TOOLS

Lehman's

Lehmans is a great source for a variety of tools and other items of interest to the do-it-yourselfer. They supply primarily to the Amish community. They carry all sorts of non-electric items including hand tools, cast iron cookware, stoves, books, and other items too numerous to mention here.

CUMBERLAND GENERAL STORE
Similar to Lehman's, they offer many of the same products, as well as some that they don't and vice versa. Get a catalog, enjoyable reading, even if you don't order anything. Same for the Lehman's catalog, too.

Lindsay Publications

This outfit is just incredible, tons of useful how to. Lindsay republishes out of date technical manuals on metalworking, short wave radio, and other subjects. In addition to this he also makes available more recently published works by "them who are doin'". Of particular interest are the books by Dave Gingery and his son, Vince. Dave has an entire series on how to make your own precision machine tools from scratch (lathe, shaper, milling machine, drill press, lathe accessories-three jaw chuck, screw cutting gears for lathe, etc., also several books on home built furnaces for melting aluminum and even brass and iron!) His son Vince's latest book is on a home built plastic injection moulding machine!

THE MARSHALL PAGE

This guy has built several cupola furnaces for casting iron and has a book for sale on the subject, the book is also available from Lindsay Publications as well. The biggest furnace this guy has built is capable of producing approx. 20 to 25 lbs. of grey iron every 5 minutes.

RIPSAW

This company makes a small and affordable bandsaw mill, powered either by a Stihl chainsaw engine or an electric motor.

SPYDERCO

The official Spyderco Knife website. If you don't know what a Spyderco is, they are just about the nicest one handed opening knife there is. I own two, and I lust dreadfully after the military model.

THE LEATHERMAN TOOL GROUP'S HOME PAGE

I own three Leathermans, the Original, the SuperTool, and the Micra. I use them several times a week. If you haven't got one, get one, they are extremely useful. Avoid the cheap knockoff versions such as sold by K-Mart, etc.

THE KNIFECENTER

HUGE on-line shopping center with all sorts of stuff relating to knives and cutlery.

COLD STEEL

Some of the finest knives in the world, also some unusual stuff, such as an assagai (Zulu Spear). Site appears to be under construction, as not everything loads yet.

BUCK KNIVES

Site for a well known mainstream knife maker.

SCAVENGER ONE

Good site. Offers plans on a variety of DIY self sufficiency items, including a home-built vacuum packing unit. I've got one of those expensive store bought models that has to have the special (and expensive albiet, re-usable) bags. Kinda wish this info had been around then. Check it out.