In the simplest terms, a router table consists of a flat table surface with a router attached to the bottom. The router is mounted with its base attached to the underside of the table and the bit sticking up through a hole in table’s surface. The table holds the router securely, leaving the woodworker free to keep both hands on the workpiece during the cut. But there’s a little more to it than that: to be effective, a router table has to meet certain criteria. And if you’re in the market for new table, you’ll have plenty of features and options to sort through. To help you make the best decision, here are some of the most important factors to consider.

The Number One Priority - A Flat, Solid Top

Above all, a router table top needs to be rigid and as near as possible to perfectly flat. In many router table operations -  router-cut joinery, for example - precision is of the utmost importance. Even minor irregularities in the tools surface can translate into skewed joints,  uneven rabbets and dadoes and other problems.

The Rockler Router Table Top is made from 1-1/8” MDF surfaced on two sides with high pressure laminate and provides a generous 24” x 32” work area.

Part of a unique selection of interchangeable router table components, the Rockler table top is available in money-saving router table packages, or by itself, giving you the option to design exactly the table you need. Check out our selection of Build Your Own Router Table components. You’ll find everything from stands to fences to plates and lifts to tops - including cast iron and solid phenolic versions from Bench Dog.

Along with flatness, a router table surface needs rigidity. As we all know, the stock we mill on a router table is itself never perfectly flat and true. Many times, it needs to be “persuaded” into conformity with the router table’s absolutely rigid geometry. A router table that flexes even slightly when it encounters the downward pressure necessary in feeding wood will never reliably produce accurate cuts.

Cast Iron
What’s the best material for a router table top? As tool manufacturers have known all along, very little beats a hefty cast iron surface for a flatness, stability and durability. A cast iron tool surface also has the mass to soak up the inevitable vibration from tool motors and other moving parts, a heft that also helps keep the tool firmly planted on the floor. If you use your router table on a daily basis or even if you just want the utmost in accuracy and durability, investing in a router table with a cast iron top is worth serious consideration.

Other Router Table Materials
Even if cast iron is arguably the best material for a router table, it’s not the most frequently used. Most commercially available router tables are made from other materials, such as MDF (medium density fiberboard) or solid phenolic resin. More affordable and much lighter than cast iron, these materials can be perfectly acceptable substitutes, and even be a better choice when portability is a concern.

MDF
Because of its low cost and reasonably reliable stability, MDF has become one of the most popular materials for both shop-made and commercial router tables. For a hobbyist on a limited tool budget, an MDF table is often the most practicable choice. That doesn’t necessarily spell compromise. As long as it’s made to reasonably high standards, an MDF table top can provide years of light to medium-duty service. Here are a few things to look for:

To maintain rigidity and provide good workpiece support, a full-sized MDF router table top  should be at least 1’’ thick. Along with meeting this minimum thickness requirement, a MDF table tops should be surfaced on two sides with a material that provides easy sliding and prevents surface wear. Many MDF and particle board machine tables are surfaced with melamine, which provides basic protection from damage by moisture and wear, and is slippery enough for easy stock feeding.

Some MDF tables are surfaced with HPL (high pressure laminate), a much hardier material. HPL is made from several layers of phenolic resin-impregnated kraft paper topped with a scratch resistant melamine paper surface. HPL is many times thicker than a single layer of melamine, is much stronger, and provides considerably greater impact resistance. Because the material is thicker and more resistant to dimensional change than melamine, an MDF router table top surfaced on both sides with HPL is also more likely to remain flat throughout its service life.

Solid Phenolic
Still other router tables are made from solid phenolic resin. Naturally rigid and tough, solid phenolic sheet material is an excellent choice for a router table surface. Phenolic resin router table tops are absolutely impervious to moisture, offer extremely high impact resistance and are virtually guaranteed to retain their original dimensions and flatness throughout their service-life. While solid phenolic router table tops will not provide the vibration absorbing heft of a cast iron table, their basic durability, lightness, rigidity and dimensional stability make them worthy of consideration, even for shops where they will receive heavy use. 

An Accurate, Easy to Position Fence

Most router operations rely on a mechanical means for guiding the workpiece through the cut. On a router table or in handheld operations, that often means using the bit’s pilot bearing. On a router table, it just as often means guiding the work along the router table fence. The quality of the fence included in a router table package is extremely important.

