Thread: Working With Wood Shows

Originally Posted by colleend

Thinking about when my son gets bigger, an area for kids to try woodworking under supervision would have been fun. Not sure how it might work but could allow parents to spend more, plus get the next generation interested.

Colleen

What a very good idea!
For me that would earn brownie points with SWMBO because I wouldn't be buggering off to have fun on my own, I would be sharing parenting responsibilities.

I've been to a few shows here in Canberra, but didn't make it this year 'cause of a bung knee. That'll be fixed soon, and I'll be at the next one!



Johnno

Good
Skill demonstrations (I used to be fascinated by the Japanese demos but they've gone :mad: ).
Product displays.
Easy loading at rear (Melb).

Not so good
Unrelated displays/stalls.
Cramped aisles (you can't stand and look, you get swept away).
Catering costs encourage diets.
Entry costs too high for some.

Would like to see
Works in progress: turning, intarsia, scrolling, finishing, cabinetry etc.
Hands on training sessions (insurance may kill this one).
Historical demonstrations, old tools in action.
School skills demos.
Woodwork training schools advertised.
Subsidised or free areas for woodwork related stands that are not there for profit.

The upcoming Melbourne show will be my fourth, and like the last three part of the reason for going is looking at machinery and hand tools and what it looks like on the floor. The return drive is around five hours and this is a good way of seeing a lot without trapsing all over Melbourne.

My purchases have largely been smaller items including Ubeaut each time. Purchases at the show will be only those at cheaper prices than normal. Machinery I would possibly prefer purchase after the show. Having newly returned to woodwork after a break of many years and finally getting around to enlarging the shed (sort of there) this is the first time I have aquired machines of any size. Previously the largest item would have been a circular saw. I guess I have spent from a few hundred up to $2000 at each show.

If it is anything like the boat shows (a previous obsession) it can become a bit like same old, and I do wonder at what point you say enough and concentrate on doing what you can with what you have got.

I have just bought two pieces of machinery at the Braeside sale and most likely will only add a couple more to the shed before calling it quits there. Having access to others gear is pretty attractive for stuff you barely use and a hire or usage fee is unlikely to ever add up to the dollars you blow on a purchase. Getting a cabinet maker to run sheet goods through his saw, or thicknessing large volumes of timber through someones heavy machine beats filling the back yard with an oversized shed full of idle machines.

I guess what I am getting at is that at the moment the focus is on gear but at some point what will keep me coming back is demo's and a chance to look at finishing products and timber.

John

Handy for comparison purposes for us country folk,with limited time.
Not so fussed about all the non-woodworking displays,but they pay their rent the same as everyone else.The costs associated with mounting a display are quite substantial for many small businesses,so our support is critical for the continuance of these events.

Go every year, I very much like the demo's. Richard Raffin the last 2 years so that can't be bad. How ever the prices they charge to get in, should include free coffee at least.

my second go at this thread.

I don't think the venue is suitable, wonder if the showgrounds would provide a better venue.

More space at a lower square meter cost would be a good starting point... and would allow things like:
- a hall for power tools and machinery, with demo's based on these items... with the handtools located elsewhere and demos focused on these. A poor example but I think the concept is there.

Be good to see floor space made available for exhibitions and competitions... might even get some exhibitors buying consumables from the stall holders (throughout the year) to make the exhibits from.

lowering the floor space cost would allow more exhibitors.

Went for 3 years running here in Perth at the showgrounds... hang on a tic I did say show grounds! So thats a bloody big area... but they scrunch the whole shootin match inside one hall thats too small to fairly kater for all the stalls and exhibitors... outside again scrunched up into a too small area they had Westfords woodmills and another bloke with a bloody huge planing machine... why not look around the damned paddock a bit and find a better venue!! that little areas just too damned small specially when its held at the SHOW GROUNDS for cryin out loud...

