Next month I’ll pack up my tool chest and drive to Waterloo, Ontario, for the grand opening celebration of Lee Valley Tools’ newest store.
In addition to signing books and letting people root through my chest, I’ll also be giving some short seminars on tools, shop set-up and chest construction during three days: Sept. 22-24.
I’m one of several exhibitors who will be speaking and teaching at the store, including Konrad Sauer of Sauer & Steiner Toolworks, Dan Barrett of D.L. Barrett & Sons, Rick Blaiklock, the director of research and development at Veritas Tools and several other experts on woodworking and gardening.
Many of the seminars during the grand opening are free; a few have a minor entrance fee. All net proceeds from the event are donated to the United Way.
For those of you who are not Ontario-savvy, Waterloo is about 90 minutes west of Toronto – not too terribly far from the border (but yes, too far to tunnel there). I’ll be driving to the event because my tool chest will not fit in the overhead bin of an aircraft.
I haven’t been to Canada for three years and am greatly looking forward to seeing the new store, getting to meet Canadian woodworkers and hang out with some of the other demonstrators. If you’ve never been to a Lee Valley retail store, they are worth the trip – they are just as special as the company’s catalog.
Below is the schedule for my seminars plus the description of the seminar as written by Lee Valley Tools.
The Tools, the Toolbox and Everything
Thursday, Sept. 22, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Join Christopher Schwarz for a talk on his work to date, with highlights from his most recent book, “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” Chris will briefly go over his philosophy on woodworking tools, toolboxes and woodworking in general.
Fee: Free
Meet Christopher Schwarz: Author/Publisher/Woodworker
Friday, Sept. 23, 9:30 a.m. to noon
and
Saturday, Sept. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If you have one of his books, have followed his blog, and/or read his articles, you won’t want to miss this great opportunity to meet Chris. There will be book signing and a general discussion on woodworking.
An Overview of Shop Set Up
2 hours
Friday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
What tools and equipment do I really need to become proficient at woodworking? Do I need a cabinet saw or will a contractor’s saw do just fine? What about a router: fixed base or plunge? Do I really need to buy a jointer and a thickness planer? As woodworkers, we are bombarded with sales pitches telling us that we need a shop full of expensive tools and equipment. But what tools and equipment do we really need? These are the questions Christopher Schwarz will answer during this session.
Fee: $20
Tickets will go on sale in early September. To purchase tickets call 519-746-2555.
— Christopher Schwarz
Your drive up would be a good time to come up with some ideas to pass on to Rick B for their 4/1/12 tool release. Maybe an Anarchist Chest that has a table saw built into it?
It used to be a simple thing to cross the border by car, not so much anymore. Be sure to take your passport, they will want to know who you are and where are you going with all those tools in your car. And that’s just when you are on your way home!
Mmmm, how to justify to my wife flying from Vancouver to Waterloo for the weekend……
I think I’m gonna cry…
i’ve been grovelling to Chris to get him to come and teach
at Rosewood Studios ( Near Ottawa… which is about
a 6 odd hour drive from Waterloo )
I may have to do that drive… Hmmm… what microbrewery beer can
we bring from the Ottawa area or Perth (the small town where Rosewood is) area to
tempt him to come the rest of the way east…
So will you be bringing some LAP t shirts and TATC videos to sell?
Don’t forget to get Konrad to take you to some of the local micro (hic) brew (hic) breweries……
Yup. I’ll be bringing T-shirts and DVDs. And I hope that Konrad know where I can get a Molson or something….
Too bad you could not have made it up for the Kitchener-Waterloo Octoberfest celebrations a couple of weeks later–the biggest pi$$ up outside of Bavaria. The pork schnitzel and sausages will make your heart fall in your stomach, and the beer is like angels crying on your tongue.
Neeners.
Any more Canadian Stops planned in the near or not-so-near future Chris? I just finished reading TATC and I absolutely loved it. Thanks for a work of art. It is really helping this young guy realize his dream of being a woodworker without spending tens of thousands of dollars on noisy machines.
This is the only Canadian trip on my schedule through 2012. Maybe in 2013….
And then once you try some Canadian beer………….LOL!!
Glad to hear you’ll be close to me and I’ll have to make it up. Unless there’s any chance you’ll be stopping in the Buffalo area on your way up or back? We’ve got some great NY beers we could share w/ you.
Chris,
What does your fully loaded chest weigh?
I don’t know. But my guess is that it is about 100 pounds at most.
It feels like about two bags of concrete from the farm.
Chris,
I recall in an earlier post, you said that the tool chest was too large to fit in your hatchback. Yet it seems you are planning to haul it up to Canada… did you build an 18th century roof-rack or some such? Or buy an SUV?
Iain,
I’m going to borrow my wife’s Honda CRV for the trip to Canada. Or get a trailer for my hatchback.
What you need to do is weigh yourself, then pick the loaded chest up, and step back on the scale. Then subtract.
Oh, wait. Math . . . .
Sure.
If I can add to the transportation conversation as well…. you could just take your team of pony’s and a wagon… the do have a hitching post. Seriously.
Do you need a passport to travel from the states to Canada?
You certainly do need one to go from Canada to the US…….
Chris,
I really like your latest book ‘The Anarchists Tool Chest’.You have really outdone yourself especially the DVD that is also available. The only problem is since I have purchased and read most of the book, I have just about spent my childrens college funds and grandchildrens inheritance on quality hand saws. Oh well just as long as I can hide the receipts from the boss lady.
Hi Chris
I am looking forward meeting you. I attended the WIA last year and really enjoyed myself.
I was glad to read in an earlier post that you where bringing DVD’s to sell.
I am interested in Sawing Fundamentals, Building Furniture With Hand Planes and Inside the
Anarchist’s Tool Chest.
See you there.
Randy
Waterloo, Ontario