Woodcrafters

As a professional designer, builder and woodworker, I have frequented this place for many many years. Sometimes they’re WoodCrafters, other times they’re WoodShafters. The items in the store are not as rare or difficult to obtain as they or many may think. The pricing is a bit high for most products but they’re selection is impressive. If you feel like driving, other suppliers can be 15% cheaper for the same items. Of course, all the festool stuff is price fixed, so your paying too much anywhere you go, but like me, you’ll pay for your tool addiction. For convenience, selection and most of the staff, they’d get more stars, but pricing and some rare attitude issues they get less.

Lots of wood and tools for woodworking but this place is geared toward the professional woodworker so don’t expect much help from anyone if you are a novice like me. I’m sure they they wondering what a clueless woman was doing in there. I was looking for crown moulding and after waiting around for help and not getting it I asked the cashier and was give the aisle number. No offer to help me find what I needed or anything. I’m glad I didn’t find anything worth buying because I wouldn’t have wanted to support this store anyway. I also checked the price of some 1×8×16 pieces of wood boards I recently purchased from a different place and they were more per ft here so that gave me another reason not to shop here.
If you’re a man and want a place to hang out and talk wood this is your place.

They seem to have products that hardware stores do not stock. I go there to shop because of this reason but they have the worst customer service. People there think they are high and mighty. Always condescending and not helpful. Why ask what I’m working on if you aren’t planning on providing any insightful answers to my specific questions.

A 5 for selection. A 1 for customer service 90% of the time. A 4 for the other 10%.
Once in a while, not sure why, I get someone like JB who is really helpful. Most of the time I walk out feeling bad about myself and have to keep reminding myself that if I never even got to speak, it really isn’t me.
Wood-​bastards. Ha ha. That was funny in the other review.
But yeah. I almost always feel icky when I leave there. And I REALLY WANT to give my dollars locally. But they will forget? to place an order and then tell me I should order it from Amazon. Really? Did an employee just tell me that? Yup. He shore did.

This place isn’t harbor freight, and it isn’t parr lumber, it’s more of a specialty woodworking store that has a great selection of nice wood, bits, and sawblades. So if you want something cheap and fast, don’t go here. If you want high quality and aren’t in some insane rush, then this is the spot. It’s actually not even that expensive, or slow. I swear some of these reviewers haven’t been to other hardware stores/​lumber yards. I mean if these people can so readily look down their noses at this place, what beautiful woodworking shangri-la’s must they frequent?!
To those who say the customer service took too long, it’s because the people here will actually take the time to talk to you about a project, so they’re helping other people when you are so ignominiously waiting. If they are ignoring you, maybe it’s because they can just tell you’re some entitled little brat who’s gonna go bitch about it on Unilocal if they don’t bend over backwards answering your (probably inane) questions. These dudes don’t give a shit about your Unilocal review.
Oh and to Pepper P who blames them for fucking up their project; You’re likely an idiot, so take some responsibility. I’ve worked with these guys on multiple occasions and they are nothing but professional. These guys will give you advice sure, but they aint gonna walk you through everything, so don’t act like a baby when YOU mess up. Also you’re obviously familiar with the internet, so maybe look up what you’re doing before you commit to an apparently irreversible $ 200 solution. I dunno, just a thought.
They charge very reasonable fabrication rates, so you can give them a list of dimensions (for some MDF, for example) and they cut it all up nice and clean and it’s SO much quicker/​cleaner than if i were to do it in my own shop, especially for larger pieces.
(Again, these guys are awesome. I left this review because most of the older woodworkers who’ve been going here for years aren’t going to show up in Unilocal reviews, so don’t let some entitled morons turn you away.)

I’ve never seen such a large woodworking collection. It’s amazing and drive my passion to work with wood crazy! The downside is, everything here is expensive, but you’d be an idiot to think a specialty store like this wouldn’t be. I am always excited for my next trip and wish I could afford some of the amazing machines and product.

They’ve been great.
I know really just about nothing but got a ton of help to finish a big project.
Great products.
Customer service went above and beyond.

I came here for professional advice for a project. The first person I asked spent five minutes hemming and hawing before I asked for someone with actual product knowledge. The next guy seemed helpful and polite but gave me the worst advice… With a $ 200 price tag. I destroyed my project and wasted the money. Now, I have to redo the whole darn thing… And they want me to spend a pile of more money. Whaaaaat?
Umm thanks, no. I’ll try my luck elsewhere.
If you need a good quality tool or a good selection of the same. They seem to have it. If you need advice? Well, maybe you should save that for the online crowd.

