By Chrisjob July 16, 2007

Types of Power Tools. Some say there are two basic groups of power tools: professional and homeowner. It’s more helpful to think of power tools in four categories: light use, DIY, contractor, and high-end. Of course, there’s plenty of overlap, and no particular manufacturer makes tools in only one category.

 

 

• Light use tools are those designed for light-duty, occasional use around the home: assembling furniture, hanging blinds or artwork, minor repair work, etc. These tools are usually found at general retail stores and home centers.
  
• DIY tools use are designed for the serious home-improver and project-meister, whose efforts often include basic woodworking projects. Tools are bought as needed, but with the intent of repeated use. They will last for years with careful maintance, but probably will be replaced rather than repaired. These tools are found at hardware stores, home centers, and some lumberyards.
  
• Contractor grade tools are designed to be used all day, every day. They are well-designed, draw high power ratings, and rely on heavy duty materials that support jobsite use. These tools are designed for durability and portability, for contractors that depend on them for daily work. They are sold in home centers, hardware stores, and specialty woodworking shops.
  
• High-end tools are those aimed at custom cabinetmakers and other fine woodworkers who do specialized and customized work. They don’t vary much in quality or power, but in portability. These tools are intended to stay permanently installed in workshops, where they can be maintained and carefully set up for maximum accuracy. They generally aren’t sold in home centers, but in specialty woodworking shops and catalogs.
  

Determining Your Needs. The most important rule when purchasing power tools: be honest. Be honest about your expectations, and the intended use of the tool. Don’t expect a 9-volt cordless drill to bore holes into concrete, and, on the other hand, there’s no need to purchase a $4,000 cabinetmakers [table] saw to add on a deck.
    Secondly, don’t sell yourself, or your ambitions, short. You might not need a particular feature for a current project, but as your skills and ambition progress, it may become a useful or even necessary part of your process. Look for items that will always have a use around your workspace and in your projects.
    When thinking about your intended use, determine if your projects will be mostly decorative or constructive. For many styles of cuts, there are handheld and stationary models intended for the same purpose: a circular saw and table saw, a jigsaw and bandsaw, coping saw and scroll saw, etc. Do your cuts need to be joinery perfect, or just to trim something to size? If you only need to cut plywood to shape for paintings or basic shelving, a circular saw is perfectly adequate. Cutting out shapes for a hanging room divider only requires a jigsaw, not a 14” band saw.   

    Look at the types of tools listed above: which describes your current ‘identity’? Which describes your goals? Are you simply a homeowner who’s looking to maintain an investment? Are you looking to do the work of a professional or contractor both to save money and simply because you can?

Purchasing Power Tools. When testing out tools, visit lots of kinds of stores: woodworking shops, hardware stores, big box stores, etc. Touch every one you can. What kind of materials is it made of? Is it heavy for its size? Is the display model damaged?
    Next, note the brands, the prices, and the specs on the powers. Generally, more volts and higher rpms do indicate a more powerful tool, but don’t get obsessed with numbers. Write down some models, then do some research, Woodworking and homeowner magazines do annual tool reviews and special publications. Use the internet wisely: check consumer websites, woodworking forums, Amazon, etc. Be wary of reviews by the laity: when wannabe fine-woodworkers interact with a DIY tool, they’ll surely scoff at its limited capabilities. Listen to critiques of the manufacturing product: parts that are easily broken, inaccurate scales, poor customer service, etc.

For the average, ambitious homeowner owner, tools intended for the DIY market are usually perfectly adequate. It’s best to hover around the flagship products from manufacturers of DIY-aimed tools to the basic models of contractor-aimed brands. For example, the 12” sliding double-bevel compound miter saw from Dewalt might be overkill for making picture frames, but the 10” compound model might be excellent. (It is, I have one.) If you can’t afford the tool now, wait. Don’t buy a crummy proprietary router because just because you want a router; save your money and project ideas until you can get a capable model that suits your needs and budget. 

 

事件回放

　　“史上最强女秘书”事件

　　4月7日晚，EMC大中华区总裁陆纯初回办公室取东西，到门口才发现自己没带钥匙。此时他的私人秘书瑞贝卡已经下班。陆试图联系后者未果。数小时后，陆纯初还是难抑怒火，于是在凌晨1时13分通过内部电子邮件系统给瑞贝卡发了一封措辞严厉且语气生硬的“谴责信”。陆在发送这封邮件的时候，同时传给了公司几位高管。结果瑞贝卡以一封咄咄逼人的邮件进行回复，并让EMC中国公司的所有人都收到了这封邮件。这件事在网上吵得沸沸扬扬。形成几千人转发的局面。一些网友称瑞贝卡为“史上最强女秘书”。

女秘书Rebecca（瑞贝卡）照片图中红圈所示

原邮件:

From: Hu, Rui [mailto:Hu_Rui@emc.com]
　　Sent: 2006年4月10日 13:48
　　To: Loke, Soon Choo
　　Cc: China All (Beijing); China All (Chengdu); China All (Guangzhou); China All (Shanghai); Lai, Sharon
　　Subject: FW: Do not assume or take things for granted
　　
　　Soon Choo,

　　首先，我做这件事是完全正确的，我锁门是从安全角度上考虑的，北京这里不是没有丢过东西，如果一旦丢了东西，我无法承担这个责任。
　　其次，你有钥匙，你自己忘了带，还要说别人不对。造成这件事的主要原因都是你自己，不要把自己的错误转移到别人的身上。
　　第三， 你无权干涉和控制我的私人时间，我一天就8小时工作时间，请你记住中午和晚上下班的时间都是我的私人时间。
　　第四，从 到EMC的第一天到现在为止，我工作尽职尽责，也加过很多次的班，我也没有任何怨言，但是如果你们要求我加班是为了工作以外的事情，我无法做到。
　　第五，虽然咱们是上下级的关系，也请你注重一下你说话的语气，这是做人最基本的礼貌问题。
　　第六，我要在这强调一下，我并没有猜想或者假定什么，因为我没有这个时间也没有这个必要。
　　
　　_____________________________________________
　　From: Loke, Soon Choo
　　Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 1:13 AM
　　To: Hu, Rui
　　Cc: Ng, Padel; Ma, Stanley; Zhou, Simon; Lai, Sharon
　　Subject: Do not assume or take things for granted
　　
　　Rebecca, I just told you not to assume or take things for granted on Tuesday and you locked me out of my office this evening when all my things are all still in the office because you assume I have my office key on my person.
　　With immediate effect, you do not leave the office until you have checked with all the managers you support - this is for the lunch hour as well as at end of day, OK?