Harrogate Show

[Doug71]

I went this morning and quite enjoyed it.

@Spectric I had a good look at the Lamello Zeta and was very impressed, it would be really useful for me I just need to weigh up if I can justify the outlay. I was also quite taken with the Mafell cordless jigsaw, it feels like a brick in your hand but in a good way if that makes any sense!

The whole SawStop set up was very slick, I can see them taking over the table saw market in the UK like they have in America.

My only purchase was a couple of leather covered magnetic tool holders from The Durham Leatherworker stall, bit of an indulgence and totally unnecessary but will be perfect for holding some nice old chisels that I have.

 

[SVB]

We travelled up from glocs - me + couple of mates. We really enjoyed it, bought some supurb green woodworking tools from the amazing Nic Westermann, lovely new 5 1/2 plane from Luban folks, sharpening kit, lighting, abrasives, veneers, finishes and a bucket of mixed price smaller hand tools.

There were some small ‘show deals’ but for us the ticket and travel value was repaid several times over with the value of the advice received.

 

[jb94]

Yeah the floating tenon jig looks good but I feel a dowel joint properly made would give (in real terms) similar strength.

Shame that all the jigs I saw today were pocket holes.

Perhaps I’ll have to order some metal bushings and make one myself

 

[jb94]

I went this morning and quite enjoyed it.

@Spectric I had a good look at the Lamello Zeta and was very impressed, it would be really useful for me I just need to weigh up if I can justify the outlay. I was also quite taken with the Mafell cordless jigsaw, it feels like a brick in your hand but in a good way if that makes any sense!

The whole SawStop set up was very slick, I can see them taking over the table saw market in the UK like they have in America.

My only purchase was a couple of leather covered magnetic tool holders from The Durham Leatherworker stall, bit of an indulgence and totally unnecessary but will be perfect for holding some nice old chisels that I have.

I saw this stand and did like the products but it wasn’t really a necessity as you say a nice indulgence

 

[Spectric]

Perhaps I’ll have to order some metal bushings and make one myself

Don't think of a dowel jig as just something that drills holes, the level of precision needed is very high, there is a far east clone of the Dowelmax out there which is not that good, both ends of the drilling block must be symetrical to a very high tolerance but this clone version is apparently not precise enough so joints don't close or end up misaligned. The drilling errors will add up, 0.03 mm out on 6 holes then the error could now be approaching 0.2 mm.

Dowel joints are strong if you get them right and pulled up tight. Some strength test shown here.

 

[jb94]

Don't think of a dowel jig as just something that drills holes, the level of precision needed is very high, there is a far east clone of the Dowelmax out there which is not that good, both ends of the drilling block must be symetrical to a very high tolerance but this clone version is apparently not precise enough so joints don't close or end up misaligned. The drilling errors will add up, 0.03 mm out on 6 holes then the error could now be approaching 0.2 mm.

Agreed, I was looking for a precision bit of kit but sadly I found nothing.
I was also less than impressed with some drill guides I saw - Micky mouse quality without any angle guides. The ujk one did look good however

 

[Blackswanwood]

Interesting to see the posts from Classic Hand Tools on Instagram showing the effort that goes into attending one of these shows. I’m sure it was the same for @Peter Sefton. Hopefully it’s been worthwhile for them.

 

[Doug B]

Had a really nice day yesterday, always good to see old friends plus a few surprises like Axminster stocking Laguna that was a shock for more than just me, Mafell were giving £125 + vat off any power tool in celebration of their 125th year that was an offer too good to miss, interested to hear Bessey are improving the design of the revo clamp for next year & learnt more about the Lamello fittings the Cabineo being of interest.
The displays of work from the different clubs & societies was excellent as usual as were the demonstrations I saw.
The timber prices seemed keener this year, I’m not in the market for timber but did wonder if having more wood suppliers there than I seem to remember before had bought prices down

Slightly disappointed that there was no representation of the main brands of hand held power tools particularly as I’d missed the D&M show this year.

As usual the day seemed to be over in a flash & I hadn’t got chance to meet everyone I’d hoped to but then there’s always next year.

 

[johnnyb]

The Sunday was way less busy than Saturday. There was talk of making it 2 days instead of 3. I was slightly worried at the drop off of many stalls who had attended in previous years. Someone suggested they had hiked the price. I felt woodturning was a bit overrepresented both in selling and demos. Large machine tools were more than previous years(I guess the stall price hike is less significant for them. This included the very impressive Sawstop. I think the cabinet saw is a bit misplaced this side of the pond being aimed at hobbiests but priced very high with only a 10 inch blade. That saw with a 12/14 inch blade or a quality panel saw would make a very compelling case for many businesses.(not losing digits is very compelling anyway)
I'm constantly amazed at the increasing cost of classic hand tools selection. Over £200 for a slightly weedy mallet! Every year I feel more alienated by those elite hand tools. I heard an American giving a perfectly pitch about how a beginner should start with a hugely expensive plane then graduate onto other hugely expensive planes. Never once giving any sensible advice.
I still love the g edge sharpener. Cheap cheerful and effective.
I spoke to an amazing lady leatherworker called the durham leatherworker who made all manner of practical chisel rolls and tool holders. I urge anyone to try her if there after anything like this.
Odies oil seemed like a hyped osmo to me but the demonstrator was very good. The wood sales were abundant but struck me as planed far to thin to be useful(most looked to be 16 to 18mm)

