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Skew ChiDAMN!!
21st August 2011, 02:00 AM
So, I'm heading to Canadia fairly soonish for possibly quite some time but, sadly, the airlines won't let me take my lathes and wood-turning paraphernalia in my carry-on. :C

Upon googling for lathes available over there, I can't find anything advertised except a 'Mastercraft 12"' which seems to me to be rather... lacking.

Can't even find any of the JET type midi lathes without crossing the border into the US of A.

Is this how it actually is? Any Canadian forum members capable of pointing me to any stores within a few hours drive of Toronto?

robo hippy
21st August 2011, 03:49 AM
The Oneway and General lathes are made in Canada. Not my choice for a lathe, but a very high quality tool. I do believe they have their Jet Clones there as well.

robo hippy

gtwilkins
21st August 2011, 05:44 AM
I am on the west coast so don't really know much about Toronto, there is a Canadian Turning Forum and quite a few of the fellows are in Ontario:

Turning (http://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/forumdisplay.php?10-Turning)

There is a store in Toronto that everyone recommends called Woodchucker's:

Woodchucker (http://www.woodchuckers.com/)

On the Woodchucker's site there is a link to the Toronto Woodturners Guild.

I hope this helps, of course if you get to the left coast you are welcome here in Powell River.

Trevor

Big Shed
21st August 2011, 09:16 AM
Skew, we have a member on this forum, William Young, who hails from Canada.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/changing-guard-115302/index2.html#post1131091

He owns (owned?) a Busy Bee 18x47, same as the H&F 18x47 and the Grizzly/Laguna, he also runs his own forum

http://wmyoung.proboards.com/index.cgi?

and is active on AAW, where there are a couple of threads on these lathes.

Busy Bee appears to be the Canadian equivalent to Grizzly and they sell a range of machinery for both wood and metal working.

Not sure where they are located or whether they only sell via the internet.

http://www.busybeetools.com/categories/Woodworking/Wood-Lathes/

A PM to William might help.

Edit:

They do have stores

http://www.busybeetools.com/pages/Store-Locations.html

Scott
21st August 2011, 10:34 AM
Canada is a stunning country, I'm envious. If you're going to but a lathe it sounds like you'll be there for a while.

-Scott

oldiephred
21st August 2011, 10:37 AM
There are lots available and just as many opinions re: what is best. Most like to flaunt the Oneway or General but IMHO they are way overpriced unless it is for production use. I would suggest you look for a Woodchuckers location or Busy Bee unless you have an large budget:rolleyes: I have found the Barracuda chucks economical and good quality (woodchuckers supply them)

TTIT
21st August 2011, 10:51 AM
How the bloody hell did you manage to get a passport!?!?!?! Wonders will never cease ;-).
I have no idea about the availability of lathes but I'm stoked to see you're heading over there anyway. Good luck to the pair of you :yipee::woot::woot:

hughie
21st August 2011, 11:12 AM
Skew try shipping your lathes etc as a migrant you get some preferential treatment[ or used to].
Lathes and tools etc just about what ever is available in the US of A is there in Canada, so no problems.

As a matter of curiousity what part are you heading to? West is best, BC is a great province and one of the most beautiful, spent a bit of time working in the Canadian Rockies, truly magic location.

jimbur
21st August 2011, 04:22 PM
Rikon (the USA version of woodfast) should be easy to get shouldn't they?
Cheers,
Jim

Skew ChiDAMN!!
21st August 2011, 05:34 PM
Thanks fellas! Plenty there for me to mull over. :2tsup: I wonder why Google seems to think Canadians only buy "toy" lathes?

And a big Thank You to Big Shed for those links. Handy!


How the bloody hell did you manage to get a passport!?!?!?! Wonders will never cease ;-)

I know! I'm still feeling like a stunned mullet, but have carefully stashed the goodies away in case the pencil pushers come to their senses. :;


Skew try shipping your lathes etc as a migrant you get some preferential treatment[ or used to.

Hughie, I won't be migrating... just yet. I'm going over to spend some time with the inlaws and it's quite possible I will end up over there more permanently but it's just as likely to work t'other way at this stage and we'll have a new Aussie..

Either way, the future'll be seeing a lot of to'ing & fro'ing so I'd like to have something at both ends to keep me out of mischief.

I'll be in Toronto for a while, but then heading East Coast to put the Newfies patience to the test. :innocent: From there, who knows?

jefferson
21st August 2011, 06:26 PM
Good luck with the move, Andy! :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup: Try to fit some Oz hardwoods in with your baggage for the Canadians to try out.

Groggy
21st August 2011, 06:35 PM
The days of being shoeless are over Skew :)

Why not ship them over in a container, it will probably cost about the same, especially when you consider all the chucks and bits you may need to replace.

