I recently picked up a jointer, and after a few minutes of use I realized it was time to get a dust collector. I don’t have space for a commercial collector, so as usual I turned to the net to look for alternatives. After a few hours of searching I came across Phil Thein’s website, and quickly realized I had found the solution I was looking for.
I constructed my dust collector from the following materials.
- The motor of a Harbor Freight Mini Dust Collector
- quarter sheet of 3/4″ MDF
- quarter sheet of 1/4″ Hardboard
- 4″ elbow
- 30 gallon garbage can
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Eventually I plan to build a workbench with a hard maple top. I only have a 13″ planer, so I thought I would have to wait till i got a bigger planer, or pay someone else to plane the top. One night while surfing SawmillCreek, I stumbled across a post that referenced a simple shop made tool called a router sled that wold let me flatten a bench top or any other large wood surface with tools I already have. Since I have never used a router sled before, I decided to make a small one and use it to make some tops for my role-away tool chests.
The base is made out of 3/4″ MDF. The bottom is a single layer and the sides are two layers screwed together, & to the base with drywall screws. The slides are dual purpose, they insure the base is flat and they provide an elevated surface for the bridge to rest on.
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I have been working without a proper welding table for a while now, and it was really starting to cramp my style. I borrowed the Idea for my table from Bob Warfield, and used a roll-away tool chest for the frame, and 1/2″ steel plate for the top.
Yesterday I mad the first modification to my saw. I didn’t like the door hinge method of tensioning the pulley belt. Don’t get me wrong, the stock method is fine, but I don’t want to get a wrench out every time I want to change speeds.
I learned about this mod on the home shop machinist forum. It’s really simple and requires no unalterable modifications to the saw. All you need is a length of angle iron a spring and an eye bolt.
After using a hacksaw to cut of a length of 1.5” diameter 4140, I decided it was time to get a bandsaw. OK I didn’t really decide, my aching arm told me it was time. I spent about a week doing my typical re-search to see what brand and model was best. I eventually settle on the Jet 5×6, because I could pick it up at my local Menards. I was a little wary of the Jet, because the display model looked like crap, but several people had good things to say about it. On black Friday I bit the bullet, and through down the cash.
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