Drivel Starved Nation-
Here’s the latest news regarding your favorite Tool Potentate…
Newly engineered woodworking tools at Bridge City Tool Works
"My journey began with a single pencil. While traveling through India in 2006, I asked a boy begging on the streets, 'If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?' and he answered me with two words: 'A pencil.' Luckily, I had one in my pocket, and in the second it took me to give it to him, a defining dream was born." — Adam Braun
Drivel Starved Nation-
Here’s the latest news regarding your favorite Tool Potentate…
"What can a pencil do for all of us? Amazing things. It can write transcendent poetry, uplifting music, or life-changing equations; it can sketch the future, give life to untold beauty, and communicate the full-force of our love and aspirations." — Adam Braun
Drivel Starved Nation!
It’s always exciting when we have something new to share… which I suppose makes this post news. (I did that math all by myself – FYI)
Since 1983, (that’s 34 human years, but 311 tool maker years), we have been producing impeccably crafted bench tools primarily for avocational woodworkers. It’s been mostly fun, but not as fun as it could have been knowing what I know now… Continue reading
Drivel Starved Nation!
You talked and we listened. Over the past couple of years we have received numerous requests for a larger KM-1 Kerfmaker. I am pleased to announce that I finally got around to designing one. And in the process, we have made it better!
If you are new to our Kerfmaker tool, we conceived and patented this device several years ago and over this time it is our number one selling tool. Here’s a video of how the original KM-1 works–the KM-2 Kerfmaker is no different;
Continue reading
"You will never influence the world by trying to be like it." — Sean McCabe
Drivel Starved Nation;
It seems that whenever we introduce a tool that is not “traditional” factions of the woodworking community, using their internet bullhorn, feel compelled to condemn the effort as heresy, an egregious assault on our “woodworking heritage”. These anachronistic views to me, and to us as a company, are about as much fun as pre-chewed food. Ideas evolve and so do tools — at least I like to think so.
New ideas are almost always the result of a changing perspective. And this is what I believe we do best, we rattle the cage of conventional woodworking wisdom with tool ideas that either attack or improve functionality deficiencies, inconvenience and work-flow efficiency, all with an underlying passion for aesthetics. Ironically, nobody needs any of these tool ideas… except me. Continue reading
"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect, but by the play instinct arising from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the object it loves."— Carl Jung
Drivel Starved Nation:
Haven’t posted lately, I have buried myself in work… oh how the time flies.
FYI, blogging is not work, it is just a hassle… unless of course I come up with some meaningful drivel to feed the DSN!
Last February I started work on a project that has occupied all my time up until two weeks ago when the prototype parts arrived. This is when I learned that I had a ways to go to prove out this concept so I dropped it temporarily and finished up a tool that I started a year ago and did not finish. I am thrilled with what this tool can do, particularly for those with small shops. I think you will see, at least I hope so, that this device can make your life a whole lot easier when in the shop. Here’s a peek… Continue reading
"What we do today, right now, will have an accumulated effect on all our tomorrows."— Alexandra Stoddard
Drivel Starved Nation!
I received lots of great questions regarding our Hp-14 Scraper Plane and will attempt to answer them here in this Totally Awesome and Worthless Blog!
Before I answer them, here are a couple of pics of the final design. The pre-order window will open this week and we will make this in two versions, the HP-14 Scraper Plane, and the HP-14 SS Scraper Plane. The later features stainless steel sides as opposed to champagne anodized aluminum and we will only make the SS version once… Continue reading
"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."— Jim Valvano
Drivel Starved Nation;
We are pleased to add the HP-14 Scraper Plane to our plane family. Full details will be announced next week, but I wanted to share this image – this is a cool tool! Pictured below is the version with champagne anodized aluminum sides. We will also release for pre-order an all stainless steel version. Both have stainless steel soles. Continue reading
"The Self-Educated are marked by stubborn peculiarities."— Issac D'Israeli
Dear Drivel Starved Nation;
If there is one thing that drives me crazy about being in the woodworking business are customers who are reluctant to acknowledge the potential of new ideas. I will never understand this, and frankly, it frustrates me when I have to spend time with people who never appreciate that the world is full of new ideas yet to be revealed.
We recently introduced a set of four “V” groove texturing kits for our HP-10 Convertible Plane and all they do is make perfect “V” Grooves. Yup, that is all they do. Continue reading
"A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier." — Tom Stoppard
Drivel Starved Nation;
Geez, do I have a bunch of stuff to report! But it will have to wait. Meanwhile, here are a couple of updates;
1) I have all the details for our excellent field trip to China this fall and I will post them before weeks end.
2) The parts for the CT-19 Transfer Bevel are done with machining, you can follow the progress here
4) The miter square run is back on track (we had some supplier issues). That’s good news.
5) Had a fire at my house, little damage, will report on this later – yes, it could happen to you.
6) Spent 5 days in the hospital 3 weeks ago. Not a fun experience. Will report on this later as well. (I am fine) And yes, this could happen to you as well.
7) I am now on month four of an idea that I am not sure will work. I am going to build a prototype and if it works, I will really be happy and I think you will be happy too! Continue reading
The biggest lie I tell myself is "I don't need to write that down, I'll remember it."— UnKnown
Drivel Starved Nation-
Next week we will open up the pre-order window for the HP-10 Tongue kits that will mate with the Dado kits currently being manufactured. (We are waiting on scoring cutters which are little works of art and this job should ship the third week of August.) Here’s a pic of the 1/4″ tongue kit in action; Continue reading