The Woodworking Shows - feedback please.

[John Thompson]

I have been going to Shows for quite a number of years, Dave. I can remember about 5-6 years ago in Atlanta (not IWF but the yearly spring show) that about all the vendors of major machinery showed.. PM.. Jet.. Delta.. Mini-max.. Laguna.. Felder.. etc. But.. that was 5 years ago.

Since... the manufacturers have been fewer and far between as why go to a show which cost them a great deal to transport.. set up.. tear down and return when everyone just buys on-line. It's jjust not cost effective for them anymore and especially so with the current economy.

And this isn't isolted to just the small, local shows. I saw a decrease in traffic at the International WW Show in Atlanta in August. In this case probably because of the economy as normally the big Shows in Atlanta and Las Vegas (alternate years so each has one every other year) see's manufacturers from all over the world.

But.. there was talk among them how % of traffic had decreased over the last couple of Major Shows and to the point a couple of big boys didn't even bother to come to that show. If the economy stays where it is at this point.. I expect to see more and more of that attitude in the coming years.

The small shows are fine for seeing and picking up small items as those vendors will usaully show up.. but don't expect to see a lot of major machine vendors as "the times are a changing" to coin a phrase from Bob Dylan.

Sarge..

[glenn bradley]

The recurring theme I hear is "looking for deals". I would expect disappointment if this is your reson for going as this is not the purpose of the shows. There are some deals to be had. I've gotten a few myself but, for me the shows are more for exposure to items side-by-side that I wouldn't see otherwise. They are not a swap meet. It would be a rare thing for me to lay my hands on an Agazzani, Felder, Laguna or Mini Max outside a show. I also love being able to go back and forth and back and forth between the LV and LN booths ;-)

[Rolf Maxa]

I attended my first Woodworking show in Buffalo NY last year. It was small, and did not have any of the major vendors there. It did not see a lot of people attend what I could see. Not sure I will attend another one in Buffalo. I would like to try a larger venue.

[Tom Thompson]

I attended the St Paul show a couple weeks ago, all 3 days. I attend them every year. I don't go "looking for deals". I go to learn from the demonstrations and classes. Every year I pick up a lot of new ideas and it is definately worth the $9 admission.

If the only reason you are going is to "find a deal". Maybe it won't be worth it to you. You can probably find better deals by spending hours on the internet searching out that clearance someone is having. I prefer to see hands-on the demonstrations and be able to touch the tools. Plus I am usually buying from the inventor or company that makes it. If I have problems I'm not trying to go through some internet store that isn't even a licensed dealer of that product. How many times do you get to go to a website and actually talk to the inventor of the product, or the person who owns the company? These are the people I'll support and if I spend an extra $10 bucks, so what? I got more valuable information talking to that person about the use and design of the product than I could ever get elsewhere.

Oh, did I spend any money, yeah LOTS. Sommerfeld tools got a lot of money, as usual. Jerry Cole has a new taper jig and got my money (even though I could have got it for $5 less online at Peachtree in October). I got to have it demo'd, explained and got 20 minutes of hands-on how to use this. Plus some throw-ins. That sure was worth it to me. Sad thing was Jerry packed up real early on Sunday saying if things don't get better he won't be doing many more shows. That would be a real shame, he's a staple and has great products with the Dubby, etc.

For those looking for the large iron purchases, show up early on Friday. Almost all of the demonstration tools are for sale and have a 10-25% savings.

Sorry to go off on a rant, but everyone has to make money. If we don't support the WW shows and the vendors who are there, they WILL go away. Then we won't have access to these people and and their products with a hands-on experience.

Tom

[John Thompson]

I did I spend any money, yeah LOTS. Sommerfeld tools got a lot of money, as usual. Jerry Cole has a new taper jig and got my money (even though I could have got it for $5 less online at Peachtree in October). I got to have it demo'd, explained and got 20 minutes of hands-on how to use this. Plus some throw-ins. That sure was worth it to me. Sad thing was Jerry packed up real early on Sunday saying if things don't get better he won't be doing many more shows. That would be a real shame, he's a staple and has great products with the Dubby, etc.

Tom

I take it Jerry Cole is Dubby. I saw the taper jig you mentioned at P'tree WW a couple of weeks ago as they are just 12 miles down the street from me here in the Atlanta area. That is probably the nicest taper jig I have seen come along in 38 years and I wanted one. But.. being a cheap*ss I decided to build it and substiture the metal fence with either Baltic ply or UHMW. I have several large hold downs on hand.. T-nuts.. etc. So... I should be able to reproduce it for under $10 with the things I already have.

Good luck with it and enjoy as it is definitely one nice taper jig. And BTW.. does Dubby or Jerry Cole have their own web-site?

Sarge..

