Advances in Woodworking

[Philly]

Adam,
Oh yes, the saw brake thing! It sounds fantastic but why haven't we heard any more about it??
Come on, they should be fitted to ALL tablesaws!
cheers
Philly

 

[mudman]

Is protecting the health of the woodworker allowed as genuine advancement? Hmm, in that case, how about effective dust filtration and filters? Doubt it's even been recognised as a major problem for all that long, or has it? How long have we had sub-micron filters for?

Cheers,
Barry

 

[Philly]

Mud,
Good One! Clean (relatively :lol: ) lungs, an advance for sure!

Here's one-The Health and Safety Executive. (Don't know if it's an advance though! :twisted: ) They certainly didn't have that in the "Old Days" although they probably had that mystical thing "Common Sense"tm.

Cheers,
Philly :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure about the brake on the tablesaw qualifying. I have worked with 60+ year old machines that had an electric brake on them. True they weren't woodworking machines but that's not the point. I suspect that pro kit such as Wadkin had electric brakes donkeys years ago.

How about hand planes that you can actually use when you buy them (LN, Veritas, Clifton and their more expensive brethren)?

Cheers

Tony

 

[Philly]

Tony,
The brake that i mentioned is supposed to actually stop the blade instantly is your skin touches the blade!!!!!! It has been demonstrated at shows using a sausage as the "finger" and it works. Why isn't this on all our tablesaws??? I'm sure someone here can find a link to this wonderful device.
As to hand planes you can use out of the box, well I guess they used to make them in the olden days before companies were run by accountants! :twisted:
cheers,
Philly

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry Philly, I thought you meant the standard electric brakes we get on decent machines these days

Though, to be honest I never use my saw to cut sausages anyway :lol: :lol: :lol:


Cheers

Tony

 

[andrewm]

Roy mentioned vacuum presses but what about laminating? That wasn't around 100 years ago. A totally new technique allowing the forming of shapes previously impossible to obtain. Don't know when it was first used but Alvar Alto used it a lot and that must have been 1950sa. Although possibly developed during WWII though for aircraft production. Had it been around in first decade of the 20the century I am sure that it is something that the Art Nouveau furniture makers would have latched on to because of he possibility of creating the organic forms much loved in that era.

Just reread the original post and notice that although talking about a 1903 woodworking book Philly is asking specifically about advances over the past 20 years. In that respect I don't think you will find many major advances over any twenty year period. I get the impression that most of these advances are evolutionary. We look back at a new development at some time in the past but for those actually there is was just a progression of small improvements. Darwinism in the tool industry.

Andrew

 

[Philly]

Andrew,
Yup, I did say 20 years-I am happy to open this one right up though. :lol:
So here we go............
Advances made over the last Century.

Lets hear it people!
Philly

 

[Midnight]

The Norris adjuster....

 

[Anonymous]

What about cordless power tools , not sure when they invented them but a darn good idea where me pills mum me brains hurtin :shock:

 

[Philly]

Hi All,
Just a quick update. In this months Fine Woodworking there is an article on SawStop, the tablesaw brake I mentioned earlier in this link. Here is there site.
www.sawstop.com
Theres also a video on FWW's site
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00108.asp
That looks like a REAL advance in woodworking safety. I look forward to reviews of this product when it hits the market. (supposedly anyday now)
cheers,
Philly

 

[Adam]

Wasn't it in this months F&CM or GWW? Can't remember which, but they had a photo.

Adam