Thread: Working With Wood Shows

Originally Posted by Dust Mite

The same can be said for the show they had in Auckland as well. I was very disappointed with the entire Working with Wood Show especially as it was lumped in with the Home Crafts Fair at the same time.

If they do this again I wont go and I will be telling all and sundry not to bother as well.

The cost to the exhibitors here in NZ was outrageous as well from the feed back I got, and I noticed that all the big powertool and machinery suppliers didnt attend either which was one of the main reasons for going in the first place. They will have to do a bloody site better than they have to convince me its anything other than a shambles set up by people with NFI about woodwork. Grrrrr majorly off.

Really.... I thought I'd burn some air miles and check it out but Pamm1e thought it would be a WoFT and I didn't persist. Well.... she was right - usually is. Still got the miles and didn't waste the time or run up hotel bills! Thanks for the tip.

I live in Darwin , has there ever been a show up here ??
i would like to enter one of these shows as a compediter
when most addvetizing says " all around australia " thay mean every where but the northern territory
so if there ever is a working with timber show in darwin , i'll be first in line

Originally Posted by Binchos

I go to the show every year in Melbourne at Jeff's Shed.
I go becasue i am an enthusiast and always prepared to learn something new or be exposed to a new tool, trick or method.
I must say that I found the show / exhibition has not evolved in 3 years, with the same exhibits, same old, same old boring stuff, it was a let down after making the journey there and paying the not so cheap entry fee.

Most exhibtors were more then happy to chat and offer good advice.
I dont mean to sound synical, I just left the show feeling like i had seen it all before.
Cheers,
Binch

Binch,
I travel from Hobart every second year, as a result my costs with air fares & accommodation would be a factor of 10-20 more than the cost of your entry and I'm not complaining.

I consider that this year's show was perhaps the best I have been to in recent years.

Kev M

I missed this year's show but largely because I was moving from Sydney to Brisbane. I could have gone to both the shows in Sydney and Brisbane as it turned out as I was in both places on the respective weekends that they were run.

However, I frankly couldn't be bothered as I wasn't going to buy anything anyway which is frankly the only reason I go at all.

2007 may be different as I will be in the market for tools again after (hopefully) having my own house again to put stuff into.

I personally think that the hangers on (mops, metal nibbler, shoe polishers et cetera) don't attract me to the show. However, the commercial reality is that there may not be exhibitors to take the space that these folks use anyway so their participation may well be subsidising the woodcraft retailers.

If that isn't the case, then my suggestion would be to lose them. Their business can use shopping centres anywhere to sell their products. I doubt that these shows represent anything but a small portion of their sales anyway whereas woodcraft exhibitors are not likely to setup at a shopping centre on the off chance...

I know of at least one potential exhibitor that wont attend even their local exhibition due to the costs involved. He sells second hand woodworking tools. This class of exhibitor would be an asset to the show but their margins are not enough to justify the costs. I think that they at least some special consideration.

Why do you go?
I like to see what's available and from whom and to dream

Why don't you go?
I forget it's on and on Sunday night exclaim "doh!" and slap my forehead

What would make the shows more attractive to you and others?
I wopping great door prize advertised on the ad material to good to pass up - like $5000 to spend with any of the exhibitors (paid for by the promoters of course)

What is missing from the shows that you really would like to see?
Not much - I like them for what they are.

Cos i live a 1000 klicks awy from the nearest possible show, thats why.
I f Coal miners or Cane cockies used woodworking,we would be knee deep in em,but they don't , so I miss out .
Grumpy Grahame

I wouldn't miss the show without a very serious reason. SWMBO and I have attended the Sydeny show for the past several years (lost count) and generally make my big (for me) purchases there (that's why SWMBO comes as well ). I've got to agree with many of the posts here that the "off subject" stands are a waste of space for me as well.

The main raeson I attend is to check out the new stuff, and dream; to make the big purchases, usually of things that I've either been drooling over all year or have seen at previous shows and thought "next year maybe"; to see the demonstrations; to be impressed and inspired by some of the work on display and to be encouraged by some of the good efforts that show me that my stuff is generally not bad; to get technical advice; and to generally soak up the woodie vibe .

I'd like to see more makers demonstrating. There's a preponderance of turning demos, which are interesting in themselves but I'd be prepared to spend an hour or so watching a master put together a simple piece of furniture even if it was a "to save time here's one I prepared earlier" type of thing . Roger Givkin comes close with his box making demo (his dovetail jig is a good example of why I go to the show, bought one this year and I LOVE IT).

Sorry folks that turned into a bit of stream of conscienceness thing. In short the show is the highlight of my woody year.

Cheers

Firstly I will not be attending lost hubby to cancer this August & will not attend any for a long time yet.....But....Our interest was unfortunately dwindling....again....for two completely different reasons.........

