Replies

1. 
   KevinLBS | Mar 31, 2003 05:02pm | #1

   Bill-

   I went last year, and loved it because I was actually in the market for a couple big buys and there were great deals at the show on Jet and Delta tools, and I got a Forrest blade for dirt cheap.

   I went this weekend and only spent $33 not including tickets. The company called The Woodworkers Choice had basically a mini-store there filled with all the little stuff and I got some glue brushes, a router bit, some sandpaper, etc. that I needed to get anyway. I just paid $8 admission instead of getting it at the hardware store.

   Booths like Porter Cable and Makita had higher prices than amazon.com or H.D... The other booths there were vendors selling their patented clamp system or fence system.  I think I saw one cheapo hand saw in another booth and a Record hand plane, but that was it for hand saws and planes outside the Lie-Nielsen booth. Did you at least get a bargain there?

   I left once I got thirsty and tried to buy a 20oz. coke, but it was $3.75

   Time to go...

   Kevin

1. 
   Byron | Mar 31, 2003 06:04pm | #2

   I did not go the the Houston show, but I went to the Nashville, TN Wood show and was severely disappointed.  There were only about 20 vendors set up.  Last year there were around 50-60.  I only bought a few woodworking videos from Marc Adams and two bessys.  I can not for the life of me understand what happened this year.   Unless the economy thing scared them off.  I tried sending an email to the WOOD SHOWS, but it bounced back.  Weird.  I better stop here before I get on a rant and start throwing out expletives. 

1. 
   PlaneWood | Mar 31, 2003 06:05pm | #3

   I quit going 2 years ago.

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

2. 
   billballeza | Mar 31, 2003 11:39pm | #4

   I bought the glue brushes, too.. the big bundle for $6. I didn't find out the coke was 3.75 till I got to the register so I went ahead and paid it. Some of the bigger tools had been discounted by Sunday afternoon and were snapped up quickly.

   I would have liked to see higher grade router bits, (Amana, etc) and chisels,(Marples) for sale.

   My "best buy" was the Kreg pocket hole jig system. Picked up lots of self tapping, square drive screws at the booth too.

   bill

2. 
   SawdustRay | Apr 01, 2003 09:24pm | #5

   That was my first show to go to.  I picked up the Jet 16" for 15% off.  I was pretty excited about that.  I enjoyed talking to the vendors and other woodworking enthusiasts.  I'll definately go next year.

1. 
   billballeza | Apr 01, 2003 10:55pm | #6

   Congrats on the Jet BS purchase. Who was the vendor.. was it The Cutting Edge, or Woodcraft?

1. 
   SawdustRay | Apr 03, 2003 08:59pm | #14

   I visit both those stores and spend, what is for me, a fair amount of money.  And since this is on the web and I like both the stores, I don't want to be promoting one over the other.  They are both excellent.

   Sorry for the non-answer.

3. 
   alanplanesaw | Apr 02, 2003 02:41am | #7

   I checked the website for the show in Harrisburg, PA.  Saw there were very few vendors.  Didn't go.  Word among customers at the local Woodcraft store was that the show was close to a waste of admission money.

1. 
   billballeza | Apr 02, 2003 05:00am | #8

   Not to mention the parking money. The admission was $8 (for all three days) and the parking was $7. Since I went two days, I paid parking twice. The Wood Craft guys you spoke with were correct.

   bill

1. 
   Lar55 | Apr 02, 2003 04:50pm | #9

   Bill,

   Are any of the items at the show discounted at the vendors booths? 

   Lar

1. 
   KevinLBS | Apr 02, 2003 08:06pm | #10

   Lar-

   I didn't check Lie-Nielsen's booth prices, but Jet, Delta, and Forrest blades had tremendous discounts, and are really the only bargains there. Jet had BIG discounts on big machines, less so for Delta, and Forrest had the Woodworker II 10" saw blade for the best price I've ever seen. Last year, besides a TS and Jointer, I bought a woodworker II and saved the price of admission and parking alone.

   Sadly, this year I had no big purchases to make, so my $33 (I think) of purchases this year cost me $48.

   I was so hoping there would be one of the few vendors whe sell the CD100 veneer press there, with even a slight discount, I would have swooped it up on the sopt, but no luck. The only veneering tools or supplies there was a cheap veneer saw at one booth.

   Say if you were going to buy a new Jet planer, just pay the admission, buy the thing, pick up a few glue brushes and sandpaper while you're there, and go home.

   Just in case anyone from the woodworking shows is reading this- LET'S SEE IF EVERYONE HERE CAN GIVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VENDORS AT THE SHOW.

   1) How about at least one hardwood dealer with a few pieces of exotics for sale. At the homeshow next door, I saw a nursery brought in a dozen 30'+ tall palm trees. Why not some wood for us?

   Kevin

1. 
   Lar55 | Apr 02, 2003 09:27pm | #11

   Thanks Kevin.  Lie-Nielsen's  I was mostly curios about since their prices seem to be the same no matter where you look.  Only exception is a place in Northern Virginia that sells his planes a little cheaper.  But I'm glad to hear Delta and the rest were offering discounts.  That gives folks an incentive to go to those shows.

   Lar

2. 
   billballeza | Apr 02, 2003 10:38pm | #12

   Not that I could tell.. except for the final day when items that did not move are discounted so they don't have to drag them back.

1. 
   Lar55 | Apr 02, 2003 11:23pm | #13

   I'll have to go to one of those shows if there ever in my area.  Thanks for the reply.

   Lar