Why did Norm use so much pine?

[Bobby O'Neal]

Was this just a design element that was crucial to the style of pieces he made? I'm not against pine but it seems like an inferior choice for alot of furniture applications. And he'd have to clean his blades every other day. ;)

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Was this just a design element that was crucial to the style of pieces he made? I'm not against pine but it seems like an inferior choice for alot of furniture applications. And he'd have to clean his blades every other day. ;)

The only pine I've ever seen him use is the stuff dredged up from river bottoms.
Perceptions are funny, I always think he uses too much cherry.:D

[David Cramer]

From what I recall, Norm "did" use alot of pine, but most of it was in the earlier shows, as in late 80's when he started and the early 90's. If they weren't pine, they seemed to be oak for durability or cherry for heirloom projects. Man I truly miss Norm and the NYWS.

[Derek Gilmer]

Most of the pine projects I remember were reclaimed pine like Bill mentioned. Usually he said they used it because the final product looks more antique/had a better patina than they could achieve with newer materials.

[Chuck Wintle]

another possible reason is pine is an easy wood to work..either with hand or power tools...and because many beginners probably watched the show...this allowed them to have a better chance of completing a project.

[Danny Hamsley]

Wasn't white pine a traditional furniture wood in early America?

[Tony Bilello]

I think Norm used a lot of pine in the early days because he wanted his audience to identify with him. If he started out using cherry or walnut, a good amount of viewers would have felt like they couldn't afford that and lose interest in the show.
I think he slowly shifted away from pine because it is the most difficult and frustrating wood to work with - I am talking construction grade pine. It is usually not the same shape tomorrow as it was today. That could be interesting when alone and attempting to assemble a bookcase with now warped boards trying to fit into a straight dado slot.
If I remember correctly, Norm was a cabinetmaker by trade and probably not used to working with pine until his show began.

[Stephen Cherry]

I think that if he was reproducing period furniture that was originally from pine, then pine would be the first wood to look at. I guess pine, back in the day, isn't what we think of as pine today though.

I wish it was possible to watch those old shows, more than just once a week. That's the funny thing though, the show was made at least partially with public support, now they are not open to the public. The woodrights shop, with Roy Underhill, has about 5 years of shows on the website for public viewing. That's a good show also, maybe a little less greedy.

Just my opinions.

[Tony Bilello]

Wasn't white pine a traditional furniture wood in early America?

In the early days when pine was used in furniture it was not the same grade as the pine used today. Find a place where you can see and feel some reclaimed pine from old buildings and houses. Pick up a board and you will be amazed that it will weigh more than red oak and almost as much as white oak. The pine we use today would never have even been cut 70 years ago.
The boards we use today for scaffolding must be stamped Scaffold Grade, Architectural Grade or Meets OSHA Standards for Scaffolding or something similar. And even at this most scaffold boards are man-made boards. This quality can not be found on the shelves of most lumber yards, yet it was typical of boards used a hundred years ago. Most of these trees are long gone.

[Mike Null]

As an early viewer I think others were correct in mentioning that Norm's show was for beginning woodworkers and not cabinet makers. Pine and plywood were a natural choices. As he progressed into more difficult projects he introduced oak and cherry into the mix.

I have Norm to blame for many of the tools in my basement--most gathering dust.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

. . .
If I remember correctly, Norm was a cabinetmaker by trade and probably not used to working with pine until his show began.

One of the great myths of woodworking... actually if you'll look up Norm in Wikipedia: after college he spent 3 years as a site supervisor at a large construction firm and then formed his own general contracting firm. three years after that he started with This Old House. The image of him as a cabinetmaker and master carpenter was portrayed by the producers of both shows.
Its not apparent that the viewers cared about the image, I don't know why they persisted in promoting it.

[Rick Pettit]

The pine that Norm used was indeed truly beautiful wood that any woodworker would be happy to get his/her hands on. Go and try to buy some of the reclaimed pine available now. You would be better off buying cherry, walnut, or mahogany and you wouldn't have to remove those old cut nails. I am lucky to have access to an old barn that is falling down. Anytime I want some old growth lumber I just go t the supply house. It is full of oak,poplar, and pine.

[Derek Gilmer]

One of the great myths of woodworking... actually if you'll look up Norm in Wikipedia: after college he spent 3 years as a site supervisor at a large construction firm and then formed his own general contracting firm. three years after that he started with This Old House. The image of him as a cabinetmaker and master carpenter was portrayed by the producers of both shows.
Its not apparent that the viewers cared about the image, I don't know why they persisted in promoting it.

