Woodworking shows

[loupark]

I usually just sit and read the post but I have to ask the question, Has anyone been the the woodworking show that tours the county latley?

huge disappointment. The show is half the size in every way. The booths are smaller, the venders are less, less freebies, and the admission in higher. It's my understanding that the company that did most of the work, TWC was bought out and closed up. These are the people that set up the booths and coordinated the show. If it hasn't come to your city yet, don't get too excited. Lou

[John Grossbohlin]

I attended the show in Edison, NJ last December and the presentations by David Marks were very nice and the opportunity to chat with Frank Klaus was also nice. These days I pretty much go to these things for the presentations and the opportunity to chat with folks...

I don't need any more tools and outside of admission and some food and beverages didn't spend a dime there. ;~) There were plenty of vendors present. Perhaps the venue Lou attended has deteriorated but the Edison show seemed pretty good to me.

John

[Leon]

It seems to me the Houston " The Woodworking Shows" show has gotten bigger in the last several years. Admission about 1/2 of what it used to be if you are taking your spouse. $8 for both of us and 1 of us for all 3 days.

IIRC the owner died.

These are the people that set up the

So far it looks like it will be bigger in Houston.

>

[Dan]

On Sun 26 Feb 2006 04:47:52p, [e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Where was yours?

I spent a few hours at the Milwaukee show this weekend. Looked like about the same as last few years, but I do rememember others saying it used to be much bigger.

Not a lot of savings that I could see. I got a few supplies, and I spent quite a bit of time at the Lie-Nielsen booth. Staring and drooling and telling myself if I bought anything at this booth, it was time to just go home because that shot the tool budget till April.

Bought a router raizer for the Freud, found a lumber supplier with good prices - an urban reclaimer - and actually got a few good tips for biscuit joinery in one of those freebie seminar things. All in all, I've been more diappointed in previous shows. This one wasn't bad.

But yeah, they gittin smaller. Odd, since it seems like there's more woodworkers every time.

[Joe Tylicki]

I was at the Milwaukee show today as well. It is smaller than last year which was smaller than two years ago. I don't get it, since like everyone's said, there is plenty of attendance and interest from the populace. I also noticed like Lou did that some of the booths themselves shrunk (Summerfeld's towers of CMT router bits were reduced to a couple long display cases for example).

Like Leon said, I used to buy more tools and watch more gadgets, now I spend more time talking to other woodworkers there. The mortiser I bought this year (technically I bought it at Woodcraft offsite, but I negotiated the price with Chris at the show) was a planned purchase, but I did bite on the new Freud entry door bits. I'm going to use those to build custom doors to a garage I'm building this summer.

Last year I was more dissappointed since at least one of the vendors canceled at the last minute (Logersol) and they usually put on a good show.

Regardless, I'll be back next year.

[Upscale]

Don't you think that the shrinking shows are common nature? With the inclination that man has to improve and optimize things, it's a natural tendency to try and offer fewer services while maintaining the same or a bigger customer base. After a sustained period of growth, a limit has to be reached sometime and scaling back becomes the norm.

I'd also suggest that woodworking shows are mostly attended by neophytes to the art. The experience woodworker who has been building his collection of tools for some period only attends functions like these solely for the purpose of getting a deal on a specific desired tool. Having attended some of these shows myself, I've come to feel that usually, there's never as much of a deal to be had than hoped for.

[Joe Tylicki]

That's a good theory, but would it explain why some exhibitors would not show up at all anymore, as opposed to just scaling back to what works best? Or maybe you are saying the best exhibitors have survived. Perhaps, but both Akeda and Leigh were absent this year, and there displays seemed to be amongst the most popular in years past, for obvious reasons.

I completely agree on the deals. I think there are better deals to be had by watching the fliers from local tool dealers when they have sales.

I may not get as much out of these shows as six or seven years ago, but I still enjoy the trek down to the exhibition hall with some fellow woodworkers. I am and probably always will be an amateur woodworker who only spends time in the shop during the colder months of the year, but I do see a fair amount of more experienced types at the shows still.

[Upscale]

I'd guess that the ones that aren't showing up anymore, (as long as they're still in business) have come to the conclusion that the cost of presentations aren't being properly reimbursed by increased sales. It all comes down to money.

And that to me is the main reason to make the trek to the shows, the chance to talk it up with your buddies and maybe to mingle with a few of the professionals doing the demonstrations.

[Leon]

I think it is scheduling. Leigh failed to show up a couple of times in Houston and I asked them about it the last time that they were here. They could not be in two places at the same time.

[nailshooter41]

Leon:

Can you tell me when and where the next show in Houston will be? I am in San Antonio, a scant 3 1/2 hours away. I would love to be there, especially if the feeling is that it will be a good one.

Thanks -

Robert

[Swingman]

We are in the age of the MBA, there are fewer tool makers, most don't speak English, the smaller brands have been bought out, all the tools are made in the same factory so a _show_ only points out the lack of choice?

BTW, that's a question, not an answer.

[Swingman]

Starts Friday, March 31 and runs for three days.

For the hell of it, if you/anyone is interested in meeting for a cup of coffee before/after/on the way to the show, I'm close by and we'll supply the coffee ... wives welcome (cuz Leon usually takes his to the show so he can't spend as much ;) )

[GeeDubb]

at least you and others get a ww show. It appears that this year Phoenix doesn't have one.

Gary

[nailshooter41]

Excellent. I would love it. As it gets closer, I will see how the schedule plays out. It would be great to meet some of the folks behind the name.

Robert

[Leon]

That sounds like a deal Sir. My wife is going and so that we can avoid the crowds we are going on Friday. I get back in touch with you closer to show time.

Actually, my "lovely wife" talks me into most of the tools that I buy.

I might have to stop by after the show for a stiff drink if I buy the band saw that I am thinking about. :~)

[Swingman]

Let's count on it then. We can help Leon carry his wallet in and load his bandsaw out. ;)

Go to

and send me e-mail at the addy used for Booking and I'll get back to you.

Anyone else in the Houston area interested in getting together, do the same.

[Dave Jackson]

I agree. The shows keep getting smaller and smaller. I went to the Columbus OH two days out of the three. No great deals. No big name folks there that I saw. But where else can you buy a beer and shop for power tools in the same place? It's a little slice of heaven for me! I did end up bringing a few things home as usual, but I seem to be buying less and less there as the years go by. And I will be attending next year. --dave

[Leon]

GREAT!!!!!! After recalling the episode of my son and I unloading the Rikon BS I was really concerned about him and I unloading a saw that is 150# heavier. ;~)