Visiting New York City and Boston

[Marty Barron]

I will be visiting NYC and Boston. Are there any good woodworking tool stores to visit in either city? Are there any places that I have to visit to see some great examples of woodworking or woodturning?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Marty

[Michael Wildt]

Hi Marty,

In Boston we have Rockler in Cambridge and Woodcraft in Woburn. Both are good places with nice folks. Woodcraft do woodworking classes in the store pretty regular, check their webpage (search for the store, then go to its class page).

I do not have other suggestions in mind other than places where you can get wood, but that might not easy to carry home.

Guess we could try to get local folks to meet for a beer, but that would require some planning.

Michael

[Mike Bensema]

Thomas Moser has a store in NYC and Boston that might be interesting for you with some of his furniture on display.

If you are driving from NYC to Boston, you might want to visit Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge MA, just off of Rt 84 near the CT/MA border. They have some nice Shaker furniture there.

http://www.osv.org/

Another place to see some traditional woodworking is Mystic Village in Mystic CT on Rt 95 almost at the RI border. They build old wooden ships there and part of the village is the shipyard where the Amistat was built.

http://www.oldmysticvillage.com/

[Philip Berman]

The Metropolitan Museum just opened the new "American Wing" last month - they've got an extensive collection of furniture of all periods, plus "period" rooms in which you can get a glimpse of the entire room. The museum is on the Upper East side, across from Central Park.

Down in lower Manhattan, Garrett Wade has a showroom. Kinda fun to walk around, but you'll probably be done in like 30 minutes - I guess most of their business is through internet/mail so the retail store is small.

Across the East River, in Brooklyn, is Tools For Working Wood. Never been, but I believe it's close to a subway stop and there are directions on their website.

That should get you started.

Phil

[Rick Moyer]

Down in lower Manhattan, Garrett Wade has a showroom. Kinda fun to walk around, but you'll probably be done in like 30 minutes - I guess most of their business is through internet/mail so the retail store is small.



Phil

I'm guessing that's a function of the cost of real estate in Manhattan!

[Jason White]

If you like wandering around lumberyards, try Anderson & McQuaid in Cambridge, MA and Downes & Reader in Stoughton, MA.

Jason



Hi Marty,

In Boston we have Rockler in Cambridge and Woodcraft in Woburn. Both are good places with nice folks. Woodcraft do woodworking classes in the store pretty regular, check their webpage (search for the store, then go to its class page).

I do not have other suggestions in mind other than places where you can get wood, but that might not easy to carry home.

Guess we could try to get local folks to meet for a beer, but that would require some planning.

Michael

[Nate Carey]

...don't miss the opportunity to visit http://pem.org/yinyutang

...and/or http://www.mfa.org

[Robert LaPlaca]

Alas Philip, Garrett Wade moved out of NYC three or four years ago.. I believe they are now located in Cincinnati Ohio

Tools for Working Wood is in Brooklyn and should be a good place to visit..

[Philip Berman]

clearly haven't been making enough purchases from them. Thanks for the info.

Phil

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Lowell's boat shop Oldest boat shop in the east.
http://www.lowellsboatshop.com/
In Amesbury Mass. I have been in his shop a couple of times, knew a kid who worked for him. It used to be a this really cool old school boat shop. But I think they discovered tourism and now they call it a Working Museum.

There's a maritime and river festival coming up too:
http://www.newburyportnews.com/punews/local_story_177225447.html

Neuu Yawwwk should have lots of places where people practice old skills. I just don't know of any. I live a hop away from it and have no use for the place. As my child hood hero Jerimiah Johnson, said: "I been to a city."

[dennis thompson]

It's not woodworking but you might want to take a ride on the Staten Island ferry, great views of the NYC skyline & the Statue of Liberty . The ride is free (I lived in NYC for a long time & you don't get too many free things there) , round trip is about an hour
Dennis

[Eric Larsen]

Are there any places that I have to visit to see some great examples of woodworking or woodturning?


The Frank Lloyd Wright room at the Met is an inspiration. Beautiful furniture, Tiffany lamps, stained glass. Just wonderful.

But if I were going to either city, I would be more interested in where to find the best Italian delis and restaurants.

A slice of good New York pizza (take your pick from any place on Mulberry St.) trumps a hand plane as far as I'm concerned.

There's really good dim sum to be had in both cities, as well. New York is a little less expensive in this regard.

[Jim Becker]

NYC, you want to make your way to Tools For Working Wood (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com), especially if you appreciate fine hand tools. They used to be in Manhattan, but they moved to another location awhile back. Worthy of your time regardless!

[Leo Voisine]

In New England there are several Shaker villages.

Hancock - in Pittsfield is nicelt restored

Wetwevliet - in New York is I think the largest

Canterbury Hew Hanpshire was one of the most recently actually occupied.

Sabbathday Lake in Maine - I think still has a few shakers still lifing there - but they do allow visitors.

Botson is simply an awesome place to visit - things to do it endless. The Rockler store is actually a pretty nice store - but the Woodcraft store is smallish. The Woodcraft store in Kingston Rhode Island is far better. There is Beaver Woodworks in Brockton - not much different than Rockler of Woodcraft.

There is an OLD eclectic 1940's style hardware store. Nothing much has changed, except the place has become extremely cluttered. The Owners son runs it now, and wishes he could retire. He in well into his 60's He's a bit weird but is really a nice guy He has some really nice stacks (piles?) (jumbles?) of lumber. You cannot really walk through it. There is a pathway through the wood - less than the width of one of your feet. He will NOT let you carry a board into the front of the store because of the wood carved collections he has from around the world. The whole store is like that. Not really any rows of shelves. There is some stuff for sale that you can see - but most of what he has for sale is in a pile somewhere. He knows where it is, but you would NEVER find it. I could write a book about this place. I think this would be out of your way - but if you want to visit a place that is museum like - Antique store like - EXTREMELY cluttered - guy that likes to talk, and quite friendly. Stuff you would NEVER see anywhere else. He has a collection I cal tell you that. Sunnyline Builders is the name of the place. No he is not online. He is about 45 min to an hour south of Boston. He is open for business. He is NOT a museum and NOT an antique store. He simply has a wild collection of stuff that you simply cannot get to see anywhere or anyway.

IF - for some strange reason you would like to go there - PM me and I will dig up the address and get you some instructions. DEFINATELY mention me. I was Mr. Handyman when I went to him for stuff. He will remember me. In fact I should go visit him. I need some mahogany.

In Boston park at the New England Aquarium. It is at Long Warf. From there you can get a harbor cruise and go to the constitution as well as faniel hall, the aquarium, freedom walk, quincy market, duck boat rides. This is a hub of activity.

The Old Oyster House is the oldest continuing resteraunt in the USA. Spency - but REALLY good. Some of the delegates to the continental congress met there. The massachusets Spy - a pre - independant newspaper was printed in the upstairs of the oyster house.

If you are into history - Boston will satisy.