First time I went I went late and found it quite easy getting around as the crowds thinned the next time I went right in the middle of the day and got caught in a people traffic jam didnt see a flamin thing too big a mob around every stand and stall :mad: as I said the whole area space is too bloody small for the numbers... third time 2 years ago was on the first day and early again too damned crowded so I left without buying or seeing buggar all

I too would rather see MORE displays and demostrations of ACTUAL work as in MAKEING SOMETHING!! not just showin that with this terrific wakketty dak "XXXX" gizmo you can do this this and that and the other bloody thing... sorry but that just drives me up the wall... show me someone ACTUALLY making a cabinet using the jig using the router and bits you know making something!! and doing the walk through thing while theyre at it (like the ratbag in the ubeaut video in the forum vids section who cause hes interacting with the audience about WHAT hes doing and using takes forever to get to the point )

That sort of thing is brilliant... And there should be more old tools and their usage! a bit of darksider majik and seeing people actually using them a bit of inspiration

one thing Id like to see less of is the sales people of "nothing to do with wood" lets get it right ITS A WOODSHOW PEOPLE!!!

One thing Id like to see is ready availability of access to bank card machines!! theres ONE in the showgrounds 1/4mile away from the damned hall... and for all the machinery stalls to have cc availability! DAMNHIT! :mad: I mean I coulda woulda walked away from Westfords with a mill if they had have had cc facilities on the day :eek: oooh yeah had the card out and all "Sorry sir no facilities for cc here mate" buggarbumbarstard

Id also like to see better tucker!!! damned horrid stuff thats served at the Perth one... I want to meet someone at the show I dont want to be sittin yarnin with someone over stale tucker and cold coffee that costs an left gronicle and right legnut to have!

I generally go with my two sons one 19 and the other 12 (last time we went they were 17 and 10) and with no actually building makin stuff demos it was pretty damned quick that they got bored and listless which in turn caused frustration and... well it shortened and made the little pleasure I got from the show even less The highlight for them was the ONE demo to do with wood and actually making something... an old fella with his palm chisels carving upstairs in the "show" area displays of wood work done before the show like an art gallery type thing nice to look at but without any actually making going on rather boring... other than this one bloke carving we spent over a half hour just watching him man he was good And a damned nice bloke to by the way easy to yarn to about his work

Simple answers for Perth
1) Better location bit more room between and around the stalls
2) More IN ACTION demos of actual building something
3) Better stock knowledge (in this I mean that the damned sales people on the stalls should KNOW what stock they have at the show and at the store dahmnit!! bloody lot of frustration could be avoided if that happened occasionally)
4) More old timey tools and their uses
5) A UBLOODYBEAUT STALL!! (yes you... get your asses over here!! )
6) Card facilities! For ALL stall holders
7) BETTER TUCKER!!!.. I mean its damned hungry work fighting your way through masses of humanity just to eat last months crud!!
8) Stall workers to have at least a modecom of bloody training! so many just had no flamin idea! many ranged from dumb to ignorant to rude to in your face to just downright uninterested!
9) A sign at every demo stall that reads "If your over 5ft 10in PLEASE let the shortasses through to the front" man that was the bane of my time at the show... all these tall wide gits get right up the front and just stand there while us shortasses had to squish squeeze and bloody well fight to get even an angled view! And dirty filthy looks if we tried!
10) ... I'll get back to you on that one

I have bought a t/s and thicknesser at the show one year a couple of spokeshaves and drawknife another and some jap saws at the last so given the major swag of tools Ive bought over the last couple of years I personally prefer to buy at the store... I learnt that buying big ticket tools at the show was fraught with frustration and lots of what turned out to be wasted time and travel And the so called "special" ended up costing far more (after fuel travel frustration and tucker costs were factored in) than if Id just gone to the shop and bought it

As I can get the info and a demo at the shop just for the asking without some gigantic git getting in me face or standing in front of me stomping on me feet blocking my view and having to walk sideways like a damned crab to get from one stall to the next... I doubt I will be returning for another dose of squished cramped no actual building making stuff "woodworkers show"... unless it changes and the stall personel attitudes change

Sometimes I do wonder why I live over here in the West... gotta be a reason somewhere why I subject myself to this little to no woodshow or wood and craft fair type thing state oh thats right I love the place

I travel to Melbourne every 2nd year to attend the show and have been involved in arranging our Tasmanian Guild's display/demonstrations both year's that a Timber & WWW show has been held here in Hobart.

