Just a couple of cents worth but… Norm rekindled a flame for woodworking that existed in my mind and heart since 7th grade woodshop and I don’t believe I am alone there. I am a novice woodworker and love every moment in the shop..ok..the vast majority of it! If it weren’t for the NYW I doubt if my truck would be parked in the driveway and the garage a shop today. The first picture frame I ever made has Norm’s picture and hangs proudly on my shop wall. Thanks Norm!!!
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Replies
I would agree that Norm should be cut some slack. He does deserve credit for introducing lots of folks to woodworking. And all those making a living from selling tools and teaching classes should light a candle to Norm every day to thank him. I believe he's a large part of the reason they have a business.
That said I do believe he has had an insidious effect on many folks. What I refer to is his virtual exclusive use of jigs and power tools irrespective of whether or not they are the most appropriate way to get the job done. Unfortunately I believe that this has led many to conclude that's the way to do it because that's how Norm does it. As one example of many, there's a thread on another forum in which someone is lamenting his inability to make a good tight fitting mitered joint and is looking for a jig to enable him to do so. Of course he gets many replies suggesting all sorts of expensive gadgets rather than the simple and obvious suggestion of tuning up the joint with a hand plane. How sad that so many believe thay have to rely on a mechanical device rather their own skill.
I agree.
I have Norm to thank for getting me into woodworking. I'm not ashamed to say that New Yankee is one of my favorite shows, and i have tapes of the shows and watch them over and over. There are no woodworking schools near me, so Norm is the closest thing to a teacher i have.
I also agree that he does tend to lean towards the jigs and gadgets, but that's his thing, not mine, and that's ok.
If you really want to talk about doing things a certain way just to do it that way, have you ever caught an episode of "the router workshop"? Holy Crap! In the time it takes to make a jig and set the router up, they could have cut the freakin mortise with a chisel! ;o)
Norm has been my biggest woodworking influence ever.
IMHO no show is more ridiculous than The Wood Wright's Shop with Roy Underhill.
New Yankee Workshop should be put into perspective.
To become successful AND remain viable, any media must have a significant audience. Since the majority of woodworkers are not expert, but hobbyists, it is understandable that the producers of the show must deliver a show that "most" woodworkers can relate to. Hence, the projects are pretty straightforward and encourage only a little bit of new skill development. As such, both the novice and the intermediate woodworker can be entertained by NYW, if not taught or reminded about something.
From my reading of the critics of NYW, it is that Norm either relies too heavily on tools or takes shortcuts. He'll use a brad nailer and a lap joint rather than hand-cutting a dovetail, etc., etc. My internpretation of the critics of NYW is that they also tend to be woodworkers with more expertise than most of us... maybe more than Norm.
Take the converse, if there was a show on TV that looked more like "Master" section of FWW, it may very likely fail as a commercial enterprise. There simply and probably are not enough "experts" out there to generate the television ratings necessary. Also, the time needed to cover a significant project with lots of "expert detail" would likely be significant. It might take 2 or 3 shows to actually show progress. The New Yankee Workshop usually takes the viewer from start to finish of a decent size project in only 30 minutes.
An answer to those critics of NYW is "don't lose your cool". The New Yankee Workshop isn't necessary produced specifically for you. But if you like to be entertained and see something get built, Norm is a decent 1/2 hour for most woodworkers.
I believe you have explained the Norm system perfectly. The main critics of NYW don't make a living in woodwork. The jigs and simple shortcuts are what make your business profitable. I can make beautiful joints all day, but won't make much of a living.
From my reading of the critics of NYW, it is that Norm either relies too heavily on tools or takes shortcuts. He'll use a brad nailer and a lap joint rather than hand-cutting a dovetail, etc., etc. My internpretation of the critics of NYW is that they also tend to be woodworkers with more expertise than most of us... maybe more than Norm.
That's all well and good, and I credit Norm for getting me into woodworking as well, but he's ultimately shooting himself in the foot. Yes, all television shows need to have an audience, but he's driving some of his away by using ridiculous shortcuts. Isn't it easier to show people how to do it right, than how to do it quick? The proper way to put a joint together, even if it is a lap joint, is with glue and clamps. Shooting brads like they're going out of style "until the glue dries" just demonstrates faulty woodworking techniques. We all start out as novices, but as your skills improve, you start looking at Norm and think "What the heck is this guy doing?"
On the other side of the coin, Norm's shop serves as a discouragement to many starting woodworkers, who think you need $50,000 to do even the simplest job. Even Steve Thomas, on an episode of This Old House, laughed and said that Norm couldn't touch a tool that didn't have a cord on it.