  The Rockler 32” Router Fence and the Rockler Deluxe Router Fence are both examples of a one piece fence. Each has a sturdy one piece main fence component and two melamine surfaced MDF fence facings. The fence facings can be easily adjusted for optimal clearance on either side of the bit. The Rockler Deluxe Fence (pictured above) also has a third fence facing extending the height of the fence. The extra height adds stability when feeding vertically oriented stock.

There’s quite a range in the quality and sophistication of router table fences. The simplest “model” consists of nothing more than a straight piece of lumber clamped to the surface of the table. At the other end of the spectrum are precision after-market fence systems with incremental positioning mechanisms and other advanced features. In between, there are a few very good basic fences, all of which share the same important qualities: They’re straight and rigid, easy to position, stay in position reliably, and offer ample positioning range.

A “Split” Versus a One Piece Fence

Along with the general quality of the fence, there are two basic types of fence to consider: the “split” fence and the one-piece variety. A split fence has two independently adjustable halves. The in-feed side of the fence can be positioned at an offset from the out-feed side of the fence. The purpose of having two independently moving sides of the fence is to offset the in-feed and out-feed sides of the fence to account for material removed from the entire width of the stock during a cut.

The split fence arrangement can come in handy, but it has a drawback: In nearly every router table operation, whether or not the in-feed and out-feed side of the fence are positioned at an offset, it’s is extremely important to have both sides in nearly perfect parallel alignment. With all but the most sophisticated split fence systems, getting the two halves in acceptable alignment can be a considerable challenge.

  Rockler Router Table Jointing Shims were designed to make it easy to turn a router table into an edge jointer. The color-coded shims are designed for use with the Rockler fence and can be quickly installed behind the out-feed fence facing to produce an offset. They can also be used alone or in conjunction with shop-made shims to produce an accurate in-feed / out-feed offset for a variety of other table routing applications.

With a one piece fence, the alignment problem doesn’t exist. The fence is one solid, straight piece that covers both the in-feed and out-feed sides of the table. A one piece fence outfitted with a split “sub-fence”, (or “fence facing”) will still allow you to offset the in-feed and out-feed sides of the fence. By shimming the sub fence on the out-feed side of the table, you are able to account for pre-milling/post-milling stock width differences without worrying about alignment problems.

The Rockler Router Table Fence 

Above, we touched on the basic qualifications that every router fence should meet: straightness and rigidity, ease of use, reliability and adequate range. Here, using one of our favorites as a model, well look at how theses attributes can be combined to comprise a fence that does it’s job easily and effectively.  

The heart of the Rockler Router table fence is a straight, rigid one-piece aluminum main fence component. This 32” anodized aluminum “L” fence maintains a reliably straight guide for the workpiece on either side of the cut. The opening between the in-feed and out-feed halves of the fence is designed to accommodate even the largest router bits, without compromising the fence’s rigidity.

The main aluminum fence component mounts to the table with T-Bolts and corresponding slots in the table’s surface. The large, easy to grasp hold-down knobs make positioning the fence anywhere along its range quick and give you enough torque to make sure that it stays put during the cut.

The Rockler fence also includes two 3” x 16” melamine surfaced MDF fence facings, each of which is slotted for T-bolts front and back. The slot on the back of each facing is used to attach it to the aluminum fence. Using T-slots instead of a single bolt-hole allows you to widen and narrow the gap between the two facings, which is important. To provide proper workpiece support on either side of the cut, you need to be able to bring the fence facings into close proximity of bits of various diameters. The T-slots on the front of the facings  make it easy to attach and position workpiece stops, featherboards or shop-built jigs and fixtures.

Recently redesigned, the Rockler fence now has a T-slot integrated into the top of its aluminum main fence component. This new feature allows quick and easy attachment of hold-down clamps, flip stops and other handy accessories, and as an incidental bonus, further increases the fence’s rigidity. 

Don’t Overlook the Base Plate 

Rockler Router Plates are machined from 1/4” thick aluminum to a size of 8-1/4” x 11-3/4” - large enough for through-the-table-top installation of even the largest routers. The Rockler Router Table Top’s 8 leveling screws are balanced by two easy-access lock down screws, which provide a secure hold in the table and fast plate/router removal. To limit the number of pre-drilled holes in each plate, Rockler Router Plates are arranged in four groups, each covering router models with similar hole patterns.

