Lie Nielsen Dog & Pony Show

[Gary Curtis]

How far is Culver City Calif from Maine? Far enough so that nobody from Maine represented Lie Nielsen at their two-day showcase for woodworkers. About 5 or six company reps did come from other places, though.

They couldn't tempt me. I'm just too strong willed.

My initial foray into WoodWorking was a drunken, frenzied gush of consumer insanity. I retired and I was going to buy everything in the Lee Valley catalog, with new, green-painted 220 power equipment for the shop floor. Then, I grew up. So, even though I have about 13 wonderful handplanes, I only own one, used Lie Nielsen model. A block plane.

What I saw today might not be for everyone. But their tools are impressive. And if you have $2500 in quarters rolling around under the seats of your car — annoying hell out of you — you can get rid of them by buying the LN Workbench. One odd little item that would be super for a guy installing windows who needs to make a tongue & groove window sash. It's the T&G plane. The spring loaded fence pulls down and rotates to allow cutting mating joint surfaces.

That seems a lot more sensible out on a job than dragging a router table in from your truck. Boy, these guys are really staying up late at night, trying hard to figure ways to separate you from your money.

Gary Curtis

[Jim Koepke]

I am trying to understand your post. Are you saying there wasn't anyone from Lie-Nielsen at a their tool event?

I have not been paying attention to their events lately so I was not aware that they are out west these days.

My first event with them was attended by Thom Lie-Nielsen himself and I was actually able to talk to him and tell him of my appreciation of his company. The other events of theirs I attended had very well qualified people to answer questions and demonstrate tools.

To answer your question, Maine is about as far from California as any two states in the union can be not counting Hawaii.

And if I had an extra $2500 to spend one of their benches would very likely be worthy of my consideration.

jtk

[Gary Curtis]

About 5 or 6 guys representing Lie Nielsen were from California, BC in Canada, and Texas. Nobody from the home office.

[Jim Koepke]

About 5 or 6 guys representing Lie Nielsen were from California, BC in Canada, and Texas. Nobody from the home office.

It probably makes economic sense for them to expand their business by having representatives living all across their sales area than to have to fly people all over the continent and the globe.

Were they capable at what they were doing?

I am trying to understand why your post seemed to be so condemning of them.

jtk

[Andy Pedler]

I think that show in SoCal conflicted with WIA back east, and that likely explains why some of the familiar faces from LN may not have been present. I've gone to two of their shows here in the Bay Area and they always have lots of folks from Maine. A friend and I spent a few minutes talking with Mr. Lie-Neilsen at one of the shows. They are always a good time.

Andy- Newark, CA

[Tony Shea]

That's too bad you weren't able to talk with some of their Maine representatives. But I'm sure that anyone they send to represent their products would be knowledgable enough to explain and teach you anything the local Maine employees could. I consider myself lucky that I live in Maine and can visit any time I feel up to a hour and half ride.

But I must say that living in California puts you awfully close to the miriad of other companies i would love to be around. For one, Kevin Drake. I spoke with Mr. Drake for hours at the last tool event at the Lie Nielson shop and he was great. He is certainly one of the most down to earth tool makers I've ever had the chance to meet. But I haven't meet too many. California certainly has many more advantages than here in Maine outside of just WW, "cough" weather "cough". I mean who doesn't like 70deg and sunny everyday.

[James Taglienti]

Actually the fellow who stayed up late at night thinking up that swing fence T&G plane was named Charles Miller, and he stayed up late at night thinking it up over 130 years ago. You can thank the folks at LN for recasting (redesigning?) it and tacking about $120 onto it's cost though.

On the upside, I'm sure the fence is now ground to within .001 of dead flat. Rest assured.

[Rick Mellin]

I attended their show here about two weeks ago and really enjoyed talking with the Reps and picking up a few tricks along with some of their great tools. It seemed like you could benefit more from this than walking into lets say Woodcraft. That's just my opinion. Thanks Lie-Nielsen
Rick

[Gary Curtis]

Nope, you got me wrong. I wasn't condemning anyone at all. It was generous of them to go through the trouble of mounting this 2-day event.

