International Woodworking and Furniture Show 2004

[FeltzE]

We went to the IWF convention in Atlanta last week thru the weekend.  WOW what a show!   Definitely everything and anything one could want for their wood shop! All the brand names were there including some I've never heard of.

Got to meet Don Lewis in person, A gentleman and a scholar!  :P, The woodmizer , nyle, moon, logosol and baker folks (and thousands more) were there with their new stuff along with several sawblade mfrs. The convention covered ALL of the 3 floors of the Georga World Congress center. It took a day and a half to walk the entire floor area which didn't leave time to really look at all the displays.

An interesting note I did find a booth where a fella makes a unit that you can put your skill saw into to straigh line rip lumber for about $400.

It looks like the blue saw mfr is upping the anty with a new portable sawmill that utilizes a 2" band.

Moons now makes a knife grinder for under $1k to make profile knives for molders for small shops. It would be great for resharpening and occasionally making new knives at a more economical scale than the big machines for the occasional need.

Ok now for the real story, never take your wife to a trade show! :'(.  We (She) own and operate a pet grooming shop in town. She spied a Laser Engraving machine, ... went on about how dog owners spend all this money on getting things personalized (reference their pets) from picture frames and dog tags to small boxes. .... .   She goes home with the big buy.... and a new shop vac ($200 for the Vac) and I'm not going to quote the price on the laser but it should suffice that I could have bought another logosol)

So I repeat NEVER take your wife to a woodworking trade show ;D

Eric

[Brian_Bailey]

Eric,  

Which brand engraver did she get?

I've been seriously considering getting one, but then I would have to start thinking/working as a production shop in order to pay for it  :-/!

[FeltzE]

Brian,

A 30 Watt Versa Laser, If you keep in touch I'll let you know how the service support and ease of use issues are. I am planning to make some of the primary stock for engraving wood products myself. Although some of the over the counter items are awfully cheap to get for the effort.

Keep in touch

Eric

[Brian_Bailey]

Thanks Eric.

I would very much like to hear how it's working for you and your wife.

I've been considering one for a cost effective way of burning personalized images on custom jobs rather than cutting it in by hand with a hand held wood burner.

[FeltzE]

Brian,

A custom wood burning iron would be more cost effective, They will make you your logo and text on an electric or manual iron for under a hundred dollars. The laser is more like just over 10k, However if you are going to make other things like customized products thats a different story.

We will be making many smaller items that are personalized for my wifes dog grooming shop. Including image engraved items and other various products,
The objective is to make things that are not available in other shops, an example may be a picture frame engraved with your name or event and date, "Brian's first lumber, 300 AD"

I saw some really neat 6 inch wood rulers engraved with your company logo, address, phone number all on 1/8 inch stock, engraved and cut out on the laser, They wood be great for forestry forum members, Excellent hand outs after a job or to prospective customers. I know I'll be making alot of them for to drop at local lumber yards advertising my business.

Eric

[Brian_Bailey]

Eric,  

I'm more interested in doing flat and 3-D imaging.

Here are a couple of examples of what I'm doing by hand.

This picture is of a small keepsake box that I make.
On this one I took a picture of my wife standing next to her bike and burned the image on the box. I was using one of those 12 dollar woodburning pens you buy at the craft stores.



This next image is one I lifted out of a drawing book that I have. I had just bought a Detail Master wood burning system that the pro's use to cut feathers and other such detail on their work. I wanted to see how it would work for me and I can state that I'm very happy with it


.
The main drawback to these images is the fact that they were done by hand. Charging for my time would price me out of the market that I'm seeking.

So spending 10 or 15 grand for a piece of equipment that will allow me to burn a custom image on an item in a reasonable amount of time would be worth the investment. At least that is what I keep telling myself  :D :D.

[Cedarman]

I put a pedometer on before Sat mornings tour of the IWF show. By Sunday noon it had over 8 miles on it. Checked every aisle and had to really hustle to see it all.  Talked to dozens of reps. For anyone looking to do any secondary manufacturing, you got to take in this show.  And plan on spending 2 long days.  Saw the wood burning booth. For labeling your wood, it would be great.  Bought the tool that turns your table saw into a moulder.  This should be great for small runs.
Every tool imaginable was there.  There was something for the hobbiest to the biggest professional.
It was breathtaking!!!

[FeltzE]

Brian, Instantly you are a hit with my wife, she was mumbling about your stuff consignment our store.... (opps corrected not mumbling) told.. I think maybe we could stike a deal if this works ok once we get it you can email me a pic of your graphic bmp, jpg or an original to scan and we should be able to replicate it on almost any surface very economically, (out source to me)

Cedarman,

Yep great show, I concur on all points. may have seen you there, ... ??? That table saw head you bought is a variant of a product that sears sells for about $75 but has a slightly different bit set. Be carefull it can pack an awfull kickback!!! trust me on that it can hurt you if you don't use a custom near zero clearance insert and good hold downs.

Eric

[Cedarman]

FeltzE, thanks for the advice. I don't even have the table saw yet. We need a good one, but not a high production model. Got any suggestions. We make moulding with a 2x6 Dominion, but the set up times are too long for short runs, so I though this new tool would be the solution. Now I have the reason for a table saw.

[FeltzE]

Cedarman,

Oh table saws..., I've got a "medium" Delta 10" in the shop with direct drive it's ok but for your application I'd be looking for a saw with belt drive, a larger motor, and a high quality fence. Did you get over to the Grizzley exhibit at the IWF? They have some quality saws with excellent fences and some of the most reasonable prices that I could find. Jet, American, and several others were of similar quality and probably manufacturer.

I think you will like your molding head, there are some unique things you can do easily such as centered flutes on colums and legs, and other offset patterns as well as T&G.

Eric

[FeltzE]

Brian, How far are you from Buffalo? or Boston (NY not MA) I'll be running up at the end of the month to visit family in Boston (NY). I normally run up US15 to 17 then 98 (I think) another couple zigs and home.

Eric

[Brian_Bailey]

Eric,  

Looking forward to your visit!

Boston is west of me by about 30 miles, just add a zag when your on 98.  I'm in Attica Center. I'll IM you the directions.

[Quartlow]

Eric, I see I have to keep my wife away from yours, Just so happens she is a 20 year dog groomer!.

As for table saws Don't scrimp, you can buy a 10 inch delta cabinet saw for around 1200 to 1300. I know a couple guys that have bought the grizzly cabinet saws and are very happy with them!

[FeltzE]

QL, Never Never Never take a groomer to a wood show, They will spend you blind, Have her check out Fein's shop vacs, Michelle bought one for her shop incredibly quite has a Y hose adapter and if she plugs her clippers into the shop vac it will self start when she turns the clippers on . Michelle bought a hair vac (clippervac) last yr for over a grand and this machine is just as good and as quiet for  a cpl hundred.
Michelle gets on a groomers list Groomers.com all the time maybe she already knows your other half.


Eric

[Gilman]

I have to agree with you Feltz, that Fein shop vac is amazing.  Everyone that comes over to the shop is impressed with how quiet it is.  It is also a two stage pump and pulls a good vacuum.  Oh, and you can yard it around with the hose since it snaps to the canister, not just a friction fit.