Why Paul Sellers is setting a good example for beginning woodworkers

[Simon MacGowen]

The woodworking world has become more a world of consumerism as makers and inventors flood the market with tools (power or hand) that are fancier and sometimes even necessary. I am not suggesting good tools are no good but some products just border being insane in their asking prices such as a $90 saw handle and lately a $40 bamboo polisher (for burnishing).

Of course no one is forced to buy and those with money can spend whatever and however they want. My point is that more and more woodworkers pay more and more attention to getting new products than getting more skills or getting projects done. And we can tell, judging from the steady stream of new products flooding the market in the past five years, the makers are more than happy to respond to such attention.

I don't agree with everything Paul Sellers advocates, but his "poor-man" (or "poor-woman") approach is refreshing in this time of consumerism.

Simon

[David Weaver]

The thing I don't advocate that sellers does is wasting a bunch of money traveling all over the place to learn remedial skills. There's quite a lot of that pushed.

A couple of remedial videos (and any of the free information that's available) and spending that "class" money on materials and slightly better tools is advised.

It's nice for a beginner to have one premium plane, even if they're on a budget, because it will work right away. They can sell it later. It's nice to have decent joinery tools (like a decent router plane, some decent chisels, etc). Some of the stuff, like cutting tenons with panel saws and trying to make an old hags tooth out of a chisel and a 2x4 is a waste of time, even for beginners. Maybe it's just supposed to be sideshow stuff.

I agree more in his direction than I do most of the other stuff where it's advocated that you both 1) spend a bunch of money to travel to classes about very mundane types of things, and 2) spend a whole bunch of money buying premium tools

The blogroll will tell you several times a month about a tool that was never common in woodworking history, but that you just have to have.

[Cory Waldrop]

Simon,

I agree. I like Mr. Sellers and think that fine projects can be made with inexpensive tools that get the job done. That being said, woodworking to me is about enjoyment and I truly enjoy using nice quality tools. I respect the craftsmanship and in some cases ingenuity and innovation. I will try to support these traits if I can. I am glad that Paul is around and have thoroughly enjoyed his seminars and videos. I wish I could have taken some classes with him when he was teaching in Texas but I was a few years too late. Luckily his teachings are still alive at the school he used to teach at and I have been able to enjoy them under the mastery of other great craftsmen.

[Cory Waldrop]

David,

I think Seller's goal is to educate as many as he can that woodworking can be done by anyone with minimal investment. You don't "need" a router plane if you have a chisel and a board laying around, etc..... The classes he advocates are a bit spendy for the skills learned, but in my mind it is about more than what you learn while being there. There were several people in the classes I have taken that probably wouldn't have tried any serious woodworking if they didn't have the opportunity to come to a class environment with someone there to help out. It just wasn't in their comfort zone. But it is pretty cool when you see someone with a huge smile on their face because they cut their first dovetail. That is what the classes are about in my opinion... pure enjoyment. I can see why Paul advocates his classes. People leave the class with a new sense of passion and cant wait to get home to apply some of the skills they learned during the week. I know I did. Plus the guy has to make a living and I dont mind supporting him when he is offering something so valuable to others. Just my .02

[Tony Zaffuto]

I like Seller's methods, and say thing after receiving (and viewing) his DVD set several years ago. Much of it, I already knew, but what was very useful were various shortcuts/tricks he instilled in the videos that were not mentioned, but learned by watching (some by me, such as mortising, several times). The book that came with the DVD's is worth purchasing on its own.

As Cory has stated, Sellers does show passion and enjoyment for the hobby, and it is a breath of fresh air to not have him recommend every gadget sent to him for reviews (as some, particularly in the mags, seem to do). This hobby has a ton of boutique makers, with prices reflecting one-off manufacturing. In many cases, the items bought are far less serviceable than many already in the mainstream (particularly in saws - spending $300 on that 6 month leadtime backsaw does not make the saw better than many $100 saws readily available).

