Having lived in a city with a Lee Valley most of my life, it's easy to take for granted how fortunate I am. I'm at my local Lee Valley store in 5 minutes. Not only are their new planes and tools amazing, but they have so many replacement parts and random tools for the shop. Recently purchased the small low angle smoothing plane - it's incredible and taking 0.0005 shavings in white oak. Unreal.
For those of you who don't have easy access to a Lee Valley store, their mail/phone order service is world class. I've used it countless times for many years and every single time, the people who answered the phone and took my order were friendly and knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with. I've ordered online via their website a few times (mostly for their annual Cyber Monday and seconds sales) and it worked perfectly. The queue system worked as advertised, too.
I agree 100%! Never had any issue placing an order with them, I've done online, phone and in-person. Haven't tried mail yet, not fast enough for me hahahha
I liked that section too! I think what I liked the most, is like you said, all of the interactive displays, and to add on, all the educational material! Promotes people to DIY more and in a safe and effective manner!
Hi, I have just come across your channel, and I am mesmerized. Thank you for this I love their tools, But being from South Africa I can only appreciate it on TH-cam so thank you for that.
Thanks for taking us with, the store is amazing and my favorite part is the way everything is displayed. All the people that make that company what it is are very talented. They have their own take on tools and hardware.
Customer service is top notch, they set the bar high, other company's should take note. I'm fortunate, I live between the N Falls and Burlington locations; and my in-laws live in Ottawa so i have great access to stores if online isn't available.
He was! I got to meet him in the store and as a community volunteer ( him). He also answered some correspondence with advice on a couple of my potential inventions.
My home town, my dad was friends with the og back in the day when it was on the north side of pinecrest and the QEW. Where it is now, one of the buildings used to be the skate way roller disco, a later on was the home of Gandalf modems.
I met Leonard a few times over the years. S4rved me in the old store. I also skated at Skateway snd my first job out of high school was with FPI, making the boxes for Gandalf modems.
@@BatCaveCreations Maybe it was for the best, i was on a limited budget, and probably would've ended up spending an irresponsible amount of money on Veritas tools. But yes, whenever i visit canada next time, it is first on the list.
How did you like the Niagara Falls store ? My Local store has the majority of the tools locked up in cabinets. Staff will gladly take them out for you to hold and get a feel for them, but they don't have the bench setup up for you to try out. Is it worth the road trip to NF? Is it setup the same as the Ottawa store ?
Oh dang! What store is that? The NF store was still awesome deff not as big as Ottawa and the display are older in NF but they have the planes out for you to try and have a bench set up for you. Worth the trip if you are debating tools
Niagra Falls would be the closest to you. Ottawa is about 4 to 5 hrs north of Niagra. I hope you get to make the trip. Idk how far Chicago is from Niagra Falls tho! The Falls are also worth a stop, they are BEAUTIFUL
Niagara Falls is about 9 hours from Chicago but you do have to cross another international border. I think we are pretty easy about letting in other colonials but not sure how US will treat you hopping out and in. Check on purchase limits etc.
Did they have private booths so you could play with the tools without disturbing other shoppers? I wish we had Lee Valley in Australia, not to take away from Cabatec though.
Their saws are made for beginners start easy but cut slow. So I get it lol I do wanna say the backs are a resin type material infused with steel and aluminum. But again, I get what ur saying ahhah
@@BatCaveCreations I'm just used to working with tools that can be passed down from generation to generation. Iv'e got planes and saws that have been in my family over 100 years. I fear that the trend with plastic backs will just add to a throw away culture. That's my biggest gripe with them.
Hey, can you come get your friend Dennis? He's still at our workbench, he hasn't left!
Lol nope sorry! He is all yours now! :D
Having lived in a city with a Lee Valley most of my life, it's easy to take for granted how fortunate I am. I'm at my local Lee Valley store in 5 minutes. Not only are their new planes and tools amazing, but they have so many replacement parts and random tools for the shop.
Recently purchased the small low angle smoothing plane - it's incredible and taking 0.0005 shavings in white oak. Unreal.
Jealous!!! Love it!!
For those of you who don't have easy access to a Lee Valley store, their mail/phone order service is world class. I've used it countless times for many years and every single time, the people who answered the phone and took my order were friendly and knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with. I've ordered online via their website a few times (mostly for their annual Cyber Monday and seconds sales) and it worked perfectly. The queue system worked as advertised, too.
I agree 100%! Never had any issue placing an order with them, I've done online, phone and in-person. Haven't tried mail yet, not fast enough for me hahahha
Thank you for doping these two videos!!!
Glad you liked them! They were fun!!
Raleigh NC. I really liked all the interactive displays. Veritas was my #1 but I also liked the kitchen cabinet options section.
I liked that section too! I think what I liked the most, is like you said, all of the interactive displays, and to add on, all the educational material! Promotes people to DIY more and in a safe and effective manner!
