Tom Styer Passes

This was reported on WoW by Steve Mawson:

Tom Styer 74, owner of JT Tools passed away last night of a massive brain bleed. He was on blood thinners for a heart condition. Tom was a mainstay of the Omaha woodturners club helping start the club many years ago. He was a good turner and help bring many folks into the hobby. Tom also developed and sold many woodturning tools over the years. He was always a vendor at SWAT and known by a lot of folks. He was a good friend and will be missed so very much.

That's sad news. I never met him but talked to him on the phone - he seemed like a pleasant and creative person.

JKJ

So Sad. Rest in peace, Tom. I just spoke with last Friday. Yes, in conversations with him on the telephone, I could tell he was a fine gentleman.

Very sorry to hear this! Tom made my custom rotary adapter for my Jet 1642 back when I wanted to build my vacuum chuck system. He also walked me through the components needed for the system. We talked often back then, before he started his company, and I finally got to meet him at the 2011 symposium in St. Paul. Nice guy and always willing to share his ideas. He will be missed.

Roger, thanks for sharing this sad news.

Tom Steyer was indeed a fine gentleman. In 2015, I sent him spindle measurements of the then-relatively new Grizzly G0766 so he could determine whether one of his Precision Vacuum Adapter designs would work with it (it did and does, beautifully). We had several long talks on the phone about everything from woodturning, small business challenges, and even some politics. I remember in particular him describing his disappointment when a large lathe manufacturer (that will go unnamed here) ripped off one of his designs. He had developed and sent them a prototype to fit their lathes, expecting collaboration if they liked it. They did, but then shamelessly copied it and began selling it as their own branded product. I remember asking Tom why he hadn't sought intellectual property protection for his designs. He said that with his small home business he wouldn't have been able to afford it, and certainly not a legal fight with a large company anyway. I was moved by his vulnerability, and willingness to accept what he felt he couldn't change. Tom then contrasted that bad experience with how honorably and fairly Brent English at Robust Lathes has always treated him, featuring his adapter setup when a Robust customer requests that a new lathe ship vacuum-system ready.

I don't know if Tom made any arrangements for JT Turning Tools, or his products, to continue in business after his passing. Perhaps another SMC member knows.

Good to hear from you David. I had a few conversations with Tom over the years, as it related to the vac adapter and other products he made. He always told me the straight story and his info was usually dead on correct. I liked the way he did business...I'm an honorable man, and I like do business with honorable people...and I believe Tom was an honorable man. May his family be comforted in their time of loss.