So we have Norm scaring away newbies with his outlandish shop, and driving away experienced woodworkers who see him doing things the wrong way. I'm not saying Norm isn't a great guy and that he doesn't deserve a lot of credit for the last 14 years on the air, but even being a great guy doesn't make you perfect, and Norm certainly isn't.
I used to feel the same way but the more I was introduced to hand tools the more respect I gained for Roy. Check out his prototypes, not to bad for handtools only. Peace Petey
mfg,
"No show is more ridiculous than the "Woodrights shop" with Roy Underhill"
That is just about the most asinine comment that has been written on this forum. It says a lot about you and makes your abilities seem suspect to me and probably many others on this forum. I watch both shows when I get the chance and much prefer Roy to any other woodworking show on tv. To place Norm in the same class as Roy IS ridiculous. Norm is a nice guy who has inspired a lot of people to want to work wood but Roy has probably forgotten more than Norm will ever know.
Mark
I absolutley agree with you about Roy and Norm. There shows talk to two different audiences. I started woodworking again after many years ready to go at with all the right power tools. Being one that likes to understand why, background, history, etc., I learned that the more I knew about and how to use handtools, the better my work would be -- whether I used power tools and/or handtools on any given project.
As has been said many times, there are routine situations where one can pick up a well tuned, sharpened, and honed handplane and do a job in less time than you can get out the router, put the bit in, get it adjusted properly and turn it on -- and with no cord or batteries. If I had a number of repetitive steps, then the router could be the better/faster choice.
Either way, Roy and Norm have their place, and I enjoy learning new tips and skills from them.
Alan / Planesaw
Leave Norm & or Roy alone??? Never I want to be right there to see everything up close everytime.
Alan,
Thank you. Your mention of the use of handplanes reminds me of another pet peeve which is Norm's insistence on sanding the daylights out of everything. Unless you have really ornery wood the well tuned handplane/scraper combination is always faster not to mention no dust, and also yields better results, than sanding your way thru 4-5 grits of sandpaper. I understand that Norm's sponsers need to have their products featured but I think he takes it to extremes. He needs to show the most efficient way which many times is the hand tool not the machine.
Mark
Wow professor, didn't mean to upset anyone, just stating my opinion.
Maybe the few Roy Underhill shows I saw were just bad ones he did. It just seemed like (to me) he was a hack. Examples: one show he did a small shaker table and the top was held to the base with a sliding dovetail that was so loose you could see day light through it and then another show he made a foot powered lathe and made his own fly wheel with so much run out that the thing vibrated and almost fell over! Another show he made a baby cradle and the glue ups were so mismatched I could see it on TV without even touching them myself.
Edited 2/22/2003 9:37:31 PM ET by MFG_KING
Mfg,
Maybe I shouldn't have come down on you so hard but you struck a nerve. I suspect the shows you watched giving you the impression of Roy being a hack had more to do with the time constraints of a half hour show. Roy has to make several of everything ahead of time and in varying stages of completion because there simply isn't time to work from start to finish with a half hour show (even with editing). As a result sometimes the right part doesn't get put together with it's mate which is critical with hand joinery. Also by the time a joint gets put together and knocked apart several times (usually for the camera) it is bound to get loose. (try banging a dovetail together and then apart 5-6 times and see if you have the same fit you started with). Also due to time constraints things don't get tuned up at times as in your example of the flywheel which could have been turned round and then balanced afterward to curb the vibration. And I would bet that if Roy intended to use the lathe after the show he did just that. The point is that Roy's focus is to teach how to make things by hand and to explain how the tools were and are used. You put Norm and Roy on an island with no power and just a bunch of hand tools and Norm would have a mighty hard time.
I'm not one of those hand tool purists who thinks power tools are for sissies, but I do get exasperated with those who act like hand tools are relics of yesteryear. The point in woodworking is to use the most efficient tool to get the job done AND not compromise the integrity of the piece either in structural soundness or in asthetics. For example most factory furniture is carved by machine and looks it. The difference between a carving done by hand (assuming a competent carver) and by machine is not even close. The machine carved piece will look dull and lifeless next to the handcarved one. Another example would be fooling around trying to adjust a router table to take a few more thousands off of a tenon to get it to fit (which I have seen Norm do more than once) when a sharp shoulder plane will take care of it in just a few seconds. I already mentioned sanding in another post so I won't go into that again. I also regularly make moldings by hand if they are large enough because I don't have (at this time) a shaper big enough to make them, not to mention the cost of the cutter. That might sound time consuming but it really doesn't take that long. I build a lot of Queen Anne and Chippendale reproductions and they require a lot of handwork. The good news is that handwork is sometimes the fastest way especially if machine setup time is factored in.
