IWF Atlanta

[carlosgmarroquin]

Hi. I'm planning to attend the IWF in Atlanta in 3 weeks.

I have never been in a trade show so big, so if anyone care to share some tips about how to optimize time and effort and at the same time get the most information and knowledge out of it, I will greatly appreciate.

Carlos.

[mims]

I don't know what you'll be looking for exactly, but since this is a shopbot forum, I'll assume you aren't looking for a $2,000,000 machining center.. so don't waste too much time staring at the huge machines, even if they have the 'WOW!!' factor.

[bleeth]

Wear good walking shoes, make a list of your main concerns. Spend the first day (or two) going through fairly quickly making a list of "go backs". Hit your lists on the next day and don't get distracted.

[carlosgmarroquin]

Thank you for your answers.

Dave, I think that strategy could work for me.

Since there is a lot of materials and tools that you don't find locally, my list includes:

Power tools
Cutting tools
Materials like plastics or engineered wood

and the shopbot booth of course

[ckurak]

Carlos,

I agree that you should wear comfortable walking shoes. This is very, very important.

Some other tips:

1) There is a fast food court in the CNN building right across the street. They have many, many choices for food and at reasonable prices. The only drawback is trying to find a table at exactly lunch time. The food court services that entire office building, and probably some of the neighboring buildings as well. But, if you take lunch a little early or late, it is an inexpensive alternative to the food vendors at the show.

2) Don't take handouts, especially catalogs, from vendors unless you really, really want them. You will find out very quickly that they are heavy. Ask that they scan your card and mail them to you instead.

3) Don't let anyone scan your card at their booth unless you want to be on their mailing list for a very long time. The vendors' goal is to gather the most names possible for their mailing list. The sales guys use the number of cards scanned as a measure of accomplishment. Your goal is to only get on the mailing lists that you want to be on. I often turn my card around so the sales guys cannot just walk up with their portable scanners and scan your card while you are wearing it. (The card is part of your name badge thingy.) Not too many sales guys are that rude, but some are.

4) If you do decide to collect some handouts, find a carry bag that has cloth handles, not the rope style. The thin rope will cut into your hands as the bag gets heavier. If you do start with a rope handle, don't be shy about ditching it later when you find a cloth bag. It is your hand that is hurting, not any one elses.

5) Make a plan. Use the small pocket guide or map that they hand out. I do not pick up the heavy exhibitor book to carry around. If I want that, I grab it at the end of the day.

6) I usually make a quick trip up and down the aisles in order. If I see something interesting two aisles over, I do NOT jump over there. I will get there during my planned pattern.

7) This year IWF is only in two buildings. They usually are in three buildings. A lot of the large "big iron" companies have pulled out the show. For us shopbotters, that probably does not make much of a difference. It was interesting to see how big some of those setups were. So, with only two buildings to cover, it will not take as much walking.

8) After you have covered the entire floor, sit down and make a plan to visit booths again that really are of interest. Circle their locations on your map. Then visit them in geographical order. This will make the trips shorter.

9) DISCLAIMER: I am a member of the Cabinet Makers Association.
If you are a custom woodworker or cabinet maker, please stop by the CMA booth (I believe it is 1979, across the aisle from the Walzcraft booth) and see what they have to offer. They are offering a free workshop Wednesday evening. You can get details at the booth or at: http://www.cabinetmakers.org/2010_IWF_CMA_Events.html

By the way, I did NOT list the first 8 items just so you would read #9. I have been a shopbotter longer than I have been a CMA member. I wrote them because I believe in helping other shopbotters. So many have helped me.

Good luck at the show! You will enjoy it.

[harryball]

If you are looking for deals, be sure to go on the last half of the last day.

A small back pack can be handy for your carry items and take aways. It beats a bag or cart.

Hearing protection, you'll find ear plugs a nice retreat at times.

Some kind of soothing throat drops / breath mints. When you are talking it will often be loud leading to a sore throat quickly.

It doesn't hurt to have safety glasses with you if you're looking at the kind of equipment that requires them. Just a peace of mind thing.

If you are prone to back pain and aches, a few small insta heat or cold packs (depending on what works for you) can go a long way.

Drugs - asprin / tylenol etc... any more than that I don't want to know about.

Time, bring plenty of it.

Might see you there. We have our list-o-questions and will be there at least 2 days.

/RB

[carlosgmarroquin]

I appreciate your time writing this advices.

Hope to meet some of you there

[jerry_stanek]

If you are planig on getting some stuff at the end of the show a fold up two wheel cart is nice. Remember that you can get some good buys after the show is over and you can dicker about the price. There are a lot of vendors that show their stuff and don't want to pack it up or it is out of the packing and can not be sold again. Good Luck

[carlosgmarroquin]

Now, that is a good thing to know

[tracys]

I'll be there Wed, Thur, Fri. Leaving Friday night. The last day tends to wind down little early.

[Gary Campbell]

to those that were fortunate enough to attend....

[harryball]

Gary, besides missing me :p

The show was the smallest I'd ever seen. Rather than 3 full buildings (A B C) and the connecting hallways it only used about 2/3 of Building A and 3/4 to 7/8 of building B with little to nothing in the hallways.

Was it worth going? Yes. Did I go for a second day? No. Why didn't I go? Despite a long list and planning 2 days, I was able to see every vendor product I set out to see in one day. There was never any waiting at booths, there was very little resistance to foot traffic.

Shopbot's booth was very well done this year. It was either larger, felt larger or was both. The 3 open sides really made it visible. It was one of the busiest booths we encountered. I spoke to several of the guys but didn't want to tie anyone up too long, gotta let them work you know.

I attended Wednesday as I have every other show. I know attendance was lower than I've ever experienced. I cannot speak for the other days. Hopefully for all the vendors it was enough.

/RB

[beacon14]

A very different environment than previous years. With all the huge machine companies gone the show was half as large as in the past, maybe less. Other than the ShopBot booth, which had 5 machines running continuously, including a couple of the new Tyro units and a 5-axis wonder, very few booths saw a steady stream of visitors. I ended up going back today to take care of a few loose ends and it was like a ghost town. Some of the vendors were packing up early or already gone. I hope the show will be able to bounce back and survive in future years but I'm sure many of the vendors will be thinking hard about coming back in two years if it will be like this again.

I overheard that there were 12,000 pre-registered attendees, as opposed to 40-50,000 in past years. Judging from the number of people actually walking the floor, I think even 12,000 was wishful thinking.

In terms of what was new and different, only a few small items caught my eye. Check out KornerKing.com (http://www.kornerking.com/Default.asp) for some innovative corner cabinet solutions and Ghostud.com (http://ghostud.com/) for a great drywall anchor device. I bought a laser measuring device and a drawer pull installation jig for the closet installers, neither all that new but new to me. Found some other closet accessories and shook hands with some folks I don't get to see very often or had never met.

I have truly been fortunate to live in such close proximity to what has always been a very worthwhile event, and I'd be sad to see it wither away or worse. For those who missed it I really hope to see you back here in two years if not before.

[tracys]

Although the show was much smaller than any I've attended there in the last 15 years, it still took me 2 1/2 days to get through the whole thing. Shopbots booth was one of the busiest with sawdust coming off 5 machines all the time. The light attendence gave me plenty of time to talk to the Shopbot guys and Vectric guys more than normal. Hopefully the show will rebound. I get an education every time I go, even without making a single purchase.