US woodworking tool websites.

[j]

Can anyone recommend a reputable online tool shop in the US?
I've a friend over there that is coming over for Christmas, and I want to make sure he doesn't have any spare room in his luggage

Things I'm considering getting are:

DMT stones
Veritas Mk2 honing guide
Veritas grinding rest & straight jig


What I need to do is make sure it does actually work out cheaper buying from over there, and get him to order them in plenty of time.

Any other suggestions for things that work out a lot cheaper over there are welcome.

Thanks
J

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Can anyone recommend a reputable online tool shop in the US?
I've a friend over there that is coming over for Christmas, and I want to make sure he doesn't have any spare room in his luggage

Things I'm considering getting are:

DMT stones
Veritas Mk2 honing guide
Veritas grinding rest & straight jig


What I need to do is make sure it does actually work out cheaper buying from over there, and get him to order them in plenty of time.

Any other suggestions for things that work out a lot cheaper over there are welcome.

Thanks
J

Lee Valley tops my list followed closely by Rockler.com. and if you really want to push the boat out.... Try Lie Nielen's own site. :lol: You'll definitely save money, no need for him to order as you can do it just fill in his address for the delivery address and your address for the invoice. With the £ $ exchange rate and the fact that with him doing the delivery you'll save at least 25% - 30% over English prices

 

[Good Surname or what ?]

Try http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com or http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp

 

[Dan Clark]

www.toolsforworkingwood.com is great! If your are into Scary Sharpening, they have the best selection of micro-abrasives that I've found: http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merc ... y_Code=THS

www.woodpeck.com has some really great stuff, although pricey. (With the Pound doing well against the dollar, the price might not bother you.) IMO, they make the best router plates available, if you need one (they are light and packable).

However, for the Veritas stuff, there is only one - Lee Valley. I've bought a lot of things from them and found their products and customer service to be EXCELLENT! (I ordered a Veritas Apron plane from them yesterday.)

Regards,

Dan.

 

[oddsocks]

not a tool web page but if you have ryobi+1 kit then just got o Home Depot and get anything less than half UK price. I travel to NA once /twice a year on business - 2 x ryobi batteries $39 (about £19 now), impact driver (Excellent) $69.
the trip before i bought the biggest kit they solde (7 items + batteries) $220 (about £110). I just gave away the charger and spent £20on one in UK.

www.homedepot.com search on ryobi ONE ......they now have the renovator kit (6 items + 2batt) for $199 - not available on line but probably in store.....but it would take up space and weight!

 

[Burt Waddell]

As Dan said, Leevalley.com is the only source for the Veritas equipment. I have never seen anyone have anything negative to say about Lee Valley. I've used their router tables for years. I have four of the tables plus bought some parts from them to make a custom table. Great quality equipment and service to match.

Burt

 

[j]

OK,
Thanks for all the links, LeeValley seems to have everything I was looking for, and quite a few things I wasn't.

A couple of questions.
I've seen this diamond stone 70M04.10
Is this the same DMT Duo-sharp diamond stone sold by Axminster
If they are the same ones, then the US version is a LOT cheaper.
But the only mention of DMT on the leevalley page is in the photo, and DMT seem to make quite a range of similarly named diamond stones.


Secondly, I'm thinking about getting the veritas grinding stand and jig.
Does anyone have this? Could you give me some idea of how big/heavy it is. I'm thinking it is a bit too big to ask my friend to lug all the way across the atlantic for me.


I'll also be ordering a yankee adaptor. I do have a yankee that is brand new, and I've never used. Might give it a try.

 

[Dan Clark]

Interesting you should ask. I going to buy a DMT DuoSharp too. Look carefully at the box in the upper left corner of the Lee Valley pic and you'll see that the box says "DMT". 8)

A key issue is the exact combo sharpening tools that are right for you. When I did some research on this, I found that many people combine a DuoSharp with stones or ScarySharpening. While researching this, it seems that the exact DuoSharp chosen varies. Some people like the Course/Fine combo, while others go for the Extra-course/Course combo.

I have several waterstones and a Shapton Ceramic 8000. I don't like them. Too much hassle to keep them flat. (I know, I know... "It's easy to flatten." Been there, done that, don't want to do no more.) I'm switching to a DuoSharp + ScarySharp micro abrasives from Tools for working wood: link .

