Great British Workshop on Wed

[gidon]

Now when is someone going to fill the void and come up with the definitive "dado heads in the UK" web page so we can all just point newbies to that?

Aha - well here it is from David Free's perspective:

http://www.greatbritishwoodshop.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=170

And some details of the bandsaw used Alf which you may be interested to see. It seems the saw is an Australian import. Oh and some nice video clips for those without Sky .

And I know I've come in a bit late on this post - been away - but I don't want to see him tripping over himself in a small workshop like mine. Or using cheap tools. These shows should show something to enthuse you - not make you remember ?) just how tricky this woodworking really is!

I think although not perfect by any means - this show and CEW aren't too bad at all. Remember the rubbish they had on before - Boyz in the wood, John's workshop etc ...

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Signal]

Alf,

Id be more than will to do it if some one helped with the words.

Knowing my luck Id end up being stalked by some dado head fanatic. :lol:

Signal

 

[Alf]

Gidon,

Well yes... Erm, it's not exactly scintillating reading though, is it? Hands up who read it all, right through to the end? :lol: He's very pro-dado head isn't he?

Anyway, I don't like him. He's got a bigger bandsaw than I have.

Sig,

Yeah, it was the words that gave me the trouble too...

Cheers, Alf

P.S. It's just dawned on me it's called the Great British Woodshop! Another show of hands please; who calls their sawdust production facility their "woodshop"? Okay. Now would any passing 'Murrican's lower their hands. Thank you. That's what I thought. Somebody send him a checked shirt and a beard would you? :lol:

 

[Signal]

Alf,

zacly, youve seen my typing in IM

Signal

 

[gidon]

Alf - yep I drifted off after paragraph two! But at least he's made an effort to explain his reasoning I guess. Surprised Jet didn't force him to use their new table saw - I had assumed that's what he was using.
He's certainly pushing that bandsaw to its limits - NOT!

Cheers

Gidon

 

[Adam]

I don't think we need do anything other than point noobs at that page. It clearly tells them they could have a Dado, if only they can find one (Ho ho ho) 'cos they'll probably need to rustle up a 3-phase connection if its an old ex-industrial machine.

A

 

[Anonymous]

I have always thought ( and said) that dear ole norm's show was/is a bit 'pie in the sky' for most of us garage/workshop guys. It may help to originally fire some newbies only to frustrate when real life kicks in.

This latest offering from David Free is a step in the right direction but is still out of sight for most of us regarding table saw/ dust extraction/and workshop room.

Get real DHL

 

[Adam]

They seem to have done their research AND decided dado blades are legal

Q) So why shouldn't they use them we ask?

A) 'cos we haven't got them

This would be true if the show was aimed at the British only, but it is clearly written with the American market in mind.

For Example:

Amercians think all English people live in mansions - and their is no reason to film "on location". For us, - an industrial location whould have been sufficient. All this prancing around in National Trust properties is not for out benefit.

They are using Jet, not Scheppach for example, which noone across the pond is interested in.

All this scurrying off to Polesden Lacey and other such "country" houses. A dead cert its either on the TV's of our cousins across the water already, or it will be shortly.

At which point it makes more sense to use dado heads. The Americans expect them to be used, as do the Australians.

Selling it abroad might be the only way to make it profitiable enough to be viable -for all we know, although it's British, it might make it's money in the States from being a "novelty" show. This makes it more obvious why Jet are sponsers as they have a foot in both markets.

Anyone agree?

Adam

 

[Anonymous]

from adam

Anyone agree?

Sounds reasonable

 

[Anonymous]

Ok i think ive got the point but TV is not about realism its just to give u ideas on projects .Not everyone has space for half their tools as hobbists we work within our means .Otherwise in top gear they would test drive a ford fiesta every week cuz not many people drive or can afford a 200 grand car n model progs would show you how to make an airfix plane ,fishing progs would be down the canal. I mean how borin would it be if you turned on HL to see a bloke in a broom cupboard with a hand saw n rusty chisel show you how to make a door stop . Sorry if this or anyother posts offends anyone, but come on you look at half the wood shows they own about a grands worth of clamps let alone thier other kit it's not about realism its ENTERTAINMENT. If someone watched norm n goes off n turns his shed into a workshop fine. Safety is paramount i am not disputing it but lets not get anal about everything you see . BTW if you sat down and counted evey HS rule that got broken in these progs you would have a very long list :twisted:

 

[sawdustalley]

I agree, we need this page, and we need an FAQ at the top of the forums, I have had enough of dado threads.

Adam, if you are willing to write it, i'll be able to upload it.

Edit:
Also, thought i'd let you know that hopefully I will get a basic interview with david - got a few interesting questions lined up .

