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Cordless Micro-Drivers
TR-0074
Just as 5'7" Spud Webb stunned the NBA in 1986 by winning the slam-dunk contest, these pint-sized lithium-ion powered tools blew our expectations out of the water. In fact, the larger 14.4- and 18-volt drill/drivers in the WOOD magazine shop now see primarily drilling duty as we reach for our compact 10.8- and 12-volt drivers almost exclusively for driving screws-especially for hinges and small hardware. |
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Shop Tested 3-HP Tablesaws
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As we discovered in our test of today's new riving-knife-equipped cabinet saws, it's the subtle differences and helpful features that separate the top performers from the pack. This item is available as a downloadable PDF. |
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Shop Tested Benchtop Planers
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Thinking of buying a benchtop planer? To make sure you get the right machine, we put 11 benchtop planers through extensive resting to sort the smooth operators from the roughnecks. |
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The Best Tablesaw Blades under $50
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If you can't bring yourself to spend $120 on a tablesaw blade, we have good news for you. We tested nearly four dozen rip, crosscut, and multipurpose blades--all selling for less than half that price--and found several that deliver cut qualities almost as good as the leading premium blades |
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12" Jointer/Planer
TR-0068
Combination machines aren’t just for the pros anymore. With two Asian-made models selling for half the price of European makes, even a hobby woodworker can joint and plane wide stock with one space-saving unit. |
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Drum Sanders
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For flattening and smoothing wide panels, as well as reducing stock thickness without grain tear-out, you just can’t beat a drum sander. To help you decide if a drum sander is right for you, and which one to buy, we tested five models priced under $1,200—two closed machines that handle stock up to 12" wide, and three open-ended units that sand twice as wide as their 10"-18" drums. |
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Random-Orbit Sanders
TR-0063
Most 5" models tested deliver a smooth wood surface in a jiffy, but some leave you in a cloud of dust. And only a few combine a superb finish with speed, comfort, and ease of use. Here's what we found in testing palm-style random-orbit sanders. Bonus article: As a bonus to this tool review, we've added the article 5 Random-orbit Sanding Myths, which help you get the best results from this sander. |
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Mid-priced Tablesaws
TR-0038
For $500 to $700, you can choose from a lot of tablesaws (we tested 11 for this article). So how do you decide on one? To find out, we put them through a series of tests cutting hardwoods. |
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Tablesaw Rip Fences
TR-0023a
This tool review includes the following: Biesemeyer BHS52W, Craftsman Align-A-Rip XRC, Delta T250, Delta Unifence, Excalibur EXTT45/78, General F36T52, HTC 850, Incra LS32-TS, Jet 708957DK, Mule Accusquare, Shop Fox W2006, Shop Fox W1411/1413, Vega U50, Wazee WondeRip |
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Cabinet-Style Tablesaws
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Thinking about upgrading from your contractor-style tablesaw to the king of the beasts, a 3-hp cabinet-style saw? To help you choose, we gathered seven 3-hp saws, each equipped with 49"-plus fences, and put them to the test. |
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Shop-tested 18-gauge Brad Nailers
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Great news! Many of the 12 models we tested cost $100 or less, and we even got good performance from a $30 nailer. |
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Shop-tested 14.4-volt Drills
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These tools finesse tiny brass screws in to place, muscle big lag screws into lumber, and churn drill bits through the hardest woods. |
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Block Planes
TR-0035
This 6-page article is part technique, part tool review. The first two pages show you three great uses for a block plane; the next two pages show you how to tune your block plane for the best results. Finally, we share the results of our testing of six popular low-angle block planes. |
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Blade and Bit Cleaners - Which ones work the best
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If cleaning your saw blades and router bits sits near the bottom of your to-do list, you may be shortening the life of your carbide cutters. We tested eight products and several home remedies to see which work fastest and safest. |
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Monster Routers
TR-0039
We tested eleven of the beefiest, baddest bit-spinners on the block: Bosch 1619EVS, Dewalt DW625, Fein RT-1800, Festool OF2000E-Plus, Freud FT2000EPK, Hitachi M12V, Makita 3612C, Milwaukee 5625-20, Porter-Cable 7518 and 7539, and the Triton TRC001 |
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6 x 48" Belt/Disc Sanders
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These machines, priced from $400 to $800, tackle a range of sanding tasks with both power and finesse. And though they look similar, we found big performance differences among the tested models. |
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Multipurpose 10" Saw Blades
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Do you really need to change blades every time you turn around, or will a single multipurpose blade fill the bill for most tablesaw task? To find out, we examined nearly 40 different models of multipurpose blades, and here’s what we learned. |
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Benchtop Mortisers
TR-0028a
Few woodworking joints rival a mortise-and-tenon for strength and beauty. The only problem is the time and effort required to precisely cut all thosemortises. That's where these machines come to the rescue. Learn which of seven machines bore the test. |
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Tablesaw Splitters
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Safety made so simple, you actually want to use it. We tested these splitters seven ways from Sunday. This tool review includes the following products: Biesemeyer, Snap-In Spreader, Delta Disappearing Splitter, Excalibur Merlin, Grip-Tite Anti-Kickback Splitter |
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10" Sliding Mitersaw
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When it comes to crosscutting wood for projects, nothing bets a 10" sliding mitersaw, which can cut monster-size workpieces up to about 12" wide and 3" thick. See WOOD’s comments and ratings on seven popular models. |
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10" Compound Mitersaws
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For this review, we focused on 10" compound mitersaws because they strike the best balance between cost and capabilities for the home woodworker. |
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Air-Filtration Systems
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An air-filtration system not only adds quality to your time in the shop, it could add time to your life. We test six air-filtration systems that bite the dust so you don’t. |
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Dust Collectors
TR-003
For this article, we put nine dust collectors—all with 110-volt motors—through their paces. These single-stage models, rated at 1 or 1fi horsepower, have enough suction to effectively pull dust from any home woodworking machine. And, at a top price of only $300, you needn’t worry about sucking your bank account dry. |
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