Tools you bought because you saw Norm Abram use them...

[Tony Haukap]

...and then find out you don't use them nearly as much.

After 20+ years I'm moving my shop out of the basement to a new shop and while boxing things up and going through drawers/boxes that haven't been opened in years, I've discovered all the 'stuff' Norm made me buy! :)
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3857/ww5j.jpg
Lamello Dosicol - Looked like good idea, but I guess I don't do enough biscuits to keep it filled with glue - kind of hard to clean out, especially if only gluing a handful of biscuits - I've found it easier to just squirt a little extra glue into the biscuit slot from the glue bottle.
Toolbelt - Again, nice idea, however I find that the pockets fill with saw dust when routing or using the table saw... it's also pretty damn heavy, I probably have too much stuff in it. Maybe Norm only wears it during final assembly, I never noticed.
Angle Wright Height Gauge - I keep it in a drawer by the router station, the times when I remember I have this and take the time to get it out, it works great, but the ruler/tape in my hand is often more convenient. Funny, but I when I do use it, it is usually with a dado on the table saw... maybe I should move it to a different drawer.
Bessey GRZ Super Grip Clamp - They clamp well enough, but getting the pressure just right is a bit fussy, I usually reach for a Bessey KliKlamp which work in a very similar way, but somehow are much easier to use.
Osborne Miter Gauge - Can't really complain about it, it does exactly what it should, but since I use the table saw primarily for ripping cuts I never use this. I do probably over 90% of the crosscuts on the miter saw.
Porter-Cable Speed-Bloc Sander - No dust collection, need I say more? I don't think I've ever loaded sandpaper on it.
Porter-Cable Corner Chisel - Neat little tool, but unless you're routing a ton a hinges with square corners, this gets buried in the bottom of the drawer and forgotten. Still in package, tells you how little I've used it! Actually, I somehow managed to end up with two of them. :)
Whiteside Router Inlay Set - Norm used it to make 'patches' to cover bad spots in some reclaimed wood he was using - seemed like a handy item at the time, never used it, then again, I don't find myself very often using reclaimed wood either.
Jevons Tool 3D Square - Once again, I think if I remembered I had these I may reach for them more often. Norm seemed to like them, maybe we're just doing different kinds of projects, because I can't think of the last time I used them.

Join me next time when we discuss Norm's jigs/fixtures I've made that never used. :)
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/3118/kqh4.jpg

Please don't think I'm bashing Norm for one second... after all, who else do you know that has their very own "The New Yankee Workshop" sign?
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7693/3wok.jpg

And just to end on a positive note... the most useful thing I bought because I saw Norm use it (and I probably wouldn't have found it on my own otherwise) is the Jack Rabbit Driver - if you have never tried it, I suggest you do. Norm used it all the time in the NYW and it truly is a great way to drill/drive screws.[indent]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/2525/1pou.jpg

[Tony Haukap]

Why doesn't my text format correctly? I had to use the
[/indent][indent] to get it to be somewhat readable... otherwise it all ran together!

[Myk Rian]

I have purchased absolutely nothing because Norm used it.

[Sam Murdoch]

I could not watch Norm wearing his carpenter tool apron in the shop. Just me? All well and good for a house carpenter but in a cabinet shop?

As for the tools - he was paid to play and so a lot of these tools were hyped hard and product placed. Though in the day that little 4-1/2" worm drive panel/trim saw was the best. It was used in my shop for lots and lots of plywood work including curved cutting for templates on boats. Still can do the job but has been surpassed by track saws and better technology jig saws.

[Cody Colston]

Probably the tool I use least that I saw Norm use is my biscuit joiner...except mine is a DeWalt instead of a Lamello. I use my Osbourne miter jig all the time and the router inlay kit is handy. I'd never wear a tool belt in the woodshop unless I wanted to collect sawdust...I don't. The price of the Angle Wright Height Gauge was too much for me. I use a 6" tri-square instead. You have to realize that 1. Norm got offers from a multitude of tool mfg's to use their product (free) and 2. he was also learning as he went. He was still probably the person most responsible for influencing thousands to take up woodworking which benefitted every woodworker. I hold the man in the highest esteem.

