http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/
This thing travels the country most of the year and has been doing so
for a long time. I remember going, maybe 10 years ago, and being amazed
and impressed.
This time... in a word.... pretty lame. Ok two words. Anyway.....

If you have to drive far (probably too late for those already driving...
sorry), don't bother. If you're in Nashville, since college football is
over, and you have 6-9 bucks to spare, check it out. Juts don't hold
your breath waiting to be floored.

Peachtree Woodworking Supply out of Atlanta basically has half the
floorspace, displaying the same stuff you see in their catalogs..... and
everyone else's.... which is great if you're looking to stock up on all
that woodworking nuts-n-bolts stuff and save yourself a bunch of shipping.

If it weren't for our local Woodcraft store's presence, there would've
been virtually no power tools at the show. And these guys were thinking
of not even participating this year. They saved the show from bordering
on being a complete joke, in my book.

Notable exception.... and quite possibly worth the price of admission
and travel, alone. This guy:
http://www.stockroomsupply.com/V_Drum_Sander.php
This uniquely designed drum sander is nothing short of amazing and must
be seen to be fully appreciated.

Final word...
for the most part, this show has become at best, disappointing, at
worst, a real joke. Most of the products you would expect to see at a
woodworking show are absent. Maybe it's a case of the manufacturers not
seeing a profitable market in Nashville. Maybe all the cool tools and
new, exciting technologies show up in the bigger markets. Man, I sure
hope so....


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

On Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:24:37 -0600, -MIKE-
wrote:

http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/
This thing travels the country most of the year and has been doing so
for a long time. I remember going, maybe 10 years ago, and being amazed
and impressed.
This time... in a word.... pretty lame. Ok two words. Anyway.....

If you have to drive far (probably too late for those already driving...
sorry), don't bother. If you're in Nashville, since college football is
over, and you have 6-9 bucks to spare, check it out. Juts don't hold
your breath waiting to be floored.

Peachtree Woodworking Supply out of Atlanta basically has half the
floorspace, displaying the same stuff you see in their catalogs..... and
everyone else's.... which is great if you're looking to stock up on all
that woodworking nuts-n-bolts stuff and save yourself a bunch of shipping.

If it weren't for our local Woodcraft store's presence, there would've
been virtually no power tools at the show. And these guys were thinking
of not even participating this year. They saved the show from bordering
on being a complete joke, in my book.

Notable exception.... and quite possibly worth the price of admission
and travel, alone. This guy:
http://www.stockroomsupply.com/V_Drum_Sander.php
This uniquely designed drum sander is nothing short of amazing and must
be seen to be fully appreciated.

Final word...
for the most part, this show has become at best, disappointing, at
worst, a real joke. Most of the products you would expect to see at a
woodworking show are absent. Maybe it's a case of the manufacturers not
seeing a profitable market in Nashville. Maybe all the cool tools and
new, exciting technologies show up in the bigger markets. Man, I sure
hope so....


The last show I attended was in Cleveland Ohio back in 1999. I wasted
a vacation day, admission and parking fees. It would have been
happier that day buying lumber. What a waste!

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
Snip


Final word...
for the most part, this show has become at best, disappointing, at worst,
a real joke. Most of the products you would expect to see at a
woodworking show are absent. Maybe it's a case of the manufacturers not
seeing a profitable market in Nashville. Maybe all the cool tools and
new, exciting technologies show up in the bigger markets. Man, I sure
hope so....


Hobbyist woodworking in a down economy is most likely the problem.

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/
Snip


Notable exception.... and quite possibly worth the price of admission and
travel, alone. This guy:
http://www.stockroomsupply.com/V_Drum_Sander.php
This uniquely designed drum sander is nothing short of amazing and must be
seen to be fully appreciated.


I have seen a version of this sander at the shows under a different name and
manufacturer. What I don't understand is what's to keep you from creating
scallops and or maintaining a uniform thickness. IMHO it looks good at the
show, what tool does not? How does it actually perform in your or my shop?

The ones that I have seen at the shows "are not" significantly less
expensive that a drum sander with conveyor and is designed to produce
uniform thicknesses.

Leon wrote:
I have seen a version of this sander at the shows under a different name and
manufacturer. What I don't understand is what's to keep you from creating
scallops and or maintaining a uniform thickness.

The guy held a panel in place and it would not scallop.
Probably because you can't push the stock down any further than the table.



The ones that I have seen at the shows "are not" significantly less
expensive that a drum sander with conveyor and is designed to produce
uniform thicknesses.


I can't turn a panel on edge on a drum sander with the overhead
conveyor, nor can I freehand with smaller stock.

I'm not a big fan of uni-taskers, probably due to having such a small
"shop" and having to move tools in and out to the work space. This
thing is very much a tool equivalent of "open source." It does many
things and is quickly converted. If someone already has "Norm's" shop
with a dedicated tool for every conceivable task, they have no use for
this.

Like many of us, I like to build my own stuff, rather than buy it
already made (expensive). I'm not sure what he charges on the website,
but his show prices are very tempting.
I'm a very skeptical person and I'm not easily impressed. Had I not
just been bent over for a transmission rebuild, I'd be building a table
top for this thing, right now. :-)

The guy who apparently loves saying, "this thing,"

--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

"-MIKE-" wrote in message
...
Leon wrote:
I have seen a version of this sander at the shows under a different name
and manufacturer. What I don't understand is what's to keep you from
creating scallops and or maintaining a uniform thickness.

The guy held a panel in place and it would not scallop.
Probably because you can't push the stock down any further than the table.


Thrn I would assume that the out feed side is a bit higher than th ein feed,
similar to a joiner.

Leon wrote:
Thrn I would assume that the out feed side is a bit higher than th ein feed,
similar to a joiner.


It's not, and I was thinking the same thing.
I know the geometry of it leads one to think there would be some rocking
or an eventual downhill drop. I suppose if you were to put 60 grit on
there, that might be the case.

FWIW, the drum is actually a fraction below the table top. The paper is
held on with velcro and when the drum spins, centrifugal force lifts the
paper off the drum a little and puts it in contact with the surface of
the wood. If you were to push the stock across the table, without
turning on the drum, the paper would not touch.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply