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It appears that I will be driving up to Maine in mid October. We will be visiting friends that live about 10 miles from Lie Nielsen so that is definitely on my list. Are there any used tool stores that I should visit? I saw an article about Liberty Tool in Liberty, Maine but I thought that there were also some outside of Bar Harbor too.
Any suggestions for things to do and places to go will be appreciated.
Cheers,
David
David, we went to Maine this summer. We visited Liberty and Lie Nielsen. There's also Hulls Cove Tool Barn near Bar Harbor, which is connected with Liberty and we toured Thos. Moser Cabinet Makers "workshop" in Auburn. You have to call ahead to make arrangements for the latter. Lie Nielsen also gives tours, and I believe they recommend calling ahead as well.
When you go to the Hulls Cove and Liberty stores, hang on to your wallet. There are also a lot of smaller shops through the smaller towns that are worth exploring.
Moser also has his main showroom in Freeport, and it's a great experience. After we went through the showroom, I'm sure it took a long time to clean up all the drool marks. I love his designs. Gotta wonder, though, whether they get used to craftsmen going through the showroom who nearly take apart the furniture to see how it's made.
While you're in Freeport, the main LL Bean store is just down the street. There's good lobster, too, and clam chowder.
Bruce
Hulls Cove tool barn (on Mount Desert Island just outside of BH) and Liberty are owned by the same folks. Liberty is much larger, but they tell me that Hulls Cove sometimes gets the "nicer" stuff. I bought a No. 4 there earlier this summer.
Lie Nielsen has a nice showroom and wonderful facility all around.
Another place to consider, though further up the coast is Lincolnville Chair Makers. That is about 1.5 hrs from Warren (Lie-Nielsen). The have a huge old farmhouse as thier showroom, and the Owner will walk around with you and talk for HOURS. The first time i went there he offered me a job for $55,000/yr on the spot! you can walk all through their shop as well. not as high tech as say Thos. Moser but they too make some wonderful things.
Maine Maritime Muesem in Bath has great exhibits on boat building and even an old time shop set up with some real antiques. We (fiance and I) love going there and actually are getting married there next summer.
Best of luck on your journey!
NWB
Kittery Trading Post is always fun on your way home. Not much for tools, but guns, knives, beef jerky, etc. Manly stuff.
Liberty Tool is worth a visit, but I found most of my user-grade tools at small antique stores. Though I got a good open handle Disston back saw and some NOS Swan chisels at Liberty, the theme is quantity rather than quality. A lot of the tools are what you might see at a flea market, except there will be many of them (e.g. a bin full of breast drills instead of a single one). You should definitely visit the tool museum across the street from Liberty. A small store a few doors down had some good tools - I got a beautiful Buck Bros. paring chisel there for $9.
There are many antique stores in the area and almost every one will have a few old tools, often reasonably priced. On my last visit to Maine in May of this year, I shipped four boxes of tools back to my home. I'll be in Freeport next week and intend to visit Lie Nielsen as well as every little antique shop I pass.
Good hunting!
Capt Tinkhams in Searsport is the third leg in the Hulls Cove /Liberty triad. May be better pickings there. And an interesting Maritime Museum.
The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockland (on Route 90, left turn about a mile after LN) has interesting shows. Atlantic Bakery good for lunch.
And don't forget Peapod Jewelry on route 32 in Round Pond to sweeten the bigger purchases. And the lobster is good in Round Pond Harbor.
And for your amusement check Greg Rossel's map from Bob Easton's WoodenBoat School blog:
http://www.bob-easton.com/blog/?m=200901