In Touch Tools Woodworking Show will be on May 3rd, 2014!

[Aldo]

Hello Foggers!

In Touch Tools is super excited to announce our Woodworking Show this year will be on May 3rd!

This will be the best and most complete training day we put together; featuring Steve Bace, Allen Kensley, George Blanchfield (Fein), Dennis Serrano (SawStop), and Andy Goldman (Bessey and Kreg) as our trainers. They will perform a wide variety of demonstrations and provide training on a bunch of tools and techniques. Additionally, you'll have some amazing food!  Whether you've attended one of our previous training sessions or not, we guarantee this will be a great show to attend.

Click here to view details, a full list of seminars, and everything else you need to know.

For all you foggers outside of the Palm Springs area, this will be a great opportunity for a weekend getaway! Bring down the wife and kids to enjoy the world class dining, shopping, and golf the greater Palm Springs are is renown for. If you scroll down the page linked above, you'll see a list of these things along with helpful links.

This class is completely free to attend, but limited space is available. We hope to see many of you guys here!  [smile]

 

[ccarrolladams]

Hi Everyone,

Minutes ago I registered!

In-Touch has hosted some of the very best woodworking events I have attended. There are other really excellent Festool and SawStop dealers in Southern California. As the owner of a custom cabinet making business what I appreciate about In-Touch is that it is a sister business with the same owners as a large, sophisticated and well respected cabinet and millwork facility. They were Festool users before they became a dealer.

In 2013 the demonstration featuring Allen Kensley and Steve Bace was held in the woodworking shop a couple of blocks from the store. Being surrounded by wood and big woodworking machines adds so much to the experience. My seat was within touching distance of a well-maintained Kapex mounted on a bench serving as the in and out feed!

Hope to see all of you there. I will be staying at a Palm Desert hotel Friday and Saturday nights, so anyone interested in a get-together just send me a PM, e-mail or give me a call.

 

[Scott in San Diego]

Hi Aldo, 

Thank you for the invitation.  I just registered, along with my son-in-law, George.  We are looking forward to seeing you, Jay, Maria and the rest of the In Touch staff again.

This is the third annual event that keeps getting bigger and better.  For all of you Foggers in the SoCal, AZ and NV area, don't miss it.  See you there, Mr. Adams.

Scott

 

[GPowers]

Just a few more days  [wink]

 

[mattdh]

aldo- or anyone who attends this- will you harass the sawstop rep for any info on the release of a portable contractors saw.

 

[Scott in San Diego]

How about a Fogger roll call for attendees planning to be at In Touch Tools this Saturday? 

I'll be there and hope to meet up with some of the FOG folks...Scott in San Diego

 

[ccarrolladams]

Hi Everyone going to Palm Desert,

I will drive to Palm Desert Friday, expecting to arrive in time for a late lunch. I am staying at the Hamptom Inn & Suites on Gerald Ford near Cook Street. I will leave Sunday morning. So anyone wanting to get together just let me know. Send me a PM tonight or early Friday morning if you don't already have my cell number.

 

[dltflt]

I will be there Friday evening around 6:00.  Looking forward to seeing you guys from the fog

 

[sancho57]

Photos, we want photos, no photos then it didnt happen

 

[ccarrolladams]

I did not take any photos of the In-Touch Palm Desert Woodworking Show'14! Many others did take photos. Just wait for them.

A whole lot of interested folks participated, yet there was more than enough marvelous food and beverages!

There was swag! The In-Touch T-Shirt is a treasure.

Of course Allen Kensley and Steve Bace of Festool did outstanding presentations. This was not a build a project, but more like "Festool Essentials" End User Class.

In addition, George Blanchfield, Sales Manager for Fein, told and showed us new information.

Dennis Serrano, Sales Manager for SawStop used the one always in use at the Francis & Wane shop (part of the In-Touch Empire).

Andy Goldman, Sales Manager for Kreg, Bessey and Whiteside explained those products.

All of the presenters were there to answer individual questions during breaks and meals.

