Every other year, the Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) host a massive fair amid the dry sands of Las Vegas Nevada. In a bid to keep folks up-to-date with the latest tool and hardware news, Fine Woodworking is dispatching four editorial staff members to cover anything-and-everything furniture-related. We’ll be prowling the show floor in search of new tool news from manufacturers like SawStop, Delta, Laguna, and lenty more. Keep this page bookmarked in your browser for the most up-to-date reports.

As we write this dispatch on Monday morning, we’re busy packing our bags for some super-early morning flights out of the east coast. Our plan is simple: hit the ground running as soon as we set foot upon the desert landscape. Hey – it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.

 

Your Complete Guide to AWFS Tool & Hardware News

 

Festool Announces New Drill
Festool debuts its latest drill. The new CXS Compact Cordless is said to offer plenty of punch in a small size, at a price-point that’s sure to make budget-conscious woodworkers just a bit more apt to consider entering the Festool arena. Read more.

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Festool CXS Pre-Show Preview
FWW editor Asa Christiana was able to head inside the convention hall while exhibitors were still setting up, for a hands-on preview of Festool’s new CXS drill. We’ve also got word of some other soon-to-be-announced tools. Hint, hint…

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Rikon Boasts an “Ultimate” Bandsaw
Can Rikon’s latest bandsaw live up to it’s name? Get the preliminary word on a tool that’s supposed to combine the best-of-the-best in one ultimate unit. Is this indeed, Rikon’s “super-saw?” Read more.

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Introducing Rikon’s “Super-Saw”
Rikon is hoping to make a big splash with its latest 14-in. bandsaw. By combining several popular elements from previous models, the folks at Rikon are releasing what they’ve dubbed their “ultimate” bandsaw.

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Say Goodbye to Sanding Fatigue
Bosch’s latest random orbit sander includes one of those head-slapping innovations that make tool junkies exclaim: “why didn’t I think of that?” FWW editor puts his hands to the test.

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Shrink Ray for a Router Table
According to the folks at Rockler, they’ve been following the growing popularity of smaller trim routers for quite a while. To address that popularity, they’re releasing a new router table specially designed for these pint-sized tools.