Timber and Working with Wood Shows 2003

[Wayne Davy]

For those who don't know Timber and Wood Working Shows for 2003.

Auckland March 28-30 Auckland Showgrounds
Brisbane May 23-25 RNAIA Showgrounds
Sydney June 20-22 Fox Moore Park
Adelaide July 25-27 Royal Adelaide Showground
Canberra September 5-7 Exhibition Park
Melbourne October 3-5 Melbourne Exhibition Centre

Full details at http://www.woodworkingexh.com

Wayne
:D

[Robert WA]

That'd be right. Perth misses out again. $#@*&%(

[John Saxton]

Robert,I've spoken to a couple of the usual merchants that demonstrate and show their product and the concensus is that for the cost of attending two shows a year for the area required has become prohibitive for response by the W.A. woodworking public.
Both described the shows as a selling forum with little regard to quality of product and the meaningless jargon proffered and little attention paid to demonstration of product.
I can empathise somewhat with their view that the genuine interested/buying woodworking public require full explanation/demonstration of product to satisfy their needs.
Failure to comply and the public will turn away unless of course in their own mind they are dollar driven and care less for quality.
Cheers:)

[Robert WA]

I take it that the opposition woodwork show will occur, or are we to be denied both?
I was led to believe that there was to be a show in Perth in August. Saw it in a mag or some such.

[coastie]

You've got a permanent one at Timbecon over there,but do have to sympathise with you W.A. is the forgotten state when it comes to things of this nature.
Tried to get east coast football results whilst over there visiting my daughter last year.Fat chance!:mad:

[ubeaut]

Think you will find that WA is missing out on the WWW Show because no one will support it. Not because the organizers don't want to stage it.

All other states only have 1 show a year whilst WA has had 2. The other show is, I believe run by the clubs or was originally set up by them or similar. It is better than the WWW Show and is extremely well patronised.

The WWW was never a raging success as it was virtually boycotted by many WAlians woodies to the point that they have finally pulled the plug. It had also been cancelled in the past due to lack of interest.

You do the sums.
For a little mob like us to come over to WA and do the WWW Show it costs a minimum of $5,000 even more when you take into account lost production time of around 2 weeks. We would have to sell over $10,000 worth of our products just to cover the cost of the cost of doing the show and our production cost. We would then have to sell another $10,000 worth to get around a $4,000 profit to justify being there in the first place.

We can't sell that much at a Melb or Sydney show so we sure as hell aint guna do it in WA. Matter of fact last time went to WA was for the other show (the BIG one0 and we made such a killing that we spent the last of our profits from the show on a good feed at the Mongolian Restaurant in Adelaide on the way home. If we do that well at the big show imagine how we'd go at the other one.

Now. Take the above and multiply by at least 10 and you have the cost to someone like Mik International.

The Show would probably be lucky to get 10,000 people through the door and 60% of them would be tyre kickers just there for a day out, 20% would be woodies with short arms and long pockets and a budget that consists of the cash their wives allowed them to carry in their pocket, 19% would look, then go to Timbecon and buy it after the show cause they get extra points for buying at the shop.

And the other 1% would be John Saxtons, with a credit card and a desperate need to duy everything in sight.

Unfortunately, try as they might the John of this world can't keep a sinking ship afloat.

My view of the situation.

Cheers - Neil:)

PS You already have a great show there so focus your attentiions on that and not on what the Eastern States has. Believe me you aren't missing out on much.

[GC]

Two shows?

Firstly, in Melb, I can't afford the stuff I buy from 1 show.

How much wood, jigs, and stuff do you need?

At least you've got a show, imagine living hours away from Melbourne, would it be worth traveling 5 hours from Mildura?

Tassie doesn't have one.

Be happy - GC

[Kev Y.]

the reason Tassie doesn't have a WWW show is that the admittion costs would be SSSSOOOOOO expensive.. imagine charging per head down there!!!!


kev :D

[John Saxton]

I believe the W.A.woodworking show dates to be August 15/16/17 which is usually run by the Fine woodworking Group thru a intermediary promotor.

Neil as usual has covered all the bases in his explanation to the why's and wherefores concerning W.A. shows.Primarily one of distance to cater for a smaller woodworking public with limited $$$$ in their back pocket to spread around moreover when there are 2 shows to hold their interest.

