The Sandown Park Model Engineer Exhibtion 2011

[Steve CParticipant @stevec73837]

This was the first year of going to sandown been put off before by other peoples reports must say very impressed with the layout and overall friendlyness of the show will defo be back next year

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Hi all

Went down on Sunday with a coachload of the BSMEE and we enjoyed ourselves met up with a shed load of old friends and as am building a B1 had a long chat with Chris Vine inbetween him signing books. My youngest grandson (16) came with me so it was a arm and a leg job Ah well it’s near christmas.

David I feel that the free ticket on a sunday worked a treat talking to old friends on trade stands, so get your beancounters interested in it again next year.

 

Kindest regards and I hope your health is picking up

 

Merry christmas and as we scots will say a prosperious new year.

And lang may your lum reek

iterpretation as long as you can afford coal you are not poor. 

Bob

Edited By Springbok on 17/12/2011 23:33:28

[Michael MallesonParticipant @michaelmalleson22793]

Hi David. Please NO more cheap jack stalls selling tacky rubbish, it is after all a MODEL ENGINEERING EXHIBITION,and why were so many of our leading suppliers not in attendance ? For many of us it’s the one chance in the year to meet the person on the end of the ‘phone. Why do they stay away ? Mike.

[SteveWParticipant @stevew54046]

Come on now! I like the cheap tat!

 

One man’s tat is another man’s bargain.

 

I’ve no problem with buying chap, tatty anything – even tools. If it breaks after I’ve given it a bit of a hammreing and I know its useful I’ve then no problem with buying a replacement of better quality. Sometimes the tatty one lasts and lasts…

 

Steve W

 

[TomfileryParticipant @tomfilery]

Thank goodness someone put his head above the parapet (Mike Malleson). I was beginning to think that everyone else had been at a different exhibition to me!

 

The models were superb and both inspired and made one feel incompetent at the same time; the venue was great (except for the much commented on lack of seating), but I thought the traders were poor. The larger ones were fine (Tracey, RDG, Chester), but I thought that too many of the others were selling tat, or rusty junk (apologies – I’ve doubtless included some good people in with the rest)! Some suppliers didn’t seem to have taken as much stuff as usual – perhaps we don’t buy enough!

 

I know we are our own worst enemies, always on the look out for a bargain, but I agree with Mike, the emphasis ought to be on the Model Engineering, not on the sort of odds and ends we can readily buy in the local B&Q.

 

Regards Tom

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

Traders are nothing to do with me.

That is down to sales.

regards David

Edited By David Clark 1 on 14/01/2012 14:02:31

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi All,

 

I have no problem with ‘Tat’ traders Like Steve I sometimes buy an item – I nearly bought a pair of those flashy braces that one guy was selling. It’s a bit like visiting a car boot sale.

 

Seriously though I was talking to one very well known trader the other day and was told that they don’t bother with the London exhibitions any longer as it is too expensive to buy space and combined with logistics and travel costs it is not worth their while. So perhaps it is our fault for not buying enough – witness the demise of Myford.

 

Regards,

 

Terry

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Quantity and quality of traders is down purely to cost.

many of the larger stands are into 5 figures for the 3 days once transport, hotels and meals are taken into account, that’s a lot to claw back.

 

Now there are more shows than ever before and expanding choices will have to be made against attending and loosing sales from a closed down base operation and more importantly in this day and age , internet sales.

 

Shows are a triangle based on gate money, models [ which get in free ] and trade, who pay the bulk.

All are needed and if one side of the triangle falters the others suffer.

 

John S.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, one is not forced to buy tat, or cheap stuff, are they? and to my mine there is very often some handy stuff on the rusty junk and odds ‘n’ ends stands, are we not engineers with a bit of inspiration? I though the main reason for going to the exhibitions was to see the work that others have done and/or learn something from them or from the demonstrations or lectures.

 

Regards Nick.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

I love digging thorugh the bargain stalls; some bring a lot more stuff than they have on their websites. Picking up second hand collets etc. can save you money and you still get quality.

 

Neil

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

I think we should keep the stands which are not strictly “Model Engineering”, I have certainly found many useful (and reasonably priced) items on them.

Also looking at odd items can prove a source of inspiration for alternative methods of achieving an end product

 

Edited By V8Eng on 14/01/2012 21:40:32

[Steve CParticipant @stevec73837]

what the majority of model engineers tend to forget they have had there work shop and tooling for many years alot of new enthusiasts dont have thousands of pounds to spend on over priced “quality” tooling so have to make do with cheaper alternatives. so far buying cheaper alternatives I now own a 3.5″ lathe, a.5″ drill press nd a 6″ grinder and linisher so far I have spent £150 if I had bought english that figure would have been 20 times that I do belive in buying British and am very patriotic but it is the diffrence between doing the hobby and not . so dont dissmis the cheaper end of the scale its more of a starting block rather than total tat

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Stop yer whingin and whinin, I managed to pick up some very good second hand Robert Sorby and Ashley Isles woodturning gouges and some almost new (all be a little rust stained) gear cutters for very little money from what you lot are tainting as ‘tat’ stalls. Bring it on I say, ones mans tat is another mans treasure.

If you don’t like what they are selling then do what I do, have a quick look and walk on by

[Author]

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