[Dave Zellers]

You will have to pry my Porter Cable 4 1/2" worm drive panel saw out of my cold dead hands. :D

[Thomas Canfield]

I have a pneumatic nailer, with wife's blessing, because of Norm, and some other interesting tools which I do use from time to time. Watching Norm was a big influence to get me back into woodworking and build a retirement hobby shop which does get daily use unless out of town. I had the opportunity about 7 years back to shake David Marks hand at a SWAT (Southwest Area Turners Symposium) and tell him that I felt that he and Norm were major reason for the increase interest in woodworking. I thought that I was going to be able to see Norm in the Houston area, but that got cancelled. I still don't have all the tools or wood, but definitely more than I would have had otherwise or even knowledge about.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The only 2 tools I have that was Norm influenced was pneumatic finish nailer and the Osborne Miter gauge. Both work well and I use them regularly.

[James Conrad]

"The only guilty man in Shawshank..."

Osbourne miter gauge

[Mort Stevens]

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/3857/ww5j.jpg
Norm, didn't buy cheap tools! That's over $800 worth of "stuff" Norm made you buy! ;)



Lamello Dosicol - $85
Toolbelt - (??) $100
Angle Wright Height Gauge - $135
Bessey GRZ Super Grip Clamp - (2@) $85 ea
Osborne Miter Gauge - $130
Porter-Cable Speed-Bloc Sander - $100
Porter-Cable Corner Chisel - $25
Whiteside Router Inlay Set - $40
Jevons Tool 3D Square - $50
--
Total: $835

[John McClanahan]

I finally broke down and bought a pair of the Bessey clamps. I haven't had a chance to give them a workout yet, but I'm happy with my purchase. I opted for a Incra miter gauge so I can also use it in my band saw. I picked up a pair of Speed-Blocs at a school district auction for a few bucks. I opted for the Woodpeckers aluminum right angle corner clamps. The height gauge seems overpriced for what it does. I have an iGauge unit that works OK for me. And no, I never wear a tool belt in the shop. Seems like a good way to knock stuff onto the floor.

John

[jack forsberg]

I have purchased absolutely nothing because Norm used it.


what no Delta tools Myk.:p:p

[Andrew Hughes]

The porter cable saw boss sidewinder is a nice little saw.I have one that should be retired just can't do it yet.

[Tony Haukap]

I'm just a hobbiest, those saws have probably made less than 6 cuts each. I made those saw guide jigs after seeing Norm make them, but I just don't find a lot of use for these saws, maybe if I used more plywood, but I generally try to avoid it in favor of solid wood. Thanks for the offer though, but I'm not selling anything. My new shop is larger and I have plently of space for everything... and more! I still need a widebelt sander and a molder to round out the shop equipment.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks,

Sales can only take place in the Classifieds Forum and offers to buy something belong in that forum too.

If you find that your post has been deleted, it's because it was inappropriate in this forum.

[Peter Quinn]

Maybe it's a generational thing, I watched Norm regularly with my Dad as a kid and young adult, but was never really influenced by his choice of tools or methods. I do have a few hand planes that I felt I must have after watching DJ Marks, they rarely get used, but that's my failure not his. I also seem to have one of those silly biscuit glue squeezers, not a lamello. Just a nuisance, one more thing to keep filled and clean, guys at work won't even use one when gluing up a whole kitchen. That little trim saw is a gem, just last week I used another guys on an install to scribe a cabinet bottom to a tile floor, seriouslly fantastic little saw. But in the cabinet shop it would see little use, more of an install tool in my mind. As my skills have grown my collection of "users" shop aids has been pared to an essential collection of things I like. Not too many gimmicks. But I still like having oddities and gadgets, sort of like collecting hummels, useless in a practical sense, still fun to own. Does anybody want a biscuit glue bottle....I have several.

[lowell holmes]

+1 for the trim saw.

[jack forsberg]

thanks to knock it out nail gun Norm I got a nail gun.

[Rod Sheridan]

I purchased a Porter Cable biscuit joiner...................Boy is that something I don't use..................Rod.

[David Weaver]

A pinner and a finish nailer. I did a lot of my woodworking before watching any norm, and am glad to have the pinner. The nailer doesn't get used a lot in woodworking projects, but it has turned out to be useful for putting a floor in, etc.

All of the other stuff that he used, like OSS and various gadgets to avoid hand work - no interest in that stuff. I understand its place, but it's not for me.

When I first got into WW, a buddy insisted that I get a biscuit joiner, though. I'm sure that was norm influenced, as a lot of his tools were either norm or FWW influenced. I have used it probably twice. Maybe again someday on a medicine cabinet or something, who knows - it's more likely to just sit around until I drop something on it and break it.

