This was my 5th International Woodworking show in Atlanta to attend in the past 20 years. While the show was scaled down, this was actually a great show for me.
The booths were smaller, in years past all 1.5 million square ft was packed, including the hallways between floors. This year, only building A and B was used and both of them only about 75%.

I did swing by the ISFA booth, talked with Sandy Milroy.. (Hi Sandy.. she said she was too shy to post on here...LOL) was hoping to run into Kevin Cole, but he was out at the new LG plant making a visit.
Gem Sander was there, Speciality Tools, Festool, nice to see the same people I have seen for years at the shows.

What was good, the economy being the way it is, seems to have allowed many displaced workers to actually start their own business, or go to work for someone else with the ability to really create something new. I believe I saw more "new" items here as ever before.

I discovered a hand profile sander here from a company, that I will use and if it really works as great as I think it will, it will solve 99% of my difficult profile sanding, not only with wood, but with SS as will. Hopefully I will do a review on here if it works!

One of the best materials I saw at the show was from Decotone Surfaces, I believe they were from NJ.  I thought of  Green Gene McDonald when I saw this product, a clear acrylic with a internal layer of shredded bud light cans. The material was then theromformed into bar seat bottoms and a table top.  I told them about this FabNet site, so hopefully we will hear more from them. They had halogram lamanite panels, translucent laminate... really a innovative booth!

Many of my kitchen componet suppliers were there, most introducing more styles than they have in years, most saying they really have got involved with their customers to see what they can do to offer better product. The results have paid off, as I saw many products I will buy.

Festool had a smaller booth than usual, however all their tools were still there, with demos every 2 hours.  I got a sneak peek with their new Rotex with an interchangable head, wow, like buying one sander and getting 2, thanks for the sneak peek Steve!!

While the large companies failed to attend this show, it was great to see the smaller ones with their innovation showing up. The attendence seemed to be about 1/3 of what I remember, which was great for those of us that was there.

KC

Nice report! Thanks for taking the time to post.

Sorry I missed you, KC; I was really looking forward to seeing you again. However, the LG solid surface plant tour was very insightful and I also got to see the beginning of their construction of a new e-stone plant right next door, which is set to start producing quartz surfacing in April.


Kevin

Caesarstone has a similar material called Concetto. We've also had a supplier from I think Arizona that was selling the stuff. The price for the display was something like $7k.

The pricing that you listed is very similar. Some of the materials cost up to $22k per slab.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if it's the same stuff with different wholesalers.

Thanks for posting. You happen to have any pictures?

Thanx kelsey for thinking of me..i shloulda went for at least a day...

Thanks Kelsey,

That was a fine report! I was just thinking I havent seen ya for a while. We all need to get together to do a show!  I dont know when I can do that, Im stuck in China now. MAybe we can do the next Guangzhou fair! Can you imagine me, you, Tom M, Tom Wagner, Green Gene, Andy, Norm, David G etc, etc cruising the show as a modern day rat pack (referring to the Sinatra days in Vegas). That would be so freaking cool!

Plus you need my Oriental Drinking Customs class. You graduated with highest honors and accolades from my Chinese Drinking Customs 101 course. But there is also the 102 course! And after that there are some graduate courses for your doctorate!

You telll that sweetybug Sandy Milroy to post up on here! Thats a Lenny Order! I miss that fine lady! That girl is a freaking marketing genuis, and could sell ice cubes to eskimo's. Ive never seen a talent quite like hers!  She is remarkable! She is also a freaking MAC expert and can layout any magazine article or photo shoot you can imagine! And she will even imagine extra stuff you never dreamed of! Isfa was lucky to snap her up! She, like me  is very marketable. I hope they treat her good, because if not I may have to hire that sweetybug genuis  myself!

I know she is the Sandy and is extremely shy. Last time I talked to her she said I read your posts all the time and you still crack me up!~

 Sweetybug Sandy,  we all miss ya baby girl! Can ya post up on here from time to time? , its good to read a little english now and again! Tell Steve Bace to post here too!
How is Stan doing?

If Russ or Kevin give ya any grief about posting tell them next time I email them, I will reach thru that puter screen and give them some noogies!