Since I have the .3, 5, 15, and 40 micron 3M micro abrasives, I'm going to get the Extra-Course/Course DuoSharp at a local hardware store. ("Hardwicks Hardware Store - A local Seattle legand.) They are about $98 (great price) at the store. I'm getting the recommended 4X10" (100 X 250mm) version plus the plastic base accessory. Amazon has the stone for about $104: link


I also have the Lee Valley Veritas Mk. II Honing Guide: link . I love it. GREAT accessory.

In the Honing Guide page, note that they also have a Skew Registration Jig and a Camber Roller Assembly. The first is for sharpening Skew planes and chisel blades. The second is for creating a camber on smoothing plane blades. (I have neither so I can't comment on quality or usefullness, but they look good.)

I think the Veritas Honing Guide, DuoSharp, and ScarySharp is a going to be a winning combo for me.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Roger]

J - the Grinding Stand & Jig is maybe 3 or 4 pounds and not large at all. Almost hand luggage size really; about 10" x 6" x 6".

Nice piece of equipment and well worth the purchase. I lived in the States / Canada for quite a while and getting equipment the way you are planning right now will save you about 40% overall UNLESS he gets dinged for duty etc.

Get what you can - it's worth it big time

 

[pooka]

OK,
Secondly, I'm thinking about getting the veritas grinding stand and jig.
Does anyone have this? Could you give me some idea of how big/heavy it is. I'm thinking it is a bit too big to ask my friend to lug all the way across the atlantic for me.

Assuming that you are talking about this:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 3072,45938

then I have that set myself. I just dug it out, with its packaging (although I may be missing some of the packaging), and it weighs about 650g. The dimensions of the box holding the grinder tool rest is about 15x15cm and 6cm high. The grinding jig may have come in a separate box but if so that packaging wouldn't add much to the overall weight.

By the way, I too recommend Lee Valley, as their Veritas range in particular tends to be excellent and I have nothing but good experiences when buying form them.

I second the other recommendations for www.rockler.com and www.highland-hardware.com.

And I also recommend www.woodcraft.com - their delivery charges to this side of the world are quite steep though, but as you won't be hit by those then they are well worth a look as they have a very wide range.

 

[j]

Thanks for all of your replies.
I've had a good look round leevalley and come up with the following list so far...

Hex Adapter for Yankee® Screwdrivers
Item 24K0570 $5.50
(Not sure which yankee I have, need to check before ordering)

Basic Grinding Set
Item 05D1302 $62.50
(Veritas Grinding stand and straight jig.)

Strop and Compound Set
Item 05D1101 $31.00

Veritas® Mk.II Honing Guide
Item 05M0901 $54.50

Dovetail Saw
Item 05T0203 $21.50
(Veritas japanese dovetail saw)

Socket Adapters, set of 3
Item 99W6901 $3.80
(Look like they might be handy with my bosch 10.8v driver)

And from amazon.com
DMT W250CXNB 10" DuoSharp Bench Stone Coarse / Extra-Coarse No Base $103.99

Any comments/suggestions welcome.

Also, Does anyone know where I can get hold of a bosch 10.8v impact driver without batteries. As I have the ordinary driver with 2 batteries I thought it might not be overly expensive to get the impact driver and run it off the same batteries and charger. Can't find any either side of the pond.


Thanks
J

 

[ivan]

I have a US based sis in law, and have ordered through her on line over the years from several FWW advertisers, + Japan Woodworker, LN, LV and Amazon.com (much better than .co.uk, plenty of trade and industrial stuff) Absolutely no problems. USA is so big, they have plenty of customers at our distance.

Bear in mind you'll pay US sales tax from any supplier located in your friend's home state, but NOT from outside it - can save you a few more %!

For LN stuff at a discount and free p&p!
I can heartily reccomend http://www.finetoolj.com/ (look for the message at the top r/h under Brown Auction Service). Clarence has a tool collectors magazine and auction service, which must run on a good degree of trust. He and staff very helpful to UK visitors, will keep stuff by till your trip, post off at short notice, etc. (And no card debiting before goods are sent off)

 

[Harbo]

Ivan - thanks for that last link. I am off to NYC for a few days later in the year and have been looking for suppliers who will ship to my hotel.
Garrett Wade no longer have a shop in NYC but will ship LN stuff to their office there for collection - and it's full price plus shipping.
I got a stupid response from "The Best Things" who asked if my card was registered outside the USA - no other explanation - they have ignored my further emails??
Sadly the only toolshop in NYC is" Tools for Working Wood" and they do not stock LN stuff.
I was looking forward to calling in somewhere and buying over a counter for a change!

Rod