Good luck with the move mate :2tsup:

(lucky sod!)

wheelinround
21st August 2011, 06:56 PM
Didn't you post about just getting your shed the way you want it now your heading (I was going to say to snow and cold but Vic is not much better).

No shoes = blue feet.

Good Luck skew & better + did I see 1/2..........:2tsup:

Sawdust Maker
21st August 2011, 09:43 PM
Romancing the Lathe
a new movie directed by Robert Zemeckis. With Michael Douglas as Skew and Kathleen Turner as ...
Opening in cinemas near you in ...

Waldo
21st August 2011, 09:51 PM
How the bloody hell did you manage to get a passport!?!?!?! Wonders will never cease ;-).

He asked a very shady character to vouch for him. :D

Richard Hodsdon
22nd August 2011, 03:33 AM
The Oneway lathes and chucks etc are made in Stratford wihich is about 150Km from Toronto. It would be well worth a visit to the factory.
I am a very satisfied user of their chucks, and have been usoing them since 2000.
Have a look at their website Oneway Manufacturing (http://www.oneway.ca/)

Paul39
24th August 2011, 03:26 AM
Skew,

Check to see if there is still a thing known as accompanied freight. You could fit out a stout old fashioned suitcase for your chucks, tail centers, grinding jigs, gouges, calipers, diamond hones, etc., and bring them back & forth.

Also check on air freight rates plus insurance.

All the little bits together make a small fortune. For one or two trips it might be cheaper to ship.

Some years ago wife and children drove to my parents for a visit. I was to fly up and spend a few days and all would drive back. I had a call that a tire had self destructed on the way. I had a spare wheel and tire at home. When I checked in at the airline counter I plopped my suitcase and a mounted tire on the scale. The agent put a tag on each without blinking an eye, and they went merrily on to the airplane. This was before 9 -11.

Don McLeod
25th August 2011, 01:42 PM
So your coming to Canada,WHY, did you fall and hit your head. Haven't you heard that we are the most highly taxed country in the Americas. (If your a politician you are really going to like it here as you will be highly overpaid and I understand the perks are really good) Aside from that the water isn't too bad and we make a fairly good beer. We are for the most part friendly people. Now one piece of advice you should take to heart, bring with you a good and warm pair of longjohns, you will need them for the long and very cold winters in Toronto and in the very short summer they can still be worn to protect you from the hoards of mosquitoes (a pair of waterproof and warm boots is also a plus). Now I know some in this country will disagree with what I've said, so after you've been here for awhile let me know what you think. But that isn't what you want to know, so in answer to your question about wood lathes, just about any wood lathe presently made is available here or in the USA, check kijiji for Toronto and the chances are you can find a good used lathe, google Canadian wood magazines and you should find a wood turning forum. Lots of information there and friendly, knowledgeable people. Wood turning accessories, chucks, tools etc are readily available. You will find that exotic woods (as we call Australian woods) are not cheaply available. We turn a lot of maple, birch, oak, walnut, cherry, ash etc which is usually easy to find (can't speak for Toronto, but Ontario in general has these woods ). So Welcome, enjoy your stay.

jefferson
25th August 2011, 06:12 PM
Skew has trouble with the concept of footwear, don't know how he'll go with long-johns! :D:D:D

Harry72
25th August 2011, 06:59 PM
Got your lumberjack jacket and floppy ear hat yet Skew?

RETIRED
25th August 2011, 08:59 PM
Couldn't resist.:D

Lumber jack song - YouTube

Sawdust Maker
25th August 2011, 09:18 PM
Was wondering when that would appear :rolleyes:

joe greiner
25th August 2011, 10:54 PM
There are a few AAW chapters in or near Toronto. Also one in Newfoundland.

Go to https://www.woodturner.org/

Select "Find a Chapter" from the menu, select "Canada" in the Search box.

Cheers,
Joe

Waldo
25th August 2011, 10:55 PM
I wonder if they have drop-bears over there? If so, he'd better be careful when he goes for long walks in the woods.

BobL
25th August 2011, 11:33 PM
I wonder if they have drop-bears over there? If so, he'd better be careful when he goes for long walks in the woods.