Having one in Raleigh would be awesome!
Would love one in SF which is a major tool desert. After seeing this store in your video, I wonder if America even deserves an LV - we’re not worthy!
Hahaha 100% valid point!
Hi, I have just come across your channel, and I am mesmerized. Thank you for this I love their tools, But being from South Africa I can only appreciate it on TH-cam so thank you for that.
Thank you!!! And dang there isn't anyone who deliverers there or is it just crazy expensive too?
Amazing! I love that you can try all tools at store.
Thanks for taking us with, the store is amazing and my favorite part is the way everything is displayed. All the people that make that company what it is are very talented. They have their own take on tools and hardware.
I 100% agree with you!!!
Phoenix, AZ - Immediate access to my wish list while in the LV store would be VERY dangerous - but fun!
Haha deff dangerous!!!
Customer service is top notch, they set the bar high, other company's should take note.
I'm fortunate, I live between the N Falls and Burlington locations; and my in-laws live in Ottawa so i have great access to stores if online isn't available.
100% agree and you are LUCKY!!!! Makes me want to move to Canada just for LN haha
By the way Leonard Lee was a genius! 👴🏻🇦🇺 He is responsible for for my love of woodworking 😊
Yes he was!!!! His son caries alot of those characteristics imo. It's in the genes! Hahaha
He was! I got to meet him in the store and as a community volunteer ( him). He also answered some correspondence with advice on a couple of my potential inventions.
My home town, my dad was friends with the og back in the day when it was on the north side of pinecrest and the QEW.
Where it is now, one of the buildings used to be the skate way roller disco, a later on was the home of Gandalf modems.
Yes!!! They were telling me about the histories of the buildings. It was really neat!
I met Leonard a few times over the years. S4rved me in the old store. I also skated at Skateway snd my first job out of high school was with FPI, making the boxes for Gandalf modems.
Michigan , liked how customers can try out the tools and see how they fit
100%! We need stores like this in the states!
There is a store in Windsor Ontario just across the border from Detroit
@@geraldmusson7186 excellent!!!
An yes I order from Lee Valley ALL the time I would LOVE if they had a store in Buffalo N.Y. an again GO BILLS
I'd be all for one there!!! Thats only 3.5 hrs from me and I could visit Dennis while I'm there hahaha
i was 4 months in ottawa in an exchange program, i'm still mad at myself for never going to the store. kept postponing it, don't know why.
Dang that stinks! Make sure you do if you visit again!
@@BatCaveCreations Maybe it was for the best, i was on a limited budget, and probably would've ended up spending an irresponsible amount of money on Veritas tools. But yes, whenever i visit canada next time, it is first on the list.
Lol very true!!! When you walk in just hand them your wallet and say.... TAKE IT ALL hahahah
How did you like the Niagara Falls store ? My Local store has the majority of the tools locked up in cabinets. Staff will gladly take them out for you to hold and get a feel for them, but they don't have the bench setup up for you to try out. Is it worth the road trip to NF? Is it setup the same as the Ottawa store ?
Oh dang! What store is that?
The NF store was still awesome deff not as big as Ottawa and the display are older in NF but they have the planes out for you to try and have a bench set up for you. Worth the trip if you are debating tools
How far from Chicago is the nearest Lee Valley Store? I’m visiting my son from Australia 🇦🇺 in June.
Niagra Falls would be the closest to you. Ottawa is about 4 to 5 hrs north of Niagra.
I hope you get to make the trip. Idk how far Chicago is from Niagra Falls tho! The Falls are also worth a stop, they are BEAUTIFUL
Niagara Falls is about 9 hours from Chicago but you do have to cross another international border. I think we are pretty easy about letting in other colonials but not sure how US will treat you hopping out and in. Check on purchase limits etc.
There is a Lee Valley in Windsor Ont. (across the river from Detroit). Still a 4 hour drive from Chicago, but a lot closer than N.F.
GO BILLS
Did they have private booths so you could play with the tools without disturbing other shoppers? I wish we had Lee Valley in Australia, not to take away from Cabatec though.
No booths but they had that amazing workbench with really cool vises I wish I would have gotten more pics of hahaha
Hell I want 1 in Britain please
Oooh thats would be awesome!
I love their planes! I hate their saws! Sorry but plastic backs are trash!
Their saws are made for beginners start easy but cut slow. So I get it lol
I do wanna say the backs are a resin type material infused with steel and aluminum. But again, I get what ur saying ahhah
@@BatCaveCreations I'm just used to working with tools that can be passed down from generation to generation. Iv'e got planes and saws that have been in my family over 100 years. I fear that the trend with plastic backs will just add to a throw away culture. That's my biggest gripe with them.
Ah that is a very good point, didn't even think about the longevity of them :/
Lee Valley - open a store in England! I will divorce the wife and buy tools instead
Hahahaha