Wood Toxicity
Historical Tool Information
Tool Manufacturers
Tool Dealers
Tool Retailers
Custom Services and Finished Goods
Woodworking Classes
Forums and Websites
Wood Toxicity
These links deal specifically with wood toxicity and allergies. Not a happy subject, but one you should be aware of. Allergic reactions can cause serious health problems. They can be caused by simple skin contact, dust inhalation, or dust in the eyes, both brief and long-term. This also includes fungi present in wood.Historical Tool Information
These sites contain historical information authored or gathered by tool enthusiasts, typically focusing on a particular brand or type of tool. Many are also dealers in used tools.- Disstonian Institute: (Erik von Sneidern) Disston Saws.
- Bob Kaune Antiques and Used Tools: Stanley Planes.
- Evenfall Studios Woodworks Library: (Rob Hanson) Public domain books.
- Sydnas Sloot: (Sandy Moss) Bit Braces
- The Superior Works: (Patrick Leach) Stanley planes, including the encyclopedic Patrick's Blood and Gore.
- Toolemera Press: (Gary Roberts) Free historical books, reprints for sale, and blog.
- Vintage Saws: (Pete Taran) Hand Saws, including instructions for cleaning, setting, and filing.
Tool Manufacturers
These specialty companies (ranging from one-man operations on up) currently manufacture hand tools. Some of their items are more expensive due to their low-volume specialized market, but are usually worth it. Customer service is generally outstanding; they genuinely care about their products and their customers.I own tools from these companies:
- Glen-Drake Toolworks: (Kevin Glen-Drake) Layout tools and specialty hammers.
- Tools For Working Wood/Gramercy Tools: (Joel Moskowitz) Saws and holdfasts.
- Lee Valley/Veritas: Planes and other items under the Veritas brand.
- Lie-Nielsen Toolworks: Planes, chisels, saws, and instructional videos. I have to admit to being extremely partial to them. These are premium tools: excellent design, materials, and workmanship. A suitable benchmark against which to measure your other tools. While expensive, a beginning woodworker wouldn't go wrong by pulling out the credit card and ordering everything needed from them.
- Bad Axe Toolworks: (Mark Harrell) Primarily hand saws.
- Bridge City Tools: (John Economaki) Planes and layout tools.
- Clark and Williams: (Bill Clark, Larry Williams, and Don McConnell) Wooden hand planes.
- Philly Planes: (Phil Edwards) Wooden hand planes.
Tool Dealers
These sites deal primarily in used and antique hand tools.I've bought tools from these dealers:
- Brass City Records and Old Tools
- Jim Bode Tools (Jim and Trish Bode)
- Patented Antiques (Larry and Carole Meeker)
- The Superior Works (Patrick Leach)
- Bob Kaune Antiques and Used Tools
- Sydnas Sloot (Sandy Moss)
- Vintage Saws: (Pete Taran) Hand Saws
Tool Retailers
These companies sell new tools, supplies, books, and DVDs.- Garrett Wade
- Highland Woodworking
- Lee Valley/Veritas
- SharpeningSupplies.com
- Shelter Tools/Wood Butcher Tools
- Tools For Working Wood
Custom Services and Finished Goods
These are marketplaces for finding artisans who do custom work:These are marketplaces where artisans offer finished goods for sale:
Woodworking Classes
I offer basic classes in several formats. See the Hand Tool Instruction page.The following schools offer specialized woodworking instruction.
I've taken classes at these schools:
- The Breed School: (Allan Breed, South Berwick, ME) Historic reproduction fine furniture and carving.
- Acanthus Workshop: (Chuck Bender, Pottstown, PA) Furniture-making, carving, and general woodworking skills.
- Center for Furniture Craftsmanship: (Peter Korn, Rockport, ME) Furniture-making and general woodworking skills.
- Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking: (Bob Van Dyke, Manchester, CT) Furniture-making and general woodworking skills.
- Country Workshops: (Drew Langsner, Marshall, NC) Chairmaking, treen carving, and green woodworking.
- Garrett Hack: (Thetford, VT) Furniture-making and general woodworking skills.
- Handcraft Woodworks: (Don Weber, Paint Lick, KY) Hand tool woodworking and blacksmithing.
- Homestead Woodworking School: (Alan Mitchell, Newmarket, NH) Furniture-making and general woodworking skills.
- Kelly Mehler's School of Woodworking: (Berea, KY) Chairmaking, furniture, carving, and general woodworking skills.
- New Legacy School of Woodworking (UK): (Paul Sellers, Penrhyn Castle, Bangor, Gwynned, UK) Hand tool woodworking.
- New Legacy School of Woodworking (US): (Paul Sellers, Schuylerville, NY) Hand tool woodworking.
- North Bennett St. School: Boston's premier woodworking school, founded in 1885, featuring programs in furniture-making and instrument-making, among others.
- Philadelphia Furniture Workshop: (Alan Turner and Mario Rodriguez, Philadelphia, PA) Furniture-making and general woodworking skills.
- The Furniture Institute of Massachusetts: (Phil Lowe, Beverly, MA) Historic reproduction fine furniture.
- The Windsor Institute: (Mike Dunbar, Hampton, NH) Windsor chairmaking.
- The Woodwright's School: (Roy Underhill, Pittsboro, NC) Planemaking, chairmaking, and general woodworking skills.
- Woodworking Workshops of the Shenandoah Valley: (Jeff Headley, Berryville, VA) Carving and period furniture making.
Forums and Websites
Forums are great places to ask questions about all aspects of woodworking. They often constitute vast bodies of knowledge accessible through search functions. The participants are happy to respond and share their knowledge, though discussions and differing opinions can get heated. Some of the people should be listed as national treasures, they know so much and are able to convey it so well. Some well known names in the woodworking community can be found on them as well. While I've focused on the hand tool forums, there are other forums at these sites, such as turning, carving, and power tools.- Bodger's Ask & Answer: Green woodworking.
- Japanese Woodworking Forums
- LumberJocks
- SAPFM Hand Tools Forum: Society of American Period Furniture Makers.
- Sawmill Creek Neanderthal Haven: My favorite forum. My favorite contributors are Bob Smalser, Harry Strasil, Derek Cohen, and Jim Koepke; anything by them is worth reading. Many other talented people contribute as well.
- UK Workshop Hand Tools Forum
- Woodnet Hand Tools Forum
- Woodwork Australia Hand Tools Forum
- Woodwork UK Hand Tools Forum
- David Marks: Host of the WoodWorks TV show. Some episodes are available online under the TV link.
- In The Woodshop: (Derek Cohen).
- Lie-Nielsen Toolworks YouTube Channel: Lie-Nielsen has posted a number of excellent videos, both instructional and demos of their products.
- Robin Wood: Traditional turning.
- The New Yankee Workshop: (Norm Abrams) The official site for the PBS series. While Norm's primarily a power tool guy, there's a soft spot in my heart for this show.
- The Woodwright's Shop: (Roy Underhill) The official site for the PBS series, containing a number of episodes online.
Last update: July 28, 2010