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Join us in the Popular Woodworking Magazine shop on Friday, April 15, from noon-6 p.m., and Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. for the Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event. (Both admission and parking are free.)
Lie-Nielsen will have scads of tools on hand for you to test-drive, as well as tool demonstrations going on throughout the show (saws, sharpening, handplanes – you name it!). Plus, Lie-Nielsen has invited other toolmakers and craftsmen to join them. You’ll also be able to try out Glen-Drake Toolworks’ innovative tools, including Kevin Drake’s Tite-Mark cutting gauge (the first good tool I bought when I started with the magazine – and one I think no woodworker should be without!). Bob Zajicek from Czeck Edge Hand Tool will be showing off his stunning marking knives, chisels, awls and other tools (his bird cage awl is another of my early and well-loved purchases). And Raney Nelson of DAED Toolworks is bringing infill planes to ooh and ahh over, and try out (I’m sad to say I don’t have one of those…but Chris does, and it’s a thing of beauty).
Jeff Miller, of J. Miller Handcrafted Furniture is driving in from Chicago to demonstrate how some simple jigs he’s devised can help you make perfect, repeatable mortise-and-tenon joints (with little layout work) by hand with a saw, mortise chisel and paring chisel. He’ll also be showing you how to tune-up curved parts, and, if it fits in his car, will have one of his gorgeous rocking chairs on hand, too.
Plus, George Walker (our Design Matters columnist) and eight other members of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers will be giving demonstrations throughout the event. The picture above (taken by George) is the drawer front from a Philadelphia-inspired highboy made by Dan Reahard, who will be demoing carving, and Donna Hill will be showing you how to add string inlay to a pembroke table leg. I don’t have all the times and presenter names yet, but I’ll post that schedule as soon as I have it.
The Popular Woodworking Magazine staff will be giving demos, too. Editor Christopher Schwarz will be talking about rules for toolboxes (and showing off his latest toolbox build) on Saturday afternoon. Senior Editor Glen D. Huey will be explaining on Saturday morning why he cuts his dovetails pins first. Executive Editor Robert W. Lang will be leading a question-and-answer session on using Google SketchUp on Saturday afternoon. Publisher Steve Shanesy will demonstrate turning techniques throughout the event. Online Community Editor Ajax Alexandre will be demonstrating…I don’t know what – suggestions are welcome, as long as it involves hand tools (we don’t want the heavy machinery running). And I’ll be here answering whatever questions you may have about the magazine, making sure lunch is available on Saturday, and helping out with whatever else comes up (got workbench questions? I’ve built two and read a lot about it…so I’m fairly confident that I can parrot what Chris has taught me!).
And in case you’ve never been here before, we’re at 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236 (in Kenwood, across from Jewish Hospital and adjacent to the Kenwood Mall). Look for the “F&W Publications” sign out front. And click here for directions if you need them.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
Thanks for the reply. I’m a novice woodworker, so I’ll be learning all day no matter who I’m observing / speaking with. I’m taking the hand tool class from Chris Schwarz at the Marc Adams school this summer and so the opportunity to try out some of the LN tools prior to purchase is a great opportunity for me.
Where might I find a schedule of activities / demonstrations?