 

[jb94]

The Sunday was way less busy than Saturday. There was talk of making it 2 days instead of 3. I was slightly worried at the drop off of many stalls who had attended in previous years. Someone suggested they had hiked the price. I felt woodturning was a bit overrepresented both in selling and demos. Large machine tools were more than previous years(I guess the stall price hike is less significant for them. This included the very impressive Sawstop. I think the cabinet saw is a bit misplaced this side of the pond being aimed at hobbiests but priced very high with only a 10 inch blade. That saw with a 12/14 inch blade or a quality panel saw would make a very compelling case for many businesses.(not losing digits is very compelling anyway)
I'm constantly amazed at the increasing cost of classic hand tools selection. Over £200 for a slightly weedy mallet! Every year I feel more alienated by those elite hand tools. I heard an American giving a perfectly pitch about how a beginner should start with a hugely expensive plane then graduate onto other hugely expensive planes. Never once giving any sensible advice.
I still love the g edge sharpener. Cheap cheerful and effective.
I spoke to an amazing lady leatherworker called the durham leatherworker who made all manner of practical chisel rolls and tool holders. I urge anyone to try her if there after anything like this.
Odies oil seemed like a hyped osmo to me but the demonstrator was very good. The wood sales were abundant but struck me as planed far to thin to be useful(most looked to be 16 to 18mm)

Agree with you on the hand tools, that’s the main reason I wanted to visit and I felt poor looking at some of the prices!
What struck me as odd was the gap in the market: You had the chinesium tools in buckets for £5, vintage tools lucky dip £10-20 (but quite a few needed some serious de-Rusting work or missing / broken parts), and then the likes of veritas and Lee valley for £100-200+.
Where’s the £50-100 affordable but fairly decent quality stuff?

 

[johnnyb]

That's a fair assessment of costs overall! I saw much better quality tools in Harrogate antique shops tbh.
Including a unused and immaculate hields of Nottingham hollow and round part set. It's not that I don't love these boutique tools. It's just that the prices make them only for hobbiests and mainly guys that will collect them rather than use them hoping to sell them for what they brought them for.(strange market I know) I did enjoy watching the pole lathe turner's as it seemed the opposite of classic hand tools(great fun, DIY tools.)and was at the opposite end of the hall!

 

[johnnyb]

I always feel sorry for those misplaced stalls. Like finesse pewter(I never saw anyone at his stall) golra edge tools. The light lady, the guy selling cheap paint where le tonkinois should be....

 

[Spectric]

Yes some names missing were Bosch, Festool and makita all big players and not short of cash but no shows. The one thing that took my interest was on the subject of sharpening, a guy on one stall with a couple of stones sharpening a plane blade. It looked easy and was shown the veritas honing guides and the ceramic stones that just needed wetting, it was mentioned that diamond stones would need less flattening over time but certainly food for thought, maybe I am going to get some sharp chissels. The guide held the blade at 30° and just a gentle motion put a good edge on the blade so it maybe not the best approach to sharpening but better than what I currently do.

 

[johnnyb]

Was that the g edge?

 

[benhen31]

Mafell were giving £125 + vat off any power tool in celebration of their 125th year that was an offer too good to miss

I too couldn't resist that and grabbed the PC1cc Jigsaw at £150 off the tag price. Not often the high end stuff has such a discount. My only purchase of the show.

Very turning heavy I thought, which isn't really my thing.

Good selection of wood to be had though at reasonable prices. It was a trek for me, but worth it since I live in a wasteland of hardwood suppliers, woodwork tool shops or courses (like the wharefedale workshop). I'm in Surfleet, Lincolnshire where there is almost nothing!

 

[RobNichols]

Was that the g edge?

I presume this: https://gsharptools.com/



Looks very interesting

 

[Spectric]

That G sharp looks similar to a Trend version

https://www.trend-uk.com/ftsmk2

 

[RobNichols]

That G sharp looks similar to a Trend version

https://www.trend-uk.com/ftsmk2

Looks like the Trend is based on an early version of the G Sharp :

 

[Spectric]

Yes I have the Trend version, well an early model but it failed to perform so went to the so called Scary Sharp system which also has not worked for me so maybe next will be a pair of diamond stones and one of those Veritas honing guides.

 

[johnnyb]

The guy told a sorry tale of how he was shafted by trend and another partner. It's really for touch ups rather than regrind and as such isn't something I'd use tending to trash my chisels as long as possible then tormek them.
Where do your sharpening problems seem to lie spectric? Scary sharp and the trend seem like short term things to me.(as does the veritas honing jig) quality diamond stones are very effective becoming slower over time. I've got dmt 2 side ones the first from America when it was over $2 to the £. After this got slow I brought a used but brand new one bundled with a no 3. If all I sharpened were chisels I'd probably get translucent arkansas or even lilly white washita.