has better quality control? Remember, "Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk, and cut it with an axe." Precision work!

 

[jeff...]

Accurate? A couple years back, I bought some 7/8" wrenches from flea market vendor. One made in Tiawan, one made in (you guessed it) China. The one from China didn't fit arbor nut. Measured the arbor nut- 0.787". Measured the wrench- 0.785". Now who has better quality control? Remember, "Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk, and cut it with an axe." Precision work!

Can I quote that?

Remember, "Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk, and cut it with an axe." Precision work!

 

[Bas]

:rolf: DavidF, don't take the bait It's just too easy, no challenge here.

Of course, _I_ didn't notice it until Mike pointed it out and I verified it with a calculator.

 

[toolman]

Check it out .787 = 19.9898mm the nut is a 20mm nut.

 

[Nativespec]

I have been rethinking the importance of accuracy, squares and straightedges. Someone came by to look at my 8" jointer and brought a straight edge tool (looked nice) and proceeded to check every inch of the table and fence (he seemed ok with the inspection). I had to prompt him to perform the important test-face jointing a board. When he ran the board accross the cutter, he rocked it about halfway-the technique was not good. He then said the cut was too deep-not sure what he meant by that since it is set to cut less than 1/16. I guess my point is this:

The next day I was at the new Woodcraft to use up my gift card. I really did not need anything and I spent quite a bit of time looking. I was, for some reason, tempted by a long straight edge that was priced at around $100. I regained my sanity and realized that my 4' level could do the same job (once I knocked the concrete off of it).

How important are all off these expensive measuring, set-up squares (I am not picking on anybody here), straightedges, Incra fences and so on when you work with a not so perfectly behaived material such as wood (or if your technique needs practice)?

I have been using more and more hand tools in conjunction with the power tools. I have found, kind of like the carpentry used in building homes, sometimes you have to "cheat it" and create the illusion of square, plumb, level and so on (and to correct mistakes-or opportunities).

Thanks,

David

 

[MikeH]

I have been rethinking the importance of accuracy, squares and straightedges. Someone came by to look at my 8" jointer and brought a straight edge tool (looked nice) and proceeded to check every inch of the table and fence (he seemed ok with the inspection). I had to prompt him to perform the important test-face jointing a board. When he ran the board accross the cutter, he rocked it about halfway-the technique was not good. He then said the cut was too deep-not sure what he meant by that since it is set to cut less than 1/16. I guess my point is this:

The next day I was at the new Woodcraft to use up my gift card. I really did not need anything and I spent quite a bit of time looking. I was, for some reason, tempted by a long straight edge that was priced at around $100. I regained my sanity and realized that my 4' level could do the same job (once I knocked the concrete off of it).

How important are all off these expensive measuring, set-up squares (I am not picking on anybody here), straightedges, Incra fences and so on when you work with a not so perfectly behaived material such as wood (or if your technique needs practice)?

I have been using more and more hand tools in conjunction with the power tools. I have found, kind of like the carpentry used in building homes, sometimes you have to "cheat it" and create the illusion of square, plumb, level and so on (and to correct mistakes-or opportunities).

Thanks,

David

I have to agree with you David. I know for myself that no matter how square my saw cuts I can mess it up. If the person working the wood doesn't have the skill level to work the tool properly it doesn't really matter how square it was to begin with.

 

[Jim Murphy]

How important are all off these expensive measuring, set-up squares

For me, it's not that the brass bars are 0.250000" and 0.4999999959", it's that my fingers are far more sensitive than my eyes at gauging. I can't look at the joint where my extension wing meets the saw bed and tell if it's flush, but my fingers can feel any misalignment. Holding a razor blade between them and sliding across the gap makes them even more sensitive.

By using the brass bar to set the height of the blade (using fingers to check blade tip at top of rotation against the bar), and the same bar to set the depth stop on the plunge router, I have achieved the ability to transfer measurements. Whether the brass bar is 0.2500 or 7/8" (0.787?), or is made of lead or bone or wood, the PRINCIPLE of repeatable tooling is what counts.

But for what it's worth, yesterday I was working some poplar for a granchildren's table, and after jointing, I used the digital calipers to measure the thickest board. With that digital thickness, I used the Wixey to set the planer to .06 lower than the thickest board, passed them all through, and then cranked my way down to 0.750. Now, whether they're exactly 0.750 is not relevant, but they're all the same thickness. Could I have done this with a measuring tape? NO, my eyes aren't that good.

It is, however, convenient when the digital caliper, the Wixey depth gauge and the brass bars all agree with each other.

 

[Nativespec]

I do like my digital (fractional) calipers.

 

[gordonmt]

Improve mans tools and you double his capacity.
Improve man, and the gain is a thousand fold.

Kahn cerca "the wrath of Kahn"

Buy more tools and improve man. . . . the gain is two thousand fold.

 

[DavidF]

:rolf: DavidF, don't take the bait It's just too easy, no challenge here.

Of course, _I_ didn't notice it until Mike pointed it out and I verified it with a calculator.

I bit my tongue trying not to mention the M word again...... And I resisted the temptation to get the calculator out!

 

[DavidF]

Check it out .787 = 19.9898mm the nut is a 20mm nut.

Now isn't 20 easier than 0.787 which isn't 7/8ths:lol:

 

[DavidF]

I have been rethinking the importance of accuracy, squares and straightedges. Someone came by to look at my 8" jointer and brought a straight edge tool (looked nice) and proceeded to check every inch of the table and fence (he seemed ok with the inspection). I had to prompt him to perform the important test-face jointing a board. When he ran the board accross the cutter, he rocked it about halfway-the technique was not good. He then said the cut was too deep-not sure what he meant by that since it is set to cut less than 1/16. I guess my point is this:

The next day I was at the new Woodcraft to use up my gift card. I really did not need anything and I spent quite a bit of time looking. I was, for some reason, tempted by a long straight edge that was priced at around $100. I regained my sanity and realized that my 4' level could do the same job (once I knocked the concrete off of it).

How important are all off these expensive measuring, set-up squares (I am not picking on anybody here), straightedges, Incra fences and so on when you work with a not so perfectly behaived material such as wood (or if your technique needs practice)?

I have been using more and more hand tools in conjunction with the power tools. I have found, kind of like the carpentry used in building homes, sometimes you have to "cheat it" and create the illusion of square, plumb, level and so on (and to correct mistakes-or opportunities).

Thanks,

David

I use all this stuff as well when the time is right. My thinking in all that I do is aim for perfection and if you get 80% then the result will still be good; aim for "ok" from the start and you'll end with C$%p