Why I like handtools
Jim Reed @ Tallahassee
>So there I was, just puttering around in the shop. Straightening up, cleaning up, thinking about lunch. Last task was to replace the blade on the bandsaw. My thought was, "Hmm, just ten minutes til food." Well, the ten minute tune up took over an hour and reminded me why I like handtools so much. When the blade came off, I checked out the rollers and found that the pressure roller behind the blade would hardly spin. It took me over twenty minutes to remove it. I had to take off the blade cover guard among other things. The saw table was awash with allen wrenches, sockets, pliers, and screwdrivers. I had to put the bearing in a vise to remove it from the post. A little WD40 got it going again. Then it was time for reassembly and tuning. A friend once asked Thoreau, "Henry, when are you getting a mule to help you plow?" His reply was, "I might end up working for the mule." I feel exactly like that when I spend my day in the shop playing mechanic. Yes, handtools are lovely.