Yep, he makes it pretty clear in his book that he has been a house builder from an early age. I think he started as an apprentice with his dad at the construction company where his dad worked.

[Cody Colston]

Norm used Pine primarily on the pieces that were originally built from Pine...many of them Shaker designs. As was already said, he didn't do it because it was cheap. The old growth, reclaimed Pine lumber he mostly used is anything but cheap.

While his version of the pieces he built weren't reproductions in the true sense of the word, he did try to stay fairly faithful to the originals in wood species and proportions.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

I was dismayed to find out "The Workshop" isn't his. :eek:

[Neil Brooks]

I was dismayed to find out "The Workshop" isn't his. :eek:

But the work was.

[Joe Cowan]

I did a couple of projects with heart pine. Beautiful wood and a pleasure to work with and smell. I wish I had more.

[Myk Rian]

In the early days when pine was used in furniture it was not the same grade as the pine used today. Find a place where you can see and feel some reclaimed pine from old buildings and houses.
I agree. I have some pine that was used to build a factory over 100 years ago. Nothing on the market today compares to it.

[Neil Brooks]

I did a couple of projects with heart pine. Beautiful wood and a pleasure to work with and smell. I wish I had more.

Amen.

I picked some up, in Boston, and a salvage lumber place. Haven't DONE anything with it, yet, but ... man ... is it beautiful !

Also having some fun with the "beetle-kill" (Lodgepole) Pine that's -- sadly -- coming out of the Rockies. Last thing I built with it was this tower -- based on an old Roycroft piece:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WVVYjLCNo2w/TLdpdp4IChI/AAAAAAAABQA/ud79ls_j3Fs/s512/P1040981.JPG

It really can be an underrated wood. I've seen beautiful furniture made out of construction grade SPF dimensional stuff !

[Bill Edwards(2)]

I think that if he was reproducing period furniture that was originally from pine, then pine would be the first wood to look at. I guess pine, back in the day, isn't what we think of as pine today though.

I wish it was possible to watch those old shows, more than just once a week. That's the funny thing though, the show was made at least partially with public support, now they are not open to the public. The woodrights shop, with Roy Underhill, has about 5 years of shows on the website for public viewing. That's a good show also, maybe a little less greedy.

Just my opinions.

You can see a lot of them here (5 pages):

http://so.56.com/index?key=new+yankee&charset=utf-8&type=&kw=

If you don't mind your ads in Japanese and their obvious disregard for copyright laws.:D

[Pat Barry]

I don't recall ever seeing Norm haul in a pile of 'pine' that he picked up at a home store and making anything from it (unless he was framing up a wall or something like that). He always got reclaimed 'old growth' pine - the real thing - and used it to make reproductions of old pine pieces. I think he was pretty faithful to reproducing using the same kind of wood as the antique he found. I think Norm probably did more to spark interest in woodworking than anyone else in the last 20 years and we should all be thankful. I hate to see that we think of him as directing his work to 'beginners'. I think he did a great job to explain 'why' he was doing what he was doing. I wish he was back and I wish the David Marks show 'Wood works' was back also - another great show.

[John Coloccia]

I remember him painting a large number of his pieces. Pine seems perfectly appropriate for painted reproductions that were originally also made out of pine. He also used a lot of plywood where it was appropriate. In my experience, Norm works the way a lot of pros who actually have to turn a profit work. A simple, well crafted piece made out of pine, plywood and veneer and/or painted is far more desirable than some of the exotic hardwood disasters I've seen over the years.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I seem to remember him saying periodically he was using pine because it was appropriate for the piece he was making.

[Neil Brooks]

We should draft Norm to come back on the air.

He COULD be bored.

I wonder if Tommy MacDonald can get Norm on HIS show. Might give the Man in Plaid the itch, again, AND be good television :)

[David Hostetler]

It's funny, I guess it all depends on the particular species of pine. Southern Yellow pine, which is very common down here, is actual pretty decent to work with once it has acclimated to your shop. A LOT of workbenches, and bench tops get made out of SYP. I have built many toys, footstools, toy boxes etc... out of the stuff...

The "project" grade pine boards from the BORG however are mostly useless. Try cutting dovetails in the stuff and it blows out almost before you can get the bit to it... And keeping it straight is like keeping a politician honest...

