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Demonstration

Started by Wade, April 08, 2003, 05:28:30 PM

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Wade

  Hello Everyone,
 I'm thinking of setting up a demonstration at my County fair
this summer. The cost of the space is app. $400 for the 4 or 5 days. I was wondering if anyone has done this. It seems to me that this might not be a bad place to try it . Thousands of people, lots of farmers. I called WM to see what they do about demos and they're going to send a info packet. Any opinoins or advice?  Thanks, Wade   God bless the troops.
If it's worth cutting down a tree for, it's worth doing right

Kevin

See about selling any wood you mill on site, it usually sells fast and you can recoup your costs.

Minnesota_boy

If you don't already have more work than you want, have a bunch of business cards on hand with your name and phone number on them.  You'll probably be swamped in a short time.   Make sure you do good work, change blades more often than necessary and be willing to talk to anybody that shows interest.  If anyone suggests that they may buy a mill, make them sign a card that you have given them a demo, that commision really feels nice in the pocket/
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

Tom

I have sawed in the county fairs of two county's several times each.........but for free.  If you get in tight with your forestry service and make a few suggestions,  You can end up as one of their exhibits.  Sometimes the fairs will ask you to fill a booth for entertainment or educational purposes.  They sometimes need to justify being an Agricultural Fair and most of the entertainment ends up being carnival.

A lot of the cost will  be logs, transportation and scrap removal.  If you have an assortment of boards from various local trees around the house, make  and exhibit and write on the board what tree it came from, what the wood is used for and any history that will keep a kid (parent) interested enough to read it.  If you have pictures of jobs you have done, staple them up on a bulletin board.  You will be surprised how many of your customers will be recognized by the fair goers. :)

Take a hammer, nails and ax.

The first thing you should do with your first boards is build a fence to keep spectators at bay. It doesn't have to be done all at once.  The spectators can see that you are sawing and building with your own boards.   You can also make stools and benches and little stuff like that as the fair progresses.  You have to be careful that you don't build something that someone could get hurt on but....a thick board resting across two pieces of cut-off logs makes a good bench.

ElectricAl

Wade,

We use to demo at 3 day outdoor wood shows.

The show promoter paid us $300/weekend to keep the crowd excited.
WM gave us a promotion package with log scales, brochures, hat, pens, and some blades.
You will have to send WM a photo of the show.

Normally, shows like live demos, so call the promoter and work out a better deal for you. ;)

Linda and I custom saw NHLA Grade Lumber, do retail sales, and provide Kiln Services full time.

Bibbyman

Yea,  my county fair demo was free too.  They were really glad to fill the spaces and have something for people to see actually do something.  They had a lot of farm machinery but it just set there for the most part – except for the JD Gatters and the NH they used to pull the horse pull sled back.

Tips:

If you can arrange to saw nice,  plump, fresh cut logs 10' long – say no smaller than 12" and no bigger than 16".  They always fit on the mill real good without missing the toe boards and make nice looking lumber.  The last thing you need is a real nasty old crooked log that makes junk lumber and causes you sawing problems.

Build a bench and or pick nick table. Or have a table and lawn chairs.  

Have some hard candy in a bowl.  

If in the middle of hot sun in summer – get one of those concession canopies. Have water, drinks and such.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Kevin

...and add a fish pond and an air show.  :D

biziedizie

Don't forget the outdoor toilets.....ya gotta have them! Crusty the clown would be cool to.

Bibbyman

Don't forget the outdoor toilets! ???  I thought outdoors WAS a toilet ::)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

biziedizie

Now that's the spirit Bibbyman! The great out doors is the best place to water the plants.  :D

     Steve

Dave_Fullmer

Along with the cards, make up a flashy page on your word processor.  Write up a blurb about your services using large letters on headings.  I like to use a variety of colors and font sizes on the heading to make my message stand out.  I've never done this with sawing demos, but have used it on other services I have offered.  

I like to keep my message to one page with fairly large font size for easy reading  You can set this up on the processor and print out as many as you need.
If it aint Orange (AC that is) it won't run.

ARKANSAWYER

Went a few years ago to a wood turners show and me and a chain saw guy were the only ones outside and it rained off and on for both days.  I talked to about 10 people the first day and 2 on the second.  I had taken some pre-cut lumber and sold all of it there and could have sold more.  I thought it was a flop and I had wasted $50 and two days just sitting. >:(  Even months later I had people calling me to see if I was the guy in the rain at the show and did I have or could get this or that.  It turned out to be a good deal.  I did the county fair last year and got so much work that I darn near did not get to go deer hunting.
  Make or bring benches and have wood for sell and lots of business cards.  I let my kids run the mill and Granny pull boards and it really pulled in the crowd.
ARKANSAWYER
ARKANSAWYER

Fla._Deadheader

Good thing the labor board didn't see that !!  ::) :D :D :D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Bibbyman

We teamed up with another WM guy in our area.  As the fair ran from mid-morning to late evening,  having extra people to help worked out well.  I've helped at demos where I've missed lunch or been a couple of hours past the need for a potty break. (indoors or out!)


John Hicks - one of the best.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

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