I admit it: I love everything that Bridge City makes, but I usually can’t afford the luxury. The Kerf Maker is something different. At $73, it is a bargain, considering what it does. After setting it to the kerf of your tablesaw blade, it stays set forever (until you set it up for another tool in the shop, like the mitersaw or bandsaw), working its simple magic. You have to see the video to understand how easy it will become to execute perfect tablesaw joinery for grids, drawers, shelf dadoes, box dividers, and so on. No more fussing with a dado set: Your standard tablesaw blade will do everything. The only exception might be joints where the bottom of the groove would be visible. For those I would use a flat-top blade of some kind, like a rip blade, to get a flat-bottomed groove.
Simply brilliant.
Comments
Check YouTube for shop made equivalents using just scraps.
Nice review Asa, as always. I just wish Bridge City actually had the tool available for sale or even in line for production.
I've had this tool for a couple of years now. I use it all the time. To quickly calibrate for saw kerf width I made little blocks of 1/2" mdf with the cutoff glued back on. This provides the correct step down for a given saw blade or dado setup. The tool is well worth the money.
Save $73. This jig has been around a long time. Numerous "How to's" on the Web all made from scraps.
I have two KM-1s as well as a TM-1. I keep the TM-1 and a KM-1 by my table saw and the other KM-1 near my router table. I find both to be vary valuable and worth every penny.
A reminder: the designs of both are protected by copyright, so if you make a copy using the directions from the YouTube or other sources, you might want to send John Economaki a $10 bill or similar just to be fair. I don't know if there is still some controversy surrounding infringement but you can find this out on the BCTW website.
(I tried pasting the link to the appropriate site, but paste wouldn't work.)
I don't know about the copyright but I somehow had the impression that these tools were patented. If so, then publishing the plans and making copies may be copyright infringement. I'm personally happy to pay for John Economaki's genius and dedication - a rare combination that ought to be encouraged.
Fine Woodworking would like to point out that while it is possible to make something that performs a similar function, you are risking patent infringement if you try to sell such a gadget, or even plans for the same. As some have pointed out, we should be thankful to the inventor for turning this clever idea into a compact, beautifully performing jig.
If you look at the KerfMaker tool on the Bridge City site, it is clearly marked Patent Pending. Which will yields similar protection to a granted Patent, assuming the request is ultimately approved.
I'm a huge believer in rewarding the inventor/owner of the idea. But an inventor who gets greedy, price-wise, encourages encroachment and/or (in this case) DIY tool-making.
Seriously, it's a beautifully made tool, but a 1" x 1" x 4" scrap of wood, a screw and 10 minutes made a perfectly serviceable jig that does what this does.
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