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July 17, 2012 By

Popular Woodworking Magazine in a Google+ hangout

I had a great hangout today!

As I announced recently, I invited the Publisher and Editors of Popular Woodworking Magazine to join me in a Google+ Hangout on Air.

Joining me in the hangout today were:

  • Kevin Ireland, Publisher
  • Matthew Teague, Editor
  • Robert (Bob) Lang, Executive Editor
  • Steve Shanesy, Senior Editor, and
  • Megan Fitzpatrick, Managing Editor.

We talked about:

  1. The upcoming Woodworking in America conferences in Pasadena, CA, and in Cincinatti, OH
  2. Changes to the organization in the last 9-10 months.
  3. The recently-launched videos of Roy Underhill’s The Woodwright’s Shop.
  4. Hand tools vs. power tools.
  5. Table saw safety.
  6. I forgot to ask Steve about the decision on the Moser table! Sorry Steve!

My thanks to all participants – and my best wishes for a wonderful year in 2012. I hope to see you at one of the upcoming Woodworking in America conferences!

Audio-only file.

Right-click on this link to download the audio-only file. However, if you simply click on the link, the player will open in a new tab, and you will be able to listen on your computer.

The timing of the audio-only file is identical to the following YouTube video:

— Al Navas

Filed Under: Blog, Cincinnati, Conference, Education, Google+, Hangouts, Safety, Table saw, Underhill, Video, Woodworking in America
July 4, 2012 By

The new Leigh Industries web site is terrific

Have you seen it yet?

I normally check the Leigh web site several times each week. I looked again tonight, and BAM! New. You can see it, embedded on the right.

The new page features a terrific slider for the large image centered just below the menu bar. In addition, the first two menu items have vertical sliders, with all the main content in each sliding segment.

Check it out! This is the link to the Leigh Industries web site.

— Al Navas

Filed Under: Blog, Jigs, Joinery, Leigh jig, Tools
October 17, 2011 By

Comments I submitted to CPSC

 

I stayed cool, and sat on the draft I prepared last week before submitting to CPSC. Simple editing, erasing (for the most part) most of my rant, while allowing some text to stay in what I submitted. I have no idea why the maximum text allowed is only 2,000 characters (including spaces!), as it seriously limits the thought and argument process. But maybe it is best that way, to force good, reasonable thoughts and comments submitted?

Regardless, the following is the text I submitted to CPSC:

================================

Important questions about the injury:

I believe the following must be answered by someone at some point, as it is not obvious to me that it has been addressed anywhere, by anyone – did Osorio:

  1. Truly know HOW to use the table saw?
  2. If “No”, why did his employer allow continued use of the table saw?
  3. Did the employer have a safety program in place that required his (potential or even his experienced) workers to show competency when using an inherently dangerous tool such a table saw? See # 2, above.

A challenge to Gass:

  1. Are you prepared to accept that MORE EDUCATION of users of table saws is also required, to minimize the risk of similar injuries continuing to occur?
  2. We NEED retrofit capability for this to TRULY reduce the number of injuries, IF the figures can be believed at all!

What is needed:

  1. Take a bit more time, and try to get a better, more real answer to the cost of table saw injuries.
  2. Allow the public to attend public sessions – these sessions will present table saw safety, the Dos and the Don’ts. Is this option really a good option?
  3. Include educational materials with every table saw sold, in both printed matter, and video material on DVD.
  4. OR create a central repository of table saw safety material, including printed matter and video material, make it accessible to everyone, and somehow make sure every woodworker using a table saw reads it.
  5. Hold in-store “tests”. A newcomer must “pass” the test before he can load the machine on his truck, SUV, or VW.
  6. Is something like this Prohibition all over again? Will a black market in used table saws develop, as a result of table saws not having SawStop technology on board?
  7. Or is this the end of sub-$1,000 table saws, and the beginning of only over-$3,000 table saws?

— Al Navas

Filed Under: Blog, Safety, Table saw, Tools Tagged With: , , ,