Here are some images from last year’s Show and Shine to wet your appetite.

During the grand opening we will have live demos from factory reps. There will be something for everyone and it will be awesome. You can get some techniques on how to use your new MIG welder, see what tools you need to start doing bowl turning or check out the shining street rods.

The Tools for the World round up will be going on all weekend. Spring is coming and so is spring cleaning. If it’s on the list to get rid of those old tools and clean out the clutter, then bring them to our Tools for the World booth during the Grand Opening. We send your good used tools to developing nations all over the world, giving people a helping hand in their community building projects. Bring them down and make room for new tools you will find at amazing prices during the Grand Opening Sale.

Calgary’s Grand Opening Sale is going to be an amazing 3-days that you are not going to want to miss. There will be something for everyone: from your hard-core car builder to your professional cabinet maker and everything in between. Don’t forget to enter to win all the amazing prizes. It’s worth the time to just come down, enter to win, and demo some tools.

This has been a long time coming but the wait is finally over.  We look forward to serving the Calgary market needs.  We have moved into a 25,000 sq/ft showroom at 6311 Centre Street South.  Stock is arriving daily.

Also, we are currently hiring for the following positions:

• Cashiers
• Inside Sales
• Commercial/Industrial Sales
• Warehouse

Bring your resumes to the store or email them to employment@kmstools.com

Be sure to sign up for our flyer at www.kmstools.com to see all of the great deals we offer.

In my opinion, this is the best part of Festool.  They do not just manufacture a product for the sake of bringing it to market, they bring products to market that totally re-engineer what we’ve thought that tool is capable of.

So, how is the CMS going to blow away expectations and change the landscape of every tool they produce?  Here are four points Festool is boasting:

System Integration

First, The CMS is designed for perfect product integration. Meaning, the CMS router table is made as a system; it is not an end product designed by a variety of different companies.   Festool controls the user experience from start to finish.

All of the components of the Festool CMS Router Table, the OF 1010 or OF 1400 Routers, and CT HEPA Dust Extractors work in perfect harmony.  The centralized Festool approach ensures that the table and the router are designed to work together for maximum precision, efficiency, and ease of use with minimum fuss and hassle.

And by now, you shouldn’t be surprised that Festool designed the CMS at the exact same height as the MFT/3 MultiFunction Table and the Kapex UG Extensions.  This makes it easy to incorporate the CMS into any already existing Festool setups.

Precise Adjustability

Making some of the best over-all power tools money can buy, the German tool company has a reputation of unparalleled quality control, making adjustability in the CMS router table precise and reliable. To start off the CMS  routing table allows for easy and accurate adjustments.  Included in the table is a top mounted height adjustment.  This feature ensures precise bit height.  By inserting a handle into the top of the router table, a user can lower and raise the bit to exact height, easily and quickly. The handle can be stored on the front of the CMS table for easy access.   Other micro adjustments include a fully adjustable fence, sliding table, miter gauge, and chip guard (with starter pin).

Dust Extraction

These days having a router with great dust extraction sounds almost too good to be true.  Routers are notorious for creating dust, and most notably, chips around the work area.

If it is Festool, it is almost certain there will be best-in-class dust extraction. Therefore, the way Festool remedied any dust-extraction problems that plagues most routing tables is by creating an in-fence AND below the table dust-port. Having the two ports for dust extraction, means a user  can be ensured to catch chips and fine dust regardless of your type of routing task. The in-fence port accepts a 36mm hose and the chip guard accepts a 27mm or 36mm hose.  These two ports meet a Y-splitter that connects to the Festool CT Dust Extractor and has a 79″ (2m) hose to connect to the router underneath the router table with a 27mm fitting and a 39-1/2″ (1m) hose with a 36mm fitting for the router table fence.

CMS Router Table Models

There are two model options available with the CMS routing table.  The Stationary MFT/3 Router Table Add-on, CMS Model VL,  and the Benchtop, in the shop and on the jobsite, CMS Model GE.  The Stationary CMS Model VL router table is an extension to an already exciting MFT/3 table.   With the CMS Model VL, there are groove attachments that latch on to the V-groove profile on your MFT/3. It has a single set of legs for support. At a lower cost, this is a great option for a more permanent routing solution.

The CMS Model GE is a portable, stand-alone, routing table.  It will include four supporting legs and all the features of the CMS Model VL.  The CMS Model GE will look and feel more like a traditional routing table.