[frank shic]

You can see a lot of them here (5 pages):

http://so.56.com/index?key=new+yankee&charset=utf-8&type=&kw=

If you don't mind your ads in Japanese and their obvious disregard for copyright laws.:D

oh my goodness i could almost kiss you for that link... now to get watching!!! woooooooot

[Sean Nagle]

As has been mentioned, Norm used reclaimed, old-growth pine for antique reproductions that would have originally been crafted from pine (Eastern White Pine, I believe). I own several pine antiques. The wood is actually as hard as hardwoods. Now maybe it took over 100 years for the resins to dry and make the wood that hard, but it's definitely not the pine used for framing lumber. Old pine is most likely similar to quality Douglas Fir that we can get today. Even out here in the west, Douglas Fir at my local hardwood supplier costs more than cherry.

[Derek Gilmer]

We should draft Norm to come back on the air.

He COULD be bored.

I wonder if Tommy MacDonald can get Norm on HIS show. Might give the Man in Plaid the itch, again, AND be good television :)
I'd dig that. Maybe it would cut down on the number of times Tommy said "ok" or "alright"...

[Dan Barber1]

I'd dig that. Maybe it would cut down on the number of times Tommy said "ok" or "alright"...

Or how about "guys"? I don't think he can complete a sentence without saying it. The show is almost unwatchable for me because of how he talks. I miss Norm.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Or how about "guys"? I don't think he can complete a sentence without saying it. The show is almost unwatchable for me because of how he talks. I miss Norm.

+1000! I saw it for the first time last night, and absolutely hated it just because of how often he said "guys".

I recall reading somewhere that Russell Morash decided to put Norm on TV because his calm, collected personality would be a good balance to Bob Vila's excitability. I think "Rough Cut" would be infinitely better if Tommy calmed down a little bit!

[Curt Harms]

Some of the pine he used was reclaimed from This Old House projects. 'Thrifty'(cheap)yankees at work :D

[Donny Lawson]

I vote to bring him back or at least someone like him that could bring woodworking projects back to the TV. I enjoyed watching his shows. I seem to always learn something from them.
Donny

[Mark Bolton]

+1000! I saw it for the first time last night, and absolutely hated it just because of how often he said "guys".

I recall reading somewhere that Russell Morash decided to put Norm on TV because his calm, collected personality would be a good balance to Bob Vila's excitability. I think "Rough Cut" would be infinitely better if Tommy calmed down a little bit!

Being a native of MA I can see how it can be hard for people to watch/listen to the accent and, I guess you would say, local dialect that is just commonplace in Boston. My wife and I always laugh when we watch a movie like Good Will Hunting because they get it spot on. Makes sense as the actors too are Boston natives its just odd to hear the local speak on national TV and in Movies. Terms like "wicked awesome" or "wicked pissa'" were terms coined there.

I REALLY notice it when I catch an episode of TOH or Ask TOH and the landscaper guy (Roger Cook?) is on. He has it really bad as well. He will say things that are so common to me like "We are gonna take en' put that plant in the hole". Little things like that. Inserting things like "take en'". The "guy" thing seemed to pop up all throughout New England about 15 years ago. I am sure someone knows the root but its common even today for someone to walk up to someone else and say "Hey guy", "whats up guy", and so on. It always kind of annoyed me but it really took root. Tommy actually spent a lot of time in Millbury MA which was one town ofver from my home town and was in the thick of it, though the Boston area is probably the true "thick of it".

It seems other Boston area natives on these shows have done a good job at mellowing the accent a bit but its still there which I think is actually a good thing. It blows my mind when I read people insinuating that these people are TV personalities or just figureheads who knew little or nothing about construction/woodworking before being anointed to "PBS stardom" if there is such a thing. While it's true for the hosts, Villa, Kevin Johnson, Steve Thomas, Dean Johnson, and so on but the talent on the show, Tom Silva, Norm, Rich Trethewey, and the other trades, are absolute veterans of the construction industry. Posts stating that norm was "new to construction" are ludicrous. His family was in the construction trade and he was in and around it his entire life before entering into the trade himself. One of my instructors in trade school actually was apprenticing in the trade around the same time as Norm. He was moving into a new venture in furniture and shop work with the NYW but was far from a novice in the trade. While it may not be cabinet shop work, you can ask people like Larry Edgerton what caliber of work gets done "on site" and much of it gets done with a far less equipped shop, setup in a room of a house being built, and most always meets or surpasses a lot of shop work. Making a transition to shop built furniture is a very natural progression for those of us who have ground it out in the field for many years.

