DIY is the new fad

In a world where almost everything can be served to anyone who is fortunate enough to afford the product together with the service, it is quite refreshing to see the times change. More and more, “Do It Yourself,” or DIY, is becoming a big fad for a host of people – regardless of class or financial standing. 

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From the name itself, one could surmise that this is a very self-serving way of obtaining what is needed in a project. A lot of things can be done inside the house, for instance, and the materials needed may either just be lying around the garage, or could easily be bought from the hardware. Painting a house, or maybe replacing the bathroom tiles, is a common chore that can usually be done the DIY way. 

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The beauty of DIY is that it does not only help save money, but it could also be a very good way to spend time with the family. The house could be a big family project! Fences, chairs, and tables are easily made with a quick know-how of woodworking. For woodworking that needs a tad more expertise, Laguna Tools and Shiloh Cabinetry may be good options to procure the bigger cabinets from, or even ask for tips for the projects from. 

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Whatever the case may be, DIY has already caught on and is being practiced around the world. Trying it out is highly encouraged. 

Laguna Tools has been in the woodworking industry for more than 20 years now and can surely help you out with your DIY needs and inquiries. Follow this Twitter to learn more.

It all started with wood

Has anyone imagined how life was like way back when? Has anyone given a thought as to how the “prehistoric” men and women were able to survive their environment? How did, say, the Neanderthals, or those that came before them, ever survive?

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Studies would teach that civilizations started near bodies of water. These provided them the basic necessities for food, farming, and most probably hygiene as well; however, how did the early people manage to cook their kills and catches? How did they stay warm on a winter night? It is but right to believe that, together with water, wood was just as an essential part of building civilization as is known today, and was probably more important in the time before time. Wood would have been a primary aid that they’d seek for most things they need to do. Fishing rods, campfire logs, weapons and armory – all of these were made of wood.

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In today’s time, wood is no longer taken with a grain of salt. It is a real pleasure to know, however, that there are those like Laguna Tools and Shiloh Cabinetry who still give respect to how important wood is to man’s everyday life, and even incorporates modern-day twists to every piece they make.

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People should be brought back to marvel at the basics of the past to better understand and appreciate what they have in the present, and wonder at what they may have in the future.

Laguna Tools is a pioneer in the woodworking business. To know more about the company, follow this Twitter.

REPOST: Five Must-Know Woodworking Tips for Beginners

Yahoo Contributor Eric Brennan shares these five guidelines for those who want to start a woodworking project.

Getting the most out of your woodworking projects starts with the right tools, materials and know-how to get the project done right. But there are a few tips that even professional woodworkers overlook when they create their own projects. Use these five must-know woodworking tips and you can be sure your first woodworking project will run smoothly and efficiently.

Image Source: yahoo.com

 Budget

Many times, when you're looking over plans for a woodworking project, it's easy to overlook the material budget. This might be because the piece looks too rewarding, fun or challenging to build. Budget problems during the middle of a project have killed more woodworking plans than you can imagine. Be sure before starting any woodworking project, you create a cost breakdown list of tools and materials to ensure you budget remains intact from the beginning through the end of your woodworking project.

Get Familiar with Tools

There is nothing more dangerous than a beginning woodworker who buys a large power tool for the first time and doesn't know how to use it. If you're looking to use power tools for the first time, take a class, read a book or watch someone use the tool first to help prevent dangerous accidents from misuse. Tool rental services can provide you with a tool to use and demonstrate its use for you, helping to make you familiar with new power tools.

Start Small

Don't let your eyes fool you. It's just like when you go shopping when you're hungry-you buy a bunch of stuff you don't need. The same goes for beginning woodworkers who think they can do advanced projects without getting their feet wet with something smaller first. Start small with projects that will teach you the basics before you tackle more complicated woodworking projects.

Buy Scrap

Many woodworkers who are just starting out plan to build something extravagant or difficult when choosing their first project. While it's best to start small when you're a beginner, it's also best to start cheap. Buy cheaper materials and damaged scrap where you can. Any beginner is bound to make mistakes, and scrap wood can help keep down the cost while allowing you the practice you need to get good and hone your woodworking skills.