The ultimate Portland experience. Everything you need at a super high price with typical Portland customer service. Go here for eye rolls and deep sighs and to be treated like an idiot for not being an expert.

I’ve been there many times but only purchased a few times. Not because of high prices or grumpy staff because I thought things were fine. It seems that people with weird names complain more than anyone else. My advice, visit the store and check out the competition then make up your own mind. If you’re one of the complainers you should consider changing your name and see if your outlook improves.

I’m a semi-​pro/​semi hobbiest woodworker. I don’t make my living doing it, but I do some trades with other craftspeople to reduce my expenses.
This store simply sucks. They are super expensive, they don’t stock good stuff, and the people are unhelpful.
I will not go back.

I find it to be both amazing and ridiculous what people expect from a place like this. Woodcrafters is high, its not a box store and its not a place to go if you are clueless and need help fixing a door or something like that.
They carry nice wood that is costly, they carry nice tools like Festool, they have always been nice to me when I had a question such as when I drill press shopping.
All said they have some nice stuff for sale and often I have found there prices to be comparable to what you will find online.

As a weekend woodworker I think being closed on Sundays shows a significant lack of respect for customers. While the selection is good and with average to slightly better than average pricing, unless you really need specific hard to find wood you would be better served going someplace besides here.

I am very appreciative of Woodcrafters for hosting the Katz roadshow yesterday. The event was very well organized and I gained a lot of very useful information. I found the employees to be very friendly and welcoming and never felt uncomfortable being one of very few women in the audience. I am only giving four stars because the bathroom was pretty disgusting. It is a single unisex bathroom and the urinal is in close proximity to the toilet (ick). The bathroom smelled very strongly of urine (maybe this was because there was an unusually high number of people using the single bathroom because of the event?). Woodcrafters should definitely prioritize adding an additional bathroom for ladies who also love the products they sell.

I only go here as a Last resort for my woodworking needs. I can’t afford many of the tools in the store, and when i do buy the odd sawblade or overpriced piece of lumber it’s always the same, – grumpy staff who always make me wait at the counter with my money in hand, while they fiddle with something or other behind the counter, or just seem too preoccupied to come ring me up. The last time, the guy was actually throwing pens that didn’t work down on the desk like he was having a little tantrum. while I waited to sign my receipt. Come ON! my 2 year old has better behavior in public. So, it’s a last resort kinda place.

I Love festool, My firm has purchased numerous Sanders, Drills, & a HVLP Vacuum.
Woodcrafters also carry’s hard to find Dyes, Stains, & Oils for Finishing Fine Millwork.
The Service is excellent. Great Parking. A+ Rating!

Great selection of all things woodworking related! Service is OK and prices are about what you’d expect them to be.

I’ve purchased many, many items here over the years and I’ve found the staff to be very helpful when I have questions. It is busy sometimes, so I’m not upset to wait a bit for help. I enjoy wandering around the store while I wait. It’s part of my enjoyment of visiting this particular store. When I want fast, no frills service I head for Rockler or Woodcraft.
I do find the lumber selection to be very, very good. I buy all of my hardwoods here.
I’ve not found the prices on the high (er) end tools to be that great for my budget. I’ve looked (ok, lusted) after the Festools that they carry, but the sticker shock has sent me scampering away like a scalded dog. I’m just a simple hobbyist, so the high end tools seem a bit much. So overall I wish that they carried a few more tools in the «Middle price range» for a hobbyist like me and fewer tools for the professional tradesmen.
I’ve purchased other big ticket items (cabinet saw, band saw, etc) at other woodworking stores in the Portland area and found them willing to negotiate on the prices. Honestly, I’ve been too intimidated to try it here.

Sure, they’re a little pricey, but at least they were friendly. I’ve been having similar experiences as other reviewers: CRAPPY customer service. I don’t need any hand-​holding, but they all but ignored me in there, standing by the front counter, three of them standing around gabbing, me at the counter, with my wood and credit card out. How much do I have to beg these guys to take my money? Guess I’ll do a little more shopping around.
PS-​When I told my friend of my recent experiences, she referred to them as «Woodbastards».

I’ve bought wood, bits and finishes here. Strictly s2s/​s4s on wood, and good prices on sales! The staff is very, very knowledgeable. The selection is the best in all of Portland for wood crafting items. They are a good place if you want to know what the grain pattern and color of wood from different trees, from all over the world, looks like in the flesh. They may not be the most wholesale/​specialized supplier, but they are the BEST all-​in-​one Portland wood spot. If you are into wood, or into craft involving wood, or took some classes at Oregon College of Arts and Crafts involving wood, you should geo-​bookmark this place, and visit, in (geo) person.