The people giving demos and answering questions were true professionals. The demo that attracted the most attention was their new marble-topped sharpening bench. A little more than $500, I think.

People huddled around as the fellow did quick work on some bevel up and bevel down plan irons. He was really good.

I was attracted to #7 or #8 plane the used to square up ends of boards prior to edge banding. They two planes in a low angle and high models and explained the advantages in doing this work to end grain and edge grain.

I didn't know that the T & G Plane was a modern incarnation of an antique. I bet they sell a lot to guys who work on jobsites.

Gary Curtis

[Mike Brady]

I was very sorry to find "Angie" missing from the L-N stand at WIA. She is the girl in a few of their instructional YouTube videos. She was super sweet and very informed about their products. Neither she nor another girl that often worked there are around any more. Oddly, they seemed at least a person short during the three days and the absense of Mr. Lie-Nielsen was surprising as well. All signs of the tight economy, I suppose.

[James Taglienti]

Almost all of the Lie Nielsen planes are very close copies of vintage tools.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I've known Tom for quite a number of years. His marketing approach has changed to the model of running events to both teach about hand tool use and stimulate sales. this alone is a major service to the tool using public. You have to remember that there are now at least 2 events almost every month plus the travel and setup time involved. He does have a factory to supervise, the desire for the occasional bit of sleep, and an interest in being home occasionally. I'd guess that he makes about 2/3 of the events nationwide and that alone is a huge investment in time not to speak of money when you consider not only the direct show costs but also the air fares, the hotel costs, and the meal expenses. I would say that it is unreasonable to expect any responsible business owner to spend too much time away from the plant. Only so much of the day to day details of operation lends itself to being handled on the phone or via email.

[Owen E Wheeler]

Actually the fellow who stayed up late at night thinking up that swing fence T&G plane was named Charles Miller, and he stayed up late at night thinking it up over 130 years ago. You can thank the folks at LN for recasting (redesigning?) it and tacking about $120 onto it's cost though.

On the upside, I'm sure the fence is now ground to within .001 of dead flat. Rest assured.

Uh, how many things can you buy for 150% of the cost they were 130 years ago? They're either a lot less (a pen, for example) or a lot more (a horse?).

[Jim Koepke]

I was very sorry to find "Angie" missing from the L-N stand at WIA. She is the girl in a few of their instructional YouTube videos. She was super sweet and very informed about their products. Neither she nor another girl that often worked there are around any more.

Do you know if they are not with LN any more or if they were just not at this show?

I have been to two shows back to back in different cities and the people were different at the two shows.

jtk

[Chuck Nickerson]

Two of the folks at Culver City are professional furniture makers.

Deneb was teaching at Marc Adams'.

This thread at least gave James T (the LN troll) a chance to come out from under his bridge.

[Joel Goodman]

I didn't make the Culver City event but I attended a LN event at Cerritos College (also Los Angeles area) a year or two ago and Deneb was there as was Mike W. with his saws. A guy came in with an old backsaw, not Mikes, with some questions about sharpening. Mike gave him a one on one tuitorial and when he left it was with a ready to go sharpened saw! I learned a few really useful tricks from Deneb, and played with the toys. I think Tom's doing a real service with these shows -- especially as he includes his competition. After all he sells saws too!

[David Weaver]

I haven't used the LN T&G plane, but I don't quite understand why they picked that one.

The stanley 48 and 49 work very well and are easy to set up and sharpen, and they're not particularly rare or expensive, especially if you have a week or two of patience.

I understand the difference in width with the LN planes (vs. the stanley), but that's not a critical dimension with them.

In the event that you can find a good condition matched wooden pair, they work nicer than the metal planes, anyway, and the grip seems more natural for feeling vertical.

[David Weaver]

I attended their show here about two weeks ago and really enjoyed talking with the Reps and picking up a few tricks along with some of their great tools. It seemed like you could benefit more from this than walking into lets say Woodcraft. That's just my opinion. Thanks Lie-Nielsen
Rick

That's true, but only if you purchase your planes only when the show is in town.

