FORREST MANUFACTURING INTRODUCES NEW DADO SETS FOR CUTTING THIN-WIDTH GROOVE

Forrest introduces two unique dado sets that combine the functionality of a groover with the smooth, chip-free cut of its standard Dado King to create thin clean-cut grooves in man-made materials.  The new Thin Kerf Dados cut grooves from 3/16 to ¼ inches in thin plywood, MDF or melamine boards. The Thin Kerf Dados were designed in response to requests from cabinetmakers and other woodworkers who use undersize plywood, melamine and other man-made materials.  They needed a better means of producing the thin grooves – generally cut along three sides – that hold backer boards in bookcases and bottoms in cabinet drawers, among other uses. 
Forrest’s new two-piece Thin Kerf Dado set includes two, 24-tooth outside saw blades and a set of magnetic adjusting shims for 3/16-inch cuts. The new three-piece set includes the outside saw blades plus a 1/16” chipper with magnetic shims for creating cuts from 3/16 to a ¼ inch.  Both sets work on table or radial arm saws with a 5/8-inch bore.  Non-standards bore sizes are also available.
Forrest Manufacturing is a family-owned business founded in 1946.  Well respected for its quality products and superior customer service, it produces a variety of custom and specialty blades, including Woodworker II, Chop Master, Duraline, and nonferrous cutting blades.  Forrest blades are available direct from the factory, as well as from fine-quality dealers, retailers and catalogs.  For more information, call 1-800-733-7111 or visit www.forrestblades.com.

STARRETT INTRODUCES A NEW LINE OF CARBIDE TIPPED BAND SAW BLADES

The L.S. Starrett Company introduced a new line of carbide tipped band saw blades named Advanz™. The new blade line offers a special tooth tip cylinder of high quality sub-micron grain carbide with a triple-chip grind, welded to a tough, ductile back. These new blades also feature superb carbide-to-back bonding and offer exceptional fatigue, shock, wear and strip resistance when cutting difficult-to-machine materials. Starrett Advanz Blades are available in “FS” and “TS” configurations.  FS is designed for a range of difficult to cut materials such as fiberglass, masonite, plastics, composites, aluminum castings and abrasive wood.  TS features a special tooth profile for efficient cutting of very difficult to machine steels including high-alloy metals, titanium, stainless steel, and Inconel.
The new carbide tipped line includes a wide range of thicknesses from 3/4" x .035" to 3 1/8" x .063", in a complete range of positive rake pitches. Available lengths include 100', 150' coils, and welded-to-length on 2 5/8" x .063" and 3 1/8" x .063 blades. The blades are manufactured in Mt. Airy, NC, USA; Jedburgh, Scotland; and Itu, Brazil.
For more information visit: starrett.com.

TIGHTER TOOLS INC. INTRODUCES THE
"READS RIGHT" 25' TAPE MEASURE

Soon to be available, The Reads Right claims to be "the world's most accurate tape measure." We hope to get a sample of the new tape for testing to see how it stacks up to the industry leaders. The tape is said to excel at inside measurements by using a movable peg to make proper internal measurements. The tape also features a large magnifying lens for easy viewing and a powerful LED to illuminate the tape and lens for enhanced viewing in dark areas. Check out the press release for more details about this innovative tape measure and stay tuned for a review. The Reads Right will be available from bigbeartools.com.

NEW PROJECT PLANNING SORFTWARE HELPS
HOME WOODWORKERS DESIGN LIKE PROS

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware is excited to introduce SketchList 3D, a new three-dimensional project planning program that brings professional design capabilities into home wood shops at an affordable price. Ideal for woodworkers who don't want to invest the time or money to learn complicated CAD programs, SketchList 3D makes it easy to create detailed visualizations and accurate designs, even for users without previous computer design experience.

The software, which is available for purchase or free 14-day trial download exclusively through Rockler, lets users "build" three-dimensional project plans with virtual boards — as opposed to flat lines — for more accurate, realistic designs. By creating true representations of the final product, SketchList 3D not only lets woodworkers quickly visualize and plan their projects, it affords them the freedom to quickly and easily experiment with various designs.

A full-service program is available for free trial download at rockler.com

NEW 3-IN-1 LED STUD/VOLTAGE/METAL DETECTORS from
GENERAL TOOLS & INSTRUMENTS

Working behind walls, inside ceilings and underneath flooring materials just became easier and safer with the introduction of two portable 3-in-1 Stud/Voltage/Metal Detectors from General Tools & Instruments, the industry leader in specialty tools and instruments.
The multi-operational devices allow anyone to easily and safely locate wood or steel wall studs, wires carrying live voltage, electrical metal tubing and conduit and other solid objects hidden inside cavities or behind construction materials.

The MSV250 3-in-1 LED Stud/Voltage/Metal Detector uses 4-level, low power consuming, light-emitting diodes to precisely indicate objects when the unit is moved along a wall, ceiling or floor surface.  Hidden metals and wiring can be detected accurately by switching between the metal and voltage selectors.  Users can also search for wood studs while operating the metal or voltage detector simultaneously.  The MSV250 is listed at an affordable US$24.99 and is available for purchase on the General Tools & Instruments website.

With even greater capability, the MSV350 3-in-1 LCD Stud/Voltage/Metal Detector offers an auto-mode setting that allows users to separately or simultaneously search for hidden studs, metal and wiring.  This sophisticated device uses a multi-scan feature with microprocessor control circuits to provide precise and accurate detections.  Visual readouts on the unit’s LCD screen combine with an audio signal when the device locates its target.  The MSV350 lists at US$34.99 and is also available for purchase on the General Tools website.

