Anyone have a Lion Trimmer?

[Larry Edgerton]

I'm not so sure how useful one would be in my business, but that is no reason not to buy one!

Would like to hear from users/owners. Will it collect dust? Is it accurate? does it take more or less time? General impressions?

[Caspar Hauser]

I have one, or a good knock off at least. It's one of those tools that gets used in fits and starts but when you need it, you need it. I find it extremely useful when dealing with small/thin mouldings, glass stop etc, the kind of stuff that tends to shatter under power, it's earned it's keep doing that alone. It will also trim larger stuff making accurate mitres, squaring ends etc.

Buy one, you know you want to.

Oh, yeah, Job one, build a solid box to keep it/transport it in. Those blades care not what they cut. I can still count to ten but it only feels like nine and three quarters (reaching into a packed truck bed in the early, early morn...)

[Keith Outten]

I own one of the original Pooatuck Lion Trimmers. I haven't seen it in a long time, one of my friends borrowed it and I will most likely have to retrieve it the next time I need it.

They work extremely well. There isn't any dust, it cuts a shaving so thin you can see through it so there is very little to clean up. You have to rough cut your moulding first, then use successful cuts on the trimmer to get a perfect miter every time. The wing fences are adjustable so even odd angle miter joints are easy to make.

If you are painting your trim I expect that a guillotine style trimmer may be overkill but if your trim will be stained and finished the better quality joints are worth the extra effort.
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[Fred Hargis]

I have a Dosch (USA made cousin). I was searching for a Lion for over 2 years when this one came up. Prior to buying it, I though it was something hat would get a huge amount of work and make life easy. It's turned out to be more like my biscuit joiner....useful when I need it, but probably still technically doesn't "earn it's keep". Nevertheless, I'll hang onto it, and I'm glad I've got it. The blades do need to be razor sharp, and finding a sharpener to do them is a trick. I gave up...at first I just did scary sharp, now I do them on a slow speed wet wheel.

[Walter Plummer]

I also have an original and love it. I agree it sits till you need it then it is exactly the tool to use. I tried searching for the company but sadly I think they are also gone.

[harry strasil]

Yes, but you will have to muzzle and hold the Lion. LOL,

Sorry, just couldn't resist the temptation.

[Dan Ewalt]

Picked on up recently on CL for free.... yes I said free. Went to buy a DeWalt router kit and the guy "threw in" two PC laminate trimmers and the miter trimmer. Mind you it's not a Lion (think it's a Grizzly) but it is still bad azz.

I did a picture frame a week or two ago last week just to use it and it's very very nice for those small miters. Like others have said IMO it's one of those tools that doesn't get used all the time like a TS, but it's also one of those tools that when you need it and use it it's well worth it.

[george wilson]

I have both a Lion and a knockoff. I think I had to put little shims under 1 side of the cast iron vertical columns to get the real Lion to cut truly vertical. It would cut true angles,with adjustment,but wasn't cutting a vertical cut. You might want to check your trimmers to see it yours is the same.

[Dave Cav]

I have two older Asian knock offs, one at home and one at school. I'm pretty sure the one at home is an AMT, the one at school is probably a Grizzly. The one at home gets used on a fairly regular basis and is very useful, as the others have said. The one at school stay hidden in my office for obvious reasons, but is taken out and used under VERY close supervision on occasion later in the year. It impresses the students (high school) to no end.

[Rick Levine]

I also have one of the Pootatuck original models and I too searched for a couple of years to find it. I wasn't willing to settle for one of the knockoffs. I'm a bit of a purest when it comes to framing photos. Being a photographer I sometimes make my own frames if I don't use metal.

When I first got it I accidentally barely touched one of the blades and got a nasty cut. I mean just barely, so be careful with it. But don’t be scared off by that, they are great tools for the designed purpose. I mounted mine on a sturdy piece of ply to make it easy to transport. There is a thin but strong metal handle at the top to lift it by but I wouldn’t want to carry it any great distance with that.

[phil harold]

Yes, but you will have to muzzle

make a cage to store and move it in

the lion gets hungry and bites

seriously dont pick it by the blade...

ps. great for picture frames

[Bill HammerII]

make a cage to store and move it in

the lion gets hungry and bites

seriously dont pick it by the blade...

ps. great for picture frames

Great tool if your a trim guy. I did make a stand and box for transporting the beast but nothing can help adjust a miter like the trimmer on stain grade oak moldings.