With virtually all educational methods, beauty, though, is in the eye of the beholder. What impresses me, may not do the same for Joe next door.

[David Weaver]

What impresses me, may not do the same for Joe next door.

Agree with that major big time.

There are some semi factory things out there that are a good deal. I think the LN dovetail saw is pretty inexpensive for what it is (I don't have one), and the veritas saws are a good deal for what they are.

The chance of a beginner going out and finding a good vintage panel saw in sharp condition are pretty slim, but the refurbished cost of a lot of saws being marketed for $300 is goofy, too. If I sold half of my till and sharpened the saws and listed the same saws just lightly cleaned and sharpened, I'd bet I'd fight people to pay $75 for a decent D8 with 90% of its life left, and on a no-name orphan (which are something that I kind of like), I'd struggle to get someone to pay $30 for one of the saws that I've paid more for unsharpened.

Anyway, the trouble is a beginner doesn't know what will work well and what won't.

the old hags tooth made of a 2x4 may work well for SPF, but it will not work if someone wants to make their bench out of maple. At any rate, being a conservator of money sometimes (and sometimes not, but in this case it's one of the sometimes) and a realist on knowledge (if you learn something on your own, you own the knowledge a lot more than if someone tells it to you, even though there are sometimes things you won't get on your own), I just don't agree with spending gobs of money on going to classes if you're going to skimp on the tools. The tools have residual value. The classes have zero residual value if you could've learned the class material on your own.

I think the hogan method (find the method through doing) is more practical than trying to remember a whole bunch of rules that mean something to someone else. In woodworking, you basically have three things - you have to design it, lay it out/ mark it and then execute it. If you can mark it, you can pretty much do it. Most things are severely lacking in the first two if anything. It's awfully hard to get someone to teach you those things in a way where you have a mental toolkit to do more than just make practice joints or specific pieces in a book, but those are the things that need to be cultivated so that when you do know what tools you need in a couple of years, you have the competence to make things with them that are not offensive.

They are elusive compared to a specific set of rules (that may work the same as any of 10 other sets of rules to make the same joint), which can be easily marketed.

So as tony says, it goes back to what you think is important. To me, functional quality tools that don't limit you are worth the trouble and expense (that doesn't mean draw knife sharpening gadgets from LN or $1200 sharpening tables or expensive one-off chisels and infill planes, etc, or even a shelf full of premium tools).

If you can't learn (and learn from) most of what you are going to do on your own, though, this is a tough hobby.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Great post David.

I'm reminded often of my father, dead now a decade. He was a life long carpenter and though at the end of his career he ran commercial/industrial jobs, he began as a house builder after WWII. I have his fold-out carpenter chest that was typical of those in that trade in that era. He was highly amused at some of the stuff I bought as well as some of the stuff I had learned. He was not afraid of taking any tool, and altering it to do the job at hand. Tools were just that: tools for doing a job. Many of those same tools are still available with some requiring time to find them, but they're still out there. Maybe in our own heads, we have to come to terms with exactly what it is we want to do?

[Brian Holcombe]

I agree with David's sentiment. My choice to purchase reliable tools is two part, one being that they are reliable on function well right out of the box, the other being that I enjoy supporting small high quality manufacturers in the way I can.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Tony has hit the nail on the head quite squarely in my opinion. All forms of education are good if the material presented is accurate and doesn't contain misinformation. Each of us learns differently and hence gravitates toward what is most effective for us. Some can learn just by reading, some by hearing and seeing an explanation, and others by actually doing(modeling). In reality we all learn something from each of these methods, but we have one or two which are predominate and give the most effective results. After learning it then becomes time to practice and reinforce whatever has been learned before much of it is forgotten.

It took me a while before I got away from the "I have to have everything" mode. Horror of horrors, I've actually been selling off some of what consider to be excess.

[David Weaver]

Great post David.

