Читать книгу Knitbook: The Basics & Beyond - Chris Schapdick - Страница 21

There are a few more tools that I love having on hand. You can expect to spend about $350 total on these four tools.

Oscillating multi-tool: This thing is excellent for achieving those nearly impossible cuts. It works by essentially vibrating a blade back and forth. That blade is typically a relatively narrow one. When you have to trim something off a piece that has already been installed, this is a lifesaver. It provides small, precise cuts that no other power tool can make in that situation.

Random orbital electric sander: Sanding with sandpaper is okay once in a while. You can use a file for some other jobs. But for larger-scale smoothing, an orbital sander is ideal. You can stick various grits of sandpaper onto it, and the vibrating action takes most of the elbow grease out of the equation. I reach for this tool frequently during construction.

Oscillating multi-tool. You attach one of the various kinds of blades to the front of this and it vibrate-cuts its way through things. It’s great for getting you out of a tough spot during a build.

The multi-tool getting ready to do what it does best in its natural construction environment.

Electric sander. This will save you a lot of elbow grease.

The sander is great for smoothing out a broad wood surface like this. Progressively finer grits of sandpaper on the sander lead to a buttery smooth finish.

Table saw: You can make long cuts with a circular saw and with a jigsaw, but getting those cuts perfectly straight is not possible. A table saw allows you to make perfect long cuts, since it’s designed to keep the blade straight as you run a piece of wood through it. The fence on the top of the table saw gets locked into place at a specific distance from the blade. That distance determines the width of the cut. Whatever you push across the top of the table saw is cut precisely to that width. Safety should always be a top concern, but this is especially true with a table saw—it’s one of the more dangerous tools I’ve included in this section. This is mostly because you are pushing an item into a cutting blade. Don’t slip. Wear eye protection (always). Stay clear of the blade. For smaller, narrower cuts, there is a device called a push stick that you can use to push the object through the blade. It’s an extension of your hand, with the difference being that if the push stick gets in the blade, it’s no big deal. If you choose not to use a push stick, be ready to call for an ambulance with your undamaged hand.

The table saw fence is where you set the width of your cut. This is set for 2" (5cm). You can see it in the small window.

Table saw. Make sure you have one of these when you absolutely need to cut in a straight line.

You can raise and lower the blade to cut to different thicknesses.

This is the push stick. Alternatively, you can use a scrap of wood to push things through the blade. Either way, don’t let your hands get near the blade. The blade will always win.

Router: This is the latest entry into my personal toolbox. A router is a direct-drive tool that spins interchangeable cutting attachments to create shapes and cuts. The depth of the cut can be adjusted. This thing is phenomenal for doing window and door cutouts in plywood. It’s also great for cabinetry. Much like a drill, there are router bits that you can purchase that achieve certain purposes. A drill simply drills differently sized holes based on what drill bit you are using. A router is a different beast in that the bits do different things. One bit might put a fancy scalloped edge on a piece of wood. When a wood counter has that nice, curved edge, it was likely created with a router. The bit that is my main go-to is one that is a cylindrical cutter with a ball bearing at the very top. What that allows for is cutting along predefined cutouts, so I like using it for cutting door and window openings. If you have a window framed out in a wall and then you cover that framing with plywood, you can really put this to good use. Drill a quick hole into that plywood and insert this router bit. The bit is designed to cut up to the edge of the frame and no further. As you proceed around the perimeter of the frame, it makes a beautiful, clean cut all around, since the ball-bearing part of the bit traces its way around the perimeter of the framed-out part behind the plywood being cut.

I have two routers: a large ($80) one with more power, and a small ($40) one intended for jobs that require a bit more finesse.

This is the small ball bearing that keeps the blade on track to cut out what you want it to.

Here the cutting bit has been recessed deeper into the tool, implying that you are cutting into thinner material.

Here is a smaller router with a cutting bit that does not have the ball bearing. This one will simply do a plunge cut into whatever material you guide it into.