1st...Ed( late hubby ) was getting really disalutioned with the woodworking show.....this was when he wanted to purchase his machinery, he had always shopped around and got prices before hand & wanted to purchase from the show with Show specials.....but this never seem to happen....either the model that was on display at the show was old....no others in stock, new model expected in a month..(oh yeh)...or top brass was just to busy talking to other sales reps from other companies trying to do their own deals....it was amazing....and then it was quite surprizing that we could ask four different sales men, get 4 different answers & then I actually had to show that one team had a cast iron bed on a plainer put on backwards.....that stunned us.....& it was the second day of the show...
Yes we would go to the show prepared to spend money & NO we did not seem to get the service we thought would be there.....each year it's got worse....so we were planning to go away for holiday instead of upgrading machinery....but unfortunately neither will happen....now.....ALTHOUGH I will return to the shows....hopefully when they have improved a little..........

of course over in WA there is only the Claremont WWShow, but I go for the Festo orbital sanders & sanding papers to purchase in bulk....last year they only had 80's & 240's & nothing inbetween.(which I purchase pkt of 100 each & had to fight for a small discount).......I gave my name & address to the person in charge....NEVER EVER RECEIVED the letters & lists promised........BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!.......all I can guess is the price they charged me was deary than normal..why else would they choose not send me lists when I purchase 100 of each....and would have purchased the orbital sander had they had it there....you would think they would look after their customers like that.........I am still waiting & still using the old sander its near-dead...(think I will now give it to ED...) LOL...there's that bloo-dy sense of humour that gets me in strife all the time!
Still it doesn't change the fact that I am waiting for their price list to get a new sander!!!!!!!!!!

Now the second reason that I am not going to the show is I am really disappointed in the demonstrations by the ladies....I actually did become a member of the WWWW over here.....& found them as motavational as a wet sunday ...... & that's not a wet sunday in hell because at least that would sizzle....or get steamy..
I wanted to see some furniture displays....not art prize pieces....just woodworking stuff....interesting, everyday stuff things that every woman can make & show them how.... get a woman who can sell the interest of woodworking to the public....both men & women alike.....
hands on.....brain in head....loves woodwork & loves promoting just the general interest....NOT promoting the school of fine arts etc.....

Your woodworking public needs two choices.....to purchase.........or ........to look & learn........

.......Show a competition.....entry to anyone....make something out of no more than 3 meters of wood 2 X ( 70 x19 x 1.5 ) piece of furniture no bigger than an eski..... or even make a child's wooden chair....
Have some other idea's .......
A scroll saw's section.....turners section....
even if you work in conjunction with the Royal Show...display winners at woodworking shows etc.....

OK had my say........
Think that I should start a Ladies woodworking group here in Mandurah....what do you think.....?????
http://groups.msn.com/WOODWORKCountryCottage

look under pictures.....all the pine stuff I make....
Do you need anyone to promote woodwork..........THEN GET SOMEONE WHO LOVES IT FIRST.......

I could not formulate a better reply than 'Ruffly Rustic' which said exactly what I had planned to say.

Being a newbie to woodworking...I became a tool collector first by going each year to the shows to hear and watch from the late master...Les Miller. Les advised me on the essential tools and the factors to look for in buying the tools. I would sit all day to listen and learn. His routing guide hangs in my shed and is used regularly to make sure I get my $1 investment back by not woodchipping a $100 block of timber. The last 2 years in Melb have been disappointing albeit I have purchased tools each time. The level of information and demonstrations are not at the previous years standards. I went 2 years ago just to watch an advertised demonstration of cabinet construction only for that to be cancelled. AAArgh! The number of exhibitors is down, the variety is down and as interesting as Richard is, his demo is identical 2 years running. The admission price is a small price for a "boys only" day, however maybe it could be rebated from any purchases in the show. Love seeing carbatech. The triton tool display this year was too crowded for space and couldnt really show off the tools. Would love to see more demos re tool sharpening, tool care and servicing, building jigs, dust extraction, finishing. All stands should be tool or wood based. Thanks for the opportunity to vent as its an annual day I really enjoy but can get frustrated with.

My thoughts have been summed up multiple times by many of the other replies. It's just a great day to see things you wouldn't normally see every day and spend some time with like minded people.
This year my Dad travelled half a day to see the show and he really had a great time but we were both very disappointed with the food court/area, most people tend to spend the better part of the day at these shows and as a whole spend a considerable amount of their hard earned monney. Is too much to ask to provide multiple

Crap, sorry about that, accidentally hit the Enter key. Anyway I was saying that there really needs to be more thought put into catering and areas for people to sit and relax with a coffee or cool drink. I don't know what it's like in the different states but Adelaide really is lacking in this department. With only one food area it's not only busy at lunch time, but most of the day and it's a challenge to get a seat at a table, or for that matter even a seat alone.
Sorry for the rant.

Originally Posted by Tex79

Crap, sorry about that, accidentally hit the Enter key. ...

You can go back & edit your post, just click on the edit button in the bottom right corner of the post.

Thanks Cliff, now you've pointed the Edit button out it stands out like a sore thumb.

Cheers,

Evan