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The perfect tool for this job is a pipe wrench--or, ideally, two of them. A pipe wrench is designed specifically to grip a round object tighter as you apply more tangential force. If you use the two p …

The machines which need to be running in order to adjust the variable speed often use a Reeves drive, which consists of two variable-diameter pulleys linked via a V-belt. The two sheaves of each pulle …

One thing to keep in mind is that in many cases, a really low-end tool will just be frustrating. If you only need to save up for a couple months to buy better tools and your window of opportunity for …

It's ok for getting into really tight spaces where a normal mouse sander won't fit, but as Doresoom mentioned, it produces an arc-shaped scratch pattern. Also because of the tool's shape and the tiny …

Be sure to check whether the hooks (part of the hook-and-loop) on the backing pad are intact (not melted) and not clogged, all the way out to the edge of the pad. Usually the hooks around the edge bec …

A sharp 3 or 4 TPI blade is the best first thing to try. A slower feed rate can also help, but if your blade rubs against the wood fast enough and long enough to produce significant friction, too slow …

Yes, it's possible to wear out an impact driver, but what you're describing sounds normal. The driver will act as a normal drill until it exceeds its "normal driving" capacity, then the internal hamm …

It sounds like the detents and/or scale may be improperly calibrated. Sometimes the detents on cheaper saws also have some slop, so you may need to wiggle the blade one way or the other after locking …

You're overthinking this. Presumably, the tool was designed to work with any off-the-shelf blade you might buy, and does not require any space-age coatings, specific grind, etc. Depending on the manu …

It sounds like your drill has Nickel Cadmium (also called NiCd or NiCad) batteries. This type of battery self-discharges very rapidly and will not hold a charge as long as a Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH …

There are several occasions when you would want to remove the blade guard. Note that in most cases, you should still use your riving knife. Non-through cuts, such as dadoes, rabbets, tenons, and oth …

Although there are many instances in which you need to remove a standard or modular table saw blade guard, most cuts can be made with a riving knife installed. However, there are a few operations for …

Most woodworkers I know, including myself, walk along with the board when jointing, to some extent; but for long boards they stay in one place either at the infeed or outfeed side and use the push pad …

Can I cut dadoes with the work piece against the fence, or should I strictly use a miter gauge or crosscut sled? It depends on the nature of the cut. A dado is technically a slot cut across …

You're expecting too much from a $120 saw and $35 thin kerf blade. Power tools in this price range just aren't manufactured to ultra-tight tolerances because there is a point of diminishing returns fo …