2014 Woodworking Tolls

Another year has gone by and that means another list of vendors is in order.  All of these folks I have satisfactorily purchased tools, supplies, or other woodworking paraphernalia from in the past year.  These annual lists are not meant to be an inventory, so I won't be listing everything purchased.  However, I do add notable comments.  Feel free to ask if something piques your interest.  The list is longer this year because I finally wised up and kept a vendor journal of sorts through the year.  Without further pomp and circumstance, here is the list:

Highland Woodworking.  The rest of the list is in no particular order.  More on Highland below.

Jim bode tools.  You have to dig a bit, but you will find plenty of user tools among their finer stuff.

etsy.  As expected, I find the oddest stuff here.  Some hardware and leather working rivets are among the finds for this year.

ebay  Do you really need the link?

Lee Valley/Veritas.  I got to touch their new 'custom' planes at WIA this year, but did not have much time to play with them.  I'm anxious to hear other folk's experience with them.

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks.  A banner year in that I got FOUR (!!!) Lie-Nielsen tools this year.  Currently enamored with their beading tool; maybe I'll feel different when the 'new' wears off.  Finally, I can't wait for them to start selling their new sharpening jig.  Rumor has it they are making small changes to their tools to ensure every blade they have can be sharpened on their jig with optional add-ons.

CU woodshop.  Most of my wood was purchased from this gem in Champaign, IL.

Woodcraft.  A stalwart supplier of tools, wood, and consumables.

Menards/Home Depot/Lowes  For obvious reasons.

Van Dyke's Restorers  Stuff can get pricey, but they have what we need and higher margins are necessary to provide such a broad range of products.  I know, I'm totally trying to justify what I've spent on hardware with them. :)

Grizzly

Hovarter Custom Vise.  It's killing me that I have not been able to install their new VX20 yet!  I got frozen out of the outside shop too soon.

Hobby Lobby.  You'd be surprised how useful this place can be to woodworkers.

Tandy Leather

Klingspor's woodworking

Czeck Edge Tools.  Picked up one of their new awls at WIA--love it.

Peachtree woodworking

CMT tools

Japan Woodworker

Blaine's Farm & Fleet

For the first time I'm separating the publishing department:

Lost Art Press.  See this blog entry.

Abe books

Popular Woodworking

Woodworker's Journal

Woodcraft Magazine

I am presenting the Pragmatic Woodworker 2014 Woody award to Highland Woodworking.  These folks gave me a voice for my writing for which I'm very thankful.  I pitched and they agreed that my 'amateur' voice might speak to other woodworkers.  I'm still making mistakes, and I'm still writing about them.  Hopefully Highland will find more publishable material amongst my shop follies and successes in 2015.  :)  Furthermore, by far, Highland received the lion's share of my business this year. 

I've blogged before about my current log jam of projects.  I expect my purchases next year to be considerably less as I turn out all the stuff the above list is meant to service.

Best wishes to all for a healthy and prosperous new year!