We leave for Maine Friday

[Hank Knight]

LOML and I are leaving Friday for a woodworking week in Maine. For Valentine's day this year, she gave me a week-long course at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport. It's a hand tool drawer-building course taught by Craig Vandall Stevens. I hope to hone my dovetail skills and learn to build "piston fit" drawers. No more metal drawer slides for me! Kaye will do the tourista bit while I'm in class.

Anybody been to the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship? If so, got any tips? Places to see, eat, etc. Lie-Nielsen Tool Works is already at the top of the list.

Thanks,

Hank

[Dave Richards]

Sounds like a fun time. If you get the opportunity, check out The Jonesport Wood Co., Capt Tinkham's and Hulls Cove Tool Barn. http://www.jonesport-wood.com/jwabout.htm

Eat lobsters at the Lobsterman's Coop in East Boothbay Harbor.

Go up to Lincolnville and stop in at Walter Simmons place on Ducktrap road. He mostly builds wooden boats and writes books but he's got some other interesting stuff in his store. Ducktrap road is just beyond Lincolnville--left turn as you're headed away from Rockport and his place is not too far up on the left of Ducktrap road.

Also boat related but interesting for woodworking stuff is WoodenBoat in Brooklin. Take a look at the shops in the big barn. It's out on Naskeag Rd beyond Brooklin. It's a right turn off the road.

[Rennie Heuer]

Another place to visit (I have no idea how close it is to where you will be) is Seashore Trolley Museum - Kenneunkport, Maine. They rebuild trolley cars (almost all wood) from the ground up. Very facinating stuff.

[Andy Hoyt]

Hank - CFC is a great place - be prepared to learn a lot and be tired at the end of the session.

If you like woodworking (duh!) and like boats, this place is right next door in Rockland. http://www.atlanticchallenge.com/apprenticeshop/index.shtm

And you're always welcome to stop by my place - I'm about two hours northwest of Rockport by car and 45 minutes by crow - it's a "can't get there from here" thing.

[Dave Richards]

Oh, good. I'd forgotten about Atlantic Challenge. Leave it to the Outlaw.

And what is the deal with that, Andy? I noticed you can just about spit a watermelon seed from one place to another in Maine but it's a day's drive by car.

[Andy Hoyt]

That's easy, Dave.

All the direct routes are through East Vassalboro.

And you know what's said about that town - right?

[Dave Richards]

Uh....no. I hate to ask. :D What?

[Andy Hoyt]

"You can't get there from here."

[Jay Knoll]

Hank

You are going to have a great time! The courses are intensive (workshop is open 24 hours a day for the students does this tell you anything?) but very rewarding. Don't know what your time availability is, all the places that have been mentioned in this post sound great, but you might not have time to drive around a lot.

Camden is close, and a fun town with lots of shops for SWMBO, Cappy's is a great bar/burger place, there are a couple of other places on the wharf but I can't remember their names. Rockland has a great art museum especially if you like Wyeth. There was one interesting restaurant we especially liked, it was a wine bar/ small plates/dessert type place, lots of overstuffed chairs and sofas and low tables, like dinner in someone's living room, unfortunately I can't remember the name but it was on the main drag in Rockland on the right hand side as you head toward Camden.

Please give my regards to both Peter's (K and S) when you get there. During my course Peter Korn sponsored a lobster bake at the school, it was a lot of fun and you get to meet some of the spouses as well.

Pics, we are waiting for pics!

[Don Bergren]

This is a good time to be coming to this area because the summer tourist season has calmed down and the sidewalks haven't been rolled up for winter yet.

For the tourist part it can be fun (or so I'm told) to roam around Rockland, Rockport and Camden. There are lots of shops to roam around in, plus the ocean is always near by. The Farnsworth Art Museum is located on Maine Street in Rockland and is a very popular destination. There is a great boardwalk in Rockland harbor that is accessible from Rockland's public landing that makes for an enjoyable walk along the harbor's edge, and there are numerous shops and restaurants along Rockland's main street.

Camden also has lots of shops to see and Camden harbor is a great place to wander around with easy access from the public landing which is accessible from the center of town. You can sit in the park at the head of the harbor and look out to sea for a fantastic view. On the outskirts of Camden, heading toward Lincolnville, one can find the Camden Hills State Park where you can travel by car to the top of Mt. Battie and look out over Camden and points beyond.

Rockport harbor is also a pretty spot but you won't find the number of shops that are in Rockland or Camden. But Rockport is still a great place to wander around.

There are numerous art galleries to visit in these towns, and a tremendous choice of restaurants. Although three towns may sound like a lot of territory to cover, towns aren't real big up this way. There's also the Owls Head Transportation Museum here in Owls Head.

[Dick Aubochon]

Hank - CFC is a great place - be prepared to learn a lot and be tired at the end of the session.

If you like woodworking (duh!) and like boats, this place is right next door in Rockland. http://www.atlanticchallenge.com/apprenticeshop/index.shtm

And you're always welcome to stop by my place - I'm about two hours northwest of Rockport by car and 45 minutes by crow - it's a "can't get there from here" thing.

Just up the road from CFC is Malone Boatworks, they build beautiful wooden boats. If you take a ride to Rockport Harbor, you can see some wonderful wooden Hinckley's, Choey Lees, and Concordias. Our boat the Maggie Moon sits partway out the harbor. The Schooners are still in the water in Camden as well. On Route 1 in Lincolnville Beach is a shop making Windsor Chairs. If you stop in Freeport, a visit to the Moser showroom is a must. Just up the street is the Azure Cafe, one of the best eateries in Maine. Say hello to Jonas the owner, he's family.
Enjoy your stay in Maine, ayuh

[Corey Hallagan]

Sounds like a great time Hank. Enjoy it!

corey

[Ray Bersch]

Hank if you do go to Lie-Nielsen Tool Works plan on stopping at Moody's Diner - just a spit south on Rt 1 - if for nothing else, a piece of all fruit pie - or any of their pies or pastries!

And as you travel up if you see a black Volvo XC with New Jersey plates and the good ol' eagle, globe and anchor on the license plate - it'll be me so give a toot. I'll be heading up on Friday to our "summer" place in Raymond, ME for a long weekend.

If you need any help with road recommendations from NJ up, let me know - I think I know every rock and cop along the way!
Ray

[john lawson]

Hank:

You are going to love it. I did the " 12 Week Intensive" course there last summer. The school is first rate, as are all the instructors.

"Must Sees" while you are there are Lie-Nielson (also known as the "crack house" for visiting tool junkies); Liberty Tool, located in Liberty Maine, this is a combination of an old hardware store turned into a used tool flea market. I don't believe I exagerate when I estimate they have at least 100,000 old/used tools and cutters of every possible description. Much of it is worn, junk, but then you will find an absolute jewel at a very low price. You have to see it to believe it. The fun is in the hunt. Someone at the school can give you directions, and you should go on a Saturday morning. Another great place to visit is a woodworker named David Margonelli. He is on highway 1 in Edgecomb, ME, between Portland and Rockport. Some of his work is jaw dropping beautiful.

Of course, there is the harbor at Camden (where Peyton Place was filmed), and any place up and down the coast. There are too many places to see in a week. Your wife should have a great time.

Good luck and enjoy.