Manufacturers used the 2006 International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta to unveil a number of new products due out in time for the holiday shopping season. More than 22,000 attendees showed up for an early peak at these tools, including our team of editors, who captured some of the more notable releases on video. Below is a round of tools that caught our eye.

VIDEO COVERAGE FROM IWF 2006

Grizzly Goes Big With New Tablesaw
with Asa Christiana
Riving knife, 12-in. blade, and 5 HP motor among features on moderately-priced Extreme series cabinet saw.

Freud Introduces New Combination Blade
with Roland Johnson
All-purpose tablesaw blade tackles softwood, hardwood, plywood, and melamine in a variety of cutting operations.

Laguna Bandsaw Fence Aimed At Resawing
with Roland Johnson
Multi-functional fence adjusts for drift and includes find adjustment helpful for cutting thin veneers.

Rikon’s 14-in. Bandsaw
with Roland Johnson
Extra resaw capacity and large table among thoughtful features aimed at woodworkers.

Delta Updates the Drill Press
with Asa Christiana
Six-inch quill travel and variable speed top features list on two new drill presses for woodworkers.

Hoverpad Mobil Base
with Roland Johnson
General International distributes air-powered mobile base that floats tools on a cushion of air.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Rockler Dust Right 650 CFM

While all five of the smaller units will collect chips efficiently when deployed properly, the 3/4-hp Rockler was just a bit more powerful in our suction test.

Buy at Amazon

Makita LS1219L Miter Saw

This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt 735X Planer

At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.

Buy at Amazon