The Wood Working Shows

[Mark Elmer]

Hi all,

I just got a post card in the mail today about The Wood Working Shows
are going to be coming to Salt Lake City October 23 to 25.

I missed going last time because my day job got in the way. I intend to go this time. Anyone have any first hand knowledge on these shows. Are they worth $6 for a single day visit or $9 for a three day pass?

Just wondering.

[Ray Schafer]

I have gone the past two years. The first time, I thought it was awesome! The second year it was about half the size. I think that it is worth a $6 one-day visit. Unless it is much bigger than last year, I couldn't see spending more than about 4 hours there.

[Gary Breckenridge]

$6 is the price of a chicken sandwich and fries.;) If you don't have to drive 100 miles I'd say go for it. I always try to talk to the factory reps of the tools I have or am interested in buying. I also look at all the new tools and inverntions, worthless or not. I also look for now techniques or designs that may be of interest.:cool:

[Tim Malyszko]

I would just get the 1 day pass. If you haven't been, its worth going, but when I went last year, it might as well have been a Peachtree store as they made up what seemed to be about 1/2 of the space. Outside of Delta and Porter Cable, there really wasn't too much in the ways of major demos. Also, if you are going for deals, you will be hard pressed to save any more than a savy internet user would save searching for deals. In fact, internet pricing is better on the majority of stuff there; in other words, the Woodworking Shows don't get you any great deals.

I've been the last 2 years and enjoyed browsing at both. The last one, I spent way more money than I ever wanted to, but picked up some GRRipers, a Kreg Bandsaw Fence and a set of router bits. The Bandsaw fence and GRippers were great purchases, but I wish I had passed on the $200 set of Freud router bits. They were profile bits used to make all sorts of moldings. I just cannot get my profiles to look as pretty as the demonstrator at the show:(.

If it's your first, you should have a great time.

[Dave Falkenstein]

The Woodworking Shows has decided to do their Arizona Show in Tucson this year. I have no problem with a Show in Tucson, but it seems a bit strange to me that they would bypass the 5th largest city in the USA. I emailed them about the decision and got a reply that said "Tucson is very near Phoenix". Not if you think driving a half-day round trip is "very near"! Last year's Show in Phoenix (Scottsdale) had a small set of vendors, but that was the first year for new owners. Hopefully, this year the Show will have more to see, but I won't see it because of the rather long drive. Disappointed Show fan here.

ps - the background music on their web site is terrible.

pps - As for poor attendance in Dallas mentioned by Jim in the post below, I think the poor turnout could very well be due to poor local publicity about the Show. It certainly has never been well-publicized in the Phoenix area.

[Curt Harms]

it's worth the trip as others have said. You'll see over half the people there walking around with the "gadget du jour" be it a super-broom, cord reel or whatever;). I went to a few when I first got into woodworking but haven't been to a show in a few years, just don't see the value. They don't seem to change much from year to year. You may get to lay hands on machines & tools that don't have local distribution, i.e. MiniMax, Laguna, Rojek etc. It's a shame Grizzly doesn't do the shows (except IWF). There are quite a few people interested in Grizzly but hesitate to buy sight unseen.


HTH

Curt

[Jim O'Dell]

They cancelled the the Dallas show this year (held in Arlington between Big D and Fort Worth). Said their research showed that the attendance wouldn't be there, and because of that they couldn't get quantity or quality vendors. Just what we have been saying for the last few years here. Haven't heard if the Houston shows are still a go yet or not (April?), but I won't be driving 5 hours each way for it. :p
I didn't go last year, and was disappointed in the lack of vendors the year before. Would like to see one of the local retailers do a tent type sale where the manufacturers come in and offer better prices/free add ons, etc. Might be better than the 3 day show. Jim.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Want to go for free? Look at FWW, Dec 2008, page 20, upper left corner ad.

[Mike Henderson]

Want to go for free? Look at FWW, Dec 2008, page 20, upper left corner ad.
The problem is that you have to cut the ad out and take it to the show. I keep my FWWs and do not want to deface it by cutting things out. I wonder if there's any other form they'd accept. I see they won't accept a copy. Maybe I could take the whole magazine to the show and show the ad - but keep the magazine.

Mike

[Don Bullock]

I went to The Wood Working Show a couple of years ago in Southern California. It was my very first woodworking type show. I must say that I was very disappointed in the number and variety of tools both on display and for sale. I did go to a presentation by Frank Klausz that was very interesting, but not very helpful because of the format of the presentation. He did do a lot of demonstrations later during the show that were excellent. It's my understanding that these shows have since changed ownership and are trying to rebuild their show. They have one scheduled for Costa Mesa, California at the end of October. If I can fit it into my schedule I'll go this year to see if it's improved. Due to all the money I'm spending getting my shop build I doubt I'll be buying much, but some of the demonstrations that they have scheduled seem interesting.

In Southern California we have also had the WoodWorks Show which I found to be supported by more companies displaying and selling a lot more tools. I thought that the many show demonstrations at the show I went to were very good as well. If I had to choose between the two shows it would be the one I'd attend, but they haven't scheduled one for 2009 here yet.

[John M. Smith]

Go to the gladstonetools website. They say "Bring a copy of our printed ad in woodworking magazines (like the Nov-Dec issue of Fine Woodworking) with the free admission offer to the show. Mention the ad at the Gladstone Tools booth for a free 6 inch stainless steel "

Click on ad and print. I am going to try this and also bring the magazine just in case.:rolleyes:

[Harley Reasons]

The problem is that you have to cut the ad out and take it to the show. I keep my FWWs and do not want to deface it by cutting things out. I wonder if there's any other form they'd accept. I see they won't accept a copy. Maybe I could take the whole magazine to the show and show the ad - but keep the magazine.

Mike
The way the ad reads "Free admission with this Ad", nothing said about them having to keep the ad. I'd go for it and argue that you don't want to deface your archive copy of FWW.

[Larry Marley]

Like Ray said,
My first wood working show was amazing. This was back when American Woodworker had a series of shows that were very large, with Frank Klaus, Ian Kirby holding seminars, manufacture reps from every consumer product vendor. It was a two day tour to take it all in. Later the same year I attended "the Woodworking shows" in Costa Mesa and was disappointed by comparison. Now I would be happy if the Woodworking shows venue was back to the size it was then. I used to work these shows and know a lot of the vendors. Too many shows, competing with other start up shows and the Internet has just killed it. Many vendors abandoned the show last year.

I still go to take a peek and say hi to people I know, but it is more of a half day thing. I still like the energy, the smell of fresh cut wood, watching new woodworkers taking in the demonstrations. And looking for a deal. No better deal than on line, but in person is still my first choice.

I wish them well and hope they find a schedule and venues that will attract and keep quality vendors in tow.

[John Callahan]

$6 is the price of a chicken sandwich and fries.;) If you don't have to drive 100 miles I'd say go for it
imho Gary B. has it right. The number of vendors seem to diminish each year but at the Saint Paul show earlier this year Roland Johnson's seminar on card scrapers was well worth the price of getting in. As for tools go I've found the Seven Corners Hardware Fall Tool Show better than the WW shows. More reps (Festool, PC/Delta, Milwaukee, Makita, Hitachi, 3m, Rousseau, Stabila plus many others, much hands on stuff and some good deals to be had.

[Lori Kleinberg]

Dave, Sorry you won't be at the show in Tucson, but that is why I didn't make it to the Phoenix show (can't drive that long and then walk around too) last year.
I am looking forward to the show as I have never been to one. If any one else is going to the Tucson show, maybe we can get together before, during or even after for a SMC get together or something.