What came in the mail today?

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 7/18/2025 at 6:35 AM, Von said:

This bit is 2.5" in diameter (I should have said that - looking back at my photo, it doesn't do it justice). It seems like a lot of metal to be spinning at 24k rpm. I found a number of articles (e.g.) telling me I should slow my router down for anything over 1" D.

Sounds good sir. When it comes to safety, best to go with your gut and what feels right. Take care

[Chet]

On 7/18/2025 at 4:35 AM, Von said:

It seems like a lot of metal to be spinning at 24k rpm

Definitely.  But nothing like creating a situation requiring the purchase of a tool or two.

[Mark J]

I think my router table router is on "medium" speed.  The control is not easy to access nor are the markings easy to read.

[Von]

Rocker has their bar gauges (aka pinch sticks) on sale ($30 vs $50 normally) so I picked one up this week and took a few minutes to unbox it today. I've got a couple shop-made versions from 3/4" square aluminum (you can see one towards the top of the photo) and use them mostly for checking square on boxes and the like. The Rockler version is a little more sophisticated and the different ends might be handy. For the Rockler version, you provide the 3/8" rod - they suggest metal but all the photos show dowels, which is what I had lying around. Dowels would seem to make more sense since one may need to cut them to length depending on what one is measuring.  I didn't have an opportunity to use it today and will post a review when I do, but it seems a decent value for the sale price. [Edited to add: link to my review]

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

Blue Spruce 3/8" Fishtail Chisel

 

I've always been curious about and too cheap to order their tools until today. 

But getting into corners of a 1/2 blind DT is a pain with a straight chisel so i thought I'd give it a whirl. 

Looks nice. I got the longer handle option and honestly it fits my medium sized hand really well, which makes me think the standard handle must be pretty small. 

The back is polished to a mirror sheen and is dead flat. 

Excited to put some mileage on it this weekend. 

[fcschoenthal]

They do put out some pretty stuff.

[Von]

On 8/15/2025 at 6:17 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

Blue Spruce 3/8" Fishtail Chisel

...

Excited to put some mileage on it this weekend. 

Beautiful tool. I've never used a Fishtail Chisel and welcome hearing about your experiences. I always welcome an excuse to buy a new tool :-)

[fcschoenthal]

I got a set of Narex skew chisels some time ago and kind of wish I had gotten a fishtail instead. It sure would make it a lot easier to sharpen them, but they were on sale for $30 for the set. I haven't done any half-blinds, but they sure come in handy for getting stuff out of corners.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 8/16/2025 at 7:41 AM, Von said:

Beautiful tool. I've never used a Fishtail Chisel and welcome hearing about your experiences. I always welcome an excuse to buy a new tool :-)

 tested it out this morning with a half blind in scrap. 

BS claims that their chisels need no additional honing on delivery and that's definitely true here. It's very sharp. 

And it made cleaning out the corners of the sockets a complete non issue. Before this i used a 1/8" chisel to get in there and that works ok, but this fishtail gets right in there. 

It's kind of a one trick pony, but it's a good trick. 

 

 

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 8/16/2025 at 8:02 AM, fcschoenthal said:

I got a set of Narex skew chisels some time ago and kind of wish I had gotten a fishtail instead.

I use Narex for my bench chisels. I think they're about the best value running. 

[fcschoenthal]

On 8/16/2025 at 8:29 AM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

I use Narex for my bench chisels. I think they're about the best value running. 

It's easy to tell that I kind of like them too. 

I bought the set of Richter chisels and liked them so much I started looking at the other offerings. Taylor Tools has Narex products on sale way too often. I wish they had better handles though. I'm just not going to make all new ones

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 8/16/2025 at 8:13 PM, fcschoenthal said:

It's easy to tell that I kind of like them too. 

I bought the set of Richter chisels and liked them so much I started looking at the other offerings. Taylor Tools has Narex products on sale way too often. I wish they had better handles though. I'm just not going to make all new ones

That's quite an arsenal!!

 

What is the one to the right of the skews?

[Coop]

On 8/16/2025 at 8:35 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

What is the one to the right of the skews?

You have good eyes. 

[Chet]

On 8/16/2025 at 6:35 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

I wish they had better handles though.

I have a bit of arthritis in my right hand, which is the hand I hold my chisels in and the thicker handle make it much more comfortable to work with.

[fcschoenthal]

On 8/16/2025 at 8:35 PM, Ron Swanson Jr. said:

What is the one to the right of the skews?

It's a corner chisel. I thought I might use it, but have only played with it so far.

[fcschoenthal]

On 8/16/2025 at 10:20 PM, Chet said:

I have a bit of arthritis in my right hand, which is the hand I hold my chisels in and the thicker handle make it much more comfortable to work with.

It's not the thickness, but more the shape and roughness I don't like.

[drzaius]

5 hours ago, fcschoenthal said:

It's not the thickness, but more the shape and roughness I don't like.

I don't mind the feel of the rough finish and it helps with grip, but the shape isn't great and they are ugly as sin. Really good value chisels though.

[Von]

A second hold down for the Kapex seemed like an unneeded luxury until I cut mitered picture frames and realized one cannot remove or install a hold down with the saw head turned at 45 as it gets in the way of the hold down turning 180, which is necessary to remove/install it. So I was constantly having to do a re-adjustment dance with the saw head to move the hold down as I made various cuts. I got so frustrated I pulled my phone out in the shop and ordered the second hold down mid-work. Good news is I believe I have the 45s on the saw dialed in dead on now.

[DerekMPBS]

I have one of those Festool hold down clamps for my Dewalt SCMS.  After using it one time, I'd never go back to the Dewalt clamp.  I'd use a quick clamp before the Dewalt one - it's such a pain to spin that thing up and down.  The Festool is beautiful, quick and easy to use.  It was worth every penny.  I might get another one as well.

[legenddc]

Won two lots from an auction the other day and picked this all up today. 

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

On 8/23/2025 at 12:36 PM, legenddc said:

Won two lots from an auction the other day and picked this all up today. 

Nice haul!

[fcschoenthal]

If you don't have room for some of that, let me know.

[Coop]

Dang!

[legenddc]

On 8/23/2025 at 8:50 PM, fcschoenthal said:

If you don't have room for some of that, let me know.

You interested in a Fastcap custom color punch kit?

[fcschoenthal]

On 8/24/2025 at 8:00 AM, legenddc said:

You interested in a Fastcap custom color punch kit?

Thanks for the offer, but probably like you, I don't use the FastCap screws nor need to hide anything with pieces of plastic. Those kits are pretty expensive though, you should be able to fine someone that could use it.