Nova DVR-XP

Just for giggles, I did a standing coin test with the Nova DVR-XP. Many of you know, this is a new toy...er tool to my shop. I haven't gotten a lot of time to enjoy it, but I have done a few things. The lathe is fantastic, smooth, lots of power and is a significant upgrade to the lathe I had before. In this series, I'm going to demonstrate some hollowing tools including the famous Termite and the Proforme Hollowers. In this little video, I just do the coin test. The LCD screen isn't as clear as I had hoped on video, but I tried to add some titles so you can get the idea. You will be able to hear the lathe picking up speed.

Here's the video!

Festool Domino and Dowelmax Comparison on Simple Joints

Hi Folks,

There is alot of Domino support and bashing, as well as Dowelmax support and bashing on various woodworking forums. Typically the owners of the tools talk about them like they are just about the second coming. The detractors talk about their excessive (relative) price. The Domino “won’t pay for itself.” The Dowelmax is no better at 250 bucks than a beadlock is at 50 bucks. Usually stuff like that. If you read close enough or care, many of the supporters and detractors don’t have either tool. They usually have some other way that you should spend your money and I’m sure kick their dogs and roll through stop signs!

Anyway, I love tools. I love to buy them. I love to compare them. It’s my hobby. I thought I’d toss together a crappy little video demonstrating the Domino and Dowelmax with making a butt joint, and in edge joining stock.

Please note that I don’t script these, I don’t rehearse them, I don’t really even plan them very well. They are off the cuff and I may confuse myself with terminology and have some jittery camera work. I hope you get the point that I am neither a professional woodworker, nor am I a professional videographer.

I do make the assertion that I’m better at woodworking that I am at video production.

So, here is the video. If you have any comments or critisim’s, fire away. If you want to bash either tool, please send your comments to either Festool or Dowelmax. I didn’t design either of them, I purchased both of them just because I wanted to. I don’t support either company over the other and I have no intention of defending my opinions to anyone, though I will happily join in poking fun at my haphazzard methods of video production.

Thanks!

MFT 1080 As Tablesaw Outfeed

I used a 1400/2 rail across the longside of the MFT table to use it as my outfeed table. I have seen versions using the MFT in it's true form as an "L" off of a tablesaw, but I don't have the room to do that.

By taking off the legs of the MFT and building a frame underneath, I was able to maintain the clearance for the outfeed on my planer, keep the MFT coplanar to my tablesaw and still have all the functions of the MFT.

I did a short podcast to demonstrate this. After watching the video, you may have more questions than I answer, but just drop me a line and I can see what I can do.

Cheers!

Nova DVR-XP

My Nova is in it's new home today. My old lathe was giving me fits as I wasn't happy with the tailstock or the banjo. I wasn't able to tighten either of them, sufficiently, to suggest any type of confidence. No matter how I tightened the retaining bolts, I could either not slide it at all, or not secure it firmly. The lathe did a good job on introducing me to turning, but now it's time for something serious.

I havn't added any ballast yet, nor have I done anything but turn it on and wind it up. What I can say is, it's smooooooth! The tailstock, banjo and toolrest slide easily and lock up tighter than (insert whatever analogy you like.) The swivel headstock locks securely and firmly. I'm really looking forward to giving this thing a whirl later this week.

Cheers!

Festool Update

Well, I see now how it can happen. You get one Festool product, and then like hitting your head and waking up with amnesia, you suddenly have 5 or more. I fell in love with the idea of the Domino and with the research involved in buying a tool like this, I was able to start looking into other tools in the Festool lineup. One of the things that drew me towards these products, is the dust/chip control. I'm happy with most of my tools and though some have had to be replaced by the Festool line, it wasn't due to poor peformance as much as they just blew crap all over the place and it just doesn't seem like a good idea.

