drllucas

I wonder if these books would help an old duffer learn to carve?

Jeff Miller always has worthwhile info. I would definitely read this.

The books looks interesting. I would be glad to read it.

I watched Tommy Mac going back to his video blog days. A very talented man.

O.k. I can admit when when I am wrong. I listened to Adam on Fox News. Solid thinker and insightful. Sometimes the humor is not the man, but a persona. Asa, maybe you need to make another visit.

This would be helpful. I am seriously thinking of starting a small refinishing business to help support me in my dottering years. Jewitt is brilliant.

. . . or hall table!

I would be interested in viewing the video to repurpose and redesign into a sofa table. Not many people use coffee tables today. But it strikes me this design could convert into a great sofa table!

The good news? If the saw grabs his tie it will be one less politician interfering in out private lives. Wait! I forgot. SawStop will merely nick his chin as his giant, inflated politician head is jerked toward the blade.

If a designer did not copyright their design, it is not stealing. In a complement to the original, it is imitation. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." The imitation of Shaker, Craftsman, etc. supports this observation. Not everyone is an original thinker. Sometimes the ability to demonstrate in a more focused manner another's contribution furthers the craft.

Nice.

Well done. A credit to your skills.

What Bob does not say in this video is that the Ebony from Cameroon that is not perfectly black can be dyed. Miscolored Ebony is not a new thing and the use of dye for fingerboards, bridges, faceplates, etc. has been commonplace in Lutherie for quite some time.

Great idea!

Peetor, I don't think any of us are "haters" of Adam Carolla. As Asa notes, for some of us he is not our cup of tea. Thinking I might have unfairly criticized him, I listened to another of his podcasts. Nope, I had it right the first time. His persona is of a 7th or 8th grader who never escaped that particular worldview. As far as woodworking, he brings nothing to the game. My opinion only.

Asa, if he gets you in the basement with William H. Macy turning some bowls, it will have been worth it. Maybe also the old carpenter, Harrison Ford.

Sorry. Carolla is a foul-mouthed, poor representation of what woodworking is all about. Reach a little higher.

Very nice.

Sure, send me the dvd!

I have always admired the kinds of benches portrayed in the volumes -- and have wanted to build one. My utilitarian table/benches are functional, but lack the features of a traditional work bench.

When I began woodworking in Minnesota, I would go to the library in Golden Valley and pour over their collection of old issues of Fine Woodworking. Very valuable. This DVD would serve that purpose, since our library in Texas does not have those back issues.

With eleven passage doors to build, this book may give helpful information.

The triangular shape of the blade face(s) makes perfect sense. I would prefer the model on the right -- more surface to register against the work without wobbling.

In a previous life I designed kitchens and baths using 20/20 software. Using the free Mac version of SketchUp, I designed a kitchen using the current footprint and wall space of the kitchen. Moldings can be drawn, cabinets offset to create visual interest, etc. I don't know how or where I can post the file to demonstrate. JeffB's observation about wood color choices certainly apply. I used the color and textures of the building materials that are available to create a faux granite top.

Would love to browse the book.

MDF is ideally suited to such furniture pieces as a receptionist's walled desk. When I worked in the trade I built such units veneered with exotic hardwoods; used hardwoods where needed on edges, rails, etc. They are extremely heavy which is helpful in a high traffic environment and are as beautiful as any furniture pieces made from 100% hardwoods and/or plywood. Years in service and they are still holding up beautifully. I have also used MDF as the base material in painted fireplace surrounds, cabinetry for exhibits in museums, trade shows, etc. But for fine furniture -- no. For what it is worth.

By the way, his new website is outstanding with good videos and great video tips.

I like Tommy Mac, but would encourage him to slow down the speech pattern and give a little more time to detailing/displaying the skills. His older video blog is better about teaching the skills. That is what will set his contribution apart. He is highly skilled. If he can encourage us to attempt those same skill-sets by actually teaching it will be a worthwhile production.

While I would love to have a big Lie-Nielsen traditional bench, the truth is that style of bench is not practical in most shops. The bench I found most practical for both hand and power work is a multiple duty table that serves as a saw outfeed table, assembly surface, area for gluing and sanding, using for sliding miter saw, etc. In my old shop this was a 4' x 8' table made of six 4" x 4" legs with an upper apron and large lower shelf. It had a top made of double MDF layers covered with a laminate surface. It bumped up to the saw for outfeed, but on that end the surface (about 8" of the 4' width) gently sloped down about 1" below the saw table (so a +/- 1/8" difference in hight between saw and table would not matter). Two large drawers, one shallow, one deeper; electrical receptacles on the apron and two receptacles hanging over the table. A large woodworkers vice mounted parallel with the long side of the table at the far end of the table from the saw, with parallel round dog holes across the width of the table for any handwork needs. A moveable bench jack made it possible to clamp long boards in the vice along the length of the table for hand planing long edges. Wax the top of the table and saw when cutting sheet goods and it is effortless to push them. Throw a large sanding pad on top for sanding jobs. Use a hand scraper to pop the dried glue from the top after glue-ups. The monster shelf on the bottom about 8" up from the floor can hold far more than we would ever put down there. A roll of craft paper can be suspended on the far end and easily pulled up to cover the entire surface when needed (painting, etc). Over hang on the top edges for clamping. Best all-round work table I ever used.

These chairs have always been intimidating to me. If I win the book I'll try to build one.

My wife showed me this video about a month ago. She asked, "Can you duplicate the double bed wall/office for the spare bedroom?"

Regarding the comments about Norm being a carpenter: while true, his skill levels vastly improved over the various seasons of New Yankee Workshop. Regarding the statement about Tommy being a true craftsman and not a carpenter -- that is only partially true. Tommy also began as a carpenter. The difference in emphasis is that Tommy had the benefit of the fine training at the North Bennett Street School. If you watched Tommy's old self-made videos of the Secretary he built for the Rhode Island Museum of Design the differences become obvious vis-a-vis that New Yankee Workshop attempted to do. Tommy's skill level is off the chart -- but they are skills anyone can learn. That is what is going to be great about this new series. Norm introduced thousands of people to woodworking, including myself. I suspect Tommy will introduce thousands of people to fine woodworking. Loved David Marx also, but guys, Tommy is on an entirely different skill level. We are going to learn the things that he learned at the North Bennett Street School. Can anyone say, "Free tuition!" I hope Rough Cut is aired in the Dallas/Fort Worth market.

Looks like a very helpful work: count me in.

Woo Hoooo!! Freebie. Count me in.

My least favorite part of woodworking is the finishing process. What I need is Dresdner to do my finishing for me. But next best thing would be winning the book!

Whatever you start with, buy the best and only cry once.

Most of the time I make these joints using power tools. This is an encouragement to use hand tools. Thanks for an interesting shoot-out.

Would be glad to give this book a read.

Santa stinks! I got a note in my stocking saying the PM 66 wouldn't fit in the sleigh. I guess this note will put me on his naughty list for next Christmas, lol.

Anything from Lie-Nielsen would be great -- but I am sure getting tired of the mdf I clamp to my Delta 14" bandsaw for a fence. It makes that Laguna Driftmaster fence give-a-way look very intriguing.

That bandsaw fence would be awesome too -- looks like it would be better that the board clamped to my Delta 14", lol.

Once a week I go to the Lie-Nielsen website and drool. When I win the lottery that is the first place I will go -- and then to Oneida for good dust collection. Maybe I should forget the lottery and write a letter to Santa?

I really like the proportions of the screens. The marquetry is lovely.

A set of Lie-Nielsen bench planes and a full set of his bench chisels. Any good quality dovetail saw.

I was surprised that the plane outperformed the sander on this small project. Gives me a reason to tune-up the seven old users on my shelf.

The design is simple, captivating, timeless. Lovely proportions, contrast and symmetry. Form following function. Beautiful. But for the use of piano hinge and magnetic catches this would have been my vote.

Norm has a long and positive influence on woodworking. Those of us who watched him from the very beginning were privileged to watch a carpenter transform into a furniture maker as he and Russell Morash developed and improved New Yankee Workshop. That cumulative perspective is what I think is valuable -- we watched Norm improve over time, moving from being a very good carpenter into a very competent craftsman. It made us believe, "If he can do it, so can I."

Love to have this book

My imagination -- all the power tools and hand tools serve the imagination.

Got my cup of tea -- bring on the cookies.

Sign me up also.

I have several old squares that need to be made square! Put my name in.

Sign me up!

I really like how you have matched the grain pattern, yet provided some contrast on the top. Well done.

Very nice. Well done.

No, you are not the only one.

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Very nice piece, thanks for sharing it here. The top actually looks like figured maple.

Thanks, Gina, for posting the link to construction photos. When I first saw the opening frames of the video I thought it was a cabinet in Asian style with opaque rice paper or thin wood sides. It is a lovely piece that obviously took a lot of skill to craft.

Aesthetics is more a philosophy than a mechanical skill, but for purely subjective and personal aesthetic reasons, this is not something that captures my imagination. But others are obviously appreciative of even the most unusual aspect of the cabinet. I like the piece, but it is a little unusual in its affect for my taste. Just proves again that in some cases functionality and aesthetic effect are both in the eye and imagination of the maker.

Quote from blkryder: "Given the first comment the point is apparently to seperate the intellectuals from the simpletons. Keep on making beatiful thought provoking pieces."

Of course, an actual intellectual would be able to spell "separate" and
"beautiful". Most of the videos in finewoodworking focus on skill levels combined with pleasing aesthetics. While skill level is apparent in this video, breathing associated with singing paired with woodworking is rather esoteric. The general observation "Form follows function" begs for the question, "So what?" Oddities do not fine woodworking make.

Sorry, but this is one of the few videos on finewoodworking that has little practical value. What is the point?