Wood Magazine Innovate Awards 2022

Even in a global pandemic, manufacturers continue to invent safer, smarter tools and accessories. We selected these as the best of the lot.

Festool's new tracksaw quickly stops a spinning blade if a bind causes kickback. Here's how it works: A spring-loaded arm connected to a microswitch rides behind the blade, resting on the track. Should the saw lift from the board and track, as it would do in a kickback situation, the arm drops, triggering the brake and stopping the blade in less than a second without damaging the blade. The saw resets itself automatically. (A bypass switch allows you to override this feature for tasks such as cutting across mortises, recesses, or cutouts.)

Antikickback cordless tracksaw

Festool no. TSC 55 5,2 KEBI-F-Plus-FS

888-337-8600, festoolusa.com

Don't you hate having to repeatedly squeeze a one-handed bar clamp to close up the jaw, especially when you can't take one hand off an assembly? Rockler's new Spring-Loaded Bar Clamps slide closed automatically when you squeeze the trigger, then you only have to pull the trigger a couple of times to achieve clamping force. Rockler says these clamps deliver a maximum of 150 pounds of force, with 2¹⁄₄" of throat depth and ⁷⁄₈×1¹⁄₂" nonmarring jaw pads.

Spring-loaded bar clamps

Rockler 6" no. 69764; 10" no. 65890

It's almost impossible to reset most tapering jigs to perfectly repeat the angle after you've changed it for a different taper. With the positive locking scales on Woodpeckers' Precision Taper Jig, you can set the angle from 1 to 7° in ¹⁄₄° increments, or 1–15° in ¹⁄₂° increments, and precisely return to them at any time. You can also lock in any angle without using the scales. Built-in clamps hold the workpiece securely while also providing handles to guide the jig. You'll likely need to replace the jig's MDF base over time if you cut more than one taper angle. If you buy the shorter jig but later need more length, Woodpeckers offers a 16" extension kit (no. PTJ-EXT, $140).

Tablesaw tapering jig

Woodpeckers 32" no. PTJ-32, $280; 48" no. PTJ-48

800-752-0725, woodpeck.com

Rather than bundling traditional cylindrical lithium-ion cells inside its battery packs, DeWalt's Powerstack battery packs layer "pouch cells" similar to the flat cells used in tablets and laptop computers. The result: a 1.7-amp-hour pack that's smaller and lighter than DeWalt's current 2.0-amp-hour pack, that the company says will deliver more power and twice the number of charge cycles. The batteries, which will be sold separately and in kits beginning in December, are compatible with all DeWalt 20-volt tools and chargers.

20-volt pouch-cell battery

pricing not yet determined

DeWalt 800-433-9258, dewalt.com

Magswitch's Vertical Featherboard Pro attaches easily to any steel-tube tablesaw rip fence (or any other steel or cast-iron surface) via the built-in MagJig magnet and removes just as easily, thanks to the MagJig's on/off switch. The angled fingers adjust up and down as well as reverse direction. And, you can remove the MagJig from the featherboard base to use with any shop-made jig. 

Vertical featherboard

Magswitch no. 81101302

303-468-0662, magswitch.com

Although cyclonic separators for shop vacuums have been around for a while, Mullet Tools' M5 separator tags along in close tandem with the vac thanks to a rigid-pipe connection that locks the two units together. And the M5's view window (which doubles as its dump port) lets you see when the unit gets full. It comes with ports to attach 2¹⁄₂" vac hose.

Cyclone dust-collection separator

Mullet Tools no. M5

316-200-1630, mullettools.com

The Grabo Pro-Lifter 20 puts a handle almost anywhere one didn't already exist, enabling you to better lift heavy or awkward items, such as a sheet of plywood, MDF, drywall, glass, marble, or just about anything flat. A rechargeable battery in this lightweight unit powers a pump that, when engaged on a flat surface, sucks the air from the sealed bottom face, forming a tight grip. This unit lifts up to 143 pounds of sheet goods in the "parallel hold" (shown at right) and up to 220 pounds when lifting perpendicularly. Those figures increase when lifting plastic, glass, or ceramic.

Battery-powered vacuum lifters

Grabo Pro-Lifter 20

844-430-0510, grabo.com

What flip-stops on a miter-gauge fence do for cutting pieces to identical length, the Rip-Flip Fence Stop System does for workpiece width. Attach the aluminum bar to your saw's front fence rail, and then secure the microadjustable stops wherever you need them to make repeatable, accurate cuts, such as for multipass dadoes. The system fits most saws that use a T-square-style rip fence.

Tablesaw fence stop system

Woodpeckers 36" and 50" rip models

800-752-0725, woodpeck.com

Between airborne dust particles and noxious fumes, spraying finish seems a bit of a gamble. The PaintLine's 80"-cube Portable Jobsite Spray Booth consists of a knockdown aluminum frame wrapped in a replaceable heavy plastic liner (three included), giving you a space to spray most projects. We'd opt for the exhaust-vent attachment that provides a filtered portal for a 20" box fan to evacuate fumes and overspray. The optional Pro Bundle (shown) includes the spray booth, exhaust vent, multiple filters, and 15' of flexible duct. The Blower Bundle includes all of that, plus a 1,570-cfm blower. 

Portable spray booth

The PaintLine no. PJSB

510-477-9100, thepaintline.com