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Lee Valley/Veritas Catalog

fingers | Posted in Tools for Home Building on February 8, 2005 02:15am

For all you tool junkies out there.  For years I’ve looked thru all the tool catalogs from Tool Crib to Harbor Freight to everything else but I had never actually received the Lee Valley/Veritas catalog.  I recently requested it, and it is a gem, especially for hand tools.

You all can waste as much time looking thru that thing as you can here at Breaktime, so if you request a copy don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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  1. Pierre1 | Feb 08, 2005 03:01am | #1

    Lee Valley's mail order dept. is very well managed and fast. They don't sell junk. If anything you buy from these guys is not to your liking, you get your money back without hassles or delay.

    1. User avater
      jazzdogg | Feb 09, 2005 01:42am | #6

      "They don't sell junk"Pierre,I respectfully disgree. While most of the Veritas brand tools sold through Lee Valley are good tools, and the company has customer service that stands head and shoulders above much of the competition, they also have a plethora of cheap junk in their catalog. In another thread on the Knots forum a few months ago, their founder said they carry products at several price points and quality levels - which certianly reflects my experience with the broad range of products they carry.Caveat emptor!
      -Jazzdogg-

      Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

      1. Pierre1 | Feb 09, 2005 02:55am | #7

        I stand corrected. Certainly 'Buyer beware' is good advice wherever one shops.

        Would you agree, though, that Lee Valley catalog descriptions do not misrepresent product quality?

      2. User avater
        IMERC | Feb 09, 2005 04:34am | #9

        they also declare the item's quality in the catalog..

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

        1. User avater
          jazzdogg | Feb 09, 2005 05:20am | #12

          "they also declare the item's quality in the catalog.."IMERC,I don't mean to be a recalcitrant old curmudgeon, but the reason for my wariness is that I've been stung more than once.A year or two ago, several of us chairmakers were looking high and low for Stanley Powerbore bits. We purchased several of Lee Valley's "Greenwood Bits" and, despite their claims that they were a suitable substitute for Powerbore bits, we found them to be useless junk. We bought several, in separate batches, and they were consistently unusable.
          I have been satisfied with the Veritas brand products I have purchased over the years, but some of their other offerings are of questionable value. Thus my admonition to let the buyer beware.-Jazzdogg-

          Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

      3. PhillGiles | Feb 09, 2005 10:07am | #15

        It was an odd ride getting there though: they started off (more than 20 years back) a little bit campy, but definitely craftsman; went through an "efficiency" phase; then became firmly yuppy before settling in back into a more craftmans' kinda place..
        Phill Giles
        The Unionville Woodwright
        Unionville, Ontario

  2. mizshredder2 | Feb 08, 2005 03:08am | #2

    Last year, due to good folks here, I made internet purchase from lee valley tools.  Been getting their catalogs ever since!

    "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
    Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
    Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
    Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it."  
     - Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

  3. Shep | Feb 08, 2005 04:14am | #3

    wait til you get the hardware catalog; you can get lost in there, too.

    1. ChuckW | Feb 08, 2005 05:43am | #4

      Maybe, if my wife ever puts it down!

      What city are you in Shep?

      1. Shep | Feb 09, 2005 12:56am | #5

        South Plainfield

        not too far away

        1. gtmtnbiker | Feb 09, 2005 06:35am | #13

          I'm getting off the thread topic but I had to respond when you mentioned that you're from S. Plfd. I grew up in that town.  Lived on Harrison Ave, just down the street from Franklin School.  The woodworking department at the high school (run by a man nicknamed "R", short for Mr Radakovich, when I was at school) was one of the best in NJ.  Learned a lot from him and still carry my love of woodworking and tools to this day. Moved up to Mass after graduating from Rutgers.

