Reply To: Buying Woodworking Tools is Becoming Stupid
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It’s brass construction…(snip)
Being brass,…
Just to set the record straight, Walke-Moore claim it to be made of bronze, not brass. An important (and costly) distinction. Bronze is stronger, harder, more corrosion resistant, and more abrasion resistant. It does share the flaw with brass that it will leave marks on wood.
a lot of people pay extra for Lie Neilsen brass Bedrock copies.
I don’t think anyone pays anything for Lie Nielsen (‘i’ goes before the ‘e’) brass tools — LN make some bronze tools, but no brass tools, AFAIK.
You can’t use TWO fences that well.
I believe they are not intended to be used simultaneously as you suggest. As an example, if you were routing a small inlay strip 1/2″ in from both the left and right sides of a narrow component like a rail, stile, chair or table leg, etc, you’d set both fences, and be able to complete your work without having to worry about going against the grain in one of the directions.
A feature like that might appeal to a professional furniture maker, or perhaps the above-mentioned wealthy woodworker. Perhaps Walke-Moore did some market research which showed it’s existence to be a net positive to their intended markets.
As Larry said, they are not now a serious option, and perhaps best mentioned as a cautionary tale, although maybe the future will bring positive things from them. If their upscale router does eventually bring them success, they might then turn to Larry’s suggestion of copying one of the 1399’s, use steel instead of the fancier manganese bronze, and bring a nice product at a reasonable price point to a larger hand tool market. Probably wishful thinking, but like Larry, I’m applauding any effort to bring more good routers into the market.