IWF Atlanta, anyone going?

[Van Huskey]

The International Woodowrking Fair will be in August 25-28, and not to be missed if you love tools.

Anyone going?

[Steven DeMars]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=141305

[Jason White]

I haven't been in about 6 years. It's worth going once just for fun. Most of the show is geared toward commercial and industrial woodworking operations.

Jason


The International Woodowrking Fair will be in August 25-28, and not to be missed if you love tools.

Anyone going?

[Lee Koepke]

I can only fit in 'maybe' a saturday, I know its only $20 but right now I am not sure if its worth it for one day just to look around .. do they have single day passes???

[David Weaver]

If you go and you're a hobbyist, make up a fake business name for your ID card and make sure you have a story about it - 10 seconds worth to keep the attention of the sales rep.

A buddy of mine was interested in a timesaver wide belt sander, but the guy at the booth wasn't that interested in explaining them to someone who said they wanted one for their home shop. Probably cost him a sale.

Other booths where the reps had nobody else around (i.e., no serious commercial customers), like hardware booths, that same buddy had a question relating to hardware for refinishing his kitchen. Rep walked away without answering the question, pretended like he had to go do something.

Guys at the asturo, LV and Fuhr booth were ultra helpful, as were the guys at the Martin, felder and minimax booths, even though they knew we were hobbyists.

Even if you're a hobbyist, it's worth going to look around, though I couldn't see a need to go every year. Lots of edgebanders and computerized moulders, etc.

[Tom Walz]

I'm going Friday and Saturday. Saturday is usually the slowest day since it is largely commercial.

Doesn't mean you'll be treated better.

Sometimes I'll walk away and come back and find someone else.

Some folks are really great. In Las Vegas the famous scissors guy (can't remember the name) gave us a full demo even though we told him we were just curious.

Maybe better if they do ignore you. A pretty blonde lady showed us the full woodpecker line and I bought a T sqaure I didn't need. Really like it though.

Hotels are tight this year because a college bought a couple for dorms.

Tom

[David Weaver]

It was a pretty easy drive in for us. I think we stayed about 10 miles outside of town right off an interstate, and it took us barely more than 10 minutes to get in.

We had a similar experience with the martin booth. "Stephen" (Schteffen?) gave us the white glove tour of the T60 precision, and ultimately that's going to sell Martin a saw when my buddy finally pulls the trigger (seinfeld would call him a "slow buyer", but he does buy eventually). We mentioned to him (the martin rep) that we were looking at sliders, but in a lower price range. That demonstration suddenly made $25-$30K a very affordable slider for my buddy. It also made everything else at the show look pretty bad.

The guy from felder was very patient, too, but we were ruined by the martins. Totally ruined.

I bought a bunch of stuff (spray equipment for WB finsihes from the asturo booth, things from LV, ...), but nothing from a snotty vendor, and I generally needed all of it. I'm still glad I went. Maybe do it again in 10 years to see what's changed.

Still despise the booths with a guy selling trinkets and jigs and yelling on a microphone!

[John Thompson]

I love tools even thought I don't need any at this stage frankly.. I live 35 miles away and I made many friends two years ago when I demo'ed tools for a tool manufacturer so.. no reason not to venture into town for at least one day to re-kindle friend-ships and check out what might be new. Sorry to see Grizzly won't make the show this cycle but the economy is the economy.. what you see is what you get!

[Bruce Wrenn]

I have been a total of four times, since 2000. Last time (2008) the wife went with me. The first thing she wanted to know when we got back home was "Are WE going again next year?" I explained it would be two years, but she is still looking forward to going again. As for hotels, look at a map of the MARTA system, and pick an outlying hotel that is in walking distance of a MARTA station. We fly in, catch the Marta to the show, eat breakfast in the CNN Center, go to show, and do bag check for the day. In the afternoon, we catch Marta to hotel. go to dinner and walk around the Buckhead area, including Lenox Mall. Next day we repeat. If we can hook up with a friend who is driving in, we may try to go to laser light show at Stone Mountain. We went last year (2009) with our daughter and her grandson. At that time she was "crew based" in Atlanta, so took her car. But she is now "crew based" at Dullies, and spends her off time here. No more "free car" in Atlanta.

[John Neel]

If I am back from visiting my new grand daughter whose birth is expected any minute, I am going. I live 5.4 miles from the show and I can park free down the street where I worked before retiring.

This will be my 3rd show. I have always been treated well at every booth I went to. I got more samples, hats, lanyards, candy . . . than I could ever use at the first show, so I go easy on that stuff now. I do like the sandpaper and other useful samples.

At the '08 show, I talked 1-on-1 for 1/2 hour to the rep for a large cnc machine that was being shown making doors. I started the conversation by telling him I was only a hobbyist, but wondered if his company was making a smaller machine for someone like me. I learned quite a lot from him.

I spent about $70 at the first show, about $20 at the second.

I usually spend one day. That isn't enough time to see everything, but it is enough time to see what I want to see if I am selective.

[Earl Kelly]

If you're in the area, Exhibit Hall A Booth 2067, Veneer Tech will have the winners of their Craftsman's Challenge posted. This is a contest they have every yr since '05. If you would like to see the entries check out the Craftsman's Challenge page.

http://www.veneertech.com/challenge/?p=entries