I just returned from the NBM show in Indy. This is a show combining printwear and embroidered goods, signs and engraving. My interest is, of course, engraving but I have to say that this show simply wasn't worth the time and expense.

This is a show which rotates yearly between Indy and Columbus and I can remember several years back when this show was outstanding. That is not the case any longer. There were a minimal number of displays and those were quite small. The laser engraver mfrs were all there including a new one from China ($11,000 for a 60 watt) I hadn't seen before, but the rest of the show was very weak.

I don't know that these remarks are appropriate for this forum and if they are not please feel free to delete them.

Mike

Your experience and review are extremely appropriate for this forum. How else are we to make good decisions about what shows to see?

If someone disagrees with you they know that they are free to post their opinions.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Tips Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

Harvey:
Thanks, I thought that was the case but I have no interest in stepping on toes here.

Mike

David:

The seminar issue is a good point. I did not attend any seminars due to my schedule but I usually pick up my tutorials via the internet as my experience with seminars has been a bit disappointing.

I did find a promising wood supplier and suggested he contact you with a special offer so as to be listed in a free ad. I do not have my notes with me or I'd give you the name of the company.

A point of grand-parental pride: my schedule was pretty much dictated by whatever it took to attend my grandson's high school graduation in Dublin, Ohio. His was the first graduating class from a new school which had been split off from two other Dublin public schools.

My grandson did quite well witha 3.95 grade point average and several honors including an academic scholarship but what's really amazing is that this class of 311 kids graduated with a class GPA pf 3.7 with one of the state's two Presidents Scholar awards, one perfect score on the SAT and 7 National Merit Scholars.

Mike

David:

Thanks for the kind words but I think the IQ genes came from the other side of the family.

I would be interested in hearing about the other shows and seminars as well.

My experience with seminars has not been good though not necessarily because the instructor didn't have expertise in his field but because they were poorly prepared, unorganized or let attendees disrupt the flow to the extent that time ran out before they finished their agenda.

The bottom line is that I don't place a very high value on such seminars.

Mike

I agree this years show was not as good as previous ones.

I wrote a little bit on the dyesub.org forum.

Mostly it was the same displays, same products as the previous 2 shows.

The only thing I saw a little different was the direct to fabric printers with white ink and a new poly mug or plastic mug. A case of mugs only weighs 12 lbs. You can save a bundle on shipping. They weigh a lot less than ceramic mugs. But they are selling for a little over $2 ea in case lots. They would be ok for promotional mugs but not at $2 each blank.

The fabric printer that would print on black shirts needed a prep spray, heat pressed, printed, heat pressed again. All this for $13,000.00.

I am glad I live in Indy and did not drive too far.