Norm

[Handplanesandmore]

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

Your guess is just as good as mine. Norm does sound like an open-minded person to me, though. Otherwise we would not be seeing the kind of improvement he had made in his work over the years. That's the kind of craftsman whose work I enjoy seeing...and re-seeing. But I don't worship him blindly as being infallible as some people seem to do.

Simon

[Tapper]

Your guess is just as good as mine. Norm does sound like an open-minded person to me, though. Otherwise we would not be seeing the kind of improvement he had made in his work over the years. That's the kind of craftsman whose work I enjoy seeing...and re-seeing. But I don't worship him blindly as being infallible as some people seem to do.

Simon

Maybe just a different perspective. I always admired Norm and his work for many of the same reasons that others here have mentioned. He was a great storyteller and was fantastic at demonstrating the techniques to build the items featured on NYW. "Back in the day" I never missed an episode of NYW or This Old House, Norm being one of the original "stars" there when he was tapped by Bob Vila.

Keeping in mind how long ago these shows began, they were presented and demonstrated by guys in the trades rather than professional furniture builders, consequently they did not always practice the epitome of safety techniques. With the advent of the internet, along with all the other electronic devices now known to man, these practices have been critiqued to death and in the process, refined. We now live in a much more safety-conscious woodworking world than when Norm started his show.

As the show progressed, Norm improved in this area IMO. Not perfect but better. That's what I meant. To me Norm's effect on the growth of interest in home woodworking is probably immeasurable. It certainly sparked my interest and if others are close to similar, have also spent thousands of dollars on the hobby over the years, thus helping to grow the business.

My apologies for the long response. Just came out when I started writing.

Doug

[R Clark]

I watched Norm every week for many years.  After watching for many years, I decided to start doing.  Norm continued to give me ideas and techniques via the TV show.  If they had them on TV, I'd watch them still.  Streaming the video from a site is a so-so option for me.

As for the safety stuff, I'll leave it to others to do all the safety shaming.

[FrankAtl]

Maybe just a different perspective. I always admired Norm and his work for many of the same reasons that others here have mentioned. He was a great storyteller and was fantastic at demonstrating the techniques to build the items featured on NYW. "Back in the day" I never missed an episode of NYW or This Old House, Norm being one of the original "stars" there when he was tapped by Bob Vila.

Keeping in mind how long ago these shows began, they were presented and demonstrated by guys in the trades rather than professional furniture builders, consequently they did not always practice the epitome of safety techniques. With the advent of the internet, along with all the other electronic devices now known to man, these practices have been critiqued to death and in the process, refined. We now live in a much more safety-conscious woodworking world than when Norm started his show.

As the show progressed, Norm improved in this area IMO. Not perfect but better. That's what I meant. To me Norm's effect on the growth of interest in home woodworking is probably immeasurable. It certainly sparked my interest and if others are close to similar, have also spent thousands of dollars on the hobby over the years, thus helping to grow the business.

My apologies for the long response. Just came out when I started writing.

Doug

Couldn't agree more Doug! Most of the people who bash him for one reason or another couldn't come close to doing what he did in front of a camera. Hell, one person was even complaining about him not showing all of the setup and attempts to dial in the cut. Heck, any woodworking show would take hours per episode if they showed all of that.

As I said above, so many people use these Norm threads to ding him when they themselves couldn't hold a candle to him both in talent and execution.

Frank

[Stwood_]

As I said above, so many people use these Norm threads to ding him when they themselves couldn't hold a candle to him both in talent and execution.

Frank

10-4 on that

[Handplanesandmore]

My apologies for the long response. Just came out when I started writing.

Doug

No need for apologies as I enjoyed your thoughtful response from your heart, and in fact we share the same perspective about Norm that his show had and has, I think, energized a lot of bystanders, including myself, to get into woodworking or into the shop.

My earlier comments about Norm's safety practice or lack of it in his early shows and his subsequent improvements (in both safety and techniques) echo yours.

Whether it is Norm or any other woodworking figures, there are always blind followers who idolize or worship them, and will treat any critical views as bashing. Paul Sellers himself, for example, views any divergent comments on his blog as attacks on him. His followers will rally behind him without questions (ring a bell elsewhere?). I call a spade a spade here or on any other forums, regardless of what other vocal members may say.

As for my work, suffice to say that I know how good it is, and how much I can improve my woodworking further, including the safety part.

Simon

[WaterlooMarc]

I certainly wouldn’t have started without Norm. In fact his show was my primary teacher besides woodworking books and here.

[AHill]

Had David Marks with Woodworks came on before Norm, I'd never be a woodworker. David's techniques were so advanced that I would never have said, "I can do that." Norm had that knack of taking something complex, breaking it down into simple tasks, and in the end, producing something useful. Sure, he used some tools that weren't normal in a home workshop (the pocket hole machine for one), but you got the idea. I kind of look at Norm like I look at my Dad. Not perfect, but I love him for what he is.

[FrankAtl]

Had David Marks with Woodworks came on before Norm, I'd never be a woodworker.  David's techniques were so advanced that I would never have said, "I can do that."  Norm had that knack of taking something complex, breaking it down into simple tasks, and in the end, producing something useful.  Sure, he used some tools that weren't normal in a home workshop (the pocket hole machine for one), but you got the idea.  I kind of look at Norm like I look at my Dad.  Not perfect, but I love him for what he is.

Same here Allan. I was a true beginner when I stated watching Norm and he made me feel like, Hey, I can do that, so I did. Later on when David Marks came along I was experienced enough to appreciate his level of work and started following him closely. I thought he was very good at introducing you to new techniques like bent lamination, guilding etc. I've actually built a few of his projects and am pretty proud of them. Buit a few projects inspired by Norm too.

I feel like I can actually get something out of most woodworking shows and tend to watch any that come on, which is very few these days. Some good, and BAD stuff on YouTube too. I just like watching woodworking shows instead of some of the other crap on TV these days.

Frank

[joe1086]

I certainly wouldn’t have started without Norm. 

Me too. Norm opened up a new world for me.