Look Ma.....No brads

Jokerman · 31 Mar 2005

I really enjoyed watching Great British Woodshop in the early hours of this morning. Although I am a tremendous fan of Norm it does p. me off when he makes a good looking piece only to, in my view, spoil it by wanging in several nails, the heads of which need filling and must be obvious in the finished piece.
The presenter of GBW went to great but proper lengths to only use glue or hidden fixings on visible areas and the results were testimony to taking the extra time and effort. Some of the techniques Norm uses I would shudder at using on my shed although his programme has been a great inspiration over many years. Sorry if I've upset anyone but nails or evidence of them are not the kind of surface texture I aim to achieve.
Also he tends to use the type of guard fitted to UK tools as opposed to the US versions although he does use the dado and to good effect. I used one in America and with care they are as safe as any other piece of metal whizzing past your knuckles at a million RPM.
hh.

Dewy · 31 Mar 2005

I like the American style spring loaded cam blade guard on jointers while UK ones all seem to have the same style straight guard.
I mentioned this in a tool shop once and was told it was EU safety rules.
I then pointed out that Rexon have the cam style guard on their small 4" bench jointer although the normal EU type on the 6" model.
The spring loaded cam guards act like a feather board and hold the wood against the fence, keeping it square.

tim · 31 Mar 2005

Agree with you Dewy - the guard on my EB is okay but inevitably some gap is left when planing the first face. The soringloaded ones seem to be much more sensible. The only advantage of the one I've got seems to be when squaring up on the second face when I can set it to be a good tight fit and keep the timber well against the fence - the US ones look (although I have no experience of them) like the spring doesnt have much force to it.

Cheers

Tim

Anonymous · 31 Mar 2005

The U.S. kidney style jointer guard couldn't hold a piece of lettuce up against the fence, let alone a plank of wood.

Anonymous · 31 Mar 2005

My old woodwork master at school was trained as a cabinetmaker in an undertaker's business. I don't know how true it was, but he claimed there were no nails used in the manufacture of coffins when he was a 'lad'
We turned out the usual end tables, coat hooks and book shelves as school projects. Nails were not allowed, allegedly because there would be too many injuries. Oddly, there were none from planes, chisels, saws etc. :shock:
As a result of this teaching, I try to avoid using nails wherever possible. I knocked together a pair of photo frames recently, and used bamboo skewers drilled and glued where nails would have been used.
One day, I hope to have room for fabulous tools like planer/thicknesser or bench morticer.

Gary Snotter
The Woodbutcher Under the Stairs
9 Privvy Drive
Much Whingeing
Scotland