On most router tables, the router is attached to a base plate, which fits into a rabbeted opening in the table top. The quality and layout of this seemingly minor piece of equipment can actually have a considerable impact of the functioning of the table. The base plate is what actually holds the router in place in the table, and therefore it needs to be solid and substantial. While solid phenolic, if thick enough, can serve as an adequate base plate material, aluminum is arguably a better choice.

The router base plate must, of course, be compatible with your router. A better system will offer a range of plates that are pre-drilled specifically for one or two router makes and models. Because of their Swiss cheese pattern of screw holes,”one size fits all” plates drilled for several routers can be confusing to install, are inherently less strong, and offer more opportunity for dust and debris to accumulate and potentially interfere with the feeding of stock.

The base plate also needs to sit perfectly level with the surface of the router table. Nearly all tables are designed with a base plate leveling system, but there can be some difference in how different leveling schemes work. A basic leveling system is often comprised of no more than four leveling screws adjusted from the underside of the table. A better plate leveling system will have more points of contact, and the system may even be integrated into the plate’s lock down mechanism.

If you’re planning to use your router both in and out of the table, you’ll want to consider how much work is involved in getting the router mounted. Even if you plan to leave your router in the table permanently, the initial set up shouldn’t involve you in an afternoon’s worth of work. Check to see whether the router table you are considering makes installation and removal of the router easy.

A Miter Gauge and Miter Slots

  The Rockler 32” Router Fence features T-slots in surface of the fence facing and another along the top for easy attachment of featherboards, stops and other common router table accessories.

Unlike a table saw, a miter gauge is often considered “optional equipment” for a router table. For end grain milling, many woodworkers prefer shop-built or after-market “sleds”, such as the Rockler Rail Coping Sled. Consequently, many router tables don’t come equipped with a miter gauge. That’s not a tragedy. Most woodworkers who use a miter gauge with a router table opt for a after-market miter gauge over the inexpensive T-square model you’ll find accompanying most of the router table packages that offer them. Most router do come equipped with a miter slot, however. It’s a worthwhile inclusion. Some router table operations are easier to perform with a miter gauge - cutting a dado across the center of a long, narrow piece of stock, for example.

If convenience and extreme end grain milling precision are high on your priority list, there are a few outstanding after-market solutions to consider. The JessEm Mite-R-Slide is one of the best, and a significant upgrade from and standard T-square miter gauge. Designed for use exclusively with  the Mast-R-Fence, this precision cross-grain milling fixture makes setting up for delicate angled and 90 degree cuts about as reliable and trouble free as it gets. 

T-Slots
Many router tables come equipped with T-slots in various locations for the attachment of accessories. T-slots are extremely handy for positioning featherboards, length stops and other common router table attachments. The most common location for a T-slot is on front surface of the fence. Having a T-Slot in one or two other locations can prove very helpful as well. A slot across the top of the fence, for instance, will allow easy attachment of a flip stop or a couple of hold-down clamps when the need arises.

Choosing a Router for a Router Table

What kind of router should you buy for a router table? There aren’t any set rules – the router that will work best depends on the capacity of your table, and on the type of work you’ll be expecting it to do. Most would agree, however, that it makes the most sense to get a router that’s as powerful as can be reasonably paired with your table. In Working with Routers, power tool expert Pat Warner recommends using a larger router, ideally a 2-1/2 to 3-hp model to achieve the most versatile table routing set-up.

A good-sized router provides the extra muscle needed to power large diameter bits. A router that’s got a little heft and horsepower will also help smooth out slight irregularities in bit balance and keep things moving at a consistent speed. A smaller, 1-1/2-hp router can still be used, but will limit you to shorter runs and lighter cuts, such as edge forming with small profile bits or rabbets and dadoes that don’t add up to more than 3/8’’ x 3/8’’ material removal at a time.

