Thread: Review of Cafetorium at WWW Vic.

Went to The Woodworking Show today in Costa Mesa, California.


As expected, there were less vendors this year than the last Costa Mesa show. Some of the vendors (Battles Hardware) had a smaller booth. The Jet Tools display was between the two buildings. Some how, it seemed that all of their display items had been watered. (???)




SawStop was there and was going to do the hot dog demo. The impression I got was that the guy doing the demo was one of the owners, but... The demo was to be at 11 AM but after walking around for 20-30 minutes after the start of the demo, the guy was still doing his hard sell and still the hot dog was un-nicked. I wanted to use a friend's line about using a finger and not a hot dog but I had my shirt with a vendor logo on so I kept quiet. It was almost noon when I left and still the hot dog was whole.


While I was walking around there were a couple of things that I noticed.
First was a lifting mechanism for sheet goods. (I know, yawn.) This one was unique as it worked on the top of the sheet. It is placed on the top of the sheet, then you stoop down with your fist next to your sholder and elbow pointing at the floor, bend your knees and lift. Actually a new and unique device but I think that it will only do one sheet at a time.


Second was a realization that the show circuit is a really tough market. There were so many items that I noticed that we sell (in the store) for less than the show pricing, every day. Not a lot less, but less. There were other things that were priced a bit lower than in the store but you would have to buy a lot to make up for the entrance fee. (Parking was free.)


Yeah, I did buy. (Sanding belts at 10 for $9.50.) There were some bargans on power tools. (Matabo drill at $50 less, a Delta disk sander at about $20 less than our store prices.) I don't know if the pricing was the Sunday syndrome or not.


I heard that a lady doing a jewelry demo left the booth on Saturday and someone walked off with many of her tools.


I didn't see anything really exciting or new for woodworking. There were 5 woodworking schools represented, two for profit and three government supported public schools. (Free booth space for 3 out of the 5. Kelley(?), Willaim Ng, Palomar CC (Community College), Cerritos CC and one of the California State Universities.) Cerritos CC had the chair on display that won first place at IWF. The ladder guy was there as was a home loan broker.

It seems that the show is becoming more of a manufacturer supported show by using the local distributors. (Might be a tactic to get the distributor to drop the competetion.) The goodies that you didn't know that you needed until you see them are far and few between. Peachree had a slightly smaller than usual booth. Rockler has a usual size booth with the emphasis on getting people to go to the store by using coupons.

In summary, disapointing but not unexpected. The internet has really changed the way business is done.

BTW - I had already posted this on another forum. Is re-posting it here cheating?

Originally Posted by rrich

BTW - I had already posted this on another forum. Is re-posting it here cheating?

Not really......but how was the food, rrich??

Expensive?
Edible?

C'mon mate, we need the details......menu, prices, etc

I bet that hot dog at the saw stop 'demonstration' was looking good..

The only thing worth buying at the Melbourne show was the coffee.

Originally Posted by Spindleshanks

The only thing worth buying at the Melbourne show was the coffee.

:eek:
I really don't know where to start with this....

1. Are you talking about the 'Instant' crap that they sold inside the hall, or the better stuff outside?

2. You obviously didn't visit the UBeaut or Felder stand.

Actually, there was quite a few stands that were selling good stuff, personal barrow-pushing and sucking-up-to-admins aside.

Care to embellish your post?

I bought a very nice capuccino at a cafe-like spot at the rear of the hall.

And that was the only thing worth buying..... :confused:

I'm referring to the cafetorium of course. The coffee was ok. Didn't like the look of the food on offer.

Ahhhh.....I understand.

And concur.

Yes coffee was reasonable, had to be really hungry to sample the food (and have access to a handybank to get the necessary folding stuff.)