Anyhow thats enough of the soapbox, have a good one.
Mark
"You put Norm and Roy on an island with no power and just a bunch of hand tools and Norm would have a mighty hard time. "
No one could argue against you on that one!
And I'm sure you're correct about the time constraints because I did notice his prototypes were excellent. It's just another case of someones personal preference on who to watch. I grew up learning the machine way of doing things and not the hand tool way. I'm the kind of fool that will spend 5 hours making a jig for a piece of work that only takes 4 hours to make.
And yes, without a doubt, they have both forgotten more about woodworking than I'll ever know!
MFG
I have seen Roy Underhill in seminar on two occasions. IMO, he knows what he's doing. And in person, he can generate some humor.
Norm, I haven't a clue. Suppose I've led a sheltered life, but I have never seen Norm. Don't catch much TV. Now, if he would start doing his show on radio so I can catch him while in the shop. ha..ha..
Have a good day...
sarge..jt
SARGE: I had the pleasure of meeting Norm at a trade show about 2 yrs ago in Harrisburg Penna. he was there with Tom Silva, they are both quite nice Gentleman and both will talk your legs off about building products & methods and tools,I was there for a seminar and as luck would have it I was able to have lunch with these guys to say that I was in seventh Heaven would be putting it to mild.. hey everyone has there own opinions about Norm but remember hes only a working guy just like us.. he is one hell of a nice guy.. I treasure the picture I got signrd by Norm & Tom...
ToolDoc
Fun thread to read.
I see it as, Roy is Roy and Norm is Norm and I have plenty to learn from both. My two high school cabinetmaking teachers were from two completely different schools. Cab 1, 9th grade was the old master, 65 years old, last year of teaching after many years, he and his wife owned an antique store. He had a knowledge and portfolio of projects that was unbelievable. Cab 2-4 10th-12th was a career teacher and cabinetmaker by trade. He was the production type guy, gotta made a living, almost the punch it out get it done and get on to the next. I learned so much from each. I did here they really didn't like each other too much, thats ok, everybody can have an opinion.
Norms softbound books are great and go into more detail. Nice pictures and explainations.
I wish I had half of Roy's and/or Norm's toys. No, I want them all
Enjoy, Roy
I have heard that Roy's show is done in one take. There is no editing involved. That would explain why he is always out of breath.iTom
That is my understanding as well; one take, mistakes and all.
I would not want to use hand tools for every task in woodworking. I find I rely on handtools once the 'grunt' work is done.
The quiet, the thought process and the lack of dust are just a couple of reasons I take this path.
If speed is the prerequisite, then machines are the obvious choice. As a professional, machines are necessary to be competetive.
As a hobbyist, I work wood to get away from the noise and mess of everyday life. Hand tools are my choice, more for the process than the product.
TomS
Edited 2/23/2003 11:04:21 AM ET by Tom
Tom,
I agree with you that you have to have power tools to be competitive, but you also have to have handtools as well. I subscribe to Mike Dunbar's idea that you need both not just one or the other. Then pick whatever tool gets the job done correctly and efficiently. There are many things that machines are not good at nor efficient at. Conversely taking 2 or three hours to handsurface a board when you can do the same thing with a surface planer in 5 minutes makes no sense. It is a lot easier to make a few passes with a smoothing plane to finish it than to do the whole thing from scratch. Besides we never have enough tools right? LOL The thing that gets me is when guys expect to buy a machine and have it replace skill. That just doesn't fly, however a lot of guys have the impression that if they just had Norm's shop they could make anything. Taint so. I know I'm preaching to the choir with you so thanks for letting me rant.
Mark
I love watching both Norm and Roy the biggest difference I see between the two is that you get to see Roy bleed but Norm does another take. Rik
I first subscribed to FWW in 1980. I tried to follow every recommendation in FWW. I built a workbench from the plans in the third issue of FWW by Taige Freid. I bought every book published by James Krenov. I tried to follow every recommendation and every thought in Krenov's books. I couldn't do it -- no talent, no training, no experience. I cancelled my FWW subscription in 1990. A year or two later, I found Norm and the NYW. He made woodworking fun again. I didn't need to be a super woodworking pro: I could make what I wanted for fun.