Raising and Lowering the Bit

When installed in a router table, many routers will perform the actual cutting of stock beautifully, only to become maddeningly inconvenient when it’s time to raise, lower or change the bit. The simple reason is that most routers just weren’t designed with the geometry of a router table in mind.. Without an additional lift mechanism, a typical fixed base router is likely to involve awkward reaching under the table surface for routine height adjustments, and can also make extremely fine adjustments to the height of the bit (a frequent requirement in router table work) next to impossible.

Recently, a few routers more thoughtfully designed for router table use have entered the market. The Porter Cable 892 is a popular example. The PC 892’s adjustment mechanism, designed for both handheld and router table use, represents a vast improvement over the typical arrangement. Dubbed one of a “new breed of router” by Roland Johnson in the February, 2007 issue of Fine Woodworking, the 892 can be adjusted from above the surface of the table and offers a micro-adjustment feature that makes fine tuning the bit height quick and accurate.

For the ultimate in router bit height adjustment ease and accuracy, however, a router lift is still the way to go. Acting as a surrogate router base, a router lift fits into the opening in the router table top and holds the router motor in place. All router lifts share one great feature: they make it possible to change bits and bit height from above the surface of the table. A good quality router lift will also make raising the and lowering the bit effortless, and extremely fine bit height adjustments easy and reliable. Voted “Best Bet” in the October ‘07 issue of the Woodworkers’ Journal, the JessEm Mast-R-Lift achieves this smooth, accurate raising and lower action through overall sturdy construction, a carriage fitted with four sintered bronze bearings, and two rock-solid ground and polished guide shafts. Other lifts to consider include the Rockler/JessEm Lift FX Plus (designed for smaller routers) Bench Dog Pro Lift and the unique Smartlift Digital Router Lift. All will let you perform dead-on accurate bit height adjustments, as well as bit installation and removal, without ever having to see the underside of your table.

Which Router Table is Right for You?

  Rockler’s Router Table Package #3 features the best components on the market, including the Bench Dog ProMaxRT cast iron top. Weighing in at nearly 100 lbs., this vibration-gobbling monster provides nearly 5 square feet of surface area (ground flat to within .008”) putting it in a class by itself.

If you’re buying your first router table, singling out just one from all of the options available may seem like a daunting task, but it’s worth taking time to consider your options carefully. Above, we’ve covered the most important factors. (Of course, if you buy all of the main working components of a router table separately, you’ll still need something to set them on - whether you choose a ready-made stand or build one yourself. And there are a few accessories - featherboards and a safety switch among them - that are worth throwing into the mix from the start.)

As far as the main components are concerned, buying a pre-determined router table package constitutes the best deal. Rockler offers a variety of router table packages, in a range designed to cover the needs of a just about every woodworker. Rockler’s affordable Router Table Package #1 (which lets you save money by supplying your own stand) comes with a solid, reliable HPL surfaced MDF table, the Rockler 32” Fence and a router plate drilled for you brand of router. It’s a great setup for a hobbyist who needs to keep the cost within reach, but doesn’t want to sacrifice accuracy and convenience in the process. On the other end of the spectrum, the # 3 Bench Dog Package comes with just about everything you could ever want in a table, including a cast iron top and handsome Baltic birch cabinet base. This Cadillac of router tables would be perfectly at home in a professional furniture making shop, or anywhere that the most durable, accurate machinery is highly valued.

Rockler also offers the opportunity to custom design your own router table. With our unique selection of compatible Rockler and Bench Dog tables, bases, fences, lifts and plates, you now have unprecedented flexibility in designing your own table. If you have very specific ideas about the router table qualities, features and conveniences that matter most, visit our “Build Your Own Router Table” page and see how easy it is to cook up a system that fits the bill perfectly. Whichever way you decide to go - whether you “build it yourself” or choose a money-saving package - you’ll find a selection of router tables and router table components for every woodworking style and budget at Rockler.

Summer’s been gone for awhile now, but there’s still time to look at the condition of your deck. Got any split boards? Popped-up nails? Some moss or other plant life growing up out of the rotted boards…? You’d better get to work if you want to be able to enjoy that deck all next summer!

The new Kreg® Deck Jig System™ has everything you need to replace those old boards - or build a new deck - with the same type of easy joinery made popular with their Pocket Hole Jig!

The Deck Jig™ guides you as you drill and drive deck screws at the optimal angle to achieve concealed fastening of deck boards. No more exposed nails or screws!

