Houston Woodworking Show

[Tony Bilello]

I went to the Houston Woodworking Show today. Me and the LOML enjoyed the show but it was much smaller that I expected. I have not been to a WW Show in over 20 years and I think they seemed to be bigger. Is it a sign of the economy or my senility? Sometimes our minds play tricks when it comes to recollections.
Has anyone else been to this show yet?

[Shawn Stennett]

I went today, my wife and I had a good time. Bought a 6 piece cabinet door router bit set, and some clamps.

[Tony Bilello]

My wife is not into woodworking but will help me from time to time in the shop. She IS my sanding Dept.
Anyway, she enjoyed a cabinet making demo and William Ng demonstrating hand scrapers and hand planes.

[Jerry White]

Tony,

The size of the Woodworking Show has been shrinking for several years now (at least in Houston). The last couple of years at Reliant Center the show has occupied only a fraction of the large space there, with the remainder curtained off so as to not dwarf the show area. I went to the show today also. I have been to several events at the Merrill Center and I expected the facility to have more than enough space, but I was surprised at how the show completely filled the room.

I thought it was a very nice event compared to more recent WW Shows. Attendance seemed to be good and my impression was that the vendors were selling a lot of merchandise. I know I spent more than I intended to, but whats new about that?

[Steve Vaughn]

I wasn't sure if I was going to go as a friend and I had already decided to go to the plastic modeling show in Stafford. Before we got to that show we saw a guy at the Whataburger that told us that vendor participation was very low. We went anyway and sure enough he was right. That helped us make the last minute decision to go to the woodworking show afterward.

When we got to the woodworking show we saw that the building was full and there were plenty of people there but the building it was held in was much smaller than the Reliant Center room they held it in in the past. We didn't really see any great deals (except a 20" delta DP for 659.00) and it seemed to us that the show was centered on router work. Of course I could be wrong in my perception. Anyone else?

Steve

[John McCaskill]

I always hated going to the show in Reliant center. Merrill center was a tad small, but the show itself was a more pleasant experience. If anyone wanted a vote, mine would be for a venue more like Merrill center. Katy is an easier drive, too. No getting-out-of-town Houston rush hour traffic, driving on the west loop and out 290 when I left.

John

[Raymond Gerdes]

is a convenient location. I took my daughter there for years to horse shows. I had planned to go to the farm this weekend but I still haven't finished in Denton so I saved money, no wood show or farm repose.

Bye the bye; does anyone know why the Arlington show was cancelled???

I hope someone will have a vendor show soon..

Ray Gerdes in beautiful Texas

[Carroll Courtney]

Wish the show was more central located than out towards Katy Mills Mall.Just to far for me to drive,I know,others that went drove alot futher.I hate driving!---Carroll

[Jim Rimmer]

I read some history on the show lately (I think on the Woodworkers Journal site). It has changed hands several times over the past few years and current owners are trying to keep it going. I felt like I should go to support it (if I want any in the future) but viewed the exhibitors list and didn't see anyone I was interested in. I have been looking for a dovetail jig and ended up ordering one from Rockler. If Rockler and Woodcraft and a few of the big tool companies had been listed I might have gone.

[Jerry White]

If Rockler and Woodcraft and a few of the big tool companies had been listed I might have gone.

Jim,

Rockler and Woodcraft both were there. Circle Saw was there with the new Porter Cable dovetail jig, and several other vendors were there demonstrating dovetail jigs of various designs. Too bad you couldn't have been there.

[Greg Crawford]

Jerry, good to see you active here. I've been working PT at the Houston (North) Woodcraft for a little over a year, and the owners decided they just weren't getting enough return on the investment to be there. They decided to go with just the Sawstop at the last minute. The show deals were actually in-store discounts on most items (excluding Festool, Steel City, blah, blah).

Katy is a good way for me as well, but I think for free parking and lower rent, the shows will have to avoid many downtown areas. Hopefully, this new group will be able to breath new life into the shows (Houston really needs it, not sure about other areas). I enjoyed them greatly when they had a lot of vendors and demonstrations. I didn't buy a great deal, but was able to do some great first-hand research for my fantasies.

[Tony Bilello]

I read some history on the show lately (I think on the Woodworkers Journal site). It has changed hands several times over the past few years and current owners are trying to keep it going. I felt like I should go to support it (if I want any in the future) but viewed the exhibitors list and didn't see anyone I was interested in. I have been looking for a dovetail jig and ended up ordering one from Rockler. If Rockler and Woodcraft and a few of the big tool companies had been listed I might have gone.

Jim, sorry you missed the show.

Rockler aqnd woodcraft were both there. Rockler only had a dust collector and I dont remember what Woodcraft had. It seemed to me that most vendors were selling dovetail and other misc. joint jigs more than anything else.

[Shawn Stennett]

I drove about 2.5 hours to get there, it was my first one to go to so I have nothing to compare it too but enjoyed myself. I was surprised that Woodcraft and Rockler did not have more stuff there.

[Charlie Plesums]

When I started going to these shows 10 or so years ago the competition on the internet was far less, so the factory reps were excited to be able to demo their tools, and give a bargain to clinch a sale. The kinds of bargains I remember from back then are now available every day on the internet, and I can talk to people who have used the tools in forums like this.

A change that I think I am seeing is more expert tutorials (rather then vendors slicing and dicing with the latest $100 gimmick we can't live without). William Ng was good, as were the folks from the homestead heritage school in Waco. I also went to a couple of the free tutorials in the meeting rooms "down the hall." The tutorial I went to on the show floor was by a salesman in disguise - more product push than useful info.

[Jonathan Hsu]

Bringing back an old thread....but is anybody going to the show this weekend in Houston? I've never been to one, so I'll make the drive out to Katy.

I've been meaning to buy a Kreg K3 kit. Any chance they'll have it discounted at the show?

[Charlie Plesums]

See my post 14 on this thread. These shows started as a place to meet the factory reps who would cut a bargain, but the internet gives similar information and bargains every day, and few factories send reps. You might find a few deals, but that isn't a primary reason to go any more. Last time someone was selling Kreg screws at $15/box of 1000, half the usual price, so I got a box, and picked up a router bit or two (additional 10% off the Woodline low price, but add in sales tax so little bargain).

The free tutorials last year were good, but not enough for me to make the 3 hour drive from Austin.

[Jim Rimmer]

Bringing back an old thread....but is anybody going to the show this weekend in Houston? I've never been to one, so I'll make the drive out to Katy.

I've been meaning to buy a Kreg K3 kit. Any chance they'll have it discounted at the show?
I haven't seen any promos about it. Where is it? Katy is a bit of a drive from Seabrook for me.

[Brian Greb]

I haven't seen any promos about it. Where is it? Katy is a bit of a drive from Seabrook for me.

Katy again,

Leonard E. Merrel Center
6301 South Stadium Ln.
Katy, TX 77494

Friday:12pm-6pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday:10am-4pm

The demos and "classes" should make it worth the drive.
last year there where some good deals and the demos where very informative.

[Jonathan Hsu]

Wife and daughter are going to the mall while I meet a couple of guys at the show Sat. I'm just getting into WW so I'm sure I'll find it fun and informative as everything is new to me.

There's a $2 coupon on the website for anybody who is going.