Woodworking News — January 18, 2023
A special announcement from Lee Valley Tools regarding theft, new ownership at Bad Axe Tool Works, and tons of new tool catalogues for the year.
From Mark Harrell, founder of Bad Axe Tool Works:
I’ve sold Bad Axe to my employees and can now segue into my mid-60’s still involved with the company Yvonne and I founded—teaching seminars and restoring vintage saws—but now I’ll have more time for my family, writing my saw book, and completing some woodworking projects of my own.
On November 15th, I handed the reins over to Cassandra Dahlen and Sam Rupprecht, the dynamic duo I trained how to run Bad Axe, and to whom I have now sold the company—in partnership with our neighbor and co-owner, Steve, who has increasingly absorbed our manufacturing requirement over the past two years.
Still a part of the Bad Axe team, Harrell now holds the position of Chief Consultant for the brand while also focusing on servicing vintage saws in his shop next door, continuing to conduct quarterly weekend and advanced seminars under his new banner at sawsharp.com.
Lee Valley Tools makes a special announcement
Copying someone else’s design and assuming it as your own–especially for profit–is never okay. Read what Robin C. Lee, CEO of Lee Valley Tools, has to say about it here.
From Heartwood Tools:
Made by Jon Joffe Tool Works, this wood handle is made to fit the Accu-Burr™ Burnisher rod and bronze ferrules. You will need to assemble the rod, ferrules, and handle(s) into a complete tool. Epoxy is the recommended adhesive to glue the rod and ferrule to the wood handle. Finished with Danish oil. Available in American Pear, Beech, Cherry, Madrone, and Walnut.
From Woodpeckers:
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From Blue Spruce Toolworks:
The new Deluxe Mortising Gauge by Blue Spruce Toolworks highlights classic design with modern materials. The four-knife design means you can mark single lines, as well as double for a wide variety of applications from dovetail baselines to mortise-and-tenon joinery to dadoes, grooves, and inlays.
From Woodcraft:
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From Harbor Freight:
This visor-mounted magnifying set provides six levels of hands-free magnification with a wide angle view plus a built-in eye loupe. Two levels of LED light for clear, detailed viewing.
New tool listings from Taylor Toolworks
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If you have a tool release or news item you’d like considered for our new, weekly roundup of woodworking news, send it to [email protected].
Comments
I thought there was maybe a small possibility that the KM Tools router plane looking so similar to the LV plane was just a really strange coincidence…but then I compared the KM marking gauge to the TiteMark version and realized that this is just how KM Tools does business.
And congratulations to Woodpeckers for introducing their 323rd tool to measure the height of a router bit. 😁
Love the weekly video, Ben. And if you turn an Accu-Burr handle (love my Accu-Burr!) it would only make sense to turn one for me while you’re at it.
Last week there was a thread on FaceBook -- since removed -- about Rob Lee's letter. Surprised me the number of responders who thought he was just being a cry baby over cheaper competition, felt there really is not much of a problem with patent/design infringement, and those that just saw no problem with companies copying other companies work and selling the product for a much cheaper cost.
Standing ovation for Rob Lee for his letter illuminating this problem!
On the Lee Valley concern: take a look at the plane from a large company that sounds like rocker, with an L added. It is VERY similar to the LV tool, as well. Accu-Burr is a great tool! Thanks for tge news, Ben!
Just looked it up. I'd argue that one is modeled after a Stanley and not close to the LV at all.
Fair enough, Ben...I'm not arguing LV's case, but it goes to show just how close clones can come without violating a patent...thanks...Darwin
Thanks Ben. Enjoyed this video and look forward to more.
Glad to see that Ron Hock found a nice home for his brand of irons.
Design rip off - I can see where this can be very annoying. Lee Valley certainly spends a lot of time innovating. I vote with my pocketbook when it comes to companies who innovate and spend there. I don't purchase from companies that blatantly rip off others. Can't help but wonder if Lee Valley has patents that can help them. For hand tools, there is also probably a grey zone in terms of tool design given how long tools have been made.
Not sure if someone is copying Woodpeckers' designs or if it's a scam, guessing the latter, but every now and then I get an ad through Facebook marketplace for a tool that is and exact copy of Woodpeckers, including the pictures in the ad! First one was the slab flattening mill, then the adjustable setup block. Always from a "small American company" and always less expensive than the original. FWIW
I've also seen some of those ads for Woodpeckers. On some, I looked up the telephone number listed and found the numbers were not in the US. On a few of the FaceBook woodworking sites, some buyers reported back that the tools were mailed from China and quality seems to be hit or miss, some received an empty box. From what I read and heard, customer service is non-existent and the returns policy is very difficult for the buyer to comply with. As always caveat emptor!
The LV router plane design rip-off does stink. And I don’t blame Robin Lee for being upset. However, if I’m not mistaken Lee Valley doesn’t have the cleanest track record when it comes to treating designers fairly. I was at Fine Woodworking Live a few years ago when one of FWWs very best contributing editors, in the course of a seminar, introduced the prospect of using a design he had developed for Lee Valley. He said something to the effect that we shouldn’t feel he’s plugging a product to make money…that almost as soon as LV started making and marketing the product they stopped paying him any of the expected proceeds. He went on to share that he felt pretty strongly that Lee Valley’s agreement which seemed fair at signing had turned out later to be quite predatory, allowing them to weasel out of his royalties while still invoking his name to sell those products. Not saying Mssr. Lee doesn’t have legit beef—2 wrongs don’t make a right (2 rights do make a left)—just to maybe take his howling with a squinted eye?
A separate comment on the boutique tool co. sales…congrats and good on Mark Harrell for developing a wonderful exit strategy. And for the fans of Ron Hock and his blades I hope his legacy live on. But I doubt it really will. Bigger companies consolidating the market through the buying of smaller brands never really works to preserve the what makes the small brand so great. Woodpeckers’ may not have totally ruined Blue Spruce Tool yet, but making every tool a limited release sale promotion? And that new aluminum marking gauge they’re pushing looks like a real dud…definitely more of that colored aluminum of woodpeckers than the super premium engineering and material we knew from Blue Spruce. Happy for Dave Jeske, sad for us. Maybe don’t wait to buy an extra Tite-Mark from Glen Drake?
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