My wife and I recently drove our daughter down to a girls camp near Waterville, Maine where she will be working for the summer. Since we always enjoy visiting Maine and we were already nearby we decided to spend a few days touring the Rockland and Camden area. This gave me the opportunity to visit a few places of interest to woodworkers. :)
My first stop was at Lie Nielsen Toolworks located in Warren on Route 1. This was a short stop but an enjoyable one. It was a thrill to see the home of these fine tools.
From there I went just outside of the town of Rockport to The Center For Furniture Craftsmanship where I spent several enjoyable hours talking with the instructors and students and touring the school.
Next stop was right in the town of Camden where I dropped into The Ducktrap Bay Trading Company. The Ducktrap, although a retail gallery, is of particular interest to woodcarvers and the art displayed is truly inspirational.
Just up the road from Camden in Lincolnville is Windsor Chairmakers where they not only have hundreds of pieces on display including chairs, tables, cabinets and Shaker furniture but you can tour their shop as well!
And who can leave this area without visiting Captain Tinkham’s Emporium in Searsport? Not me! Captain Tinkham’s is a tool lovers dream and is one of three such tool cribs owned by the Jonesport Wood Company which operates here in Maine. The most notable is Liberty Tools in Liberty.
If you would like to read more about my visits and view the photos you can do so here (link will open in a new window):
A Visit To Lie-Nielsen Toolworks
The Center For Furniture Craftsmanship
The Ducktrap Bay Trading Company
A Visit To Windsor Chairmakers
Toolfest At Captain Tinkham’s Emporium
This was a great couple of days. I saw a lot and learned a lot. It was great enjoying a bit of R&R while still being a part of woodworking!
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - Please visit http://www.woodworkersguide.com and sign up for my project updates!
6 comments so far
PurpLev
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7819 posts in 1846 days
#1 posted 1787 days ago
Awesome… I never even realized these places are so close to where I’m at (relatively speaking) which is Boston,MA.
Thanx for sharing… gotta put some more places on the map to stop at when we’re near there.
-- ㊍ When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
Texasgaloot
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464 posts in 1898 days
#2 posted 1787 days ago
Is it green in here, or is it just my envy showing?
-- There's no tool like an old tool...
F Dudak
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342 posts in 2008 days
#3 posted 1786 days ago
Windsor Chairmakers is where I fell in love with the style of the Windsor chair. I got the pleasure of experiencing Maine through my parents retirement in 1989. I took 6 months off of work and built them a house on Bailey Island with the help of my brothers. My dream was to pack in framing houses and become a chairmaker. It took some time for me to return to the possibility of making Windsor chairs but my wife caught me checking out Mike Dunbar’s school on line and gave me a class on how to make a Sack Back Windsor. Since that class I have been hooked and will be attending my 3rd class on Aug 18th-22nd to learn how to build a Philly High Back. One day I will fullfill my dream and build Windsors full time. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
-- Fred.... Poconos, PA ---- Chairwright in the making ----
NICUTO
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27 posts in 1814 days
#4 posted 1785 days ago
That sounds like a great trip and parts of which i have made many times myself. i too have stopped at ht Windsor Chair Makers, and just drool over everything in there. I was actually offered a job there one day by the owner… I may have to take him up on that some day. I am planning a trip to Lei Nielson this summer too. I am also looking into attending a class at the CFC in Rockport. I consider myself lucky to have all of these great resources just “down the road” from me here in Maine. As for the girls camp you mentioned, was it camp Manitou?(sp??) My girlfriends parents live in the same town on North Pond… Its a beautiful area.
Cheers,
Nick
-- Nick, Maine; www.nwbwoodworks.com/blog
Chris
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1849 posts in 2189 days
#5 posted 1783 days ago
Sound like a great trip Ted….
-- "Everything that is great and inspiring is created by the individual who labors in freedom" -- Albert Einstein
TedM
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2002 posts in 1930 days
#6 posted 1783 days ago
PurpLev, yes, you’ll have to put these on your trip list!
Tex, yep, it’s green in here ;)
FJDIII, your chairs look great. Hope to see you go full time soon!
Nicuto, will have to stop by and visit you next time! No, the camp is up near Waterville called Matoaka.
Chris, yes it was, though I should have been home building a desk too! :)
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - Please visit http://www.woodworkersguide.com and sign up for my project updates!
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