Just got home from there. Nice to go AWOL for the last few hours from work on a Friday. There's only about 10,000 guys there instead of 20,000 like on Saturday. It was a pleasure to attend in a show that may as well be as close to heaven as a woodworker can get. Cold Beer and Power Tools in the same place. Absolutely wonderful. (BTW, the beer tent is cleverly disguised as a pretzel hut. When you walk in, look to your right) The only thing that keeps these shows from being the greatest day of my life is having a *really* fat wallet. However, I still managed to drop $800 on stuff..... All the bigger vendors are there, of course, but some of the smaller ones from last year are not. There was a guy selling veneer who didn't make it (I was looking forward to more of his quilted maple veneer) , I didn't see a Rockler booth, also a few others that didn't attend. Oh well. There are still a number of great vendors there that make the show worthwhile. I ended up with a Tormek, a Kreg K3, some more Bessey K bodies, and a Bosch belt sander. The Tormek was not in stock, but should be mailed here within a week. It came with some freebies from my complaining about the delay, plus no sales tax . Keep in mind, the prices in these shows are kind of like bargaining for a new car. Mostly, you can pay the asking price of the item, but get a bunch of other stuff thrown in free if you ask. I got nothing worthy of posting a separate gloat, but some good free stuff by asking nonetheless. You see something else you want? Try getting it free with your purchase! Worked on every vendor I purchased stuff from except the guy selling the Bessey's which were at a really good price already. The only thing I regret so far is not picking up the the stile and rail bit set I was looking at, but I think I 'll go back tomorrow and get it (and any other free stuff that I can talk them out of!) The only thing I'd really like to see there is a display for some of Steve Knight's planes. Although I don't own one yet, I think I could easily be pursuaded by touching one at a show like this. And Hey, there was plenty of space next to the LN booth this year! --dave
- posted
18 years ago