Coming October 2012

Here are some specs to read up on

Model	CMS Model GE	CMS Model VL
Set Version Product No. (Includes Miter Gauge, Sliding Table, Dust Extraction Hose Set)	P00111	P00109
Basic Version Product No.	P00112	P00110
Type	Free standing with folding legs	MFT/3 Add-on Module
Max. Cutter Diameter, OF 1010 Router	2″ (51mm)	2″ (51mm)
Max. Cutter Diameter, OF 1400 Router	2-11/32″ (60mm)	2-11/32″ (60mm)
Dust Extration Fence Connector Diameter	36mm	36mm
Dust Extraction Router Connector Diameter	27mm	27mm
Height, Legs Unfolded	35-7/16″	35-7/16″
Height, Legs Folded	12-7/16″	N/A
Table Dimensions	23-7/23″ x 15-15/16″	18-23/32″ x 30-23/32″
Includes CMS Router Table	x	x
Includes Router Module & Fence	x	x
Includes Auxiliary Dust Hood w/ Starting Pin	x	x
Includes Sliding Table	x	x
Includes Miter Gauge, Set Version Only	x	x
Includes Table Extension, Set Version Only	x
Includes Hose Set, Set Version Only	x	x

]]> http://www.kmstools.com/blog/festool-cms-routing-table/feed/ 0 http://www.kmstools.com/blog/festool-domino-xl-df-700-save-500-time/ http://www.kmstools.com/blog/festool-domino-xl-df-700-save-500-time/#comments Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:39:19 +0000 Chris http://www.kmstools.com/blog/?p=3049 Continue reading →]]> The wait is finally over.  It is time for the Festool Domino XL DF 700 to come to Canada; and it was worth the wait!

What is the Festool Domino system and how does it work?

The aim of the Festool Domino XL is to make a joinery system to work around your project design and not to design your work around your joinery system.  Essentially, the Festool Domino makes the strong and beautiful, although time consuming loose mortise and tenon joint quick and easy.   It has a patented design spiral cutter, which rotates and oscillates (wobbling side to side) to create flawless mortises in one simple plunge.   The dominos are principally the loose tenons joining the two mating mortises together.  They come in various sizes and are embossed with fine lines for improved gluing.  The Domino XL has two settings to change the size of the dominos for precision repeatability of the mortise.

The Domino XL DF 700 is essentially the Domino DF 500’s bigger and stronger brother, specialized for more robust construction projects.  Where the DF 500 cuts a mortise at 5/6/8/10mm, the DF 700 steps it up with the capacity to cut an 8/10/12/14mm mortise for overall bigger projects.  With repeatable joints, the Domino makes a wide variety of projects more efficient and durable.

The Beta Test:

Festool gave the Domino XL to 25 of selected professionals from a disparity of different disciplines to see how well the Domino XL would work for the typical user.  The results are outstanding.  Some of the professionals saved upwards of 500 percent of their work-time!  It is not hard to see the dexterity of a tool like this put into the right hands.

One of the companies given the opportunity to use the domino XL was located right in Victoria, a wood-working company called Victoria Wood Studios.   They use the Domino mortise and tenon joinery system for their gate construction projects due to the strength, stability and ascetics. After using the Domino XL, they told Festool they were “pleased with the time savings and ease of construction using the Dominoes for the joinery on the project.”

Here is a link to the rest of the project on the Festool website.

With lots of pricey options available for a headlight restoration kit, we have in our hands a Mothers PowerBall 4Lights Headlight Restoration Kit.  For under $30, with a simple Ball polisher (that is inserted into a drill chuck), Micro-fiber cloth and a bottle of Mothers formulated polish, you’re ready to start.

A dollop of Mothers headlight polish in the center of the polishing ball (much more and you get a little spatter of polish here and there; a lot more and it gets everywhere!) and you’re ready to begin.

Mothers Headlight Restoration Kit recommends starting and working a small area at a slower speed to lower the spray of the product, but I’m too impatient for that.  I worked a 8” x 8” space at a time, working left to right, back and forth as I moved from top to bottom (drill speed was at 300-500 RPM’s and faster when on final passes).  Luckily on this ‘ol 98 Subaru Outback, the pitting wasn’t too bad at all, therefore each lens took 15 minutes tops, meaning that in 30 minutes I had factory clear headlight lenses again.

This was achieved for only $27.95 instead of ordering new lenses, having to level and adjust both in a shop, discarding the old ones (which is wasteful!) I’m done in only 30 minutes!  For only 30 bucks!