[Tom Thompson]

Yes, Jerry Cole is Dubby. His company is In-Line Industries. http://www.in-lineindustries.com/

[John Thompson]

Yes, Jerry Cole is Dubby. His company is In-Line Industries. http://www.in-lineindustries.com/

Thanks Tom... I have seen In-line around awhile but did not put that together as a match with Dubby. And now I know....

Regards...

Sarge..

[Mark Elmer]

Hi all,

I went to the Salt Lake City area Wood Working Show today. I had the postcard that they sent me several weeks ago and by showing it I got in for $7. My friend who didn't get the postcard bought his ticket online and he got in for $6 but I got a couple of freebies by redeming coupons that were printed along the bottom of the postcard so I came out a little ahead.

This is my first time attending such a show so I don't have any history to compare to.

All in all it was a pretty good afternoon. I spent what I would spend on a movie ticket. I got to spend the afternoon with a friend and while I was there I met up with some of the guys from my woodturning club.

I also got reaquainted with an old friend I haven't seen for 15 years. He's an industrial arts teacher in a special program with one of the Utah school districts and I have an open invitation to come and see the 8000 sq ft shop that he works in. He only has four students. The program provides an alternative learning environment for some kids that don't fit into the regular school progam. So they have this shop where they build cabinets, bookcases and etc. for the schools in the district. The kids are basicly the "slave labor" but they come away with a valuable skill to help get them into a job after they get out of the program.

Two of the local woodworking stores were there with displays of the "big iron" tools and Crafts Supply USA from Provo, Utah was there with a display and a hands on penturning opportunity for anyone who wanted to sign up and wait for one of the lathes to become available. They seemed to keep those lathes pretty busy with folks making their first handturned pens.

I didn't spend to much money. I bought a little collet kit for my Kreg pocket hole jig from www.snappytools.com which will make swaping from drilling to driving quicker.

My friend picked up a kit to build a pretty nice fence for the router table that he's building.

During a little bit of a lull toward closing up time I had a chance to talk to a man from www.sommerfeldtools.com and when I asked him about how well the shows do for them he said that it takes several years of building up the show in each city. I asked him about the Phoenix show and he said the last one had been scheduled between two west coast shows and many of the smaller vendors had skipped it because they didn't like the long drive to Phoenix and then back to the west coast. He was dissapointed in the way this turned out because he said the Phoenix show for him had been getting stronger each time and he was hoping that the build would continue. Now he feel that Phoenix "Is back to square one".

My ticket is actually good for tomorrow too if I want to go back but I think I'll go down into the shop tomorrow with my sons and see if we can't make some sawdust.

If the show comes back next year I will go again because I like seeing what's new and I like supporting the companies who take the time to bring their wares to us.

If I had an extra thousand dollars of mad money I'd have probably bought a few new tools like "The Flatmaster" from www.stockroomsupply.com and then a few things from the vendor that was there with quite a bit of stuff from Carter to upgrade my bandsaw.

I'll likely spring for a ChestMate dovetail jig at some point from www.praziusa.com the simplicity of it is what I am looking for. The man who demonstrated it said that in a couple of months they will have a mortising accessory for it as well.

[Dave Falkenstein]

...During a little bit of a lull toward closing up time I had a chance to talk to a man from www.sommerfeldtools.com and when I asked him about how well the shows do for them he said that it takes several years of building up the show in each city. I asked him about the Phoenix show and he said the last one had been scheduled between two west coast shows and many of the smaller vendors had skipped it because they didn't like the long drive to Phoenix and then back to the west coast. He was dissapointed in the way this turned out because he said the Phoenix show for him had been getting stronger each time and he was hoping that the build would continue. Now he feel that Phoenix "Is back to square one"....

Mark - Thanks for the report and especially the insight into one person's perspective on the Phoenix area Show. The Phoenix Show has gone through some ups and downs over the years. The old location was the Fairgrounds, and some vendors were not happy there. The Show quit Phoenix altogether for a year or two, and Woodworks tried it. Then the Show came back to another location at Westworld in Scottsdale, which some vendors apparently still don't like. And this year they moved the Show to Tucson, which is a half day round-trip drive at best for people in Phoenix. This is not the way to take several years to build up the Show in the 5th largest city in the country. Yikes.

[Paul Steiner]

I have been the past couple of years and I would say that the size of the show has decreased. Also you see alot of the same stuff and there are not that many deals on machines. If you are like me and enjoy seeing and talking tools, you still enjoy it. But there are deals to be had, I bought a Kreg kit and got extras and a rebate. Also it is nice to be able to see and buy things that you generally would have to buy out of a catalog, especially small odds and ends. Two years ago I spent a whole afternoon there, this past year I spent an hour and a half. But I will going back in the future.

[Burt Waddell]

Dave,

During a recent convesation with DIno, I picked up some interesting info. It seems that the sponsors of the Woodworking Shows want to do a Special educational seminar on the "deadwood concept". They'll be talking about the EZ and other tools that comply with the deadwood concept. I understand that they will also have EZ equipment available.

Burt