I'm reminded often of my father, dead now a decade. He was a life long carpenter and though at the end of his career he ran commercial/industrial jobs, he began as a house builder after WWII. I have his fold-out carpenter chest that was typical of those in that trade in that era. He was highly amused at some of the stuff I bought as well as some of the stuff I had learned. He was not afraid of taking any tool, and altering it to do the job at hand. Tools were just that: tools for doing a job. Many of those same tools are still available with some requiring time to find them, but they're still out there. Maybe in our own heads, we have to come to terms with exactly what it is we want to do?

Your father and my grandfater were probably a lot alike, though my grandfather was a farmer and machine builder. Nothing was safe from the wrath of the welder if it wasn't designed right, and no tools were kept for pretty or purchased without need. We are the first or second generation, probably in history, where a large segment of the population has been able to buy things they don't need without undue concern, and my grandfather grew up without that and never adopted it - found happiness elsewhere. For most of my parents' life they went without it, and my dad still lives that way - there has to be a very significant need before he'll open his wallet (as opposed to me, I will buy anything that I have a curious itch for - stockmans anyone? - and sometimes dump it later).

Anyway, we are also probably the first generation so detached from skills of doing things that we believe that there is an easy trick or 6 to learn to do something professionally well within a week. Some of the most reasonable older fellows I've met have emphasized that - that you can't expect to do something at their professional level with a half dozen tries. Klausz said something about that, too..I can't remember his exact word, but it had to do with people thinking they'd dabble at everything and then being disappointed when they were no good at it.

(I guess what I'm getting at in a not very direct way, is that we're all differing in opinion about what money we should spend on something that we don't need to spend any money on in the first place. Something no ancestors of mine would've done. My own father would spend money on a bat and glove to play recreational softball, but you could hardly get a nickel out of him otherwise. And for my grandfather, I can't think of a single thing he had in the house that was designed to stimulate his non-income-producing curiosities - it makes the blogging suggestions of what someone must or most not do or buy even more ridiculous - there's no necessity for any of us to do any of it, and certainly no moral or ethical obligation to support makers making extremely expensive tools with no more - or less - utilility than something very pedestrian. One of my daughter's favorite things is to haul magazines out of the basket and bring them to me when I look bored. Last night she brought an issue of PWW to me - from before my subscription ran out. There was an article in praise of krenov planes that almost cost $1000. It is one of the few times that I've actually been outright disgusted as opposed to just rolling eyes. But if someone loves to spend that kind of money on something like that, we don't need to even do this hobby anyway, so any dollar is luxury spending anyway)

[David Weaver]

It took me a while before I got away from the "I have to have everything" mode.

You and me, and lots of others on here. If we all made our decisions after sweating for a day in the shop, we'd probably buy less. I often find the time that I'm least interested in getting anything is after I've been able to wear out the woodworking itch over a weekend day. Separation from the woodworking for a while leads to substitution of thinking/planning/buying instead of doing.

[Robert Culver]

Im kinda on the fence about this because first I Know how costly it can be for a small business to make tools and resell them. I also know that there is no posable way we can compete with things that are made in china . I also know that the quality of tools made in America is by far more superior to anything coming out of most other places. I have to say straight up I have a close to 90 dollar hand saw handle and while yes it was costly and I about choked at the price I have to remind myself I supported a small business still making things in America .... We have become a consumer type society I tend to agree somewhat with that but I still enjoy having Quality tools... That's just my 2 pennys.

[Chris Griggs]

Separation from the woodworking for a while leads to substitution of thinking/planning/buying instead of doing.

This is me...when I'm between projects I find myself thinking I need/want all sorts of things...when I'm in the midst of a project its rare I find myself thinking I need anything else, and when I do it usually a very targeted thing that will a make a job easier, but isn't necessarily the most exciting thing to spend money on. I spend way more money when I don't have something to work on that keeps my thoughts about my actual needs grounded.