With regards to the pine, my take (as has been mentioned) is that when he used eastern white pine it was for a multitude of reasons, appropriate for a country piece, readily available, and a species common to the viewer. If anyone thinks the white pine at home crapo or howe's, or framing lumber (most commonly spruce) is what he, or anyone in the trades up there, would consider good pine you need to get a little more information. We were able to walk into our lumber yard and pick up 4/4, 5/4, and often times 8/4, #1 clear or D&Better eastern white pine that was dead clear, tight grained, and beautiful wood. No picking, no sorting, no sighting down an edge. You need 40 16 footers, grab the first 40 in the stack. It was used commonly for corner boards and exterior trim details (to be painted) on homes. This was furniture grade material. Not to sound antagonistic but if the home center is the breadth of your exposure to pine you have a looooooong way to go.

I thought it was always pretty clear that NYW was not making reproduction pieces. He was trying to do justice to the original while incorporating modern practices that were within reach of the hobbiest with a reasonably equipped shop.

I have not seen many episodes of Rough Cut but he is clearly a master craftsman. I would much rather watch him and put up with a little dialect as opposed to some of the more, how should I say, opportunistic WW'ing media out there now. I have been watching some of the Wood Whisperer videos and if you want to cut someone up for being "new" to the pursuit of wood that would be a place to start. Great job with the production but its pretty interesting to watch a modestly equipped shop turn into a tool manufacturers showroom in a few episodes. Likely great for the hobby but not anything remotely close to David Marks, Rough Cut, Norm, etc..


Mark

[Mark Smith, too]

Norm certainly seemed to be drawn to antiques made out of pine in the early years. He had Irish pine, English pine, and Nantucket pine, and probably some others I don't recall.

You may remember some of his early shows using hardwood, he seemed to have has a hard time getting any and then getting much that was good. Over twenty years ago the availability of furniture quality hardwood for the average woodworker may have been quite different than it is today. At least outside of Boston. If anything he eventually helped fuel a demand for it.

You may recall that in the 60's and 70's 'unfinished' furniture was a big seller and it was almost all pine. Back then I made furniture out of pine because that's what I could get. So I think Norm wasn't too out-of-step with the times and with suppliers when he used a lot of pine.

BTW: he has a sugar pine (not reclaimed pine) piece on his Internet broadcast this week.

[Ted Wong]

Was never too frequent a viewer of Norm. But if he did use a lot of Pine its probably because decent pine is a really good material that is so very easy to work with. The myth is that Pine is a "cheap" wood but I think nothing could be further from the truth. Decent D grade and better Sugar Pine (If you can still find it) probably commands a higher price per Bd. Ft. than Cherry.

[Don Jarvie]

Norms show was also geared toward the beginner (weekend) woodworker. Most beginning woodworkers would lean toward the pine more than the cherry or maple.

I encourage the Tommy Mac skeptics to go to his website. He's good. I started to watch the videos on the Bombe Secratery from 2007. He's far from a fly by nighter. He's not Norm nor David Marks but the whole point of these shows is to learn something and you will.

As for his accent, I grew up 10 minutes from Boston and talk fast and nave been told I have a very thick Boston accent so Tommy sounds fine to me.

Come to think about it, the few times I met Tommy, I had no problem understanding him at all.

[Dan Barber1]

Norms show was also geared toward the beginner (weekend) woodworker. Most beginning woodworkers would lean toward the pine more than the cherry or maple.

I encourage the Tommy Mac skeptics to go to his website. He's good. I started to watch the videos on the Bombe Secratery from 2007. He's far from a fly by nighter. He's not Norm nor David Marks but the whole point of these shows is to learn something and you will.

As for his accent, I grew up 10 minutes from Boston and talk fast and nave been told I have a very thick Boston accent so Tommy sounds fine to me.

Come to think about it, the few times I met Tommy, I had no problem understanding him at all.

It's not so much his accent for me as his mannerisms. I'm a Tennessean with a pretty hard Southern accent and if I hear Southerners saying "guys" every other sentence it makes my flesh crawl. Spent a little time around Boston and had no problem understanding most people, even though they did call me Mr Baba. I even kind of like the accent.

[Mark Bolton]

It's not so much his accent for me as his mannerisms. I'm a Tennessean with a pretty hard Southern accent and if I hear Southerners saying "guys" every other sentence it makes my flesh crawl. Spent a little time around Boston and had no problem understanding most people, even though they did call me Mr Baba. I even kind of like the accent.

