Keim Lumber in Ohio - Holy Smokes !

[Lewis Cobb]

So I was visiting some friends in Ohio last week and learning that I am a bit of a tool nut / woodworker they suggested we go to Keim Lumber for a visit. I was expecting some standard lumberyard but almost had a heart attack when I went in the front door and saw the sea of woodworking machinery stretching out in front of me.

If any of you are planning a trip to the area, this place is a MUST VISIT for sure. it's out in Amish country and so there's a twisty country road to travel on to a place called "Charm, Ohio". There's a nice little restaurant and a quilt shop on the main road. Do not eat - just park your wives, daughters and other non woodworkers there as it will maximize your time in the shop. The food is excellent

I only wish I had gone to visit with a cube van instead of a Volkswagen Rabbit. As it was, I still managed to jam some hardwood lumber in the car between the seats and literally drove 1000 miles back up to Canada (where I live) with it :) The border guards were chuckling when they looked in the car and learned what I was into as a hobby.

Check out this picture of the main machinery section of the shop. This is about 1/5 of the total floor space. There are many other areas with rows and rows of accessories and hand tools, along with a big exotic hardwood room with everything from big slabs of African Bubinga to lowly maple and oak.

The place is trimmed out with solid cherry - even the bathroom doors are solid cherry raised paneled doors with the "men and women" tags in bird's eye maple.

What a great place - make sure you bring lots of money when you visit - and a large vehicle with trailer :D

If you look carefully you'll see me in the middle near the powermatic stuff with a green shirt on and my arms in the air.

Cheers,
Lewis

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn286/LHC_02/Keim%20Lumber/IMG_1983.jpg

[Chris Padilla]

purty! :) :)

[Matt Meiser]

Is that a bar? :D

Someone else PM'd me about them just last week. Can't wait for my next trip to Ohio Amish country.

[Garth Keel]

is now on my list of places to visit; in my truck pulling my cargo trailer. :D

[Steve Clardy]

Awesome. :D

[Bruce Page]

Way cool, I'd love to see that!

[Rich Aldrich]

Thanks for the heads up. My inlaws live in Canton OH. This is just a nice little trip from there. Funny I had not found out about it until now.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

It would make a great trip from Indy!

[Buck Williams]

Matt is correct,

That is a combination bar and ordering counter. It's like Vegas, they want you to drink and lose your inhibitions. I left with the 17" bandsaw instead of a 14" , the 15" planer instead of the 12-1/2", and every piece of lumber was quartersawn. :D

[jim sauterer]

it is a very awesome place.dont know why they put it where they did.it sure is off the main highway.great people working there to.

[Lewis Cobb]

Is that a bar? :D

Someone else PM'd me about them just last week. Can't wait for my next trip to Ohio Amish country.


Funny, that was my initial reaction when I saw it but then saw the Amish lads behind the counter - complete with bluetooth headsets and pounding orders into computers...

[Wes Bischel]

Looks like Cabela's for woodworkers!

Wes

[Larry Marley]

That is amazing!

[Jay Yoder]

I have lived in the area most of my life. It supports the many Amish and non-Amish woodworkers in the area. My wife dreads going there, but usually we stop at a wonderful restaurant called Chalet in the Valley so it is all ok! They actually will deliver the larger tools to your house (within a certain radius)! I just love drooling over the wide assortment of wood! They also are a great building center too! Their prices are usually competitive with the other local yards.

[Dave Lehnert]

Is that a bar? :D

Someone else PM'd me about them just last week. Can't wait for my next trip to Ohio Amish country.

Hey Matt that was me sent you the PM.

I was also their last week. Tuesday to be exact. The pic he shows is just the large equipment area. You should see the aisles packed with woodworking stuff. AMAZING! is all I can say about it. They had Forrest woodworking blades stacked like Wal-Mart has DVD player.
I also wish I had my F150 with me but take the car because of better MPG:(
Also Hartville hardware is just an hour north.
http://www.hartvilletool.com/
Don't forget Lehmans hardware. The only place I know of where you can buy a wood burning cook stove and a washing machine with a 3.5HP Briggs and Stratton gas engine. http://www.lehmans.com/store/catalog?Args=
I go up to Sugarcreek once a year and search the antique shops for old tools.