Practice Makes Perfect

Repetition of projects using a variety of tools and practicing new skills and techniques all help the beginning woodworker improve skills and work towards becoming a novice and professional woodworker. Be sure that you practice the basics first and know how to use each of the tools in your woodworking arsenal before moving to more challenging projects.

A good way to get practice without having to spend a fortune on tools is by taking a shop class at your local vocational school. Some stores like Home Depot and Lowe's offer woodworking classes that teach how to use specific woodworking tools and techniques.



Laguna Tools provides woodworking equipment for both beginner and professional woodworkers. Follow this Twitter page to get more tips on woodworking.

Woodworking and the young generation

Image Source: popularwoodworking.com 


Ask today’s kids what they want to be in the future. Would a kid want to become a woodworker someday? Most of them would probably answer what popular notion has made them to believe is dream-worthy: to be a pop star, a CEO, a doctor, a computer programmer.


Most children nowadays spend more time playing video games and surfing the Web than reading books and playing outdoors. You can’t blame them. Who would want to become a woodworker when children don’t even know anything about the art of woodworking? The subject is taught in schools, but most students dismiss it as just another class and fail to appreciate the artistry behind it. If woodworkers want to create a longstanding bridge between them and the young generation, or if they want to preserve the craft, they should find ways to make woodworking a part of a child’s everyday life.



 
Image Source: woodartbypete.com 


Take inspiration from the works of Marc Spagnuolo, woodworking enthusiast, and Glen Huey, furniture maker and author of woodworking books. They encourage children to have a glimpse of the beauty of woodworking. They share the latest tools used for woodworking, teach about the different products that can be made out of wood, and even create video and audio podcasts about woodworking.


Such actions from woodworkers are what keep the art thriving, and maybe inspire youngsters to study this art form and apply it in later life.



 
 Image Source: mywoodworkingidea.com  


Laguna Tools supports woodworking programs in schools. Its official website provides more information about its school programs.

Woodcrafting and generic tools

The act of using brand names to establish a trade or clientele has been a common trader’s practice even before the Commercial Era and the Railroad Development years—as travelling vaudeville acts and troubadours at tha t time baptized themselves with “commercial” names to attract paying spectators—but its importance as an essential aspect in the entire idea of commerce has never been recorded.

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But it is no longer a secret how a simple brand name can change a rivalry in a niche or industry, or how it can ruin a flourishing trade. Brand names have become an important element in any commercial undertaking, and lives have been dominated by multitudes and uncountable numbers of them—for how many years, this, too, is uncertain. On a lighter note, brand names help people to identify. They are the badge that makes consumers distinguish what brand, products, and services they would trust or choose.

In woodcrafting: branded and generic tools

In the olden days when people did not have the option yet of choosing or buying tools for woodworking, they made their own—hence, everything was homemade, handmade, self-made, generic.

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But today, as the world is dominated by advertising and branding, it is hard to find tools that are as sturdy and expedient as the tools created in the ancient days. It’s difficult to find a store that sells reasonably priced woodworking tools that are still excellent and superb in quality. Commercialism paved the way for mass production, which, alternatively, lowered the quality of some branded products.

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Thankfully, there are lots of trades that remain lovers of the craft and do not think of forgoing quality over sales or brand name. Laguna Tools is one of them and, hopefully, more trades like it would spring in the years that are yet to come.

Learn more about the woodworking industry by visiting this website.

REPOST: Woodworking Show returns for fourth year

This feature talks about the annual exhibit “Wood: A Furniture Show” which is spearheaded by Brian Murphy, co-founder of the San Diego Fine Woodworking Association and proprietor of Murphy’s Fine Woodworking in Escondido. The entire article can be read at U-T San Diego's official website.

ESCONDIDO — When Brian Murphy went looking for fellow craftsmen to exhibit in his fourth annual “Wood: A Furniture Show IV” — which opens Friday at the Escondido Municipal Gallery — he ran into an unexpected problem.

Many of the furniture-makers who regularly exhibit in the hugely popular show didn’t have anything available to show this winter. Ever since the recession began, few furniture artisans can afford the financial risk of building an inventory. Instead, they build on commissions and rarely have finished pieces available in their studios to exhibit.

