PDA

View Full Version : UK Woodworkers Show, Kempton park. Show report.



docusk
21st November 2006, 08:45 PM
I promised I’d write about the D & M Woodworkers Show last weekend.
I went on the opening day and had a whale of a time (Just as well as it was raining stair rods most of the day!)
I was amongst the first few in and even though I use a disability scooter to get around I had a smooth pathway throughout.
The first demo was Alan Holtham, with whom many of us are familiar and he turned a spindle of immaculate finish plus much of a small bowl in his allotted time. I got my questions answered on the Record stands and bought some special-offer friction polish and some odds and ends (yes yes I know I said I wouldn’t do any impulse buying but what’s a chap. to do; I ask you?)
The Tormek stand was busy most of the day but I managed to get near enough to buy the new foolproof skew and gouge tool setter. Excellent value.
Coffee break next.
Next demo was the C26 multi-purpose machine which was very professional and even made me wonder if I could find a use for it (Down doc!!!)true, it was a bit noisy.
Following on from that was a bandsaw master class, also by Alan, excellent. Many people seemed keenly interested in this subject as was I.
After lunch came a short session about dust extraction but the speaker was on hand aboard the Record stand to answer our queries. I came away with a great idea for attaching my D/E to the front of the lathe to take it all away. Also relieved to find that it’s normal for wood turnings to settle along the curves of the tubing. Mine is all transparent of course and it was worrying me.
Next up, Planer thicknesser masterclass, again Alan Holtham showed that he’s not just a turner Alan, too, was on the Record stand for questions.
I wandered around again until lunch time when I managed a lovely toasted ham & cheese sandwich.
After that I gravitated to the Electra-Beckum lads and producing my fence, asked if anything was missing. Nothing except me taking the trouble to read the manual. All was there. They showed me a piece of hardwood from which they then proceeded to cut a slice of 3” X 12” X 1/16<SUP>th</SUP> of an inch thick. Wow.
My final stop of the day was at the Trend stand (do they trade down under?) and bought my hearts desire for years, a dovetail jig, on special. It weighed a lot more than I expected and I took it back to the car lying across the footrest of the scooter.
That was my day, truly enjoyable despite the solid rain all the 30 odd miles home.
Comes Wednesday when I finish fixing all these ruddy computers piling up in my office, I’ll be out there setting up my dovetailer, happy as a sandbag.
docusk

Stuart
21st November 2006, 09:00 PM
Nice work there docusk. Love some photos if you have them, but your prose gives us a pretty good description on its own. Cheers - would love to see a really big show.

Christopha
21st November 2006, 09:19 PM
Sounds like an awwfully pukka, proper British show you know, Did one wear ones Deerstalker old chap and were the cucumber sandwiches up to scratch old thing??? ;)
Acksherly, I does sound nearly as good/tempting/fun as the Melbourne woodshow. As Stu says, how about some pics so we can see if you chaps do a woodshow like us blokes does a woodshow.

MurrayD99
22nd November 2006, 07:10 AM
Ohhhh. Thanks. Lived there a long time. Have yourself a rewarding pint.