The power of the chisel

[Tony Wilkins]

Just got through watching David Charlesworth's DVD on chisel joinery and wow. Learned a lot from it. I'm going to go ahead and order the planing video.

Should I get the sharpening video while I'm at it?

Any more of the Lie Nielsen DVD's I should look at?

[Hilton Ralphs]

David certainly knows his stuff but I reckon he could cut down his video length by at least half. He seems to waffle on a lot doesn't he? Or at least watch at double the speed.

This tends to be a trend with woodworking related video instruction. I would say that the Schwarz and Paul Sellers have it down pat with the right amount of waffle/pause/reiteration etc.

I would look at the Paul Sellers sharpening series first though. His approach is low key in equipment but gets the job done. Everyone is biased in some way at the end of day.

[David Weaver]

If you want a repeatable sharpening method and you use a guide (like an eclipse style side clamping guide), you won't be hurt by charlesworth's video. He does spend about 45 minutes talking about the process, but it is one I still use for my smoothers because you have absolute control over camber and the final bevel is steep enough to eliminate chipping. If you want finish a planed surface without anything else, the control is important and the method is better than any other in terms of not having steep corners (like sellers) that will show up on a surface or requiring a fair amount of practice (you can get the same profile as charlesworth's method using a hollow grind, but it will take a bit before you get the feel with your various irons).

Just ignore any talk about plate glass in it, it predates the inexpensive universally available granite plates.

Personally, I like charlesworths methodical and cleanly produced videos better than the others. The pace is a bit slow, and it'll drive your wife off, but it's important to get the material and use it, delivery doesn't matter so much as long as it's not one of the contrived videos with forced conversation between "an expert and a dummy" where the dummy constantly asks stupid questions and marvels at the experts advice. I can't stand those. If you've seen them, you know what I'm talking about.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

. . . delivery doesn't matter so much as long as it's not one of the contrived videos with forced conversation between "an expert and a dummy" where the dummy constantly asks stupid questions and marvels at the experts advice. I can't stand those. If you've seen them, you know what I'm talking about.

The latest video with Jeff Miller and David Theil comes off like that. I'm pretty sure David knows his stuff, too, so I'm not sure what the hell's going on there.

[David Weaver]

That kind of stuff seems no different to me than making obviously fake characters on infomercials. Like "Hazel" from the magic bullet infomercial. I don't know if it comes from a desire to surroud viewers with people who they are supposed to think as both being above them and below them or what, but it's insulting.

[David Barnett]

David certainly knows his stuff but I reckon he could cut down his video length by at least half. He seems to waffle on a lot doesn't he? Or at least watch at double the speed.

But consider their added value, Hilton, beyond their considerable didactic worth—David's videos are ideally soporific in pace and tone. Insomnia? Just start his DVD... and drift... drift... Otherwise? Caffeine. Espresso. Lots.

Not even Charlesworth could compare to psychiatrist and medical hypnotist Milton Erickson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBIZ49y_n4k), though, whose lectures, while thoroughly interesting, from his wonderfully soothing manner and voice alone routinely induced trance in at least half of those attending


http://home.comcast.net/~d.j.barnett/miltonerickson300.jpg

Milton H Erickson, M.D.


It all becomes a blur — "... rub the edge... yes... slowly... smoothly... back and forth... back and forth... that's right... the stone... the edge... your drool... sharper... sharper..."

[Hilton Ralphs]

I actually enjoy all of David's videos but I regularly get abuse from my family warning me about my heart condition (I don't have one).

If anyone really waffles, then it has to be AskWoodMan. I agree with David Weaver about those silly duet shows. I think Rob Cosman has one like that and the Woodsmith Shop is along those lines.

Suppose I can't do any better though.

[Tony Wilkins]

I think my favorite part of Miller's duet video is where he's demonstrating a chisel technique. Thiel says something to the effect of, 'like when you're trimming a mortise shoulder." Miller's response, "well here I'm just chopping on a piece of wood to demonstrate" Crickets chirp while Thiel nods, 'well yeah'.

Overall though, I enjoyed those videos :)

[Jim Koepke]

delivery doesn't matter so much as long as it's not one of the contrived videos with forced conversation between "an expert and a dummy" where the dummy constantly asks stupid questions and marvels at the experts advice. I can't stand those. If you've seen them, you know what I'm talking about.

Hey! I kind of like watching the Schwarz and Saint Roy. :D

jtk

[David Barnett]

Hey! I kind of like watching the Schwarz and Saint Roy.

Now that's funny!

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Hey! I kind of like watching the Schwarz and Saint Roy. :D

jtk

I forgot about that - it was almost painful to watch that saw episode.

[Tony Wilkins]

I forgot about that - it was almost painful to watch that saw episode.

LOL, that's one of my favorites.