From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:20:21 -0500
Subject: [Puptcrit] Woodworking: lumber yards &  specialty stores



Today I'm "sick as a dog", probably from food poisoning (vending machine 
sandwich I got on my trip back home by bus).

Still, that couldn't prevent me from going to the store, to get the basswood 
that will allow me to start the puppetmaking! I haven't been this motivated 
for a personal project since...I don't remember when!

I tried to get my basswood at my local lumber yard, as suggested by David 
Syrotiak.

I called the store up today, and they didn't carry anything close to Linden, 
Basswood, Poplar, or Tilleul.
And their motto in French translates to:"The REAL lumber yard".
I don't get it. How can they not carry a kind of wood that is so popular?


So instead I went to the specialty wood store. They cater to pro sculptors 
and craftspeople alike.
It was my second visit. It was even better than the first time I went.  I 
got to talk to one of their long-time employee, who is a wood sculptor. He 
gave me good advice, and really took the time, despite the busy time of the 
year (their boxing week).

The store is incredibly well-supplied in woods from around the world, and so 
many tools (powered and manual) that one person might never have time to 
really try them all.  It was a pleasure to look at the woods, such colors, 
such textures, such scents! Some pieces were gigantic. Some looked so exotic 
as to be from another planet. I got to see Cypress Knees in person. I have 
no idea how easy it is to carve those, but the shade and shape of them are 
really inspiring to me. The shape is organic, not at all like starting from 
a plank or block.

The store I am raving about is called Langevin et Forest. They are in 
Montreal.
http://www.langevinforest.com/

Their selection of technical books is extensive. I was a bit disapointed 
that there was nothing about puppet building.  One would think such a highly 
technical field would be appreciated by the advanced craftsmen at least. The 
closest were about toy making and whirlygigs.

They had a good basswood selection, available laminated and in solid blocks. 
I did pay a bit more than I would have at a lumber yard, but their pieces 
are flawless, and I did get very good service from everyone I talked to. I 
am willing to pay more if it encourages this kind of good business.

I liked my visit so much that I didn't even flinch when a loaded bookshelf 
fell on me and scraped my leg.
An employee hit a bookshelf with the long load on his shoulder, as in the 
classic cartoon gag with the ladder.  Obviously, the shelf had been 
overloaded on one side, out of balance.  The guy was very concerned, but 
there was no real harm done.  I'm still rather high from the inspirational 
visit, and from having found the wood I needed, so the pain might only show 
up tomorrow.  LoL. 

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