Continued maintenance is easy, with the included large micro-fibre cloth, add dime sized amount of polish to the cloth and wipe then buff the lens.  This is recommended every week.  3 weeks from our original job, we are still seeing crystal clear lenses.

You can pick up a Mothers Headlight Restoration Kit here or see our full line of Mother’s products here

Whether curving just a slight crown on a roof or rounding a reinforcement groove, the English Wheel has been a tool of choice by tradespeople for years.  There is no other machine out there with the flexibility to do compound curves and grooves in sheet metal quite like it.

Essentially the English Wheel works as a surface stretching machine, by pulling steel sheet metal through a set of wheels where they stretch and manipulate the shape. The wheels are designed to manually give a very smooth finish with not a lot of effort. With different wheel shapes and configurations the English Wheel has with countless profile combinations.

You might be thinking that manipulating the shape of sheet metal sounds a lot like what you can do with your Planishing Hammer, however, there are some major differences.  For instance, habitual use can make the English Wheel the tool choice over the Planishing Hammer, due to no pneumatic or electric parts.  There is very little to break down, possibly making the English Wheel the most reliable machine in your shop.

With Baileigh Industrials huge arsenal of metal shaping machines, it is no surprise they make a quality English Wheel.  The Baileigh Industrial English Wheel, EW-40, has a massive 37 3/4-throat depth and a real rubber kick tensioner right out of the box; there is no need to buy additions or add-ons, Baileigh Industrial has you covered.  Solid welds and quality steel make this machine designed to last.

In addition to the size and convenience, the EW-40 comes complete with nine bottom anvils and three 6″ upper wheels – including: 2 Flat rolls; 1 Step roll; 2 Round bead rolls - allowing the user to roll beads as well as form sheet metal.  With the EW-40 the user has the ability to rotate the head at a 90 degree,  meaning the user can either push the sheet metal into the throat or perpendicularly away from it.  This over-the-top-feature gives the user the ability to do massive projects if the need ever arises.

Overall, the Baileigh Industrial is a quality tool and a great addition to any shop.  The one negative point would be that the paint job from Baileigh is nothing to write home about.  Nevertheless, thats not why you’d buy this tool.

Here are some specs of the Baileigh Industrial EW-40:

• 16-gauge mild steel capacity
• Fully welded construction
• 9 interchangeable hardened metal rolls
• Sealed bearings in wheels
• Cam quick release
• Foot wheel tension adjustments
• 37-3/4″ throat depth
• 90 degree swivel head
• Upper roll size: flat, 2-1/4″w x 6″ dia.
• Includes tooling holder
• Step and bead tooling included

Here are some pics we took of the event.  Enjoy.

Hearing Protection Options:

There are many advantages and disadvantages to consider when choosing the right hearing protection. There are two basics to choose from, ear plugs and earmuffs. Ear plugs are molded to fit the ear and come in reusable and disposable models. In short, they are generally less expensive than earmuffs– although not always the case with custom made ear plugs– and they are more comfortable in hot and damp weather. However, earplugs are less visible and largely provide less protection than earmuffs and should not be used in areas having high-noise levels.

Earmuffs have a variety of sizes, materials and depth of dome to choose.  For instance, with a heaver and deeper dome the muffs creates greater low-frequency attenuation. Although they provide more protection,the headband must fit tightly enough to maintain a proper seal, yet not be too tight for comfort. Earmuffs are more expensive, though they are easier to fit and more durable than plugs. Moreover, depending on work conditions earmuffs might be less comfortable.

Keep in mind, in work-areas where noise levels can be very high, both plugs and muffs can be worn together to give best protection.

How the rating system works

NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) – This rating is used in the North America, and is accepted for use in a variety of countries. The current range of NRRs extends from 0 to 33 decibels.  There will always be a chart placed on the packages that mean attenuation values and standard deviations with at least seven test frequencies (from 125 Hz through 8000 Hz).

At very loud tones, the sensitivity of the human ear has difficulty distinguishing differences in loudness between a low frequency 80 Hz tone and a high-frequency 4,000 Hz tone – to the human ear, they sound about equally loud. Thus, hearing sensitivity must be measured not only in intensity, but also in terms of frequency.   Meaning loudness is going to be perceived different according to hertz and not just loudness of decibels.

