Classic Hand Tools 2009 Events

[Mr Ed]

Earlier today I exchanged e-mails with Mike Hancock on a couple of things, amongst which I asked him about his plans for events next year. His reply is attached below, which he has said he is happy to be posted on the foum.

It would probably help the events develop in the way we would like to see them if people give Mike some feedback via this thread.

Hello Ed

The Hand Tool Event at West Dean is June 6/7 next year and I have added a new event & venue for September 19/20 at Cressing Temple Barns in Essex. I did use Berea to ask some prominent people to attend either or both of these events in addition to Westonbirt.

This included Dave Jeske, Ron Hock, Robin Lee, Brian Boggs, Thomas Lie Nielsen, Deneb Pulchalski, Chris Schwarz, Chris Vesper, Konrad Sauer, Michel Auriou, Philly, Bridge City Toolworks, Don McConnell & Larry Williams. I have already invited Karl Holtey to the West Dean event and can confirm that Robert Ingham will be attending and running a course at West Dean after the Hand Tool Event. Garrett Hack is keen on Westonbirt but his schedule is manic and that decision is on hold for now.

I may be able to firm up on these people in a month or two and certainly we will be expanding the event a little to include workshop tours of West Dean and some seminars in "The Dairy" that adjoins the Sussex Barn where we hosted the first event last year. We may even use the stone working areas which is also adjacent to the Suusex Barn.

It is too late to incorporate courses form the North Americans at West Dean as they were reluctant to bring in overseas "stars" for 2009. I'll also be able to firm up on the UK contingent early in the new year.

Certainly the tutors from West Dean are to be more involved so expect to see a couple more West Dean tutors at the Event.

So yes, we will be trying to improve the event but we will not be doing a Woodworking In America style event as I do not have the resources/own a magazine/have a sponsor and doubt the UK public would pay for it.

Nevertheless we can take steps to improve what is on offer to hand tool enthusiasts and Cressing Temple will hopefully draw in a new crowd and fresh demonstrators for those who find West Dean a bit too far. I also intend to have a more European flavour to Cressing with some continental demonstrators in attendance.
I have tried in vain as yet to find a Scottish location but am "in negotiations" as they say.

One of the things I am considering for West Dean is charging and your views on this are welcome .Views on opening hours are welcome - I think I favour 9-6 on the Saturday with a 40 min break for lunch and 9-4 on the Sunday with the same break..

Cressing will have an entry charge and will run similar hours but with no breaks.

That brings you up to date as it stands. I am happy for this to be released to the forum and to consider any constructive, non costly ideas. West Dean broke even for me last year which is all I can ask of these events. Westonbirt did not pay it's way at the show but both were great fun and we gained new customers so am not complaining. I really hope we can further develop these 2 shows plus Cressing Temple so that you, and others like you, genuinely find value in them.

Much of the above is down to the individuals concerned as to whether they see value in this kind of very targeted approach to the UK. Presumably they believe in this kind of exposure as otherwise they would not have been in Berea for Woodworking In America. However they have their own companies and lives to lead so we can only expect some of them to take up the gauntlet.

I shall have a cut off point of Feb 1st for West Dean, April 1st for Westonbirt & Cressing so I can announce the line ups.

Got to cook the Sunday roast now.

All the best

Mike

Mikes comments on WIA are in reponse to the question I posed as to what he had seen in Berea that could be brought to a UK event.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Ironballs]

Ed

I doubt there's a great deal Mike can do about it, but it's all rather academic for me as it's a long way from Huddersfield. So I'd love to go but don't think I'd be able to, I already go to the Festival of Speed just down the road in July and one trip to the south coast is enough!

If they could do something in conjunction with a company like Boddy's then I'd be interested

Cheers

Damian

 

[Niall]

" I have tried in vain as yet to find a Scottish location but am "in negotiations" as they say. "

A Scottish venue would be most welcome. It always brings a wry smile when reading comments about some location or other being too far away within the southern half of England, when I think of the distance for me to reach even the North of England show. Of course the costs compared with numbers of potential customers make it very difficult. Hope the Scottish show will be back in 2009, and that CHT will be there.

 

[p111dom]

Hope the Scottish show will be back in 2009

Yes it is on in March at the SECC but I can wait that long so I'm off to Harrogate next weekend.

 

[Paul Chapman]

This all sounds great, Ed and Mike

I think we are, indeed, fortunate that Mike has organised these innovative events. I am sure that interaction with other woodworkers is the best way to move your work forward.

We are also fortunate that Mike has funded these events. However, it's not reasonable to expect people to do things like this for nothing, particularly when it involves inviting people from overseas, and I would be quite happy to pay an entrance fee for the West Dean event.

I look forward to seeing how things develop - it's certainly looking good.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

*** Mike, if you see this. Can you please let me know if Brian Boggs is coming back to do his course at West Dean? I'd desperately like to be on that course. ***

I'd not have any problems paying for entry. I pay to get into Ally Pally every year and that's mediocre at best.

Great to hear about the Essex location, tho i'll no doubt be attending both.

Look forward to hearing more info.

 

[Mr Ed]

I'd agree with Paul and Wizer - I have no issue at all with paying an entrance fee to an event where there are seminars and masterclasses on offer.

Cheers, Ed

 

[Paul Chapman]

I have no issue at all with paying an entrance fee to an event where there are seminars and masterclasses on offer.

It would be worth an entrance fee just to chat informally with some of these people and watching them work, because you can learn so much that way - last year's event was where I learnt about toothed blades from Denib Pulchalski of Lie Nielsen. That has been worth a lot to me.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

I'd agree with Paul and Wizer - I have no issue at all with paying an entrance fee to an event where there are seminars and masterclasses on offer.

Cheers, Ed

Same here...an entrance fee isn't an issue with me - Rob

 

[Mr Ed]

It occurred to me this year whilst walking round Westonbirt that at the next opportunity we should have a display of work by UKWorkshop members. I think it would be nice to show the actual pieces people make outside of this virtual community.

Maybe Mike would be able to give us a small space to do that at one of these events, if anyone was interested of course. For example, we could display the hand tool secret santa booty!

just a thought...

Cheers, Ed

 

[woodbloke]

It occurred to me this year whilst walking round Westonbirt that at the next opportunity we should have a display of work by UKWorkshop members. I think it would be nice to show the actual pieces people make outside of this virtual community.

Maybe Mike would be able to give us a small space to do that at one of these events, if anyone was interested of course. For example, we could display the hand tool secret santa booty!

just a thought...

Cheers, Ed

Ed - thinking quickly here, it depends on wether Westonbirt is the right venue? Bits of the show were great, but there was a lot there that was of no interest, so I may not go next year. I rather think that West Dean or a similar event might be a far better place for a display...excellent idea though - Rob

 

[wizer]

I'd love UKW to grow a bit and use woodworking shows to spread the word. I'm not sure the owner share's that view. What would we be trying to achieve by setting up a display? I think a UKW get-together is a better idea, it's always great fun to meet fellow members.

 

[Mr Ed]

Yes, I didn't mean that we should do it at Westonbirt, just that it occurred to me there because of the other displays put on by various groups.

My favourite of which was this bizarre display of miniature wheelbarrows;

I think you're right West Dean would be a far better place to do it.

Cheers, Ed

 

[ByronBlack]

This sounds great! Finally, a show I can get to (Essex), I'm scribbling this into the diary straight away.

 

[Chris Knight]

To answer Mike's question on an entrance fee:-

I'd happily pay to interact with folk like Garret Hack et al. Seeing a technique demonstrated and being able to ask questions and get a demo in response is worth a lot.

Compare this sort of ticket with a cinema or a theatre and then think that you are getting a skill for life rather than an ephemeral buzz and it's not hard to see the value of such a ticket being sufficiently high as to attract really good talent to a show.

If I were Mike and adopted this sort of approach, I'd make sure that DVDs of the demonstrators plus relevant wares were on sale, or available soon after the event.

 

[Mr Ed]

Another thought, if at West Dean there were different demonstrators / speakers / events on the two days I would consider attending both days. For me this would mean an overnight stay somewhere, which in turn opens up the opportunity of a social event as Wizer suggests.

Anyone else thinking along these lines?

Cheers, Ed

 

[ByronBlack]

Another thought, if at West Dean there were different demonstrators / speakers / events on the two days I would consider attending both days. For me this would mean an overnight stay somewhere, which in turn opens up the opportunity of a social event as Wizer suggests.

Anyone else thinking along these lines?

Cheers, Ed

Aye, that sounds like a good idea. And I would be happy to pay an entrance fee, tools during the day, pub-visit with the UKWer's by evening

 

[woodbloke]

BB wrote:

pub-visit with the UKWer's by evening

...'cept if you're diving home that night - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

I'd happily pay to interact with folk like Garret Hack

Garrett's demonstration at the last West Dean event generated quite a lot of interest in scratch stocks

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

I kinda meant UKW members getting together during the day at the event. If a show is far enough away to warrant a stop-over then I'd probably not attend, that would be an expense to far. Luckily Cressing Temple is local-ish and West Dean was only a couple of hours journey. I don't think I will be returning to Westonbirt next year, it just didn't have the right 'feel' to me. Too much of a cattle market at times, I can get that at Bluewater with the missus :roll: :wink: