Excalibur T Slot Saw Fence
Delta 10' Contractors Table Saw + Excalibur Fence + Forrest Blades - $675 (Grand Terrace) FOR SALE- Delta 10' Contractors Saw + Fence Came With- Excalibur by Sommerville Design T-Slot Precision Saw Fence TT45- Forrest Manufacturing Company Saw Blades - Thin-Kerf Woodworker II & DADO KING (see pics)- HTC Mobile Base HRD-10 for easy mobility around your shop!Ev. The guide bar will fit into the standard 3/8” by 3/4” slot or T-slot on most table saws. If your table saw does not have a T-slot simply remove the flat washer under the leading edge of the guide bar using the hex key provided.
Excalibur Mitre Guide, Dewalt Products, Dura-Grit Accessories
Excalibur Mitre Guide Osborne EB-3 (shown above)
The Osborne EB-3 Mitre Guide by Excalibur is one of the finest, dead-on accurate table saw mitre guides that I have ever used. How about a mitre gauge that gives you 41' of support for those crosscuts? How about a mitre gauge that has positive (and accurate) stops for all of the most common angles? The Osborne EB-3 does all that and more.
The EB-3 fits all standard table saw mitre slots, including “T” slots with the removable washer/screw. The EB-3 quite easily fits the right or left mitre slot and does so in seconds.
I liked the full support it gave when cutting longer boards and I also liked the Alan screw adjustments to tighten or loosen the mitre bar in the slot. They eliminate any chance of side-play. A good idea was to enclose a self-adhesive abrasive strip to cover the fence face.
On the downside is the assembly manual. It is somewhat vague in content and leaves a lot of room for improvement.
Overall, the Osborne EB-3 Mitre Guide by Excalibur, offers very smooth operation.
Excalibur T Slot Saw Fence Parts
Dewalt Sliding Compound Mitre Saw
There are two new tools from DeWalt that deserve attention: an 8 1/2' SlidingCompound Miter Saw; and a Cordless Impact Driver.
The DW712 is the perfect sliding compound miter saw for those of you that are not involved in doing heavy construction. This is not to say that the DW712 is not a heavy-duty tool, it most definitely is. But DeWalt designed this tool for trim workers, cabinetmakers and general woodworkers. If you are in any of these categories, this is the tool for you.
DeWalt thought this one through with features such as miter cuts to 50º left and 60º right. In addition, there are seven positive stops in both directions. The DW712 has five pre-set bevel stops, 0, 33.9, 45, 48 and -2º.
A 15 Amp motor powers the DW712 and it has a no-load 5,400-rpm speed. An ergonomic horizontal handle is user friendly and makes this 43-pound saw easy to carry. DeWalt also includes a 30-tooth carbide-tipped blade.
Dura-Grit Accessories
Those rotary power tools such as the Dremel, Black & Decker, and Ryobi are probably the handiest power tools in the workshop, but they have one major drawback. The accessories such as sanding stones, sanding drums and cutters seem to wear out faster than normal. Although these accessories are apparently designed for high-speed rotary power tools, it is perhaps this same high speed that shortens their life span. If this limited life is as annoying to you as it had been for me, I have an answer for you: Dura-Grit’sHigh-Speed Tungsten Carbide Cuttingand Sanding Wheels. They are specifically designed for high speed rotary power hand tools and up front, I can tell you that the 5-80, 1/2' x 5 1/16' diameter, flat-head stone is excellent for quick material removal. I used the 80-grit stone on an oak carving with great results. This stone is also available in 60 grit for even more aggressive removal.
The Dura-Grit products are designed for rough and fine shaping as well as finish sanding of wood materials. They also perform well with fibreglass, carbonfibre, laminates, composite materials, leather, rubber and plastic. They are not recommended for using on metal.
The Dura-Grit products are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and grit numbers. I particularly liked the cut-off wheel. It chopped unwanted rough portions like a hot knife through butter.
Regardless of which brand of high speed rotary power tool you may have, Dura-Grit’s cutting and sanding wheels will make a noticeable difference in it’s performance.
The price of the Dura-Grit accessories is less than $15. They are a little more than conventional wheels and burrs, but they will last you 10 times or more longer than the less expensive ones, so that makes it a great deal. You can buy Dura-Grit products on-line at http://www.duragrit.com.
Dewalt Cordless Impact Driver
The new DW054K-2 is a tool that you better hold on to with both hands. After all, you don’t play around with 1,150 in-lbs of torque. I have yet to experience a 14.4 volt cordless tool this powerful.
The DW054K-2 is a 1/4' impact driver with a quick-release chuck and a variable speed drive. It turns at 0 - 2,400 rpm and hammers at 0 - 3,000 bpm. It is a compact tool as well. The DW054K-2 is only 6 1/2' long, so it can get into those tight spots with room to spare.
The 1/4' chuck means that it will handle all of those quick-release bits, such as nut drivers, socket adapters, twist drill bits, and power screwdriver bits. Be careful though, this powerful tool could easily snap those drivers.
The DW054K-2 comes complete with a one-hour diagnostic charger and two XR battery packs.
Excalibur T Slot Saw Fence
GRAHAM McCULLOCH is a woodworker and writer living in Halifax, NS