Should I Go Again?
Someone asked if I enjoyed the woodworking show. I answered, “Yes.” Mostly because I did. He then asked further, “What did you like the most?” I said, “What do you mean?” and he said, “What did you see that inspired you?” I said, “Oh, I don’t know that anything being sold or offered as such was really too inspiring, but the people, now they really inspired me because I loved being with them.” I went further, “But, I have grown tired of selling people who know little but pretend a massive lot. ” Anyway, I said I didn’t think I would go any more, but then I thought well, perhaps I would or maybe should, but not with the the same heart. I always hate giving my very best at shows that might give any kind of assent or endorsement or approval of the other oh-so boring gear sellers. I will have to really think this through. I mean, I have to say, I felt quite sick going through the Axminster booth the one time I did and vowed to myself not to go through there again. So I picked my way through the maze of other booths and planned my course differently so I saw kindred hearts and didn’t have to see people with bright yellow shirts on sanding a slab of wood with Mirka sandpaper for a whole day, or a blue-shirted Kreg jig man or Tormek stuff and such like that. I mean, my poor friend Jane had to stand there and listen to the noise of a vacuum for 8 hours three days in a row. On the last day she said, “If he doesn’t stop that random orbit sander soon he’ll be wearing it.” That’s a Yorkshire lass. I suppose it’s this kind of mindlessness that frustrates me. I mean, men and women looking for answers are going to ask this ‘specialist‘ about their sanding needs thinking he and she knows more than they do! Anyway, after enough shows doing what they did they’ll likely develop carpal tunnel syndrome and apply for workers comp and then they’ll find another stooge to stand in.
But then I thought about the others there encouraging woodworkers passing through with their skills. Some of the hand work was amazing. My favourites are those who have developed their skills through decades of working. Thankfully we have our woodworkingmasterclasses.com and then our youtube channel too. I like what facebook has done for our work too because we found many people came to the show to see as a result of FB. I never thought I would ever hear myself say such a thing but even eBay is better than what shows have become. In a few minutes can find my leather for a rocker and shellac flakes for a fresh batch of shellac. I did buy some very nice cherry boards and some quarter sawn oak from British Hardwoods Ltd for a really good price. I think that might be all that I bought aside form some coffee.
Dear Paul,
how will all those visitors ever know there is more to woodworking than power tools and sanding if you and the other artists do not go there to be a light? Isn’t it worth it to acquaint some with an alternative, even if others may not be able to differentiate between craft and commerce?
Just a few thoughts; there are other factors for you, I’m sure.
David
I agree with David
This is my dilemma. Most of the skill demonstrators, of course I mean the ones not selling tools, bring a refreshing cleanness to the show and to the vendors and that only continues the promotion of the big box suppliers.
Thank goodness we paid our way and took np sponsoring from anyone.
………. and I agree with Tom.
I don’t know how the show is organised but it would be good to see more of a focus on the demonstrations. I can see they need to have the suppliers to keep the costs down and to some extent that is what people want to see. I went on the Saturday and it had very much a non-business feel to the crowd. There seemed to be a lot more interest in talking to the people doing demonstrations or on the stands where people knew what they where talking about than being sold a power tool.
It was good to meet you in person if only briefly. You seemed to be very busy and holding a large fascinated crowd all day.
I’ve never been to a show. I plan to go to one soon so I can appreciate and understand better what’s being written. I can write with confidence, however, that when I was younger and not woodworking at all, I can clearly remember thinking to myself, “Why the heck would I ever pay that much for a table, or chair, or whatever if it took half if not a third of the time to make because it was made by machine. If I’m spending that much, I’m buying something that I know took a long time to craft by HAND.”
Absolutely, Paul!
If we want info about machines, etc., we can get more spending an hour on the computer than a day at one of those shows. But I would make an exception: the purveyor-craftsmen who offer the good hand tools, with demonstrations, by a real craftsman, of their use. Especially the small ones who are demonstrating something significant we may not know about. These people should pay a greatly reduced rate for their booths, since they may not be feeders at the corporate troughs.
