Shaping with a Router - MetosExpo - Free

Letters (continued)
well made tool will allow him to center the bit perfealy, provide a
tight enough grip on the squared pan to wid1stand d1e u'emendous
forces that an auger bit must sustain, and never let the bit fall
either out or fanher in. If his bit brace cannot do d1is, he should
get a new one.
-Hugh C Laue/ Concord, Mass.
More on glue shelf life-As d1e principal developer of Elmer's
glue, I would like to comment on Mr. Mustoe's discussion on the
stability of yellow and white glues ("Q&A," FWW #91). I wish to
point out that thickening of d1e glue during storage is not due to
further polymerization as stated. ll1e major ingredient in bod1 types
of glue is a polyvinyl acetate emulsion made by polymerizing vinyl
acetate monomer in an aqueous suspension.
ll1ere are two reasons for d1ickening and subsequent gelation and
solidification: 1) loss of moisture by diffusion through the normally
used plastic container; and 2) hydrolysis of residual amow1ts of unpo
Iymerized monomer into acetic acid. Partial collapse of the container
sometimes occurs because of the first phenomenon. ll1e hydrolyzed
acetic acid imparts a vinegar·like odor to the glue and promotes fur·
d1er hydrolysis of d1e polyvinyl acetate into additional acetic acid and
polyvinyl alcohol. 1l1is eventually leads to gelation and solidification.
The shelf life of these glues could be improved by using a plastic
container with a coated or built·in moisture barrier, which would
n1inimize d1ickening due to moisture loss. Such containers are al·
ready used in d1e food indusuy. In addition, methods are available
for reducing concenu-ations of unpolymerized monomer to trace
quantities. ll1is should be the responsibility of the polymer emul·
sion manufacturer. Mr. Mustoe's comments on recovering thick·
ened glue are quite correct so long as d1e glue has merely thick·
ened and is still flowable and hasn't reached the gel or solid state.
-Sidney j. Baum, Camarillo, Cal.
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Stabilizing tools on wheels-In his article "Working in a small
space," (FWW #91) Scott Landis says that Dick Sellew "Simply rolls
the tablesaw out of d1e way" when he needs more space in 11is tiny
workshop. I've thought about mounting my workbench on rollers
for the same reason, but d1e only rollers I'm familiar with rely on
brakes to keep them set once they are in position.
I can't imagine that the brakes on rollers would provide the kind
of stability that a tablesaw or a workbench would need when I'm
sawing or planing away. It seems to me d1at the rollers would need
to be on jacks of some sort so that the object being moved could
be lowered to the floor once it's where you want it.
I'm wondering if any FWW readers know if d1at kind of jacking
system is available or how to put one together.
-Charles Klaveness,
Helnpstead, NY.
Magic box-When I was a boy, I had a CI1inese "magic box" in
whicl1 I kept my silver dollars. To open the box, I slid a Y2·in.-wide
horizontal piece of d1e end to d1e right that allowed d1e whole end
piece to move down, so the top could move across the end ... and
d1en I forget. The end result was access to a thin velvet-lined tray
dut would hold just six silver dollars.
I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who knows what these little
boxes are called and where I could fmd plans to build one or
where to buy one so I could take it apan and figure it out.
-Marsh Teny, Rolling Bay, Wash.
Computer software price corrections-First of all, I'd like to
thank you for mentioning The Woodworkers' Store as a source for
computer software in your JanuatylFebruaty 1992 issue ("Computers
in d1e Shop" by Sandor Nagyszalanczy). Unfortunately, I'm also
writing to identi.fY a few errors we found in the article.
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