Has anyone else seen Rob Cosman's new online workshop site?

[Jim Neeley]

Has anyone else joined Rob Cosman's Online Hand Tool Workshop site? They've published their fifth of their twice-weekly workshops / episodes of the first project and I wondered what others think of it. I am learning a lot.

Jim

[Gary Benson]

I have been following along. Good review for those who have taken his classes, very much looking forward to the upcoming projects. I have wanted to take his advanced class to make the round traveller's chest, which he has listed to be made in the future. I will likely try to build that along with him.
Gary

[Ed Looney]

Jim

I found out about the school by reading article about it here http://www.renaissancewoodworker.com/rob-cosmans-hand-tool-workshop/

The school is a good concept because unlike a DVD or Saturday morning TV show if you have a question you can ask in the online forum.
I really like that all the sessions are on file and you can go back and review them anytime you want a refresser. I am looking forward to episode 6 it should be out tonight.

Ed

[larry ciccolo]

How many episodes will there be in total ?

[gary Zimmel]

Each project will have a different number of episodes. The project is in real time so Rob does not know exactly how many episodes it will take. Best Guess is around 12 for this first one. The projects will get more complicated as time goes on. Next on the agenda will be a hall table.

[Jim Neeley]

Larry,

It is described as an ongoing series, with twice-weekly postings. When one project ends, another begins.

As far as long-term, have you seen his video on building piston-fit drawers, specifically the beautiful carcass he used for the class, the one where the "drawer shelves" were mounted to the uprights with through tenons rather than dados? I really like the design but trying to cut a number of tenons to support a ~16"x16" solid wood drawer shelf all tight, aligned and coplanar.. that's a techique I'd like to see in action.

Yesterday I posted a question on the site expressing an interest in a workshop showing how it was built. He replied that it's on the workshop list, but that there are a number of other projects ahead of it on the agenda so it sounds like it'll be an ongoing process of episodes.

[larry ciccolo]

Thanks
Sounds like it may well be worth the $$$ to subscribe???

[Kelly Colin Mark]

Each project will have a different number of episodes. The project is in real time so Rob does not know exactly how many episodes it will take. Best Guess is around 12 for this first one.
Wait, so if the project takes him say 40 hours of work, there's 40 hours of video to watch ? That sounds like it could take a lot of episodes, not to mention that much of it might be the same thing over and over. Am I misunderstanding ?

[David Nelson1]

I think it might be especially for the new comers to hand tools. Might take a few episodes to to make a decision, but for me I think it will be value added.

[David Nelson1]

I watched the first 3 episodes. Very refreshing to see the process not scripted. Rob is taking the time to explain since ever new piece has it own personality. Could be a bit repetitive to answer to a new problem won't always be the same. Best 20.00 a month I could spend.

[gary Zimmel]

I've watched the first five episodes and am enjoying the ride. A complicated project, like the traveller's chest will end up being a bunch of episodes but being real time that's what it will take. I too like the unscripted format that is used. I've been to a few of Rob's course's and it really is like being there the way he explains things in detail.
I ended up paying for a year up front which ends up being 2 bucks an episode.... Even at the 20 bucks a month it's only 2.50 a show.
To me both are a sweet value.
I'm looking forward to seeing Gary Benson's traveller's chest when he's done. I've seen his work and that chest will be real sweet....

[Jim Neeley]

I watched episodes 4 & 5 last night myself and it's good indeed. <s> Even being in real time, there were a couple of times where I stopped and backed up 20 seconds or so to make sure I really understood what was going on. Being able to watch it full-screen in hi-definition made it easy to see the details, such as the whisker left as he'd plane to the cut line. The real-time aspect also gave him the time to explain how to approach the line and how to deal with the whisker-line to end up within a few thou of the marked dimension.

I hmmmed and hawed for a few minutes trying to decide between the monthly membership or going for the year since I already had most of his videos but I can tell already I made the right choice (for me) by going annual.

[Kelly Colin Mark]

Alright, you guys have convinced me....that and his "3 1/2 minute dovetail" video on YouTube. I'm in for a month, if this newbie actually finds the time to watch and follow along I'll re-up for the year.

[Ed Looney]

Wait, so if the project takes him say 40 hours of work, there's 40 hours of video to watch ? That sounds like it could take a lot of episodes, not to mention that much of it might be the same thing over and over. Am I misunderstanding ?