Since then, I have re-subscribed to FWW and I do the best I can to make the best project I can, but when things aren't going well, I think of Norm. Without him, I would have given up woodworking entirely.
We can't all be James Krevnov or his many colones, but we can have fun doing what we enjoy. Instead of the constant critiques of Norm's abilities, maybe we should thank him for bringing up back to reality and the level of perfection most amateur woodworkers can achieve.Dan T.
I'm glad to see that you are back in woodworking and enjoying what you are doing. No matter what route you take, it is the personal satisfaction from the activity that is important.
Both Norm and Roy have an appeal to a particular audience and both should be applauded for their efforts. As a non-professional, I happen to be more in line with Roy's approach than Norm's.
In my mind, the apex of woodworking was reached in the late 1700s with the work of the Goddard/Townsend families as a shining example. To think that these furniture masterpieces were created by hand and in daylight hours amazes me to this day.
To build a Newport shell-carved block-front desk in any manner would be a crowning achievement. To create one in the same manner as the original craftsman would be to shadow the efforts of the masters.
Do I think the colonial craftsmen were 'purist' by using only hand tools? Of course not, they would have used the latest and most effecient technology availalble. They did just that and set a standard for those of us who find reward in their efforts.
TomS
good on ya dan!!! i couldnt agree with you more!!!!
jpa
I've worked with Roy Underhill several times demonstrating hand-tool techniques at a museum.He's a gentleman and his depth of knowledge is amazing.His old tools are stuff that most pros would drool over.
His might seem out of breath a lot on his show,but it doesn't have the slick editing or time lapsed work of Norm's.There's a place in this world for both of them.
I second the comment "No show is more ridiculous than the "Woodrights shop with Roy Underhill"
I could care the least if you are of a different opinion. I don't mind that you have a different opinion, many wood workers don't agree or enjoy the hostility....
Lighten up Mark.
Jim
Jim,
You are welcome to your opinion and I to mine, however need I remind you that this is a discussion forum? To call Roy's show ridiculous and not expect a strong rebuttal is naive. I won't argue that there are others who agree with you but I think they are in the minority. Most of us enjoy both shows even though we have problems with some things that are shown or not shown. However to place Norm in the same class as Roy just doesn't get it in my opinion and many others. If you have a problem with that so be it but I won't apologize for it. Have a good day.
Mark
There you go again ... to differ with you is nieve? I responded to your e-mail because of your strong personal attacks.
You said "That is just about the most asinine comment that has been written on this forum. It says a lot about you and makes your abilities seem suspect to me and probably many others on this forum." And you further said " To place Norm in the same class as Roy IS ridiculous". Really? in what context?
To call people nieve, asinine, and their opinions rediculous is rude. As you point out, that isn't what this form is intended for.
Jim
Jim,
Seems to me you might read the post before you answer. I didn't say to differ with my opinion was naive, I stated that to call Roy's show ridiculous and not expect a strong rebuttal is naive. This is a discussion forum with people holding strong opinions on a lot of different issues. This is not the first time Norm and Roy have been discussed and compared on this forum with varying opinions. Therefor to make a comment like that and not expect to get a spirited response IS naive. You may not like Roy's show but I and many others on this board do and have great respect for him and his skill. I do not dislike Norm or his show but I certainly don't believe that he has the skills that Roy posesses. Anyone can push a board thru a tablesaw or a router table. To be able to do it by hand is another matter entirely. If you read my preceding series of posts you will see that I am not a handtool purist by any means but I do use them where they are efficient. And yes I do believe anyone who blows off Roy's show as being ridiculous might just be lacking in woodworking skills which are comprised of a lot more than pushing a board thru a machine. I am of the opinion that most serious woodworkers appreciate the skill and knowledge that it takes to make things by hand and also that sometimes it is still the fastest method. Especially for one or two joints at a time. If you have a problem with that I really don't care. As you stated we are each entitled to our own opinion but it seems to me that you don't really want anyone to disagree with yours. I am happy to defend mine.
Mark
Even if you think that Roy is a hack and his show is ridiculous (as stated by others somewhere in this thread) you have to put Roy in a different context than Norm.
Norm is a hardworking carpenter that knows how to turn out a product very efficiently. His reliance on power is from his training and having to make a living by taking the least time-consuming methods. He is geared up to make production runs and, again, make a living by producing furniture.