In the development of sound level meters over the years, manufacturers have built in these different response curves and named them the A-, B-, and C-weighting scales.  By far the most popular ear protection scale is the A-weighting scale.  The A-weighting scale in a sound level meter replicates this filtering process of the human ear, which is less sensitive at lower frequencies. Therefore you will often see on the back of packages dBA or db (A) stating the measurements are used with an A-scale for most accurate NRR ratings.

Comfort and Design:

The Howard Leight Company offers a vast variety of different shapes and sizes of hearing protection for job comfort. They know if protection is not comfortable it becomes more desirable for the trades-person to set the piece down, or worst not wear anything at all. That is why Howard Leight spent years perfecting the perfect ear protection systems.

Earplugs:

Single-Use Earplugs

• The Single use earplugs are a great economical and convenient choice for work situations that demand frequent changes or where hygiene presents a problem for reuse. To keep changing earplugs can get expensive if not careful.  Single-Use Earplugs can also come in corded versions.

Multiple-Use Earplugs

• Multiple use earplugs are ideal for jobsites where the tradespeople can retain and store earplugs for reuse over time – reducing waste and saving money. Multiple use ear plugs can be more comfortable with better dB.

Metal Detectable Earplugs

• Detectable earplugs are specially created for environments where the contamination by foreign objects is unacceptable. They are designed to be detectable in an industrial metal detection scanner for easy compliance with food industry regulations .Metal detectable ear plugs generally feature blue ear plugs and/or blue cords.

Banded Earplugs

• Banded earplugs are great workers in intermittent noise or managers/visitors who move in and out of noisy workplaces.

Earmuffs:

Noise Blocking Earmuffs

• Noise blocking earmuffs come in a variety of styles and shapes to match the work-environment to the desired noise reduction system. Moreover, they are easily seen at a distance to assist in the monitoring of their use, and have a one size fits all

Radio + Stereo Earmuffs

• Radio and Stereo earmuffs provide protection from noise – and let you listen to music from a built-in AM/FM radio or a personal audio device (I.e. an iPod)

Sound Management Earmuffs

• The Sound Management earmuffs from Howard Leight are unique for they are patented passive and electronic technologies that block noise, while alarms, warnings and even co-workers’ voices can be heard more naturally.

Buy Howard Leight ear protection here at kmstools.com

The Prazi Beam Cutter is perfect for either the professional needing to accurately cut beams regularly or a weekend warrior who is just sick of two separate pass-cuts in order to get the job done.

This is in a league of its own. The clever folks at Prazi have engineered an attachment to quickly and easily covert virtually any circular saw into a lean, mean, beam-cutting-machine. Meaning, the Prazi Beam Cutter turns your existing 7 ¼”, 15 Amp circular saw into a tool that cuts up to 12” beams, extending the depth of cut by 500 percent!

Installation of the Prazi was quick and painless. In less than 120 seconds, my Maktia 5007MGA, has Prazi installed and ready to go! The Prazi attachment was specially designed to be installed with ease (even for someone who doesn’t use it every day!) Secure the Prazi Cutter to the arbor with a supplied bolt and just one other bolt on the saw’s guard, and then you are ready to go. Now you have the precision of circular saw with one pass-cut for beams, posts, and logs!

Keep in mind the Prazi Beam Cutter is designed to perform a chainsaw cut, so you might not want to use it for anything requiring a flawless finish. Although it’s perfect for projects requiring cuts on beams, timber, posts, and logs.

At the end of the day, the Prazi will increase your productivity and save you a big headache trying to cut a beam on the jobsite any other way. What if you have a worm drive saw? That’s no problem. There are two different models: the 2700, designed for a sidewinder, and the 4000, designed for a worm drive.

Because the Prazi bypasses most safe-guards built into the circular saw, care should always be taken during use and handling. Due to the chain-saw design, it takes a couple of minutes to get use to the feel and operation. The Prazi is a great tool for anyone concerned about efficiency and productivity. At the everyday price of under $250 it will certainly save you time (and money!).

Here is quick list of some of the features:

• Rip lumber up to 12″ thick
• Cut angles up to 45 degrees
• Make One Pass cuts for beams, posts & logs for perfect matchups
• Cut rafter pitch cutouts, miters, stringers, arches, log cuts, compound angles, band-saw cuts, notched 6×12, panels and more…
• Eliminate ugly over cut notches
• Cut perfect splices with square cuts
• Cut multiple stair jacks, rafters in One Pass
• Cut cleanly through railroad ties

Buy the Prazi Beam cutters here