The controversial California table saw safety bill is one step closer to becoming law. A senate panel recently approved the bill on a 3 to 2 vote. The bill will now head to the Senate floor for a vote expected in August.
Marc Lifsher of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Table Saw Safety Bill Closer To Law
Legislation aimed at curbing table-saw accidents that often result in amputationssurvived a party-line vote in a state Senate committee.
The measure, approved 3 to 2 in the Senate Judiciary Committee, would make California the first state in the nation to require that table saws be equipped with “injury mitigation technology” to stop a blade quickly enough to avoid amputations and severe lacerations…
…The industry, led by the Power Tool Institute, a trade group in Cleveland, criticized the bill for attempting to create a monopoly for Gass’ company. Proponents have said that Gass’ invention has demonstrated that the technology is viable.
Williams said the proposal has been broadened so that many manufacturers could develop their own injury-avoidance devices.
The full article is available at www.latimes.com
If you live in California and have an opinion on this bill, be sure and contact your Senator. We have reported on this table saw safety bill in the past and feel that woodworkers should be able to make our own decisions regarding their safety. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Keith Holamon is turning big wooden balls on a lathe he designed and made. This aspiring woodworker was making balls and they got bigger and bigger and the lathes he was using were not big enough so he made a piece of equipment to handle the size he wanted. On this truck mounted lathe he takes wood that no one wants such as stumps and turns them into beautiful artwork.
Turning A Big Wooden Ball
Big Wooden Ball Project from Mike Leuis on Vimeo.
His work is inspiring, here are some of the comments from around the web.
“Fantastic. Very inspiring even if I’ll never build a massive truck with a massive lathe hanging off of the back of it.”
” Really loved this. Makes my 6″ sphere jig seem puny.”
“There’s something captivating about Keith Holamon and his spending a fortune to create huge wooden balls.”
“I was surprised to see how beautiful the final products were. The process is so rough looking and yet the final pieces are really beautiful.”
I love the look of these wooden balls, the grain is simply amazing! While turning big wooden balls is not something everyone can do, with the right equipment anything is possible.
Bench Dog ProMaxRT 40-300 Router Table
Matt Vanderlist of Matt’s Basement Workshop and Gerry Barnaby got together on ToolSelect.com for a Bench Dog router table review. In the video posted below they discuss the top of the line model 40-300 Promax-RT cast iron router table which includes the fence and cabinet.
This router table has a cast iron top which comes in at nearly 100 lbs. The top measures a massive 32″ x 24″ and is 1-1/4″ thick and is ground to be flat withing .008″. The included cabinet is made from high grade Baltic birch ply. Also included is the Bench Dog 32″ ProFence along with a heavy duty router plate with options to fit a number of different routers.
Bench Dog Router Table Review
For more tool reviews go to ToolSELECT.com
While the price is not cheap Bench Dog has created a great value in the 40-300 Promax-RT cast iron router table/fence/cabinet combo. In addition I found the video review that Matt & Barnaby did was very informative. You can find out more about this Bench Dog router table package at Rockler.com.
It was announced yesterday that Sketchup is leaving Google for Trimble. The Search engine giant made the announcement on the official Google Sketchup blog.
Sketchup Is Leaving Google For Trimble
That’s why I’m sharing today that the SketchUp team and technology will be leaving Google to join Trimble. We’ll be better able to focus on our core communities: modelers who have been with us from the beginning, as well as future SketchUppers who have yet to discover our products. Designers, builders and makers of things have always been the heart and soul of SketchUp. With Trimble’s commitment to invest in our growth, we’ll be able to innovate and develop new features better than ever before.
For those of you in the architecture, engineering and construction industries, the knowledge and experience Trimble will add to the SketchUp effort are obvious. Together with our new colleagues at Trimble, we plan to continue making our tools for the building professions as innovative, intuitive and (dare I say) fun to use as we always have.
There has been mixed reaction to the announcement with comments ranging from “Should I be excited or worried now?” to “Such great news for Sketchup!” We will have to wait and see how Sketchup’s leaving Google for Trimble plays out.
Fine woodworking is giving a reader a change to win a copy of their latest Google SketchUp Guide DVD. all you need to do is post a comment on the post on their site.
Google SketchUp Guide DVD – Win A Copy
This is an instructional video specifically designed for woodworkers. In Google SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers – The Basics you’ll learn how to set up the program, draw projects and create plans. The DVD includes sample projects, tips, shortcuts, a cheat sheet and a bonus digital plan…
…Leave a comment on this post by 12:01am Eastern Time, Monday, April 30, 2012, and you might just win this DVD.
I for one would like to learn more about sketchUp and this Google SketchUp Guide DVD may be a great way to start.
I wanted to pass on an update about our earlier Workshop Tour Of Studio Woodworking as they are going having a one day woodworking show. The woodworking school’s students will be exhibiting their work on Saturday May 12th 2012.
Here is a short video showing some of the pieces that will be on display.
Studio Woodworking Show
For more information see the Studio Woodworking site.
If you are going to be in the Kelowna, British Columbia area on the 12th of May be sure and stop by. The “Raising The Grain” woodworking show will be held at the Tutt Gallery. Would love to hear from any of you Canadian woodworkers who attend, leave your reviews of the event in the comments.
While building a Roubo style workbench may be in every aspiring woodworkers dreams, we all may not have the time or the money to get it done. A set of quick and easy workbench plans may be all you need to make a workbench that will serve you for many years to come.
Using lumber from a big box store along with Simpson strong ties Ethan Hagan show how to build a very functional workbench. His workbench plans are laid out in a informative guest post on The Art Of Manliness website. Utilizing the included materials list along with the detailed photos you should be able to complete the workbench in a few hours.
Quick And Easy Workbench Plans
Your workbench is going to have some key features like a strong, rigid work surface, power for your corded tools or chargers, a shelf to store
Overhang protects plug strip on workbench made from these quick and easy workbench plans found on artofmanliness.com
tools and accessories, and wheels so that you can move about. The materials are going to run about $120 (cheap ≠ quality) and you should…
…Go ahead and feel the solid work surface that won’t bounce when you’re hammering something together. Unlock the casters and move your workbench around the room. Set up a battery charger on the conveniently mounted power strip.
It looks to me like this would make a very solid and practice workbench. I think that the torsion box top is a great idea. I would probably add an extra sacrificial plywood sheet on top to enable changing that surface as damage happens over time. In addition by using the strong ties the bench will go together in short order and will be fairly accurate and square.
Using these quick and easy workbench plans may not make an heirloom quality bench it is certainly functional. I am using a bench today that my father built over 50 years ago from similar dimensional lumber using old school fastening techniques. I think that building a workbench using these plans and materials it will stand the test of time as well.
If you would like to find more workbench plans as well as have access to thousand of other woodworking plans click here.
Popular Woodworking announced that the Woodworking In America 2012 conferences registration is now open. The annual woodworking event has been very popular in the past and has sold out. In addition there are bonus activities available for earlybird registrants. Details are available on the event website.
Something new this year the Woodworking In America conferences will be held in 2 locations. There will be a October event in The Los Angeles Area and a November woodworking event in the Greater Cincinnati area.
The registration announcement was made by Popular Woodworking Managing Editor Megan Fitzpatrick.
Woodworking In America 2012: Registration Now Open
Register now for Woodworking in America 2012 and reserve your spot at the early-bird rate – plus get first dibs on the limited-attendance “extracurricular activities,” including dinner and a private tour at the Gamble House in Calif., and an exclusive visit to White Water Shaker Village in Greater Cincinnati:
WIA West Coast: Oct. 12-14 in Pasadena, Calif., and WIA Midwest: Nov. 2-4 in Greater Cincinnati.
At either or both conferences, you’ll join top woodworkers and toolmakers for three days of skill-building educational workshops on hand-tool techniques, power-tool use, hybrid woodworking, carving, furniture design and more…
Read the full announcement on Popular Woodworking’s website.
In addition the the registration announcement, more details of the featured presenters were offered. Some of the presenters at the west coast woodworking event include David Marks, Mary May, Jim Ipekjian, Adam Cherubini, and Yeung Chan. The east coast presenters include Curtis Buchanan, Paul Schurch, Jeff Miller, and Christopher Schwarz.
Here is a video promo for the Woodworking In America 2012 events.
I have been reading the posts about the previous events since the first year they held one. Everyone who has attended has said that they have been fun and informative and a great time was had. This aspiring woodworker would love to attend one! If you are planning on attending the Woodworking In America 2012 event it would be in your best interest to check out the details on the event website and make your reservations as right away.
Update 6/16/12:
I received an email this morning reminding me that early bird registration is closing soon.
Woodworking in America 2012 is set to bring you another year of excitement! Workshop instructors from all over the country are gearing up to pass on their extensive woodworking knowledge to you. Get ready and get a closer look at the WIA West and Midwest speakers…
…And don’t miss your chance to save $50 off your registration fee-just register before July 27!
Register for WIA West or WIA Midwest today!
Get your registration done soon!
