Hand Woodworking Show 2015

[Mike Holbrook]

The latest Highland Woodworking video (Highland Woodworker- Episode 19) has interviews and demos I think many hand tool woodworkers will appreciate. Including Peter Galbert on splitting green wood(Galbert's demo is about 2/3 through the video). Galbert's splitting demo and comments are well worth watching and inspiring as well. There are commercial interruptions but they are fairly easy to skip over...It was filmed at the recent Handworks 2015 woodworking show, why weren't we there? Schwarz labels the show "The Woodstock of Hand Tool Woodworking". There are quite a few interviews with contemporary tool makers. I want post an actual link as there is commercial content, but still interesting and enjoyable.

[Jim Koepke]

why weren't we there?

That is a lot of milage for me to travel to look at things I don't need and can't afford.

It is a lot easier to drive the 15 miles into town to look at things I can't afford. Sure they aren't as nice, but they are still things I don't really need.

jtk

[Robert McNaull]

Sorry I missed this, that's only a little over an hour away for me.

[Frederick Skelly]

Mike,
I sure enjoyed that! Thanks for flagging it!
Fred

[Mike Holbrook]

Not suggesting that anyone needs to buy the products demoed or advertised in this video. However, I think there are good examples of what industrious woodworkers might be able to build for themselves and methods for working materials, particularly green wood, that are valuable/instructional.

I think each woodworker has to make his or her own decision about where and how much money to spend, depending on their own finances and interests. Certainly one of the great things about hand tool work is most of the tools we use can be restored from old vintage tools or built from scratch. Sure there are expensive tools demoed in this video, still I personally prefer to see people spend more money on hand tools and less on machines. My take is more small companies making fine expensive tools for hand tool work raises the level of hand tool utilization vs machines. Although there are certainly "bells and whistles" being offered that may not be necessary, the R&D involved does eventually provide enhancements, at least in techniques and methods of using our preferred tools.

Although guys like Peter Galbert make tools that might be considered pricey and or not necessary, they also make the use of hand tools and hand tool maintenance easier for more people to master. Most of the guys like Galbert , Curtis Buchanan and even Chris Schwarz came up with very little in the way of funds to spend on tools and got good at less expensive ways to modify old tools and making "jigs" to increase their success rate. I think there needs to be a "cutting edge" of tool development even in hand tools. I am glad to see so much hand tool "cutting edge" development, even if much of it turns out to be superfluous.

[Mike Henderson]

Mike didn't indicate where the show was so I looked it up - it was in Amana, Iowa, May 15-16. Highland Woodworking has some picture here.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

I think there needs to be a "cutting edge" of tool development even in hand tools. I am glad to see so much hand tool "cutting edge" development, even if much of it turns out to be superfluous.

Another advantage of there being new tools developed is some of the tools they replace end up being sold to those of us who are happy to use old tools.

Please do not get me wrong. If ever there is a wood working presentation close by I would want to attend. I do not enjoy flying. Lie Nielsen tool events will sometimes garner my attendance when they are in Seattle or Portland.

jtk

[Paul Sidener]

I was at the show. It is in the perfect place for a hand tool show, The Amana Colonies. Chris Schwarz was there, but not much. He was sick and spent much of the weekend in his hotel. Roy Underhill was there signing his books and did a funny presentation. If you search on youtube you should be able to find it. If they have it there next year, it is well worth the trip. Just bring a lot of money and a sunny disposition, it is will be very crowded. If possible go on Friday, there will be less people.

It is difficult to not learn something there. I had a chance to talk to quite a few great wood workers, Frank Strazza, Jeff Miller, Roy Underhill, and Mike Siemsen. Mike Siemsen even built a workbench there and it was one of the door prizes. There were a lot of high end door prizes, wish I won one of them.

[Allen Jordan]

I went to the show, it was a lot of fun but a long drive from CO. The best part was test driving a huge array of infill planes and meeting the makers. The Ron Brese and Sauer and Steiner planes were my favorite (of course, being about the most expensive you can buy). Ron's shooting board plane was incredible to use, perfect end grain shavings with almost zero resistance: http://www.breseplane.com/125-38SBP.html

Perusing through Patrick Leech's huge collection of hand tools for sale was also amazing.

[Mike Holbrook]

Thanks for the link Mike H, I enjoyed the pictures and the writing as well. Would like to attend the show next year, might have to leave my wallet in a safe somewhere though ;-)

[Mike Brady]

Hate to say it, but that show is probably going to stay on a bi-annual schedule, if ever. Honestly, I think this forum totally let this one slide by. This is way more than a "show". This is a happening. Amana, IA is worth a drive from anywhere, just on its own merits. Chair-making, in a setting of a very old stone stable, done by the likes of Peter Galbert, is perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And did I mention: It was free! I happened, totally by chance, to have breakfast with Chris Vesper, who had travelled from New Zealand to display his wares. I'm a nobody. He was just that friendly.

The Amazing Abraham Brothers, Jameel and Father John (that's right, he's a priest) of Benchcrafted, are to be thanked for most of this experience. Everyone there, of course puts forth a huge effort.

[Jim Koepke]

Hate to say it, but that show is probably going to stay on a bi-annual schedule, if ever. Honestly, I think this forum totally let this one slide by.

Most likely so many of us are on the email list that we all thought that everyone else received multiple notices.

Then first show this year was posted back in April in the Neanderthal Announcements:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...2015-Announced

Even if folks wanted to get together for a cold one after a day of looking, I am not sure the SMC TOS allow it to be posted in this forum.

I would love to go to such a happening. Even though the event is free, the travel and lodging are not. Even more difficult is finding the time to be away from home.

jtk

[Mark Stutz]

Mike, I agree that this one seemed to slide a bit under the radar. My only regret is that I was not able to get there for both days. Besides the fact that The Amana Colonies are something to see and take in on their own, this event couldn't not have been more enjoyable

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Thanks for sharing. I actually had been avoiding reading this thread because I thought it was going to be a gloat about yet another tool event that I cannot afford to attend! :-) My wife promised me that next year we can better plan for the LN event and make a vacation out of it. Actually I already broke the bank with LN purchases and there aren't many left to make, so it's pretty safe. I just want to see the guests they always bring in and try the lobster. (Or is that "lobstah"?) I keep hoping that my travels will somehow coincide with an event somehwere, but not yet.

[Robert McNaull]

Thanks for sharing. I actually had been avoiding reading this thread because I thought it was going to be a gloat about yet another tool event that I cannot afford to attend! :-) My wife promised me that next year we can better plan for the LN event and make a vacation out of it. Actually I already broke the bank with LN purchases and there aren't many left to make, so it's pretty safe. I just want to see the guests they always bring in and try the lobster. (Or is that "lobstah"?) I keep hoping that my travels will somehow coincide with an event somehwere, but not yet.

I'm sure your wife would consider a trip to corn and soybean country a great vacation destination just wait and catch the next one in Iowa. I'll be there for the next one now that I know it exists.