Posts: 2,115
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2005
(05-01-2017, 06:03 PM)AHill Wrote: No doubt, Tommy is a talented woodworker. But talented doesn't always translate into a great show that draws an audience. I too, was distracted by his hyper, hand-waving, over-excited delivery. The last season, with him building his shop, was interesting from a shop standpoint, but it was really more carpentry than woodworking. TOH and ATOH already cover that genre. When he was building projects, I often thought a lot of details were missing and I found it difficult to follow along. I never really did get the explanation on how the kitchen leaf table mechanism worked, and how to lay it out, etc. I really did enjoy the Master Showcase episodes where he visited other woodworkers. I think a series that follows various talented woodworkers around the nation would be a great thing. Add in some trips to places like Stickley, some Amish makers, etc., and you'd have a winner for me.
If you are referring to the draw leaf table after watching his show I made one for my daughter. Tage Frid also describes it in one of his books. My build was much bigger so I had to modify a bit. Came out "OK", wish I could do it again. Nothing wrong with his instructions, just could have done the bread board ends a little bit better.
Posts: 5,661
Threads: 1
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Flemington, New Jersey
(05-01-2017, 06:03 PM)AHill Wrote: I really did enjoy the Master Showcase episodes where he visited other woodworkers. I think a series that follows various talented woodworkers around the nation would be a great thing. Add in some trips to places like Stickley, some Amish makers, etc., and you'd have a winner for me.
Worldwide, too.
Ag
Posts: 20,381
Threads: 4
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: CinDay
Heck the US has enough really gifted woodworkers to make a great show. I think the problem with shows so far is they try to "make an entire project" in 30 minutes. I think if instead they showed a completed piece, then said to make the sliding dovetails on the dust shelfs we..........and then just show you one thing. Today we are going to install drawer slides, and show you how to measure to get them to work out for your drawers, following the week where they show you how to determine drawer sizes, and maybe make a drawer or 5. Norm used to do that sometimes. The one thing that I will always attribute to Norm is how to cut tenons on a TS, he did it almost every week, meanwhile totally glossed over many other details.
I probably will get laughed at by I always thought that our old Sponsors here "WoodSmith Shop" or whatever their TV show is was the best one, because they actually show people what they are doing, and WHY it works
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya
GW
Posts: 216
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2017
Location: Far west end of San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles
05-02-2017, 06:35 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-03-2017, 08:50 AM by Harold O..)
(05-02-2017, 05:17 PM)Steve N Wrote: I probably will get laughed at by I always thought that our old Sponsors here "WoodSmith Shop" or whatever their TV show is was the best one, because they actually show people what they are doing, and WHY it works
No laughing from my end of the world. As it happens, My local PBS station does woodworking shows every M-F from 7AM to 8AM. They rotate the shows around but there are always two. So while I eat breakfast, catch up on email, and scan woodnet for info, those guys are in the background.
Woodsmith Shop is in that rotation. It very clearly shot, good sound, editing, and production. There is a bit of hokieness but I'm not sure how one gets around that. They are very good at explaining how and why this or that setup works. Lately, they've broken down projects into specific steps and come back to them week after week until completion.
Posts: 12,299
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2006
Our PBS station still broadcasts "Woodsmith Shop", with it coming on right after "Woodright's Shop"! I watch both, when time permits. The former does an excellent job of demonstrating techniques aimed at hobbyists and advanced hobbyists.
"Tommy Mac" was broadcast at 5PM Sunday, a non-convenient time, but I also watched occasionally. I actually like most of his guests better than him, and don't remember seeing any useable technique that I already was not aware of.
Posts: 3,120
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Cumming, GA.
And now that Don has almost eliminated the "giggle talk" Woodsmith Shop is much easier to watch.
Posts: 14,929
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Butler, PA
(05-03-2017, 07:32 AM)FrankAtl Wrote: And now that Don has almost eliminated the "giggle talk" Woodsmith Shop is much easier to watch.
Good to know I'm not the only one that found that annoying.
If you are going down a river at 2 mph and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to shingle your roof?
Posts: 3,120
Threads: 0
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Cumming, GA.
I know Bill. To me it was maddening!
Posts: 20,381
Threads: 4
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: CinDay
05-03-2017, 05:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-03-2017, 05:04 PM by Steve N.)
(05-03-2017, 08:28 AM)Bill Wilson Wrote: Good to know I'm not the only one that found that annoying.
I don't have any doubt he's probably a pretty smart guy, but his TV presence is Dufus McDuff. All the other guys saved his bacon frequently, but his portion was always short, and they never gave him the heavy lifting. Now that the Mag has been sold off, are they still in production? Toward the end I dropped my subscription, when Shop Notes went gone they entered a death spiral IMHO. I would enjoy seeing the TV piece keep going. I am all for Woodworking education, since so many schools dropped it, it's the only way a Noob could get a peek.
Even though T Mac needed to learn how to speaka da Englaish, he still was beneficial even with the sound off, as I usually watch it. It is a loss that he, like so many, are getting gone.
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya
GW
Posts: 208
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2014
Our PBS station rotates Roy, Woodsmith Shop and Scott Phillips through two time slots each Saturday. I record them and watch when I have time. I enjoy Roy the most, but I learn things from all of them. The PBS station also runs T-Mac a little later, but there’s a language barrier I can’t get beyond. I don’t watch it, even with the sound off.
|