Brass is through the roof–as are all copper based alloys. I like the aluminum look for this kit.

As for your second question, the height of the dovetail guide(s) does matter, the fence cannot hit the raised portion of the guide and if set too low you will not have the fence register fully with the guide.

Your observations regarding Michael are meritorious. He asked me yesterday if I had change for a nickle…

–John

Maybe I’m the only one who noticed or maybe because of an information leak several months ago by one of your key people; the new sole is aluminum rather than brass. What are the key differences? Cost, weight, no lead, others?

Quick fence question: it appears that the height of the dovetail guides for the male portion doesn’t matter much it just needs to be level, correct?

FYI, called Consuelo today and got the deluxe kit plus vernier, extra 12″&24″ guides, and two extra blade/scoring sets. I asked for an 18 month payment plan- line went quiet, she said she would need to ask Michael, I told her I was joking and besides Michael can’t count to eighteen.

Best,
Rutager

I also have all the other non-kit stuff–including the dado kits. Did you realize you’re the only dado plane maker of any sort I’ve identified this side of Australia?

I was phrasing my accounting as a question because I didn’t want to come off as accusatory while alerting you to what I see as dark patches in the description.

We discussed length of the guides at length… just had to say that.

The short answer is we can make them–anybody else who reads this totally awesome and worthless blog want 18″ long dovetail guides?

The holes are indeed there–the resolution for the web is too low to see them.

–John

Is there no chance of making guides that could be joined together to make longer guides? I guess you’d lose the correct angle on them if you did that. But I bet there’s a way around that…

Also, I couldn’t really figure out where the holes were in the sliding parallel fence – they don’t show up on the renderings (at least that I could see). But perhaps I’m looking in the wrong place? I was looking at the blue extrusion…

But seriously: WOW! It’s all just too cool.

– Peter

You are being fair. The vast majority of HP-6 owners have multiple bodies. When we announced the larger dado kits we were upfront that they would be required for a silent solution in making tapered dovetails. BTW, both of those dado kits are wicked fast and accurate–really fun to use, but they are not the only way–there is the 120 decibel alternative…

If you value your time, and most BCTW customers do, then yes, using two dovetail guides is faster.

Wasn’t that easy?

If will be fun catching up at WIA–which of course will require both hands.

–John

Bare functionality obviously requires a first HP-6v2 (duh!), a dado kit, the adjustable fence, and a version of the “lateral” fence to ride the male dovetail guides.

Getting to easy requires a second dovetail guide to avoid duplicative clamp-ups and a second HP-6v2.

Two irons are a luxury/insurance.

Am I being fair here?

–HFD-1 (Hands-Free Dave)

Sorry, I missed your question. So for a breadboard end, not sure I would use a sliding dovetail–depends on the length.

But let’s say you did use a tapered dovetail–I would “hammer it home” and pin it in the center, species plays a role here. That’s one reason teak is a popular kitchen wood.

We can use the new system for straight dovetails and I will detail this when I return from WIA next week.

Good question–and you just gave me an idea…

–John

See my question 42 above. Thoughts?

Thanks

Neil

–John