Microplane

[davegw]

I'm trying to find a distributor for these in the UK?

I've looked on the site and apparently I can get them to grate as many onions and spuds as I like but not for wood working in the UK.

Any Clues (or alternative products) would be grate (non pun intended) fully received

Thanks

Dave

 

[AndyT]

Rutlands have them: http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psPro ... ::1,0,0,1::

Andy

 

[davegw]

Less Haste more Hurry as my old metalwork teacher used to say (or was that the other way round?) I didn't even look at Rutlands - thanks Andy!

 

[wizer]

I tend not to look at Rutlands. I often find them expensive.

 

[davegw]

If I was going to the US anytime soon I think I'd buy a few and sell them when I got back - the difference in the price seems worth it. $12.95 (about £7.50?) against £16.95? for the flat bladed 8" interchangeable scraper.

I still might get my family is the US to send me a few... mmmmmm at least while the exchange rate is still reasonable.

 

[NickWelford]

Hmmmm - I have rellies travelling this way in October - might get them to carry a few bits.......

 

[Harbo]

Have you thought of a Japanese saw file?

They are quite cheap and I use one for rounding off tenons to fit routed mortises.

Rod

 

[davegw]

No Rod, I hadn't.

I only thought about the microplanes because I saw Gary Rance use one at a Demo on Monday night to make a Barley twist and I thought I might like a go.

The prices for the Japasese saw files on axminister seem much more appealing, and they do look similar

Thanks

Dave

 

[Grinding One]

I have bought a few of these and mine worked well on white oak.

 

[esincox]

Dave,

Once you get your hand on one developed for the woodworking industry, you might want to compare it to one of those you've found for onions and other veggies.

I have the woodworking versions (and they're tops), and have closely examined the veggie kind - I'm not sure there is any difference.

Can't say that I've done it myself, but I know a few woodworkers who have used the veggie kind and they say they work just as well. I believe the temptation to try the veggie microplanes came about when one of them found some in a clearance section at a kitchen store.

If you think it would be worth the shipping costs, I'd be more than happy to run down to the local Woodcraft and clear out their Microplane section for you. I'd do it all for just cost - price of tools plus shipping plus the 3% Paypal fee (or whatever it is these days). Not sure what shipping would be, though. Might be prohibitive - it usually is when I'm trying to buy bog oak from the UK, anyway...

 

[NickWelford]

Ethan - you don't happen to live near St Louis, do you?

 

[davegw]

Interesting thought Ethan - I did wonder about the veggie ones and assumed that they would be different (less hardy) in some way.

I have to ask the same question as Nick - whereabouts in the US of A are you? as we might be able to avoid those nasty shipping costs

 

[esincox]

Sorry, I live in St. Peters, MO.

But I can be in St. Louis County in about 10 minutes.

St. Louis is laid out totally different than most US cities in that what most people think of as St. Louis is actually a county, with some thirty or so different townships. St. Louis City proper comprises a very small portion of the St. Louis area population. I live just outside St. Louis County, separated by a river and about 15 city blocks.

So yeah, I guess you could say I live in or around St. Louis.

Incidently... I bought my house from a Brit, named Glenn, who is also a woodworker! From what I saw when we did walk-throughs, he made some really good quality dressers and such. Simple, and pine, but well-made. I wonder if he ever hit this forum...

My only real point of contention is that he did his finishing out in the driveway and THAT didn't show up until I tried to seal it with water sealer for this winter and a 3'x5' ghost shadow appeared where the sealer didn't soak in one tiny little bit. *sigh* ah, well. What can you do?

Don't suppose there is any way of shipping me over there for a week or two, is there?

Sorry... I can be a bit verbose at times. I'll shut it now.

Yes, I live near St. Louis.

Cheers,

 

[NickWelford]

My stepdaughter and her husband live near there, actually in Glen Carbon, Il, but she works somewhere in St Louis county for the water company. Anyway, they are coming over in October, should you want to stowaway in a bag. On the other hand, you might get completely lost, given the mysterious disappearance of so many bags these days......

Dave - we can arrange for freight to be carried if you need to .........

 

[esincox]

Nick,

Getting lost wouldn't be a problem, as long as I made it across the Atlantic. I might have to ask you to contact my wife, though...

Let me know if you guys end up wanting something transported over and you would like a woodworker on this side to make sure the right tools are purchased. I'd be happy to meet up with them or make the purchase and hand it over.

Cheers,

 

[NickWelford]

Thanks for that, Ethan - might come in useful. Course - they'll be going back your way, so if there's any overpriced British tools you require, let us know......

 

[toysandboats]

Dave,
I knew that I'd seen them somewhere in the UK and eventually found them.
Carroll tools - the drum sander people - also stock them.
Try microplanes

David