Norm

[cvillewood]

I love Norm too. As a kid I watched it with my dad, likely after cartoons on a Saturday morning, and likely didn’t like it but clearly it had an impact.

The safety police are out in force in this thread, or at least Simon is.

[Handplanesandmore]

The safety police are out in force in this thread, or at least Simon is.

Could I use you as my reference if I apply for a law enforcement position?


Speaking of safety, I watched closely and found out why Norm used the radial arm saw with the guard removed. He did not use a stop block and so he had to sight down the blade to align it with the workpiece even when he cut multiple pieces. The guard hindered his view.

I thought I learned a lot from watching the NYW, but re-watching it after my journey as an experienced woodworker made me realize I could learn more again, including how I would do things differently than he.

Simon

[Kwood]

Could I use you as my reference if I apply for a law enforcement position?


Speaking of safety, I watched closely and found out why Norm used the radial arm saw with the guard removed. He did not use a stop block and so he had to sight down the blade to align it with the workpiece even when he cut multiple pieces. The guard hindered his view.

I thought I learned a lot from watching the NYW, but re-watching it after my journey as an experienced woodworker made me realize I could learn more again, including how I would do things differently than he.

Simon

So make your own show.  Teach us all the right way to do stuff.  Lot of us out here need instruction.

[Handplanesandmore]

Why reinvent the wheel?

There are many good shows out there, like the Rough Cut with Fine Woodworking, that focus on techniques as well as safety.

Since you are interested, I can share more about my observations on the NYW after re-watching at least a dozen of the old shows (so far).

The early shows not only had safety improvement opportunities, they also featured less joinery quality such as loose dado or mortise joinery. Norm improved greatly in both safety and joinery efforts after the first round of shows. He used dust collection, feather boards, a guard on the radial arm saw, and visibly snug fit joints.

Anyone can watch the online videos to see his sustained improvements, just like those of us who are willing to have an open mind, and learn from others to make sustained improvements. (Why are you here if you don't want to improve yourself -- on all aspects including safety?)

Simon

[Tapper]

Jeez HP, can we get a little more anal about old Norm??? I would say "beating a dead horse" but Norm is still kicking the last time I checked.

Doug

[Handplanesandmore]

Pretty sure Norm would enjoy knowing that people still talk about his NYW show, and can still learn a thing or two from re-watching his videos. The only dead horse I can sense is when people can't think of a better expression than use a cliche as dead as a dead horse.


Simon

[Large Wooden Badger]

Seems like a lot of the news today is about the demasculinazation of men.

This thread is evidence of that.

[Handplanesandmore]

This thread is evidence of that.

Evidence made based on a thread?

Wow, Nobel Prize material!


Simon

[FrankAtl]

Norm threads come along here a couple of times a year it seems. For some reason they always seem to stir up a lot of emotion. I enjoyed his show for many years and it didn't bother me that he used a nail gun or had some techniques that people found "not so professional". Bottom line is he had one of the longest running woodworking shows on television and encouraged a lot of us to pursue woodworking. I don't rely on one individual to teach me everything I need to know about safety or technique so if I see someone do something that I consider unsafe or unprofessional I find another way to do it. Never understood why a bunch of woodworkers want to pick apart every woodworking show that comes along.

[Tapper]

Pretty sure Norm would enjoy knowing that people still talk about his NYW show, and can still learn a thing or two from re-watching his videos. The only dead horse I can sense is when people can't think of a better expression than use a cliche as dead as a dead horse.


Simon

My guess is that Norm would be bored to tears with a critique of the "dos and don'ts" of his techniques. If you don't like my description of "beating a dead horse" so be it.  If the shoe fits..........

Doug