          Part of the school year was spent on some sort of CMM (Construction, Manufacturing, & Materials) project. As a class, we would design some sort of item to be mass produced.  We would make a few samples,  create jigs, etc.  We would go around town, door to door, taking orders.  One year, we made wall sconces. They had a mirror and some sort of flower arrangement. Another year, we did a fancy wall clock.  We would sell them for about $35 (1984 dollars).  We mass produced them, delivered the orders and collected the money.  The profit would be used (~$10K) would be used to buy tools/equipment for the shop.  I remember us buying a new shaper, unisaw, routers, etc.

          I've been meaning to stop by the school the next time I'm in NJ to see if my former teacher is still there and what the shop looks like now.

          1. nikkiwood | Feb 09, 2005 09:39am | #14

            I am a great, great fan of Lee Valley.I have been buying their products for years, and I think their catalog descriptions are first rate -- accurate, with enough explanation to let you know exactly what the product is and how to use it. However, they are always coming up with new widgets and gismos, and sometimes the catalog description is so seductive, you buy the product, and find out in the end you really have little use for it in the real world. In other words, those of us with tool mania need to exercise some discipline and restraint when reading the catalog. I must have a dozen different items that I thought would be useful, but now end of gathering dust on a shelf. But by no means is this a criticism of Lee Valley -- everything they sell does precisely what they promise.

          2. Shep | Feb 09, 2005 03:51pm | #17

            to continue the hijack---

            I grew up in N. Plfd- didn't get too far.

            I'm a bit older-graduated N.P.H.S. in 1972.

            don't know much about the S.P. shop or programs- don't have kids, so not involved with the schools

            but in the 19 years I've lived here, no one's knocked on my door trying to sell any items from the shop

             

            now back to your regularly scheduled thread

  4. SPCarpentry | Feb 09, 2005 04:31am | #8

    I just recieved my copies of the 2 catalogs. Looks like i'll be working some saturdays!

    All Things Wood!

    Stephen Prunier Carpentry

    1. ken1 | Feb 09, 2005 03:35pm | #16

      only 2 catalogues ,if you go to the store in Ottawa they will give you all the catalogues that they have on hand which will give you lots of reading.

      their return policy of 3 months no questions asked is great however they do sometimes ask you why you brought it back to verify if it diden't preform properly

      the returned goods are checked and sold as having been used at a discount at their specials display which includes many other items

      In the ottawa store there are numerous displays of projects done by customers including wood turning   and items  from plans they have

      In addition to the above they have a list of courses they give in store year round with all fees going to charity

      1. SPCarpentry | Feb 11, 2005 10:51pm | #19

        Being here in MA, USA, i'll have to wait till my nephew has a hockey tournament in Ottawa so I can go to the store lol. He did go to Ottawa last year but I didn't go. They played in the Corral Center (sp?). He got back from a tournament in Quebec just in time for the start of the super bowl. The patriots did better than his hockey team lol.All Things Wood!

        Stephen Prunier Carpentry

  5. User avater
    Gunner | Feb 09, 2005 04:47am | #10

    I've had one for awhile (The catalog that is.) I just want one plane. Can I have two hundred bucks?

    Who Dares Wins.

  6. User avater
    Lawrence | Feb 09, 2005 04:56am | #11

    Our plans are featured in the spring Gardening Catalog... (haven't seen it yet!).

    The scrutiny these guys go through for their products are renown. It takes about 1.5 years to get anything new in their stores. I had 5x more support calls and emails with questions than I have in total of selling the plans on line in 5 years.

    Even the lower end of the things they sell are likely a good value in the scheme of things.

    What I heard from retailers and other suppliers is that if you get a product in the door of Lee Valley- you are going to do well. Other retailers take their approval as a medal of honor and then look at your products much more seriously.

    Dealing with Lee Valley on both sides of the counter has always been a pleasure.

    Lawrence

     

  7. WillGeorge | Feb 09, 2005 05:29pm | #18

    Lee Valley/Veritas has nice stuff..

    GREAT folks to work with and will not try to 'rip-ya-off'

    Just me...

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