Fellow Maine woodworkers?

[Tony Shea]

I am looking to see if there are other Mainer's on this site. If you could share some good sources for local lumber as well as some decent tool stores for larger machinery to avoid shipping charges. It would also be nice to find some locals to chat with and maybe a source to join a WW club. Also some info on some WW shows in this area as I'm fairly new to this game.

[Greg Cuetara]

Tony,
Where are you from? I live in Auburn and work in Portland. There is a woodturners club at the Rockler store in Portland the first Wed. of each month I think. The Rockler store has some machinary but nothing too big. I have family down in NH and have found Highland Hardwoods in Brentwood, NH has the best pricing on wood. Well worth the drive if you need a lot of lumber. There is also a tool store down there called brentwood machine which has a whole bunch of big ole iron and new ole iron also.

I don't know of any WW clubs in the area but I may be wrong.

Greg

[Tony Shea]

Yeah I figured that there was plenty down in southern Maine area such as the Rockler. I'm over here in the Bar Harbor area and really struggle to find anything local to me. NH Bragg is about the only tool distribution near me and lumber suppliers are extremely limited. Lie Nielson is a good drive for me and gets visited as much as possible. But that's just hand tools. Thanks for the response.

[Jeremy Gibson]

I can't help you with your question, but wanted to say "hi." I'm trying very hard to move that way and become a Maine woodworker in a few years.

[Matt Meiser]

I'm over here in the Bar Harbor area and really struggle to find anything local to me.

Life is rough. :D We visited Maine last summer. My 7yo daughter keeps asking when we can go back. We stayed about 4 days on Mt. Desert Island then about 3 near Freeport. I'm not sure I could live in Bar Harbor but I could live near Portland no problem and have access to further north on weekends.

I assume you know about the Hulls Cove Tool Barn? Again hand tools, but very cool place. And connected to them is Liberty Tool Company in Liberty which wasn't too far from L-N. And in Greg's area there's a few furntiture builders (Thos. Moser and Chris Becksvoort.) We visited Moser and went on a shop tour which was very cool. I didn't know Becksvoort was there but we saw his sign on the way to Moser. One has to assume there must be a lot of lumber in Maine which might be through small mills that don't advertise.

For tools and supplies, make road trips when you can, but once you kind of know what's out there mail order is as good or better than having a local source. Some of my local sources have to order everything anyway and I'm between two metro areas with larger populations than even Portland. I still make road trips.

By the way, you can easily make it from Freeport to Grizzly's showroom in PA in a day. Even towing in a Noreaster and getting stuck in traffic in Boston for over an hour.

[NICK BARBOZA]

Tony,
Im in Bangor and our choices are slim... As you said, Braggs is the closest, they are very helpful (talk to Paul K.). A little on the pricey side but they are the only show in town... I used to shop at Western Tool Supply before the closed all places in Maine about 1-2 years ago.

I typically drive to Woodworker's Paradise in Rumford for my lumber (+/-1.75 hrs) on a weekend when we visit the inlaws who are near there. I have also had pretty good luck with Maine Coast Lumber out of York. They deliver to Bangor every Thursday for only $25. Not sure if they head to MDI or not.

Also, as Matt pointed out Hull's Cove is a great place for some classic Stanley's. Lie-Nielsen is a great stop and they also run some fun weekend classes a few times a year.

I will typically hit Rockler and/or Woodcraft in NH when i head south.

Good Luck,
NWB

[Craig D Peltier]

Sounds like to me if I was that far away from suppliers a bandsaw mill would be high on the list.
All the birch , maple and oak you have there you can could have a store in your yard.
I would personally look for small sawmill inthe area , via a bandsaw mill forum or such.

[Tony Shea]

I've many times thought of buying a small bandsaw mill as I am sorounded by endless maples. But then again that would ruin my maple syrup supply. But work is a bit slow right now and just can't justify the small mill as this is just a hobby.

Thanks for the replies. I stop over to the Tool Barn in Hulls Cove on a weekly basis to see what they've gotten for new stock. The place is one of my favorite places to visit. The owner is a bit tough to talk to but it could be worse I guess.

And thanks Nick for the Rumford lumber yard suggestion. That's the type of stuff I'd like to find more of. That's exactly what I was looking for. As well as the York lumber yard for when I plan a southern Maine weekend trip.

And yes I do love Maine for the exact reason I'm struggling to find places to shop. It's that country type of living with lots of peace and quite. It also beautiful out here in the woods. Spring and Fall there is no other place like it. I don't actually live in Bar Harbor but use it for reference as many people know the area. I live across the bay in small town called Lamoine.