The Woodworking Shows

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:53 pm

A few of you might be interested in this. I sure would be if I was fortunate enough for the schedule to include the Tucson area. I'd even drive to Phoenix for this.

I'm working on SWMBO to consider a timely trip to Montana. I might just happen to need a layover in Denver that weekend. Gotta get the pack rat damage in the engine compartment of the RV fixed first though.

lv2wdwrk · Post by **lv2wdwrk** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:45 pm

dusty wrote:A few of you might be interested in this. I sure would be if I was fortunate enough for the schedule to include the Tucson area. I'd even drive to Phoenix for this.

I'm working on SWMBO to consider a timely trip to Montana. I might just happen to need a layover in Denver that weekend. Gotta get the pack rat damage in the engine compartment of the RV fixed first though.

You will have to travel back in time to go to the Denver show. It was the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Maybe next year.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:08 pm

lv2wdwrk wrote:You will have to travel back in time to go to the Denver show. It was the weekend before Thanksgiving. Maybe next year.

I guess the pressure to fix the RV is off. Hopefully next year they will come this way. It has been two or three years since they were here.

moose · Post by **moose** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:44 pm

You're not missing much anymore Dusty. I have attended the Atlanta show for the past 5 years to watch it down grade from a major event in a huge center to what you might call a joke in a small town auditorium. The vendor list is only one third of what is used to be. Even big exhibitors such as Home Depot and Ridgid no longer participate. Once again, it's a sign of the times and it's so sad. There are many major cities that no longer carry this show such as Phoenix and Tuson in your area.

kartoffelkopf · Post by **kartoffelkopf** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:46 pm

I've been to several of the shows around the country. They're just a sad, shadowy existence of what they once were. The economy probably hasn't helped, but there are other factors (they were on the decline in a big way before the economy went sour.)

I think there are several factors:
1) The internet. --you used to go to the shows to see all the newest stuff, check it all out, kick the tires, etc. You can do all of that now online (except physically touching it.) There's no need to spend the $ on gas to go just for that.
2) The gas. --for the customers, as per above, but probably more for the vendors. The amt. of fuel it takes to cart their wares all over the country for those big "show discounts" so you can take it home that day must be astronomical. When their costs rise so do yours.
3) The discounts. --that used to be a big incentive. With the internet you can find those discounts if you look around/wait. It isn't that hard because the discounts aren't that deep at the shows, as per #2.

The only thing still going for them is the classes - and they're turning into nothing more than glorified sales pitches. It's like going to a computer class and what they're really teaching you is how to use Microsoft this-or-that. I went to a session once on raised panels and it was just a sales pitch for Somerfeld's stuff.

I sure miss the good woodworking shows I'd been to - but those days are long gone. The result of many things all culminating at the same time I suppose.

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:48 pm

This past October, son Troy and I attended the Woodworkers in America Conference in Covington KY (Cincinnati area). This show is put on and organized by Popular Woodworking magazine. Unlike other woodworking shows, which are nothing more than vendor halls, the main crux of WIA is the classes, put on by Popular Woodworking's staff and notable guests like Roy Underhill and Frank Klause. We were so busy with the classes that we really had limited time to visit the vendors hall, which was open to the public and an almost separate entity. There was a tour of the Whitewater Shaker Village, and a grand banquet on Saturday night, with 1000 persons in attendance.

In 2011, Sept 30 - Oct 2, Chris Schwarz has promised more of the same, and some additional tours. This is a different kind of woodworking show. If you are getting a little fed up with the "entourage" type of woodworking shows, the WIA is worth putting on your schedule.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:24 pm

8iowa wrote:This past October, son Troy and I attended the Woodworkers in America Conference in Covington KY (Cincinnati area). This show is put on and organized by Popular Woodworking magazine. Unlike other woodworking shows, which are nothing more than vendor halls, the main crux of WIA is the classes, put on by Popular Woodworking's staff and notable guests like Roy Underhill and Frank Klause. We were so busy with the classes that we really had limited time to visit the vendors hall, which was open to the public and an almost separate entity. There was a tour of the Whitewater Shaker Village, and a grand banquet on Saturday night, with 1000 persons in attendance.

In 2011, Sept 30 - Oct 2, Chris Schwarz has promised more of the same, and some additional tours. This is a different kind of woodworking show. If you are getting a little fed up with the "entourage" type of woodworking shows, the WIA is worth putting on your schedule.

Covington again, or someplace else?

horologist · Post by **horologist** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:31 pm

JPG40504 wrote:Covington again, or someplace else?

Yes, Covington on Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2011. I had a great time and plan on attending again this year.

I did try to talk them into holding it in Daytona but no luck.

Troy

billmeyer · Post by **billmeyer** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:36 am

I have attended the one in Kansas City the past many years. I still enjoy seeing all of the products and the demos. It is in January this year, it is usually in February, but has been in March once. So far the weather has always cooperated. I usually target some tool or project before I go, but I haven't thought about that this year. I like to go up on Friday and stay over, but hitting at month end, I won't be able to take off this year being an accountant.

Bill

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:08 am

Dusty
Don't let it bother you too much. I have attended this show on and off for the last 20 years or so. At one time it was terrific, huge and information packed. However the last two shows I have attended were almost a waste of time.
I will probably go again this year, so to learn my lesson, but I'm not expecting too much.

I will say I got some good deals at the show and I have kicked myself for some that I passed up. Back in the good ole days this show would have the latest and greatest tools, demo'ers and etc. I usually always found an unusual tool that wouldn't show up in the stores for years if ever.
I got a tiny plane that used something like a razor blade. It was fantastic for cutting across grain. Someone stole it so you know it was good.

Hoping for a great show expecting nothing but a living infomerical.