Dan,
I am a 10 year transplant from central MA to WV and perhaps I see his mannerisms as behaviors that are heavily affected by region. I know a hundred guys back there who act, talk, and even look, just like him. I think as much as these things are a part of his personality they are part of the region. Now, living here in WV, I see just as many "mannerisms" that are carried through the culture here and things that are carried into vocabulary as well and find them enjoyable.

I always find it interesting that people seem to tune out the fact that most TV personalities on commercial TV whether it be the news or other media have little or no accent. You dont hear anyone in the national media speaking with a southern drawl, or a Boston paaak da caaa, and so on. When we moved here from MA people always said "you talk funny" and I would say, no,.. listen to the nightly news, YOU talk funny too.

I think mannerisms can be very local and for me at least I saw Tommy's almost every day of my life before moving to WV. What I find a little sad is that probably in a few years if he is still on the air this will be groomed, or humiliated, out of him. He seems pretty tenacious so perhaps he is a love it or leave it guy. It seems the money and the prolonging the 15 minutes of fame usually makes people do things they would never normally do though.

A funny thing about vocabulary here in WV is during our first winter here people kept telling me they liked my "boggan" or "toboggan". I of course always looked around to see if I was dragging a sled behind me. Then they told me the winter hat I had on my head is called a "toboggan". I said, "uhh.... I though toboggan was the native american/eskimo word for sled?".

Mark

[Jason White]

Eastern white pine is cheap and plentiful here in New England. You can also find the "old growth" stuff around here if you're willing to do a bit of dumpster diving.

[Derek Gilmer]

I encourage the Tommy Mac skeptics to go to his website. He's good. I started to watch the videos on the Bombe Secratery from 2007. He's far from a fly by nighter. He's not Norm nor David Marks but the whole point of these shows is to learn something and you will.


I don't think anyone was knocking his wood working ability. To me watching Rough Cut is similar to listening to a large group of teenage girls where "OMG!!!!" and "like" are used in every other sentence. I've still got Rough Cut set to record on my DVR despite the annoyance. I suspect in time he will refine his T.V. persona to be more engaging with out losing his accent by varying his phrasing a bit.

There is a reason most T.V. personalities don't have an accent. It is like type O blood (negative maybe?) it is universally acceptable. One of the first points we learned in H.S. debate class was to use the method of communication to further the message you had. When the method of communication hinders the message you are doing something wrong. That is one thing I liked about Norm. He had a very distinct accent but it was quirky and fun. Not painful to listen to after 10 minutes.

[Curt Harms]

I think what Tommy Mac is missing is Russell Morash as director. The show doesn't seem as polished and smooth as TOH and its offshoots. Tommy Mac seems more of a cabinetmaker/furniture maker. Norm always seemed like what is was, a carpenter making furniture. Not that that's a bad thing but Norm's style usually seemed to value utility over artistry. If both guys were unknowns, I could see Tommy Mac's work in FWW, Norm not so much especially his earlier stuff.

[Neil Brooks]

If both guys were unknowns, I could see Tommy Mac's work in FWW, Norm not so much especially his earlier stuff.

Hard to argue with that ... particularly since Tommy's on the COVER of the latest issue of FWW :)

[Scott Vigder]

I have Norm to blame for many of the tools in my basement--most gathering dust.

Would you like to package them up and send them to me?

[Steve H Graham]

He was pining for the fjords.

[John Legg]

LOL. I am a long lost hillbilly from Southern WV. While I have traveled and lived across the northern tier of this country, from Idaho to Maine, I have heard them referred to as a "skull cap", "knit cap" , "stocking cap", "sock hat". I know it as a "Toboggan". Ironically, while sitting next to my partner at work only seconds ago, I asked her what she calls the cap. Her reply? "A toboggan". And she is from Northern Indiana.

While in High School in WV, one particular teacher was emphatic that one not speak like a "hick" with a rough pronounced southern accent and dialect. I took it to heart. Even months after I left for the military, I lost my accent. Years later, I silently yearn to hear to the thick accents. What do ya'll think? LOL


Da\

A funny thing about vocabulary here in WV is during our first winter here people kept telling me they liked my "boggan" or "toboggan". I of course always looked around to see if I was dragging a sled behind me. Then they told me the winter hat I had on my head is called a "toboggan". I said, "uhh.... I though toboggan was the native american/eskimo word for sled?".

