He looks so young.

[AHill]

I've met Norm before and he's as down to earth in person as he was in TOH and NYW.  I started woodworking solely because of Norm.  I don't really care that he used a lot of brads and pocket screws.  He made things look do-able and for that alone, the woodworking community is better off.

[johndi]

I also started becaus e of Norm.
Back then I didn't have a couldn't afford a shop.
Now (30 years later) I have sort of a shop in my one car garage. I always just felt like I could build his projects with some practice.
Although I don't use them much anymore , I still smile when I use my biscuit joiner remembering the feeling of watching Norm.

[TomFromStLouis]

Reproducing antiques is a perfectly valid way of working wood. Just look around at all the poor but original designs and criticizing Norm for making reproductions is silly.

[GlenS]

Reproducing antiques is a perfectly valid way of working wood. Just look around at all the poor but original designs and criticizing Norm for making reproductions is silly.

I agree. On some he has even made changes to make the piece better.

[R Clark]

I watched Norm for a long time.  Then finally, one day about 1999 or so, I decided to quit watching and start doing.

I remember how intimidating that first piece of 4/4 red oak looked before I started hacking on it.

Still like those NYW shows the best of all the different WWing shows I've watched.

[Tapper]

Hi Doug. Over the years I've ran into a lot of woodworkers,, locals & at trade shows, that didn't like his blatant copying of the antique pieces he's built. They thought he should be more creative & build things that he dreamed up & drew up on his own. That's all.

IMO Norm did woodworking an incredible service by showing people that we don't have to buy overpriced pieces when we can build our own. Nowadays with tool & material costs I'm not so sure we can build affordable furniture for ourselves. However the,, I built that,, factor never goes away.

I'm always wary when I meet people who criticize others for no apparent valid reason. I've seen many antique furniture pieces that would be very challenging to reproduce. As others have mentioned, Norm improved on the design of many of those pieces and in doing so, inspired many people to take up this hobby.

In all my years of watching various woodworking shows on TV, I've never seen ANYONE who had his teaching and presentation skills. He could explain methods and techniques so that pretty much anybody could understand them. I really enjoyed his shows!

Doug

[GlenS]

Norm is a great teacher for sure. I still wouldn't attempt some of the things he's built. Like a Highboy.