 The Jig has an easy-grip handle, and spacer rings are included to ensure uniform, accurate spacing of deck boards. Take a look at how easy it is!

And Kreg has thought of it all, with Protec-Kote™ Deck Screws or Stainless Steel Deck Screws, both sold in tubs of 700 pieces. (Or in smaller quantities if you’re not doing your whole deck!)

The Kreg® Deck Jig System™ is now available at Rockler - another way we help you Create with Confidence™! Get to work now, and then have a great summer on your gorgeous deck!

Here’s yet another reason to use Blum European hinges: a new soft close system that installs in seconds and is virtually invisible.

In case you haven’t heard, the Blumotion system has been around for years, sparing the savvy cabinet owner from the typical self-losing hinge slam-bang scenario and the unnerving sound of an over-zealously closed drawer rebounding off of a cabinet front. The Blumotion’s unique system senses the amount of force applied to the door or drawer and adjusts its speed dampening resistance accordingly. The Blumotion for Tandem Drawer Slides, for example, takes affect when the drawer is 2’’ from the cabinet front and gently eases it closed. The contents of the drawer, the drawer itself and your nerves stay calm and intact.

The recently introduced Blumotion for Doors model 973A improves on the original system by making cabinet door soft-close practically effortless to install, and so well integrated into the hinge itself that you’ll hardly know it’s there.  The mechanism simply clips on to any 120 degree opening Blum Clip Top Hinge and silently works its magic from the hinge side, instead of protruding from the handle-side cabinet wall like its predecessor.
 
For hinges that won’t fit the 973A, there’s a “Compact” version. The Blumotion Compact is essentially the same technology, but attaches with a special bracket to the hinge side wall of the cabinet. It’s a great retrofit for cabinets with any other type of self closing hinge. It will also come in handy for 170 degree hinges and other specialty applications where an incompatible Blum Clip Top Hinge is used. Both the 973A and Compact system also add an overload safety feature that protects the mechanism from accidental damage, and like all of Blum’s meticulously designed products, are built to last a lifetime.

This kitchen was designed by my wife, and I built it out of barn wood from my grandpa’s barn. The barn collapsed after a severe snow storm. We made the 500+ mile trip to Wyoming and picked up the wood in a U-haul and brought it back to Colorado. The wood is milled to size and if you look closely you can see the nail holes. Our old kitchen had 9 cabinets in it, this one has over 26. Some of the upper cabinets are over 4 feet tall. Because of the age of the wood, after sanding the dirt and gray wood off, I would plane the wood and some of the knots would shatter like glass. It would take me 3-4 days to make just one cabinet door. The carcus of the cabinets are made out of melamine, most of which I got out of the cull bin at home depot. It has a triple bowl sink and a 36” slide out drawer above the fridge where my wife stores her large canning pots. All of the drawers are on 100lbs capacity full extension drawer slides, and each cabinet is designed for a specific purpose. For example one cabinet next to the stove has a specially built slide out holder for all of the cookie sheets and pie pans

How seriously should you take keeping your tools sharp? Ask around and you’ll get a range of opinions. For some woodworkers, sharpening is at best a necessary evil - to be taken up only when a tool will no longer successfully cut wood. For others, the practice of keeping every chisel, plane iron, gouge, saw blade and pencil in the shop in absolute razor-sharp condition carries an almost spiritual significance. Most, however, would take a more moderate position. They’d say - as so many professional woodworkers have - that reasonably-to-very sharp tools, and a system for keeping them that way, are prerequisites for enjoyable, accurate and safe work.

Settling in with a sharpening system that offers the results you want, and that you actually use, can mark a real turning point in your woodworking. Sharp tools cut faster and with less resistance, leave a smoother surface, and are simply more fun to use. Having consistently sharp tools is likely to improve your accuracy and your attitude toward using hand tools. You’ll get things done faster and have a better time doing it.

So which sharpening system is the best? There’s no shortage of opinion on that, either. The one that will work out best for you depends on the type of woodworking you do most, the type of tools you need sharpen, the amount of time you want to spend sharpening, and the amount you want to invest in a sharpening system. Below, to help you get started, we’ll sort through a few of the most popular sharpening systems available.

