The Woodworking Shows

The Woodworking Shows are a traveling trade show that moves from city to city showcasing new woodworking tools and equipment. The Woodworking Shows offer live demo’s and classes available to participate in during the show from many master craftsman. The first show I attended was in Tampa Florida about eight years ago. I liked going to the woodworking shows for several years. If you go to a show, you can learn about new tools and technics. I also benefited from the excellent discounts at the shows on the latest gadgets. One of the things I learned is that a little extra investment in better tools made for better results and also kept my interest in woodworking. If you attend one of the many live demonstrations, you can ask specific questions about the product or the steps used and why. The vendors and craftsman have extensive knowledge and enjoy helping old and new woodworkers alike.

It has been a few years since I could attend a show. I left Florida for North Carolina and spent the last few years setting up shop here. Now that I am in North Carolina I was able to go to this year’s show in Charlotte with the bonus of taking my now adult son with me. I had dragged him to so many in Florida, but he never showed much interest then. Now with his own family, he has an interest. We have worked on several projects together, and I can see he paid attention even if not interested at the time.

The shows are usually Friday through Sunday. The vendors vary from show to show so be sure to check the schedule for the show you will attend. The show in Charlotte NC was the first show that I visited on the first day, so the hours were a bit shorter. However, we had enough time to see a few demo’s and dream about new technology like CNC and laser engravers. Maybe next year.
The Vendors vary from hand tools to power tools and supplies. There are new products as well as old available.
One vendor had a large display of old restored hand tools. It is interesting to see how far we have come and how old technology is still useful in the shop.

We enjoyed our time together at the show and purchased a few things for some upcoming projects. One of my purchases is from a company called Bad Dog Tools. I bought one of the most robust sets of drill bits I have ever seen. I was not surprised as I had already indulged in their router bits many years ago. They are located in the U.S. and come with a lifetime warranty. I will be the first to admit that I am very hard on drill bits. I am primarily drilling through all types of steel. During the demonstration, I saw them used as a center punch, hammered on and dig through steel into masonry and keep on going. I will have a full review of these bits on my tool review page coming soon.

If you are looking for a good source of hardwoods, I would recommend The Hardwood Store of Gibsonville NC. One of the decisions to locate to North Carolina was to be closer to a good source of hardwoods. I didn’t know at the time about them but ran across their mill while attending a local event in Gibsonville. It is a large old brick building. Having ventured inside, I was amazed at not only the quality of their products but also the quantity. For those not close by they do ship so it may be worth checking them out. I sourced several types of wood from them for my projects like the large farm table and built ins like the pantry and master dressing room