Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week we’re looking at new benchtop tools, sweet coasters, and client bribery.
Tool News Quick Bites
JET Expands its Benchtop Lineup: Lately when I’ve been talking about JET tools in the splinter report, it’s been about stuff they’re putting out for the professional market. This week though, it’s all about the home shop. While JET has had a handful of benchtop tools, this lineup is effectively all-new for them, coming in at a lower price point for the hobbyist woodworker or DIYer. Here’s a list of what’s in store:
- 13″ Benchtop Straight Knife Planer (available September 2026)
- 13″ Benchtop Helical Head Planer (available September 2026)
- 10″ Benchtop Drill Press (available September 2026)
- 8″ Benchtop Grinder (available September 2026)
- 9″ Benchtop Bandsaw (available October 2026)
- Benchtop Oscillating Edge & Spindle Sander (available October 2026)
Metabo HPT Introduces Cordless Pneumatic Nailers: Pneumatic nailers tend to be one of the last holdouts for battery-powered tools. The tide has been turning, yes, but professionals still tend to stick with pneumatics. Metabo HPT is trying to change that with their new Cordless Pneumatic Nailers, which feature “Air Spring Drive System Plus, which stores and releases compressed air within the tool itself to deliver consistent driving force along with the speed and response associated with pneumatic fastening, in a fully cordless platform with no external compressor or hose.” Metabo HPT is claiming this as an entirely new class of tool, though I’m not quite sure what makes it unique from Ryobi Airstrike and similar tools.
Random Reddit: Gotta Catch ‘Em All
Some people are just on a different plane with the way their brain works. Take redditor u/jc917, who is making these amazing Pokemon coasters. Here’s how the process works:
“I carve the pixel cavities on the CNC first, then the color goes down with a UV printer, and the epoxy fills those same cavities on top of the color. So it’s carve, print, then fill, rather than pouring before the carve. The gold leaf gets placed by hand right before the epoxy goes in”
Added 24k gold leaf to the stars and glitter to the epoxy on these pixel-art coasters — is the shiny version too much?
by
u/jc917 in
woodworking
And then on top of that, he’s working on these sweet shiny versions. Just beyond epic.
Out of Context Christopher Schwarz Quote
“When I call my students “maggots,” I do it in only the kindest, most loving way possible.”
Video of the Week: Bribery
What do you do if two clients want the same piece, and you want both of them to be happy? That’s what Chris from Foureyes Furniture ran into recently, and he made a video on how he sorted it out.
Anything interesting I missed this week, or that you want me to highlight in a future Splinter Report? Let me know on social media or drop me an email at [email protected].
Facts Only
JET is releasing a new benchtop tool line for hobbyists and DIYers.
The JET 13″ Benchtop Straight Knife Planer is available September 2026.
The JET 13″ Benchtop Helical Head Planer is available September 2026.
The JET 10″ Benchtop Drill Press is available September 2026.
The JET 8″ Benchtop Grinder is available September 2026.
The JET 9″ Benchtop Bandsaw is available October 2026.
The JET Benchtop Oscillating Edge & Spindle Sander is available October 2026.
Metabo HPT introduced Cordless Pneumatic Nailers utilizing an Air Spring Drive System Plus.
Reddit user u/jc917 creates Pokemon coasters using CNC carving, UV printing, epoxy filling, and 24k gold leaf.
Christopher Schwarz refers to his students as "maggots."
Chris from Foureyes Furniture produced a video regarding managing two clients wanting the same piece.
Executive Summary
The woodworking industry is seeing a shift toward accessibility and cordless innovation. JET is expanding its market reach by introducing a comprehensive suite of lower-priced benchtop tools specifically designed for home shops and DIY enthusiasts, with release dates staggered between September and October 2026. Simultaneously, Metabo HPT is attempting to migrate professional users away from traditional pneumatic systems with a new cordless nailer that simulates pneumatic force via an internal air spring system.
Beyond industrial tools, the community is exploring high-tech artisanal hybrids, such as the integration of CNC carving, UV printing, and gold leafing to create pixel-art coasters. There is also an ongoing dialogue regarding the interpersonal dynamics of professional craftsmanship, ranging from the provocative teaching styles of Christopher Schwarz to the client-management strategies employed by Foureyes Furniture. While the Metabo HPT tools claim to be a new class of technology, there is noted uncertainty regarding how they differ from existing cordless pneumatic options like Ryobi Airstrike.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative presents a vibrant, evolving ecosystem where traditional craft intersects with modern automation and corporate market expansion. It highlights the democratization of high-end tooling (JET) and the creative synthesis of digital fabrication and hand-finishing (the Pokemon coasters).
The narrative primarily functions as a curated digest. While it maintains a friendly tone, it relies on the Authority Game by presenting vendor claims—specifically Metabo HPT’s assertion of an "entirely new class of tool"—as the central premise, even while expressing slight skepticism about its uniqueness. The value of the claim rests entirely on the vendor's terminology rather than a technical comparison.
Patterns detected: ARC-0061 Authority Game
This content is driven by a "maker culture" paradigm, assuming that the acquisition of new tools and the adoption of new techniques are the primary drivers of progress in the craft. It echoes the historical pattern of "tool lust," where the means of production are fetishized as much as the final product. This benefits manufacturers by framing consumption as "expansion" of the hobbyist's capability.
The second-order consequence is a potential blurring of the line between "craft" and "manufacturing." When CNCs and UV printers handle the bulk of the aesthetic labor, the definition of a "woodworker" shifts from one of manual mastery to one of systems integration.
Bridge Questions:
1. Does the integration of CNC and UV printing enhance the artist's vision, or does it replace the fundamental skill of the craft?
2. If "cordless pneumatic" technology already exists in other brands, why is the industry still framing it as a revolutionary "new class" of tool?
Counterstrike Scan: A coordinated campaign to drive sales would use "insider" curated lists to create an artificial sense of urgency and novelty around upcoming product releases. The current content does not match this; it remains a casual aggregation of interest rather than a structured sales funnel.
Sentinel — Human
The text exhibits a strong, highly idiosyncratic voice blending product news with personal commentary, suggesting it is a human-authored blog post rather than purely synthetic content.