Woodcademy

[Phil Thien]

Oh!!! Okay I'll check it out tonight. Looking forward to watching woodworking on the big screen!

[handi]

Andy,

As you may know, I sell plans, and you are not alone. The vast majority of my sales are
Workshop plans over project plans. 

I will have to figure out what to add to the season.

[handi]

Episode 2 is complete and is currently being reviewed by Amazon. I hope to have it streaming starting July 1st.

[Phil Thien]

I watched episode #1 last night and really enjoyed it.

When watching a new show of this nature I often need to make allowances because the production often isn't great and you just know things will improve.

In the case of Woodcademy, no such allowances are necessary, it is that well done.

Looking forward to a lot more!

I especially liked the "Pro-Tips" hints on improving work.

Keep up the good work.

[handi]

Thanks Phil, that means a lot to me, especially from you.
Please take a moment and rate the show on Amazon, that would help.

I have plenty of ideas for improving the show if it gets enough viewings to justify them. I am already shopping a pro-grade video camera upgrade.

[Arlin Eastman]

Congrats Handi




Just a few things I can think of is

1. When you use a tool maybe you can explain how to use it and maybe the different ways it can be used and also safety for each one.

2.  Do a turning episode one.

3. Show and explain how to make things like attachments, or templates and stuff like that.

I am very happy for you buddy.

[handi]

Arlin,

Great feedback, thanks.

Episode 1 does include a section on turning as you know, but I will see what sort of turning projects I can find to do an episode. I have one in mind already.

Episode 1 does show making the routing templates, and in Episode 2, I show a sled for mortising the legs.

[Rob Young]

Arlin,

Great feedback, thanks.

Episode 1 does include a section on turning as you know, but I will see what sort of turning projects I can find to do an episode. I have one in mind already.

Episode 1 does show making the routing templates, and in Episode 2, I show a sled for mortising the legs.

I approach shows & videos as sort of a puzzle.  I like to watch the intro where the project is described and then jump to the end and see closeups of finished work.  In between, I try and figure out for myself how things are done.  If really intrigued, I'll make the effort to draw up my own plans independently.  Then I'll finally go back and watch the full episode/series.  

So keeping that in mind, I was fast-forwarding to the end of S01E01 not realizing it was a two part.  The Amazon fast-forward flashes intermediate images and one of the leg caught my eye.  It has an open-end mortise.  Between that flashed image and a comment you make at the end of the video about a jig I'm assuming the mortise is cut AFTER turning.  Would you consider cutting the blank long at the top end, mortising, turning and then cutting down to length so there is no need for a jig?

I've thought about the possibility of the mortise end at the drive center "collapsing" because too little material was left and too much pressure applied with the tail stock.  Alternatively, if one has a 4 jaw chuck, there would be little danger of breaking the end during turning.  Once turned it would be a simple matter to get out the handsaw and cut the leg to length, no extra jig.

Plus sides: no extra jig required to steady leg stock
Minuses : some extra material required and a 4-jaw chuck for the lathe, and if lacking good hand-skills (hey! learning opportunity) the cutting to length may require a jig or at least a wedge/shim on the cross-cut sled.


Also, nice to see some video that isn't book-ended by a bunch of sponsor "commercials".

[handi]

Rob,

One certainly could do the legs as you describe. In woodworking, I have rarely found only one way to do anything.

I have built several of these trays, and I simply found that for me, prepping the blanks as a group insures that the four legs are exactly the same length, so the trays sit solidly on a flat surface without rocking or needing to "adjust" the legs.

Now it is a breakfast tray, and largely will set on a bed, so a fractional difference in the leg lengths will be largely irrelevant in actual use. But I have a personal hatred of tables not sitting flat. The sled for the mortising is quite simple and made from scraps so I preferred to go that route.

Having written woodworking articles for 17 years now, I like to show how I do things, and where possible, suggest other methods, but there are also limits on how long a video ought to be. I do however, include options in the plans for making the table with square legs, for those folks who do not even have a lathe.

As far as sponsorship ads go, Amazon is VERY strict about "advertising" in the videos on Prime. You will notice that I do not actually give my own website, but refer viewers to "our homepage". By Amazon's rules, even giving out a URL for viewers to receive free plans is "advertising". So in the future, if this show gets enough traffic to attract sponsors, I will use their products, but any "ads" will be put into the free downloadable plans where I control them and can do whatever I like.

[handi]

Woodcademy Episode 2 is now available to watch!