Other neander stores

[Brian Ashton]

I'm just about finished university and plan to spend a bit of money to celebrate my new found freedom and getting back to doing things I like... Other than Lee Valley, Lie Nielsen and Garrett Wade are there other good quality stores that you frequent. As I live in a far off land where the mullet and wife beater shirts are still considered trendy fashion statements the outlets need to have a website.

Cheers

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Brian

What tools are you after? There are some superb tools in our backyard, you know.

Chris Vesper (http://www.vespertools.com.au/) and Colen Clenton (http://www.hntgordon.com.au/colenclentonmarkinggauges.htm) make the best marking tools in the world. Chris' sliding bevel, in particular, has come in for serious praise ...

https://www.vespertools.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/resized/4__Sliding_Bevel_4dc0ff17aaed9_300x.jpg

Terry Gordon (http://www.hntgordon.com.au/) (HNT Gordon) has superb woodies. I am finishing up a review of his 1/2" dado plane, which I can unreservedly recommend ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/PlaningTheSlidingDovetail_html_4fc0f094.jpg

There are chisels by Harold & Saxon (http://www.haroldandsaxon.com/product-range/) ...

http://www.haroldandsaxon.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Ultimax-Chisels-Copy.jpg

Stores? Try Carba-tec for Lee Valley/Veritas and Lie-Nielsen Australia for LN.

Regards from upsidedown Perth

Derek (no mullet and does not beat his wife)

[Andrae Covington]

No doubt Derek has given you good options. A couple US-based handtool distributors with websites I have ordered from: thebestthings.com and toolsforworkingwood.com; the latter also makes many of their own tools. Some portion of their distributed lines come from UK firms like Ashley Iles, Robert Sorby, etc.; you may have a more direct source for those. There are a number of small "garage" specialty toolmakers here that sell online; depends on what you're looking for.

[Jim Matthews]

I'm VERY happy with my HNT Gordon planes.

They're set up beautifully, right out of the box.
I suppose your cost would be considerably lower than Stateside -
the tyranny of distance, and all.

[James Owen]

Along with thebestthings.com and toolsforworkingwood.com, which were mentioned by another poster, traditionalwoodworker.com has a very nice selection of hand tools, too.

[Zach Dillinger]

The Best Things is my favorite source for tools. Patrick Leach and Josh Clark are right up there.

[Brian Ashton]

The question asked is what am I interested in. I'm in a generalist mood and pretty much busting at the seams, having been sequestered away studying for the past 5 years, so I'm looking at anything and everything... I have heaps of tools now but that's certainly not going to stop me. I guess if there's something that is of particular interest it would be western saws. I've been using japanese saws since I was a young teenager, about 35 years and counting, and would like to get more acquainted with the push style of sawing (japanese saws are such a pain to sharpen) Frames saws are also of interest, at least I can build them...

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Brian

There are no specialist Aussie sawmakers (several talented amateurs but no pros). Based on my experience you have three options: Lee Valley for easy-to-use saws that perform as well as any, Lie-Nielsen for something more traditional that are well priced, and Mike Wenzloff & Sons (http://www.wenzloffandsons.com/), whose saws are an incredible bargain bearing in mind that he is top-of-the-ladder in my book.

One of Mike's dovetail saws, a birthday present a few years back. 20 tpi in an 8" thin plate, and an African Blackwood handle ...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/saws/Wenzloff%20tenon%20and%20dovetail/WSdovetailsaw.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[James Owen]

Another source for good quality Western saws is Bad Axe Tool Works http://www.badaxetoolworks.com/index.html.
Very nice saws.

[Paul Crowe]

Get yourself a shipitto (http://www.shipito.com/) account. Buy the stuff you want from the US suppliers web site:D, and /or wait til Lee Valley have free shipping. Send it to the shipitto warehouse.Consolidate it and they will send to oz as one package.
Happy days

Also works with ebay, 2nd hand tool suppliers etc and if it gets too hard they offer a purchasing service at $8.50 plus fees.

[Matthew Hills]

Above suggestions are good.

Also, Blue Spruce has been praised for chisels: http://www.bluesprucetoolworks.com

I really like the marking gauges by Hamilton Woodworks: http://www.hamiltontools.com

I like the small dovetail chisels from Czeck Edge: http://www.czeckedge.com

Bridge City tools for the hand tool gadgeteer: http://www.bridgecitytools.com

And Tools From Japan for... well.. guess: http://www.toolsfromjapan.com


Matt