Thank you very much for the work you do, and especially for your teaching. Years ago, I lived in England for three years in the early 70s, in Cambridgeshire, and was privileged to participate there in building a small sailboat, and some utility-level furniture for ours and friends apartments, as a recreation while spending most of my time working in a Biochemistry lab. I learned the joys of working with good hand tools, and your wonderful community college system of providing machine access and expertise to your home woodworkers; they can get out their stock at the college, and build their projects in their home hand tool shops. This was at a time when US home woodworkers and high schools were filling their shops with machines, which were heavily marketed. then and now, by the companies as an outlet for their continued production after the reduction of military needs following WWII. Watching your programs has brought back fond memories of those times; those community college profs were excellent craftsmen and wonderful teachers, and sometimes counted august Cambridge Dons among their disciples! Also some of your “timber merchants” were a joy to interact with! We miss you on this side of the Atlantic, but understand your desire to return to England especially with our politics going the way it is!! Woodworking is a welcome escape and a joy for an old, retired Biochemist! God Bless You, Paul Sellers!
B. Dan Burleigh, [email protected].
Absolutely, Paul!
If we want info about machines, etc., we can get more spending an hour on the computer than a day at one of those shows. But I would make an exception: the purveyor-craftsmen who offer the good hand tools, with demonstrations, by a real craftsman, of their use. Especially the small ones who are demonstrating something significant we may not know about. These people should pay a greatly reduced rate for their booths, since they may not be feeders at the corporate troughs.
Thank you very much for the work you do, and especially for your teaching.
i can see this from both sides, as a member of wwmc i only use hand tools because that’s what i enjoy about working wood, but I’m also in the process of setting up a community workshop and everybody so far that wants to get involved has asked what machinery will we have, i would rather introduce everyone to hand tool work, but to begin with this puts people off ,they say to me “oh i can’t use/set those old planes if it doesn’t plug in i won’t use it” i cant wait to convert as many as possible because i’m sure it will bring down my insurance premiums, not to mention the noise and dust .
Dear Paul, I always enjoy reading about your experiences dealing with the Norm-alized mainstream attitudes in the woodworking sphere. I have no doubt that your voice is responsible for the awakening of many a latent craftsman and craftswoman.
However, with all due respect, I think that you at times allow these negative aspects to dominate the discourse. I credit this to your refreshing candidness and seeming lack of self-censorship. But I do feel a tinge of sadness when I detect such frustration in your writing. Perhaps that is because I – like many others, I’m sure – look to you as a cherished guiding light in the face of our oppressive political and economic structures that no longer make room for true creativity and original, individual expression. I write this not to correct you but to offer a token of support. The worth of true creativity cannot be measured in the context of a corrupt and industrialized “value” system. They are apples and oranges, oil and water to me.
Perhaps patrons of the show could offer some feedback for the organizers and suggest that the machine vendors be separated from the artisans. Safety could be highlighted as a concern. Are they making safety goggles and dust masks available to the patrons? Do they allow children near the machine demonstrations?
Paul I came to the show to see you, had a quick chat, and shook your hand, thank you, on Sunday I watched you as I have for the last few years, never tiring of your demonstration’s, I watched the people round you, who were watching you, they all looked perfectly happy and satisfied, not selling anything but your excellent book, and the knowledge you have, as I walked round the show only a few stands caught my interest, all the ones demonstrating or showing their work, the hand tool seller’s, but all the power tool people, and at the Axminster stall, men trying to show off an expensive plane and couldn’t even get a full shaving, salesmen can’t show you how good something is, if they don’t understand the tool they’re using, give me knowledge anytime then the tool in your hand will work perfectly, so in my opinion you should, if you have time go to a few more shows, so many people round your stall speaks for itself, as you said you have one and a half million followers, you will no doubt have a lot more this week. Thanks
I think you should keep going to the shows, I’m the guy who left my woodworking machinery job when I stumbled across your you tube videos, I went into my bosses office put a no4 on he’s desk and said this is real woodworking and handed in my notice, since then I’ve been doing my own site and workshop work using nothing but hand tools. I’ve become quite good from watching your master class videos, but it was coming to your booth on Friday that opened my eyes even more I had my book signed and sat down by myself waiting for the demo to start then was joined by an older man with he’s wife then once you started the crowd gathered and I could see in their expressions that they had never seen dovetails cut so easily and quick that’s the reason we need you to attend. Plus it give me the chance to pick up your tools and give’s a better understanding on the sharpness of the chisels you use and the accuracy in your joints something which can’t be seen via videos. Keep up the good work.