The Venerable Benchstone

One of the most familiar sharpening tools is the good old bench stone. Benchstones come in a variety of types and materials, each of which has it’s own unique properties. In general, sharpening stones can be divided into three basic groups: oilstones, water stones, and diamond stones. There’s nothing wrong with the bench stone method of keeping an edge on your tools - as long as you don’t mind supplying a little elbow grease. in fact, sharpening systems that make use of various natural and man-made abrasive materials are still among the most popular.

 It would be possible to devotee several chapters in a book to a treatise on benchstone sharpening techniques - in fact several people have. One of our favorite, Leonard Lee’s, The Complete Guide to Sharpening, provides in depth information on just about every sharpening task you’ll run into, and is highly recommended reading for anyone who’s just beginning to take sharpening seriously. But in short form, here is how the various stone differ:

Oilstones have traditionally been the favorite here in the West, and are still among the most popular. Oilstones are lubricated with oil during the cutting process, and may be made of naturally occurring or man-made materials. Oilstones are available in a variety of degrees of coarseness, from fast-cutting Washita stone to extra-fine Hard Black Arkansas stone. Oilstones tend to wear well and require less flattening than waterstones. While naturally occurring oilstone is less plentiful and more costly than in the past, a one-time investment can last a lifetime.

 Waterstones originated in Japan, and cut much faster than oilstones. They are also available in finer grades, which makes them a popular choice for honing and polishing devotees. Waterstones also wear much  faster than oilstones and have to be flattened periodically on a lapping bed, or with a flattening stone. Diamond stones, by contrast wear like iron. A diamond stone, as the name suggests, is made from diamond crystals bonded to a steel plate. These man-made stones are typically more expensive than other types of stone, but have the advantage of staying perfectly flat regardless of how many times they have been used.

The Scary Sharp (and Very Affordable) System

 If you’re the frugal type, and like to maintain intimate contact with the sharpening process, you might want to look into the Scary Sharp (tm) system. What’s Scary Sharp? It’s a method, not a thing. Scary Sharp means using successively finer grits of wet/dry sandpaper and a lubricant to sharpen tools. There is some debate as to the origin of the Scary Sharp system; some believe that it predates World War II, and has been passed down from master to apprentice for generations. An excellent introduction to the art was posted on rec.woodworking in 1995 by Steve LaMantia.  Although this now-classic account is not the origin of Scary Sharp, as many believe, it is one of the best, and certainly the most entertaining, endorsements of the practice available.

The key to success with the scary sharp system is having the right “equipment”. That means having a range of wet/dry sandpaper grits, a honing guide to maintain the correct bevel angle, and a perfectly flat surface to work on. You can collect all of the material yourself, or you can save time by picking up one of Rockler’s Scary Sharp kits. They come with everything you need, including high-grade silicon carbide self-adhesive sandpaper, a honing guide, and  a guaranteed flat 12” square x ¼’’ thick plate glass work surface.

Motorized Systems

The Scary Sharp (tm) system is certainly the most affordable of sharpening systems, and many woodworkers swear by it for sharpening bench chisels, plane irons and the like. Carvers, turners and other woodworkers who have (or anticipate developing) large collections of cutting tools may prefer a motorized system for its versatility and advanced features. Outfitting yourself with a respected motorized system is a significant step up in cost, but if you are a serious hand tool user, and like to keep all of your expensive cutting tools in top condition, the added cost may turn out to be a bargain in the long run.

A motorized sharpening system should not be confused with a bench grinder. A typical bench grinder is best suited for quickly removing material from a metal object, and is not a good choice for the delicate operation of sharpening a fine hand tool. A sharpener’s grindstone moves much slower than a bench grinder’s, and it usually delivers coolant to the grinding/sharpening operation - most often, a stream of water. The cooling system prevents over-heating that would affect the hardness of the tool; the slower speed makes the grinding operation easier to control, and also prevents centrifugal force sufficient to drench the operator with coolant.

