Canada: Who's Who and What's out there

[Ralph Dobbertin]

OK: I'm a fairly new to Sawmill Creek and I'm loving the community spirit and camaraderie. So many helpful and committed woodworkers of all types.

I personally like building furniture, have been doing it for a few years, and am OK but trying to be better.

Mark Singer: this goes to you and your post on the Blue Spruce Chisels as well as your JK like recent project for Stan. They are outstanding and beautiful. Thanks for making me aware of them. There are so many other great projects out there but Marks were the last ones I saw and got me motivated to write.

What is driving me to start this thread is that I am looking for Canadian woodworkers (I'm just north of Toronto) {who are you and what project types do you like working on} and their insights into their local resources.

Are there any Canadian versions of BS Chisels out there (ie. is anyone making great quality unique tools)? Is anyone out there building Krenov type pieces? My next projects will be a Philly style Low and Highboy. Finding plans is rough (just orderd Gene Landons Low Boy plans). Could still use a full Philly High boy plan.

We have Lee Valley which is great and there are 3 sawmills with decent supplies of wood that I am aware of. But I'd love it if I could find anyone making interesting tools in Canada, interesting plans. A place to find quality used tools etc etc. Great pieces someone built that I could see.

So any Canadians out there with ideas.

Appreciate it

All the best

Ralph

[Mark Singer]

Ralph,
Sorry it took me so long to thank you! I was in Canada recently and had a great time. There is a very skilled chair maker in Quebec City...I think his name is Dugally....as good as anyone we have here except California's Sam Maloof. This guy made beautiful rockers ..I even went back a few times to gaze...I did stop in the Lee Valley in Toronto, a nice clean store.When I was in western Canada a few years ago we saw some nice casework in Vancouver and Victoria

Oh and Welcome!

[George Matthews]

What is driving me to start this thread is that I am looking for Canadian woodworkers (I'm just north of Toronto) {who are you and what project types do you like working on} and their insights into their local resources.

There are many Canadian WW on SMC.
I'm not too far from you in Markham.
My WW is really more for the therapudic value, but I've been a weekend WW since '71.


Here are some of my latest projects...

http://web.mac.com/sgmatthews/iWeb/Cornell%20Workshop/Welcome.html

[Ralph Dobbertin]

Hey: good to hear from you. Saw your website..nice work..thanks for responding. I have some of my pictures in a thread I started called "new amateur turner". Take a look if you have not seen it all ready.

All the best

[Ralph Dobbertin]

Ralph,
Sorry it took me so long to thank you! I was in Canada recently and had a great time. There is a very skilled chair maker in Quebec City...I think his name is Dugally....as good as anyone we have here except California's Sam Maloof. This guy made beautiful rockers ..I even went back a few times to gaze...I did stop in the Lee Valley in Toronto, a nice clean store.When I was in western Canada a few years ago we saw some nice casework in Vancouver and Victoria

Oh and Welcome!

Thanks Mark: Still trying to find a web site with Dugally pieces in it. Thanks for responding. All the best.

[Neil Bosdet]

Another Canadian here but the majority of the US population lives closer to you than I do. I'm in the Canadian Rockies between Banff and Calgary. I do a little of everything at the moment.

[Mack Cameron]

OK: I'm a fairly new to Sawmill Creek and I'm loving the community spirit and camaraderie. So many helpful and committed woodworkers of all types.

I personally like building furniture, have been doing it for a few years, and am OK but trying to be better.

Mark Singer: this goes to you and your post on the Blue Spruce Chisels as well as your JK like recent project for Stan. They are outstanding and beautiful. Thanks for making me aware of them. There are so many other great projects out there but Marks were the last ones I saw and got me motivated to write.

[quote]What is driving me to start this thread is that I am looking for Canadian woodworkers (I'm just north of Toronto) {who are you and what project types do you like working on} and their insights into their local resources. Hi Ralph; well I just came home from having breakfast in Ajax with 11 other woodworkers from around the GTA. I'm not trying to take you away from this forum, just to let you get to know some Cdn. woodies. There's lots of us around.
http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/links.php?category=Resource
http://www.canadianhomeworkshop.com/contributors.shtml
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDirect link to another forum was deleted -- TOS violation.

