Woodworking Supplies

I buy some stuff at Rockler, mostly carving knives and books, but I'm not real happy about it because their prices seem a bit too high for me. I think they price the stuff fairly high because they have no competition in this area. (Central US) I shop around at flea markets for old carving tools and make some of my own, and occasionally I'll look for deals on ebay.

I have found some decent hardware stores over the years that carry some exceptional product, but hardware stores like that are becoming a rare breed of cat. You know what I mean, the ones with the old wood floors and massive inventory supply that has been accumulating for generations. Those are definitely fun to poke around in.

Also, I've found some exceptional hardware in some of the old architectural salvage yards around the country.

Take a look at this page and some of the vendors. I've used a few of them with favorable results.

worth looking at

Give me a better idea at exactly what you're looking for. Who knows, I might have it.

Usually they grow legs, run out of the gang box and right into my cellar.

My father gets a catalog from....uh...I'll ask and check back in. I don't think it's Rockler.

Rockler is kind of high, but I use them sometimes. Amazon has some stuff and beats Rockler hands down. If you're looking for cutting tools - router bits, saw blades, etc., bellewtools.com (I'll check the spelling if you're interested) is really good, but their internet site sucks, which they will admit. I'll see what stray catalogs are setting around the house.

Less conventional advice; ask Squinney. She's has some spot on answers to questions about hardwoods.

They had a whole list of places I'll have to check out on their links page. Thanks!

I'm just looking for misc stuff. Depends what I'm toying with. Sometimes it's shelf standards, other times drawer slides or box hinges. Stuff like that. Rockler is a good place for jigs and such but their prices on saw blades and router/shaper bits are high.

i use grainger for most of my power tools, motors, hvac, bits, electrical, accessories etc. the main reason being a wide variety of items and you get what you need delivered the next day by noon.

www.grainger.com

Ballew Saw & Tool Company

Primarily for cutting tools. 800-288-7483 works better than the web site, and they will send a catalog.

Thanks Roger, I'll give them a call this afternoon.

You know mikey, I've used Grainger through work but (a few years ago) but for some reason it never occured to me that I could use them for my stuff at home too. I dunno why. I guess I always just considered them an Industrial Supply company. I hit their WWW site up fopr a catalog too.

This is it - Lee Valley. I think we still have a catalog. I'll pass it along.

http://www.leevalley.com/home/main.asp