Lie-Nielsen Open House in Maine - Worth a visit?

[Doug Hobkirk]

Lie-Nielsen is having an "open house" on July 12-13. The L-N showroom is about a 3 hour drive from my house.

What are the good reasons to go? Is there anything more special than I would find if I were to visit them on a random day in the middle of the week?

I am retired and poor and I love good tools. My planes are an assortment of "finds," including an L-N block plane from eBay (had never been used).I probably will not have the cash for a new plane. In fact I actually don't use my existing planes very often - mostly I do functional furniture repair at Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts. But I am a tool guy, so I try to avoid practical issues whenever I can (my shop is much better equipped [as is true for many of you] than logic dictates).

Arcadia is only an hour beyond that - a potential destination that would interest my wife as well as myself. We haven't been up the coast in Maine in several years.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Ryan Baker]

If I were that close, I would go. Of course, a lot of it will be marketing for their products, but there should be a number of demonstrators there that would make it worth seeing. It's a good place to try out tools you are considering buying. But it is also easy to leave with a lot less money than when you arrived, so you might want to leave the credit cards at home.

[Sam Murdoch]

If I were that close, I would go. Of course, a lot of it will be marketing for their products, but there should be a number of demonstrators there that would make it worth seeing. It's a good place to try out tools you are considering buying. But it is also easy to leave with a lot less money than when you arrived, so you might want to leave the credit cards at home.

Great chance to try and discuss the options for the best tool for you. Don't leave your credit cards at home though because then your trip to Acadia would be a squeaker :). Worth a visit to Blue Hill too on your way north if you'd rather see a smaller less busy than Bar Harbor/Acadia but equally beautiful piece of Maine.

[Matt Meiser]

We visited on an ordinary business day and it was worth a slight detour to see. Not sure I'd make a 3 hour trip but a stop on the way to Bar Harbor/Acadia would be well worth it.

Someday we are going back to Bar Harbor--loved it up there.

[Erik Manchester]

I visited the showroom in early Jan this year just after the Christmas holidays while most of Maine was digging out of a good dump of snow. I had a chance to chat with the staff, try out a few tools that had not been available at the last LN handtool expo that I had visited, and Thomas himself came downstairs for a coffee and offered me one as it was a quiet day and there were only a few of us in the shop. Meeting the man himself was the high point of the visit to be sure. I live 8 hours away so I won't visit often, but a trip to Warren is certainly a pilgrimmage for any WW tool junkie.

[Jim Matthews]

The staff are nice people that share your enthusiasm.

There might also be a show coming up at Phil Lowe at the Topsfield Fair, in October.
I'm not sure what kind of instruction will be offered at either venue - they're "tasters" designed to pique your interest.

http://www.closegrain.com/2012/10/with-phil-lowe-at-topsfield-fair.html
http://www.topsfieldfair.org/

[David Weaver]

I don't know that I'd drive 3 hours to go there, but they're a genuinely good shop and they probably almost single-handedly got me into hand tools. Much as I've sold off a lot of my LN stuff, I have to admit that it was FAR easier to watch Charlesworth's dvd on sharpening, buy an LN plane and get at it with 100% success than it would've been to sift through decent antiques and prepare them. The quality of their tools has driven a lot of the hand tool resurgence.

[Alden Miller]

If you are looking for something to do for the day it sounds like you have a plan with adding something your wife would like to do also. I visited the shop when I was vacationing in Freeport. For me it was worth the drive, beautiful scenery, a stop at Moody's Diner on the way for Lobstah Rolls and lunch in Damariscotta on the way back (excellent fresh oysters).

-Alden

[Richard Coers]

If you have to ask, don't go.

[Steve Friedman]

Arcadia is only an hour beyond that - a potential destination that would interest my wife as well as myself. We haven't been up the coast in Maine in several years.

I go to Lie-Nielsen at least once each year and love it, but have never been there for an open house. I see that there are going to be lots of special guests there that weekend, which should be very cool. The downside is likely to be that the place will be crowded, so you'll have less time to play than if you went midweek.

By the way, Warren is not an hour from Acadia unless you have a helicopter. It's probably two hours midweek in the late fall or early spring. Much longer on a weekend in the summer. Yes, there is traffic in Maine.

Places to Stop along 95 and Route 1 on the way up:
Thomas Moser in Freeport
Montsweag Flea Market in Woolwich (weekends)
Shelter Institute in Woolrich

Liberty Tools is only around 1/2 hour northwest of Lie-Nielsen, but about the same distance from Mass as Warren.

If you make it to Acadia, I understand that Hull's Cove (owned by the Liberty Tool people) is worth the visit.

Moody's Diner is very cool and makes the world's best pies. Excellent fried clams, but (IMHO) there are much better options for Lobster Roll. My personal favorite is a little shack right in Kennebunkport (forgot the name). Red's in Wiscasset is more famous, but (again in my opinion) the lines aren't worth it.

Have fun. We're leaving for Maine on August 3rd and I am counting the days!

