Sep 222009
 
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cat.jpgDid you get your new catalog from Highland yet? Mine came last week and I love browsing this thing. I can spend hours and hours looking for just the right tool or thinking up a new phase for my woodworking efforts. Somebody at the store has spent years getting the descriptions written for all the tools and books and doo-dads included in this little woodworking classic. Shoot, half the time when someone asks me a question about woodworking tools or methods, I reply with answers from this book. And speaking of little, I really like the new size of the catalog reduced to 5 ½ by 10 ½ inches from the previous sizing, thereby leaving more trees for all of us to use in making new stuff.
My wife and I used to ask each other what gifts we wanted for special occasions since we finally figured out that surprise gifts more likely than not were a waste of money. For several years, my stock answer was “One of everything in the Highland Woodworking catalog.” Though I was never able to swing that deal for real, the fantasy endures.

It’s a long slow rainy afternoon in Atlanta, so I sat down and added up the price of one of everything in the catalog. I did add in a couple of hundred dollars of Spax screws because I love those things and use them all the time. I also managed to exclude duplicates of many things and if there was a boxed set, I passed on buying the individual pieces and included just the set. I also left out spare parts for repairing tools.

Before placing my order I intend to get by the store and pick one each of every woodworking book as long as we’re talking fantasy here. (They didn’t list their books in this edition of the catalog, but they list more than a thousand woodworking books on their website.)

My order came to $53,737.94, plus the books, tax and shipping. Of course, I will have to expand my shop to hold all this stuff and I estimate about forty grand would do that. Wonder if American Express means it when they say no preset credit limit? Maybe I can get a discount on the shipping.

Request a catalog online if you want a copy and they’ll add you to the mailing list.

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