Australian Wood Review September 2018

100 issues. 25+ years. Medal time. But seriously, it’s hard to believe and 100 is a milestone for not just me, but for many others who have been involved in the production of this magazine, not to mention the likely thousands whose work has appeared in its pages. I could bang on about changes that go back to film, scans and floppy disks…but nowadays most people don’t know, remember or even care about that. I could reminisce, with your indulgence, about a small boxy looking Mac obtained for the purpose – about having to phone a friend to ask how to open a program to create layouts, add text and boxes that would contain images. How antediluvian that sounds now. I started this magazine with Raf Nathan. It was a big idea…

Like many other woodworkers I had been avidly following the development of the Shaper Origin for the past few years; curious to see whether it lived up to the hype. The first caveat is that the Shaper is currently not available for sale in Australia but I have been running the US version through a step-down voltage transformer with no issues to report after six weeks usage. The second thing to clear up is that it won’t be replacing traditional CNC any time soon, but perhaps that could be its best attribute – it’s simply not trying to be a standard CNC. On top of the ‘R&D’ price I paid US$290 for shipping and $220 for a transformer. Shaper Origin is currently only available on a pre-order basis. Shaper’s developers describe it as…

Carbatec have recently released their new range of bandsaws and I visited their in-store workshop to test their 14" machines. There are two, identical except for motor power. The first has a perfectly acceptable 1.5kw (2hp) motor, which runs off a standard 10 amp general power outlet. The other has a 2.2kw (3hp) motor but for this one you’ll need a 15 amp circuit. It’s good to see domestic and professional users with differing power requirements and access being catered for. Safety has been at the forefront of development, with automatic electronic brakes, micro-switched doors and magnetic NVR master switches positioned in convenient locations. Cutting capacities are generous. The table size of 550 x 410mm is ample without being cumbersome, and the maximum resaw of 360mm is superb for this size class.…

In June Tormek announced a new range of diamond wheels designed to fit the larger Tormek grinders such as the T8, T7 and earlier models which accept a 250mm wheel. Many would have considered a CBN (carbon boron nitride) wheel a more likely offering, however in true Tormek tradition, they have chosen to do their own independent research and move to a technology that they believe will eclipse the competition. There is no doubting the superiority of diamond abrasives, being almost twice the hardness of CBN, however, the one weakness remains exposure to high temperature. Even low speed spark grinders generate far too much heat for diamond abrasives. Hence, the decision to go diamond sees Tormek capitalising on the unique nature of their product, the near zero heat generated through low…

Shear Cuts When starting out, the outlay required for tools and sharpening gear can seem off-putting. For would-be and also experienced turners, enter Woodpeckers Ultra-Shear, a one-tool solution that even reduces the need for sharpening. With nano-grain carbide inserts that rotate to a new edge, and are then replaced when all are used, this is one sharp tool. Five cutters are available. From Professional Woodworkers Supplies. www.woodworksupplies.com.au Turners’ Gear Woodturners can add to their kit and boost their capabilities with several accessories now on offer from Hare & Forbes Machinery House. Faceplates in two diameter sizes (90mm and 150mm) with M40 and 2mm thread allow you to add different threaded inserts to fit multiple lathes. The PM-2 pen mandrel set holds small pen parts for creative shaping. CTR-4 curved tool rests enable easier turning…

Since my last review of block planes in AWR#11 way back in 1996, a number of new brands have become available. As we now find ourselves in the middle of the great hand tool renaissance, it seems the perfect time to revisit this essential and versatile hand tool. Why get a block plane? A block plane is a small handplane which has the blade bedded at a lower angle than most planes, with the bevel facing up. They are basic tools and most consist of only four components – the body, cap, blade and blade adjuster. Most people tend to think the main functions of a block plane are for slicing through endgrain (due to its low angle), and also for planing smaller parts due to their size. However they are useful for…