Woodworking with AJO

Topics Covered
1. The Issue
2. Photos of Collet & Associated Parts
3. My Method for Inserting Router Bit thru Collet
4. My Method for Removing Router Bit from Collet
5. Removing Stuck Router Bit & Collet from Router
6. Summary
7. Related Links

The Issue
Regarding inserting and removing router bits from the collet for my router, well let’s just say that the router bit doesn’t slip thru the collet with ease. What follows is the method I came up with for coming to terms with this issue.

Pictured below is my DeWalt trim router (model D26670), which I will be using during this post.

Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. Problem
2. Steps Taken To Solve Problem
3. Problem Solved
4. Closing Thoughts

Problem
Recently, I went to adjust the base on my trim router and the base-adjusting knob rotated. However, the threaded shaft attached to the knob did not turn. Odds are I over tightened it.

Steps Take To Solve Problem
The photo below shows the remains of the plastic knob after removal from the metal shaft. I used the Dremel and cutoff wheel shown (in the photo below) to remove the plastic knob.

Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. Blank Throat Plate
2. Blank Throat Plate Coplanar With Table Saw Top
3. Opening for Blade
4. Hold-Down Pin for Throat Plate
5. Final Thoughts Plus A Request
6. Related Links

I have always loved the heck out of my magnetic featherboards, and now I have another reason to love my magnetic featherboards. Turns out my magnetic featherboards are dang handy when making zero clearance throat plates for my table saw.

To make a zero clearance throat plate, you basically take a blank throat plate and raise the table  saw blade up thru the blank throat plate; thereby producing a zero clearance between the blade and the throat plate. Shown in the following photo is my zero clearance throat plate and blade.
Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. Checking For Flatness
2. Squaring It Up
3. Adjusting Left Fence
4. Lining Up Right Fence With Left Fence
5. Testing For a Square Cut
6. Conclusion

This post will cover adjusting your chop saw to ensure the cuts you make are square, and checking the actual cut for squareness.

The Photo below shows the tools I used. The trouble-light shown is especially useful (for me anyway). The clamps came in handy for holding the level (my straightedge) against the left fence while adjusting the right fence to be coplanar with the left fence.

Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. What Do We Have Here?
2. Sketch of Box
3. Photos of Box
4. Final Thoughts Regarding This Box

 What Do We Have Here?
Just a short post on an old box my wife acquired at an auction years ago. I think it is neat looking. And, I thought you might like looking at it as well.

Sketch of Box
Here is a sketch of the box, dimensions, and notes.
Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. Blade Tightening Procedure
2. Is That Tight Enough
3. Dado Blade Set Tightening Procedure
4. RH versus LH Threads
5. Arbor Shaft, Flanges, & Arbor Nut
6. Conclusion

 If you over tighten your table saw arbor nut, you run the risk of damaging your blade and/or arbor shaft threads. This possible problem, with a simple solution, is addressed in the following post.

 I use the two wrenches (shown below) that came with my table saw to tighten (and also remove) my saw blades.
Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. Problem
2. Troubleshooting
3. Called the Company
4. Blade Tension Mechanism
5. Final Thoughts

Problem
Recently I bought a new blade for my band saw. I went to put tension on the new blade, but couldn’t get the blade to tense up. To be blunt, I was sent a blade with the wrong blade length. My 12” Craftsman band saw requires an 80” length band saw blade; however, I was shipped an 82” length band saw blade.

Troubleshooting
Following photo shows the new blade installed.
Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. The Blade Stopped
2. There Must Be A Better Way
3. My Solution
4. Final Thoughts

The Blade Stopped
In using my band saw to cut a piece of wood, the blade stopped. Turned out, the Allen screw on the pulley (concealed by the belt guard) had loosened and the pulley was slipping. A close-up of the pulley and Allen screw is shown in the following photo (the Allen screw has been re-tightened in this photo).
Continue reading →

Topics Covered
1. Dimensions
2. Photos
3. What is it?
4. How Old is This Dresser?
5. Final Thoughts

I was originally planning to label this-post: “Dresser — Salesman Sample”. But, after reading up on “Salesman Samples,” I do not think it is a salesman sample. But before getting into what it is or is not, here is a Photo of the miniature dresser.
Continue reading →

If you make a cut with your chop saw and the cut on the board is splintery, like the cut in the following Photo; then you might have the same problem I had.

Continue reading →