Replies

1. 
   [email protected] | Jan 22, 2007 06:29am | #1

   If by cabinet shop, you mean one that makes plywood boxes, with face frames, probably not.  If on the other hand you mean things like dressers, and chests of drawers, it could be well suited.

   There is a picture, on their home page, http://www.woodrat.com, of a table with two drawers.  It is constructed with sliding dovetails, dovetails, dovetailed drawers, and mortise and tenon joints.  These are basically what the woodrat excels at, and once you get comfortable you can do quite readily with it.  If making these joints quickly and efficiently is useful to you, then the woodrat makes sense. 

   A bit of warning:  There is a learning curve.  Some people have a difficult time figuring it out.  Some never do.  I got mine from the older brother, he couldn't quite figure it out, (he is mechanically sterile, and Dad used to keep extra hose bibs in the spare parts box, because he would cross thread the garden hose bad enough to ruin the hose bib, at least twice each summer).  I set it up, read the manual, watched the video, and proceeded to cut joints with it. 

   Before you buy one, download the manual, and read it.  If your're still interested, buy the DVD, and watch it. 

2. 
   jhounshell | Jan 22, 2007 06:57am | #2

   If you can ever get a chance to play with one, or see one demonstrated, it is a big help. I like my 'rat, even though it is an older model. It is great for dovetails and box joints, among other things. Once you get it figured out, you'll start discovering other uses for it. A good website to check out is http://www.aldel.co.uk/

   Good luck!