Roy is more of an historian that uses handtools; not because they are easier, but because of the historical significance of the tool or process. Roy has a Master's Degree from Duke University in 'The Technologies of Pre-Industrial America'. He was the Housewright at Colonial Williamsburg, one of the leading historical recreations in the world. These 'credentials' added to the fact that I think he is hilarious to watch make his show the one of choice around here.
"Taking your woodworking beyond the norm" was how he opened a recent demonstration.
TomS
Tom,
I agree with most of what you said except regarding Norm's reliance on power tools to foster efficiency, and by extension the ability to make a living making furniture. I don't agree that the almost exclusive use of power tools makes him efficient. This horse has almost been beat to death around here but at the risk of finishing it off I'm going to beat it a little more. The point I and others have repeatedly tried to make is that to be truly efficient and do quality work you need to proficient in the use of hand tools AND power tools. You can do quality work with just hand tools but efficiency will suffer. If you rely just on power tools I don't believe you can do quality work unless of course you have a machine dedicated to each operation which are rarely changed, like the big furniture factories, and even then there are some operations which require handwork. I also don't agree with you that Norm could make a living building furniture. There is just not enough of a market for the stuff he typically builds, by that I'm refering to people willing to pay the price he would have to sell it for to make a decent living. There is too much competition/sources out there for the run of the mill furniture that he makes.
I do believe he could make a living as a carpenter/builder and no doubt has done so during his career. However carpentry and fine furniture are two different things. I believe he is a very personable gentleman and is well liked by everyone who has met him. I myself watched him sign autographs for over 2 hours straight at IWF in Atlanta. That is more patience than I would have had and I have to respect him for it.
I speak for myself and I'm sure many others when I say that I don't have a problem with Norm himself. I would just like to see him balance the show and raise the bar slightly. True he has gotten a lot of people involved in woodworking but I think as another poster stated, that he has also discouraged many who cannot afford the shop full of tools and think you can't be a woodworker without them. The fact that a lot of us complain about the lack of handwork is seen to be "Norm Bashing" by some and that is a misconception. We just like to see quality work and some techniques shown that are above the average industrial arts class. Anyhow I think we've just about beat the horse to death so I'm going to let it go.
Mark
Cephus:
I tend to agree that I would prefer to see Norm use a $100 Kreg jig rather than a $600 P-C pocket hole maker. I would rather him use a more elementary router table rather than a $1300 Delta shaper. It would be nice to occasionally see him hand cut a dovetail drawer box.
This, however, is irrelevant to the argument that I had proposed... My assertion was that NYW is written and directed more to the beginner and intermediate woodworker audience. It is done so because there are more potential viewers in this segment (versus expert woodworkers) and this is required to be commercially successful from a media standpoint.
Therefore, it is irrelevant to argue that NYW or Norm Abrams is a poor show because it does not display enough woodworking expertise. That is like arguing that an apple is no good because it is not an orange.
This, however, is irrelevant to the argument that I had proposed... My assertion was that NYW is written and directed more to the beginner and intermediate woodworker audience.
How many beginning or intermediate woodworkers have the $600 P-C jigs or the $1300 shapers? It's aimed at the multi-millionaire beginning woodworker maybe? A show that was truly aimed at a beginner wouldn't rely in $50,000 worth of tools that no beginner has. It would focus on tried and true techniques and tools that your average woodworker might have, not Norm's power tool fetish. An amateur should be shown the RIGHT way to do things, not Norm's "gotta move quick, shoot some brads into it" down-n-dirty method.
I'm not saying I dislike Norm personally or that his show is 'bad', it's just not what it could be or should be. I don't think anyone here can argue with that.
Whatever....
I'm off this thread.
I would just like to relay my own personal experience regarding woodworking and the NYW. I got into woodworking because of watching that program, as I'm sure many did. Norm took some of the mystery out of woodworking for me. I was able to realistically see how people could make the things they did.
I still have all of my fingers. Because of the interest his program started, I can and do cut dovetails by hand, I have learned to use hand tools (am still learning) I cut my own veneers and do marquetry and inlay work, making and fitting drawers that fit like a glove, I have learned to do bent lamination work as well along with all kinds of other cool stuff, like most of you. Granted I did not learn it from watching Norm, but I woul not have learned any of it had I not watched him and gained an interest.
I still do not own a brad nailer. But from my point of view he was exactly what I needed and benefited from as a beginner, given the fact that I did not have the opportunity to be formally trained. I must say that I do not watch him as much as I used to, but when I do it is not with a critical eye, it is with the intent of picking up any and all information that is beneficial to me and disgarding the rest. I think Norm is cool and it would be great to meet him.
