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A Primer on Selecting and Using the Right Table Saw

by: Jim Laframboise

Just imagine - the sharp, toothed blades of a table saw ripping through your stack of wood, cross cutting them with pinpoint accuracy on the marked line. Or consider this scenario: trimming little pieces of wood to create a straight cut catering to the dimensions of a life-size model dollhouse. Making accurate cuts cannot be stressed enough in the woodworking game. Marking and cutting precisely along the layout line may seem like a science, but it does not need to be. By realizing the intricacies of an adept table saw, you'll work like a pro.
To begin with, table saws are very versatile pieces of cutting equipment. They have the capacity to tackle both thin and thick pieces of wood and adapt with different cutting methods like ripping, beveling (forming a cut angle other than a 90 degree angle) and mitering. The trademark home improvement tool, table saws have a less margin of error than widely misused circular saws that have a tendency to mis-cut from time to time. It all begins and ends with the type of blade used. Most standard table saws are equipped with a 10-inch carbide blade, excellent for general-purpose use. However, the introduction of new & improved blades into the market has created a variety of cutting options for the wood shopper. Replace carbide blades with the 12" 60T (tooth) Tungsten Carbide Tipped Saw Blade and you can really notice a major difference in each cut.

Choosing the right table saw requires a bit of strategical thinking and an analysis of your current woodshop situation. Table saws for under $200 are for occasional-use suitable for fast ripping on small lengths of wood. $200 to $400 table saws are frequent use, mid-range machines excellent for taking care of most ripping jobs. Investing in a $400 plus table saw remains your best bet for extensive woodworking projects like carpentry and furniture making. They are powered by quieter motors and cover a large surface area with more cut depth, taking on the thickest slabs reserved for the most hardcore woodworkers.

If you frequently cover large, intensive projects - look for a table saw with more work-support surface. Many saws come with table extensions that allow them to cut more towards the center of the wood piece. However, the portable table saw is the No. 1 option for polished woodworkers today. It is more convenient than bulkier, heavier table saws and usually constructed with aluminum for easy transport. In addition, leg sets could be purchased to complement its use. Adjustments to different depth and range of cuts are done by simply raising and lowering the blade according to wood thickness. In addition, blades can be tilted to conquer bevel cuts. Whatever you do - make sure you install blade guards or have a locking fence come standard with it. Your fingers are for using, not for disposing carelessly. With the right table saw selecting mindset, you should be able to purchase the right table saw that you'll use for years to come.

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Home Improvements � The Fun Stuff
by: Raynor James

Planning home improvements necessarily involves addressing numerous practical matters. That doesn�t mean you should ignore the fun stuff!

The Fun Stuff

The first thing to plan for in home improvements is the practical stuff. The second thing you need to talk to family members about is the fun stuff.

Most people have colors they like and colors they don�t like. They have things that interest them and things that don�t. Get your family to talk to you about those things. Each person�s bedroom, or bedroom area, should reflect his or her taste and interests.

A boy who likes green, football, and backpacking can easily have a sage green (it �reads� as more neutral than many shades of green if re-sale of your home is a concern) room with cream woodwork, cream interior shutters, and cream ceiling. Framed football posters and wilderness scenes might be pleasant. Bedding with a rustic motif (rows of stylized pine trees?) from L.L. Bean or Plow and Hearth would work right in. Add a touch or two of a bright color like red or yellow.

Does he need a desk in his room? A chest of drawers? A bookcase? Would he enjoy having a bulletin board? Even if they�re small, most rooms need at least three lamps so that illumination is general and even. The shades are usually best in warm, neutral colors. (Light coming through green shades tends to make people look sick.) Lamp shades should be level and the seams should be toward the wall so they�re not visible. When the bottom edge of most lamp shades in a room are the same height from the floor, the room tends to look serene and cohesive.

Hanging pictures usually look best if the bottom edges of the frames are the same height from the floor and level with each other, too. There are exceptions to this and every generalization of course. A grouping of pictures can have the bottom tier follow the �rule� while all of the other pictures are higher. A picture over a fireplace often looks good higher than the other pictures in the room.

Pictures usually look best when they have a relationship to furniture or an architectural feature. Pictures centered over a chest, bed, bookcase, or fireplace are good examples. Pictures don�t tend to look good if they�re scattered willy-nilly around a room, or if they�re up near the ceiling (unless they�re part of a grouping), or if the height at which they�re hung varies wildly with no rhyme nor reason.

A girl who loves pink, the ballet, and swimming can have woodwork the same cream as her brother�s while her walls are a soft pink (a pink with a hint of yellow in it tends to go well with cream), and her art work reflects her interests. If she loves to read, make sure she has a good reading lamp near her bed, or near a comfortable chair, or both.

A cream colored dust ruffle with widely spaced pink stripes and a quilted plaid coverlet in pink, green, yellow, and blue on a cream background might look nice. Add cream fabric window shades with large pink polka dots and I�ll bet she�ll smile.

The bigger point is to simply have fun with some of your home improvements. There is no need to look exclusively at practical matters.

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