FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 12:44 AM |
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Yes, I expected more folks to show up but the ones that did, made it beneficial to my business. And, it was more than just business. It was about networking, meeting the fine members of FabNet, greeting existing customers and having a good time. Many regular exhibitors for the past 10 years I heard complaining about the attendence. Oh well. Maybe they displayed stale product...IMO. Maybe if you've seen it once, twice, 3 times, you've seen it a thousand times. They may want to keep the word diversify in their vocab and business plan. It works. I had more people stop by and mention: "I've seen your ad on FabNet" than I would have ever realized. We had a great show. I never thought I'd be shipping 3 GEM sanders to France of all places,picked up a re-distributor in Puerto Rico, had a pallet ofglue sticks going to Arizona or would be asked to do a speech at a university on business distibution. It's all good.
To be continued... |
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al
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| 19 Mar 2007 12:56 AM |
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Amen, brother Dave.
Diversification, or at least something new to see, that is why we spend 15 to 20 grand going to a local home and garden show. Full kitchen, packed with hardware and features, even if they might be too expensive for our clientele.
Something new for the folks to see, pack the booth and make em remember us. Solve their problems and they will send you money. |
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| "if it is so safe, why aren't they supporting the testing?" |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 01:01 AM |
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Thoughts on thos I met...
Andy & Val (Ann) Californias 1st couple. Exactly what you would expect. Charming, friendly, like they'e lived next door to you forever.
Norm & Susan, we WILL get together in Tampa or St. Pete. Great people.
Joe Corlett, never thought he'd be 6'5".
Steve L. of Monument, Have met him before but I MUST thank him for having my back at the show!! I owe you Steve.
Mory...this is funny only because I would have done the same thing. Mory says: "There's no tables in the FabNet Booth". I guess they were supposed to be there. I direct him to the Freeman help desk. He asks where the tables are at. They ask him how many he needs. He says 2. They say, that will be $300.00. Mory looks at them and says, I para phrase: "I'll set the S*** on the floor if it costs that much." LOL LOL
To be continued...
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Joe Corlett
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| 19 Mar 2007 01:14 AM |
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Dave:
Please allow me to expound on your "having a good time" theme.
It seems our gentleman's agreement for me to buy you a drink and you to buy me two was cleverly sabotaged by Shane's surreptitious purchase of ta-kill-ya shots for all, taking us to the edge of responsibility, cab ride or not.
I propose that we drink the missed '07's at the '08 show along with the '08's before Mr. Shane again undermines our efforts.
I'm certain I can count on your honor in this endeavor,
Joe |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 01:16 AM |
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Al and his lovely wife. They both worked the FabNet booth tirelessly. Superb people, just what FabNet needs. 2 of the nicest people I met.
Kevin Andreas. Talked shop with him for 5 minutes as he was setting up for a seminar. A wealth of knowledge.
Cygnus. Kevin Cole & Sandy Milroy have helped to further my family business more than they know.. I not only consider them friends, I consider them family. Absolute professionals!
Oxley...
Festool & Akemi...WELCOME ABOARD THE FEDSAW TRAIN !
To be continued... |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 01:18 AM |
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Won't be in Vegas Joe. Let me know where the party is and I'll send you a scotch & water in a 5 gallon bucket. |
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Valerie Graves
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| 19 Mar 2007 02:26 AM |
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[QUOTE] FEDSAWDAVE wrote
Al and his lovely wife. They both worked the FabNet booth tirelessly. Superb people, just what FabNet needs. 2 of the nicest people I met.
Dave,
You are right on the money with this one!! Al and Christina I can not thank you enough. You two were amazing!! And I can't agree with Dave enough, THE nicest people I met as well.
Val |
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| Owner of Olive Mill |
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al
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| 19 Mar 2007 02:49 AM |
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Dave, you selling the Akemi sealer? I heard it is pretty good stuff. Selling Festool as well now?
Thanks for the kind words, I'll accept them on Christina's behalf. Me? Heck, I am a bigger naughty pirate than Joe is. She just makes me behave........... |
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| "if it is so safe, why aren't they supporting the testing?" |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 12:11 PM |
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Right Al, nothing like a wife with a bull whip LOL
We've always had sealers, we're just adding the Akemi/Bellinzoni line because it's good stuff and they now have a stocking warehouse in Florida.They have 100's of products. Before, the freight from NY was hideous and made the product not competitive.
Festool. Interesting conversation. I was wandering around and my C-phone rings. FedSawJohn says you need to get back here, a couple of guys from Festool would like to talk to you. So I did. I've explained in the past that I chose not to take on the line because you could not stock it. Now you can.
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Matt Kraft
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| 19 Mar 2007 03:46 PM |
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I would say the show floor was a little disappointing. I understand that the industry is maturing, but it would be nice to see something new each year. I walked up to Tom Pinske, said hi, asked him what he's got that's new. He said nothing. Disappointing.
The only jaw dropper was the USG robotics. But there were probably only a handful of people there that could afford the half mil price tag on that thing.
If it weren't for the glut of sink suppliers and imported sheet stock, the exhibit hall would have been fairly empty. |
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| "It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive...." |
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Matt Kraft
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| 19 Mar 2007 03:49 PM |
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Just reread that post and it sounds depressing.
My favorite part of show, networking and talking to other fabricators was good as always. Thanks FabNet.
