Tool sources and other links

I've loved hardware stores since I was a kid. The really good ones are enchanted wonderlands!

McGuckin Hardware, Boulder, CO. Truly a great hardware store where you can find nearly anything. Their online site is limited, but to wander the aisles at McGuckin is an experience not to be missed! I'm sure it's one of the best hardware stores in the world, the kind of place where you don't ask if they have something; rather, you ask where it is.

My favorite story goes back nearly 20 years ago when I was trying to change the head gasket on an old Honda Civic I owned and broke a bolt off in the head (wood is my thing, and when I'm smart I stay away from engines!). It was Saturday afternoon and the local Honda dealership was already closing. So I bummed a ride to McGuckin. They had the tool I needed to get the broken bolt end out of the head, and they had the obscure replacement bolt I needed for that old, imported car! Now that's a hardware store.

These days I'm fortunate to work a couple blocks away from McGuckin; I can walk there at lunch or easily drop by on the way home for a little hardware fix, which can do wonders for my mood! www.McGuckin.com.

Lee Valley/Veritas. Exceptional woodworking tool source. The Veritas line of tools they carry is unrivaled in precision and excellence of manufacture. If you've ever found yourself thinking, "I wish I could find a tool that does this odd job," chances are Veritas makes it, and makes it well. They also carry many other fine tools.

Their annual catalogs (woodworking tools, hardware, gardening tools) are treasure troves of great tools, parts, accessories, and information. I'm amazed that, no matter how many times I page through their woodworking catalog, each time I come across some new, unique item I hadn't noticed before. www.LeeValley.com.

Steve Wall Lumber Co. For our home and the furniture in it, I use mostly oak (all the trim), maple (my personal favorite furniture wood; I love the way it feels to the touch), a bit of poplar (a few pieces have such interesting coloration), and some pine (although it's soft, I simply love the warmth of pine after it has aged for a few years and has mellowed to an amber hue), all of which I carefully pick out at a local lumber yard. For the lamps, I sometimes buy thin wood from Steve Wall Lumber in North Carolina, and use primarily maple, walnut, and a bit of mahogany, the three woods I love the most. www.walllumber.com.

Klingspor's Woodworking Shop. Klingspor, a German company operating since 1893 with facilities in North Carolina and California, makes abrasives, including a wide variety of sandpaper, sanding discs, and sanding belts. They have more offerings in the fine range than most other manufacturers. They also sell a variety of woodworking tools and accessories at reasonable prices. I've purchased a couple of my sanders from them. http://www.woodworkingshop.com.

Wenzloff & Sons Saw Makers. Amazing handsaws. www.wenzloffandsons.com.

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks of Maine. They make a line of beautiful heirloom hand tools and are probably best known for their planes. www.lie-nielsen.com.

The Best Things. The name says it all. They sell a collection of their favorite things, including woodworking tools such as Clifton planes, Pax saws, and Wenzloff & Sons saws. www.thebestthings.com.

Ridge Carbide Tool Co. High quality carbide saw blades, as well as an excellent mail-in sharpening service. www.ridgecarbidetool.com.

RouterBits.com. The best source I've found for the excellent Whiteside router bits. Prompt, reliable, and good prices. www.RouterBits.com.

Shop wisely. When I look for tools, I vigorously comparison shop using, unsurprisingly, Google. A few of the other general online stores that I've purchased woodworking tools and supplies from repeatedly are Toolsforless.com, McFeely's, Coastal Tool, and Peachtree Woodworking Supply (among other things, my source for Olson bandsaw accessories).

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