question re: Handworks 2023

[Mike Mason]

I am thinking about going to Handworks 2023 in Amana, IA and I haven't been there before. My question is, if you have been there in 2022 or prior years, do you realistically need more than one full day? I'm trying to decide whether I need to plan for two days lodging. If not, I'd probably plan to go on Friday.

I know there's a lot of other great things to see at the Amana Colonies, but my wife can't accompany me on this trip and I'd be going alone, so I would be concentrating on Handworks only on this trip.

Thanks for any other tips you can provide.

[Richard Coers]

There is a little thread going on in the Neanderthal section. I asked about a strategy for times to be there, no response. I looked at a couple of hotels, they were sold out.

[Randy Heinemann]

I've been to a previous Handworks and did stay overnight. It allowed a more leisurely view of all the various demonstrators/makers of tools. However, I would think if you got there at the start of the day when the show opens, 1 day would be sufficient. Most are in the barn but there are other tool makers in various places around the barn. Plus, there are a couple of furniture stores, one in particular, that I felt were as valuable as the tool maker booths. Again, it depends on what you want to see and how far you live from the show. (...also depends on whether something catches your eye and you are trying to make a decision on something that you want and might be selling at a lower cost at the show). It's a great show. I wish I could go this year, but can't.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Something to keep in mind is that Roy Underhill will be speaking Saturday morning. If you're wanting to see that get there early. The line is -very- long.

If you're planning on just the Festhalle barn you can maybe see all you want on Friday, when it's less crowded. If you're thinking of looking through the other locations you'll most likely need both days.

Cliff

[Mike Mason]

There is a little thread going on in the Neanderthal section. I asked about a strategy for times to be there, no response. I looked at a couple of hotels, they were sold out.

FYI, I just checked and if you are willing to drive 15 miles, there are many hotels available. I booked one for $104 that gets good reviews and is less than 20 miles away, and there is no cancellation fee if I change my mind.

[Gary Petersen]

I'm thinking about going myself and checked for hotels yesterday. There were plenty available in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, neither of which is more than 30 minutes away.

[Mike Mason]

I'm considering attending Handworks 2023 in Amana, IA. It's a little over a 3-hr drive each way for me, and I'm not looking for any tools right now - at this stage in my life, I have everything I need, including quality planes, saws, benches, etc.

My question is, what might I see or do there that would make it worthwhile for me? Other than vendor booths showing their product lines, are there other reasons to attend? I'm not being negative, I'm sure it's a great event, but I'm trying to decide if it's right for me.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Mike Mason]

I'm considering attending Handworks 2023 in Amana, IA. It's a little over a 3-hr drive each way for me, and I'm not looking for any tools right now - at this stage in my life, I have everything I need, including quality planes, saws, benches, etc.

My question is, what might I see or do there that would make it worthwhile for me? Other than vendor booths showing their product lines, are there other reasons to attend? I'm not being negative, I'm sure it's a great event, but I'm trying to decide if it's right for me.

Thanks for your thoughts.

(I've also posted this in the Neanderthal forum)

[Randy Heinemann]

There are some hand tool makers that have demonstrations of carving (at least the time I went) if that's of interest. I find that, while I functionally have all the tools I need to make anything I want to make, it was an education in use of hand tools for me. There are some excellent tools that, while I might not need them, it could make it a little more enjoyable. For example, there is a vise hardware company that sells hardware for moxxon vises and various other holding devices (actually more than 1). They sold some material for lining the jaws of vises (crubber) which is an amazingly effective way to cover your vise jaws. I wouldn't have known about it and, for me, that (along wth seeing some amazingly high quality tools), made it worth the drive and acost of staying over 1 night. Everyone has their own level of interest though. So, if there is a listing of tool makers on the Handworks site, you could go to their sites and review what might be of interest.

[Jim Koepke]

Fortunately for me it wasn't quite as far a drive for me to attend the Lie Nielsen Tool Events. Well, once it was in Seattle, that is a bit of a drive for me.

Besides the sales pitches there are opportunities to learn techniques and other little things that may not be as clear from the pages of a book or Youtube video.

Glenn Drake used to give great demonstrations on his dovetail system. It didn't sell me on his system but it did reveal aspects of cutting dovetails that hadn't occurred to me.

Also in Seattle it was possible to use a top notch dovetail saw. The feel was pretty much the same as a restored saw of mine so it gave me confidence in my efforts of rehabbing old saws.

Then there is all the people you might get to meet. When it was in Portland another SMC member agreed to a meet up. After perusing the show, we went and had a beer.

jtk

[Tom Bussey]

Amana is a destination. It has a lot of different shops and other things for the wife and yourself to do. It is one or two days, did I mention a free show and if having a good time talking with woodworkers from a crossed the country and seeing and feeling new or different products doesn't appeal to you then by all means do not attend.

[Tom Bussey]

You can see it all in one day. Since there is a picture of the Furniture Factory in one of the pictures I assume that it will be open for guided tours. That is well worth going just to see it. There is also a Woodcraft store store in Iowa City and Acme tool in Cedar Rapid

If you are driving in on 80 from the west I would suggest Williamsburg as a place to stay.

It is a 2 1/2 hour drive for me to go to the VA hospital in Iowa city and less than a half hour from there to Amana on Hwy 6. The wife and I just went over to Amana just for lunch less than a month ago. The Ox Yoke in is probably the most famous restaurant in Amana but we prefer the Ronenburg restaurant next door..

[Mike Mason]

Sorry for any confusion, but this post was combined and moved from the General forum to the Neanderthal forum and in doing so it looks like I've asked the same question three times. Not sure why it needed to be moved, I would have preferred to have it in the General Woodworking forum since so many more people visit there and also many people, myself included, use hand tools where appropriate and might attend Handworks, but don't frequent the Neanderthal forum.

[Richard Coers]

Sorry for any confusion, but this post was combined and moved from the General forum to the Neanderthal forum and in doing so it looks like I've asked the same question three times. Not sure why it needed to be moved, I would have preferred to have it in the General Woodworking forum since so many more people visit there and also many people, myself included, use hand tools where appropriate and might attend Handworks, but don't frequent the Neanderthal forum.

You originally posted on the Neanderthal forum and the General Woodworking forum. Why did you post on both? The moderators had to choose one, and since it's called Handworks, this appears to be the perfect location. If it was Woodworks, well then it could go in General Woodworking location. It does seem you found it okay.

[Mike Mason]

You originally posted on the Neanderthal forum and the General Woodworking forum. Why did you post on both? The moderators had to choose one, and since it's called Handworks, this appears to be the perfect location. If it was Woodworks, well then it could go in General Woodworking location. It does seem you found it okay.

I wasn't aware that you can only post a question in one forum, but if so, why is that a policy? It's not like I was spamming multiple forums with the same question. You yourself responded to my original post early on that you had posted a similar question in Neanderthal but never received any responses, so I though it wise to put it in both forums, since not everyone reads every forum. The General forum has far more traffic than the Neanderthal forum, per the data presented on this site. Perhaps a moderator can explain the rationale for the "one forum" policy.

What if I were to ask a question about hand planes - where would that go, in the Neanderthal or General forum? If I had to pick only one, I would pick the one with more traffic, since both forums have viewers that use hand planes. In similar fashion, I thought that viewers of both forums might have previously attended Handworks.