http://www.toolcritic.com/glossary.html your best resource for researching tools online en-us Copyright (c) 2007 Critical Pursuits. All Rights Reserved. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00:01 GMT Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:12:58 GMT feedmaster@toolcritic.com feedmaster@toolcritic.com 60 http://www.toolcritic.com/glossary.html#a_glossary-32 The table saw or sawbench is one of the most common and versatile stationary woodworking tools. A circular saw blade, mounted to an arbor, is generally driven by an electric motor. The motor may be connected directly, by gears, or most commonly, by one or more belts. The blade of a table saw protrudes through the table surface and the depth of cut is determined by raising and lowering the saw blade. Most modern saws allow the arbor to be tilted providing for angled cuts. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:12:58 GMT http://www.toolcritic.com/glossary.html#a_glossary-20 This terms refers to the lumber from a specific group of tree species rather than the hardness of the wood. Wood from conifers including yew, fir, spruce, pine, douglas-fir, cypress, and redwood are softwoods. While these species produce wood that is, on average, less dense than hardwoods, many softwood species (yew for example) are harder than other hardwood species. Many softwood species are fast-growing with long, straight trunks so that they represent the majority of construction lumber including dimensional timbers, plywoods, and manufactured products like MDF. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:09:38 GMT http://www.toolcritic.com/glossary.html#a_glossary-18 This refers to a work piece being ejected backwards by a cutting blade. It is essential to hold the piece down with the hand or a push-stick (if the blade is close to the fence) while it is in contact with the blade. Table saws usually offer some type of anti-kickback device to prevent this from occurring. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:09:55 GMT http://www.toolcritic.com/glossary.html#a_glossary-17 The width of the saw cut determined by the blade and the set of the teeth. The kerf is generally wider than the saw blade itself because the teeth are flared out sideways (the "set") which keeps the blade from binding. Flush cut saws either have teeth with no set or a set on only one side so that they can cut flat against the work surface without creating scratches. Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:09:53 GMT http://www.toolcritic.com/glossary.html#a_glossary-16 A particular type of helical or spiral gear. A hypoid gear is tapered allowing it have greater contact with the drive gear than a worm gear. It can be considered halfway between a straight-cut gear and a worm gear. Hypoid drives are often found in circular saws with similar advantages as the worm drive. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:11:10 GMT