On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 02:18:20 +0000 (UTC), Andrew Barss
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

I'm continually
: surprised that no one (that I know of) has started a little tool
: factory in their garage to cater to discerning woodworkers yet.
: Seems like an untapped market that gets a little bigger every year as
: overall tool quality declines- though that may be just wishful
: thinking.

In the domain of hand tools, there's actually been a renaissance
in the last 10 years of exactly that -- small tool makers making high-end
tools, originally in 1-2 person operations. These include Hock Tools,
Lie-Nielsen, Independence Toolworks, several infill plane makers
(Holtey, Shepard which went bankrupt, Barr, and the list goes on.
I don't know of any small poer tool makers, perhaps for
the obvious practical reasons, but there's also a
bunch of clever inventors who've made add-ons for power tools
(safety devices; new jigs and tools
for lathes; etc.).

That was a little more towards what I was driving at- power tools. It
seems like there is more and more room each year for simple, well
built tools as the big companies keep trying to one-up each other by
adding a laser pointer, but taking away 20 pounds of cast iron.
Pretty soon, they're going to be made entirely of plastic, with CNC
controllers on them. Might be a market for that, but I'd like to be
able to make or buy equipment that is the same as it used to be- huge,
sturdy and nearly indestructable. Don't need a computer to rotate a
saw blade, but I'm always happy to see a heavier cabinet and a more
powerful motor.

Now granted, they're still doing that with cabinet saws- but there are
plenty of hobbists that can't afford a Unisaw (or a Oneway, as this
*is* the turning forum) that might be able to scrape up the money for
something on the order of a "benchtop" saw with cast iron trunnions
and handwheels (to say nothing of a decent fence!) or a Midi lathe
with a heavier base and stainless handles instead of cheap plastic
ones.

It's just blue-skying, but it'd be nice to see some better options on
the table. At any rate, I think I'm going to give making my own tools
a go- not as a business, just to have the stuff I want and the
satisfaction of knowing I made it myself.

If somebody else can do it, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to.