[James Taglienti]

It's the nature of men's hobbies. Look at Harley Davidson, now a lifestyle brand.
Cabelas, where one can spend $20k on hunting gear in a few hours- I'm talking about scent blocking chewing gun, HD trail cameras, camouflage screws to build a hunting blind with etc. I have a friend who sits in a shipping container smoking Winstons and bags deer all season.
Hunters can go to any of hundreds of ranches and shoot a deer that wil just as soon eat out of your hand (buying a LN sharpening station?)
There are guys that buy $200k offshore boats and use them twice a year. There are guys that sit by the side of a ditch with a cane pole and catch 5 catfish for dinner.
I have my own opinion, and it leans toward simplification and actually producing.

Bottom line, woodworking is a predominantly male hobby, which is a market awash in unnecessary spending across the board, and any new product touted as better or even necessary will be snatched up with enthusiasm.

I don't think these guys selling all this superfluous stuff are trying to take advantage of anyone. They're probably just as enchanted with accessories as the rest of us.

[steven c newman]

I have used a few of paul's videos for an idea, or two. Like raised panels, using just a #4 Stanley plane. Ok, ok, so i also used a #5 on the longer sides. made the beveled area a little bit more even along the length. Used some of his ideas for a shooting board. And.....a few of his ideas on sharpening irons. I watch just to get a few good ideas out of each video I see. I try them out, IF they work for me, I'll keep them. If not, DELETED. Too many ideas is like not enough. have to keep a clean plate, somedays, you know...

[dan sherman]

The woodworking world has become more a world of consumerism as makers and inventors flood the market with tools (power or hand) that are fancier and sometimes even necessary. I am not suggesting good tools are no good but some products just border being insane in their asking prices such as a $90 saw handle and lately a $40 bamboo polisher (for burnishing).

Of course no one is forced to buy and those with money can spend whatever and however they want. My point is that more and more woodworkers pay more and more attention to getting new products than getting more skills or getting projects done. And we can tell, judging from the steady stream of new products flooding the market in the past five years, the makers are more than happy to respond to such attention.


I have to say, that I don't agree with this. As I see it, we are just starting to getting back to where society was before it decided things should be thrown away instead of fixed. Yes, we have a lot more boutique manufactures than we did say 100 years ago, but I think they are just filling the gap left by the major manufacturers. For example look at all the different models of block planes Stanley made over the years. The attached page from a 1925 catalog shows 18 different block plane models. It was the same way with Disston saws, several models, all with different steels, woods, and levels of engraving. I'm sure a D115 with it's Rosewood handle was not a cheap tool, or produced a superior result to a lesser model.

[Daniel Rode]

I've picked up a lot from Paul Sellers masterclass vids. I've picked up even more from Rob Cosman, I've picked up still more from a variety sources including the excellent advice and tips from this forum. FWIW - I love that Rob shows every mistake and takes about every compromise in his hand tool workshop. Paul does great work but real life is often harder that he makes it appear.

I consume information from many sources. From them I gain ideas. But it's from doing that I really learn. I can watch a plane being used but until I pick it up and try to make something it's just trivia not skill.

As for the whole lifestyle brand thing, I ride a motorcycle not a brand. I really like some of Harley's machines but I refuse to pay a huge premium for their brand identity. I've lived they life pretend to, I don't want to play dress-up with accountants and dentists on the weekends.

[Kim Malmberg]

I'm not sure I understand why people seem so keen on talking against Paul Sellers. In my mind he does a great job in encouraging beginners to do things they might consider very difficult. He also advocates the less is more view on hand tools. Sure enough I haven't' made a granny's tooth (as they are called in England), but I still enjoyed watching the video. I have also enjoyed his simplified approach towards hand tools as a whole. He uses standard UK made Stanley's and Woden's with standard cutters, something which David tends to advocate. Yes, he uses cheap materials, but not al of us have the luxury of choosing exotic wood for very project.
I would attend Paul's classes if they were ever held in my country and even if I didn't I still find it hard to talk against him. Many of us have spent a long time in the learning zone and from my perspective, Paul Sellers is one of the best in terms of encouraging beginners to do more. I also like the fact that his teaching switches focus from fettling the tools to the actual making of useful things.