Steve

[Julie Moriarty]

Doug, I think you'll find the trip enjoyable, for both you and your wife. That's such a beautiful part of the country, it's hard to go wrong making that a destination point. If you do decide to go, do some web searches for the best places to visit, for both of you. :)

About 50 miles from L-N's headquarters is Sabre Yachts. They employ highly skilled carpenters to fit out their amazing sailboats. That could be an interesting segue.

While your wife may not get your interest in things made of metal, she could certainly enjoy all that the area has to offer. But for you, visiting L-N and putting their tools in your hand may result in your "tool guy" status changing into a "L-N convert" status. I own many L-N tools and they took me into a new level. So beware the contagion!

If you can get away, do it! And enjoy the time with your wife. And if along the way you find yourself bitten by the L-N virus, let your wife help you help you find the cure. :D

[Erik Christensen]

If you are a real tool junkie - being able to buy it is not the issue - seeing how it's made and talking to people who design, build and use the tools is the thrill. If Felder, Martin or Altendorf was 3 hours away with an open house I could go to I'd be on that like a bad habit and those are tools I will never be able to buy in this lifetime. Same reason to wander though a Ferrari dealer - I like looking at cool stuff even if I can't ever own it.

[Jim Neeley]

I own a fair representation of their stuff and love almost all of it. The couple of tools I'm not fond of were certain hand saws because the handle is too small for my hand. If I'd visited there I'd have known that in advance.. and likely been told they are willing to provide them with larger handles. If I'd done that I'd not have a couple of saws needing to be returned for re-handling.

I say go, if only to feel what really sharp hand tools can do... or to remind yourself if you've previously experienced it.

You don't need to buy that day but it'll help you to decide what you want and in what order.

Just my $0.02..

Jim

[Jim Mackell]

......... options for Lobster Roll. My personal favorite is a little shack right in Kennebunkport (forgot the name). Red's in Wiscasset is more famous, but (again in my opinion) the lines aren't worth it. Have fun. We're leaving for Maine on August 3rd and I am counting the days! Steve Steve, you're thinking of The Clam Shack. Right by the little bridge that seperates Kennbunkport from Lower Kennebunk. I'll be having my supper there in about half an hour!

[Steve Friedman]

Steve, you're thinking of The Clam Shack. Right by the little bridge that seperates Kennbunkport from Lower Kennebunk. I'll be having my supper there in about half an hour!
That's just cruel!!! And then a couple of beers at Federal Jacks and dessert at Ben & Jerry's?

Been going to Maine every year for close to 20 years and it now feels like we're just eating our way up the coast. I prefer the Clam Shack to Red's, which I think is over-hyped. We rent a house on the water in Friendship for a couple of weeks each summer and the best lobster rolls are the ones I make. Lobster from the local lobsterman's harvest that day and steamed in sea water. Oh my god. This is killing me. I have to stop.

Steve

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Update- I'M GOING TO HANDWORKS!!!!!! I called my brother in Kansas City, MO, and told him he should go if it's not too far. (I have zero comprehension of northern US geography.). Turns out it's only 4 hours from there, and 3 from his farmhouse. He offered to loan me his CJ7 (he wanted to loan the Suburban, but the CJ is more my style). I have created a Facebook page called "Going to Handworks 2017." It is searchable publicly, but you must join the group to se posts. That way if you want to tell your significant other you are going on a "business trip," you can post in the group and they won't know that your "business trip" is really going to give toolmakers your business.

Thanks for for the suggestion. This will be fun.

[Ellen Benkin]

Any woodworker who visits LN should also check out the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship about 20 minutes up the road. Check out www.woodschool.org (http://www.woodschool.org) for details.

[Frederick Skelly]

I have created a Facebook page called "Going to Handworks 2017." It is searchable publicly, but you must join the group to se posts. That way if you want to tell your significant other you are going on a "business trip," you can post in the group and they won't know that your "business trip" is really going to give toolmakers your business.

Sputter, ack, sputter. I just spit coffee all over the monitor again! Malcolm, you just crack me up! I mean, Im still laughing about you and the bowling ball cannon. Now you create a clandestine facebook page for Handwerks!

Cant wait to read about your adventures!

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Sputter, ack, sputter. I just spit coffee all over the monitor again! Malcolm, you just crack me up! I mean, Im still laughing about you and the bowling ball cannon. Now you create a clandestine facebook page for Handwerks!

Cant wait to read about your adventures!


For or the record, Amy knows full well about this trip. How much I plan to spend... Well... You don't expect me to tell her every little detail do you?

[Frederick Skelly]

For or the record, Amy knows full well about this trip. How much I plan to spend... Well... You don't expect me to tell her every little detail do you?

I figured she did. I thought you made the page clandestine for the rest of us. :D
It sounds like a lot of fun!

[Larry Edgerton]

I was there 19 years ago when they were still in the old barn, and it was definitely cool. I understand they are in new digs now, but I am sure the tools are just as cool. Do it!

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I'm excited. This is way better than going to one company's event, and LN will be there anyway. About all I have left to see of theirs is the new honing guide and maybe they will have the mysterious disappearing plow plane there.