Just need to get on one of your courses now
If I need info about a machine I google it and find an independent review. If I need help to form a piece of wood I would ask someone like yourself at a show. I got back into woodwork after watching you build a bench on youtube, I was inspired to have a go. I’m learning more and more that machine’s will never replace a craftsman. Then I had the chance to meet you at the show, your words of encouragement to a stranger in a wheelchair made my day. I for one would travel to the show just to come watch you work your wonder.
I’ve not been to the show, nor any woodworking shows in fact, but have exhibited at around 50 trade shows in my own industry. It sounds like you are doing something really different which helps you stand out from the other exhibitors – please do go again!
Could you expand your area to include hands on sessions? Like a 10 person masterclass condensed down to 30 minute chunks which are pre-booked either in advance or on the day?
Could you go in on the added cost with another wood craft so you split the cost and usage?
Nah, you’ll have to go back. If for nothing else than to make the power tool folks nervous. You have to know they know you and what you do. They probably worked extra hard and loud just to make sure you couldn’t question them in front of others. I live in Alabama, in an old mining town of 150 souls. It has no red lights and one convenient store. I know who you are and what you do. So do they.
Paul,
It was your presentation at the Woodworking Show in Somerset, New Jersey, which inspired me to ditch most of my power tools and focus on hand tools. Please keep inspiring woodworkers to work wood, and not just machine it.
Tom
PS, i own the book, as well.
Having just taken up woodworking, I’ve never been to a woodworking show before but I came to the show on Sunday for one reason only; to watch you ply your skill, and if I was lucky shake your hand and have a chat, which I’m pleased to say I did.
Within the surrounding hubbub your booth was an oasis of calm, serenity and wisdom. People didn’t just pause for a brief second or two and then pass on by. They stayed, were drawn in by what they saw and heard, which in turn would evoke comments and discussions even among strangers stood side by side. Witnessing and experiencing this, especially over the cacophony emanating from the booths selling power machinery vainly trying to drown out your demonstrations; simply strengthened my resolve, that woodworking with hand tools was definitely the right decision for me.
I know it’s easy for us to say you should keep going, not understanding the cost to you especially not being sponsored. But without the likes of you Paul, it would simply be the ‘North of England Power Tool Show’ and like the title; ‘Woodworking’ would be lost to us all.
Hi Paul,
I met you briefly at the show on the Sunday, along with my girlfriend Hayley who was kind enough to come with me. I actually found your YouTube channel only a few days prior to the show – before that I didn’t know who you were or what you were doing for woodworking – and after looking at the videos and reading a few of your blog posts, you suddenly became the main draw of the show for me.
I loved watching your demonstration and so did Hayley. I’ve been interested in learning traditional woodworking skills (mainly woodcarving, but more general skills too) for a long time, and thought that the show might present others like you, and there were a few. The woodcarving stands (especially the one manned by Help for Heroes, whose work in this area was unknown to me!) and the furniture makers really grabbed the attention and made you think about how much of themselves people can put into their work.
On the other hand, we were dismayed to see digital photographs being pyrographed or etched into a piece of pine by a computer. I’m sure that there are applications where you could argue that this is useful, but I just couldn’t understand it. We didn’t stop once at any of the big name stands, for fear of being talked into buying something, but we did stop at some of the hand tool stands, and they had a much friendlier, warmer feeling about them.
I think it is the same in any sphere, this dichotomy of skill versus speed/perceived ease. I just think I am the type of person (perhaps along with a great number of your readers and followers) who is turned off by the ‘showyness’ that is presented by some, and magnetised to the traditional, calm, in-depth, skill-based approach presented by others..
Anyway, it was great to meet you, thank you for signing the book we bought. I would love to join your 9 day course to get me away from my sedentary job, and will try to get a place on a course when funds allow!
Russell
My brother and I have made a family tradition out of going to the Woodworking Show at the Indiana State fairgrounds every winter. It used to be a lot bigger. More People showing tools and woodworkers supplies and techniques. More attendees. It did seem kind of repetitous each year. I really hope they can keep it going. Would be a pity to lose it!
Yes, I was there three or four years ago when I toured with the show.