[David Weaver]

I don't follow the guy enough to know what the topical issue is (in terms of the hand bench building, etc), I just noticed a lot of the stuff is made out of SPF, and in my opinion, anyone who does even a few things is going to tire of that very quickly, and then things like the chisel in a stick (a real router plane is only about $45 or $50) become immediately worthless, or at best a monumental struggle.

My objection in this case is purely a matter of opinion, though. It's the assumption that you can only start with very menial tools but you somehow have a future in this hobby that involves consuming craft, doing craft and attending gatherings.

That doesn't make sense. Putting together a decent set of tools is a lot cheaper than the last. I think it's a gimmick, sort of like pro wrestlers choose a gimmick, if you will. You have to choose something that sells, and it appears that the gimmick sells.

[Daniel Rode]

I think Seller's point is that one can get started with a reasonable set of tools that don't cost a fortune. Later on as skill and needs increase, that set can be supplemented by other tools or, in some cases, better tools. I think he advocates buying good tools that will last (like a vintage #4) instead of a junk plane or a very expensive premium plane.

For me, that was a big deal. I could get going without buying thousands of dollars worth of tools. In fact, I could learn to properly sharpen and tune my existing tools and get to working wood immediately. I believe one CAN start with a small number of basic hand tools and progress from there.

Regardless of his personal motivation, he's a business man. So there may be some gimmick but it's lost on me :)


I don't follow the guy enough to know what the topical issue is (in terms of the hand bench building, etc), I just noticed a lot of the stuff is made out of SPF, and in my opinion, anyone who does even a few things is going to tire of that very quickly, and then things like the chisel in a stick (a real router plane is only about $45 or $50) become immediately worthless, or at best a monumental struggle.

My objection in this case is purely a matter of opinion, though. It's the assumption that you can only start with very menial tools but you somehow have a future in this hobby that involves consuming craft, doing craft and attending gatherings.

That doesn't make sense. Putting together a decent set of tools is a lot cheaper than the last. I think it's a gimmick, sort of like pro wrestlers choose a gimmick, if you will. You have to choose something that sells, and it appears that the gimmick sells.

[dan sherman]

I think Seller's point is that one can get started with a reasonable set of tools that don't cost a fortune. Later on as skill and needs increase, that set can be supplemented by other tools or, in some cases, better tools. I think he advocates buying good tools that will last (like a vintage #4) instead of a junk plane or a very expensive premium plane.


I have nothing against Paul, but i think very few people understand that a Vintage plane can be just as worthless as a new cheap one. I know of a few newbies that got completely feed up because they couldn't get an old plane back into a usable state with the tools they owned.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I'm not sure I agree with everything he puts forward tool-wise, but I really think he has
brought and is bringing a much needed balancing pull in the right direction.
considering the extreme pull on the "you must spend 8000$ on tools in order to build a box" side, I'd say it makes sense that his pull would be extreme to the other end.

[Pat Barry]

I like Paul Sellers too. I can't see disparaging the man - he obviously knows his stuff and does a great job of explaining it. What I don't get is why anyone literally takes everything he says as bible verse though - He offers his method and ideas and the responsible woodworker will integrate those ideas with others and form their own ways of doing things that work for them. Often I find myself you tube searching and run acroos his videos and I always give them a chance.

[Matthew N. Masail]

I like Paul Sellers too. I can't see disparaging the man - he obviously knows his stuff and does a great job of explaining it. What I don't get is why anyone literally takes everything he says as bible verse though - He offers his method and ideas and the responsible woodworker will integrate those ideas with others and form their own ways of doing things that work for them. Often I find myself you tube searching and run acroos his videos and I always give them a chance.

I think that whenever someone takes something someone said as a 'bible verse' it's their own fault. if you prefer not to think for yourself can can't blame anyone else for it. regardless of how that person you are believing presents themselves.


