WA Wood Show: tools, skill demonstrations to feature
Above: Popular WA Wood Show presenter Greg Miller will demonstrate green woodworking skills
For woodworking enthusiasts the WA Wood Show is always a must-see event and this year runs August 2, 3 and 4.
Held annually in Perth for 28 years, the WA Wood Show has maintained its own high standard, striving to present a wide selection of tools, machinery and exotic timbers while showcasing new products and techniques. As such it is the perfect place to meet and learn from a large gathering of popular and gifted artisans, exhibitors and leading suppliers from all over Australia.
On all days the show offers continuous demonstrations where advice is shared and visitors have the opportunity to try and buy the latest gear. Particular focus is placed on demonstrating skills – woodworking enthusiasts can brush up on skills or learn how to get started.
The show hosts many special feature exhibitions and display areas which are presented by community groups and guest artisans. In particular, Out of the Woods, a fine woodworking exhibition and competition presented by the Fine Woodwork Association WA, is always a major highlight of the show.
Heritage woodworking
Another very popular part of the show is presented by the Heritage Woodcraft Centre and the Handtool Preservation Society WA. In 2019 these groups will create an extensive display of traditional tools and host their annual ‘pre loved tool sale’.
The WA Wood Show is always full of highly experienced, friendly and entertaining ‘woody characters’. One of West Australia’s own legendary characters is Greg Miller from the Heritage Woodcraft Centre. For the last five years, Greg has demonstrated green woodworking skills that include spoon carving, stool making, and the use of shave horse and double spring pole lathe. This year new green woodworking demonstrations will focus on carving kuksas and making shrink pots. Greg and his colleagues will also present The Joy of Woodworking for Children – a have-a-go workshop which is always very popular.
Woodstock
This year, for the first time, Timbecon and Wood Dust Australia will present Woodstock. Woodstock features three workshop spaces with video and audio support along with seating for participants. Over the three days there will be three live woodworking demonstrations of 90 minutes each per day at each of the three workshops.
Woodstock also includes a Meet and Greet area where twice a day show visitors can chat with visiting woodworking celebrities including craftsman and author Matt Kenney from the USA alongside the ‘Minimalist Woodworker’ Vic Tesolin from Canada. Tickets for Woodstock are limited to 125 per day and will soon be available from the Timbecon website.
For more information on this year’s WA Wood Show program of demonstrations and exhibitors see www.wawoodshow.com.au