Previous Tools of the Week

Radial Drill Press

More than likely you already own a hand drill or perhaps several. These are fine for general drilling needs but, when precision drilling is required a drill press is a must. A drill press can also be used with various drum sanding attachments and for mortising.

There are quite a number of makes and models on the market but one type in particular offers the most versatility and that is the radial drill press. There are bench top and floor models available. This machine has the capability of drilling at many angles by means of tilting the table and the head; either individually or in combination. Can also be used for horizontal boring. It also has the greatest *swing capacity. Typically, about 34 inches.

If you want one drill press that offers the most capability and versatility then consider the radial drill press.

You can purchase these machines at Amazon.com, Grizzly.com, and Woodstock International.com

*Actual distance from the edge of the stock placed against the column to the drill bit point is 1/2 the stated swing capacity. In other words: a 10 inch swing will allow drilling 5 inches from the edge of the stock, 12 inch swing=6 inches from edge, 34 inch swing=17 inches.

The Tenoning Jig

If the mortiser can add speed and precision to creating mortises the tenoning jig can be just as helpful when cutting tenons. Used in conjunction with the table saw it offers a safer and more convenient method of producing tenons. Delta and Jet are two well known brands. Retailers Rockler and Woodcraft sell their own models.

This jig uses the table saw miter slot for guidance when cutting. The different makes have their own setup procedures so it's best to refer to the owner's manual that accompanies the particular model. Once the initial setup is done they can produce accurate and repeatable cheek cuts with minimum effort. The shoulder cuts are made with the table saw using the miter gauge. Again, follow the instructions in the owner's manual for best results.

The Mortiser

As your skills in woodworking advance you will find an increasing need to make various wood joints. One such joint is the mortise and tenon. This strong and versatile joint is used in making tables (joining the legs to the apron), constructing frames (for mirrors, doors, wall panels, etc.) and other projects.

While a mortise can certainly be cut by using a mallet and chisel a far more precise and quicker way to do the job is through the use of a mortiser or mortising machine, especially if you need to make them on a regular basis. Delta, Jet and Fisch manufacture quality mortisers. Fisch also makes superb (Austrian made) chisels and bits.

This shop tool resembles a benchtop drill press with a single extra long handle for advancing the cutter into the stock. With this machine you can "drill" square holes. Actually, the cutter consists of two parts; the outer is a hollow square chisel (available in various sizes such as 1/4",3/8",1/2") and the inner component is an auger style bit that has its tip set just slightly below the the sharp edges of the chisel. As the bit enters the stock it leaves a thin sliver of wood between the rotating outer edge of the spirals and the outer flat sides of the chisel. The chisel cutting edge then comes into contact with this sliver and shears it off and continues this action as the feed handle is pulled forward and downward until the cut reaches the required depth as determined by the depth stop. The reason for the long handle is for extra leverage when forcing the chisel into the stock-the harder the wood the more force is needed.

In use, the area to be mortised is marked off on the stock. The width of the mortise will always be determined by the size of the mortising chisel, i.e., a 3/8" chisel will cut a 3/8" wide slot. The owner's manual will give detailed instructions for initially setting up your machine prior to first use and will guide you through its operation.

An alternative to a dedicated machine is a mortising attachment that can be used with most drill presses. They work fairly well but are not as convenient to use as a stand-alone machine. Also they tend to place a lot of stress on the drill press table due to the force necessary in advancing the cutter into the stock. The drill press feed handles are not built as robustly as on the mortiser and may break or bend if mortising very hard woods.

A companion piece of equipment to use when making mortises is a tenoning jig. We'll cover that in another article.

Hammer Drills

Hammer Drills/Rotary Hammer Drills. If you need to drill holes in masonry or brick-especially concrete- the Hammer Drill is the best tool for the job. And if you need really heavy duty drilling power the Rotary Hammer is the answer. While you can use a regular power drill and spiral type masonry bits, these tend to be slower and place more strain on you and the tool. The power drill provides rotation but you have to lean into the bit to get penetrating force.

The hammer drill on the other hand, is quicker and less tiring to use. It works on the pricipal of rotational and hammering action on the bit. As the bit rotates it receives hammering action from a mechanism inside the drill so you get two forces working on the bit. Very little force is needed to advance the bit in the hole. The rotary hammer is similar to the hammer drill with the exception of a more vigorous hammering action.

They are available in corded and cordless varieties from various manufacturers such as Bosch, Hitachi, Milwaukee, DeWalt, Makita and Porter-Cable, equipped with conventional Jacobs type chucks or SDS chucks. For the casual user the Jacobs chuck kind will be adequate for your needs. The SDS (Slotted Drive System) is geared more to the professional contractor were quicker bit changes can save time, as all the bits have the same shank size there is no need to tighten the chuck with a key or by hand. Another advantage to SDS is there are bits available for performing tasks other than drilling. A variation of SDS is SDS Max-larger size bits for extra heavy drilling needs.

The Corner Chisel

The Corner Chisel is a handy helper that makes some routing tasks so much easier; such as hinges mortising or setting a lock face flush with door edge. Normally, when you reach the end of your cuts the intersection is left with a rounded corner.

The chisel is placed in the corner above the rounded area, then a light tap with a hammer scores the stock and marked part is easily removed with a hand chisel. You’re left with a nice 90-degree square corner.

One of the best on the market is from Porter-Cable.