Fox Chapel Publishing Open House 2017 News

[BobD]

Although we have very much enjoyed hosting our Open House and Woodworking Show for the past three years, we have decided to cancel the show. Our guests, artists, and vendors loved the event, but it is expensive and time consuming to host a show of that quality and, unfortunately, we aren't attracting enough guests to justify continuing it. However, we are already brainstorming fresh ways that we can promote woodworking to new people, participate in the carving and scrolling communities, and support our hobbyists' enjoyment of their favorite pastimes. If there is a new way we can enrich your woodworking experience, please let us know!

[meflick]

Oh No!! I'm so Sad to read this. I am new to the saw and the forums but had already been mapping out plans to try and make the Open House/Show next year. I understand it was a difficult decision and you gotta be able to make the numbers work but geesh - I'm so sad right now - I heard so many great things about it that I really, really was going to try and get there next year. bummer.

[NC Scroller]

Bob I am saddened to hear the news. I so looked forward to the annual event. I have many wonderful memories from the last three year to keep me going. What I guess I will miss the most are the wonderful friends I made at the Open House.

[Quartz43]

Maybe now you might consider giving classes or workshops in other parts of the country. Your open house was great but difficult for many of us to get to...long distance and expensive for all but a core group.

[DWSudekum]

Sad to hear that FC will not be hosting their open house any longer. Might think about doing a video education workshops on various things that FC has books published on. Just a thought.

DW

[RJweb]

Sad to see it go, but can understand your decision, with the expense, and all the work involved. Also I see the numbers of people on the form has gone down over the last year, there isn't enough new blood getting into scrolling. Good luck with your new direction, thx RJ

[Jim McDonald]

Sad to see it go. Becky and I were lucky enough to make it the first year at Rough N Tumble, but other things prevented attending the past two years. Had already started planning for 2017, but may still go visit that part of the country as we head somewhere else.

Big thanks to the folks at FC who worked long hours putting on a great show and I will always remember all the kind folks in their red vests who were gracious hosts.

[Sandy Oaks]

We also attended a year ago and planned on attending next year. Just can't do it every year. I understand the work, time and expense put into it, but it is sad.

[wood-n-things]

Sad to see this decision had to be made. I always wished it could have been in the Pacific Northwest so i could attend. Same as the puzzle parley just to expensive to travel that far from out here.

[Rolf]

I have been to all three and the one back in 2005. It was really great to meet all of the forum members and the FC Staff. The Thursday night dinner was a blast. Thank you Carole and Scott for arranging those.
Is there a chance of another in the future? My wife June always thought it would be better every other year.
Maybe it is time for some of the local clubs around the country to host Scroll Saw Picnics like in the good old days. Although putting these things together are a logistical nightmare as our local woodworking club knows.

As a final note, Big kudos and thanks to Alan, Mindy and Bob and the rest of the Fox Chapel staff and volunteers for three wonderful events.

[Misouri Wayne]

Sorry to see it go. I made the first one and could not make the next two but hoped to get back next year. Would every other year work? I also thought the admission cost was very reasonable considering the quality of the programs etc. Would an increased admission help or is it just the labor to pull it off? Any other shows you could tie it into?
Hope you can come up with something in the future.

[Mindy]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind thoughts. I especially appreciate ideas for other ways we can participate in the community and help spread the word about scrolling and other kinds of woodworking.

Mindy

[bbofpp]

I've been thinking about how to get more folks interested in woodworking of all types. Especially the younger crowd.
ScrollSaw Woodworking and Crafts has done an excellent job in publishing projects from kids over the years.

Perhaps local clubs could partner with local Boys and Girls Clubs and Boy/Girl Scouts to get the young-ins involved. If only you could take the lawyers out of the equation!

The Boy Scouts have a model train merit badge. Don't know if they have a woodworking badge or not. How about a scroll saw merit badge?

When I went to school in the dark ages we had shop class in the 8/9th grades. Involved woodworking, ceramics, metal lathe project, etc; I still have the metal hammer and ceramic log thingy I made. No scroll saw however. It was in the mid-late 50's. From what I have heard there are not many industrial arts programs still around. perhaps it is time for a resurrection - again, need to take the lawyers out of the equation.

Just think - if we could take the lawyers out of the equation in many cases this country could be great again. No joke.

bb

[handibunny]

Check out the link to this book. It expands on Brian's thoughts in a most interesting way.

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-So.../dp/0143117467

[Bill Wilson]

Thanks for the link Carole. I'm hoping that we are seeing the beginnings of the pendulum swinging back toward a stronger emphasis on things like industrial arts. College has become so expensive and the financial burden of paying back student loans is a major economic problem in this country. We've spent the past few decades convincing kids that there is no future without a college degree and trying to make it "easier" for everyone to attend college and in spite of the good intentions, we've created a bit of a monster that has diminished, if not demonized the concept of manual work in our society. I think the realization that we cannot sustain this imbalance is beginning to sink in to folks.

I have a lot of respect for Mike Rowe (of Dirty Jobs and Ford truck commercial fame), who advocates for trade schools. He has started a foundation to help support that effort and has spoken in front of Congress on the matter. He has become a very public voice, challenging the current conventional wisdom that takes a college degree to succeed today.

Sorry for the rant and for veering off topic, but this is an issue that I think is very important and needs more attention.