Obituary: Burt Weinstein

Inventor, engineer and longtime General Tools & Instruments consultant Burt Weinstein lost his battle with cancer at the age of 87. 

Weinstein and his partner, Richard (Dick) Deaton, founded Simp'l Products in 1989 with the goal of inventing products that would streamline woodworking joinery for both professionals and novices at an affordable price. General Tools purchased the company in 2006 and hired Weinstein as a consultant.

In conjunction with General, Weinstein invented landmark wood joining tools: the E-Z Pro Mortise & Tenon Jig and E-Z Pro Dovetailer Jig. He often traveled with General to national trade shows where he demonstrated his latest and greatest wood joining innovations to the delight of show attendees.

Over the years, he was awarded more than a dozen patents for his inventions.

A World War II veteran, Weinstein was an avid sailor who also enjoyed skiing, flying and fishing, and was a proud member of the City Island and New York Yacht Clubs. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Carolyn; stepdaughters, Jacquelyn and Gwendolyn Wong; sons-in-law Serge Michaut and Neil Wertheimer; grandchildren Davis and Lucas Wertheimer; brother and sister-in-law Gerald and Alice Weinstein.