Seattle Tool Event Friday & Saturday

[Jim Koepke]

Sponsored by Lie-Nielsen

HAND TOOL EVENT at

Seattle Central Community College
Wood Construction Center

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, NOON-6PM
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 10AM-5PM

2310 South Lane - Seattle, WA

FREE ADMISSION, FREE PARKING (ON STREET)

Gosh, I am tempted but I was at the Portland show.

I wouldn't be able to spend much time there as I have to pick my wife up at the airport which is why I would be close enough to be tempted.

jim

[Jim Barrett]

I plan on attending Friday...
Jim

[Will Brauneis]

Thanks for the heads up Jim! I missed the one last year so i will definitely go on Friday. I'll just drop the lady off at the south center mall on my way up and kill two birds with one stone so this time she cant complain about me spending $$ on tools. lol

[Jim Koepke]

Because of having to drive up to Seattle to pick my wife up at the airport there was an opportunity to stop in and visit the show for a couple of hours today.

Jim Barrett was there and it was great to meet another Creeker. He took a picture of my having fun with the LN #62 and I took some of him.

Maybe he will post them and other pictures he took.

It was a little smaller area than the Portland event. I guess I am spoiled by having gone to my first event in Oakland where a very large area was devoted to the show.

It is amazing how much one can learn and enjoy just by watching, listening and talking to the people there.

Talked to David Jeske of Blue Spruce and got to handle the beautiful tools he produces. His is located in Oregon City, Oregon, but turns out he used to live down in the San Francisco Bay Area just like me. Small world. He had a couple of his old saws there. He let me try one that worked very well. It was a 15 ppi and we got to talking about aggressiveness of the teeth profile and such. It was then he told me that the saw was from about the 1850s. I think he said Mike Wenzlof sharpened that one for him, he spoke very highly of him.


Talked to Kevin Glenn-Drake about some of his tools and the Tite-Mark to let him know mine arrived and how pleased I am with it. It probably doesn't matter how many times a person hears it, getting praise for a job well done probably never gets old. If it does, then they are likely getting too old and should let someone else do the work and hear the praise.

Denebe from Lie-Nielsen was demonstrating planes today and taking some very fine shavings. He mentioned how when the plane feels like it needs the blade advanced is when the bells should go off in your head telling you it is time to take it to the stones.

He had a lot to say about cambering blades also. One was that it is almost too much trouble since it is something that you almost have to write notes on the blade so you can maintain the same blade profile. He also mentioned that if you are taking real light cuts, then you are not going to leave tracks since if you overlap your cuts you will not have tracks left behind. I tend to agree with this.

He does suggest that cambered blades are useful for scrub plane work or when hogging a lot of wood.

He also gave me a little bit of instruction on using the plane that should be arriving at my door very soon. The people there are just great.

If you ever have the chance to get to one of these Tool Events, do what ever you must to attend. Even if you have to take time off work without pay. If you keep your eyes, ears and mind open, you will be hard pressed to not come away knowing or understanding more than when you went in.

jim

[Jim Barrett]

I had a great time at the LN event. I got there about 11:45 and the event was already happening! It seemed a bit crowded at first with a bench set up in the front where Deneb was planing some rough stock and a bench behind him where you could use any of LN tools on display. I checked out a few of their handsaws and took a whirl on some BU planes.
I recognized Jim Koepke by his "Buz" hat and red suspenders and we had a nice chat.
Blue Spruce Toolworks was present and I purchased a few of his small dovetail chisels, 1/8 and 3/16...should have them in a few weeks. I spoke with Dave and he is looking to bring some new products into his lineup...stay tuned.
I also visited with Kevin Drake of Tite-mark fame. He had a new saw that he was showing. Progressive pitch with no teeth in the beginning and end of the saw blade. Definitely a different feel. Have a picture of him putting the saw through its paces. I checked out the #9 plane for my shooting board and also looked at the #62. I went with the #62 as it gives me a bit more flexibility with what planes I have now.
All and all a very nice time...spent about 3 1/2 hrs there. The crowd leveled out after a few hrs...Friday seemed like mostly "retired" folks came into the event. I bet the "working" crowd will be there today!

Jim