Festool recently announced that its headquarters for Festool USA and Festool Canada, located in Lebanon, Indiana, will expand by 80,000 square feet. This is the second, large-scale expansion within the past three years. Company executives cite increased demand and robust sales behind the $9.3 million expansion, as the Festool brand continues to grow among professional tool users, residential contractors, painters, remodelers and woodworkers. Construction is scheduled to begin in November and will be completed by December 2019.

“We’re excited to once again expand our facilities,” says Brian Goldthorpe, Festool chief financial officer. “The combination of increased demand for our products and favorable business conditions here in Lebanon, make this expansion a win for us as a company and for the community as a whole.”

Founded in Germany in 1925, Festool moved its North American headquarters to Lebanon, Indiana, in 2006. In 2015, it doubled that facility’s size. Last year, Festool began manufacturing its FS Guide Rails, using U.S.-sourced material, at the Lebanon campus and has plans to further expand its Indiana manufacturing operations. The company projects that 65 new jobs will be created by the facility expansion, as it continues to offer a comprehensive lineup of power tools and system accessories, designed to boost productivity through efficiency and high performance.

Last month, Brookfield, Wisconsin-based Milwaukee Tool also announced that it will begin construction on another major expansion of its Global Headquarters. With a total investment of $32 million, the new advanced manufacturing/research and development facility is expected to create 350 new jobs, continuing a strong track record of rapid growth for the company within the United States.

This newest expansion will house an advanced manufacturing, engineering and global research and development center, occupying a 3.5-acre site on the company’s Global Headquarters Campus. Construction on the 114,500-square foot, multi-story building will begin during the third quarter of this year and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2019, bringing its global headquarter space from 390,000 square feet to an approximate 504,500 square feet.

“When you look at the growth our company has achieved in the last decade, the catalyst for our success has been, and will always be, our people. The drive, determination and obsession of our employees has enabled us to continue delivering disruptive innovation for the professional trades and our distribution partners,” said Steve Richman, Milwaukee Tool group president. “Our newest expansion will help us continue to grow a world-class work environment that will attract, recruit and retain the best talent in the world.”

Milwaukee Tool has sustained double-digit growth throughout the last decade, the company reports. This success is attributed to an exceptional workforce, a focus on the professional trades and breakthrough developments in cordless technology, advanced accessory engineering and innovative hand tool and storage solutions.

Over the last decade, Milwaukee Tool has continued to invest heavily in its national growth, making over $190 million in capital investments in the U.S., including $33.4 million in manufacturing, tripling the workforce at its Global Headquarters Campus in Wisconsin and growing its base of 3,500 employees nationwide. This newest expansion marks the next step in the company’s dedication to continuing all product development in the area for which it was named.

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Chris Marshall: Based on the looks of it, Barney, I don’t think you’re going to save yourself any time or energy by trying to repair that shredded, broken plywood. And, I’d put money on the probability that a patch job won’t last. If your sailboat means a lot to you, build a new centerboard. It doesn’t look like a centerboard will be that tough build or the material costs expensive. With the old one removed, you already have a template for shaping the new one. A new centerboard will remind you of a job well done every time you put your sailboat in or take it out of the water. But a repair to the original? I think the outcome will feel like a shortcut to a less-than-satisfying end. You can do this!

Tim Inman: You can repair this. It will always look like you repaired it. A repaired board will work just as well as a replacement one, though. So, aesthetics seems to be the key to your choices. Me? I live on a farm far, far, far from water now. I used to live about a block away from a big lake in Wisconsin. So I have limited input with sailing equipment repair, but I do have some connectedness. Let me begin with my usual warning: test first and practice! I would use a suitable marine epoxy, like the West System materials. Initially, after cleaning away the obvious debris, etc., I would apply fluid coats of epoxy to the wound to let it soak deeply into the crevices and caverns to fortify the remains. Then, working with new wood, I would cut pieces to fit and bond them in with epoxy. If at all possible, I would recommend interlayering with fiberglass fabric for strength and durability. Once all is bonded and built up, then I would sand/grind/surface down the excess materials to shape and size. A gel coat or clear coat overall for the final treatment, and I’d head back towards the water. Remember, this is a landlubber’s input! Actual sailors may have better advice.

