What do all woodworkers have in common?

An all-abiding love of wood comes to mind first. Yes, that’s probably the number one trait shared by everyone who works in wood.

But, think deeper. I don’t care if you are carver, turner or cabinetmaker. I don’t care if you use western or Japanese tools. Power tool junkie or hand tool enthusiast to a fault. I don’t care what continent you call home. What is the one thing we all do universally in our shops?

We all do some kind of wood cutting.

Whether is a chisel, router bit, saw blade or even sandpaper, at some point, every woodworker is going to make a chip, a cloud of sawdust or a shaving. You are going to rip, crosscut, shave or sever something in order to craft that chunk of wood into your final project.

“Kind of funny, isn’t it?” asked Tim Walter of Eagle America. “In order to build something, it’s almost always necessary to remove wood.” When you break it down to that level, woodworking is almost a zen-like exercise of addition by removal.

This universal truth means, of course, that woodworkers need tools to cut the wood. For some, this process strictly involves hand tools. “I’ve seen master craftsmen and women work with some pretty impressive tools,” said Tim. “From hatchets and draw knives to very fine hand planes, spokeshaves and paring chisels. It’s an awesome experience to see, and I have absolutely nothing but respect for those who practice the traditional crafts.”

For the majority of woodworkers, however, their shops use a combination of basic hand tools and power tools. “Power tools are great in a shop,” said Tim. “Just think how long it would take to hand rip all of the boards for a fancy bed headboard or gorgeous dining room table…”

No matter how much you pay for your power tools, there’s another universal truth. “Band saws, table saws, routers – each of these tools, no matter how sophisticated – is only as good as the cutting bits and blades they are equipped with.”

To help woodworkers upgrade their woodworking, Eagle America is holding its huge cutting tool sale. “Now is a great time to upgrade your basic bits and blades, and to get your hands on some of the ones you have always wondered about.”

From the Eagle and Price Cutter router bits to offerings from well-known manufacturers are Freud, Forrest and Olson, there are offerings for nearly all budgets. “And, when you throw in savings of up to 20% from regular prices, you have the opportunity to upgrade your collection and improve your woodwork.”

Unlike most sales, Tim reminded me that the sale prices also apply to sets of bits and blades as well as clearance items. Normally, most sales don’t allow discounts on these already marked-down items. “It’s our way of thanking our customers for their support all of these years, and to see what kind of new projects we can encourage our customers to go ahead and build!”