[Charles Taylor]

I'll second the Whiteside router inlay kit. Thought it was a great idea, bought it, never used it. Although I do use straightedge clamps like I saw Norm do, I discovered this weekend that I still had the back-to-back version still in the box from when I picked it up years ago. Wish I could blame Norm for all the other workshop gadgets I've bought and rarely if ever used...but I can't.

[Ellen Benkin]

I have a pinner and love it. Beats clamping and waiting for glue to dry every time. I remember Norm praising the drill/driver (Jack Rabbit?) but I never found one for sale that made sense to me.

[Joe Hillmann]

If any tv host has influenced any of my tool purchases it would have to be Roy Underhill. He is the reason I bought my first hand plane.

[Clarence Martin]

What was that resaw bandsaw that Norm used ?

[Jason White]

It was made by Hitachi.


What was that resaw bandsaw that Norm used ?

[Ben Hatcher]

The only tool Norm had that I coveted was that wide belt sander. Though, it would take up half my shop.

[Dan Hintz]

Maybe it's a generational thing, I watched Norm regularly with my Dad as a kid and young adult, but was never really influenced by his choice of tools or methods.

Same here... watched it religiously with my dad, learned a whole lot about woodworking in general. But for the life of me I can't remember a single specific tool he used... I remember hammers (pneumatic and manual), planers (electric and manual), sanders (pneumatic, electric, and manual), etc., but not brands. Years later when the New Yankee Workshop came on, I started watching it, too... but by then I was noticing the same info showing up time and again, so the newness wore off and I stopped watching.

[Tom Scott]

I can't say that he directly influenced me to buy anything that I don't use, but he influenced my wife to buy me a biscuit joiner...which gets pulled out once every 5 years or so.

[Gordon Eyre]

I made Norm's router table and use it all the time. I can't think of anything that I bought specifically because Norm had one. Perhaps my mortiser was influenced a bit by Norm's use of one. I never missed a show.

[Alan Lightstone]

I just finished a piece I used the Whiteside router inlay kit for. Made that part of the piece far easier and more accurate to do, so I like it.

I wish you could see the New Yankee Workshop episodes easily where I live. Now that I'm into woodworking, I would appreciate them far more.

[Paul McGaha]

I think my shop was heavily influenced by Norm Abram. Just not specific tools.

He seemed to favor Bessey K Body clamps were as mine are Jorgensen Cabinetmasters.

My jointer, planer, hollow chisel mortiser are from Powermatic and his were from Delta if I remember correctly.

I have a Unisaw w a Biesmeyer fence that was similar to what Norm had. Of course he used a Unifence sometimes too. My Biesmeyer miter saw tables are set up similar to what Norm did.

My sanders and routers are mostly from Porter Cable. Norm probably has all the ones I have and then some.

PHM

[Myk Rian]

what no Delta tools Myk.:p:p
Hah. Nothing new. All my Delta tools were made while Captain Kangaroo was on tv.

[mreza Salav]

A biscuit joiner, and I rarely use it (don't remember the last time)...
Bessey clamps too, but now they are 95% of the times the clamps I use.

[Tony Haukap]

Norm, didn't buy cheap tools!I like the feeling you get from using $10,000's of equipment to make a $20 cutting board out of $50 worth of wood! :)The way I've always approached it as a hobbiest was that I generally tried to equipment my shop with the same brands/models of tools Norm used - I figured he was only going to be using good quality stuff and I wanted the same for my shop.

[Kevin Bourque]

I bought a $600 Porter Cable dustless drywall sanding system after seeing Norm use it on This Old House. I've had it for about 20 years and I think it's the best tool I ever bought. However a lot of the stuff I saw him use I would consider "gimmick" tools, or just shameless sponsor plugs. One time I saw him using a large plastic measuring device that helps you mark out framing studs at perfect 16" centers. If anybody had one of those on our framing crew they would have been laughed off the job.

[Adam Diethrich]

Hello All :)

First time poster, but had to chime in...

I do in fact use my biscuit joiner on most projects, but sadly just not that many projects. I've always enjoyed woodworking and of course Norm is "The Man," but I only get myself [saw]dusty a few times a year or so.

I've always found the biscuit joiner handy, in terms of the help I get in lining things up for gluing and assembly. Not necessarily for strength of the joint.

Really do want one of those little PC trim saws though, really neat little tool I think.

A.W.D.

