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Thread: L-N: How they make them.

  1. #1
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    L-N: How they make them.

    I haven't seen this posted yet.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHQULv8R40A

    Lots of hand work. Not surprised the mortise chisels are back ordered.

  2. #2
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    The new video is much better quality than the old one, though I prefer a narrator than just music. It's always good to see the work that goes into fine tools. It's amazing that they have 80 employees.

    There was also a video clip archived from the Martha Stewart Show.

  3. #3
    Kind of funny watching the bench shake back and forth while the saw was being tested, Great video.

  4. #4
    What a great video! Thanks for sharing.
    For those who scoff at modern, high quality tools such as Lie-Nielsen and the prices they are sold for, if you made tools to the same quality with the same business practices and same location (USA!), what value would YOU place on them (and still be able to stay in business)?
    For me, hand tools are very much about an ideal and a principal. The same goes for my old Stanley's.

    The shaky benches are funny!

  5. #5
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    Wow, so much labor. I'm surprised they can sell them so inexpensively, actually.

    Mike

  6. #6
    That's cool. I understand basically how sand casting works, but I don't know how they make the original positive. Is that what he was working on at the beginning of the video? Is it reused with each casting, or does it need to be recreated? What's it made of?
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  7. #7
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    There are lots of pattern making videos on YouTube. In the old days the positive was made by a pattern maker in wood. The wood pattern was used for small production runs. If large quantities were needed then they often made another cast iron or aluminum pattern that would not break down when subjected to repeated immersion in abrasive sand. What is really interesting is that the pattern maker had to calculate for metal shrinkage when crafting his pattern. The pattern had to be a certain % larger than the finished product to account for the shrinkage that occurs when the pattern cools in the mold. The % was figured from the metal type and volume of the piece. Google Books has many old Pattern Making books available. In modern times a lot of companies use rapid prototyping machines that create the positive in plastic or something similar.


    Lee Valley has photos of an actual Stanley Match Plate.

    I would recommend the YouTube video series posted by Tubalcain
    Last edited by Jeff Burks; 05-02-2010 at 7:54 PM.

  8. #8
    Great Video, Thanks For Sharing.

  9. #9
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    Very cool - not a place to work barefoot though.

  10. #10
    Wow, what a great video. I'd love to spend a day or two inside the factory.

    The next time someone complains about the pricing of Lie-Nielsen or Veritas planes, remember to re-post this video.

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Roderick View Post
    Wow, what a great video. I'd love to spend a day or two inside the factory.

    The next time someone complains about the pricing of Lie-Nielsen or Veritas planes, remember to re-post this video.
    Mark,

    In 09-06 my husband and I visited Maine for our honeymoon, visited the ToolWorks and were able to take a short tour of the factory, as was noted before this is not a place to be barefoot. I also attended the Chicago LN Tool event at Jeff Millers studio, had a nice chat with Mr Lie- Nielson, Thomas and I spoke about woodworking, politics, the effect of the economy on his business. As we were chatting one his employees (Angie Kopacek) came up from behind and put her hand on my should to say hi and see how how I was doing, truely made me feel like family.

    If you would like to spend a day or two at the ToolWorks, they are having their annual open house July 16/17, if you get to go be shure to visit the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, Peter Korn runs the Center and the place is incredible. I wanted to take the nine month program but the economy is an issue with my husbands employment at this time.

    Heather
    Any thing with sharp teeth eats meat.
    Most powertools have sharp teeth.
    People are made of meat.

  12. #12
    On the subject of castings John. You have to note that L-N no longer does any of it in house. Their volumes increased over the years to the point that the better casting houses were willing to do work for them and now compete for their business. They originally made their own castings because the volumes were so small that no one who was good enough wanted to do their work.
    Last edited by Dave Anderson NH; 05-03-2010 at 2:03 PM.
    Dave Anderson

    Chester, NH

  13. #13
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    Aug 2008
    Location
    Columbia, MD
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    >.<

    makes me want to finally pull the trigger on the No. 7 ive been looking at forever. guess I need to post some old Bailey's I never use down in the classifieds.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Burks View Post
    There are lots of pattern making videos on YouTube . . .
    Thanks Jeff. Those are fascinating. I had a general idea what a pattern maker did, but this really fills in the knowledge gaps.

    I imagine most of that work is now done on CNC machines.
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  15. #15
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    I really wish I knew about patternmaking and casting.

    I'll never forget handing a 1/8 - foot shrink rule to a former employer and watching him curse as he made 3 or 4 attempts to cut the same part and each one came out a hair too small. He was pulling on the saw and sharpening his pencil and getting close to ripping his hair out.

    I never did well having a boss.

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