Last year at the Hobart show I spent in excess of $7000 on machinery.

I have found with our Woodcraft Guild displays that static displays tended not to get many people stopping to look/talk, but when we had demonstrations many people stopped to watch, talk, ask questions/ request information on materials/finishes & suppliers.

I enjoy the shows, meeting the exhibitors, looking at new equipment because here in Tasmania, woodworking equipment/supplies are not available in tremendous quantities to see, although I do try and build relationships with local dealers also.

Kev M

As a regular visitor to WW shows here in WA as well as the occasional visit to some of those in the Eastern States I firmly believe that any continuation should only be of a wood related nature as many of the previous poster have stated.

To detract from this primarily to fill the coffers or fill the exhibition halls will only see a gradual decline in what the punter is looking for ...ie an entertaining ,exciting ,and explorative day out that if it is fulfilling may well see the need to attend further over the three days.

I have found that this is sometimes necessary with the proograms offered on occasion,whereas on other occasions I have spent as little as 3hrs browsing and leaving due to the content and depth of the show.

Why do I go foremostly with the thoughts of persuing any new and innovative ideas with technique/tooling/and theory that may present itself.

What would I change As stated previously the need to fill the exhibition with demonstrated product unrelated to woodwork.Surely in this country we can do better with more appropriate material that the organisers could entice with an attractive offer for show space.

With the burgeoning younger generations getting into a pastime hobby, like with all the posssibilities in WW there needs to be a clear and productive approach to catering for the needs and along this line it needs to be nurtered in keeping with today's environment in WW.

Cheers

I never been to any.

Not that I don't want to go, just haven't the time. Not keen on long road trips with kids throwing up everywhere. uno.

Besides, I doubt I could afford to buy much right now.

its time to go......aluminium can welders, sponge bob paint gimps and anything else not directly related to timber craft.

There needs to be a big increase in the presence of fine furniture, cabinetry, turnings etc, as I believe they serve as inspiration for us all.
There also needs to be handsome incentive (IE: competitions with worthy rewards) for craftsmen to go the extra step required to display their works.
Not necessarily from professionals, just some of the best that this country has to offer. Previous years have been virtually non-existent of any such displays!

Also a good chance for us Mexicans to get hold of some of you northerners and westerners exotics

I go every year mainly to

Compare prices,

Find out whats new,

Buy supplies

Don't like the entry price I consider far to high especially after travelling time (car or train or bus etc) , parking (if you ever find a spot), and then you have very little left for spending on equipment at the actual show.

Cheers
Spike

Jedo here. . .
This year was my first time - when I stepped up from Triton to a real table saw and also decided I needed/wanted a jointer. . .
Adelaide is my nearest venue. . . 7 hrs drive. . .
When we go to Adelaide it's a 3 day outing for us - a days drive down, do what you want to do, and a days drive back. . .
That's a helluva trip.
Still - we enjoyed the show - watched Roger and bought a dovetail jig... Looked at the new and recycled wood - and thought it was expensive... "tried" to get info from timbecon / carbatec about what was the "best" buy in table saws and jointers...
Bought a GMC DC system - it's not too bad actually. . .
Looked at the 'range' of Mallee roots (we've got too many coffee tables already)
Bought some dovetail bits from McJings... without bearings - Why'd I do that?
Looked at the clock mechanisms, lacquer finishings, brass bits, rocking horses. . . Nothing wrong with that - all connected to what a woody does after all. . .
Overall we had a grand day - very interesting.
Would we do it again?
Well - Yeahh - we would.
Neagatives: Well the prices were the same as you can get via the internet as far as we could see. So you didn't really get any advantage from going there. . .
The missus reckons it cost us $500 for the weekend. . .
She says we'd a been better off not going - and save the costs os travel and accommodation. . .
But you don't "see" everything then. . .
Do Ya?
Cheers
Jedo