BTW - They are watching this thread, so don't be too mean (cough: Shame about the dado blade) :wink:

 

[Alf]

Adam,
I think you've got it, and I feel a real "slow head" for not spotting it myself (notice how I'm slipping into 'Murricanisms there so we'll all feel at home..? :wink: Actually I've been feeling a bit of a rant coming on about 'Murricanisms creeping into the British woodworking. What with chip breakers instead of cap irons, and dados instead of housings/trenches I'm starting to feel like a third world country with a coca-cola bottling plant. Yes there are benefits, but what the heck is going to be left of our own cultural heritage?! :? But that's for another time [sighs of relief all round] )

Cheers, Alf

 

[Midnight]

Even if this was a 'legal' method, try it on a saw that costs over £1000, is cast iron and induction motored and has an £80 sawblade in it, and then try it on a sub-£150 tin boxed, ribbed aluminium tabled, brush motored saw that shakes your fillings out of your teeth when you use it and you may consider a different method anyway.
Perhaps they ought to base the programmes around one of these!

Well said Sir.... well said.....

 

[Anonymous]

from AP

.... but TV is not about realism....

Yeah, but it could be, and maybe @ times it should be.

................and if anyone had the bottle and the gift to put on something we could identify with and it still inspire us it would be a real winner.

......after all , don't we have enough 'pie in the sky' shows already.




[/quote]

 

[Anonymous]

But i am inspired have you noticed the table extensions on his appear to be laminated timber not sum £300 a side shiny bit of ally or how simple but effective fence system on his router table are . If we all concentrate on the negatives we miss the positives thats all i am tryin to say . One day the people in TV land may get it right but i anit gonna hold my breath and i am not gonna bang on about how bad something is . One thing these shows cannot teach is common sense and anyone that goes into a toolshop and says i want one of them please without researching it first must be mad . Thats why we have strict gun laws here and the murricans dont :lol:

 

[Midnight]

have you noticed the table extensions on his appear to be laminated timber not sum £300 a side shiny bit of ally

forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think that't pretty standare with the Beismeir fence; it's virtually identical to Norm's. Either way, it's damn impressive. I can only dream about dropping a whole sheet of ply widthwise onto my saw. Still..... one day....
His chop saw station is impressive...

 

[kityuser]

ref:

link provided in previous post to GREAT BRITISH WS website:
"The first manufacturer to release a saw table that can take the wider blade will certainly be popular. Let’s keep our fingers crossed."


lets keep our fingers crossed!!!!!!!! if you still have them!!

***** more thought about post *****

I could be one of your typical examples........

started watching norm YEARS ago (with the old man), was amazed at how easy all this wood working LARK seemed.
Got proper enthusiastic and went out and layed out cash for some gear:
1)CLARKE table saw (i know!!!! don`t ask....)
2)dado blade set
3)B&Q router (actually a very good buy for the cash)
4)lots of clamps
5) some very wet pine

got home, and the reality of it all started to really kick in.......
I managed to fit the dado blade to the CLARKE table saw (VERY VERY scary, only ever happened once........ never again! :shock: , if you think they vibrate with the standard blade, you ain`t seen nothing yet!)

got really pineappled off, felt kind-of cheated!

anyhow , things are better now, and a huge part of that is down to THIS website (and the people who frequent it!)
I`m very safety concious, take my time over all my machinary operating, use ALL the guards (even go as far as wearing ear-defenders and a face shield!) and have bought quality equipment (table saw is yet to come, CLARKE is now only used to re-saw second hand timber that I get, I`m seriously thinking about a kity 419 set-up)

jesus, the other day I bought a hand-tool :shock:

 

[Guest]

Seems to me there is a lot of green-eyed monsters infecting this thread.
So, the guy has a good saw and dust extraction, don't we all wish we had his facilities. As it happens, my saw, an old one I have modified with a cast iron table and induction motor, will take a dado and, yes I have got one and I have used it, very carefully I might add. I think more accidents are caused by complacency than any faulty machine. Plus I did learn that the maximum width of a dado should not exceed 15mm, I would not have been aware of that if Mr free had not used a dado blade. I have found this site very informative and helpful, as I have watching Norm and now David Free.

 

[Noel]

Good on yer, Jarmar, I reckon GBW is for learning, inspiration and entertainment. Best UK based WW show so far.
With regard to the TS extension tables: right hand extension comes standard with the saw, simply birch ply with laminate top and box section steel legs which rest on the floor or mobile base. Laminate is usually in Delta grey to match the saw cabinet. Table is secured to the front and rear rails. The outfeed table is just a DIY affair, generally contiboard etc with the mitre gauge slots routered in. This set up makes a huge difference when cutting sheet goods from a safety and practical point of view.

Rgds

Noel

 

[Dewy]

And there was me thinking the extension tables were copies from Norms table saw station as the director of the show worked at WGBH in America for 18 years & worked on both TOH & NYW.