Fox Chapel Open House

[sawdust1]

Fox Chapel cancelled their 2017 Open House for next year. Big loss of a show.

 

Bob

[Denny Knappen]

I enjoyed the show two years ago and planned on going this year.  Met a lot of forum members.

[Sycamore67]

It is a big loss but a long way to go for many. Fox Chapel did not seem interested in doing anything to reach out to others not located close by.

 

Their website suffered badly do to their lack of action to resolve problems for many months. However, many of us have found a great home here in the village.

[amazingkevin]

Fox Chapel cancelled their 2017 Open House for next year. Big loss of a show.

 

Bob

do tell,i know nothing of an open house

[hawkeye10]

do tell,i know nothing of an open house

Kevin I know nothing about it either but I have led a sheltered life.  

[Rolf]

OK you guys have pushed my buttons. Yes I do work with Fox Chapel as a test cutter and occasionally contribute to an article but the following are my opinions and mine only

 

The Open Houses were well publicized in the Magazine and on every forum and also Facebook, Not sure what else they could have done to get the word out there. 

 

Regarding the having them host a show elsewhere that is IMO just not realistic. The logistical effort to put on a show of this scale is huge. It involved all of the staff and a many many volunteers. All of their resources are local and the cost to go to other states would be massive. Our local woodworking club puts on a show every year in November so I know first hand what is involved. So I would suggest that the local clubs organize their own events around the country like the good old days, they will quickly realize it isn't easy.

 

I hope I have this right. Regarding the SSWWC forum, yes they had some issues, the old software died and the new software and web hosting service had some real issues. FC has a very small staff that publishes several magazines and the forum was a freebie to us, they did not have the resources to dedicate to the forum. They depended on the vendor. We all know that didn't go as planed. The forum has survived and is making a comeback, a bit of a challenge because there are so many new ones such as this and many on Facebook. I try and visit all of them as each has something to offer.

 

My final comment " it is very easy to criticize something, we have it in our own club, but unless we have something to offer to make it better  or provide constructive solutions, or are willing to step up. I don't. I have inherited too many projects that way. 

[NC Scroller]

I attended the 2014, 2015, and 2016 Open Houses / Woodworking Show. They were great events. As Rolf said it was advertised in all the Fox Chapel magazines, on all their forums, on their Facebook pages and if you look back you will even see posts on this forum about the 2016 Open House. Yes it was in PA so it was easier for the East Coast folks to attend but then again we on the East Coast can't make it to the Mid West Picnic event. I do know a fellow scroller who drove from WI every year. I understand business and I can see why FC had to do this but in by opinion loosing this show is not good for our hobby.

 

 

 

 

 

Unlike Rolf I do not have any connection to Fox Chapel.

[Denny Knappen]

Well said, Rolf.  I am a member of both forums and try to visit each every day. 

[Jim McDonald]

Like many others here, I am a member of both forums (much newer here) and feel they can and WILL co-exist.  I was fortunate to make the show three years ago and had plans to return every year and every year something popped up.  While it is not a short drive from central Indiana to eastern PA, I did it and would do it again.

 

I understand the folks at Fox Chapel making a tough decision based on business.  The folks from the publishing company (and it was most--if not all--the employees) did a fantastic job being hosts and making everyone feel welcome.  I know they publicized it every way they could short of stuffing invites in every new saw or blade order, but they just had to make a tough decision.

 

I have been involved in smaller productions and understand the logistics of it.  For the size show they put on, the cost and toll must have been great. Knowing that, I can understand there will NOT be any local shows/schools around the country, because of cost.  What cost an attendee $60 to attend in their back yard, would cost multiple times that if they were to try to travel and pay lodging/food/labor costs, etc.

[Sycamore67]

I think that what I was saying is that for many of us attending the Fox show or not was a business decision. It cost me quite a few hundred dollars to attend once including gas,hotels, and meals. I just can not justify attending more than once in awhile.

 

It would be nice for someone to put on a one day forum or class somewhere. If it was not such a major production, it would be significantly less expensive. Would I pay for an all day class...yes. Maybe do it with a Woodcraft which has frequent woodworking classes.

 

I hope the Fox forum survives as each forum has a unique personality but they have a huge climb back up.