[Mel Fulks]

Funny !,Tony. I think the TV guys would probably use anything they could get in exchange for endorsements. I've tried to do that ,no takers ...

[Garth Almgren]

I actually really like that Jack Rabbit tool, and wouldn't mind having one of my own.

I usually watch NYW to get ideas for projects and see different techniques for woodworking, so I wouldn't necessarily buy a tool just because it was used by Norm, but if it did the job well and I could afford it, seeing it in use may influence the decision.

[Alan Bienlein]

Never bought a tool just because Norm was using it. All my tool purchases were motivated by need because of the project I was working on.

The only tool that could come close to identifying with Norm would be the jack rabbit counter sink set. I only purchased one because I had a chance to use one at a cabinet shop I worked at and found it far superior to anything I had used up till then and that was only two years ago.

[Tony Haukap]

Sometimes going through the shop can be a good thing... you find all the 'stuff' you forgot you had! Like this signed picture of the Old House crew from June 2008...
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/4111/isqj.jpgAlways meant to find a prominent place to hang it, but like a lot of things, gets put on the back burned, then 'stuff' get placed in front of it - and you know what they say... out of sight out of mind!

[Jason White]

I have a similar photo (see below -- that's me in the back to the left of Kevin O'Connor)...


Sometimes going through the shop can be a good thing... you find all the 'stuff' you forgot you had! Like this signed picture of the Old House crew from June 2008...
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/4111/isqj.jpg
Always meant to find a prominent place to hang it, but like a lot of things, gets put on the back burned, then 'stuff' get placed in front of it - and you know what they say... out of sight out of mind!

[Bill McNiel]

Never, ever wear my tool bags in my shop (except when framing an addition - 3 to date in current shop). Love my 4 1/2' panel saw. I have tried to restrict my purchases over the years to those that will "pay" for themselves on a particular project (only way my business manager/wife will authorize funds). I think Norm used a Makita plunge router that had tape over the name because it was not provided by a sponser.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I made Norm's router table and use it all the time. I can't think of anything that I bought specifically because Norm had one. Perhaps my mortiser was influenced a bit by Norm's use of one. I never missed a show.Wasn't Norm's table to begin with. He visited American Woodworker for his router table idea. Refered to their shop as " a temple of wood."

[Shawn Pixley]

I can't say I bought anything from watching Norm. This may be sacriligious here, but I didn't care much for NYW. I learned from either my grandfather or this old italian craftsman who sheparded me through antique repair, restoration and refinishing.

[Mort Stevens]

I actually really like that Jack Rabbit tool, and wouldn't mind having one of my own.

I too found the Jack Rabbit through the NYW. It's different from most other drill/drive systems that I've seen in that it puts the screwdriver bit in the chuck where you have the most control over it. It's one of those items that just works, and works like it should!

[Curt Harms]

Hello All :)

<snip>
Really do want one of those little PC trim saws though, really neat little tool I think.

A.W.D.

The P-C model 314 is a handy lil' critter and I can't think of an equivalent. If you want one, I wouldn't dally too long. I don't know that they're made anymore. Coastaltool.com shows them as discontinued. Tools-plus says nothing found. Amazon lists a couple parts but no saws. They are still on Porter Cable's web site though so I'm not certain what's going on with them.

[Matthew Hills]

For those needing help remembering the specific tools:

http://www.normstools.com/normstools.shtml


I had one of those jack-rabbit drill/drive kits, but seem to recall that I didn't like it too much, and just use a dual drill/driver setup now (snappy countersink set and a square driver)

Matt

[Dave Zellers]

This fascination with Norm is not Normal.

[Gary Muto]

I have a similar photo (see below -- that's me in the back to the left of Kevin O'Connor)...
Jason,
That's pretty cool! When I started to read it I thought you were making a joke.
nice gloat BTW

[Kevin Bourque]

This fascination with Norm is not Normal.




It's called "Bromance"

[Cary Falk]

I will have to say nothing because I must be the only person on the planet that has never watched his show. On the other hand, this forum has cost me a small fortune.:eek:

[Dave Zellers]

On the other hand, this forum has cost me a small fortune.

True DAT!

[Greg Hines, MD]

I recently bought some of the Bessey clamps, and while I haven't used them a lot, I do like them. I also have a collection of Bessey Revo clamps that I use all the time. I bought a Shopsmith after seeing him use one in some of the really early shows, and I still use it. Someday when I have the big shop I want to build, I will get the bigger saws and drill press that I know I need, but it works for me for now.

