Splinter Report: July 17th

Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week Collin is away, so he asked me to Phil in. My day job is the Executive Editor at Woodsmith, one of the woodworking step-sibling brands here at AIM. My other day job is the host of the Woodsmith Shop TV show. We’re wrapping up the production of our 20th season.
This week, I’m looking at a router table add-on, carved bench accessories, and a tribute to the Northwoods.
Tools New Quick Bites
Certain woodworking tools have an inherent poor ability to collect dust well. I’m looking at you, drill press and miter saw. Sometimes the task at hand makes dust collection problematic. One of those is using a bearing-guided bit at the router table. Infinity Tools’ answer is their Nautilus dust collection pickup and guard.
The Nautilus installs into a threaded hole in the router table top. Many insert plates have one for a starting pin. You can also quite easily add your own. You can rotate the position of the pickup to gather chips as they spray off the bit. In addition, the clear acrylic cap serves as a physical barrier to the bit.
Personalize Your Shop
In a couple of months, PopWood Editor-In-Chief Logan Wittmer and I are headed to Denmark and Sweden for this year’s woodworking tour. There’s still time to join us …
We’ve been digging into the various sites we’ll visit. Based on last year’s England tour, there’s so much to see that it can be tough to prioritize or have the context of what a person is looking at. While researching Saterglanten (a craft school in Sweden), I came across a listing for a carving class. I’ve been doing more and more carving in my own shop. Some of it includes standalone pieces, and some is added as a decorative element to furniture and cabinetry. Overall, I find it a fun way to personalize the projects I make.
I came across this image of a sample of the teacher’s work that brought me up short. The idea of personalizing tools is super cool. This is another level. Bench dogs are handy … but a bench uh, panther? That’s amazing. I have to admit that my eye keeps seeing other shop accessories that could be something more.
Out of Context Christopher Schwarz Quote
“We weren’t sandbaggers. Honesty was our weak spot.”
Video of the Week
I have a soft spot for softwoods. Many of my recent projects are made from Eastern white pine: pinus strobus for the formal name. The desk at the top of this article is entirely from white pine. I’m from Wisconsin originally, and EWP is the state tree. So my affinity makes sense. In addition to working with the wood, I’m learning more about the tree, the northern forests, and their history. I’m reading the book White Pine by John Pastor. This short video by Minnesota Public Radio shows how amazing this tree is and what’s being done to make sure they’re around for future woodworkers, hikers, and wildlife.

Facts Only

* The author is the Executive Editor at Woodsmith and hosts the Woodsmith Shop TV show.
* Production of the 20th season of the Woodsmith Shop TV show is wrapping up.
* The current topics reviewed are router table add-ons, carved bench accessories, and a tribute to the Northwoods.
* Infinity Tools offers the Nautilus dust collection pickup and guard for router table use.
* The Nautilus installs into a threaded hole on the router table top.
* The author plans a woodworking tour to Denmark and Sweden in a couple of months.
* Research involved looking into carving classes while researching Saterglanten (a craft school in Sweden).
* The author works with Eastern white pine (pinus strobus), which is the state tree of Wisconsin.
* The author is reading the book *White Pine* by John Pastor.

Executive Summary

The content covers recent activities at The Splinter Report, which features observations about the woodworking world. The author works as the Executive Editor at Woodsmith and hosts the Woodsmith Shop TV show, currently wrapping up its 20th season. This week’s focus includes router table add-ons, carved bench accessories, and a theme related to the Northwoods. A product, Nautilus dust collection pickup and guard by Infinity Tools, is presented as a solution for dust collection on tools like drill presses and miter saws. The author plans an upcoming woodworking tour to Denmark and Sweden in a couple of months. Research into carving classes and personalizing shop accessories was mentioned, leading to reflections on personalizing tools, such as bench dogs or panther-themed items. Finally, the author shares an affinity for softwoods, specifically Eastern white pine, tying this interest to their background in Wisconsin and the state tree status.

Full Take

The narrative balances commercial product integration with deeply personal explorations of craft and natural material. The shift from discussing functional tools to aesthetic personalization—as seen in the contemplation of tool accessories and carving—suggests a tension between utility and expressive agency within the woodworking community. The suggestion that the author’s "eye keeps seeing other shop accessories that could be something more" hints at a potential systemic critique: the commercialization of tools may prioritize function over deeper, bespoke aesthetic engagement. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of hard-line historical/environmental context (Northern forests, EWP) with contemporary DIY craft and international travel suggests a pattern where personal affinity is used to anchor broader environmental narratives. The quote about honesty being a weakness in sandbagging invites reflection on the gap between stated intent and actual practice, raising questions about how authenticity is mediated through commercial or shared narratives. What drives the pursuit of personalization—is it genuine expression, or a method of asserting control over an inherently physical craft? What are the long-term implications for valuing inherited skills versus contemporary creative interpretation?

Sentinel — Human

Confidence

The text exhibits a distinct, personal narrative voice characteristic of an enthusiast sharing experiences, indicating a high probability of human authorship.

Signals Detected

Moderate sentence length variance; informal, conversational tone established by direct address and personal anecdotes.

Consistent focus on a specific hobby (woodworking) with logical transitions between tool talk, travel plans, and material focus.

Flows like an informal blog or newsletter rather than structured journalistic report; quotes and observations feel embedded in personal reflection.

Presence of highly specific, personally framed details (e.g., specific brands like Infinity Tools, personal background from Wisconsin, specific book references) strongly suggests a human author's authentic experience.

Human Indicators

Strong idiosyncratic voice and personal reflection throughout the piece.

Use of casual, connective language ('I’m looking at you,' 'super cool') which contrasts with synthetic uniformity.

Integration of specific, context-rich personal details (e.g., regional identity, specific project inspiration) that are difficult for generic LLMs to generate authentically without prompting.