It’s funny how sometimes the little things make all the difference in the world. Take the five woodworking tools on these two pages for instance. You can perform most woodworking tasks without them. But the increased level of safety, convenience, or comfort these tools can add makes them well worth considering for your shop.
ROCKLER VACUUM CLAMPS
A vacuum pump is a great tool to have around to use in conjunction with a veneer press. But if you’re like me, the vacuum pump doesn’t get put to use outside of doing veneer work. Investing in a set of these inexpensive vacuum clamp pods from Rockler not only provides a new use for the pump, but also solves a typical woodworking problem. These clamp pods secure a workpiece from the bottom side, eliminating the need for traditional clamps that get in the way when routing, planing, or sanding. A pair of T-bolt holddowns slip into a standard T-track table, or they can be mounted to a workbench with screws.
CRB7 ROUTER BASE
Very few tools offer more bang for your buck than the router. So any product that promises to make my router even more versatile quickly gets my attention. While the CRB7 Combination Router Base from M.Power has been around for several years, they continue to refine it and add new accessories to make it even better.
The CRB7 comes packaged as shown in the left photo above and includes two sets of guide rods to fit just about any router. The guide rods fit into a machined aluminum block on one end of the base that has built-in micro-adjustability for dialing in the router’s position on the base or workpiece. In addition, the CRB7 can be used for its straightedge guide function, as a large or small circle compass, or for making repeatable dadoes and edgeguide routing. A pair of mortise pillars can even turn your router into a simple mortising machine.
HOMERIGHT SPRAY SHELTER
Doing any type of spray finishing work in a small shop always poses problems. The risk of getting overspray on tools and worksurfaces is very real. Investing in a pop-up Spray Shelter from Homeright is the perfect solution for containing the mess. The Spray Shelters are available in several different sizes. The small popup shelter easily fits on a workbench, folds flat for convenient storage. A trap door in the rear of each shelter allows for a simple filter and box fan to be added. This no-fuss containment system is quick and easy to use.
ONEIDA ROUTER HOOD
It’s true that the router is one of the most popular woodworking tools. And it’s also one of the messiest. It can be difficult to contain the dust and chips generated when doing hand-held routing work without some kind of dust control. That’s where the Universal Router Hood from Oneida comes into play.
Designed to fit a multitude of routers, the base of the router hood attaches to a standard vacuum hose and captures the dust and debris from above and below the router bit. The clear base provides an unobstructed view of the workpiece.
BOSCH 12-VOLT ROUTER
Cordless routers have been around for a while. But in the past, bulky batteries and heavy, awkward designs resulted in less than ideal usability. But Bosch is looking to change all that with its newest addition to its 12-volt cordless tool lineup. Their new Brushless Palm Edge Router features an offset spindle and ergonomic design that fits comfortably in one hand.
Weighing in at just over 2 lbs., this compact trim router has all of the features you’d want in a full-size router, including an easy-to-use spindle lock, a fast-acting macro depth adjustment, as well as a fine-depth adjustment knob that locks in place for precise routing.
Adding increased versatility and convenience to your shop doesn’t have to cost a ton of money. Sometimes it’s the little things that lead to better results.
Related: Best Shop Vac
