Question about a woodworking show

I was thinking of going to the show in Western Mass this weekend. Are there any deals to be had at these shows. Do they have special show pricing on some items.

Just wondering if anyone knew what the deal was. pun intended

This is the show

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C

Reply to
Larry C
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I went to the Atlanta show looking for a deal on big iron. I was disappointed, but maybe because I'm comparing it to shows from years ago.

What are looking for deals on?

jc

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Reply to
Joe

Ya never know until ya go.

These shows have kind of been in decline (unfortunately) over the past few years with seemingly fewer and fewer exhibitors and rising costs to attend (and park), etc. such that the value proposition is dwindling. That's a sad thing for me. Anyway, with the competition of the Internet and the current economy I'm just not sure they will survive. There was a rumor they were being closed down and I think some events have been cancelled.

It would be great, if you do attend, to report back > I was thinking of going to the show in Western Mass this weekend. =A0Are = there

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

I had the same question today and wrote to a friend who has been to the one I'm going to in Somerset, NJ on 2/27. Here's his reply, although it has been a few years since he's been to one.

=========== schedule:

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addition to the tool manufactures they have vendors, suppliers, demonstrators, seminars and lectures.(
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individuals who rent out booth space. Bring both cash and credit card as they have a number of 'show specials'.

Reply to
Lazlo

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The Woodworking Shows IIRC are under new management. They have been coming to Houston for years. It is up to the particular vendor as to what kind of deals will be offered. I suspect that if you make an offer they might offer a better deal. Concerning new management, for the first time in 25 or so years the location has changed for the Houston show. IIRC it is going to be in an adjacent town, Katy, TX and parking will be free.

Reply to
Leon

I hope there are deals, I also am planning on attending Somerset next weekend.

Reply to
Limp Arbor

The most exciting part of the Tucson show was the woman hawking the "Grabbit" screw extractor tool. Say hi for me! There'll be deals on really long chinese-made combination squares that aren't square, phenolic table saw inserts that aren't flat, lotsa demos and overpriced junk food. One thing to look for is a discounted admission coupon, usually available for printing on the website. There's the deal, IMO. Tom

Reply to
tom

I went to the Baltimore show in January. I been going for several years, and if you're into woodworking and want to kill a some time, it is interesting just to walk around and see and touch stuff you've only seen in catalogues, or stuff you've never even seen. Some demos can be convincing if you've already been leaning towards a purchase of for example the "dubby". At the Balto show there was also woodworking guilds displaying their work. The bridge city booth usually has a guy cutting dovetails by hand (I can't recall if I saw him this year). Lee Valley give 10% off the catalogue price - no taxes, no shipping. Not a gloat, but a good deal. They also have a bench and some scraps so you can try out the planes, saws and what not. I also saw a 1 hr presentation from Graham Blackburn that was interesting

So for the price of a movie ticket you can kill about twice as much time. And compared to the movies, the food is a bargain...

Mitch

Reply to
MB

I posted this review on the Nashville one, a couple months ago...

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thing travels the country most of the year and has been doing so for a long time. I remember going, maybe 10 years ago, and being amazed and impressed. This time... in a word.... pretty lame. Ok two words. Anyway.....

If you have to drive far (probably too late for those already driving... sorry), don't bother. If you're in Nashville, since college football is over, and you have 6-9 bucks to spare, check it out. Juts don't hold your breath waiting to be floored.

Peachtree Woodworking Supply out of Atlanta basically has half the floorspace, displaying the same stuff you see in their catalogs..... and everyone else's.... which is great if you're looking to stock up on all that woodworking nuts-n-bolts stuff and save yourself a bunch of shipping.

If it weren't for our local Woodcraft store's presence, there would've been virtually no power tools at the show. And these guys were thinking of not even participating this year. They saved the show from bordering on being a complete joke, in my book.

Notable exception.... and quite possibly worth the price of admission and travel, alone. This guy:

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uniquely designed drum sander is nothing short of amazing and must be seen to be fully appreciated.

Final word... for the most part, this show has become at best, disappointing, at worst, a real joke. Most of the products you would expect to see at a woodworking show are absent. Maybe it's a case of the manufacturers not seeing a profitable market in Nashville. Maybe all the cool tools and new, exciting technologies show up in the bigger markets. Man, I sure hope so....

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Reply to
-MIKE-

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Western MA????? Did they re-arrange the state?

I've only been to a couple of shows. No big bargains, but there are some worthwhile. I saved about $50 when I bought a saw blade and dado blade. But there were no $1500 off the price of a Unisaw.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Let us know if you liked the show. My last WW show attended was in Cleveland Ohio in 1999 and I was very dissapointed. Took a vacation day, paid $8 to park, and came home empty-handed.

Reply to
Phisherman

Along the same lines, the Canadian Home Workshop Show will be held this coming Februrary 28, 29 and March 1.

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I'll be there on the Saturday.

Reply to
Upscale

Mistake on the date. It's Feb 27, 28, March 1.

Reply to
Upscale

I think the Internet killed the "deal" aspect of consumer-oriented shows long time ago. My regular visits were woodworking, flying, r/c airplane, electronics, and recorded music shows. I used to attend such shows and watched the "show special" morph into an everyday online price.

To me, the only reason to attend a consumer show is to fondle an item I can't see locally or attend an instructional clinic. If I'm going specifically to see an item, I'll contact the manufacturer in advance to make sure I can see the item. Different woodworking shows offer widely varying clinic opportunities. Some worthwhile clinics may cost significant extra money compared to the entry fee. Check in advance...

The full scale airplane shows still do OK, but they're run by massive organizations, like AOPA and EAA, and it's pretty hard to sit in the cockpit of a new airplane over the 'net.

Reply to
B A R R Y

Maybe he's got the map upside down.

Reply to
B A R R Y

Possibly, but I'm willing to wager that the current economic climate has tempered prices considerably and that there's going to be some deals to be had. It can't hurt to offer a lower price for something. All they can say is "no". And if you're in the position to want to buy more than one item or it's some big iron you want, then offering to buy several pieces almost always means you can bargain to a lower price.

Reply to
Upscale

I grew up on the Northshore. Went to college in Boston.

Anything west of 128 is Western MA, west of 495 is the Berkshires.

The above comment makes no sense unless you live here.

Reply to
Larry C

A good point. It's worth a shot.

Also note that the current economy has some vendors canceling show appearances altogether.

Reply to
B A R R Y

It does to me. I know folks in NYC that call Westchester County "Upstate NY".

Reply to
B A R R Y

Being involved in marketing (in my real job) the flip side of a down economy is many companies not having the cash to pay for space to attend. Shows are one of the first mktg expenses to get cut (after the people).

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

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