IWF gloat

[Chris McDowell]

It's a little late, but I have been busy trying to put the shop back together after adding a few new additions. I did enjoy getting to meet a few creekers at the Steel City booth. Unfortunately I was so busy with other commitments at the show I didn't get to meet and greet like I had hoped.

Anyway in the spirit of no pics no proof here they are. I will try and get some better shots later after the shop is up and running.

[Jim Becker]

LOL...you finally bit! Congratulations! Like the shop helper, too... :)

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Wow!...that's some heavy duty stuff!

Enjoy...Jeff :)

[John Schreiber]

Whatever else happens, you won't be able to say that you can't do it because you haven't got the tools for it.

[Peter Quadarella]

Woah, WOW! Very nice :). I'll bet those tools look a LOT larger in your shop than at the IWF. I know my 17" BS seemed to have shrunk when I viewed it at the show ;).

[jason lambert]

Nice gloat. nice shop!!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Wow! I'd say that photographic proof somebody dropped some big bucks! congrats!

[Chris McDowell]

Thanks everybody. I have lusted over the slider for 2 years and boy it was worth the wait. I just ordered new blades this morning. Since the arbor on the 315 is 1" now I needed new tooling, so I'm going to try some of the new I.C.E. blades Freud had at the show. I look forward to giving a review of the blades and the saw a little later on. With luck I should start on a new kitchen job Monday.

I especially want to thank Michael Kahn and Sam Blasco at MiniMax. Both are great guys to deal with and I got to spend a lot of time with them at the show. The only downside to that is now I have got my eyes on the 14" jointer/planer combo when I get these paid off. Tool lust never ends.:)

I should also thank Jim Becker for all his help and information. As for my shop helper, I will try and post some pics later on how we tuned in the slider. Impossible to do without her dead weight abilities.

[Mike Heidrick]

Chris, those look like awesome awesome machines. Congrats.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Thanks everybody. I have lusted over the slider for 2 years and boy it was worth the wait. I just ordered new blades this morning. Since the arbor on the 315 is 1" now I needed new tooling, so I'm going to try some of the new I.C.E. blades Freud had at the show. I look forward to giving a review of the blades and the saw a little later on. With luck I should start on a new kitchen job Monday.

I especially want to thank Michael Kahn and Sam Blasco at MiniMax. Both are great guys to deal with and I got to spend a lot of time with them at the show. The only downside to that is now I have got my eyes on the 14" jointer/planer combo when I get these paid off. Tool lust never ends.:)

I should also thank Jim Becker for all his help and information. As for my shop helper, I will try and post some pics later on how we tuned in the slider. Impossible to do without her dead weight abilities.

Chris,

Mikchael Kahn sold me my MM-16 and Sam has been kind enough to take my b/s newby calls. They are, indeed, a class act.

[Wilbur Pan]

Whatever else happens, you won't be able to say that you can't do it because you haven't got the tools for it.

What if Chris needs to drill some holes?

*ducks*

;)

[For the humor impaired -- I know there's a drill press somewhere in that shop.]

[Jim Becker]

Michael Kahn was the guy who first hooked me back at IWF in about 2001. He was patient waiting for the sale, too...but finally got it in late 2002 for my 350mm ('14"') FS350 J/P combo when he and his then boss, Jim Strain, made me an offer I couldn't refuse on a show machine. Then came the MM16 early the next year, also a show machine. Then came the S315WS slider in early 2007. In the mean time, Sam also became a good friend to have and know. Both of them, as well as others at MM, are good people.

I'm glad that some of the questions I answered were helpful, Chris. Enjoy your new tools!

[John Schreiber]

What if Chris needs to drill some holes?
. . .
I think this might be the ticket.

http://www.descendingashtray.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/giant-drill-press.jpg


Or maybe he got the big one:

http://kittyempire.org/viewy/sheppard/drill.jpg

[Mike Heidrick]

Yeah, I am thinking a Steel City drill press would not look right next to the minimax slider. I have one next to a MM20 but my shop is starting to look like a sit down meeting of a wood cartel. All the Dons of the families are represented.

[Johnny Kleso]

All I can say is you suck!

I have been wanting a sliding table saw for a long time and must have looked at every one at the show.....

[Chris McDowell]

Hey guys there is a drill press in there. It's just not much of one. The only thing I ever used on for was hinge boring and my hardware company furnished me with a new Omal hinge boring machine free of charge.:D

There is another part of the IWF story I forgot to share. It was the last day of the show a little after five. My wife had gotten tired of me staring at the slider. [I know what kind of sickness is that.] And I was standing at the edge of the MM booth waiting to help disassemble my machines. Up walks one of the Festool vendors and asks me if I was looking or had purchased anything. Now by this time the show is so dead it's mainly vendors only and a few diehards.

We shoot the breeze for a few minutes and he asks if I was entered in the Festool giveaway at 5:30. I told him yes but it wouldn't do me any good. I have never won anything in my life. I'm more what you would call an instant loser than winner. He looks at me real funny and said what if I told you that you just won. Puzzled I stammered something about you are kidding. Turns out they had been giving away sanders during the show to people they found away from their booth wearing the Kapex shirts. I got the last one of the show. So to top it all off I got a free Festool 150-5 sander in a systainer. How's that for a good end to IWF.

Please feel free to throw multiple you sucks at me.:D

P.S. hang in there Johnny they are worth the wait.

[Mike Heidrick]

Chris, that made the gas money back home all the more worth it! The 150/5 is sure to be a sweet sander. I know the 150/3 is!!!

[Chris McDowell]

Mike-it definitely did that. I already have the Rotex 150 and really need to get the 150-3 instead of the 150-5, but I'm sure I can suffer through. One can never have enough Festool sanders.

[Jim Becker]

Oh, my....major deep blue and bright green Suckage, Chris! LOL

[Paul Gatti]

OMG! As if the new slider and the MM20 wasn't enough, you walked away with a free festool sander? I bow down the the gloat master.

[John Thompson]

Some nice equipment you acquired there. Did you get the slider off the truck by yourself? :)

Your wife is probably glad IWF comes every two years and BTW.... that's a nice spacious shop you have to hold that arsenal..

Regards...

Sarge..

[Chris McDowell]

Hey John. No I actually had two helpers and an engine lift to remove the slider. I think my wife took some pics of the event.

Believe it or not she was in favor of me getting the machinery. She always tells me to buy what I really want because anything else is a wasted purchase. Ain't I lucky.:D

The shop is anything but spacious right now. I was going to sell some equipment ,but being the true woodworker I am, I rationalized keeping all of it. Yes she was in favor of that too. When I get it all done I'll try and do a full shops worth of pics.

[Jay Brewer]

Great additions Chris. I remember you asking about sliders a while back. Glad to see you finally get what you wanted. You will wonder why you waited so long to get the slider. Enjoy

[John Thompson]

I'm in a 3 point stance waitin' on the pics, Chris. I was going to post some pics and do a small review on my new TS from IWF.. but I would be embarrassed to do it now after your haul. I walked into the Mini-max booth and they called security to remove me. I suppose they took one look at me and decided I was a vagrant and no cash. :D

Just kidding of course. I met Eric of MM a number of years ago and always drop by to see what's new as my wife won't turn me loose with the check-book. She's a very intelligent lady.

Regards...

Sarge..

[Paul B. Cresti]

Chris,
Congrats on the new machines....once you use a slider you will be hooked for life. Why "settle" for a 14" j/p....heck go for the 16 or maybe the 20! :eek: Then you gotta get the slider table shaper....and the widebelt...and

[Chris McDowell]

John, I can see you in that stance. I knew you were kidding about the MM booth. If they let me in everyone else is safe.

I hear you on the checkbook. When I was making reservations for IWF, I told my wife she didn't have to come. She just laughed and said there was no way I was going to Atlanta while it was full of woodworking machinery unsupervised.

Paul-good to see you are still around and kicking. That's the problem. Once you start down the path you are forever consumed by temptation.