MEASURE MASTER PRO

There is nothing more frustrating that trying to add 32nds and 64ths to quarters of an inch during the building of a project. The Measure Master Pro will get you through almost every measurement and conversion problem. Work in and convert between dimensional formats including Feet-Inch-Fractions, Decimal Feet-Inch-Fractions, Yards, Meters, Centimeters and Millimeters as well as Areas and Volumes. Built-in functions make the Measure Master Pro ideal for faster, more accurate material estimates. Quickly solve Circumference, Circle Area, and Arcs. This simple and powerful calculator fits in a pocket, briefcase or tool pouch. The Measure Master Pro is available at canadiancalculatorwarehouse.com for $54.95.

ZANY WOODEN TOYS THAT WHIZ, SPIN, POP AND FLY

I'll warn you now – this book is a lot of fun. Zany Wooden Toys that Whiz, Spin, Pop and Fly is a collection of woodworking projects for making the most dynamic toys you have ever seen: rapid-fire nickel launchers, monkey-tossing gumball machines, marble shooters, ball & socket robots and so many more action-packed, noise-making, motion-propelled goodies.
These entertaining gadgets can be made in just an afternoon’s time, with simple materials from the home store, and the easy-to-follow instructions inside Zany Wooden Toys That Whiz, Spin, Pop, and Fly. The handy guide provides readers with everything they need to complete the projects, including basics like: choosing wood, making cuts, drilling, and painting with lead-free paints and finishes. There’s a special section on how to successfully make wheels, and axles, and how to work safely with children. 
Each project includes a photo of the finished toy, a tool and materials list, diagrams and instructions for construction, as well as how to operate the completed plaything. The guide is colourful, and charmingly-illustrated - keeping both the woodworker and his young companions on the edge of their seat for playtime.  I can't wait to get my daughter in the shop to make some of these fun projects. I think we're going to start with the Tissue-Launching Crossbow.
ISBN: 978978-1-56523-394-2
Price: $21.95

It's So Easy Being Green

Here is a great option for those of us who are green-minded. NADURRA Wood Corporation was created in 2005 by pioneers of Canada’s eco-friendly wood flooring and lumber industry; members of Nadurra have been selling green wood building materials and bamboo floors in Toronto since 1997.

Nadurra Wood Corp. offers: low emission bamboo flooring, bamboo plywood and bamboo veneer; locally grown, FSC-certified wood flooring from Ontario, Quebec and the New England region; reclaimed flooring recycled from Toronto industrial buildings, the Ricoh Coliseum, and local Southern Ontario barns; and FSC-certified, rough, dimensional lumber. We have provided certified green products for companies such as the Mountain Equipment Coop, the CMHC canuhome and Roots Canada. 

To check out what products are available at Nadurra, please visit: nadurrawood.com.

Summer Shop Space Available

Those of you without full workshop facilities of your own might be interested in this: the folks at Rosewood Studio in Almonte have no classes running over the summer this year, but are instead offering an “open shop”, allowing people to come in and make use of their well-equipped facilities to work on a project of their own. Equipment available for use includes 12” General and Delta jointers, two 14” General planers, Northfield 20” and General 15” bandsaws, General and Delta 10” cabinet saws, 3 horizontal mortisers, a Wadkin shaper, JessEm router table, Safety Speed Cut panel saw, 24”General double drum sander for veneer work, 48”x 96” Vacuum Pressing Systems veneer press, Delta drill press as well as a variety of routers, chop saw, portable planer, bench grinders etc.
While not offering a formal program of instruction, should you run into a problem along the way, there will no doubt be someone there to make suggestions on how best to proceed. The shop will be open as usual from 8:00 am until cleanup at 4:30 pm. (And Ron assures me that yes, the shop is air conditioned!)  You can book your bench by calling them at 613-256-8900, or check their website at rosewoodstudio.com.  While you are on their site, checkout the upcoming courses for the fall.

Ashman Tools Has Moved

Ashman Tools has moved into Exotic Woods former location in the heart of Ontario's Golden Triangle. The store is just minutes from the QEW and only 30 minutes west of Toronto. There new address is 2483 Industrial Street in Burlington, ON. They stock a large inventory of products in their spacious 3600 sqft new location.

Their hours are:
Monday – 8:30am to 4:00pm
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday – 8:30pm to 5:00pm
Thursday – 8:30am to 8:00pm
Saturday – 8:00am to 12:00pm

For more information, check out the Ashman Tools website.

Home Renovation Tax Credit

Now until February 1, 2010 you can claim up to $1,350 on your 2009 income tax return on eligible purchases with The Home Renovation Tax Credit. Canadian homeowners can claim a 15 percent, non-refundable tax credit for the eligible expenditures exceeding $1,000, but not more than $10,000 meaning that the maximum tax credit that can be received is $1,350 ($9,000 x 15%). Taxpayers can claim the HRTC when filing their 2009 tax return.

As with any tax credit, there are many details focused on elegiblilty and limits. For the full story, check out the CRA website for all the details

Template Routing Using Carpet Tape

Carpet tape is one of the most useful products in my shop. It's great for all sorts of tasks, but what I most use it for is template routing. In this example, I'm using it to make a zero-clearance table saw throat insert. These shop-made inserts need to be perfect copies of the original metal one in order to insure the correct fit in the saw.
Start by tracing out the shape of the original and rough-out the shape on a band saw or use a jig saw. Then attach the original to the blank with carpet tape and take the assembly over to the router table where you have a pattern bit in the collet. Ensure when you attach the pieces that there isn't any dust on either piece. This could cause the tape to not adhere well. Proceed to rout the blank. The pattern will stay in place with the carpet tape and when you're finished, use a flat screwdriver to separate the two pieces. Carpet tape can make quick work out of pattern routing.

Vic Tesolin, Editor

Each month, Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement Magazine brings you a range of woodworking projects, techniques and tips that will help to improve your woodworking skills.

In the August/September issue: