Woodpecker One Time Tools

[Julie Moriarty]

I stumbled across one of the Woodpecker videos the other day. It was for their marking gauge. BINGO! Found what I was looking for, and then some.

For anyone who is familiar with their OneTime tools, you know it doesn't mean you only have to see them in operation one time and then you're sold. For those who aren't familiar with OneTime tools, they send emails to club members, take orders, close it after three weeks, make a production run and ship them out.

Then the tool is retired.

This seems crazy. They invest in the design and engineering and machine setup and then only offer it for 3 weeks to a small group. The end.

Is it just me or is this a little nuts?

Please forgive the typo in the title.

[Alan Lightstone]

They've done it this way for years. I always forget to ask them about that when I see them in the yearly Woodworking show. Feels like an informercial. "Buy before midnight tonight, operators are standing by. But wait, there's more. In Japan the hand is used as a knife. But it doesn't work on a tomato. Yes, the Ginsu 2... " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pde0aOM-lds

That being said, I've bought quite a number of their one-time tools, and find the ones I buy very useful. But certainly pricey.

[Stewart Lang]

It keeps customers always checking in on their tools to make sure they don't miss anything

If you are actually interested in buying one, check eBay. If none are on there, set an alert for the next time one is listed.

[Joe Jensen]

Way cheaper to manufacture say 10,000 units all at once. If you did that and the sold a random amount each month you would have huge money tied up in inventory. If you made a thousand at a time it would be way more expensive. And you create some scarcity ordering.

[James Cheever]

I really like the tools, but he mounting delays in the initailly promised shipping of their tools and products is very disconcerting.

[Frank Pratt]

What's nuts is how much they cost for what they do. I've only seen a few of them that I felt were worth having.

[Julie Moriarty]

Way cheaper to manufacture say 10,000 units all at once. If you did that and the sold a random amount each month you would have huge money tied up in inventory. If you made a thousand at a time it would be way more expensive. And you create some scarcity ordering.

For production line products, I agree. But they don't work like that. It looks like they have a fairly small operation and there's a lot of hand work.

If you see one of their videos on You Tube and want to buy the tool, you can't. So the time spent in design and engineering has to be recouped in their initial offering. That marking gauge looked like the R&D was fairly substantial. Why not capitalize on it? Add to that the fact you have to kinda dig to even find their program. It makes no sense to me.

[Paul F Franklin]

They do occasionally bring back a tool and do another run if there is demand, and a number of items seem to be kept in production. I believe they started very small (their original business address was that of a small house that my family owned when I was I was in high school). When you are small, building small batches with orders in hand is a reasonable business model. It's a whole lot easier to get capital and credit with orders in hand. They are still located nearby in NE Ohio. I admit, their prices give me pause, but for items I will use a lot I am willing to pay for the quality, thoughtful design, and made in USA aspects.

[Dave Sabo]

None of us have to understand or like how they operate. Clearly they’re onto a formulae that works for them.

[johnny means]

Same marketing ploy they've been doing with sneakers and other "collectibles" for a while. Remember Beanie Babies? If they thought they'd built a better mousetrap they'd be willing to invest their own money.

[Mel Fulks]

Stuff gets valuable by people throwing a lot a stuff away ...not by saving it. The guys who own the two known Honus
Wagner baseball cards probably live in constant fear of the rest of being found.

[Bill Dufour]

Opposite of Starrett that sells the same high quality tool for over 100 years with no changes except they no longer do a cyanide finish on the steel parts. They probably still sell pretty much the first micrometer ever invented with a few "new " modifications from 1860 or so. It does mean some odd ball screw sizes because there were no standards yet and they invented a new one for each tool. Why change to a some newfangled standard that has been around less then 150 years? I think the screws that hold my level vial in are #6-40 not 6-32. But you can buy that size tap and die today. Much harder to buy the screws from anyone other then starret at their prices.
Bil lD

[Bob Jones 5443]

Scarcity amps up demand. I just searched for this tool and the reference that came up said it was discontinued in 2017. But YouTube videos are forever.

Julie, I don't know of other gauges that can either leave a knife slice or a pencil line with the same gauge like the Woodpecker. But a combination square can get the pencil line on the work, and a $9 Marples wooden gauge's pin can be modified to produce an elegant scratch with or against the grain. For a more ready-made blade-line gauge, the Veritas micro-adjust is close to half the price of the Woodpecker.

[Randy Heinemann]

If you want a measuring tool or square that lasts forever, is so accurate you can literally always count on it, looks good, and has essentially a life-time warranty, then Woodpeckers is on the top of the list. If the tool is something you need and/or want and you want it to be the best, then I wouldn't hesitate to buy from Woodpeckers. They are responsive after purchase, always provide answers to my questions about their tools, and provide excellent support. It is a pain to wait 6 months to get a One-Time Tool but, when it comes, it's like getting a great unexpected present at your doorstep; a present that should last the rest of your life.

[Jack Lemley]

I have a LOT of red in my shop. Nuff said! ;-)

Jack

PS. Currently waiting on my order of their new Drill Press Table.... about 2 months late so far.... but my Nova Viking DP will love it!