Woodworking in America?

[Matt Day]

Is anyone planning to go to this? It's in Cincinnati so doable for me and my wife gave me to ok.

Has anyone been to it in the past that could tell me what you think?

[Herb Smith]

Nice show but know that it's mainly a hand tool event

[Frederick Skelly]

Yes. This would probably get more attention in the Neander Forum.

[Bob Glenn]

Yes, worth the trip and cost. Mostly hand tool oriented. They have a good selection of quality speakers giving a wide variety of sessions. The market place is always nice to browse. I picked up a nice half set of hollows and rounds there two years ago. See you there. I'll be the one in the blue jeans and sneakers. Bob

[Mike Brady]

Another opinion: seems like a quite a bit of money for a market place (why not just spend the money directly on tools?) and speaker sessions where you get no hands-on experience. I went to the first few WIA's. Factor in food and hotels and you have a pretty expensive experience. If you just like travel and elbow rubbing, its fine and there are nice people there; but $ applied to tools and real classes would be my recommendation.

[Bill Houghton]

I'll be the one in the blue jeans and sneakers. Bob

But no shirt? That'll make you easy to find.

[Simon MacGowen]

Whether it is WIA or any other woodworking shows/tradeshows, the seminar part is in general not for acquisition of skills or techniques since, as you pointed out, it is not hands-on. The seminars are educational and I think people who pay to go into the seminar/conference know that -- or should know that, to avoid disappointment.

I look at them as social events and in the market place, opportunities to buy tools with discounts, free shipping, etc. After food, parking and admission charge, I am actually paying for those discounts unless I buy a lot. I have been to some of those shows but for the coming WIA, I will skip as I am not seeing any release of major new tools that I can try on site.

Simon

[Tom Bussey]

If you have been woodworking for any length of time, it is not worth the money. The market place can be covered in about 1/2 hour.