Precision Woodworking - How to pick the Best Miter Saw

As a homeowner sometimes we have to make educated decisions about our purchases for some of the things we need to avow our households. That includes buying tools like a miter Saw. The best way to outline out which miter Saw that you'd like to purchase is to think your needs. Explore what is available in the store by checking out the popular woodworking magazines that review power tools. Specialty magazines have more insight into what is prominent for the woodworker than a more general publication that reviews everything.

With your choices in mind here is a checklist of the things you should look for before selecting your miter Saw:

Size - Miter saws come in 3 sizes. They are 8 inch, 10 inch, and 12 inch. That is the size of the saw blade. The 8 inch miter saw is not very handy because it is so small that you may not be able to cut much more than a 2 by 4 piece of lumber straight across. The 10 inch and 12 inch are more handy for the homeowner as they are able to cut across bigger pieces of wood. Features - Miter saws have a few features that should be considered. There are quarterly miter saws which only crosscut a piece of wood. There is the compound miter saw which is able to cut an angle or bevel or an angle and bevel at the same time. There is the dual bevel miter saw which is able to cut a bevel on both left and right from perpendicular. The most versatile of all is the sliding miter saw. The saw commonly slides on a rail that allows you to cut wider pieces than the quarterly miter saws. Quality - Sometimes warranty can be a good indicator of quality. After all, if the warranty is a good one then the product should be too. Most tools will have a 1 year warranty but some might have 2 years. What I look at is how the tool is made. Is it robust? Is it made with ability materials? Is it made with stamped steel pieces or cast metal pieces? Is there a floor model that you can look at? Sometimes stores are lax in the maintenance of their floor models and they might show signs of abuse or poor ability in the construction of the tool. If you saw a tool that had a broken piece on it would you buy that model if it looks like it could happen to you after you bought it? Specifications and Price - finding the best miter saw for the best price can be the most rewarding. First, you should weigh all the factors before deciding which model of miter saw you'd like to buy. Is it big enough? Is it the right kind? Can it cut the sizes of wood at the angles you want? Some miter saws can cut sharper angles than others. Would that be a notice for you? And what about price? Does it fit in your budget? Can you get away with a cheap model for the job that you are doing? Or do you want one that will be good for the jobs you'll be doing in the future? Can you wait for it to be on sale? Sometimes miter saws go on sale for deep discounts or will be packaged with miter saw stands. It's up to you to balance your needs with how much you can afford.

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Precision Woodworking - How to pick the Best Miter Saw

Vintage Woodworking - Boice-Crane Company's 3500 Table Saw

Boice-Crane began making woodworking machinery for non-professional woodworkers in December of 1926 when W.B. And J. E. Boice partnered their business with H.G. Crane. At the time of the merger, two plants were in operation. H.G. Crane owned the Adrian plant, and J.E. Boice owned the Toledo plant.

The Boice-Crane business made lightweight tools for the midpoint consumer with only a few products developed to go into the industrial field. Once the business failed in the 1980's, Wilton Corporation bought the drill press output line and Comet Engineering Incorporated bought the radial arm Saw output line. Gothenburg Manufacturing business took over the parts business and supported the spindle sander, belt sander, and scroll Saw until their business also failed.

The Boice-Crane 3500 table Saw was artificial some time around the late 1960's to the early 1970's. It had a 1 1/2 horsepower motor that was 220V. The 10-inch blade was raised, lowered and tilted with controls settled on the front of the cast iron encased cabinet. This cabinet type table Saw was driven with a triple belt system. The table size was 36 inches by 27.5 inches and this could be enlarged to 63 inches with the prolongation table. It came qualified with a steel rip fence and a blade guard.

After searching some sites that offer old manuals and heal parts lists, I could not find a specific manual for this particular table saw. However, the 3500 model had many of the same features as the former 2500 series of Boice-Crane table saws. The saw blade tilts with a rotating deal with crank leaving the table itself stationary. A dial indicates the degree of the angle to offer an literal, way to measure your angled cut. Hand levers lock the saw and fences into place to contribute protection from slippage. The gear boxes are totally encased and grease-packed for longer wear. The large tables were built for a greater load capacity than most other table saws. The hood guard tilts with the blade for extra safety. Other protection features consist of a large splitter with two anti-kickback dogs to keep both pieces of wood from being thrown forward. The motor settled separately in the steel encased cabinet reduces vibration that could interfere with good potential cuts.

Since the Boice-Crane 3500 table saw is carefully a vintage piece of machinery, it may not meet modern standards for protection and quality. Anything who is curious in restoring this old table saw may have mystery in finding appropriate transfer parts because the associates that bought out the different lines have also gone under. However, with the World Wide Web at your fingertips, you could probably find man with a similar interest in vintage woodworking machinery that can point you in the right direction.

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Vintage Woodworking - Boice-Crane Company's 3500 Table Saw