The Woodworking Shows Show Season is Up and Running Again!
I was very neglectful to let everyone know that the Woodworking Shows is on tour in the USA again. Sadly I did choose a sabbatical year this year and cannot be there for the circuit, but YOU CAN be there for them I hope. The shows have a lot to offer as the various vendors present their newest equipment and workshop hand tools, machines and so on.
I know what it takes to pull a show like this together with so many aspects from the mind boggling logistics if hundreds of people, staff, security and transportation between shows and so they all have an immense vote of respect from my corner of the globe.
From my experience with the shows, some of the best demo’s to take in are those that get to the nuts and bolts as well as those that are given by experienced artisans, businessmen and women and are also entertaining. I haven’t seen Mark Adams at the shows since he traveled with them years ago when he first started his school, but I know he is knowledgable and suggest you take an opener with him.
When it comes to Bandsaw use, management and use, Alex Snodgrass and the team in his booth can set you right on course. I was impressed many times in his booth and wish he could be here in the UK for the some of the shows. He is unparalleled as a demonstrator and he offers a variety of insights about bandsaws that any new woodworker should know right from the get go. His booth does have a commercial aspect to it but don’t let that put you off watching Alex spins his wood into the bandsaw blade.
You can learn a great deal from his expertise. I have not seen any bandsaw demonstrations here in the UK that come anywhere close to the US. I think Record Power and others would sell a hundred times the bandsaws they sell here if they had Alex standing behind the wheel. Let me know what you feel after the demo.
Not everyone wants to work with hand tools so I feel to mention Jim Heavey. I think he has been to all the woodworking Shows shows since the very beginning. He is a gentleman to spend time with and you can learn the practical nuts and bolts of router work for door and drawer construction by sitting in his seminars. Jim is also editor of Wood Magazine in the US, so he has an extensive networking web online and elsewhere to connect people.
My friend Andy Chidwick will be demonstrating at the show too. I really respect Andy because he cares so passionately about young and upcoming woodworkers and works with them beyond the shows to help them become productive in their young lives. he has several demonstrations scheduled and you will not regret his enthusiastic presentations. I was always demoing when he was last season, but I was able to sit and watch over the three months and I was never disappointed. Yes his techniques and methods are different than mine but the work he creates is just beautiful. Say hi to him from Paul if you see him. Here is the intro for the show this year:
Besides the demos are the vendors, many of which also demonstrate their products. Now they are very different demos than you might find elsewhere; very motivational and inspiring. These guys really get into it and nothing is held in reserve. Go to the show and see for yourself. The show schedule is here. Please check out the show nearest to you
Paul I’m an avid reader, fan of your work, and hand tool purist. Despite that last item, I still manager to be a friend of Jim Heavey and his brother Mike . I got to say, I was holding out hope that you might make the St. Louis show this year. But I’ll put my Paul Sellers book away for your signature some other day. Hope all is well and please keep up the great work.
Thanks Paul for the heads up. Never been to one before and there’s one in my neck of the woods coming up! I’m there at Somerset show Feb. 21-23. Price is right, $10 online.
Thanks again.
Somerset is really a great venue for the show too. Over in one corner of the show is a massive booth owned by Mark who is a jobber. He’s a great guy. The whole area he occupies is covered with crates and tables filled with good deals he buys in for shows like this. Last year he was selling boxes of a dozen Bahco files, double ended, so 24 files, for $20. He may have gone up but even at double it would still be a worthwhile buy in light of the demise of Nicholson files. He also had flat mill bastard files in all sizes for a two-bucks-apiece price. He was selling 3M sanding discs for random orbits, a pack of 10 for $3. Anyway, you should check out all that he has going there and dig deep, he has all kinds of good stuff.
Thank you so much for this. I will make it a point to check out Mark’s space once there. If opportunity allows, I will introduce myself and mention you to him. Sounds like a nice guy and great chance to get away from standard retail-type pricing and get some equipment I still need, like saw sharpening stuff, files, clamps. Who knows what other good stuff might well be worth buying a little extra of if the prices are right! As you say, those file prices are great for good quality (Bahco) without having to jump to Grobet or Auriou prices in order to avoid Nicholson.
Hi Paul,
Will you be doing a show around the midlands: Leicester, by any chance in the future?
Regards
Craig.
I am considering the new midlands show in Newark this year. Depends on my time, but I will be attending anyway.
Paul,
Have you or would you ever consider posting a blog showing pictures of a lot of the works you’ve made over the years like the things you built for the Whitehouse?