Try these sites, I'm sure you will find something to interest you! Tell them I sent you, but don't forget to come back to SMC.

[Kristian Wild]

Hi Ralph, I live even farther from you, right on the "Left Coast" but am originally from Eastern Ontario. Presently I'm mid-way through a carreer shift and two years into my apprenticeship as a joiner (cabinet maker). Most of my influences come from the country farm-type furniture my parents collected and restored as I was growing up.

I enjoy experimenting in a variety of styles and mediums (when I have time) and especially enjoy using local species and lumber from local sources, including reclaimed materials.

Take care,

Kris

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Hi Ralph,

I'm in Oakville...:-)


We have a woodworking club here called the Halton Furniture Makers Society, check us out at www.HFMS.ca

[Steve Aiken]

I'm in Belleville, Ontario...about 2 hours east of TO.

I've built things from wood for 40 years, but it's only been in the past 7 years that I've begun to move from wood-butchery to cabinet-making. I enjoy home renovation as well.

Steve

[Stefan Schoenberger]

Hi Ralph

I am living on Ontarios westcoast in Huron County.

I started my own business almost three years ago. I do almost everything from framing houses, siding, roofing, flooring and wooden stairs.

Stefan

[luc gendron]

Hello Ralph,

Need new ressources in Canada. Try www.hardwareattic.ca (http://www.hardwareattic.ca). Since I've discovered them, I've never purchased from LV again.

[Mike Canaris]

Hi Luc...I live in Laval... have been doing woodworking for about 20 years now..I do some custom work for a few clients on my spare time...

[Travis Lavallee]

Hey guys,

I'm all the way over in Manitoba. Right in the middle, but too far to use any of the "local" resources you guys know about.

[Ralph Dobbertin]

Hi Ralph,

I'm in Oakville...:-)


We have a woodworking club here called the Halton Furniture Makers Society, check us out at www.HFMS.ca (http://www.HFMS.ca)

Hey Jim: Can I attend some of the society sessions, to see if I want to join?

[Luciano Burtini]

Hey Ralph

They're not chisels but we do have one of the nicest (okay, maybe the nicest) saw makers out here in the West. If you've not seen them before, check out the saws made by Adria Toolworks in Vancouver. Very Nice.

http://www.adriatools.com/

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I live in Scarborough, not far from you.

I frequently buy hardwood at Century Mill in Stoufville........Regards, Rod.

[Benjimin Young]

Hi Ralph, SC is my favorite internet spot. Unfortunately, most of the meet-ups are too far to attend. Thanks for starting your thread, it offers a chance to identify other SC members who are a little more local, I live in Mississauga. Unfortunately, I do not have anything to add re local toolmakers.

Maybe we can have a meet at the March Woodworking shop in Toronto.

[Marty Barron]

Hi Ralph, I am out in the true east coast St. John's, NL and I enjoy turning and furniture making. I just need to get more organized in my shop to do more of both. I have lived in Toronto and London for a few years.

Marty

[Marc Gélinas]

Hi Ralph,
I'm still new around here myself, live in the greater Montreal area, you might try to find information on Louis Michaud (here is a link to a page with some of his work. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Shores/8907/louis.html).
I believe a recent (2006) LeeValley catalog had a beautiful hand brace on the cover made by this guy.

[tim rowledge]

I'm on Vancouver Island; where pretty much the only downside is the remoteness from good toolshops. Just about everything is mail-order and I'm always interested in pointers to Canadian sources - not because I'm against buying from south of the border but because the shipping is so much simpler when a website actually understands that Canada is not one of the states....

[Ralph Dobbertin]

Hi Ralph,
I'm still new around here myself, live in the greater Montreal area, you might try to find information on Louis Michaud (here is a link to a page with some of his work. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Shores/8907/louis.html).
I believe a recent (2006) LeeValley catalog had a beautiful hand brace on the cover made by this guy.

Hi Marc: I tried the link but it could not be found. Is there something different I need to do? Great to met you.