But Murphy still managed to cobble together a show of 14 handmade pieces by six San Diego County artisans, including himself. The show will feature chairs, a rocker, tables, a jewelry cabinet and more.

The “Wood” show is one of the best-attended exhibits all year at the gallery, which is managed by the Escondido Arts Partnership. On opening night last year, more than 600 people crammed the Grand Avenue gallery for “Wood III,” and Murphy said that during the one-month show, visitors came by the busload from all over North County.

“Word of mouth is really great for the show each year,” he said. “We get so many people in here who are art collectors who really appreciate the work of fine artisans. It’s exciting.”

Murphy, co-founder of the San Diego Fine Woodworking Association and proprietor of Murphy’s Fine Woodworking in Escondido, will show two chairs he created in the style of Gustav Stickley. He will sell one and donate the other to the Escondido Arts Partnership, which will auction the chair to raise money for future exhibits.

Also exhibiting are brothers Amal and Shem McNew, whose Escondido-based furniture business McFinn Designs was recently featured in San Diego Home & Garden magazine. The McNews specialize in contemporary-style furniture, and they are creating a table for the exhibit, Murphy said.

Longtime Palomar College woodworking instructor Jerry Beaudry of La Mesa will show four pieces in the exhibit, including a rocking chair in the style of Sam Maloof and a jewelry box.

San Diego resident Dick Ugoretz, who is vice president of the woodworking association, will show some traditional-style wood furniture.

And show newcomer David Marr of San Diego will show some tables and cabinets that highlight his expertise with wood veneer, marquetry and inlay.

Murphy said the recession has been hard on fine furniture-makers, but qual- ity craftsmanship will always have loyal customers. He said he has a three-month backlog of orders right now, and the McNew brothers have a six-month pipeline for projects.

The show opens Friday and runs through Feb. 2 at 262 E. Grand Ave. An opening reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday will be hosted by Stone Brewing Co. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

Laguna Tools provides woodworkers with top-notch tools and equipment to help them produce high-quality products. This website gives more details about the woodworking industry and how it impacts modern-day arts, lifestyle, and economy.

Let it snow: Storing tools and equipment for the winter

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Winter time is a tricky season. Temperatures drop overnight and the weather becomes more unpredictable than usual. People busy themselves with ensuring that they have all the appropriate winter wear, enough wood for the fireplace, and their snow tires installed. Proper care for instruments like household tools and equipment becomes an afterthought, often overlooked until the tools are found in damaged condition.

Protecting tools from winter damage starts with preparing for the season. Woodwork equipment makers, like Laguna Tools , routinely remind their customers about basic tips that extend the equipment’s lifespan by shielding the tools from unexpected damage. Some of the most important tips are:

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• Cleaning – Water may freeze up during winter, but come spring, moisture can cause rust and fungi. Cleaning tools before storing them protects them from rusting and becoming breeding grounds for insects that lay eggs in small crevices. Before storing, tools should be rinsed off with a steel wool scrub or a hard-bristled brush and then dried thoroughly. This removes any dust, soil, or dirt debris that may be hidden in between the tool’s steel parts.

• Sterilizing – Contrary to what most wood craftsmen assume, cleaning tools is not always enough. Sterilizing them before storage is important to prevent the spread of fungi and rotten foliage, thus preventing disease from developing in the storage room. Sterilizing tools is not pricey; using isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizing gel suffices to rid tools of germs.

• Protecting – Keeping tools dry may prevent rust, but the winter cold may still cause erosion. Woodwork equipment makers, like Laguna Tools, recommend lubricating tool blades and handles with general purpose oil or cooking oil.

Image credit: woodworkersjournal.com

Read more on this website.

REPOST: Women embrace woodworking with flair and originality

This article from the Daily News Los Angeles discusses about women who have entered the world of woodworking.




Brooke Coe knows what it's like to fall hard for a gorgeous piece of furniture only to be put off by its price.

All too often she's said, "I can't afford that!"

But that doesn't happen anymore. Not since the 42-year-old Redondo Beach mother of two learned how to take hardwood board and turn it into one-of-a-kind pieces for her home.

