I just returned from a successful ‘rust run’ to Maine where I spent several enjoyable hours perusing the extensive collection of old tools at The Liberty Tool Company located in the small town of Liberty, Waldo County, Maine.

This was a trip that has been in the works since I visited their sister store, Captain Tinkham’s Emporium, last year. It certainly was worth the wait but after this visit I sure wish that I visited a whole lot sooner!

The Liberty Tool Company is owned and operated by The Jonesport Wood Company which maintains three locations, the one here at Liberty, Captain Tinkham’s Emporium in Searsport and the Hull’s Cove Tool Barn just outside of Bar Harbour. Their primary mission is the search for and recovery of usable woodworking tools for reuse as well as for the collections of the Davistown Museum.

Liberty Tools, the larger location of the three, is New England’s largest secondhand tool company and it is easy to see why! The place is jammed full from floor to ceiling with what appears to be every tool that was ever available to man. Seriously, I have never seen so many tools amassed in one place.

Here, have a look for yourself:

Continue reading 'A Visit To The Liberty Tool Company'

John Leeder was on hand the Friday prior to the 2009 NSWCAA Carving Competition for a couple of woodcarving related workshops. I was able to attend his afternoon workshop on ‘Making Feet For Birds’.

This was a workshop for those that wanted to take their carving to the next level by making their own feet for bird or waterfowl carvings from scratch. Although I do not have an immediate need for such information I wanted to learn the process for future use.

John has been carving for over 25 years and is both a sculptor and an instructor. He has won over 20 ‘Best Of Show’ titles and in 2006 he had a second place finish with his miniature carving, ‘Mourning Doves’, in the World Level at the Ward Worlds championship. He was also accepted into the 1999 and 2003 juried exhibition, ‘Birds In Art’. His wildlife sculptures are displayed in several art galleries across Canada and the United States.

Prior to taking up carving full-time John worked as a bird of prey trainer and a wildlife biologist (he received an honors degree in wildlife biology from the University of Guelph).

Here is a photo of John and his sculpture titled ‘Akwesasne’, which is a Mohawk word meaning, appropriately enough, ‘land where the partridge drums’:

Continue reading 'Sitting In On A John Leeder Workshop'

This month’s meeting of the Atlantic Woodworkers Association brought us back to Mill Supply for a tour of their new bandsaw blade manufacturing facility.

Mill Supply recently acquired the Hakansson Industries Eastern Canadian distributorship for making bandsaw blades and they were proud show us the new shop, the blade making process and the blades available.

Hakansson is a Swedish manufacturer of saw blades and is widely recognized as the most technically advanced bandsaw blade available. Mill Supply is now carrying on the Hakansson tradition and will be the largest bandsaw welding centre/supplier in Atlantic Canada.

We were given an in-depth overview of the blade making process, blade makeup, the different types of blades available, the types of machines used and several demonstrations of how the blades are made. Some members even ordered blades and watched them being made!

Here are some photos taken of the shop and manufacturing process:

Continue reading 'A Bandsaw Bonanza For The AWA'

This past weekend the NSWCAA’s 20th Annual Atlantic Wildlife Carving Competition And Show was held and what a competition and showing it was! There were hundreds of beautiful wildlife carvings in a wide range of styles and experience levels.

This is a competition that has been held every year since the fall of 1989 and is open to all carvers. Ribbons, trophies and prizes are awarded in Youth, Novice, Intermediate and Open classes. Judges for the competition are invited from across Canada and The United States and are master carvers and world class authorities on wildlife art.

The judge for this year’s competition was Ward World winner, John Leeder. John is a full-time sculptor and a part-time carving instructor. He has been carving for over 25 years with notable carvings such as ‘Mourning Doves’ and ‘Barnyard Gang’.

The Nova Scotia Wildlife Carvers and Artists Association (NSWCAA) was formed in 1989 and now has members throughout the Maritimes and Newfoundland. Some club members have advanced to world class artists, bringing home ribbons from the Ward World Competition in Ocean City, Maryland.

Here are a lot of photos of the competition entries:

Continue reading '2009 NSWCAA Carving Competition'