 In the world of water-cooled sharpening systems, there is no more respected name than Tormek. There are several reasons for this longstanding position of honor. Chiefly, the Tormek system lets you grind a variety of tools reliably and repeatably. An array of jigs available for the Tormek mean that you can grind gouges, skews, chisels, plan irons and a variety of other tools time and time again at the exact same bevel angle. More recently, Jet Tools released it’s own motorized sharpening system: The Jet Slow Speed Wet Sharpener. In many ways comparable to the Tormek, the Jet offers an impressive list of optional jigs and accessories, and at the same time is a little easier on the checkbook.

Being able to do that is a great advantage: Once you’ve established the correct cutting geometry for a given tool, you can restore it in successive sharpenings reliably and with the minimum of material removal. In other words, the sharpening process goes faster, your tools last longer, and you know that you are applying the best possible cutting geometry all of the time. The Tormek also employs a handy stone grading system that lets you do both coarse grinding and fine sharpening with the same stone. The advantages there are speed, of course, and more importantly, the ability to easily and accurately repeat the correct grinding angle in the coarse and fine modes.

Work Sharp - The New Kid on the Block

 There are countless committed disciples of wet sharpening systems like the Tormek and Jet’s Slow Speed Wet Sharpener. And in the opinion of many, there’s no reason to look further. That notwithstanding, we’d like to mention one relative newcomer: the Work Sharp Sharpening System. Available in two models, the Work sharp is (in a sense) a hybrid of the Scary Sharp system and a motorized sharpener; it has a couple of features that you don’t see every day. First of all, it’s an air cooled system, the convenience of which may appeal to some who think a water cooled system is a hassle.

Both Work Sharp models have a unique angled sharpening port leading to the underside of the abrasive disk. The port makes it practically foolproof to sharpen straight chisels and plane irons at the proper bevel angle evenly and repeatably. To make matters even easier, the sharpening port has an integrated, patent-pending ceramic oxide lapping abrasive on its surface. With a few quick strokes, you both sharpen the tool and remove the resultant burr from the cutting edge.

If the angled sharpening port is clever and efficient, the system has yet another feature that’s downright ingenious: the Work Sharp’s proprietary “Edge-Vision” sharpening method. Both Work Sharp models come with special slotted sharpening wheels and corresponding slotted abrasive disks which allow you to sharpen gouges and other non-straight edged tools on the underside of sharpening wheel while you watch the goings-on through the top of the wheel (in much the same way as you can “see through” the blades of a window fan when it’s running). 

How do the WS2000 and WS3000 differ? The WS3000 is the luxury model; it comes with all the capabilities described above and includes few appreciable refinements. The chisel and plane iron port is adjustable in five degree increments from 20 to 35 degrees, giving you more say in choosing a bevel angle, along with the ability put on a quick and easy to re-hone 5 degree micro-bevel. And not that you’ll need to worry about it much, the lapping abrasive is replaceable.

 The WS3000 turns slower than the WS2000 and probably feels a little smoother to operate. It also comes with two tempered glass wheels - the traditional guaranteed-flat substrate for abrasive paper sharpening. The glass wheel are two sided, adding the advantage of being able to keep each of four grinding surfaces loaded up with a different grit for fast changeovers.

The Work Sharp WS2000 has one standout feature to separate it from the WS3000: the price. At around $100, we feel confident in saying that it’s the most sharpener for the money that you’re ever likely to get. If what you want mainly is a tool that quickly and repeatably grinds and hones straight chisels up to 1-5/8’’ at a perfect 25 degree bevel angle, it’s a pretty good bet. And on top of that, you’ll get the handy “Edge-Vision” capability and plenty of tool rest-supported freehand grinding surface on top for larger tools.

There’s No Wrong Answer

In the end, just about any sharpening system will keep your tools sharp. The best one for you may depend more on your temperament and budget than on anything else. But one thing is true for everyone: once you reached a certain point in woodworking, you understand that keeping your tools sharp isn’t an optional pursuit - it’s a (necessary) part of the job.

You don’t have to spend thousands to give your kitchen a new look.  Below, we’ll show you how you can give one of the most important rooms in your house a first-rate “makeover” at a fraction of the cost of a full scale remodeling project.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Replace those old cabinet doors and drawer fronts
Transforming your kitchen from dark and drab to bright and airy has never been easier, thanks to Rockler’s newly expanded Custom Door and Drawer Program. First remove and discard existing door and drawer fronts, then replace with new custom-made and sized door and drawer fronts. Plus, we make refacing as easy as 1-2-3 with our veneer and laminate sheets and refacing tools.

