Great Gear: Issue 90

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Joinery finesse

When I first started to get serious about woodworking, one of the first good-quality tools I purchased was a Stanley #92 shoulder plane. Now, more than thirty years later, I still use it almost every time I’m in the shop. The plane offers finesse not easily found in machines; it’s indispensable for trimming tenons, tweaking rabbets, and cleaning up dadoes. A few years ago, Stanley updated the design of the tool to make it look more streamlined. I bought one of these new models for the facility where I teach evening classes. I was pleased to discover that the new model works just as well as the original. With a sharp blade, the #92 makes a dramatic difference in how easy it is to make the precise cuts necessary for solid joinery.

—Ken Burton

Capable and quiet

The Air Buddy AB5 is the lightest and quietest compressor I’ve ever used. Thanks to its light weight (under 25lbs) and protective roll-cage design, the tool is comfortable to carry and reassuringly stable in use. Whether I’m assembling a jig in the shop, pumping up my car’s tires in the garage, or installing trim in the house, the AB5 goes where it’s needed. With a 1/2 HP-motor providing .7 CFM at 90 PSI, this handsome little guy is never underpowered for any task I throw at it. And man is it quiet. At 68 decibels, I can stand right beside the running unit and hold a normal conversation without raising my voice. The 1 gal. tank might cycle on a few times during use, but I barely notice. Quick, quiet, compact, capable, cost-effective - clearly one of my favorite tools.

—Chad McClung