Baltimore 2009 Woodworking show.

Great review Karson. I can never get out of those shows for less than three figures.

nice job….i bet it was allot of fun….

-- For free woodworking video tutorials and contests, check out Woodworking with Thomas MacDonald & Friends at http://www.mlwwoodworking.com/index.html

Sounds like a great show, Karson.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I thought about posting my own blog on the show but I decided to highjack Karson’s instead :-)

For some strange reason, I had put the show on my outlook calendar for next weekend, so I was a bit supprised when Karson sent me an email asking me if I was planning on going on Friday or Saturday. Well, I had a problem. I had my Mom and Dad coming in from TN, my Mother and Father In-law coming in from out of town and my sister in law with her family (husband, 2 kids and 16 wk old puppy) All were desending upon me for the New Years holiday. What a house full, but we had a great time. Everyone had decided to leave this morning so I was able to head out for the show and meet up with Karson.

I would have to agree with Karson that this was one of the best attended shows I’ve been to (this was my 3rd) I spoke with the rep at the Woodline USA booth and we talked about how things were going and he was very pleased with the show. He did say that the Nashville show wasn’t as good, partly due to the venue (no food vendors) and the charge for parking (Gaylord charges about $12 for parking) It was also their first show there in about 5 years.

I went back to Chuck’s booth a couple of times but each time he was speaking with others so I figured that I would meet up with him another time. Got to speak with a few of the vendors I had met in the past. Everyone was friendly (even got some homemade cookies from one of the ladies at the Skarie booth) Had a very nice talk with William Boxer, the Sr. VP and COO of Apollo Sprayers. If you ever have a chance, stop by and speak with him. He has a passion for his products and seems very genuine.

I had intended to only get a few things, painter’s piramids, a electronic fractional caliper and some router bits. Ended up I also got a new Rigid Carbide TS blade, an a new PC router, marking knife, paint brush, never did get the fractional calipers…they seemed very proud of them and it wasn’t a must have. Did get the every thing else on my list. All told I spent more than I had intended but that’s ok…everything I did get was on this year’s plan for my tools and much to the relief of my wife no major ticket items…maybe this spring :-)

I am eager to have a Mid Atlantic Lumberjocks get together this year. I am willing to assist in planning but I think I am a bit out of the way for hosting. I would like to see it in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. I think that it would be more central than out in WV. If you are interested please contact me or Karson and we can start the planning. And Tommy (T-Chisel)...you are invited and we would love to have you come down if your schedule can allow.

-- Greg - Charles Town, WV

Hi folks,

I also went out to the Baltimore show today. It was a last minute decision and I hooked up with my Dad. We had a great time. I had never been to a show before and was amazed by how busy it seemed. I’ve been looking at bandsaws online for a while and viewed a few that were there. The Ridgid seemed to vibrate a lot when the Ridgid guy demonstrated it, which reminded of some reviews that I read here on LJ. Now for my question – The Cayce Co booth is selling a JET 710115K for $585 plus a $50 rebate. From what I can tell, this is a great deal. Am I crazy if I don’t go back tomorrow and buy one? I had been considering a Grizzly Ultimate, but with shipping it comes out to about the same price, but the JET has a better warranty, is probably a better machine, and is close to a dealer in case I have problems. Any thoughts?

You guys are the greatest. Loved reading about the show and how you guys relate to one another. Real brotherhood shown here. Great.

-- Rich, Nevada,

Sounds like fun!

I’d love to meet you guys in person!

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

Hey Guys, Thanks for the show reviews. Looking forward to the show coming up in VA in a couple of months, hope to catch up to some LumberJocks there.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

I also went to the show on Friday. Last minute decision with the wife. Spent $0. First time ever (been to the show many times). As Karson said, busier than the last few years. Many of the same vendors. I sat in the Sommerfeld cabinet show (planning to redo the kitchen and considering making the cabinets). Generally, I just didn’t need anything (did I just say that). I did chat with the Dewalt reps (I just got the DeWalt Track Saw for Christmas).

john_md – Cayce is a great company to work with. I bought a Powermatic Bandsaw from them at the show two years ago. Had problems with the fence and they made sure it was resoved. I didn’t notice at the show, but they are a Rockler partner and carry all Rockler stock at their store in Cockeysville.

