CT-16 Delivery Update…

Well, looks like the black chrome palm braces won’t hit doorsteps until the first/second week of April–I do know this, we will have some blems.

I have been asked on several occasions why we sell blems–it seems others in our industry view this as some kind of brand damage and I could not disagree more.  Here is a real life example regarding the CT-16 Palm Brace…

After the chucks, handle and cap are plated with black chrome, they are shipped off for assembly.  One of the boxes containing about 40 caps arrived with the caps somehow dislodged from their egg crate packaging. Consequently, several have scuff marks.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of all the resources that went into making these parts going to waste–the transportation costs, raw material costs, plating costs, etc, are not something we treat lightly. So, we will assemble these scuffed caps onto their mating components, mark and discount the tool accordingly. I know others disagree, some vehemently, but this makes sense to us, and has for 27 years running.

Conflict is inevitable. Misery is a choice. Choose peace.

Creativity/Design Workshop…

For those contemplating my Design/Creativity workshop in June at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking, you can view/print the syllabus here.

We have 13 Skeletonized HP-7′s in Stainless Steel remaining.

We are making a limited run of 50 stainless steel shoulder planes and as of this writing, 37 are committed (the plane on the right in the image below). If this tool interests you, give us a call 1-800-253-3332. This item does not appear on our website.

We will be Demonstrating in Chicago April 9th and 10th…

We will be joining Lie-Nielson Tool Works and others at one of my favorite small show venues,  J. Millers woodshop. Click here for more details.

We have 4 of these, first-come, first served.

Apparently we pulled our remaining brass plumb bobs and dipped them in black chrome. If this interests you, we have a whopping 4 left. Call Natasha–I did not even know we did this–one of Michael’s ideas. And this too is not on our website.

My Mechanical Fetish…

As many of you know, I have fallen into the black hole of R/C Helicopters and I am destined to perish penniless–the sooner the better I suspect.

Now I happen to think that these things are works of beauty. AND they FLY! Well, not for long in my case but nevertheless…

All one has to do is examine the workmanship up close and you can’t help but be awed. And in my case, seriously inspired.

Every component of a helicopter has to be contemplated for weight, strength, repair-ability, and several other factors. This aspect of helicopters is what intrigues me and while on my work retreat in January, I designed Commemorative Tool #17 with these influences foremost in my design process.

Now, I am not going to tell you what it is yet, but I share the image below as proof that I am making progress. Yes, this is stainless steel.

–John

With the help of several DJ-1 owners, most notably Roger Savatteri and Rutager West, Universal Jaws for the DJ-1 Drilling Jig are now a reality. Full details and pre-order information will be posted on our website by weeks end.

This is an exciting addition to the DJ-1 and allows for easy drilling of round, square and other shapes at any angle up to 45 degrees.  Here’s how it works;

Say you want to drill holes at 17 degrees in square or plank stock.  Using whatever protractor device you own, set a T-bevel to 17 degrees (or 73 degrees depending on how your protractor reads).  Set one of the orange jaws to this setting (using the purple jaw edge as a reference) and lock the jaw in place.  To get the other jaw precisely aligned to the first, simply clamp a dowel between the “V” grooves and the second jaw automatically is aligned and can be tightened. This is FAST and dead-on.

Our website will explain the full capabilities but I will share that we are really coming close to eliminating the need for a drill press in most shops. No, the DJ-1 will not hold single wing circle cutters (“knuckle busters” to most) but it will out perform a drill press in accuracy (not much beats the accuracy of bushed twist drill) and in speed.

If you own a DJ-1 these jaws dramatically increase functionality. They also serve as a nice foundation for whatever shop-made jaws you might require. These will be made on a pre-order basis and should be delivered by July. As mentioned earlier, our website will be updated later this week.

Speaking of the DJ-1 Drilling Jig, we just completed a run and we have a few extras (less than 20 I am told)  and they should be available on our website today or tomorrow. The next DJ-1 run will be either the last quarter of 2010 or the first quarter of 2011. FYI.