There are not enough seriously minded folk I feel justify their presence at some of these shows.
I've heard folk complain that they've driven/travelled miles and still complain that they can get it cheaper back home.Firstly I ask my self are they here just to see what they can bargain away to justify their presence to themselves and their kin,or are they the type who just will not spend on principle that their budget does not recognise a quality product that may be demonstrated or has a fair showing.

There are reasons too many to mention why each and every individual attends these shows but for mine it is to see new/innovative ideas being shown and possibly demonstrated that may somewhat enhance my approach to my own woodworking.Like all else and contrary to belief I do watch my pennies but I will spend if I can feel the need to warrant the item/s at home .

The unfortunate negative that has crept into these shows over the years I feel and it may be a necessary evil in terms for the really hard pressed in dollar terms is the amount of mass produced junky type stalls that promoters fill these halls with...and they must make a killing every time judging by the flocking of the mob, but the shows are there for all and in fairness everything must co-exist, though I hope in the future not at the expense of the quality stalls that demonstrate and have faith in their product.

Now to give Visa a plug ...I love my Visa,My contacts in the industry love my Visa, so I get bloody good discounts...but I can't get hold of my Visa cos 'Er indoors controls my Visa sometimes with scissors poised.

Just my 1% worth
Cheers:)

[Template Tom]

Originally posted by John Saxton
I believe the W.A.woodworking show dates to be August 15/16/17 which is usually run by the Fine woodworking Group thru a intermediary promotor.

Neil as usual has covered all the bases in his explanation to the why's and wherefores concerning W.A. shows.Primarily one of distance to cater for a smaller woodworking public with limited $$$$ in their back pocket to spread around moreover when there are 2 shows to hold their interest.



There are reasons too many to mention why each and every individual attends these shows but for mine it is to see new/innovative ideas being shown and possibly demonstrated that may somewhat enhance my approach to my own woodworking.Like all else and contrary to belief I do watch my pennies but I will spend if I can feel the need to warrant the item/s at home .



Just my 1% worth
Cheers:)

Neil and John have given good reasons why there is no www show in Perth this year. The exibitors are responsible for making the show what it is, and as Neil has said at a great cost to them, so make sure you are there on the day to give them support they require, for without them there would not be any shows.

"We are always looking out for new and innovative ideas" as John has quoted above, and hopefully my efforts with demonstration on the router will inspire others to try my techniques.

I hope to see you at the show. I will be on Demonstration stand 5 and I am grateful to TIMBECON for sponsoring my trip with the help from Hitachi Makita Triton for the use of their routers and Carb-I-Tool for a range of Cutters.
Please give support to my sponsors

www.timbecon.com.au

my new Home page will give a sample of what I will be demonstrating

www.wa1.quik.com.au/tod

[John Saxton]

Good website there Tom,I've bookmarked it.
Cheers:)

[Template Tom]

THanks John
Still a couple of things that have gone wrong. I'll have to fix it next time I have a chance to get at it
Tom

[des dyer]

i am new to woodworking.
and found your artical every helpfull about the show in june.

thank you
des dyer

[Template Tom]

Hi Des

Thank you for your comments I trust that you are from NSW so please look me up at the Sydney Show.

Tom
Originally posted by des dyer
i am new to woodworking.
and found your artical every helpfull about the show in june.

thank you
des dyer :)

[sandman]

Not all the woodshows happen in the cities!
Mildura will be holding it's Bi-annual Woodshow this year, Sept 20th-21st. Keep checking this post for further updates.
(happens to fall in school hol's)
Regards Sandman.:D

[Wild Dingo]

W.A.woodworking show dates to be August 15/16/17

As this is getting near John where is it to be?

I think the one thing that I see could be a big problem with these shows is a lack of advertising... but then some people reckon Im wrong at times although I wont agree in writing and well I dont get the newspapers and rarely listen to the screech box so my access to hearing about these shows is limited to what others tell me either on sites or in person... hence I was led here by a mate who heard I was looking to buy a swag of tools else Id have been spending big at Timbercon by now as it is I will wait till after the show and probably still spend big at Timbercon unless the displays show something of better value / quality product.

Rightly said many shows {not just wood} do get a small turnout that can make it unviable for the displayers... until they get the right advertising promotion happening then it will often take of and make it all worthwhile... unfortunately as has been said the time taken for that to happen costs money and without a fair turnout sale profit the eastern staters wont come as its unviable to them to do so.

Perhaps some lateral thinking by the promoters in their provision of advertising and planning could come in handy... sad to say many promoters get "stuck in a rut" with the way they go about promoting an event and say when questioned about it "We have done it this {whatever} way for years and we will keep on doing it this way, why we are up by 100 people over last years event" and so fail to see a different avenue of promotion and getting the message to a wider range of potential visitors/buyers etc to these events {Ive actually seen this in other ventures and have watched as the promotors sent the whole thing down the dunny because they couldnt open their eyes to other avenues :mad:}... not saying these are done wrong necessarily but given the comments above about the low numbers and low spending of the visitors to the shows perhaps the promotors are being far too selective in their target audience... I guess what Im sayin in my rather long winded way is that if the promotors opened up their range of targets both display and audience perhaps it could grow rather than shrink and as in the case of the WWW stop completely?

A question if I may?... at these shows {I am yet to attend one by the way one failing of mine is that I tend to avoid crowds :rolleyes:} do companies such as Woodmiser Lucas and other mill manufacturers distributers put on a display? do companies that use timber in their production display? {flooring companies for instance artisans utilizing different frames made using the tools or timber etc}

As I said Ive not been to one as yet but intend to go to this coming one... if for no other reason but to find out who and what is displayed and by whom and what they "show" by way of finished products and actually making things... so Im not detracting from them rather trying to see if perhaps its more a matter of the right or wrong promotional methods and or another opening that is liable to bring more people and therefore create more interest in the base line product that is being offered.

Oh John Im sorta wondering about this comment mate...

Both described the shows as a selling forum with little regard to quality of product and the meaningless jargon proffered and little attention paid to demonstration of product.

"With little regard to quality of product"? :eek: this by companies involved? :rolleyes: ...I would have thought they would have promoted and pointed out the quality of their products rather than have "little regard" for it... or is this the public again who has little regard for the quality of product?
And "the meaningless jargon proffered"? is that meaningless jargon used by their own staff at these events or by the "buying" public?

It would to me at least appear from the above comments by "a couple of the usual merchants that demonstrate and show their product" that they themselves need a quantum shift in attitude to the shows and their own attitudes to the promotion of their product... Or am I reading what you wrote from the wrong angle?

So saying I do agree with the comments about the two shows being prohibitive if the financial "cash over the counter" results unviable or prohibitive to them... but if however its their own attitudes as I read your comments then they themselves may need to sit back and review their attitudes and overall commitment to their business or product.

Anyway perhaps Im on the other track here... the promotional materials and targets could be dead on right just that very few within the community here in West Aus are interested which I dont believe for a second...

but I wont admit to being wrong!!! :p ...but I will admit that I was just a tad "long winded" there :D

[journeyman Mick]

Originally posted by Wild Dingo
but I wont admit to being wrong!!! :p ...but I will admit that I was just a tad "long winded" there :D

Geez Shane, I'll admit when I'm wrong, every time, why I remember back in '93..........:D :D

[Wild Dingo]

Originally posted by journeyman Mick
Geez Shane, I'll admit when I'm wrong, every time, why I remember back in '93..........:D :D

93?? Im tryin to remember back to the last time I thought I may have been wrong sometime in the 60s or 70s I think but I could be on the wrong track there too I mean it coulda been me brother... that was it!! it wasnt me!! :D


;)

[John Saxton]

My apologies Shane, in not mentioning the locale but its at the Claremont Showgrounds with heaps of free parking all day every day.
As there is just the one show this year there may well be more contributors offering up a wider aspect across the medium.
As is usual there a lot of demo's going on so you need to pace yourself for the day to try and glean as much in one day as possible particularly if only up there for the one day.
I've already seen it advertised in fact it was last Sundays Sunday Times.

www.trueblue-exhibitions.com.au

Hopefully the above url will give you more details


Cheers:)

[Wild Dingo]

Thanks John! See told yer I dont read the rags!! :D

Will get up there at least once and will try for twice first to look see the second to BUY!!! :cool: