Читать книгу Practical Weekend Projects for Woodworkers - Phillip Gardner - Страница 18

A circular saw and electric planer are good additions to the collection, but they are not an immediate necessity. A circular saw is ideal for dealing with long, straight cuts. A range of blades is available for the circular saw: crosscut, ripping, or combination. There is also a fine-finish blade, giving a quality of cut that just needs the barest planing subsequently. Always buy blades with tungsten tips.

Blades for a circular saw (left) are available in diameters from about 5 ¹⁵/₁₆–10 in. (150–256 mm). An electric plane is useful, but not essential for the newcomer.

Sanding machines will make the tedious aspects of carpentry—smoothing and polishing your projects— more bearable. There are three basic types: the belt sander, the palm or orbital sander, and a small triangular tool called a detail sander. If you are only going to buy one, choose a random orbital model because it is the most versatile. Orbital sanders come in a range of sizes and finishing capabilities; essentially, the smaller the circular motion of the sanding plate, the finer the finish. The belt sander above is fitted with a sanding frame, which allows regular removal of waste on a flat surface without “dishing.” It is an excellent attachment, but it doesn’t replace a plane! A detail sander (not shown) is useful for awkward access work.

An orbital sander (left) and a belt sander (right). Sanding sheets for both types appear below.

The strong edge-to-edge joints that can be achieved by using a biscuit jointer make the tool ideal for joining boards to make tabletops.