Although for me, IWF was about representing my sponsors and meeting up with readers/viewers, nearly everyone else has one thing on their mind: tools. So we did our best to get some footage of the most talked about tools of the show. I know we missed quite a few (specifically, Jet’s new oscillating drum sander). But with our tight schedule and impending exhaustion, we did the best we could. Nothing fancy, nothing funny, just tools!

Here are the companies we visited:

Leigh, Blum Tool Co., Ex-Factory, DeWalt, Powermatic, Delta, and Laguna.

For more IWF coverage, check out these great resources:
Fine Woodworking Editors Blog
Popular Woodworking Blog

I scrutinized each and every piece and tried to decide what might make one thing “better” than another. Not an easy job! So my strategy was to begin by looking at all the positive attributes each creation had to offer. In many cases, there was a clear winner. But sometimes, looking at the positive will only get you so far. Should a “tie” result, you have no choice but to really start to hammer down on the negative aspects. As I began to point out errors in construction, gaps in joints, and the flaws in the finish, I realized there was a valuable lesson in this process. By looking at someone else’s work and identifying every little flaw (something I rarely have the opportunity to do), I started to realize that being able to identify them means I should never allow the same errors to occur in my own work.

I applied this thinking to the current end table project, which is resting happily in my living room right now, and I truly believe it made a difference. You would be hard-pressed to find a gap, a dust nib, a sanding mark, or a glue stain anywhere on this piece. I gave each operation the time it deserved during both the building AND the finishing phases. From my perspective, it was well worth the investment. So I encourage you to look at woodwork with a very critical eye. Then, log away your observations in the back of your mind. And the next time you are building a project, bring that discerning eye to the party. Think about your piece being judged in a competition. Maybe even envision yourself as the judge and your project as an anonymous submission. And when you reach the point where you have nothing to fear and the piece passes your own critical judgment, it is safe to sign your name and let your creation see the light of day.

All this being said, obviously mistakes are going to happen and not every project is going to be perfect. But if we always strive for perfection, falling short of the mark will still yield decent results. My personal goal is to simply eliminate the cause of most of my errors: impatience and laziness.

In this part of our AWFS series, we hear from numerous manufacturers about their new and exciting products. If you want to learn more about these companies and the products they offer, check out these links:
WMH Tool Group (Jet/Powermatic)
Leigh Industries Ltd.
SawStop
Tenryu America, Inc.
Steel City Tool Works
Festool

*note- I apologize ahead of time for the sound quality. We did the best we could under the conditions we were presented with. Nicole did a great job keeping my energy level up and encouraging me to get these interviews so we all have her to thank for it. Enjoy!

Its been a week since the AWSF show in Vegas and I am still hyped up about the experience. Hanging out with the woodworking elite and meeting all the Wood Whisperer fans was incredible. Nicole and I would like to thank everyone who introduced themselves. This video gives you an inside look at AWSF 2007. We have live demonstrations from David Marks, Scott Phillips, and Mike Heavey. I will apologize ahead of time for the audio quality. You would not believe the amount of ambient noise in a place like that! But sometimes words are just not needed. You’ll know what I mean when you see me chatting with the one and only Norm Abram.