I like the real time aspect. Unlike the saturday shows where you miss so much of the actual process, heck they build a complete pie safe in two thirty minute shows. I think Rob is really onto something by offering reality woodworking instruction.

Ed

[Kelly Colin Mark]

Grrr... I can't seem to view the videos on my iPad... Does that site need Flash? Has anyone else viewed on an iPad or iPhone?

[gary Zimmel]

When the video provider was upgraded to do playbacks and such the ability to watch on our iPads was lost.
I was told that this will be resolved and we will be able to use them again.

Just tried it on my Ipad this morning and it works..

[Kelly Colin Mark]

Thanks Gary. It is working on my iPad now.

I've only watched half of the first candlebox episode, but I can say that so far, I am glad I signed on. He passes on lots of useful tips as he's going along, and I like the nearly stream-of-consciousness style that lets me see what goes on through an experienced woodworker's mind as he's working a project. I liked listening to him try to figure out what piece of the wood he was going to work, and I liked him admitting that his saw wandered and that he ought to double-check things.

However, I think that the series ought to have started from more of a ground-zero, catering to an even rawer, greener woodworker. When he brought out the saw, a quick tutorial on it would have been useful. That introductory material would be quickly covered and wouldn't need to be covered in later episodes, but would be very useful to the newbie.

Anyways, I am glad to have signed on so far. The only thing I can't stand is looking forward to being jealous of that healthy mop of hair for 52 half-hour sessions a year.

[Jim Neeley]

Kelly,

I got to thinking about your post, had some questions myself, and dropped Rob an email on the topic. My email and his response are pasted below. My apology to Gary in advance. <g>

Also, have you checked out his video walking through a couple of his work benches and what he liked and didn't like about each? I like being able to see the underside and learn where he used different combinations of tenons and bench bolts for frame and leg construction... how and where he modified his shoulder vise construction to make it work smoother, etc.

Jim

================================================== ==============================


From: Rob Cosman
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 12:31 PM
To: Neeley, Jim
Subject: RE: handtoolworkshop feedback

Thanks Jim, I appreciate you guys pointing the not so obvious things out to me. I will talk more about this asap. Cheers
Rob


From: Neeley, Jim
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 5:23 PM
To: Rob Cosman
Subject: handtoolworkshop feedback

Rob,

There’s a thread entitled “Has anyone else seen Rob Cosman's new online workshop site? ” on SawmillCreek in the Neanderthal section, where a member posted:

“I've only watched half of the first candlebox episode, but I can say that so far, I am glad I signed on. He passes on lots of useful tips as he's going along, and I like the nearly stream-of-consciousness style that lets me see what goes on through an experienced woodworker's mind as he's working a project. I liked listening to him try to figure out what piece of the wood he was going to work, and I liked him admitting that his saw wandered and that he ought to double-check things.

However, I think that the series ought to have started from more of a ground-zero, catering to an even rawer, greener woodworker. When he brought out the saw, a quick tutorial on it would have been useful. That introductory material would be quickly covered and wouldn't need to be covered in later episodes, but would be very useful to the newbie.”

He raises a good point: you use different saws and have even swapped saws when you realized you had the wrong one but you haven’t covered saw selection or what saw you’ve used for different cuts. I wholly see why you wouldn’t think about this but you can bet your viewers do. The new ones probably wonder where to start and the more experienced are probably looking to glean the nuances in your saw selections.

First there’s the rip vs. crosscut but it goes beyond that. Say, for a rip, is it better to use a dovetail, rip carcass, rip tenon, and what size for different rip cuts. Is selection based solely on the depth of cut? Which saws do you find it valuable to have multiple of, with one perhaps modified to a small-to-zero kerf?

I think you’re onto something really good here with your workshop. The “real time” gives you the time to go into the details that a DVD doesn’t permit. It also permits your more proficient members (a la Gary Zimmel) to glean the nuances of your experience to take their work to the next level.

Jim

[Bob Warfield]

I signed up about a week ago and very happy I did. I originaly signed on for a month but at the end of the month I'm going to pay for the full year. I know a lot of what Rob teaches just from reading the forums and his own videos, but it's really nice to see it in real time and to listen to him think out loud.
Thanks,
Bob Warfield

[David Nelson1]

LOL he answered your request in a video awesome.