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Heavy Duty Workshop Tools

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Stationary Tools Safety Tips

 

  • Always use ear protection and wear safety glasses when operating a power tool.
  • Avoid loose clothing, jewelry and anything that could get caught in the saw. Tie back long hair.
  • Don’t force the tool. Don’t expect a small tool to do the job of a heavy-duty tool.
  • For planers, use a push stick to help feed the material onto the blade and to keep your fingers out of the way.
  • Use the correct blade for the material you are cutting. Keep blades sharp and look out for overheated or vibrating blades.
  • Unplug the tool before changing blades and making adjustments.
  • Never operate a joiner or planer without the belt guards or cutter head guards in place.
  •  



    Planer

     

  • Used to square up, resize or smooth wood in width or thickness. Best for larger flat surfaces.
  • Performs the job of a hand plane, but faster and better.
  • A variation is a planer-jointer, which performs additional operations such as tapering, beveling and grooving. The planer finishes edges.
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    Jointer

     

  • Used to smooth the edges of wood and help remove warps.
  • Can cut flat surfaces.
  • Size is determined by length of the tool's knives. Most common size is 6”.
  • Often combined with a planer
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    Lathe

     

  • Used for wood turning applications to create spindles, miniatures, bowls and plates.
  • Consists of a track or bed, headstock, tailstock and a tool support or rest. The tool locks in a piece of wood, with the headstock turning the piece and the tailstock supporting the other end.
  • Different types of tools shape the wood as it is spinning.
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    Grinder

     

  • Used to cut and grind metal, concrete and masonry, for sharpening all tools, cutting into corners and tight spots, polishing, buffing and wire brushing.
  • Consists of a motor powering one or two grinding wheels, often mounted on a workbench.
  •  



    Drill Press

     

  • Used for boring holes in precise, repetitive cuts. With the appropriate accessories, the drill press can also shape, carve, sand, grind, buff and polish.
  • Consists of a base and a column rising upward to a head holding the motor and drill. A radial arm holds a worktable that adjusts vertically. A feed handle enables the user to direct the drill chuck up and down.
  • On a radial drill press, the head rotates 360º around the column and can drill at an angle or horizontally
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    Courtesy of NRHA.org

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