Doc

[Jim Mackell]

Bought a biscuit joiner based on the show. Seemed like a good idea at the time. After dusting it off 2 or 3 years in a row, sold it. Bought a Grizzly jointer based on the show. Not a lot of woodworkers in my area and I'd never seen how useful a good jointer can be. Have the Grizzly for over 10 years now and it's a godsend. Always enjoyed the show and the projects. Even if it would take me a year to make all the jigs and templates he used to "save time".

[Tony Haukap]

It's called "Bromance"I started working with wood when I was probably around 10 or 12. Since no one in my family was into woodworking/tools, it was a learn as you go procedure. I can remember watching Roy Underhill (Woodwright's Shop) and thinking there must be an easier way! When the New Yankee Workshop started I was already well into woodworking and his methods were very familiar to me. So, I readily identified with him, his techniques and the kinds of projects he was building.

[Larry Edgerton]

Zero, don't have a TV.......

Larry

[David Helm]

Never bought anything because of Norm, but the PC Sawboss saw is a great tool. During my years carpentering, after discovering that saw, I put my worm drive away for good. I have owned and worn out two of those saws and wish I had another. I even stopped using a toolbelt on building projects, or if I did use it, I didn't load it up with stuff: tape, hammer, chisel, square, pencil and whatever nails I was using. Always fun to see new guys with giant tool belts loaded to the max. By the end of their first week they either learned or had a sore back!

[ken masoumi]

I made Norm's router table and use it all the time. I can't think of anything that I bought specifically because Norm had one. Perhaps my mortiser was influenced a bit by Norm's use of one. I never missed a show.
I have the old Porter-Cable one he use to use it years ago,I just love mine ,it is still a very good router table.

[Jason White]

No joke! I used to live near Boston and worked as a producer at This Old House for 8 years. These guys are all good friends of mine.

- Jason


Jason,
That's pretty cool! When I started to read it I thought you were making a joke.
nice gloat BTW

[Jerome Hanby]

I think one of the best things about the NYWS, other than that Timesaver sander and the Hitachi Resaw, Norm didn't have anything in his shop that I couldn't work out some way to buy if I really wanted it. I have acquired several pieces of equipment that I saw used effectively for the first time by Norm (Mortiser comes to mind), but I never went looking for some exact brand or model, just best quality/price I could manage.

[Paul McGaha]

See post #18 in this thread, Hope they cleaned the place some:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?141632-I-miss-Norm/page2&highlight=new+yankee+workshop (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?141632-I-miss-Norm/page2&highlight=new+yankee+workshop)

PHM

[Kevin McCluney]

I haven't bought anything just because Norm had it, but his show certainly influenced purchase decisions since it exposed me to tools I might not of seen otherwise. I have a number of Bessey K-body clamps I wouldn't want to do without. I'm also on my second biscuit joiner (ran the first to destruction). I'm still a big fan of biscuiting; I think I'm on my third box of 1000 assorted biscuits since I bought the first joiner in the early to mid 90's. I have a lot of respect for anyone who is willing to take their woodworking techniques to a public forum, like TV. It's gratifying and easy to show off a finished product and gain some ooh's and ahh's, but I'm not sure I'd like a crowd of people watching how I got there (and all the mistakes & corrections made along the way - "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"). It's useful and entertaining to see how someone else goes about it; maybe I don't agree with every method I see, but I pick up some useful knowledge here and there.

[Denny Rice]

I love the NYW sign.........wouldn't be for sale, would it?:D

[Tony Haukap]

I love the NYW sign:DNo. But if I can find the pattern I put together I can send you that, along with a high-resolution image that you'll need to use for the "norm" insert.

[Denny Rice]

Tony I will take that deal.

[Tony Haukap]

Here you go... New Yankee Workshop Sign Plan and "Norm" Image Graphic -
http://rapidshare.com/files/2531828/NYW-Sign.zipPrint the files full size - plan prints to 24"x36" and the insert image gets printed to 15"x15"

[John RStegall]

I confess that I never bought anything because Norm used it. Almost bought the portable Porter Cable spindle sander. Checked it out at Woddcraft but talked myself out of it. Glad I did too, having used one a friend had. Pretty sure PC stopped selling them.

[Don Buck]

The heck with Norm's tools, I had to have a sliding barn door with stained glass on my shop!!!

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