Because I am a woodworking tool geek, one of the things I really like about my job is that I not only get to see the plethora of new woodworking products as they are launched, but I often get to see them firsthand and get a demonstration of how they work. (No tedious reading of the instruction manuals for me, no sir!)
A good example of this came recently when Matthew Grisley of Leigh Industries dropped by to demonstrate their new Super FMT Jig (http://www.leighjigs.com/superfmt.php). I have had the pleasure of knowing Matt and his family for many years now, so this demo meeting was a double treat for me. This jig forms both mortises and tenons with one setup, much like their original FMT jig, but at almost half the cost. (A great concept with all of us watching our nickels and dimes even more closely these days.)
Call me crazy, but I just beat the beans out of a new tool, purchased with my own hard-earned allowance, just to prove a point: I think Rockler got the name of its new Bench Cookies™ totally wrong. They’re not cookies, guys. They’re hockey pucks in disguise.
One of perks of being Woodworker’s Journal’s “field” editor is that, every now and then, I actually get out into the field. Sometimes I’m headed to trade shows, but the trips I enjoy even more involve getting together with other woodworkers to see how they do things. In addition to meeting some really fine people and taking care of a photoshoot, I often learn a thing or two about myself in the process.
