James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.
A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.
Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.
His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.
Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.
Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.
Bosch Table Saw w/ Stand | Rip Fence Worksite X 4100-09
1 min read
There’s no question that a table saw outperforms any portable circular saw, except in portability. If you work on site instead of in the shop, a machine like the Bosch Worksite Table Saw can save labor and increase profit. Portable table saws do compromise on important features, and the Bosch Worksite is no exception, but this machine makes up for that by packing in some useful perks.
The four-horsepower, fifteen-amp saw spins a ten-inch-diameter blade at 3650 rpm, with solid state circuitry to provide constant power under load. The 5/8-inch arbor accepts most blades, but thin kerf saw blades don’t cut wide enough to clear the safety gear. Fit a dado head to the arbor and the Bosch cuts dadoes up to 13/16 inches wide. The 29 x 21.5-inch table of cast aluminum rivals a shop table saw in size, and the stand is built for easy transport. Setup and take-down is quick with the patented Gravity Rise system. Though the stand is solid for a portable, you’ll notice that the machine isn’t quite as steady as a shop model.
Other concessions to portability show up as lighter weight plastic fittings, strong enough for reliable use but not unbreakable. The Bosch does include safety features so convenient that owners will likely leave them in place and use them. One of these, an anti-kickback pawl, grips any plank that travels in the wrong direction and helps eliminate that major operating issue. Miter gauge and rip fence are helpful but flexible. Make sure everything’s lined up and clamped down before use.
When you’re ready to move, accessories like rip fence and push stick slip into a convenient travel compartment. The Bosch Worksite Table Saw carries a twelve-month warranty. For craftsmen who take good care of their machines, it’s a good tool.
James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.
A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.
Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.
His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.
Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.
Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.
There’s no question that a table saw outperforms any portable circular saw, except in portability. If you work on site instead of in the shop, a machine like the Bosch Worksite Table Saw can save labor and increase profit. Portable table saws do compromise on important features, and the Bosch Worksite is no exception, but this machine makes up for that by packing in some useful perks.
