Plane Talk: Straight Flat and Square: May 2026

Harvesting wood in the raw

Lawrence and his wife Karen start the annual chore of cutting down logs on the property, junking it up, and carting it down to the homestead

About Leo...

Leo MacNeil was a master craftsman and toolmaker, whose interests include woodwork, stonework, metal machining, toolmaking, optics, forging, demolition, sculpture, music, photography, aircraft flying, history and mathematics. He has been featured on CBC television and on the cover of Woodcuts, a Canadian magazine that had a limited publication and is now a collectors item. He was a gifted teacher of woodwork. A visit to his workshop was an amazing experience. You would see anvils, swages, planes, chisels (mostly all hand made), mysterious tools, gigantic lathes and wood in various stages of production. It is not by chance that the woodcraft group chose Leo's workshop as the venue for their biweekly meetings. Leo made major contributions towards reproducing eighteenth century French furniture for the famed Louisbourg Fortress. His knowledge base was encyclopedic. In 2013 Leo was awarded both the Order Of Canada and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medals.

If ever there were a Prince of a Man, it was Leo MacNeil.

The family of Leo MacNeil regretfully announced his peaceful passing on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Born December 23, 1928, in Detroit, MI, he was a son of the late John and Evelyn (MacNeil) MacNeil. A former pilot, member of a monastic order, well-known tinkerer, and self-taught inventor, Leo spent his early career working in carpentry and heavy construction. Becoming an accomplished and well-respected craftsman working in wood, many of his creations were widely recognized as pieces of art. His specialization in traditional woodworking methods led to his appointment as a Member to the Order of Canada in 2013. Leo's lifelong dedication to his craft included 42 years of teaching as part of the Cape Breton Woodcrafters Association.

Mission Statement

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Harvesting wood in the raw

Lawrence and his wife Karen start the annual chore of cutting down logs on the property, junking it up, and carting it down to the homestead

Wood ID