Our WC was never very stocked with planes, though, anyway, and when it was here, it was before the price controls, so you could always mail order planes cheaper.

I got exactly one plane from WC - a skew rabbet block. Other than that, i don't remember seeing a bench plane there ever. Just a block plane or two and the chisels - they could never keep anything in stock here, presumably because it sold too quickly.

I would rather just order the planes and spend my several hours using them than go to an event. I also have seriously little interest in timing all of my purchases with a traveling show, too, though I've bought plenty of LN stuff, so it isn't trolling or any other such thing that's my issue with that.

[Sandy Stanford]

How far is Culver City Calif from Maine? Far enough so that nobody from Maine represented Lie Nielsen at their two-day showcase for woodworkers. About 5 or six company reps did come from other places, though.

They couldn't tempt me. I'm just too strong willed.

My initial foray into WoodWorking was a drunken, frenzied gush of consumer insanity. I retired and I was going to buy everything in the Lee Valley catalog, with new, green-painted 220 power equipment for the shop floor. Then, I grew up. So, even though I have about 13 wonderful handplanes, I only own one, used Lie Nielsen model. A block plane.

What I saw today might not be for everyone. But their tools are impressive. And if you have $2500 in quarters rolling around under the seats of your car — annoying hell out of you — you can get rid of them by buying the LN Workbench. One odd little item that would be super for a guy installing windows who needs to make a tongue & groove window sash. It's the T&G plane. The spring loaded fence pulls down and rotates to allow cutting mating joint surfaces.

That seems a lot more sensible out on a job than dragging a router table in from your truck. Boy, these guys are really staying up late at night, trying hard to figure ways to separate you from your money.

Gary Curtis

It's hard to tell exactly from your post, but it appears you bought a lot of the offerings from Lee Valley (you mentioned you have 13 planes). If so, why are you still shopping? Those will work fine. Better than fine. Get on with your woodworking.

[Angie Kopacek]

I was very sorry to find "Angie" missing from the L-N stand at WIA. She is the girl in a few of their instructional YouTube videos. She was super sweet and very informed about their products. Neither she nor another girl that often worked there are around any more. Oddly, they seemed at least a person short during the three days and the absense of Mr. Lie-Nielsen was surprising as well. All signs of the tight economy, I suppose.


Why, thank you! That was me. No, I'm not officially with Lie-Nielsen anymore. Though I can't say I'll never help out at another show, it might be viewed as a conflict of interest with my current employer and so unfortunately, it's unlikely. I do poke my head into the woodworking forums online, though, so feel free to send me a message or post and I'll help if I can. :)

Angie

[Gary Curtis]

You're right. I do have enough planes. I went to the show in Culver City because I want to show my support for companies like Lie Nielsen. They are dedicated to their craft, and are serving Woodworkers. Especially the ones who appreciate hand tools.

Aside from planes the company comes up with new ideas.

Gary

[Joel Goodman]

The beauty of the shows is that you can try everything out. #7 vs #8 vs low angle #7 1/2.....

[Mark Stutz]

I haven't used the LN T&G plane, but I don't quite understand why they picked that one.

The stanley 48 and 49 work very well and are easy to set up and sharpen, and they're not particularly rare or expensive, especially if you have a week or two of patience.

I understand the difference in width with the LN planes (vs. the stanley), but that's not a critical dimension with them.

In the event that you can find a good condition matched wooden pair, they work nicer than the metal planes, anyway, and the grip seems more natural for feeling vertical.

I don't have a pair of woodies, but can imagine they would be more comfortable in the hand. I've made several tongue and groove backs, and after just a short time the metal handled vintage ones get very uncomfortable even with a piece of foam held in my palm.

I had a chance to use a prototypes few years ago at LN and the difference in hand is noticeable. besides the mechanism being more solid and tighter, the wooden tote is a big improvement. I assume woodworkers used thicker stock in the past since the 48 centers on 7/8 stock. If this was the only difference (3/4 vs 7/8) it probably wouldn't be worth it, but there is a noticeable difference.

Mark