One Time Tools

[Just_Dave]

I didn't really understand what Woodpeckers' One Time Tool division meant until recently.  

It appears that they make a single production run and then "retire" the product.  

So what do you think of a company that produces tools (not art) that they believe will have so little usefulness that only one production run will be required?

Does it make sense to devote design efforts for ephemeral tools?

Would they be better served spending more time to design tools with greater life?

I would not buy a tool that the designer/manufacturer believed so little in.

Ahhh but you are missing the key point. 
Model train manufacturers started this 20 some years ago.  Find a locomotive or freight car with high interest.  Put some feelers out and drive up interest in the model.  Then announce that it will be a limited run and to guaranty that you will get one you have to pre-order.  If there are enough pre-orders to warrant production then they would invest in the tooling and production.  Over build a certain percentage and that's it.  Modelers missed out on some nice stuff in the beginning so guess what happened?  Yup people started buying them if it was a road name they modeled.  I'd say 80% of the models that now come out our limited production or one time shots. 

I see the onetime tools in the same light.  Develop a tool with an intriguing need.  Build a prototype then toss it out there.  The problem that I see is that they have no real way of gauging the actual need, want or desire so they have to price them high enough to cover the development and production.  If it is popular and they sell allot of them they make money.  If it ain't so popular then hopefully they cover production.  There have been a few that they have done that I have been intrigued by enough to try and justify the cost.  Depending on the tool and I suppose the need if they are under $100.00 there is serious consideration given.  A fellow woodworker and I even bounce the need, want and desire back and forth.  If the tool is over $100.00 there is little to no consideration.  They offered one last year that I looked at and said you know if that one is $100 or less I will buy.  Heck if it is $150 I'll probably buy it.  As I recall it was well over $200 and with all of the options it was close to $500.  As I told my friend "are they freaking nuts!"   I have 1 of the tools they have produced that I use fairly regularly.  They have rerun it at least twice that I recall, the last time I was going to buy a second one but I forgot to order it.   They have reran others so technically they are not all onetime tools

[wood2woodknot]

I may be a cynic, but just look over your shoulder. PT Barnum told us a sucker is born every minute ... and a modern extension of that is there are tool wookies who always want the latest tool based on perceptions of quality, utility, "fills a unique need," "may resolve a problem for me," and coolness. The products wouldn't be available if there wasn't a profit point built in, and a limited production run means limited excess inventory costs. Just how big is the impulse market with TV and catalog sales pitches? America was built on the back of ingenuity and industry. Build it, make it and they will come.

[AHill]

Woodpeckers entire production isn't limited production.  They do have a few staples that always seem to be available.  Their measuring tools, clamping tools, and router tables are some examples.  Personally, I think their one time tools is a pretty good strategy to make a bit more profit.  They take advantage of their in-house design team and CNC machinery and fill up the gaps in manufacturing.  It keeps their design and manufacturing teams sharp.  What business wouldn't want that?  As far as the utility and price of their one time tools, it seems they price them to where the market will sustain these small production runs.  Nobody is holding a gun to any consumer's head to force them to buy it.  So, more power to Woodpeckers.  It must be working for them,

[MichaelMouse]

Truth

They're for collectors. Lots of folks have more spare money than I, and like to show it off.

[Handplanesandmore]

I didn't really understand what Woodpeckers' One Time Tool division meant until recently.  

It appears that they make a single production run and then "retire" the product.  

It is a company that is telling half-truths about some of its products since some of its so called one time tools are not one time at all and they reproduce them later. It is like telling a print is in ltd edition and then turn around reprint it many more times.

I own none of its products as I see most of them overpriced compared to what already are available in the market to do the same job. If I have extra money to spend, I spend it on lumber. I have all the tools I need to do fine woodworking.

Simon

[EricU]

I have always been a little disappointed by the tools.  I can see two kinds of tools that might get this treatment, tools that are really interesting but have a very limited market, and tools that have a limited market because they aren't very interesting. The latter is what I usually see with Woodpecker's one-time tools.  The one exception I can think of is the dowel making tool.  I thought that was interesting even though I would never get one.

[smithgl12]

I think you are looking at it wrong. I'm going to defend Woodpeckers here. Though I only own one one-time-tool. I bought the Paolini pocket rule int 2013 and love it. It makes certain layout tasks easier. They "innovate' measuring tool designs more frequently than any other woodworking company. That said, I have also decided most of there stuff is out of my price range because I can do the same thing another way. The one I have is certainly well made though.

More to the point, custom machining is expensive. If I wanted to commission a machine shop to make me a single Paolini rule it would cost me thousands of dollars. I'm an engineer in a research lab and have custom parts made all the time. It makes me sick what is costs to program a CNC mill for a few parts. A "one-time" approach allows them to test the market, forces enough people to make a decision in a reasonably timely fashion. The quantities while low help amortize these custom machining costs, ordering, advertisement, shipping add a little profit because it's the American way. I bet they aren't laughing their way to the bank in the end, but don't fault them to make money in the space. Maybe lowering the prices a bit would allow more of us to pull the Buy trigger. True economies of scale need to be made overseas at a lower (but improving) quality.

WP does have a survey on their site asking for which tools should come out of retirement. They just re ran the pocket rule in way more scale options.

Most of their tools are in the category of nice to have but not critical. Just like almost every tool we buy. But it's human nature to want higher $$$ tools that serve the same function. (Chevy vs BMW). A $20 used flea market plane vs a $200 Veritas does essentially the same thing.  I mean, you could make fine furniture with a pocket knife, but it's PRETTY nice to have a table saw to speed the process.

Anyway, WP, if you are listening keep it up. Maybe drop the prices a tad so we don't have to pretend to hate the concept.

[NEILYEAG]

I have several of there tools. They are beautifully made and a pleasure to own and use. I don't really care at all about there marketing practices ect. I just like using the product. And will continue to buy items that are of interest to me.