Probably the most important advice I can say to anyone who has to work a woodworking show is to wear comfortable shoes and make sure that you have on underwear that doesn't chafe. Other good advice is to make sure you stay hydrated, eat lunch properly, and carry a bag of cough drops.I put these hints to good use last week at the Handworks show in Amana. The show was awesome. And the barn has a wooden floor which definitely makes it easier for us and certainly anyone waking around. My legs were not killing me after a whole day of standing. The show was also a landmark for us because for the first time we brought merchandise to sell, cash and carry, in a long time. In spite of the rain pouring down all of Saturday, and the place getting super cold (I could not feel my fingers all Saturday afternoon), the place was packed and everyone had fun. Free admission meant meeting lots of significant others and children which is great because woodworking when it's a hobby, is also a family thing. Something you do at home with your family waiting for your results. The show opened Friday with a invocation by Jameel's father, Fr. Raphael. On Saturday, the very engaging talk about toolboxes in general and the H. O. Studley Toolbox in particular started off with movingly beautiful singing of our national anthem by Carl Binderback. As cynical as this New Yorker is about formality these opening ceremonies were spot-on. When you hold a woodworking event in a wooden barn, and it's free so everything comes and hangs out, and you acknowledge the participants place in the larger context of the world, the country, and of course home and family, it's much easier to remember that Woodworking, and all do-it-yourself crafts are not about going to a store and getting some tool, they are not about consuming, they are about producing, it's about making things for your family, it's about tradition and handing things down, history and continuity.
Handworks 2013 was a massive success, not because as ironmongers we sold a lot of stuff, that just enables us to go on, it was a massive success because it enabled us (and everyone) to connect with the woodworking community and meet their families. We met old customers, new customers, famous faces, familiar faces, new faces, and we ended up feeling great. This was the first time I have ever been to Iowa, and it's lovely. It was a new experience for me, clear skies, clean air, and the thing that was most remarkable, a different kind of quiet. Really something and I enjoyed it very much. The second picture is Amana Village at dusk.
At the show we also introduced for the first time Easy-bits, our modern take on gimlets. People seemed to like them. We also brought our new Rivendell Mountain Works backpacks to the show. These are a Ben, our workshop manager and avid biker, hiker find and we have them in limited stock just in time for Father's Day and the hiking season. Its officially the start of the summer season when much more time should be spent outdoors looking at trees than doing them harm. You won't find a better pack anywhere than these American made packs. The maker is also a woodworker, and I really like the solid simplicity of his designs. I brought my new Lupine pack to the show, it holds tons, and I use it every day going and coming from work. The last picture is an actual picture of me picking out my new backpack when we first got the bags in.
The one person who made a big difference? My hat's off to Jameel Abraham of Benchcrafted, who came up with the idea for Handworks, organized the show, did all the heavy lifting, waited around for booth cargo to both arrive and depart, paid for the forklift, the list goes on. Jameel - We can't thank you enough for all the work you did to make Handworks 2013 such a rousing success!!!! (PS. Jameel - I know your bother and the rest of the family did a lot of work too but I think you're the guy who made it happen)
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