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When You Buy the Best Tools…You have to Look Your Best!
Santa came early this year and stopped by the Eagle America store to try out our line of Festool power tools.
Impressed with the quality and savings, he ordered a sled full and took advantage of Eagle America’s FREE SHIPPING on any Festool purchase over $125.
Santa bought them but Eagle America shipped them out to all the good little woodworking elf’s at the North Pole.
- Fancy Santa
Santa or Mike as he is known as at Eagle America is one of our store associates/woodworkers that answers your technical questions.
Celebrating his 6th anniversary at Eagle America this month, he came dressed up to our Christmas party in a tuxedo.
Just couldn’t let the party go on without sharing the moment with all of you.
Merry Christmas!
Woodworking Gift Tips from The Shop Monkey
Our friend Tom Iovino over at Tom’s Workbench is once again featured in the December/January issue of Wood Magazine. This month’s article is titled “Living in the Present – Keep your sanity during the holidays”. What a great article on making woodworking gifts! Keep reading below…
Tom "The Shop Monkey" Iovino is back - are you living in the present?
The article can only be read by purchasing the current issue of Wood Magazine, they don’t offer it online for free for some time. However, here are the three key tips Tom covers in the article:
- Start Early
- Build it Small
- Stick to the Known
You need to buy the magazine to see what else Tom has to say but I couldn’t agree with him more! However, with only 2 weeks to go until Christmas you might be in a pinch to start early this year. At this point you should build something small and stick to techniques and tools that you are familiar with. At Eagle America we have some great project suggestions for you:
- Make Holiday Bowls and Trays – they are very quick and easy to make, the perfect mass-production weekend project. We have the router bits and router templates you need to get the job done right the first time.
- Make Hardwood Signs – Help your loved ones personalize their woodshops, homes or offices. Again, we have the router bits and router jig you need to get it done now.
- Make Beautiful Keepsake Boxes – A project that lets your loved ones keep their jewelry or other keepsakes protected. We have the router bits and box making accessories that you need to make that box beautiful…and even to help it sing.
Time is short, stop reading this blog post and click over to Eagle America today. Pick a project, get your supplies…and get to work!
Woodworking For Kids – Fun and Educational
I got my start in woodworking when I was about 5 years old. My father and grandfather would give me a block of wood and sandpaper and set me off to the side so I was out of their way while they were working on bigger projects in the wood shop. Once I managed to sand down a block of wood to the size of a tooth pick, I graduated to a hammer and nails, and eventually hand saws and hand drills. It wasn’t until I was in my early teens that I was allowed to use bigger power tools like the table saw, router table, and band saw. Throughout those years I made several little projects, each time seeking the advice from my father and grandfather as I honed my skills.
Jack - Eagle America's youngest product tester.
As a child, I never realized the importance of what I was accomplishing with the leadership from my father and grandfather. At that time, I thought my projects were the best thing since sliced bread and I would proudly show my accomplishments to the entire family. You can’t do that with a video game!
Jack assembling his project (with a little help from his mother Kim)
Looking back now, the time spent with my father and grandfather not only taught me valuable life-long woodworking techniques and skills, which have come quite handy throughout my adult life, they also taught me the importance of family and the important roles parents and grandparents play in the life of a child. I wasn’t simply building little project’s, I was learning how to communicate by asking questions and describing problems. I learned patience, quality, planning, organization and eventually independence.
In today’s technological world it is hard for parents and grandparents to compete with video games, TV, and toys that simply entertain. This is why I am excited that Eagle America is proudly offering wooden toy kits that can be built and painted by young apprentice woodworkers with the help of a parent or grandparent. These exciting designs can help parents and grandparents teach their children and grandchildren the experience and art of woodworking from start to finish.
A Dad’s Woodworking Tools Inspire a Writer
I like to comb the internet for interesting woodworking stories and this week I stumbled across a great one. This article isn’t just great because of its subject matter, but because the thoughtfulness of it can really ring home for people at this time of the year – reflecting back on a lost loved one during the holidays.
He taught you how to fish, did he teach you woodworking too?
John Merritt of The Milford Daily News posted this article online in June, but it really means more now with Christmas right around the corner. It is titled “My Father’s Tools”. In it a son walks into his father’s workshop after he has died and takes note of what he sees. He does a great job describing all of the tools in the shop, so fine a job that I can actually picture every inch of the shop in my mind. I can visualize the drill on the workbench, the band saw, table saw, drill press, planer, jointer and router surrounded by wood shavings on the floor.
At the end of the story Mr. Merritt talks about how he regrets not spending more time with his Dad in his shop but vows to give it a shot on his own now, so his Dad would be proud of him trying. So do you need a tissue yet? Seriously, woodworking can be a very emotional craft or hobby. It is often romanticized in the media now in the age of automation and big production plants in foreign countries. Making something by hand just strikes a tone. My questions to you today are:
- Did someone share the craft with you? Was it passed down to you from a previous generation?
- Did someone pass their woodworking tools down to you? If so, what is your most cherished one?
- Have you shared your craft with someone else of a younger generation? If not, are you going to make an effort to do so?
Woodworking is viewed by many as a dying craft. As you know, schools are in financial trouble and they need to save money. Unfortunately one of the first programs that they turn to is “shop”, it often gets the axe and consequently less future woodworkers are being created. It could be up to you to make this craft thrive going forward. We at Eagle America are proud to supply woodworking tools to schools and woodworking clubs across the country. We know their efforts are vital to the health of woodworking in the future. Please, make a resolution to “pay it forward” and share the art of woodworking with someone younger than you in 2011.
Shaper Cutters – The Next Best Thing to Router Bits
You know the fondness we hold at Eagle America for Router Bits. However, many professional woodworkers or professional cabinet shops often opt to use a Shaper as opposed to a Router. We have nothing against the Shaper, we promise! That’s why we offer a wide selection of our Advantage brand Shaper Cutters for you to choose from.
As with the woodworking router, the woodworking shaper is only as good as the shaper cutters that you put into it. Ours will make you smile when you see the clean, smooth finishes that they produce thanks to their razor-sharp edges. Each features:
- Extra thick German K-20 industrial carbide that will last many sharpenings
- Longer life and smoother cuts due to being diamond honed to 800 grit
- Precision ground steel bodies
- Special coating to prevent rust and resin buildup
- Three wing anti-kickback design
The shaper is only as versatile its shaper cutters. Eagle America is proud to offer you one of the widest selections of woodworking shaper cutters on the market. Wood shaper cutters have never been better than this! Ours have been contractor and professional tested, we know you will love them. Click over today to see our full selection.
A Good Cause Pays Us A Compliment
If you read our eNewsletter then you are aware of our commitment to a cause called “Wreaths Across America“. On Veteran’s Day we made donations to the cause for orders that used a special promotion code. For more information on “Wreaths” and what they do, please click on the image below. Our Founder, Dan Walter, was emailing with someone from “Wreaths” recently and was surprised to hear that he has used our famous Eagle America Router Bits!
Their Mission - Remember, Honor, Teach
It turns out Captain Mike is a woodworker who had a fun story to share about one of our dado bits. “I have a 3/4″ dado bit I got from Eagle and I decided to wear it out so I could spend some more money with you. I made a few cabinets and fast decided I would not have near the volume to wear it out, so I loaned it to a friend of mine who runs a custom cabinet shop. He used it for about 6 months, made around 1 complete custom kitchen per week…and it’s still good as new!” Now that is an endorsement that we will take every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Click here to see our selection of Eagle America Straight Router Bits, which include the Dado Bits that Captain Mike was referring to.
Captain Mike – thank you for your service to our great nation…and thank you for being a woodworker!
Up to $100 Off Our Most Popular Router Bit Set
Here it is, the deal you have been waiting for! Our 70-Piece Router Bit Sets make the perfect Christmas gift for the router lover close to you. Heck, if you have been more nice than naughty this year you can even get one for yourself. This sale does not happen often, where you can get 70 router bits for just $2.85 per bit. Act fast, when we extend this offer we tend to sell out so order yours today.
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