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I've taken up woodworking as a hobby after not doing much in that vein since 7th grade. Using hand tools, not power tools, and taking time. One of the leaders i

by greedo 8y ago

I've taken up woodworking as a hobby after not doing much in that vein since 7th grade. Using hand tools, not power tools, and taking time. One of the leaders in this movement is Paul Sellers [1], who couldn't be kindler and more inspirational. One of his key points that he stresses is that "It's not what you make, but how you make it." I know I'll never come close to the skill level he exhibits, but I hope to approach his level of sang froid and equanimity. [1] https://paulsellers.com/ https://paulsellers.com/

raister 8y ago
Yes. Paul Sellers is the best. As well as: - James Wright, Wood by Wright - https://www.woodbywright.com/ https://www.woodbywright.com/ - Tom Fidgen - The unplugged woodshop - Mike Siemsen - Rob Cosman - https://robcosman.com/ https://robcosman.com/ - Frank Klausz - Shawn L. Graham, Worth The Effort - http://wortheffort.com/index.html http://wortheffort.com/index.html - Roy Underhill - http://www.woodwrightschool.com/ http://www.woodwrightschool.com/ - Joshua Farnsworth, Wood and Shop - https://woodandshop.com/ https://woodandshop.com/ - James Hamilton, aka Stumpy Nubs - http://www.stumpynubs.com/ http://www.stumpynubs.com/ - Matthew Cremona, https://www.mattcremona.com/ https://www.mattcremona.com/ - Jay Bates, https://jayscustomcreations.com/ https://jayscustomcreations.com/ - Shannon Rogers, Renaissance WoodWorker, The Hand Tool School - http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/ http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/
- peatmoss 8y ago
  Man, this list deserves to be a post in its own right. Incidentally, the Woodwright’s Workshop show on PBS is part of the reason I donate to keep the “passport” access. Reruns of that show are pretty much the definition of my happy place.
pawelk 8y ago
Mr. Sellers is exceptional in his "good enough" attitude. Sometimes there are more or less precise measurements, slight differences and imperfections, etc, then he says "it's still going to last a hundred years". Also his "poor mans's" tools and ideas that demonstrate you don't have to get top of the line gear to make progress and create. I think the only areas where he aims for perfection are: tools as sharp as possible, and perfect right angles where it's important to be square. I used to be deep into photography, and these communities were strongly focused on gear. In the hand tool woodworking circles I get the feeling that gear is so much less important - of course you need a basic set of tools, but you can buy them vintage, 100 years old still in working condition and often cheap, and these will last you a lifetime, as they did for the previous owners. There are also brand new options, some more pricy than others, but I am yet to witness a heated discussion on why my brand of hand saws is better than yours, or why a single specific detail of a hand plane design makes it basically unusable on a pro level - which is the very kind of unproductive discussion that makes up a huge volume of photographer's forums. Also, I went back to photography with the attitude I have learned in wood working. Got a good enough mirrorless camera (still better specs than my last DSLR which was a semi-pro level equipment when I got it years ago). Dusted off my manual focus, USSR-made lenses and M42 adapter. It's a lot of fun again, these lenses are older than me and will last me a lifetime, just as my pre-WWII hand planes, saws and chisels. Since none of it is about the tools, it's how you use them and how much fun you have along the way.
- greedo 8y ago
  I'm drawn to this hobby because it seems that with few exceptions, the craft is about skill, not tools. The tools are often the same ones used hundreds of years ago; even the newer ones are only slight variations. It's made me appreciate the craftsmanship of stuff made in the last century.

by greedo 8y ago

raister 8y ago

Yes. Paul Sellers is the best. As well as: - James Wright, Wood by Wright - https://www.woodbywright.com/ https://www.woodbywright.com/ - Tom Fidgen - The unplugged woodshop - Mike Siemsen - Rob Cosman - https://robcosman.com/ https://robcosman.com/ - Frank Klausz - Shawn L. Graham, Worth The Effort - http://wortheffort.com/index.html http://wortheffort.com/index.html - Roy Underhill - http://www.woodwrightschool.com/ http://www.woodwrightschool.com/ - Joshua Farnsworth, Wood and Shop - https://woodandshop.com/ https://woodandshop.com/ - James Hamilton, aka Stumpy Nubs - http://www.stumpynubs.com/ http://www.stumpynubs.com/ - Matthew Cremona, https://www.mattcremona.com/ https://www.mattcremona.com/ - Jay Bates, https://jayscustomcreations.com/ https://jayscustomcreations.com/ - Shannon Rogers, Renaissance WoodWorker, The Hand Tool School - http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/ http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/

peatmoss 8y ago
Man, this list deserves to be a post in its own right. Incidentally, the Woodwright’s Workshop show on PBS is part of the reason I donate to keep the “passport” access. Reruns of that show are pretty much the definition of my happy place.

pawelk 8y ago

Mr. Sellers is exceptional in his "good enough" attitude. Sometimes there are more or less precise measurements, slight differences and imperfections, etc, then he says "it's still going to last a hundred years". Also his "poor mans's" tools and ideas that demonstrate you don't have to get top of the line gear to make progress and create. I think the only areas where he aims for perfection are: tools as sharp as possible, and perfect right angles where it's important to be square. I used to be deep into photography, and these communities were strongly focused on gear. In the hand tool woodworking circles I get the feeling that gear is so much less important - of course you need a basic set of tools, but you can buy them vintage, 100 years old still in working condition and often cheap, and these will last you a lifetime, as they did for the previous owners. There are also brand new options, some more pricy than others, but I am yet to witness a heated discussion on why my brand of hand saws is better than yours, or why a single specific detail of a hand plane design makes it basically unusable on a pro level - which is the very kind of unproductive discussion that makes up a huge volume of photographer's forums. Also, I went back to photography with the attitude I have learned in wood working. Got a good enough mirrorless camera (still better specs than my last DSLR which was a semi-pro level equipment when I got it years ago). Dusted off my manual focus, USSR-made lenses and M42 adapter. It's a lot of fun again, these lenses are older than me and will last me a lifetime, just as my pre-WWII hand planes, saws and chisels. Since none of it is about the tools, it's how you use them and how much fun you have along the way.

greedo 8y ago
I'm drawn to this hobby because it seems that with few exceptions, the craft is about skill, not tools. The tools are often the same ones used hundreds of years ago; even the newer ones are only slight variations. It's made me appreciate the craftsmanship of stuff made in the last century.