The Ridgid sander is easy to control but moves the workpiece a bit. To measure the sander’s aggressiveness, Engel sanded a poplar board for five minutes and measured how much wood was removed. The Ridgid sander removed eight grams of stock over the five minutes and the same amount when a vacuum was attached.
In addition, Engel sanded clear Plexiglass to compare the sanders’ scratch patterns. The Ridgid sander had a good scratch pattern. Engel found that the machines with the most uniform scratch pattern tended to be the most aggressive. With vacuum attached, the sander collects 73% of external dust.
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Milwaukee M12 23-Gauge Cordless Pin Nailer
This tool is designed for convenience. The battery and pins are easy to load, and the safety lock operates with the same finger you use to pull the trigger. The depth of set is adjustable, there’s a work light, and there’s a hook for hanging the tool on your toolbelt. A gauge lets you keep track of when you’ll need to recharge.
While this sander is among the least expensive models in the test, its performance ranks among the best. The stock removal was excellent, and dust collection was solid when used with a vacuum. It handles really smoothly, too, and has a tall body that fit my hand nicely whether I was holding it from above or around the waist.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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