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– Don Baker
Tulsa, Oklahoma

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– Charles Mak
Calgary, Alberta

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The Track Horse provides a helpful solution for anyone who needs a rugged, versatile workspace for DIY and woodworking tasks that’s also portable and stores compactly away. Its folding legs can be adjusted to six different working heights, ranging from 24.65 in. to 35.65 in. The Track Horse also provides secure clamping with an included Kreg Bench Clamp that can be used in the aluminum track on top for hold-down clamping, or in the ends of the leg brackets for vise-style clamping. The track also accepts a sacrificial wood surface to protect it during cutting.

When used in pairs, or when paired with a Kreg Mobile Project Center, the Track Horse becomes even more versatile. Just span between the two units by placing 2x4s in the included brackets, and you can create an extra-large support for cutting sheet goods and boards. Or you can change the position of the 2x4s and add a piece of 3/4-in. material to create a large work workbench with built-in clamping at both ends. Plus, you can set it all up anywhere you need to quickly and easily, and then store everything compactly away to regain your space for other activities.

The Track Horse received a Gold Award at the 2018 National Hardware Show in the New Product Launch Awards competition. This is the highest award given in the competition, based on votes from industry professionals, media and buyers. The award recognizes the innovative approach that the Track Horse takes toward creating a versatile, sturdy, expandable and portable work support.

Kreg’s Track Horse (item KWS500) will be available this month. It sells for $119.99.

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“Depends on several factors. 1. Urgency. Do I need it now? Make it now. 2. Frequency. If it is a one-time need, make it myself. 3. Cost vs. frequency. If it is something I will use a lot, and the cost and time to make it myself is comparable with buying it, then I might just buy it. 4. Do I have space to store it? This also is a factor in my analysis of ‘buy or make.’ 5. Accuracy/Precision. Is shop-made going to provide the needed accuracy and repeatability?” – Gordon Patnude

Here are some more perspectives on “buy or make.” – Editor

“I, too, have been bit by ‘the allure of the shiny new object’ in my shop. I have no holdback to making jigs and have several, but when I do buy one, I do so because it typically will perform better than one I could make in short order for the project at hand. (The Incra box joint jig comes to mind.) I have to add that I don’t buy the most inexpensive jigs when I buy. I buy for the quality. The ‘shiny new object’ is usually one of the perks.” – Tony Newman

“My decision point is whether I have the necessary scrap or cutoffs on hand.” – Jim Disbro

“It is the moment that drives my choice.  Most times, I know that what I need is probably not made, so I consult the web and then gin something up based on the ideas of others.  Other times, when I am still in the planning stage, I may flip through catalogs looking for the solution.  Price is also a deciding factor. Being born a Yankee, a high price on a piece of equipment will drive me towards the drawing board.” – Lee Ohmart

Meanwhile, several readers seem pretty committed to building their own jigs. – Editor

“I’m the guy that took just over two years to build my own thickness sander, then when I moved, gave it to a friend because I couldn’t move it. I think I prefer the challenge of doing it myself.” – Riley Grotts

“I am an architect, licensed in 1966. Since then, I have designed a wide variety of buildings, from regional malls to renovating a neighbor’s kitchen. So, developing a bunch of jigs for my shop was like ice cream on top of the cake. I doubt I will ever buy a jig.” – Richard Barron

“I do custom cabinetry and furniture. When I need a jig, I usually build it because it is for a custom piece and commercial jigs don’t work or I can’t find what I need in time. Need it now: better build it. The jig then gets hung on the wall for about a year and then it is repurposed or burned – if I have not used it since the original build.” – Bruce W. Campbell

“It was interesting that you bring up this particular subject. I previously leaned toward purchasing jigs for applications. However, I was able to take a class for a semester that was totally focused on jigs and fixtures. It rapidly expanded my horizons. I built (and used) in one semester, two crosscut sleds to accommodate straight and beveled cuts, a sacrificial fence, a ‘jointer’ jig for my router table, a bench hook, a shooting board for both straight and beveled joints, a drill press tablewith fence, an “L” fence for my table saw for bevels that require a square edge, and router jig for dadoes and sliding dovetails. It was a fun and interesting class that allowed me to come away with newfound confidence and a bunch of jigs. In the works: I’m designing a three-dimensional router template for routing inset brass cornier hardware.” – Ralph Lombardo

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