Woodworking Show Information

[Michel]

Hello,

Can anybody tell me if there are any woodworking powertool/handtool and machinery shows (apart from the axminster one) on between now and Feb 2005.

Can't make the axminster one.

Cheers

Michel

 

[devonwoody]

Try Alf

 

[Rattie]

Up North, aye. Must be loads of bargains up there...

http://www.skpromotions.co.uk/

Martyn

 

[Alf]

The North of England one's the only big one I know of too. Axminster's pretty late in the "season" these days, and the majority seem to have been and gone now.

For future reference BriMarc's list isn't a bad starting point.

Cheers, Alf

 

[andrewm]

If the end of Feb fits your timeframe there's the Ally Pally International Woodworking Exhibition on between 25 and 27 Feb 2005

Andrew

 

[Michel]

Hello all,

thank you for the replies, i must admit i really wanted to go to the axminster show this year to check out the Makita/ Dewalt and E/B stands before i purchase a sliding mitre saw, plus check out any other stuff, but unfortunately I'm busy that weekend .

Has anybody been to The North of England Woodworking Show before :?:

thank you Alf for the website info

regards

Michel

 

[devonwoody]

Have any members ever got complementry tickets to visit the Axmisnster Show?

Personally I think its a bit thick for a manufacturer (table saw vendor at xyz company as an example) who doesn't have a retail agent in Devon to expect a prospective customer to pay £6 times two plus the other expenses of the day to come and visit.

I would consider looking at the 2500ci table saw (cost £1500 ish) but the agent expects me to spend £30 expenses in making a view of the machine.

So I'm not desparate, he looses a sale and I lose a purchase. Also keeps the wife happy!

 

[Noel]

Dev, I think it's the overall experience. Sure there's a few specific things I want to see but there's also a million other things (demos, lectures, stuff that'll never make it to a tool dealer this side of the country etc) that make it all worth while. £30 expenses? I wish......

Noel

 

[ike]

Personally I think its a bit thick for a manufacturer (table saw vendor at xyz company as an example) who doesn't have a retail agent in Devon to expect a prospective customer to pay £6 times two plus the other expenses of the day to come and visit.

DW, Look at it another way. If you contacted NMA sales and said "if I come to Tools 2004 and I place a £1500 order, will you refund my entry fees", they'd probably say "yup, we'll happily do that Sir". But then, who knows, they might be offering a special discount at the show, which could more than compensate for your expenses, were you to buy?

cheers

Ike

 

[devonwoody]

Ah yes,
But I should be able to telephone NMA and ask them if they would like me to view their machine (no agent in Devon) and they should then find it worthwhile to send the tickets.

 

[ike]

But they could have 500 woodworkers twig onto the idea, phone up saying they'll "consider looking" and then not actually buy (I'm not suggesting that you wouldn't of course). That'll cost em 3 grand up front - er.. I don't think so!.

 

[ike]

(I'm not suggesting that you wouldn't of course).

Umm, or should that be 'would'? :? Anyway, I'm just speaking hypothetically. 8)

 

[Alf]

My personal view is that going to a show such as this just to see x, y or z burfl rather misses the point. At the very least it's being able to walk from burfl x straight over to burfl z and compare them then and there... :wink: I go for the competition entries, the drool-inducing tools David Charlesworth always seems to have lying about like so many Stanley Handymans, meeting the great and the good of woodworking (and Andy King) and so forth. It's the experience.

Anyway, what have you got to grouse about? You're practically on the doorstep!

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

meeting the great and the good of woodworking (and Andy King)

Alf, what are you trying to say!

Andy

PS. don't know whether this is of any help to this thread or not, but as far as i'm aware, NMA won't be there at Tools 2004 with the Scheppach/Kity stuff, but will have a presence with the Maffell kit.

 

[menatnma]

The question of whether or not NMA or some other supplier would refund entry fees on a particular purchase would depend on what was purchased. After paying,yes paying, to exhibit at various shows up and down the country, and hiring vehicles,paying hotels bills, salemens losses of earnings and sales whilst being off the road selling, overtime and the obilgatory chicken madras to enable demo staff to have breath like a dogs backside when talking to customers, then why should'nt we refund entry fees paid to the organisers who have already charged us £200 a square metre to be there in the first place. This is on top of the extra discounts that have to be made to sell the machines on the stand especially if it a show organised by a retailer rather than a National show which happens if a retailer wants to make more on his profit, but its us the supplier who have to give the extra discounts.
Yes we agree that it is in our interest to have people come to these shows to see all machines on offer but we cannot give back entry fees.
Perhaps the alternative is power of the buying punters NOT to pay entry fees. Think about it, you have to pay £6/£7 just to spend more money, now maybe because I'm a tight fisted Yorkshire man that that sounds wrong. Shows are getting dearer to attend for both end users and dealers and shows are getting smaller because suppliers are not always in attendance, hence our lack of attendance at Stoneleigh last week due to various other contributing factors.
As to Axminsters show, we wont be there anyway as once again we are not invited to attend with the Scheppach ranges.Makes you wonder if they are frightened we will pinch sales from their ranges.Weve not been invited since the launch of the Basato 3 when we sold 80 bandsaws alone over the three days of the show.

menatnma

 

[devonwoody]

Ah Yes.

But you can get 50 viewers wanting to get at one particular item at the show and at 10 minutes each = 500 minutes (if each one was placing an order) = 8 hours and you put in £30 plus in getting to the site.
Still reckon they should send complimentary tickets
.
Went to the Yandles show last year couldn't get near one stand, put in a 150 mile round trip but at least I wasn't charged for entry so wasn't too upset. (3 gals of petrol though, etc.)

So I still think the vendors should foot the cost of entry to the show.

 

[ike]

So I still think the vendors should foot the cost of entry to the show.

To paraphrase menatma, if more people voted with their feet and only patronise those shows with free entry, maybe <xyz event management company> will rejig their business model. Why is it such an issue?

 

[Alf]

Anyone remember Woodcut? IIRC their show entry was free wasn't it? And lots of people went and enjoyed it too. But it, and they, died the death. Why? 'Cos, as I understand it, some suppliers cut them out from the sales they made at the show by dealing directly with the customers instead of through Woodcut. D'oh. Not likely to encourage anyone else to take on paying for a big free show and hope the sales defray the costs is it? :roll:

Cheers, Alf

P.S. Andy, what I meant (obviously :roll: ), was the great, the good and the greatest. Probably... :wink:

 

[devonwoody]

Well at least I know I can't see the 2500ci at this show.

I would have been cut up putting in all the effort,cost time etc.

Business usually foots the cost of these events, it is part of their advertising budget and eventually the purchaser of their goods pays for this expenditure anyway.

Or are they trying to create another method of extracting cash with ticket revenue?

 

[ike]

Alf made the point to the effect it's not just a box shifting exercise. It's also a day out to see stuff, admire craftsmanship, glean ideas, tips, get inspiration, test your skills, support charity (e.g. DAA, TFSR), meet UKW'ers etc etc. All the better if your accompanied enjoys it too.