If you want to see some real solid wood furniture made like you would in your shop. Stop at Swiss valley furniture on HWY 39 Just outside of Sugarcreek.

That whole area is a good place to visit. Bulk food stores, Wineries, antique shops, Gift stores.
https://www.wendellaugust.com/page/welcome is also their.

[Dave Lehnert]

Here is a slide show of the place. Just give it time to load.

http://www.keimlumber.com/photogallery

You would not think by looking at the photo but it is located in a very small town up on a hill. We passed it 3 times before we found it and we had a GPS.
Drive up the steep drive and their it was HUGE!

Can you tell it got me all excited.

[Phil Warnement]

What Lewis said about "taking lots of money is true." You "will" be paying for the nice store.

I also go their about twice a year and have found that their prices are on the high side. They don't have the deals the Hartville Tools have from time to time and you can find better prices online if you're willing to use patience and do some searching. Most of you do that already.

If you are willing to do some searching in the area, there area number of lumber yards that are run by the amish and you can find some beautiful lumber at reasonable prices. If you are interested in rough sawn lumber, it's a good area to go.

Go on a nice sunny day and the trip will be very enjoyable. Watch out for the "road apples."

[Matt Meiser]

Hey Matt that was me sent you the PM.

I was also their last week. Tuesday to be exact.

Yeah, I know--that whole rule about disclosing the contents of PM's and all. ;)

[mike holden]

Lewis,
Said you were in Canada, So I assume you know about the Welbeck Sawmill up near Owen Sound, EH?
Almost as big as your picture, and out in the country, with a wide selection of carving tools, power tools, and German wooden handplanes in the showroom.
Mike

[Lewis Cobb]

Lewis,
Said you were in Canada, So I assume you know about the Welbeck Sawmill up near Owen Sound, EH?
Almost as big as your picture, and out in the country, with a wide selection of carving tools, power tools, and German wooden handplanes in the showroom.
Mike

Hi Mike - I have heard of the place but never have been there. Maybe the next time I am wandering around Ontario. I live on the east coast near Maine and usually get up that way each summer.
Cheers,
Lewis

[Jim O'Dell]

Looks like Heaven for woodworkers!

Wes


There, I fixed it for you.:D Wow what a place! I didn't even read all of your post Lewis when I saw the picture. I think the drool shorted out the computer soon after. I'm typing this from a computer in someone else's office.:rolleyes: Thanks for the picture. Jim.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Wow....nice store!

[Lance Norris]

Ive been telling you guys about this place for years. I live 30 miles away and its a great place. I told you so...:)

[Lewis Cobb]

Ive been telling you guys about this place for years. I live 30 miles away and its a great place. I told you so...:)

Guess it needed the picture to hammer the point home.

Next time I head down that way to see my friends, I'll give you a shout - I'll have more cargo capacity next time and will probably want to visit a few Amish sawmills as well :D

Cheers,
Lewis

[Charles Shenk]

How were the prices? The rent on that place can't be cheap.

[Joe Spear]

I'm driving to Canton tomorrow to visit my sisters. Think I'll go down there Monday and take a look.

[Lance Norris]

How were the prices? The rent on that place can't be cheap.

The machine prices are in line with most places, slightly higher than online retailers. You cant sell much stuff if you are over priced. And dont think these guys dont know what the internet is. The lumber prices are very competitive and the quality is tops. The exotic wood area is amazing. They have the wood youve only ever read about. They also have exotics in quantity. It truly is a great place for a woodworker. Expect to spend 4-5 hrs looking around. If you make the trip, consider also driving to Hartville Hardware, they are the storefront for Hartville Tool and it also is a good place to visit. Hartville, Ohio

http://www.hartvillehardware.com/

[Chris Tipton]

If you go all the way to Keim Lumber, make sure you drop by Boyd and Wirthman's in nearby Berlin, OH for the best open faced roast beef sandwich and a great selection of fresh pies.