2. Add a touch of glass!
A great way to accentuate your kitchen cabinetry is with custom made and sized glass panels and brass grille. Replacing a couple of your cabinet doors with custom-framed glass doors can transform your kitchen cabinet into a showcase! Choose from textured glass and beveled leaded glass panels, and numerous styles of brass grille.

3. Replace old knobs and pulls
Updating your kitchen with new knobs and pulls is easy to do, and it’s a great way to personalize and add distinction to your kitchen space without spending a lot of money. Choose from a wide selection of contemporary and traditional favorites that are simple to install.  You may also find new hinges that improve function and add a custom feel.


4. Make the most of your storage space
To make the most of your kitchen space, check out our kitchen storage solutions. We can help you organize your cabinets with a Lazy Susan or have complete access to your non-perishables with a handy pantry pullout. We also have full-extension drawer slides that enable you to easily find what you’re looking for. And that means no more lost ice cream scoops or bottle openers!

5. Put the spotlight on your new-look kitchen
Versatile low profile Pockit lights are perfect for use under shelves or cabinets. Either surface mounted or recessed, they’ll showcase your kitchen in its best light!

Cutting through vast router bit terminology and making intelligent choices from a  seemingly endless variety of router bits can be beyond confusing. New woodworkers or those new to working with a router can find it especially challenging. Today, we’re going to take a quick look at a couple of very common router bits that can be quickly demystified - the straight router bit and rabbeting router bit

Terms:

• Dado - a trench cut into the surface of a machinable material such as wood.
• Rabbet - a groove cut into the edge of a piece of material such as wood.
• Piloted bit - a bit with a bearing on top used to guide the bit along the edge of  machinable material.

1) Straight Router Bits:  Among the most commonly used bits, straight router bits are fantastic for cutting straight down into a material.  The result is usually a groove or dado, but they are also used for hollowing out an area for a mortise or inlay.  Straight bits are available in a variety of diameters, but the common range is between 3/16” to 1-1/2”.

2) Rabbeting router bit:  Producing a straight vertical and horizontal cut, rabbeting router bits are designed specifically to cut a rabbet into the edge of material. They are also considered to be a piloted bit and usually come with a range of pilot bearing diameters which allows the bit to produce a variety of dimensions.

Ron Sommerville of Bridgeton, New Jersey, has a 200-year-old farmhouse. He wanted his kitchen to be modern, but not look out of place with the house.

Take a look at Ron’s awesome solution! He used the hardware from our Classic Icebox Hardware Kit to make custom panels for his modern Jenn-Air fridge!

Ron says “I removed the hardware protective finish with a wire brush and darkened the hardware using your brass darkening solution for an aged, distressed look. I put a stainless steel pin through the latch to make it solid. I now have an “old” icebox in my 200 year old farmhouse.”

by Bob Schuster of Lenexa, Kansas, for his cutie-little granddaughter who has ridden it just about daily for two years now!

Probably the most used tool in your shop is one you might overlook; your pencil.

It makes sketches, computes figures, marks parts, lays out mortises, erases mistakes, and a hundred other tasks around the shop. A common school pencil is fine for most purposes, so long as it is kept sharp, but for me, there are four prime marking tools in the shop: A mechanical pencil, a carpenter’s pencil, and a white colored pencil.

The mechanical pencil is my primary marking tool. It maintains a consistently fine line, and is inexpensive. I keep them all over the shop including in my apron. It does the majority of my marking chores. I prefer the 0.07 pencils; they are a bit tougher than the 0.05, and break less often on open grains.

The carpenter’s pencil has a big, tough lead that does an excellent job of marking on rough lumber. It makes bold marks when processing your stock, but the lines are too thick and clumsy for detail work. The flat body keeps it from rolling away, and it fits easily in a pocket or box.

Normal pencil leads work very well on most materials, but for very dark woods, the lines can be impossible to see. For these occasions, reach for a white colored pencil. When very sharp, it leaves a nicely visible line on your dark surface. Furniture makers who work in walnut keep a box of these on hand.

Read more Woodworking Basics at the Buzzsaw Blog