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Woodworking Stores in Texas - tablesawtom - 02-11-2021
We are planning on being in Austin and San Antonio in early April. I was wondering if there are any woodworking stores in those two cities or surrounding area to visit. It won't take much to excite me because even the closest Big Box is about 40 minutes at 70 miles an hour.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
RE: Woodworking Stores in Texas - TDKPE - 02-11-2021
(02-11-2021, 09:05 AM)tablesawtom Wrote: We are planning on being in Austin and San Antonio in early April. I was wondering if there are any woodworking stores in those two cities or surrounding area to visit.
Watching, too, as I have family in the Houston area.
RE: Woodworking Stores in Texas - skeeterk - 02-11-2021
(02-11-2021, 09:18 AM)TDKPE Wrote: Watching, too, as I have family in the Houston area.
For the Houston area it's not much other than Rockler and Woodcraft. Both have stores north and south sides of town. There used to be two independents but they have closed within the last 10 years. There is Circle Saw in Houston that once had a nice selection of Jet and Powermatic on their sales floor that you could actually see things in person. I'm about 35 miles NW of Houston now so I haven't been to Circle Saw in years.
Back when Lie Nielsen had their traveling tool demo's their was a place in Austin that had a show every year. Sorry, but I can't recall the name of it.
RE: Woodworking Stores in Texas - KC - 02-11-2021
Alamo Hardwoods in San Antonio used to have some cool exotics on display. Spendy, as I recall. I haven't been in there in probably 20 years, but it looks like they're still in business.
Can't get to excited about Woodcraft, but there's one in SA and north Austin.
RE: Woodworking Stores in Texas - MarkWells - 02-11-2021
(02-11-2021, 09:05 AM)tablesawtom Wrote: We are planning on being in Austin and San Antonio in early April. I was wondering if there are any woodworking stores in those two cities or surrounding area to visit. It won't take much to excite me because even the closest Big Box is about 40 minutes at 70 miles an hour.
I have been lurking for a really long time and finally created an account so I could answer. I live in Austin. Two caveats: 1) these recommendations are places I visited before the pandemic and 2) I'm mostly interested in hand tools.
Somebody already mentioned that Austin and San Antonio both have a Woodcraft store. I don't know about the SA store, but the Austin store is relatively new and a pretty good size. It's a reasonable place to see machines in person. There are more machines to see in the classroom.
I would check out Berdoll Sawmill. https://berdollsawmill.com/ They have huge native slabs along with much smaller pieces that mortals can use. If you want to build a mesquite hand plane, that would be a good place to buy a blank.
I haven't been there, but Harvest Lumber is another store with native woods, some tools and finishes. You can buy Osmo finishes there: https://www.harvestlumberco.com/
The store that often hosted the Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Events is Fine Lumber. Hardwoods and plywoods you can browse. https://www.finelumber.com/
Other non-store attractions:
I haven't been in many years, but I enjoyed the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture in New Braunfels (between Austin and San Antonio). https://texashandmadefurniture.com/
Pioneer Farms in Austin has some blacksmithing and woodworking classes and is fun to walk around: https://www.pioneerfarms.org/
I also enjoyed the Sauer-Beckmann Farm, which is a living history farm next to the LBJ Ranch: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson/sauer-beckmann-farm
If you are here at the end of the year, the Texas Furniture Makers' Show is worth seeing. It's in Kerrville in November/December.
Mark
RE: Woodworking Stores in Texas - tablesawtom - 02-14-2021
Mark, thank you so much for the information. It seems that a fly to Texas stay for 3-4 days and fly back has turned into 2 week road trip. We have a SUV so I should be able to bring back a piece of wood that isn't available here in Iowa.
My wife is into flowers and has mentioned several times wanting to see the blue bonnets in bloom. Don't get me wrong because it is my idea to visit Texas and see the blue bonnets. But all the places she wants to see other than the Alamo involve flowers and wild seed farms. We looked at all the sites you mentioned and selected 3 to try to visit. It gives me something to look forward to also. Hay it doesn't take much to get me excited the nearest wood working store is Woodsmith and it is a 3 hour drive, Rockler is 4 and Woodcraft is 4 1/2. I already knew there was a Wood Craft is San Antonio.
Anyway thanks for the tips , much appreciated.
Tom