Robbie,
I don't know why Norm always casues such a controversy. I guess because I am a beginning/intermediate woodworker and do learn something from most every show. I wouldn't do everything the way Norm does (I don't even own a brad nailer (or half of the other equipment that Norm does)). I do appreciate that he is trying to show how to do a weekend project and only has a half hour show (probably really 20 min. of woodworking). I'm still at the point that I can learn from watching most anyone build a project - even if it's to decide it's not the way I would do it.
Jim
Boy, this subject has been beaten more than the dead horse. HEY, IF YOU LIKE HIM, WATCH HIM; IF YOU DON'T , DON'T. I do like him and am not a stranger to hand tools. Carl
Sorry there Carl.
Some of us or new to the forum, and are unaware of how many times things have been discussed.
Hey, has anyone ever cut dovetails by hand? or know how i get a good arts and crafts style finish without fuming?
just kidding of course. ;o)
HOWL
BTW, how do you finish cherry without blotching? Are biscuits really stronger? Can I hand rub poly? How bout spar varnish? If I mix an oil stain and a water based poly, am I going to have problems? Why do Breaktimers have to come over here and be un-gentlemanly? I don't know how to use a china bristle yet, but think I want to shell out at least a grand for an HVLP, any suggestions?
Sorry, some things just beg for being egged on. If the moderators ask, I'm saying you started it!
" To the noble mind / Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind" - Wm Shakespeare, Hamlet, III,i,100
Hi All,
Well I'm relativley new here and had no idea Norm had been debated at any length when I made my remarks.
I'm not so sure my complaints warranted "slack". I saw a big mistake. If I had a similar gaff on any project in any shop I ever worked ( and I was on a clock and a budget just as PBS) I would not only hear about it but have to fix it before it proceeded. Does this make Norm a bad guy? No. Do I think less of his skills? Well maybe a little, which is what happens when you let stuff slide or give slack. Could Norm have taken 30 minutes and fixed it? Yes.
Maybe a good topic on NYW is fixing mistakes like the router bite.
I remeber being told that the advantage a 30 year carpenter has over a 5 year carpenter is not so much the lack of mistakes but is the ability to correct and think around them more efficiently.
I'll say it again though.. I'll be taking a 30 minute break this afternoon to catch NYW. I like Norm.
N
I just got home from skiing in Lassen Park. After unloading and putting some of the stuff away, I hit the couch with a beer and hit the control. And hit the control. And hit the control. What a pile of c__p!
I'll take Norm anyday; boy, wouldn't he be a good neighbor. Roy? What a wacky guy and what a good show. Then my favorite: this old house - maybe I'm partial because I live in this old house.
Given what is on the TV in general, I'll take Norm and Tom and Roy anyday!
I like to watch both Roy and Norm. I like Roy because he makes me laugh out loud - especially when he grabs that big old wooden mallet and just beats the tar out of something to get it into place. I couldn't use most of Roy's methods because they're way too slow, but I appreciate his skills in using hand tools and his love of doing his work the old fashioned way.
I like to watch Norm because he still has all of his fingers despite doing things in ways that I would never attempt. Oh, and he also makes me laugh every time he grabs his brad nailer and puts brads in everywhere.
It's entertainement folks, relax - get your favorite beverage kick back and don't take either of them with more seriousness than you would Monster Garage.
I'm too much of a novice to critize anyone's techniques. But I disagree with your suggestion that Norm's a safety conscious woodworker. I've rarely seen him don dust mask even though he's apparently had several operations to remove polyps in his nose. It makes me wonder what risks he's willing to take for market appeal (masks look bad on TV) and to sell the products he uses.
Eric in Oakland
"But I disagree with your suggestion that Norm's a safety conscious woodworker."
Not much on the use of that irony / satire thing are you?
Re-read the post - I said, "I like to watch Norm because he still has all of his fingers despite doing things in ways that I would never attempt."
Let me see if I can explain -
1. He has all of his fingers (that's a good thing).
2. Does things in ways I would never attempt (I don't do things like Norm or endsorse them).
3. Compare 1 with 2 - Why I don't do things Norm's way? Because I'M afraid of losing fingers.
4. Hardly a ringing endorsement of Norm's safety conciousness...
Is that clear enough for you?
Not much into modesty about your writing abilities are you. Excuse me for assuming your hesitancy to follow his lead was due to your limitations, which apparently don't exist, and not your critique of his technique. Saw on great one!
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