Senco took cordless nailers in a new direction when they introduced their Fusion line. Instead of using fuel cells or fly-wheels, Senco developed a recharging close-looped compressed nitrogen system that acts kind of like a mini air compressor built right into the gun. Senco initially released 15-gauge and 18-gauge versions of the nailer, and now they are expanding to include a 16-gauge straight nailer (F-16S), and a 16-gauge angled nailer F-16A.

"We've had tremendous success converting pneumatic, battery, and gas-powered customers to the F-15 and the F-18," says Dave Moore, Senco's director of Fusion technology. "Now we have solutions for people who prefer a 16 gauge finish nailer."

The 16-gauge models should be a nice addition to the line, and it do offer a few advantages. The nails leave a bit smaller hole compare to a 15-gauge, but I think the bigger advantage is the actual shape of 16-gauge nails. Because 16-gauge nails are square, they actually have more holding strength compared to round 15-gauge nails.

Both F-16 model kits come with one 18 volt lithium-ion battery, a charger, and a canvas carrying case. A single battery charge can drive up to 500 nails, and their 18V battery can reach an 80% charge in only 15 minutes.

Senco
Senco Fusion - Amazon

Check out this new multifunction table that is sure to give the Festool MFT some competition. If size matters to you, take a look at the Benchmark Portable Work Table from Hagar Tools. The Benchmark is a foldable aluminum work table that is big enough to allow users to rip down full 4'x8' sheet goods.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted on Wednesday to move toward tougher safety standards for table saws. This comes as bad news for the Power Tool Institute and its members who believe the safety standards they adopted in 2007 are adequate when used properly; many of us actual tool users would agree.

The problem is, the CPSC has been lobbied pretty heavily by inventor Stephen Gass, who wants every table saw in the US to use his safety invention which can stop a table saw blade as soon as any flesh makes contact with it. The technology Gass invented is pretty awesome, and he uses it in his SawStop brand of table saws successfully, but it is not cheap. I am sure the CPSC has our best interest at heart, but at what cost? A good jobsite table saw already cost $500 or more, so the question is, how much will the SawStop technology add to the price? The cheapest SawStop saw, their contractor model, costs around $1500. This could also be the end of the smaller Portable Jobsite Table Saws.

The CPSC has stated that their vote does not necessarily mean they will mandate the use of the SawStop tech, but it does mean that changes will be coming. My question is, what more can table saw manufacturers do to make their saws safer without using Gass' invention? It seems to me that just about all of the safety features that we know of are already on the newer table saws. If forced, PTI members will likely choose to use the WhirlWind safety method (which I wrote about here) over SawStop, because it would be easier to implement, would cost less, and would add less overall weight to the tools. Either way, we are looking at more expensive tables saws in our future.

Take a look at the videos after the break to see both the SawStop and the WhirlWind systems in action.

Via WSJ

One of the things I try to do every weekend, is to watch the woodworking shows that are on PBS. Some times I get caught up in another project and forget to tune in, or even worse, I tune in only to see that PBS is trying to make money and has pulled the show for the day, but I like to watch when I can. I am not much of a woodworker, so I watch mostly for entertainment value, but if I was more into woodworking, all those shop tools are darn expensive?

This is where giveaways can help get the wanna-be woodworker rolling. Delta Power Equipment has partnered Porter-Cable, Woodcraft, and PBS' Scott Phillips of The American Workshop to sponsor The American Dream Shop Giveaway. One lucky winner will be outfitted with more than $10,000 in new tools and will also be a guest of Scott Phillips on the set of The American Workshop. The prize package totals $14,000 and includes a 3HP Delta Unisaw with a 52-inch Biesemeyer fence system and a mobile base, a 14-inch bandsaw, a 13-inch portable thickness planer and stand, an 18-inch drill press, a 12-1/2-inch variable speed midi-lathe and stand, and a 1-1/2 HP 1-micron dust collector.

To see the rest of the prize and contest details, head over to Woodcraft Dreamshop contest page.