Now for Something Completely Different…

It looks like we will ship Commemorative Tool #16 next week (the Black Chrome Palm Brace). I think we shot ourselves in the foot making this a Commemorative Tool because not only is it completely sold out, we have a lengthy wait list for the overruns. I might rethink how we can remedy this down the road.

It’s a good thing we are shipping the 2008 Commemorative Tool soon because I just finished the design work on Commemorative Tool #17 for 2009 (yes, I am behind).  All I can spill at this point is the CT-17 is going to be tough to top.  You will get to be the judge sometime next week when this tool becomes available for pre-order.

The KerfMaker Inventory Update Report…

Did you know there are approximately 700,000 table saws in America?

Although I go to great lengths to keep our inventory to an absolute minimum, sometime in the next 4-5 days we will have a substantial inventory of KM-1′s available. (FYI: We made less than 700,000 units.)

If you are one of those 700,000 owners and do not have a KM-1, something is wrong with you. Seriously. OK, just kidding, but this tool will pay for itself many times over. Check our website later this week.

Speaking of Kerfmaker’s, we are in the process of making a movie to demonstrate the yet to be named “Tenonator“. This tool is awesome–gauge a mortise, cut the the tenon to fit PERFECTLY without once consulting with a ruler/caliper/tape measure/GPS device/or a pedometer.  How cool is that?

Lastly…
We mentioned a couple of weeks ago our intent to make 50 Stainless Steel Shoulder Planes. We are now accepting pre-orders for the remaining units (those that bought the larger version last year had first crack at this year’s run). I believe we have around 17 units left until we sell out. We know this tool is not for everybody, but it is awesome.

We will announce pre-orders for the skeletonized HP-7 soon.

Lastly Again…
I will post the syllabus for my Design/Creativity Workshop before weeks end for those of you on the fence or for those who may be able to get reimbursed as a continuing education expense.

I’m tired.

–John

For those of you who have been pestering me to renew my design/creativity classes, I will be teaching one the week of June 7 (M-F) at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking, 20 minutes outside of Indianapolis.

This is the class where you come in as you–and leave messed up like me.

I have been teaching this class on-and-off since the late ’70′s. It is structured to break through all of the barriers that keep you from your creative genius. The first two days are hard, the last three are incredible.

You will never look at a copy machine the same way again.

Or a mirror.

And just think, YOU learned about the Mongolian Death Worm here for FREE–imagine what happens when you pay!

It would be fun to do this with a bunch of Bridge Citizens–if this interests you, leave a note here, class is limited to the first twenty students with an extra $695 in their pocket.

Now, as someone with time on your hands (or you wouldn’t be wasting it here), the formal announcement to the MASW faithful will go out next week. As always, you heard it hear first.

–John

PS: I will not be talking about Megan Fox. She dumped me when she heard the dates for this class–we were supposed to go to Morocco together that week–I would rather watch C-Span for a week than go to Morocco again.

MASW: 317-535-4013

Last year we made 50 CT-14 Stainless Steel Planes that have turned out to be one of our most talked about tools.

So, what to do?

We gutted the original HP-7 design creating a new Fox Tail companion. Here’s a pic of the pair.

As of this post, we are discontinuing the original HP-7. We will introduce a “new” Fox Tail HP-7 with a brass body (identical to the plane on the right).  I think we have 2 or 3 original HP-7 Shoulder Planes remaining.

Prices and availability to follow.

For those of you who purchased one of the 50 limited editions of the plane on the left, details regarding the 50 stainless steel planes (plane on the right) should be arriving  in your mailbox soon–politically, (left/right), this is milk toast deal.

And for those of you who purchased the original HP-7? Well, it too has become a limited edition in a roundabout way.

Best-

John

PS: I played competitive hockey for over 20 years. Congratulations to our neighbors to the north–one of the greatest sporting events I have had the pleasure/pain of viewing. Considering our relationship (name two other countries on the planet with such friendliness), I am thrilled by your victory and proud of our team. Sunday was a great day for all with gold in their hearts–Congratulations from the BCTW team–wish we made hockey sticks…