Mark

[Don Jarvie]

I had a friend who was on the radio who "lost" the accent when he was on the air.

The show is a work in progress and it will take time to develop an on air style. On comment he made to me was you don't realize how short 25 minutes is.

The more WWing shows we have the better so I hope his show and the rest last a long time on air.

[Derek Gilmer]

The more WWing shows we have the better so I hope his show and the rest last a long time on air.

Exactly. I hope in 20 years my soon to born son has fond memories of watching Rough Cut and lots of other shows with his old dad :)

[Neil Brooks]

Exactly. I hope in 20 years my soon to born son has fond memories of watching Rough Cut and lots of other shows with his old dad :)

And another stealth gloat :)

Congratulations on your upcoming woodworker !!

[John Daugherty]

I like rough cut. If you've ever looked at T Mac's website he's definitely very talented. I am from Tennessee and I like listening to the dialect he has. The only thing that gets annoying is when he says OK after every other word.

[Stew Hagerty]

I think what Tommy Mac is missing is Russell Morash as director. The show doesn't seem as polished and smooth as TOH and its offshoots. Tommy Mac seems more of a cabinetmaker/furniture maker. Norm always seemed like what is was, a carpenter making furniture. Not that that's a bad thing but Norm's style usually seemed to value utility over artistry. If both guys were unknowns, I could see Tommy Mac's work in FWW, Norm not so much especially his earlier stuff.

I agree that his accent does make you listen harder and his mannerisms are also annoying. However, What bothers me most is the way he skips over steps. He jumps significantly ahead at various points of his projects much like a chef on food tv does. As an amature woodworker, I enjoyed the way Norm explained his steps not simply performed them and he rarely skipped steps other than repetitive ones. Norm was unique and can never be "replaced"; my hope is that someone will come along that can fill the void. In my opinion, Tommy is not that person.

[Derek Gilmer]

I agree that his accent does make you listen harder and his mannerisms are also annoying. However, What bothers me most is the way he skips over steps. He jumps significantly ahead at various points of his projects much like a chef on food tv does. As an amature woodworker, I enjoyed the way Norm explained his steps not simply performed them and he rarely skipped steps other than repetitive ones. Norm was unique and can never be "replaced"; my hope is that someone will come along that can fill the void. In my opinion, Tommy is not that person.

I'd blame the editors/producers before blaming Tommy for that. In watching lots of shows on tv these days. I get the feeling that tv producers estimate the average attention span of a viewer somewhere between a squirrel on crack and a rabbit on meth. It looks like the editors for Rough Cut are producing a woodworking show to fit that attention span. Lots of cut shots and quick action. That is one thing I love about pod casts. The content there does not have to fit a 30 minute slot and still leave room for 10 minutes of commercials and 4 minutes of rehashing what was done before the last commercial break.

[steven c newman]

Most of the "early shows" used a #2 pine. Norm also used: Cypress, Wormy Chestnut, salvaged pine, and oak. He also used pine and other woods salvaged from old floor boards, old beams, and barn wood. One show, he even used wood from a stack of pallets.

[Pat Barry]

Lets all be appreciative of the fact that there is a show like Tommy's on the air. Lets be thankful that he is a skilled woodworker, not a skilled actor. Lets accept the fact that he has an accent and an unpolished, folksy presentation method. I am sure he willl develop his on-air personality to be more generic in time. I am also sure that his program will develop in time as well. Right now, I have gotten over the fact that he talks different than Norm and am looking forward to the new episodes each week.

[Cody Colston]

Lets all be appreciative of the fact that there is a show like Tommy's on the air. Lets be thankful that he is a skilled woodworker, not a skilled actor. Lets accept the fact that he has an accent and an unpolished, folksy presentation method. I am sure he willl develop his on-air personality to be more generic in time. I am also sure that his program will develop in time as well. Right now, I have gotten over the fact that he talks different than Norm and am looking forward to the new episodes each week.

Agreed. As a native Texan with a very pronounced drawl, I like how Tommy talks. Rough-Cut is nothing like NYW in that Tommy isn't necessarily showing how to build a specific project. Rather, he's demonstrating techniques. Norm is a teacher, Tommy is an artisan. They are both Boston-area yankees, though, so they have that much in common.

BTW, those caps are called toboggans or boggans in East Texas, too. :)

[Ron Natalie]

Norm's woodworking skills progressed as the show went on. I don't know who smacked him upside the head but finally after several seasons he stopped gluing the cross grain to the longrain (he loved his breadboard edges).