The Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) fair, held every other year in Las Vegas, is a massive woodworking trade show. The show recently wrapped up, and while most of its merchandise was geared to industrial use, it was also teeming with new and exciting tools from top manufacturers that suit the smaller shop. Here are a few that look pretty sharp.

Festool Sanders
Festool introduced a trio of cordless sanders. The company says they can run for 30 minutes at full power on their 18-volt batteries, which can recharge in 25 minutes. Roland Johnson, our resident power-tool guru, was particularly impressed with the sanders’ weight and feel, calling them “downright feather-light.”

Veritas Micro-Adjust Gauge
The Veritas Micro-Adjust Gauge has been a fixture in shops for years, but some users have felt its fine adjustment mechanism had room for improvement. Enter the company’s new gauge, which has that mechanism built into the shaft—taking out some of the guesswork.

Bessey iBeam Bar Clamp
“Whoa, those look hearty” was a common first reaction at the show to Bessey’s IBeam Bar Clamps. They come in varying lengths from 24 in. to 96 in., and if their weight’s any indication, they could prove to be go-tos for gluing up large panels and other sizable parts that may need a little extra persuasion.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Rockler Deluxe Panel Clamp

These clamps can handle glue-ups between 10 in. and 36 in. wide, and boards up to 3 in. thick. Sliding feet attach to the lower bars with magnets, letting you position them quickly for stability on any surface. The spring-loaded jaws adjust easily, dropping into notches along the bars. And the powerful clamp handles clear the benchtop.

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Double Sided Tape

A thin woven core makes XFasten tape strong yet not too thick (0.008 in.), and helps it hold powerfully without being difficult to peel off.

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Festool Cleantec CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor

The clear winner here is Festool’s CT 48 Dust Extractor. It has amazing capacity relative to its size, and unmatched suction power. It packs in a number of subtle but very helpful design touches, like a clever foot brake and easy hose and cord storage.

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