Popular Woodworking 2001-12 № 125, страница 23
're not always practicall :re not always aj but they are the Economists say 2001 has been a real stinker. But we figure those guys have yet to get their bean-counting digits on a 23,000-rpm 19.2-volt cordless router. In our ledger, 2001 has been a very good year for new tools. Not only has Porter-Cable ended years of speculation and whispering with this groundbreaking new router, there are a host of other amazing tools out there that are making their mark on woodworking. Milwaukee has re-invented the fixed-base router. Bridgewood has chopped more than $200 off the price of a premium contractor saw. And quality hand tools are making a big comeback. Unlike the reviews you read in our regular "Tool Test" column, these are a little different. For one issue we stow away our practical side and look at the tools that have blown through some barrier. These tools are here because they represent new heights in technology, craftsmanship, performance or even value for the money. To find these tools, we scour tool shows, visit manufacturing plants and burn up the phone lines all year round. The winning tools are the ones that survived our "gut checks" whenever a visitor stops by our shop and asks us what's new. All of our comments in this article are brief; some of these tools have been reviewed in past issues this year and others will get full-blown reviews in the coming months. We hope you enjoy looking at the best the tool manufacturers have to offer. They've certainly done their job this year. Now it's your turn. Get out that credit card and start stimulating the economy. PW by David Thiel & Christopher Schwarz Questions or comments? You can contact Chris at 513-531-2690 ext. 407 or at ChrisS@FWPubs.com; or David at 513-531-2690 ext.255 or at DavidT@FWPubs.com. THE WINNERS Bosch Makita Bridgewood Clifton Craftsman Porter-Cable Bench Dog Delta Grizzly Powermatic Milwaukee Veritas Lie-Nielsen Shop Fox Triton 43 |
