Attended a Lie Nielsen Event in a Tavern

[Rich Riddle]

Lie Nielsen hosted an event in Covington in a local tavern. It went about as great as it sounds. After you made it through the door and around ten large-breed dogs, you got to look at planes amongst the local non-woodworkers who were sloshing beer all over you and the tools. One man dropped two of their planes. At least they didn't break.

[Jeffrey Martel]

I was expecting some drunk bar patron putting a chisel through their hand.

[Jim Koepke]

Sounds like the start of a joke.

A plane, a chisel and a spokeshave go into a tavern...

jtk

[Rich Riddle]

I was expecting some drunk bar patron putting a chisel through their hand.

I forgot, one brilliant fellow decided to check for the sharpness of a plane but running his fingertip over the edge. He seemed shocked how sharp the plane was. I am not certain who the brilliant thinker was on this location.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Too much awesome in this thread. How does one guy drop two planes? Wait- do I want to know?

[Frederick Skelly]

This is a joke, right Rich? LN has way more class than to do this in a tavern. (Don't they?)

[lawrence munninghoff]

No joke. Was not the best LN event i have been to by any means. The LN people were condensed in a small area with other plane makers. Had a hard time even trying out the hand planes. I think they had it at braxton brewery because it was close to Lost Art Press's new shop.

[Chris Fournier]

That sounds like heaven.

[Michael Peet]

That sounds like heaven.

Have to agree. I'd put on a buzz and look with my eyes, not with my hands.

[Glen Canaday]

I read about this as a future event on the lap blog. Didn't this correspond to their open house?

[Chris Fournier]

Have to agree. I'd put on a buzz and look with my eyes, not with my hands.

With large breed dogs all around you! Come on, it doesn't get better! I will buy you a pint at the next event Michael. The crotch sniffing will be courtesy of the large breed dogs, I'm a shy guy.

[Chris Hachet]

I went, it was a pretty decent event. Picked up a copy of the anarchsits design book.

[Steve Voigt]

Funny, I thought the event went very well. It was stressful for everyone involved in it, just because it was such a big show, but for spectators I thought it was a great event. An enormous number of tools to try and look at.

The only dicey moment for me was when three drunken frat bros staggered up to my bench. They were obviously there for the basketball game and the brews, not hand tools. It went something like this:

Moron #1: HEY, HOW DO I CARVE SOMETHING?

Me: I'm a planemaker, I can't really help you with carving.

Moron #2: PLANES, LIKE FLYING? [picks up $400 plane and places it in various inappropriate positions on the bench--upside down, toe first, sideways, etc.]

Me: Umm, I think you should put that plane down.

Moron #3: TEACH US TO PLANE SOMETHING! [sloshes beer onto my bench and sample boards]

Me: Fellas, you're spilling beer on some expensive gear. Everyone please step away from the bench.

Fortunately, that was the end of it; they didn't get belligerent (thank goodness). And the rest of the event went very smoothly. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and gave the planes a try!

[Adam Cruea]

Sounds like the start of a joke.

A plane, a chisel and a spokeshave go into a tavern...

jtk

I find alcohol and razor sharp objects always go well together. Coupled with a Costco sized box of bandages, it's endless fun.

[Daniel Rode]

I saw a video of that event featuring Steve Voigt discussing wooden planes.

I had just posted a response about how I prefer lighter metal planes and mentioned that I'm afraid I'd be hooked if I ever tried a good wooden plane. Steve's first answer to Why wooden planes? "They're so much lighter"

The universe is conspiring against me...

BTW - Steve, that was a great demonstration of how simple wooden planes are to use and adjust.