Wow, just noticed that the Woodworking Show isn’t coming to Seattle until next spring. We’ve always had one in the fall, so I’m really surprised. Any other areas seeing a cut-back in scheduling??
forestgirl — you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
Another proud member of the “I Rocked With ToolDoc Club” …. :>)
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Consider yourself lucky FG, we get one in Richmond about once every five years. We have had a local hardware store, been in business since 1904, have a small one each spring.
I have to drive to DC or Greensboro NC to see one of the big ones.
Kell
FG,
We had one in the Fall that did not happen last year (Worcester, MA) and then there is one in the Winter in Springfield, MA (about 100 mi from Boston). This weekend is the Antique Tool show in Nashua, NH....and a grand opening at two Rocklers..with some very good values....lots of driving this weekend for me...lol
BG
Where are the new Rockler's located.
We have nothing up here in Vermont.
Jeff
Jeff,
They have been open for a while, but tomorrow is the ribbon cutting(1pm) with some good prices. One is in Salem, NH...thats just across the line up on route 28 just off 93. The second is Danvers, MA. over on route 114 east of route 95. Both are probably too far for you...both places used to be WWarehouse spots
Thanks BG
Both are too far to visit, I'll stick to mail order.
I wish the Woodworking shows were held closer, or at least not in the winter.
I planned to go to them and the weather stopped me both times.
Jeff
My partner Daren and I were in the WW Show in Pomona last May. It's terribly expensive, and as an exhibitor they give you nothing but a bare piece of floor. Want a couple of folding chairs? They cost extra. Want a 110v outlet? No problem, it's an extra $75.00. Expect exhibitor parking? You musta been smoking sumthin they don't allow at the show. To park close to the building, it's $12.00/day. After the $800.00 entry fee, we barely broke even after expenses. I think we made $20.00 for the three days. The show was very lightly attended, possibly because it was scheduled for the same weekend as the Renaissance Faire. We were one of a very few small businesses there, mostly it was DeWalt, Makita,Shopsmith Klingspor, couple of mail order catalog places, etc. Reactions from the other small guys ranged from depression to suicidal. We'll probably try 1X more in Nov. at Costa Mesa, but only because neither of us depends on the show for a livlihood.
The $800.00 charge was only because the items we were selling were less than $35 each. Otherwise it was $1400.00.
Obviously, in the smaller venues, the rapacity of the WW Show people is driving the smaller exhibitors away, and without a good variety of exhibitors, they won't get any attendance. Hence, they ration the shows.
Daren and I also do gun shows periodically, with the same product. A piece of bare concrete floor with electricity at the Costa Mesa WW show is $875.00 for 2 1/2 days. The same piece of concrete floor in the same building with electricity, 2 chairs and a table is $70.00 for 2 days, plus $20.00 for the electrical outlet. We net about $300-$400 after expenses at that show. At the Costa Mesa gun shows, parking is free for every one, with a special close-in section for exhibitors. I don't know yet about parking at the Costa Mesa WW show, but I'm sure they'll find a way to charge us unless we're willing the leave the truck out where Jesus left his sandals.
The bottom line is that WW shows are on the way out, as presently presented.
Rob,
What do you sell, boxes? I make gunstocks.
We sell a clamping system for removably clamping equipment or work to benchtops or other wood surfaces like sawhorses.
I think we've actually gained one around the Twin Cities- for this year anyway. The show was here in Saint Paul in the spring and they'll be one in Minneapolis next month but next spring the Saint Paul show is gone.
My six year old (soon to be 7) asked me yesterday when the next WW show was going to be in town, and would I please take him to it.
I was so proud. 'had taken him to a couple when he was real little; 'didn't realize it had made such an impression.
The next one in Portland is pretty soon (mid-Oct.), and we'll be sure to go.
Barry, I'm pretty sure I'll be going to Portland with a friend of mine from the island. Maybe we could get some local Knotheads together for lunch!
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Edited 9/20/2004 11:43 am ET by forestgirl
well now it looks like we won't make it. 'have to be in Switzerland for business on Friday. Travelling back on Saturday the 23rd, getting home very late, and will probably be too jetlagged to go the the short day on Sunday. It's not nearly as glamourous as it may sound - those 10 hr. flights in coach travelling by yourself get real old.
Yep, I'm probably not going either. It's just too far away! Wish they would at least have one in Tacoma.
I did just enough business travelling when I worked at Fred Hutch to know it's not as much fun as many think. Definitely wouldn't enjoy 10 hour flights!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
They always have the shows a good 3 hrs from me.
Usually in the winter, so travel is a problem.
Jeff
TACOMA Dome in April, lot's of time to save up for it !!
Ahhhhhhhhh, so it is. Must not have looked forward to 2005.
April can be a slow month for me at my business, so I'm gonna set aside time to go. Better yet, I'll try to set aside some $$ as you suggested, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I haven't been on a plane for probably 10 years but flew extensively prior to then. The worst was a little round-robin I made in 2 days that involved flying out of Sacramento for brief meetings in LA, Tucson, El Paso, Houston, New Orleans, Little Rock, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver,and Portland. Talk about fried! It's really bad when you recognize airports on TV shows and movies and know that they are not the airports they are portrayed to be. I REALLY would hate to fly on a regular basis in today's conditions.Formerly just 'Don' but not the 'Glassmaster Don' or the lower-case 'don'.
" I REALLY would hate to fly on a regular basis in today's conditions." No kidding! The last plane trip I took was round trip, Seattle to Ontario. My flight back landed at SeaTac on the evening of September 10, 2001.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Jamie -
Try flying with a one way ticket these days!
When I went down to Yuma when my Dad died, my brother and I planned to drive their car back so we got one way tickets. Got the full monte body search!
...........
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
I've been to the WW Show in Tampa a couple of times and found it to be quite complete and well-attended. I see that the 2005 show is in Orlando. Anyone have a recommendation for a nice hotel close by that is reasonable enough so I don't have to hock my tools? :-)
Regards,Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting
Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Try flying with a one way ticket these days!
Yea, my wife and daughter (infrequent flyers) did that recently. I warned them, but they still couldn't belief the way they were treated.
With a round-trip ticket oftentimes costing only a little more than a 1-way, it almost makes sense to buy the round-trip just to save the hassle.
As for me, you know you fly too much when the folks at the ticket counter say "hi, nice to see you again!". 'do like using the frequent-flyer express security line at PDX, though.
FYI: For those folks living in Ole and Lena land, the WW show at the Minneapolis Convention Center runs Oct. 15, 16, and 17- starts this Friday.
I will be at the Mpls show this Sat. recently got My neighbor into woodworking and he is pretty excited to go...as am I..usually buy at least one thing..even tho I may not need it..but its neat to see and talk to all the tool reps and independents and view some new stuff..always good for a little inspiration ....
JC
I always buy something too but this time it won't be much ......... broke the kitty on a new bandsaw a few weeks ago. Went to the spring shows at the Excel this year and last. Both were ok but I enjoyed Seven Corner's show more ......... seemed like there was more equipment, some new stuff and I got to try some of it. That new Hitachi rotary hammer (DH24PG) is sweet- should give the Bosch Bulldog a run for it's money.
Well, I made it to the Portland show on Sunday. Good attendance, I thought, for the last day.
'bought some stuff from TWC and Peachtree, the two biggest vendors at these things. TWC was selling 4-packs of K-Body clamps at a decent price, that they knocked an additional $5 off toward the end of the show.
'got to meet David Marks, and tell him how much we enjoyed his TV show. My seven-year old really liked the fact he got to shake his hand.
The Twin Cities Show the week before last was better than the one last spring. Got some featherboards and pushsticks from TWC. I can make my own easily enough but these were so cheap I figured why not. I went on a Friday ...... not crazy about big crowds. Minimax made the trip worthwhile. Bought their smallest bandsaw, the S14, last month and got some good advice and recommendations from their rep. One suprise was Jesada bits for sale ......... guy said they were making them and switching from direct marketing to selling through dealers. Always liked their bits.
Edited 10/26/2004 12:01 am ET by jc
It was a pretty good show - seemed a little quieter than last year.
Lucky you - I was hoping to bump into David Marks, I enjoy his show.
That's great that your seven year old is so enthusiastic.
I live near Pittsburgh, PA, and the woodworking show has not been here for about 2 years, and I could care less. The quality of this show was abismal. One problem is that the show promoters were holding two shows within 500 miles or less of each other on the same weekend. There were only about 12 or so vendors there, and no demos of much interest.
I was very impressed with the Woodworks show that I was able to attend in Columbus, OH last year. Many great demos, not just a few vendors hawking their zyliss clamps and what not, but also real craftspeople showing how to do stuff. I see they will be in Ontario, CA this winter (Feb. 05). For some reason there website is still woodworks2003.com? I plan on attending the show near Philadelphia, PA this winter.
As for the high costs some vendors have to pay at the woodworking shows (or any other for that matter), you can thank the AFL-CIO and union labor for that. There are probably a bunch of other local government moeny grabs and fees that get built into that too.
There is really only one major show here that tours the capital cities (unlike the rugby and cricket, Canberra counts as a city for these chaps):
http://www.workingwithwood.com/
This year was excellent, and you might like to prod your organisers into looking at an example. There were the usual big vendors (The Hammer rep knew the names of all the locals who had bought his combiation machine in the last 2 years and most had dropped in for a chat). But, some of the boutique manufacturers see this as a significant means of getting their wares out there:
http://www.hntgordon.com.au/woodshowattendance.htm
And the organisers work hard to get both trade and other exhibits: http://www.skillspublish.com.au/somethingforkitchen.pdf
The local government (doubles as a state government in Canberra which, politically is a bit like DC) supports shows and other events; and this lot engaged pretty effectively with both web and TV advertising leading up to it. http://www.actco.org.au/timberandworkingwithwoodshow/
The Canberra show included a major exhibition of works and demonstrations from the local woodworkers guild (accompanied by a significant recruiting drive) that occupied the entire space used by the art exhibition at the national show.
All in all, an excellent event - the client even declared friday afternoon attendance at the show as a team building exercise for my project team (we are a IT team building a large scale data comms network, so go figure).
What Philadelphia show are you talking about? I live in that area and can't seem to find a show. Thanks.
ark,
http://www.woodworks2003.com/
Nov. 5 weekend.
Alan
http://www.alanturnerfurnituremaker.com
Thanks a lot. I'll be there. I guess this replaces the AWW expos that sort of faded out.
Watch our for these folks, I attended the show last year in Columbus OH and had a presenter cancel out due to a health problem. I was asked if I wanted to attend another session and said no, just refund my money less the cost of admission. Well, I never got the refund and after waiting several months, called them asking for it. Nothing yet.
The Cleveland, Ohio, show moved and became the Cleveland-Akron show and then last year completely disappeared. Its last year, 2002, had a meagre showing of vendors but was still well attended and they did not charge any less for admission. I still dropped about $500. The best thing there was the local woodturners club. They made 4" tall Christmas trees and GAVE them away. I won't drive to Columbus, Pittsburgh or Detroit so I just save my money for wood. My local Woodcraft store in Bedford carries most tools and supplies I need and when their hardwoods are on sale can compete with the local mills.
The Woodcraft store in Seattle is having its own "Show" this fall. I tossed the flyer, so don't have details, but remembering that there were many classes to sign up for. Undoubtedly some in-store specials too.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I think that sometimes the store "shows" are better than the WW shows. Locally Seven Corners Hardware just had their show and I'd have to say it was better than either of the WW shows I've attended. All the factory reps, lots of new tool introductions, some good deals, got to try different tools and even an improptu Bosch vrs Hitachi rotary hammer race ( hitachi won, hands down).
good w.w. show in woodstock Ontario Canada on Oct. 1,2, and3. West of Toronto,
near London Ontario where they have octoberfest each year. Good show and lots to see and buy. Lots of demos and something usually for the kids and non w.w to build.My wife and I go each year and we enjoy it, even if we don't buy something. Another show is in Toronto Canada in I believe Nov this year. Usually either at the international airport area or at the skydome.Also good show to see. And good for you Americans as our doller as usual is lousy.
I'm surprised they even have shows anymore. Years ago when I was the tech for a tool dealer we did a show. After it was all said and done for all the extra time and effort involved it was a wash, meaning we could have stayed home and made just as much money. This was before the internet. It's got to be much worse out there these days.
I'm not surprised to hear this. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Anyone that has had any shows within 4 hours driving distance is very lucky as far as I am concerned. There has never been on close to where I live in the Eastern end Upper Peninsula of Mchigan.
Garry
Isn't there a show in Green Bay? Milwaukee show is usually in Feb and I'm pretty sure there is one in Madison.I cut this piece four times and it's still too short.
Looks like the only one in Wisc. is in Milwaukee, Feb. 25-27
Here's the calendar:http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/index.php?pageName=Show_Calendarforestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Milwaukee is 7 or 8 hours away... in the winter, who knows how long. Would really want to see something before taking 2 or 3 days to go to a show. Thanks for your time
Garry
Edited 11/17/2004 8:40 pm ET by Garry
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