Guess where I am

[ear3]

Heaven

 

[HarveyWildes]

I'm envious - everytime I've been to Boston and managed to make it up somewhere near that neck of the woods, it's either been after hours or on a Sunday.

 

[bdiemer]

You've got the golden ticket? Don't leave empty handed.

 

[monstrol]

Now you're just bragging.....I am envious

 

[ear3]

My wife and I come up every year to Maine about this time to stay with her aunt, who lives up near Bar Harbor.  Lie Nielsen isn't exactly close -- 90 miles down the coast on Route 1 -- so I got up at 5:30am to get on the road in time to get in the door when the opened, have some time to spec things out, then get back to where we were staying in time to have a full day.

I gotta tell you, after using the shooting plane, and producing a dead square end after only a few passes, I came real close to walking out the door with it.  But I talked myself down, and decided to test out their bronze beading tool (modeled on the Stanley 66).  I spent about a half hour making some beads in cherry on the showroom workbench, and decided to settle for that instead.  I also briefly considered the large router plane, but I'm currently weighing it against the Veritas model, so instead I got myself a consolation prize of the drawsharp sharpening jig.  Didn't get the showroom discount on that since it's a third party item, but I actually need it as I'm doing some log de-barking while I'm up here, so I've put it to immediate use.

So all in all, very happy I went. 

 

[RKA]

Very nice!!  I've been eyeing that shooting plane the last few weeks.  I think I'll give it a test drive when they come down to NYC in Nov.  Hopefully I can make it.  Unlike most of the other planes, there is a substantial difference in price (and weight) between the LN and Veritas versions. 

Enjoy the time off...Arcadia is on my list...someday.

 

[gsdvorak]

Nice!!  My wife and I have never been to Maine and we'd like to get there sometime- maybe next year when LN has their open house.  She saw that they have a lobster bake so that convinced her to spend a day looking at tools! 

Hope you enjoyed your time there and didn't break your bank account too bad. 

Regards,
Gerald

 

[derekcohen]

My wife and I come up every year to Maine about this time to stay with her aunt, who lives up near Bar Harbor.  Lie Nielsen isn't exactly close -- 90 miles down the coast on Route 1 -- so I got up at 5:30am to get on the road in time to get in the door when the opened, have some time to spec things out, then get back to where we were staying in time to have a full day.

I gotta tell you, after using the shooting plane, and producing a dead square end after only a few passes, I came real close to walking out the door with it.  But I talked myself down, and decided to test out their bronze beading tool (modeled on the Stanley 66).  I spent about a half hour making some beads in cherry on the showroom workbench, and decided to settle for that instead.  I also briefly considered the large router plane, but I'm currently weighing it against the Veritas model, so instead I got myself a consolation prize of the drawsharp sharpening jig.  Didn't get the showroom discount on that since it's a third party item, but I actually need it as I'm doing some log de-barking while I'm up here, so I've put it to immediate use.

So all in all, very happy I went.

Hi Edward

I may have mentioned this before ..

I have a surface of shooting planes. It is an embarrassment to admit what I have. But the long-and-short of the story is the Veritas is the best shooting plane. I have the LN #51. I absolutely love this plane and using it. It has a slightly better action than the Veritas because it is heavier. However, the Veritas has a lower cutting action, which leaves a smoother surface and a far, far, far more durable edge. The Veritas just keeps on going while the LN dulls quickly on the woods I use. It is not the LN steel or blade. I have tried a PM-V11 blade as well. The higher cutting angle just wears more rapidly when shooting.

Here is a comparison of the two shooting planes:http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolReviews/LVShootingPlane.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Michael Kellough]

Thank you Derek! 

Very few people can provide that information.

 

[otis04]

Glad you made it!  I grew up just outside of Ellsworth and know the Acadia area well.  Now live in So Cal and really miss my trips to Lie Nielsen (and spring fed lakes, can't beat those).  Next year, plan to take one of the weekend workshops, you will be very pleased.

 

[ear3]

Ditto.  The weight and heft of the LN was very nice though.  No worries whatsoever about rocking the plane, as sometimes happens for me when I have used the LA jack to shoot. 

Thank you Derek! 

Very few people can provide that information.

 

[ear3]

That's good advice on the weekend workshops [member=10093]otis04[/member] Will have to convince the wife to coordinate next year's trip accordingly.  I'm not sure how I'd feel if I grew up here, but over the years I've developed a fairly strong connection with Maine.  I went to college one year in Brunswick (didn't like it, so I transferred), and since my wife and I have been together we've been coming up every year to stay with her aunt for 15 years going.  My wife's aunt lives in this turn wonderful stone cottage that was built at the turn of the century by an artisan who made concrete sculpture, Eric Soderholtz, and the house is now on the Historical registry -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_E._Soderholtz_Cottage

Over the years I've been able to do some maintenance work on the house and around the grounds, and look forward in the future to perhaps doing more extensive restorations if the need should arise.  As i write this I'm in the sun room/extension looking up at the ceiling at these massive 4x8 rafters covered with 16 ft. long 16" wide planks -- he obviously had the pick of the lumber mill when he put the place together.

The property is littered with the remnants of his work, including some of the architectural detail he added to the landscaping around the house as well as various urns, flower pots and other garden paraphernalia from which he made his living  -- he apparently had this super secret formula for his concrete (that died with him) that has given his work incredible durability across 100+ Maine winters.

Glad you made it!  I grew up just outside of Ellsworth and know the Acadia area well.  Now live in So Cal and really miss my trips to Lie Nielsen (and spring fed lakes, can't beat those).  Next year, plan to take one of the weekend workshops, you will be very pleased.

 

[Michael Kellough]

"-- he apparently had this super secret formula for his concrete (that died with him) that has given his work incredible durability across 100+ Maine winters."

Probably not relevant but it reminds me that the most durable sections of The Great Wall have sticky rice added to the mortar.