One thing I learned about canada is don't mock their bears, the bears don't seem to be able to take a joke.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=180076&stc=1&d=1314313622

Sawdust Maker
26th August 2011, 08:52 AM
Skew

I'll post a list of what you need to pickup from Lee Valley for me :D

excess baggage on the trip home could be a bit of a problem though :doh:

Paul39
26th August 2011, 09:06 AM
Skew

I'll post a list of what you need to pickup from Lee Valley for me :D

excess baggage on the trip home could be a bit of a problem though :doh:

A bunch of you send cash and orders for enough stuff to fill a container. Give Skew a 10% commission.

old logger
26th August 2011, 10:14 AM
If you are looking for a lathe near Toronto,take the 401 highway east about twenty minutes and look for Brock road in Pickering.It is in a little plaza just as you turn right.as you are going up the offramp look right and you will see their logo on the back of the building.They are a candystore.I stop in there every chance I get.Friendly,helpful and knowlegable.I have an old ryobi 12"x37" lathe and a model2338 14"x43" Busy Bee lathe.It costs under $500 Cdn and does everthing I need it to do.Never had a problem.
I hope you enjoy your stay here in our country.I have lived on the East coast in Digby Nova Scotia,Powell River British Columbia ,and now on Rice lake Ontario about 60 miles east of Toronto.If I can be of any assistance PM me.
Also thanks to for posting the lumberjack song as I was a logger on the best coast for 16 years.The largest tree I ever cut down was a red cedar 18'6" in diameter and 120 feet in height.The top was broken off by lightning and was still 6' in dia.Yay B.C.
Take care,Ed.

old logger
26th August 2011, 10:19 AM
I should have added The store there is Busy Bee Tools.Sorry ,long day brainfart.Take care,Ed.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
29th August 2011, 05:08 AM
Well the Drop Bear has landed! Jet-lagged, but having a ball so far. :U

It looks like the Busy Bee chain will be my first port of call. :2tsup:

Even if I don't pick up a lathe from there, it sounds like it'll get me started with the other required tooling.

Thanks fellas!

Waldo
29th August 2011, 01:18 PM
:2tsup: So you succeeded in fooling the mob at LA, and you've survived the initial introduction. You're half way there. :cool:

jimbur
30th August 2011, 06:53 PM
Can it possibly be a coincidence that Melbourne has regained its title of "most liveable city" from Canada?:D
Cheers,
Jim

Sawdust Maker
1st September 2011, 09:23 AM
Can it possibly be a coincidence that Melbourne has regained its title of "most liveable city" from Canada?:D
Cheers,
Jim

are you suggesting that this has occurred because skew is not in town or that he is over there influencing the vote?

jimbur
1st September 2011, 10:32 AM
are you suggesting that this has occurred because skew is not in town or that he is over there influencing the vote?
probably because all the woodturners in Canada went to the airport to greet Skew and a town without woodturners couldn't possibly be classed as liveable.:U
Cheers,
Jim

rsser
4th September 2011, 06:22 PM
Thigh length Ugg boots Andy ... might be a business opportunity to finance your trip.

We have the sheep, over there you have the cold.

Steel capped even.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
5th September 2011, 04:19 AM
:D

Now, if someone'd told me that Canada had convincing Blackheart Sassafras or fiddle-backed Blackwood substitutes, I woulda been over here soooo much the sooner! ;)

Found a couple of nice Maple boards in Home Depot, which is exactly the same as Bunnies 'cept Orange instead of Green. I received some very, very odd looks when I excitedly pounced on what are - to all intents and purposes - their "plain ol' KDHW."

Well... 'twas either the pouncing or the subsequent fondling of the planks in the rain outside... :B (Hey! It was raining, the wood got wet and the figure really popped! Don't tell me that you wouldn't do the same! :p)

The figure isn't obvious in the pix, but it's a nice, tight fiddleback covering every square mm of two of the boards and the B/H Sass coloured one also has more than a smattering of figure through it's length.

I haven't picked up any serious tooling yet, apart from an Incra marking gauge, a scratch gauge and a Jobmate workhorse. (All for change of $50! :oo:) Mainly due to the lack of a practical work space.

However I'm heading into Lee Valley this week :woot: to pick up a pull-saw and dovetail chisel so I can start making wooden boxes by hand.

It's not a lathe, but until I can get out of Suburbia and into outback Nova Scotia where there's more chance to find a workable shed, it's the best I can do. :sigh:

Big Shed
5th September 2011, 09:04 AM
Nice pickup Skew (the wood, the wood:D:rolleyes:)

Look forward to seeing the boxes you'll make with it.

Sawdust Maker
5th September 2011, 09:44 AM
So you went straight through immigration and took your shoes off!

Oh yeah, nice bits of wood

Paul39
5th September 2011, 10:10 AM
Skew,

Apparently all Home Depots are not alike.

Here in the sunny south you can have any kind of wood you like, as long as you like southern yellow pine.

That's maybe stretching it a bit, but wood like you bought is available for an arm, a leg, and your firstborn child.

http://www.ashevillehardware.com/index.php?Services:The_Lumber_Room

Waldo
5th September 2011, 12:18 PM
Caressing the figure of wood :o ( :innocent: myself :rolleyes: ), luckily Anne is understanding. It doesn't sound like you're having any fun over there :no:

:2tsup: