First, it's the 10K sq ft workshop (heated I might add). Then it's every word working gizmo that, unless you're doing a show for PBS, you might only use twice in your life. Like most of PBS, its for people with more time and disposable income than talent. Anyone could make anything with a shop like that. With tools like that, Norm should be making a working difference engine out of recycled pallets.
What I've always aspired to, and of course is a show no longer aired, is The Woodwright's Shop. You know the one. It has that skinny guy with the mustache who was always turning out some little wonder with hand tools. He had that foot powered drawing bench made out of a log. It was so primitive, it was amazing that everything didn't turn out looking like it was whittled with a cub scout pen knife.
What this post is really about, besides my contempt for over tooled hacks, is to sing the praises of two fine hand tools that I recently recieved as gifts. The first is an antique 18" jack plane that my uncle bequethed to me recently. The other is an amazing rabbet plane my wife got me for my birthday. The jack plane smooths lumber better than my electric joiner. The rabbet plane cut 24 perfect rabbets in some old cedar I had around in less than 20 minutes. It would have taken me that long to get the bit in my router. Anyway, here's some tool porn of my own for you to drool at.
Your a moron, first, Norm is the face of woodworking and his shop isn't "10k sq ft" as you said, it's not much bigger then a two car garage, it's 936 sq ft. As for the projects he builds, he likes Shaker & Early American and they are all very useable. He also does ALL the work on ALL of his projects; he only uses someone to help clean up and sometime helps with the finishes. What really makes me sick is that people like you think if they had the tools he has they to could build like Norm, WRONG, the tools don't do the work, they only make the job easier if you know how to use them. Whatever kind of tools you have, you still need skills, and you need to know the right way to do your project. I could go on, but I hope you get the point.
ReplyDeleteDavid
Dude, calm down, it was hyperbole, all in good fun you know. I can, and have, built "like Norm" but if you only knew in what primitive conditions it would make you weep.
ReplyDeleteI admire Norm as much as the next guy (maybe not as much as you obviously do) and I know he does great work. I've actually got some great tips from his show. I just wanted to sing the praises of those two great planes and Norm was an easily recognizable contrasting metaphor for power tool lust.
Wow, the post just got so much less fun now that I had to explain it. Anyway, thanks for your comment and I'll try not to pick on Norm anymore.
labels: Contempt, Scorn, PBS, Tools.
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