After Iggy relented and let me out of the shop (he had me duct taped to the bench brush and dustpan so I could be more efficient while cleaning the shop), I was finally able to get my head around the idea of ‘appearing’ at the Woodworking Show this Saturday.

The plan, according to Andy Chidwick, is to be at a table adjacent to his booth to talk shop with folks. That’s right – be there to talk.  Something I know how to do well.

But, he also asked me to bring some ‘things’ with me to show off during my time there.  Namely, he was looking for me to bring some projects and some tools.

This creates a concern.  Which projects and which tools?

My thoughts turn toward benches. I’m obviously not going to be able to bring my workbench with me. Weighing in at somewhere around 300 pounds, it’s a tad too large to put  in the back of the Jeep and lug to the Florida State Fairgrounds.

I’m thinking instead of going with a classic and a newer.  First, I’ll be packing the Contemplation Bench.  Not only is this a beauty, it’s the piece that help launch this blog.  I built it while working with Marc Spagnuolo at a now shuttered woodworking school in Indiana. From there, our friendship grew and he later invited me to start writing a few guest blogs. From there, the rest is history.

As far as the newer project goes, I was going to bring my table called ‘Centered’. It’s not technically a bench, but everyone wants to sit on it. That was a project that was a departure from what I normally build, and there are lots of points to talk about. The angled legs. The epoxy inlay. My first ever true breadboard edges.

Neither project is ‘perfect’, but, I don’t care.  They both mean something to me, and I plan on sharing that with the visitors.

As far as tools are concerned… well, I’m not sure. Part of me wants to bring my entire plane till that I built for the Great American Teach In. But, that sucker is heavy, and keeping track of all of the planes could be a challenge.

I could bring my routers, but those babies have lots of parts that would pose a challenge. Besides, the next thing you know, I’d be asked to plug them in and do some kind of fancy routing.  I’m actually a bashful router user… I like to make my mistakes on scraps first and make the final cut once I get my nerve up.

Hmmm, I’ll have to give this one some thought.

Finally, I guess I’ll have to bring a computer. We have an old MacBook (Bought back in 2005) and a new netbook computer with one of those very small screens. I could also show off the Android phone I have… but looking at that screen would make for a very intimate experience.  I guess I’m leaning toward the netbook.

Finally, I’ll have to bring my most important tool of all – my little digital video camera. If’ I’m going to meet some interesting folks and do some neat stuff, I’m going to want to get this stuff on the camera.

Other than that, I’m an open book. Is there anything you would want to see me bring to the Woodworking Show if you were attending the show in Tampa?