For me the drive from Burbank to Palm Desert on Friday was lovely. Traffic was light and the winds less than predicted. Saturday Palm Desert lived up to its name. The Francis & Wane shop is designed to function in desert heat. My drive home Sunday morning was even nicer than on Friday. I was ahead of traffic and it was cooler.

 

[GPowers]

Here a few pictures from the event. The last two are very interesting two pimped out TS type saws one is chromed the older of the two was gold plated.

Again thanks to Jay and Aldo for all the great food, raffle prizes  (Festool gave away a $500 plus Drill kit) and great content.

There is always one problem with these events we all spend too much money buying more tools. [big grin]

 

[Scott in San Diego]

Thank you Jay, Maria, Aldo and the entire staff for putting on the best presentation yet.  The carne asada tacos at lunch were special, too.

When we arrived we were greeted and signed in by Aldo and his new assistant, Carroll Adams.  ;D    Besides Carroll, there were a handful of Foggers present.  Greg Powers, Don T and  Spencer from Studio City.  Please forgive me if I missed anyone.

We saw Jay's industrial model SawStop go boom and it is very impressive when seen in person.  Dennis, the SawStop rep said they will release a jobsite portable model sometime in 2015.

The Fein presentation showed their recent releases of vacuums, cordless drills and impacts.  I handled the drill briefly during a break and based on a first impression, I don't think I'll rush out and get one.  The higher end four-speed drill had interchangable keyless chuck and 1/4" hex chuck.  Maybe it was due to me not being familiar with the tool, but I had a some difficulty getting the chucks aligned and reinstalled properly on the drill.  The Festool chucks mount much easier for me.

Fein is coming out with a new model Multimaster in July 2014.  The changes are mostly driven by noise and vibration reduction.  The motor gets rubber mounts and more copper in the windings.  The new total oscillation range is about 1 to 2mm wider.  The Fein rep had just returned from the factory in Germany and said he was impressed by the improvements.  However, we didn't get to see the new model.  The SuperCut continues unchanged.  Fein's new-to-me Long Life bi-metal blade was demoed for us and it is a nail-eating beast.  I have to get me some.  Fein 63502160030

Andy, the Kreg, Bessey and Whiteside rep showed us nearly all of Kreg's product line. Nothing much new there except the K5.  Bessey didn't have anything new to me.  He touted Whiteside's spiral compression bit selection that probably appeals mostly to CNC users.

The Festool portion of the program was the best.  I call it the Steve Allen Show.  Those two guys can really cram a lot of very understandable info into a few hours.  Saws, routers, parallel guides, dominoes and jigsaws.  I finally got to see a Carvex in action.  Now I see what all of the fuss is about.  Full oscillation, coarsest blade, highest speed setting with a splinter guard, scratch-resistant felt surfaced base and no tearout on prefinished maple-MDF core panels .

I headed back home around 4 PM and the car thermometer indicated 103F as I departed Palm Desert.  Too darn hot for me.

 

[ccarrolladams]

103F?

If it had been overcast and cool, it just would not have been Palm Desert!

Trust me, I will be back the next time In-Touch Tools holds another Woodworking Show,

 

[GPowers]

When I was heading west at 4:15pm it was 104 degrees  [tongue]

Ya, it was warm but it was worth going. Jay said he might move the event up a few weeks to get cooler weather.

 

[dltflt]

Yes it was a great show just as it has been the two years. Really enjoyed meeting with everyone.

 

[ScotF]

Could not make it this year, although I had planned on going.  Hopefully next year it will work out.  Sounds like it was a great time.

Scot

 

[Aldo]

Thank you guys very much for the support we receive from you! We had a great time putting this show on for you and catching up with some of you guys from the FOG.

aldo- or anyone who attends this- will you harass the sawstop rep for any info on the release of a portable contractors saw.

Matt, I believe someone else already posted SawStop's plans to release one in the next year.

Pictures and more information to follow soon, everyone!

 

[ccarrolladams]

During the Fein presentation, George Blanchfield mentioned a new version of the MultiMaster which should arrive in the USA soon, July I think he said. This will have more copper in the windings and the motor will be mounted with rubber bumpers to reduce noise.