Spent a good bit of time talking to Andy, Mory, and Chris at the party. Also met Tom Mather. He should be hired out as entertainment, funny stuff. Had more in common with him than I thought. Good conversation.
Never seems like we have enough time for that part, but its the best. |
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| "It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive...." |
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Tom M
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| 19 Mar 2007 06:49 PM |
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...nothing like a wife with a bull whip
I knew I went too late to that party.
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...those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C.S. Lewis |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 06:58 PM |
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No Tom, you didn't stay late enough...
Speaking of Tom Mather, here's a guy who you would just love to have as a next door neighbor. You'd go out to the paper in the morning and he'd fire a water baloon at you or super glue your fence handle shut LOL.
You'd probably also be sharing a lot of tall beers together...Cheers |
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Tom M
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| 19 Mar 2007 07:14 PM |
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Geez, I thought I closed it with Chris and Matt sharing a cab ride, with Matt and I fighting over the tab. He's smart and cunning, but we were the later stop, so I paid.
A sad note - I saw a young mother leaving that place (what - 12:45 or so?) with a two-year old kid sucking on a pacifier. I'm a pretty gentle guy, but I could have strangled her.
I never made one of those pvc potato (potatoe for those of you in that part of the states) bazookas, but I'd be willing to try. Could be more fun than a water baloon launcher. |
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...those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C.S. Lewis |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 08:18 PM |
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Oh yeah, I almost forgot...I'd like to thank the union *#%)*^^%@x>)&$^%#(*))*&%$ !!  |
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Joe Corlett
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| 19 Mar 2007 09:43 PM |
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[QUOTE]FEDSAWDAVE wrote
Oh yeah, I almost forgot...I'd like to thank the union *#%)*^^%@x>)&$^%#(*))*&%$ !![/QUOTE]
Dave:
Yea, I'm with you on this one. The end of child labor, health and saftey regulations, the eight-hour work day, social security, the weekend, and establishment of the largest middle class the world has ever seen.
F$%&*( Unions,
Joe
Member, Local 687, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America |
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Tom M
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| 19 Mar 2007 09:58 PM |
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...JImmy Hoffa, the smashing of windows of vehicles that dare cross a picket line, the beating of legal replacement workers, yup, I'm with you too, Joe.
I mean, as long as we're reminiscing.
To be fair, my relatives were benefitted greatly by unionization in the 20's and 30's textile trade in the Northeast, though.
On the whole, I side with the need for, if not the practice of Unions. |
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...those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C.S. Lewis |
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Tom M
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| 19 Mar 2007 10:00 PM |
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...oh, and the coming practice of forcing public ballots for voting in unions into businesses.
That's intimidation at it's best.
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...those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C.S. Lewis |
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FEDSAWDAVE
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| 19 Mar 2007 10:01 PM |
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Typical union...the biggest bunch of do nothing collect everything bunch of lazy I don't care malcontents i've ever had the displeasure of witnessing. Wonder if the 30+ day laborers that were dropped off at the back door were getting the same wages? Me thinks not.
I think, no as a matter of fact I know I'll take the advice of a manufacture I deal with and do the small regional shows where the union has imploded.
Having said that and I repeat myself...we did well all things considered. |
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al
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| 20 Mar 2007 12:54 AM |
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Joe, I got my cabinet making training thru the carperters union in Tulsa, Ok. My dad worked was a member from the mid sixties to the late eighties. Contractors paid $8.oo per hour into the Health and pension fund for him. Around 25 years or so paying average of $16,000 per year into the fund for him. He retired when he hit 65 and gets a grand total of $75.00 per month. Do the math, Joe. Some cheap insurance that didn't even cover me when I was a kid and a pittiance for retirement.
It was a good old boy club when I was in it. Only way to get a job was to call a superintendent you knew and ask them to ask for you. They would send out the bums that hung around and played poker on the hiring hall, us decent guys would have to do the work for these untrained, lazy, bums. I had to show more than one how to put on a safety belt, and it wasn't uncommon to find a second year apprentice leading a crew of old timers building forms or hanging doors or trim.
Union representation? Once, I was standing in a pit at a concrete plant we were expanding, fly ash and stone dust from the grinders raining down like a heavy snow fall. Lay a framing square down for ten minutes and it would disappear completely. A useless old fart of a business agent shows up, and calls us up to chat with us. What can he do for us, how are we doing, all that insincere drivel they are good at spewing. So we all asked if they can get the company to shut off the grinder while we worked, build a tarp to divert it, or at least get us some cheap dust masks. Not his job, he says and waddles off.
I got him later, bounced his butt out of a superintendents office after he called me off the jobsite cause I hadn't paid dues. I was an apprentice, wasn't required to pay dues till I was initiated around the second year of training. I cussed his butt all the way to his car, he never would stand and fight. This guy, like all of the incompentets working there were a product of elections that they made it next to impossible to vote at, holding them during working hours was their favorite trick. Most of us just joined because we had to, many from my home town were recruited by family or friends, sent to be hired by the job superintendent or foreman, and told to join the union to get hired. They would take your $500 dollars and you were a union man.
I finially got sick of the politics, old farts standing up at meetings and shouting down any attempts to change things for the better, and being robbed by their so called health and pension fund.
I'm with Tom, if I understand him right, good idea once upon a time, but they are just socialists now in my opinion. |
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| "if it is so safe, why aren't they supporting the testing?" |
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