Some times it is the Little things
Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL
>Sometimes in the shop it is the little thing - goffy things that raise your spirits or make you laugh.
When I dimension wood for my segments, I used to resaw the wood with my TS, but recently I have started to resaw with my bandsaw because there is much less waste. A while back I commented how great the Highland Hardware Woodslicer blade was. That was one of those good moments - discovering the joy of a new asset in the shop.
Well, yesterday I had another good moment.
After resawing, I usually plane the wood to thickness with my Dewalt 733 planer (sometimes the finish is so good, I use it straight from the BS). I have not changed the planer blades for about 2 years, mostly because it is a pain in the but, no mater what planer you have. But also because, though there were some nicks in the blade, they could be taken off with a couple of swipes with a sanding block and I did not see the need. It was not because I did not have sharp blades, I had three sharp sets in the drawer.
Well yesterday, I decided to change the blades. Really only takes about 15 minutes.
When I fired it up and ran the first piece of Yellowheart through it - then came the payoff. I first did not think it was cutting, it was so quiet. But when I got the wood out the other side, IT WAS GLASS SMOOTH. I had forgotten what that was like. I just had to laugh. The old blades had been beating the wood into submission.
Like I said, sometimes it is the little things.
Mark
