I own this woodshop. I have learned the equipment one selects is most important. Secondly, the equipment needs regular maintenance. I admit, I have not done my part in regularly maintaining my equipment. It is a painful learned lesson. For example, I purchased a power sander.... see that "BEAUT" below. It is a Supermax 19-38. That machine power sands wood pieces and saved me hundreds of hours of hand sanding time over the last couple of years. In the course of that time, the machine got out of "true" alignment and my wood pieces were getting sniped and gauge marks were appearing on the wood. I believed I had a faulty, no good, piece of garbage and was ready to ditch it. Before I went to that nuclear option, I called Laguna Tools and talked to the tech rep. He explained the sanding platen might not be level or the roller bars were not aligned correctly. He then explained how to correct the issue. After three weeks, several minor adjustments, and a few thrown wood pieces, the Supermax is back in original shape. Turns out the sanding platen was not level and the roller bars were not aligned correctly. The moral of the story.... DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE on your machines. If you don't know what to do, call the company and ask to speak to the expert tech rep. Then be patient ( I don't have a lot of this quality) and make the right adjustments. Now the machine is running like new and I don't have to fork out mega bucks to replace it.
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You want to enjoy woodworking and see a great finished product. You DO NOT want to spend your weekend in the emergency room because of carelessness. Try these tips to ensure a good woodworking experience. 1. Wear safety eyeglasses. I was using the table saw two days ago. I was "ripping" a five foot board and all of a sudden "zing", a small chunk of wood hit my cheek. It could just as well have been mt eye. Make it a habit to wear eye protection before you start a project. 2 Wear ear protection. It will save your hearing, long term, especially if you have a lot of equipment. I can't hear anything when the planer, dust collection system, and air circulation systems are going. The decibel levels are outrageous! Protect your hearing, wear highly rated ear devices. 3. Take off any jewelry, This includes rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces. If one of these items gets caught in a piece of machinery..... Well, you get the drift. Be safe, take off the bling! 4. Do not wear loose clothing. Make sure clothes are tucked and are "away" from machines. I know you love that favorite baggy shirt. But, if you lean over a piece of machinery and it gets caught in the gears, Watch out! Wear snug fitting clothes, no ties. 5. Keep your fingers away from the blades. Common sense, right? Wrong. My father in law had been an experienced woodworker. One careless moment and pow.... Parts of three fingers missing. Use jigs, push blocks and accessories, if you get in a situation where the machine operation feels dangerous then stop and rethink what you're doing. Hope these tips were helpful. Share your tips. And enjoy your next project. SaFELY. |
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