The original form of the router is a hand tool or hand plane with a wide base and a narrow blade that projected well beyond its base plate for carving purposes. It carves out the wood or plastic in order to hollow it out while leaving an outer shell intact. Its appearance has also earned it the name of “old woman’s tooth”. Nowadays, power tool routers are electrically driven spindles powered by a motor. The hand tool is now instead referred to as a router plane. With that said, how well does the PORTER-CABLE 7538 Speedmatic Plunge Router stand out as a router? Is it something that’s worth buying? Well, for one thing, the Speedmatic has a 15-AMP motor that gives it extra mustard in its routing. For another thing, it’s quite durable. Durability and Expediency The Porter-Cable 7538 Speedmatic is able to sell itself as one of the best routers in…

Sanding is a very simple process which is done wrongly by many woodworkers and experts due to carelessness and not giving appropriate attention. Mostly woodworking professionals use inappropriate tools, apply wrong procedures, use wrong sandpaper and table top corners with over sanding is another big mistake. Let’s have a look at the casual mistakes made by the woodworkers and the ways to avoid them. Bad selection of tools Different sanding tools have different features and qualities. A woodworker must be aware of the pros and cons of each tool before starting sanding process to get better results. For example, a belt-sander is commonly used to remove high spots caused due to the use of glue to join panels. However, it must not be used for final sanding process. Similarly, a palm sander can be the best choice for sanding all sides instead of using it in preliminary sanding. Random orbital…

Considered as a softwood, hemlock belongs in the same category as fir and pine. A hemlock is easily recognizable because of its natural light brown tint. Sometimes, it comes with moderate grain patterns that are hard to distinguish. Hemlock is an ideal product to use for wood flooring. Compared to hardwood flooring, a hemlock floor follows a different finishing procedure. If you are looking to do the finishing on your hemlock floor by yourself, expect the work to last for a day or two, depending on scope and size of the project. You Will Need  Belt sander  Edge sander  Orbital sander  Floor polisher and sanding screens  Polyurethane finish  Shop vacuum  Finish applicator Steps  1. Using a belt sander, sand the floor in order to eliminate any imperfections in the wood and to even the surface of the floorboards. In order to smoothen the irregularities and imperfections when the hemlock is installed, sanding the…

One of the most irritating and damaging issues in a household is a door that rubs the floor when opened or closed. In order to fix this kind of problem, most people simply tighten the screws in order to secure the door in place. However, it is natural for the screws to loosen up due to frequent use. This can result to the door hanging off the screws and rub itself on the floor. In the event that tightening the screws do not address the issue, you will need to remove the whole door and sand the bottom in order to have an ample amount of clearance. You Will Need  Belt sander  Carpenter’s compass or a piece of wood  Clamps  Screwdriver  Workbench  50-, 80- and 120-grit sandpaper  Hammer (Optional) Steps  Make a line that will serve as your guide or reference when sanding. In order for you to create the reference…

Every belt sander works pretty much the same way. A motor enables two cylinders or rollers to rotate a belt of sandpaper, which serves as the surface used to sand material. The more powerful the motor, the faster the sander covers areas, making it the choice of sander over disc sanders, or manual sanding techniques. While other types of sanders are developed for more intricate and smaller-scale sanding jobs, you can count on a belt sander to get a job over a wider space quicker and in a more efficient manner. Because of this, you should understand that belt sanders can do permanent damage to your project as much as it could get it done quickly. The thin line between these two possibilities is how you use and maintain the power tool in the first place. The power that can remove material quickly, efficiently, and easily is the same power that could…

You’re probably pretty good at finishing smaller wood pieces or other components for bigger pieces using your belt sander, but did you know that these machines are built for more purposes than just smoothing wood? With the same power and capacity, you can definitely use your own belt sander to sharpen metal tools; knives, to be precise. You may be surprised to know that professional knife craftsmen and restorers have belt sanders dedicated to the task of sharpening the edges of a blade. You Will Need  A Stationary Belt Sander  Sanding belts of various grits (150, 240, and 400 grit; also, 9 and 20 micron)  Leather strap (optional)  Compound for honing (optional) Steps  1. For an initial job, choose a lower grit (150) for knives that do not cut anymore. If the knife can cut, but has a hard time doing it, then you can step up to 240-grit sandpaper. Load whatever belt you…

If you’re on a woodworking project that requires the leveling of a bigger surface area, then nothing beats the power and overall ability of a belt sander. These power tools are the definite go-to instruments if you’re looking to clear paint or varnish from old tables or other pieces of furniture in a hurry. If you open a belt sander, you would see a motor hooked up to spin at least two drums placed in the belly area of the tool. These drums are placed conventionally in a parallel position in order to generate a continuous pulling motion to keep a connected sanding belt moving in a furious loop, which can sand a good number of standard materials. Choosing The Right Belt Sander  While there is a long list of belt options which vary from grit to width, best sanders accommodate a sanding belt which is 3 or 4 inches wide on…

You may be wondering where a planer is used, and where a sander is most effective in. While larger companies may have both tools readily available to them, you may need to make a choice between the two for your own workshop. Simply put, you would need a planer for jobs which involve production and refining of lumber and similar material closer to its base form. If you’re more of the type that works with more delicate items such as furniture, then you should consider using a sander. Efficiency Planers are armed with hardened, rugged knives made of steel; These knives spin at very high speeds and are able to remove surfaces as thick as 1/8” in a single pass. Sanders do the job by spinning belts with motorized rollers. They are much more delicate, only being able to remove 1/32” of regular wood in one pass. Finishing If you’re looking to do…