Along the way, I looked into their dust extractors, circular saws, multifunction tables and sanders. All in all, the Festool list now looks like this:

DF 500 Q Domino
TS 55 Plunge Cut Saw
MFT 1080 Multifunction Table
FS 1400/2 Guide Rail
CT 22 Hepa Dust Extractor
ETS 150/3 Random Orbit Sander

I think I'm done for awhile. I'll post little tidbits on this stuff as I spend more time with it.

Cheers!

Festool Purchase Disorder - (FPO)

I'm anxiously awaiting my order from Hafele Canada. On the way is a Domino, MFT 1080 and a TS55. I'm getting a little impatient, but I can't wait for the new toys. Unfortunately I was informed that the starter kit for the domino is back ordered, so I may have no use for the tool for awhile. It will give me some time to incorporate the MFT into my outfeed table.

I've been lathe shopping as well and hope to order a new Nova next week. I just have to decide between the 1624 and the DVR. It's looking more like the 1624 right now. Electronic speed control is a ridiculous luxury for the amount that I turn. A lathe is a ridiculous luxury for the amount that I turn. My Craftex 14" lathe hit Craig List today. I hope I can uload it. I can always give it to my brother.

Cheers!

FPO - Festool Purchase Disorder (FPD), is a devastating illness that can result in considerable social and economic disability for both afflicted patients and their family members. FPD is usually treated with a combination of specific behavioral therapies, called exposure and response prevention, and medications. It is important to note that many psychoactive medications are not likely to help FPD symptoms. That a number of partially-effective drugs have now been carefully evaluated. The treatment, for most FPD patients should involve the combination of behavior therapy with medications. Limiting afflicted patients to FOG Forums has proved ineffective and proper budgeting and sacrifice in order to provide a acceptable levels of complimentary purchases appears to keep FPO at manageable level.

Dowelmax

Well, I'm going to start my little tool reviews with a new tidbit called Dowelmax. There has been a ton of discussion on woodworking forums regarding the Festool Domino and Dowelmax. Dowelmax is an ultra precise doweling jig that is toted as being just that. As I'm a sucker for new tools, and while I waited for my Domino to arrive, I gave Dowelmax a call.

The phone was answered by Jim Lindsey, inventor and President of Dowelmax. Jim is one of those instantly likeable guys and as hoped, loves to talk about his tool. I was ready to buy one anyway, but the pitch was inspiring! After about a half hour of impressive descriptions of the process and the tool, I had one put in the mail. I'm in Canada, and the tool was shipped from about 1100 Km away so it arrived within two business days.

First of all, I have to say this. I hate buying tools that present themselves with a catalog of all the other attachments and pariphenalia that you need to buy in order to make it work. When you buy Dowelmax (sold in either 3/8 or 1/4) You get a boatload of stuff with it. The tool that arrived is a beautiful piece of workmanship that I've rarely come across in a tool. It's more like an expensive polished wrench, than the typical cast and rough woodworking jig. It's robust, precise, and feels like a tool that is worth every penny with the manufacturing alone.

Operation of the tool is straight forward and idiot proof. If you follow the method of marking the workpiece and indexing the tool, you can't miss. I mean, you can't miss. I had my 8 year old daughter mark her boards, line up the jig. I drilled the holes as she lined it and **poof**. Perfect joint.

The Dowelmax can be used to make any number of different variations of dowels in ajoining workpieces in several different thickness of wood. Take a look at the Dowelmax Website for some downloadable videos to see how it works. If you want to join wood in an extremely precise and extremely strong fashion, repeatably, then it's a BUY IT, rating!

Cheers!

Mot's Tool Blog

This blog has been created as a place for me to review the tools that I have in my shop. I'm not going to give professional reviews with measurement of tolerances. I'm just going to give you my impressions after using them. I'm a hobby woodworker with a healthy tool budget. I buy things because I want them and require no justification at all. I don't have Sawstop's and Minimax bandsaws, however, I have things that you may want for your hobby shop.