-- Dave _-^-_ Baltimore, MD

Karson,

It was great fun meeting you and the other LJ’s this weekend. If I knew you had that much interest in handcutting some half-blinds, I’d have had you do a set. Remember, woodworking is primarily attitude. So, repeat after me…”half-blinds ARE easy… half-blinds ARE easy… there’s no place like home…there’s no place like home…”

Greg,
Sorry I missed you. If you’re not tied up with a Raven’s game today, swing by the show.

BPBarry,

I can’t speek for the others but you should swing up to the WoodWorks Event in West Springfield, MA next weekend. I’ll have you cut some dovetails! Bring all the other CT & MA LJ’s with you too!

Gotta get going. The final day of the Baltimore show starts in a little over an hour. See you guys there!

-- Chuck Bender, period furniture maker, www.acanthus.com

Hi Karson;

I forgot all about the show. I would have liked to meet these guys too.

I have to say, especially Chuck Bender, as his work is outrageous, and I’m a big fan of eighteenth century furniture. I hope I didn’t offend anyone with that comment, but having had some correspondence with Chuck, I found out it was his site I was drooling over, in previous years. http://www.acanthus.com

Let me see if I got this right. I’m half blind, and it’s easy. LOL (see above post).

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Lee,

I meant to ask Karson if he had heard from you about the show but it’s been pretty busy here. The show’s about to wrap up and the crowd is finally dying down a bit. If you get the chance, swing up to Somerset, NJ for the Woodworking Show the last weekend of February, I’ll be set up and demonstrating.

-- Chuck Bender, period furniture maker, www.acanthus.com

Chuck,

I have been to the NJ show the last two years and have already been putting aside my woodworking cash for another trip this year. Looking forward to coming by your booth to say hello, because I couldn’t agree more with Lee’s description of your work. I hope you had a profitable weekend!

Mike

I wish I had seen your shirt, Karson. I was at the show on Saturday and when I left my wallet was about $700 lighter than when I arrived.

-- last night I played a blank tape at full volume - the mime next door went nuts!

Karson/Chuck – It was nice to meet you two on Friday. I wish I had time to go back again over the weekend as this was my first time attending and did not know exactly what to expect. I went a little unprepared. I am never one to just jump on a purchase unless I do some research on price and product reviews.

My advice would to anyone else going for the first time is to be prepared with info if you plan to buy anything so that you know you are getting a good deal. After getting home I found that a I could have saved quite a bit of money on a few items on my wish list.

Anyway, I am looking forward to the next time an event like this is around Baltimore. It would be nice to meet some more LJ’s.

Timberman there is one in Dullas in a couple of months. It’s called the Chantilly woodworking show.

I’ll probably go to it also.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I might just have to swing down there to check it out now that I know what to look for.

I went to this show too. Being in the area, I have been going for 6 or 7 years now. As a show, this one seems to have bottomed out and is on the way back up. It’s still much smaller than it used to be, but even so it’s a nice size and a great place to speak with vendors and fondle tools. Research on the Internet is all well and good, but nothing beats holding the tools, even the smaller stuff. Some stuff turns out to be cooler than you thought and other stuff turns out to be cheap plastic crap.

I took my 7 year old son and really enjoyed looking at all the tools and demonstrations.

For those in the MD-DC-VA area, this show comes to Chantilly, VA on March 20-22

-- --- Wayne.

Hey, I’ll be at the Chantilly, VA show.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Correction:
RE: Chantilly, VA the website says: Chantilly Mar. 27-29