IWF Atlanta 2010 - My Friday Visit

So I went to IWF Friday.

Here is what I found:

The show was much smaller. Grizzly was not there. 

Friday after about 11:30am the crowds were VERY thin!!

In no particular order:

I talked for a while with the owner of JDS. The have a 2 and 3hp cyclone that is really great design for hobby guys. If you are looking at cyclones Take a look at these. JDS website 

Talked with the owner of Oneida ( the Gorilla people ). Another very nice guy. Talked about the cyclone "wars" of the last 12 years. Interesting - he said the "dust deputy" was one one of the things that got them thru the last two slow years. They have a cool new sensor for checking if your clone bin is full. It will be $119. If you want it you may have to call and ask for it.

Bosch has some really nice new stuff. They have 3 new drills in their 12V line. I bought the new hex drive. It is now 2 speed 350/1300 with 200 in/lbs of tourque. VERY nice !! AND I got a free PS20B. 

John from Bridge City was there. He showed my how to use the kerf maker. And talking with him is always fun. 

Ridge Carbide has a dado stack that really should get some more attention. He did demo cut in plywood. the bottom and side were perfectly smooth. He had this 
for $169 I think. Call him on the phone. I have a Ridge Carbide 10" combo on my TS which I like alot.

Stopped by the Jorgensen clamp booth. Got 20 free plastic shims that will make my big clamps stop sticking. Nice people. !!!

Looked at the Noden Adjust-a-bench system. This has really changed my mind about what to do about a new bench!! 

Got to play with the new Veritas end vise !! This is another new device for work benches that will make you think about how you are going to build your next workbench, or re-work your existing bench. Here is the Lee-Valley Link This mechanism is REALLY smooth and the flip lever to engage the threads is very easy to work. I talked with the lady who mounted the vise to their travelling bench. It took her 30 mins total !!

Oliver, General, Rikon and Steel City all had like 40x40 booths. 

Laguna was there showing off their in-house re-saw blade. And a new feeder that is about $800-900. I liked the feed because you do no have to drill you table. 

One more thing! Ace Tools was selling a new line of Fein ( and all the others ) blades. This is a univeral fit for all of the major virbrating cuttoff tools.

Oh yea, Woodcraft was a late arrival. There booth was in the wrong building any good exposure and was only a 10x10 booth. Rob Cosman was there promoting his new product. Got the feel the new version 3 of the WoodRiver brand planes. About $170 for a Stanley bedrock-style 5 1/2 plane. These look pretty good. They have a 62 for about $70 which really looks nice. 

So if you read all of this... there ya go !!! 

If you do not live in Atlanta and you are a Hobby Woodworker, I do not see much value in the show anymore. If you are looking to outfit a shop, well you do get to touch a lot of stuff, so it might be helpful.

I am really looking forward to Woodworking In America. There is a GREAT line up of vendors and the competition for our dollars will be intense.