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May 2001 |
One Good Turn
For the home workshopper, and even some dedicated woodturners,
the new Delta Midi Lathe 46-250 may be all you’ll ever
need. When it comes to features and performance this machine
handles like a pro.
The hefty, neatly finished cast
iron lathe body arrives with all the necessary basics, including
a live centre tailstock, spur centre, a 6" tool rest and
a 3 1/8" faceplate to get you started. A multitude of accessories
is available from Delta or other aftermarket suppliers to expand
its capabilities, provided they fit the lathe’s No. 2 Morse
Taper shank or the 1" x 8-thread-per-inch headstock spindle.
By mounting stock to the faceplate,
you can turn close to a 10" round chunk of wood, meaning
you can make the likes of a bowl or plate up to about 9 1/2"
in diameter. For spindle turning (between centres) you can start
with a maximum 5" x 5" squared piece to make it octagonal
in shape. This is required to clear the tool rest base. The
main add-on accessory is a #46-855 bed extension—a well-spent
$100 to allow spindle turning of up to 37" long, which
gives the lathe enough capacity to turn a long delicate table
leg or the largest baseball bat allowed.
Switching on for the first time
is a pleasant surprise; just a quiet purr that becomes only
slightly louder with stock mounted, ready to turn. Every manual
adjustment is quick, smooth and sure-footed, including the six
speed changes made possible by means of stepped pulleys and
a flat, grooved belt. Speed ranges from 500 rpm to 3,700 rpm.
A 1/2 hp single-phase motor does the work, and a locking, well-positioned
on-off switch rounds out the main features. The instruction
manual is clear and easy to follow, and even shows basic operations
and chisel use.
For the novice turner, the Midi’s
size is not overly intimidating, and a tool of this calibre
is bound to make the learning experience fun. For the experienced
turner it’s an all-round quality machine. The basic Delta
Midi Lathe retails for $670.
Contact: www.deltamachinery.com
or 800-463-3582.
—Gary Walchuk |
Spring Mitre Clamps
For almost 15 years I’ve searched unsuccessfully for a
set of spring clamps to hold the tips of mitred trim together
during installation. I’d seen them used in woodworking
books and although they looked great, I’d never found any
for sale. That’s why it didn’t take long for me to
pick up the phone when I noticed a set in the latest issue of
a woodworking catalogue.
At $119.95, the Canwood mitre
clamp set isn’t cheap, but what it lacks in frugality it
makes up for in utility. The Taiwanese-made clamp is based on
a previously patented German design and is sold in Canada exclusively
by Alberta-based House of Tools. It includes six sizes of C-shaped
spring clamps—60 clamps in all—and a pair of aluminum-and-steel
spreading pliers for opening them to grip wooden parts. The
sharp clamp tips grab wood and apply pressure across angled
faces that would be difficult or impossible to hold with any
other clamps. The jaw range of the smallest clamp is 1/2"
to 3/4" across the tips, made of spring steel wire measuring
1/8" in diameter. The largest clamps grip across a 2 5/8"
to 3 3/8" range, with a wire diameter of 3/16". I
like almost everything about this system except that the clamp
points leave dents in the wood, especially if it’s soft.
But that’s nothing that a wax filler stick can’t easily
hide after finishing. Contact House of Tools at houseoftools.com
or 800-661-3987.
—Steve Maxwell
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