# You Had To Be There



## cabinetman (Apr 23, 2007)

My first shop was in an industrial area and within blocks there must have been at least a dozen shops. Some of the ones that were in business had signs. You could really find these shops at night by just listening to the sounds, being like a tracking device in the still of the night.

In time, many woodworkers in the area got friendly, and would stop in at odd hours. I was one of the first in the area to get a router that was over 3HP. Somehow the word got out and every once in a while one of the guys would stop in to say hi and ask to see the monster. I guess their interest was to see if it was a Briggs & Stratton, or had exhaust pipes or a chrome air cleaner with a four barrel.

Those were the days before soft start. Every one of them had pretty much the same reaction. I would hand it to them to turn on and they would hold it in one hand and flick the switch with the other. Watching their arm twist, and the look on their face was priceless.


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