Highly Recommended: The Lee Valley Catalog
One of the most important “tools” as a beginning woodworker was the Lee Valley annual tool catalog. The enormous and well-organized catalog served as a roadmap for building my tool kit, understanding the range of tools available in the world and for purchasing supplies.
The catalogs came like clockwork each fall. When it arrived, I put down whatever I was working on and began paging through it (sort of like when a good magazine arrives at your doorstep).
Lee Valley discontinued its massive catalog in 2019 for a variety of reasons. But this year they have brought it back, and it’s like a visit from an old friend. (And it’s basically free – more on that in a moment.)
Good catalogs are well-organized so you can find what you’re looking for. As I paged through the section on measuring and marking tools this morning, I was reminded of how much better this format is compared to a website.
Most websites force you to work like a termite, boring down for the thing you want. Catalogs allow for visual comparisons (oh, that flush-cut saw is more what I’m looking for), and for finding ideas and tools you didn’t know existed.
Plus, good photography and clear writing help, too. The Lee Valley catalog has always been a straight shooter. If a product has a weakness, they’ll tell you. If it’s particularly expensive or cheap, they’ll explain why. And you can bet that if Lee Valley carries a particular tool, it’s above a certain baseline of crap.
Lee Valley’s 2025 catalog is $10, but you also get a $10 voucher toward a future purchase.
Everyone should buy it. And I mean that: everyone. The 676-page catalog will help you think through projects you’re working on. In fact, many times it saves me money. I’ll look at a jig or tool designed to do something specific, and I’ll realize that “Nah, I don’t really need that.”
But I do need some glue. Or a replacement ruler (white numerals on black) that will help my aging eyes. Or replacement blades for my flush-cut saw. Or maybe that 4" combination square I’ve vowed to own someday.
Welcome back, old friend. I have missed you.
I treated the Lee Valley tool catalog the same way I did the Sears Wish List catalog from my youth. I'd look, I'd dream, and It's stare at a page and think about all the awesome things I'd do with a given item.
Only now I can buy it myself instead of hoping my parents would buy me the spiffy new toy. :)
Now someone get me a link to McMaster Carr catalog.