Woodworking (Neander) resources in Houston...

[FunkySpaceCowboy]

Howdy,

As a few of you may remember from my few past posts I'm pretty new to WW'ing and have a 100% neander shop [1]. I'd like to know more about some local services that are available here in Houston. Below are some things I'd like to know more about, in more or less random order...

Saw sharpening services for handsaws? I sharpen my own edge tools already and I'll probably eventually get setup to sharpen my own but at the moment I'm more interested in making sawdust not metal filings. Also I understand it's still possible to get good deals on old, high quality handsaws at antique shops and flea markets, if I ever find a few I want I'd prefer to have a pro do the initial resharpening and setting.

Houston has a lot of flea markets and antique stores... anyone in the area have any they've had good luck finding good old tools at? Handsaws, planes, chisels etc...

Hardwood dealers you like? [2] I'd like to stick with S2S lumber for time being if that makes a difference. I've bought some at the Rockler on 59, probably paid too much but I don't feel ripped off since I always get good service and advice there, and this was my first hardwood purchase[3] so I was happy for the helping hand.. anyway I digress... I'd like to find other dealers in the area for the days when I don't need a lot of handholding

Any other good resources for a new wood dorker in the Houston area anyone can point me towards? I live in Meyerland, near Braeswood and

610, if that helps...

Cheers,

Josh

------------- [1] Or as some prefer to call it the spare room of my apartment [2] Googling for this is a nightmare and turns up more hardwood floor shops than anything. I saw a list from the wreck in google groups that's about a year old, but thought I'd ask again incase things have changed... [3] about 4BF each of Ash and Walnut, been playing with a scrap from the Walnut to get a feel for it wow... what an amazing improvment it is over the crappy softwood from the Borg I'd been using...

[Jack]

On the handsaws. I looked and looked for someone to sharpen some old handsaws for me and finally gave up and did it myself, Now that I have done it, I can attest that it is not that difficult. Truly very easy with minimal tools and skills. All you need is a good triangle file sized to fit the TPI of the saw you wish to sharpen. Start by carefully following the angle of a tooth. After a few teeth are completed you'll have memorized the angle of the teeth. The only problem you may encounter is locating a set tool if the teeth need set. A wood vise can be used to hold the saw while you sharpen it. Only sharpen those teeth directly above the vise jaws. When those teeth are completed, move the saw in the vise and continue sharpening. A typical hand saw will take less than an hour to sharpen and set. Allow another 15-30 minutes to clean it up if it is rusted.

[Leon]

You can get MUCH better pricing for hard woods, S3S cheaper than S2S at Rockiler if you go to Hardwood PRODUCTS. Locanted on the Welt Belt toll road, south bound side, south of Hammerly and north of I -10.

[New Wave Dave]

For the past four or five years I've been buying my sheet goods and hardwoods at Mason's Mill & Lumber on Tanner about a half mile east of Gessner which would be about a mile plus east of Beltway 8.

I had my granddaddy's old Distons sharpened at Circle Saw on Ella just south of Loop 610 North across the street from Lowes. However, they've ruined the last circle saw blade of mine. I took my 12 inch $130 Jesada miter saw blade with the 40 degree ATB and they turned it into a 20 degree ATB with a raker every fifth tooth. Splinters everything I cut with it. Didn't discover it for months just account I had no need to put it back on the chopsaw. Jeez.

[Leon]

So what are you having to pay for Red Oak plywood and Red Oak.

[Roy]

Good place to start would be the WW Club of Houston. Next meeting is this Saturday at 9am. A few members are Normites, but a few are Neanders. A blend of the two extremes best describes the majority.

Go to

and find the map under the box title "When and where do we meet?) in the upper left. Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonet. This month's program is "Antique Tools", but I don't know if it is about collecting them or using them.

Speak out during the "Problems and Solutions" section of the meeting (early on). Somebody there will have an answer for you. Might be an answer to the question you ask. Might even be a good answer.

Regards, Roy

[FunkySpaceCowboy]

Roy,

Hey neat! I'll have to check that out, can't go this weekend though I'll be in Galveston with my girlfriend for her birthday. Just looked at the map on the website the meeting place is about 10 minutes from my place cool!

Thanks a lot!

Cheers,

Josh

[Patrick]

Another place besides Hardwood Products on the beltway and I10 is off of

290. About a mile up from 610. It has been 4 years since I lived in Houston and my street names might be a little rusty, so take this with a grain of salt and use the Randal's as a marker. If you travel N on 610 and swing onto 290, get off at the second? exit (34th?), there use to be an old Randal's on the S side but they move to the N side of 290, at the end of the parking lot, there is another wood dealer that had some good prices if I remember correctly.

Another one that might have even better prices and I am very sure of . . . a better supply, is "Masons Mill" on Tanner. Tanner is a few more miles up the beltway from I-10W and the first exit at/past the toll booth by 290, take a right and head towards town, it is about 2 miles up on the right.

16/4 everything and smaller in stacks up to 12' high. Bring cash since they don't take cc. Look for 6 or seven rows of white tin building on the right, they occupy several large sections. I've purchase plenty when I was living in Houston and will get more of what I can't find here in GA when I travel back home.

Best regards, Patrick

Support your local Science Olympiad team and future engineer or scientist, build-n-bust a bridge today.

[Lowell Holmes]

Try The Cutting Edge. I've had handsaws sharpened there and was really pleased. They send them out as a service. I now sharpen my own saws. Houston Hardwoods and Clarke Hardwood lumber are places where I buy lumber. I've not had much luck finding used tools, but I Bought a lot of E-bay items and now I'm of the opinion that buying new tools is the best way to go. I bought a 3/4" mortise chisel from The Cutting Edge for $29 last week and it is a serious piece of steel. I took about 3 minutes honing it and it was ready to go. The back of the chisel was flat out of the box. Look up the Woodworking Club for sure.