Engineering Shows

That's a fair point I didn't consider... Although I didn't check the manufacturer, was just told it's off a Colchester. Whether or not it'll come back to haunt me, for my purposes I think the RDG item still made the better purchase. Even if I later decide some of the surfaces want a scraping. As far as recourse goes, I paid on the credit card so can always go that route if they don't play fair in after sales...

Jay

Most of the tools on dealers stalls are ex industry not Far Eastern hence the price.

Interesting comments on the future of shows, which are only 'local' to a few. I fully understand the need for any trader to make as much as they can to cover the overheads, but surely they should keep their normal business going while they are at a show.

I presume Polly Engineering have all their staff at the show as they are not currently answering their phone or responding to emails!

I doubt you will be able to scrape the hardened surface very easily, may not be as hardened as a pucker one but still hardened.

Hi, mostly industrial tooling is made for the rigors of three shift patterns of five, six or even seven days of the week, I doubt that many modelers work to even half that amount, so cheaper alternatives may well out last most of the user's own use, and not everyone will work to industrial standards.

Regards Nick.

Though it's nice to pick stuff up cheap at shows I find there's a lot of pot-luck in it. Shows aren't a good way of reliably buying tools or materials. I rarely found exactly what I'm looking for and had several disappointments; new tools that were too cheap, manufacturing rejects, and second-hand tools that were too far gone to be useful. All the genuine bargains were spotted in passing and too good to miss even though they weren't on my list. But bargains were few and far between - lots of good gear on offer I'm sure, but nothing I wanted!

So my main reason for show-going is to admire the work of Model Engineers and to chat 'em up! The most I've spent at a show was £150 and sometimes I don't spend anything. If I see something worth buying it's a bonus, not my main reason for going.

Sadly, I'm unlikely to go to shows at all now because I don't travel well. Most of my buying is done with the internet.

Dave

Next Northern show seems to be back to Harrow Gate.

Regards Ian.

I don’t agree with that analysis. Apart from notable exceptions like home and workshop machinery the availability of second hand kit has dwindled vastly over the last 30 years particularly in the south. The northern shows are better at it. I think there are less workshops being cleared, more stuff being shifted on the web and certainly less engineering firms than there were years gone by. Add in the almost total demise of school workshops and the supply of old kit is vastly reduced. When coupled with the increase in made for hobby equipment it’s easy to see why the trend has taken place.

regards Martin

Martin wrote " The aerospace bloke does good files ". He certainly does good twist drills at very reasonable prices.
I needed a cobalt 1/4" drill for some stainless; got 2 branded ones for £2 each ! (and they worked last night).

Regarding the"show" itself, I found it very disappointing. Several of our usual suppliers absent and comparatively few of the region's ME societies' stands. I could usually fill most of a day at exhibitions, but drove home after a couple of hours.

J,

I'm certain it was a genuine Colchester item. I had a quick look as I have one for sale with around 9 holders.

I arrived just after 10, the prebooked queue was still well out of the door. I had not prebooked and walked straight in without any waiting. The queues for food were all long. I only bought a few bits of brass and some parallels. A set of Dasqua (very thin ones) and two pairs of large one set 48mm and other pair 51mm tall. My Bison vice has deep jaws.

Had hoped to see a few more people on the ICE Builders stand. Michael Cole was a bit on the lonely side, but had a good chat to him.

I felt there were not as many displays as previous years. The back end of Hall Two was used as a sit down rest area, whereas in previous years it had displays there.

Still a good day and I felt the attendance was very good.

Colin

We went, on Thgursday, arring at about 10:05 ish. The "Pay on the day" queue, almost back to the carpark.was, as usual, quite long. Having prebooked tickets, we walked straight in.

Impressioons?

Smaller Tables where the Gas Turbine Builders, normally. Hereford S M E were in the main hall, rather than the usual place in the marquee.

No railway outside, and seemingly only a few Fosse Steamers.

Warco, Chronos,, and Chester were absent, as were some of the formerly usual traders.. RDG had a large well stocked stand. Got the impression that the Myford stand was a bit smaller than usual

One or two new traders with small stands..

We found enough to interest us with a fairly leisurely lunch, at the tables in the marque, we stayed until the PA said that the show was closing.

My friend got what he wanted, and stayed within budget!

Overall impression?

Fewer traders and Societies . Club exhibits were of a very high standard Crowds built up by lunchtime.

Howard

My standard test for a show is finding something of which I can say I’m really pleased to have seen that. After that everything else is a bonus. It’s a day out after all not a money saving exercise nice though it is to find a bargain. The more you chat to people the nicer it gets too.

I shall be going on Saturday with my two great nephews and their dad which will greatly enhance the experience.
After the sad demise of Chris Deith I think we are fortunate to be able to enjoy this one.
In recent years events have become more trade show than model exhibition. Events then came to rely heavily on trade stand income and pull for visitors and the exhibits tended to take second place. With a change in the economics trade stands declined and the events became hollowed out. In order for the events to continue the model has to alter with a change in focus to models and model engineering. Lectures , demonstrations, digital workshops, live steaming, great food, places to talk,film shows, etc as well as the static exhibits are needed to draw the crowds and make the finances work. People need to be able to interact and not just wander about and stare.Very easy to say I know and harder to achieve but the old model of show is dying and new shoots need to appear.

regards Martin

Edited By Martin Kyte on 14/10/2022 15:54:46

I attended yesterday. It was my 1st show and was far busier than I expected. There seemed a reasonable amount of traders but not as many models on display as I was expecting. Especially enjoyed the larger scale traction engines on the field. Bargains are probably unlikely to be had on most new items but buying multiple items from the same seller can lead to some bargaining.

The 2 lumps of metal were priced at a total of £40 I paid £30 but postage saved would likely be substantial. Milling cutters £1 each, ( it pays to look under some of the stalls as they have so much stuff they can't display it all) dormer woodruff cutter £5 from the same seller. The alloy rods cost the same as the Milling cutters! Die from Tracy tools and flux from cup, normal retail prices. I was happy with my purchases.

Dave

Edited By iNf on 14/10/2022 18:37:18

Its easier to get a bit knocked off when the total price comes to a nice big round number and then some change. They don't like giving change so tend to be happy to round down. You can only ask. They really don't like taking stuff home again. Second hand stuff is more likely to be haggleable if thats even a word.

There are some real anomalys though. I remember my mate looking at buying a Myford collet from Myford (Beeston) back in the day. They hadn't got the size he wanted but Myford pointed him to I think Chronos who had and they were cheaper. Barrie asked where Chronos got them from and they said from Myford. Wierd.

regards Martin

Thanks all - mixed reviews, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

By the way are the PEC edge finders available in metric? I’m used to a 6mm diameter cylinder.

I went to a farm engineering show where I live, and stuff were not cheap, however everytime I pass a certain booth the guy gave me A small WD40 can for free, so I made regular passes for 3 days, have enough WD40 for some time.

Being American the PEC is imperial. At 0.200 I just put 2.54 into the DRO rather than 3 when working in metric

Can't actually see the cylindrical one on their website at the moment just the ball end which are quite expensive. Zoro list them at £30 something but long delivery

Also think of what you are going to hold them in as 16mm won't fit a drill chuck on a small mill, would need ER20+ for collets and some of the similar looking ones to the Chronos on e-bay are massive