"Really, a lot of people like me get started in woodworking out of necessity," says Coe, who has been known to retreat into her family's garage/workshop and surface with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that boast a traditional built-in look; and funky whimsical tables unlike any you'd find in a store.

She's not so unique.

For several years, women have been gaining on men in the home improvement arena. Big-name retailers have introduced products and programs designed especially for women, such as free Do-It-Herself Workshops at Home Depot. And the DIY blogosphere has more recently exploded with sites aimed at teaching women the necessary skills to tackle new territories like woodworking.

Author and blogger Ana White learned woodworking while building her home.

"Making your own furniture is not a matter of muscles, it's a matter of experience and being shown how to use tools properly," says Ana White, author of "The Handbuilt Home: 34 Simple, Stylish and Budget-Friendly Woodworking Projects for Every Room" (Potter Craft, 2012), a companion to her popular ana-white.com blog.

Like the women who contributed designs to her book, the 32-year-old mother is relatively new to furniture making.

White got her start when she and her husband set out to build their three-bedroom, two-bath starter home in Alaska seven years ago. They couldn't afford contractors so it was just the two of them.

She started out by assisting her husband with simple tasks and eventually took on more active roles.

After the house was completed, the couple set out to furnish their new digs with hand-built pieces, including an $80 farmhouse-style bed whose easy-to-follow plans are featured in the book - the first in what she's hoping will be a series on woodworking at home.

Cindy Vargas, on the other hand, came to woodworking like many women do through art school. Though she says she got her first taste of it as one of "three brave souls" in middle-school wood shop in the early '70s.

Today, the studio furniture maker behind Three Elements Studio in Minnesota crafts a variety of custom furnishings, including lamps whose rich surfaces and interesting mosaic patterns would seamlessly blend into any Arts and Crafts-style interior.

"I can't tell you how many times I've heard that," says Vargas, who used to live in Pasadena and work out of a studio in Glendale. "They definitely have that craftsman flair to them."

Coe also designs pieces for sale through Huh? Designs, her interior design and custom furniture side business.

"There are people who will see something at Crate & Barrel that's not the right size so I make it for them," she says. "Maybe somebody wants a unique, stand-alone piece. I also do a lot of redos.

"I had tall and skinny Ikea cabinets and we had a flood in our house that ruined them," she says. "Instead of trashing my old cabinets I turned one of them on its side and then put lights on the bottom of it. I added doors that I built from some leftover wood. Now I have a whole new cabinet with a new feel."

For more information about the woodworking industry, visit www.lagunatools.com.

Setting up shop in the basement: Laguna Tools and turning the basement into your woodworking space

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Woodworking is an activity that demands space, whether you’re just planning a small woodworking project or pursuing the craft more ambitiously. This Laguna Tools blog entry explains the pros and cons of creating a woodworking space in your basement.

One of the most common areas in the house where woodworkers choose to set up shop is the basement.

If you live in the northern region with cold winters, a basement shop offers the luxury of climate control. The furnace will keep the workshop warm all winter. Most basements also have a high ceiling that can keep you from bumping your head on suspended ductwork or plumbing. But despite its pleasant climate and convenient location, a basement can also have its disadvantages.

Based in Irvine, California, Laguna Tools provides quality woodworking equipment.

If you want to do woodwork in your basement, make sure there’s enough room for cutting lumber or wide sheet materials. A basement with a narrow staircase can make it difficult and dangerous for you to carry building materials and equipment. If the laundry room is also in the basement, fine dust and fumes from wood finishes can mix with freshly laundered clothes. Dampness is also another problem. The high humidity in the basement can lead to corrosion on metal tools, and lumber can mold or warp if it gets wet.

Laguna Tools image credit: afronie's flickr photos

Laguna Tools has been in the industry for almost three decades and continues to challenge the market by coming up with new advancements.

While the basement has its drawbacks, there are ways to work on these problems. You can install windows with screens to improve air circulation, hook up a dust collector or shop vac to trap dust and debris, or use an ambient air cleaner with replaceable filters to capture finer dust particles. To combat the dampness, keep work areas dry by running a dehumidifier on humid months.

By finding solutions to these basement problems early on, your own space in the basement will let you work on your projects more safely and efficiently.

Laguna Tools image credit: lagunatools.com

Visit www.lagunatools.com for more information about Laguna Tools and woodworking.

Laguna Tools: Stationary machines that should be present in woodworking workshops

Laguna Tools image credit: meredith.com

Laguna Tools is a concrete example of why people should never let go of their dreams. Founded by Torben Helshoj, the company stands for one man’s simple yet outstanding vision of helping fellow woodworkers in finishing carpentry projects as efficiently as possible. This vision inspired Helshoj to import European woodworking technology to the United States, coming up with top-notch machines that strive to revolutionize the American woodworking industry.

Laguna Tools always reviews woodworking enthusiasts’ needs, helping it come up with stationary machines that are nothing short of reliable. These include:

• Table saws. Extremely versatile, table saws are used to rip, square, miter, groove, shape, and connect wood pieces. Table saws, like the ones offered at Laguna Tools, provide woodworkers with superior precision given their smooth and heavy work surface.

Laguna Tools image credit: life123.com

• Drill presses. Every workshop needs a good drill press. With this power tool, one can specify the depth of the holes that will be drilled—ensuring consistency in the work. Also, with a sure-footed drill press, woodworkers can bore out holes with depth nearly impossible to make using handheld power drills.

• Planers. A vital tool in any workshop, a planer is used to cut boards with even thickness and are flat on each surface. Its ability to guarantee uniformity when it comes to wood-cutting made this tool a must-have for woodworkers.

With these machines at hand, along with other power tools, carpentry enthusiasts can handle even the most complicated projects in the industry.

Laguna Tools image credit: lagunatools.com

Check out Laguna Tools’ stationary machines at www.lagunatools.com.

Laguna Tools: Safety tips for passionate woodworkers

Laguna Tools is known in the woodworking industry not only because of its extensive array of efficient woodworking machineries, but also because of the importance it gives to the users’ welfare when designing new carpentry tools. For years, the Irvine, CA-based firm has been making sure that each product it releases keeps woodworkers out of harm’s way—a practice that should be observed by all woodworking machine manufacturers.

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But safety in the workshop is never guaranteed by manufacturers alone. The users themselves should learn how to observe safety measures so that they can finish their projects without getting hurt. These precautionary measures include:

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• Wearing protective gear. Laguna Tools and other woodworking industry experts believe that protective equipment in a woodworker’s workshop is not limited to gloves. Woodworkers should also have, among others, noise suppression headphones to protect their ears and safety glasses to keep dust away from the eyes.

Laguna Tools reviews all woodworking equipment it releases, ensuring that they are safe and easy to use.

• Disconnecting power when changing blades. Before changing blades on a power tool, woodworkers should always unplug the machine. This prevents the equipment from unexpectedly turning on, which could result to injuries.

• Using sharp cutting tools. Dull blades, because of their inefficiency, require the woodworkers to exert more effort. In such cases, woodworkers are more susceptible to slipups, thus more vulnerable to accidents.

By following the aforementioned tips, the woodworkers’ carpentry experiences would not only be safer and more efficient, but also much more enjoyable.

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Learn more about Laguna Tools by visiting www.lagunatools.com.

Laguna Tools presents the Cast-Iron Router Table and Fence System

A “dream accessory,” the Cast-Iron Router Table and Fence System by Laguna Tools has finally hit the market shelves. The technology system for small-shop routers features both parallel and horizontal T-tracks on the cast-iron table top and is accompanied by a powerfully designed fence system crafted from superior-quality aluminum.

Laguna Tools Image Credit: lagunatools.com

This new technology poses high level of safety and precision. With the fence being protected by a clear and heavy-duty plastic, the craftsman is provided with accurate visibility of the router bit from all angles. An ultra-modern dust-collecting port and special shim attachments are also part of the system, reducing sawdust clouding and allowing the unit to multi-function as a jointer.

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“The Cast-Iron Router Table and Fence System is wonderfully designed and truly one of the best ways to upgrade an existing table saw,” explains Laguna Tools product specialist Jay Andrews. “The safety features and easy-positing capabilities make this unit really special for anyone working with routers.”

Laguna Tools Image Credit: ridgidforum.com

With this novel technology by Laguna Tools, reviews from the company’s avid customers once again rose to new heights. The already large customer base is expected to expand as business owners and craftsmen start to realize that the company’s line of products are significantly becoming grander as new researches and designs approach its production units.

Additional product specifications and a demonstration video for other Laguna Tools products can be accessed at its official website.

Laguna Tools: Woodworking tools for fun and profit

Woodworking is both an exciting hobby and an excellent business venture. Laguna Tools has long catered to the needs of both the enterprising woodworker looking to expand production and the amateur hobbyist who wants quality within reach. Torben and Catherine Helshoj founded the company with the special intent of bringing combination tool technology, which had been popular with woodworkers in Northern Europe, to North America.

From Laguna Tools

Today, the company has been expanding its product range both to include CNC machines and to incorporate a new line of products within reach of the amateur woodworker. Woodworking is an engaging hobby and getting the right equipment is often the starting point in creating an excellent finished product for both amateurs and professionals.

Laguna Tools Image credit: lagunatools.com

Laguna Tools includes a wide array of products that range from small yet powerful devices ideal for the amateur to the industrial-scale machines fit for large-scale production. Regardless of whether they are for the small woodshop or the production floor, these tools provide the same amount of performance quality and power relative to their size.

Laguna Tools Image credit: lagunatools.com

Regardless if whether one is an amateur or in charge of industrial production, a high quality tool can greatly improve the quality of one’s product and make quick work of any item.

More information on the product range of Laguna Tools and stories of woodworkers applying its products in commercial-scale applications can be accessed from its official website.

Catherine Helshoj: Upholding a legacy of distinction

Successful companies are often characterized by strong leadership. For leading woodworking machinery provider Laguna Tools, that resilient leadership is provided by the company’s Vice President, Catherine Helshoj.

From Laguna Tools

With a reputation as the premier provider of high-class woodworking machinery, Laguna Tools continued to achieve success under the leadership of Helshoj who guides the company through the rough seas of the corporate world. After taking over the California-based company from her husband, Torben, Catherine continues to be the driving force behind the continued success of the company. Her principle in business is that only the bravest and the most open-minded individuals who pay extra attention to the overall business situation will be the ones who reap the most benefits.




Laguna Tools believes that nothing can be achieved without an absolute dedication to crafting high-quality products that far exceed a customer’s expectations. Catherine Helshoj continues to uphold the legacy of excellence that the company is known for.

From Laguna Tools

This attention to detail and the unyielding passion for perfection in creating superior products has earned Laguna Tools many distinctions from different woodworking magazines and organizations such as:
1. 2011 May Wood Magazine Band Saw-Top Tool Approved-Editor’s Choice
2. 2008 Fine Woodworking and Fine Homebuilding Best Overall-Editor’s Choice
3. 2008 3LUXE Simply the best of everything-“BEST OF” Selections

From Laguna Tools

More information about Catherine Helshoj is available at www.lagunatools.com.

Laguna Tools: The importance of investing in dust collecting machines

From Laguna Tools

Laguna Tools offers a comprehensive range of products like workbenches, sanders, mortisers, lathes, jointers, drill presses, and combo machines, among others. With its more than 27 years in the business, the company is one of the leaders in the woodworking industry moving production and mill shops to work at maximum rates.

However, the people behind the company also understand that when people use power tools, big mess comes out of it. It’s a good thing that Laguna Tools continues to make a difference by providing dust collecting machines at affordable prices, because people, including the woodworkers, are entitled to breathe clean and fresh air.

From Laguna Tools

Laguna Tools’ line of dust collectors ranges from the small and portable machines to the large and heavy-duty ones. All of which keep the workshops free of dust, affording them to have the following benefits:

• Dust collecting machines help reduce harmful particles in the workplace.
• They prevent workers and customers inhale sawdust that may be harmful to the body.
• The dust collecting systems eliminate both small and heavy sawdust particles, thus, preventing additional spending for air cleaners.
• They make customers think highly of the clean shops.

From Laguna Tools

To have a clean working environment for woodworkers and all the other people around it, investing in quality dust collectors can be practiced. More information is available at the Laguna Tools’ website.

Safety first: Laguna Tools reviews basic woodworking safety rules

From Laguna Tools

Woodworking can be a very engaging hobby, but as with many hobbies dealing with tools, it can also be very dangerous. Laguna tools reviews some of the basic safety tips that all woodworkers, amateur or professional, must take into account to keep woodworking as safe as possible.



A general rule for woodworkers is that the woodshop is no place for people in a hurry. Workers should take basic safety precautions into account every time, such as appropriate clothing and safety equipment like goggles.

From Laguna Tools

Woodworkers must always go against the direction of the cutter, as power tools are designed for this motion. Other safety tips, particularly those considered no-brainers, such as the use of sharp blades and bits and checking the stocks to be cut for loose metal such as screws and nails, should be emphasized. When working with equipment like those from Laguna Tools, reviews of the bits and blades must be done while the machines have their power cords unplugged. The same goes for removing cutoffs; the machines must be turned off before any attempt is made to remove the debris.



Taking in drugs and alcohol before woodworking is a big no. Finally, distractions must be avoided while working.



More information on Laguna Tools and reviews of its products are available on its official website.

From Laguna Tools

Combining effectiveness and space with Laguna Tools’ Combo Machines

From Laguna Tools

Possessing an effective set of tools where space is a priority is a challenge. In Europe, innovations such as the combination machine helped solve this problem. Now, Laguna Tools brings this innovation to the other side of the pond through its own line of combination machines for the American woodworker.

Combination machines, as the name implies, combine the functionality of several different machines into one package. These machines make great use of space and cost less that the individual machines, making them ideal for hobbyists and amateur woodworkers. The company offers several selections of combination machines that put together the functions of between two to five different machines.

Laguna Tools Photo Credit: Elitetools.ca

On the most basic level is the Platinum Series’ joiner-planer combination, with a size and functionality ideal for small spaces. The size 10 alone has enough power for the home hobbyist and small shop. These come equipped with either a traditional straight cutterhead or a Laguna Tools Shear-Tech spiral cutterhead.

Laguna Tools Photo Credit: Lagunatools.info

At the opposite end of the scale are the combination machines in the Platinum Series with five functions. It features two different motors with distinct power settings and combines a joiner–planer unit, table saw, shaper unit, spindle sander, and mortiser in one device.

Also available from Laguna Tools are accessories for many of its machines, including the combo machines. More information on the machines themselves and the company’s other products are available at its official website.

Laguna Tools: Showing commitment in making high-quality woodworking equipment

When Laguna Tools founder Torben Helshoj first came to America, he quickly noticed the difference between the woodworking efficiencies of American and European machineries. He noted that the machines used by the Americans were significantly lagging behind in terms of safety, functionality, and basic features.

Laguna Tools Photo credit: Askmen.com

Helshoj, who won the prestigious Silver Medal award from the Queen of Denmark because of his proficiency in the woodworking field, decided to start a business that would take America’s woodworking industry a level higher. Torben and his partners chose to import European machines to serve as the foundation of the business that came to be known eventually as Laguna Tools.



Through the dedication Helshoj had shown as the president of Laguna, he made way for numerous accomplishments for the company. The DriftMaster Fence system, for one, gained the approval of woodwork experts and enthusiasts alike.

Laguna Tools Photo credit: Flickr photos

At Laguna Tools, complaints from woodworkers are hardly ever heard because of the state-of-the-art woodworking accessories, bandsaws, boring machines, drill pressers, and dust collectors—among many others—that the company offers. The bandsaws from Laguna Tools, specifically, are highly regarded by woodworkers as among the best in the world.



Laguna Tools also makes sure that the machines they provide passionate woodworkers with are affordable as Helshoj and the team of experts that compose the company believe that innovations should not come at an expensive price.

From Laguna Tools

Visit www.lagunatools.com for more information about Laguna Tools’ efficient woodworking equipment.