Some people DO try to give over their opinion as fact, but Paul Sellers as far as what I've seen doesn't. he will say "this is the best way" but he'll also say "this is how I do it" he believes in the way he does stuff which I think is a very good, but despite he's choice of phrasing sometimes I never got the vibe that he is trying to stat more than his opinion\way.


Sometimes I think he goes overboard, like in that video demonstrating blades sharpened to different grits. he used pine to test them, and didn't show how he sharpened them in the first place nor which stone he used or if he used a strop or not. he kinda put everything in line so that his point would work. that can be misleading for a newbe - I'd like to see someone trying to shave end grain off a 250grit waterstone.. that could be funny

[maximillian arango]

I spent about 3 hours today watching some of Paul's videos today, I regret not knowing about him earlier. The small tips and tricks like lifting a plane as your finishing your push really help. I went back to watch some other videos I saw before and those guys do it to but never said anything about it. I guess I still need a bib and someone to spoon feed me but I really need to know those little things that you craftsman don't even think about but Paul has mentioned.

[Scott Stewart]

I think where Mr. Sellers and the Toolerable blog do a great job is for the person that has some interest in woodworking, but doesn't know if they want to go full bore into it.

Look around at the next woodworking store you are in. I am always amazed that I am the youngest customer in the store and I'm 40 years old. Anything that can lower the entry barrier I am for. A few years ago, FWW had an article on how you could set up shop for $5k. My wife would not have gone for that without some showing that I was going to stick to this. Once you know you enjoy the process, you can then decide how you may want to tool up to decrease frustration in your woodworking. I wish I had been looking at those types of sites when I was starting out.

Once you know you want to pursue this as a hobby, then most people will gradually increase their tooling to do things better or more efficiently. I haven't forgotten the frustration I ran into with my earlier projects, some out of a lack of tooling, some out of lack of skill and know how.

I don't agree with a lot of the almost mysticism that Mr. Sellers espouses, but if it was up to other people (Schwarz), you would spend 2-3k on forever tools starting out. That's fine for those of us who have already drank the kool aid, but not for a guy on the fence.

Scott

[maximillian arango]

I am always amazed that I am the youngest customer in the store and I'm 40 years old. Anything that can lower the entry barrier I am for.


While I haven't experienced any of this here I went to a wood working show and most people were questioning my presents or thought I was steeling(stop following me lol). On top of that the few times I've gone to meet up with a seller they thought it was humorous, or were confused, and questioned why I wanted to buy there tools and asked me if I even knew what they did. I get this one out of every 5 interactions in the wood working world I'll try to lower the volume in my car, stop wearing flat brim hats and colorful sneakers lol.

If more noobs like me knew got the little things that Sellers spells out it would help them get into the hobby faster and build skill at it quicker rate. While the community is very welcoming and there are classes and people always willing it is difficult to find time to learn by example so the internet is the best next thing but you don't get any feedback from the guy in the video smacking you in the back of the head for doing something stupid.

[dan sherman]

I don't agree with a lot of the almost mysticism that Mr. Sellers espouses, but if it was up to other people (Schwarz), you would spend 2-3k on forever tools starting out. That's fine for those of us who have already drank the kool aid, but not for a guy on the fence.


How did you come to this conclusion about Schwarz? I ask, because while he has several nice tools, i can show you several articles he has written just this year that talk about doing something with homemade or very cheap tools.

[David Weaver]

He must be changing his track. He's had "buy the nicest tools you can afford" posts or articles before that have been brought up here, and I have an article in one of my magazines with him praising a $900 krenov plane. Krenov would flip.

[Jim Matthews]

I took the 9 day introductory course in Greenwich, NY last year.

I found the pace daunting, and some of the practices physically demanding.
(Mortising by hand in Oak was excruciatingly painful, standing or sawing at a tall bench had my knees barking by noon.)

That said, I've finished three projects since then - almost entirely by hand.
This is considerably faster than my previous three years efforts.

Having been through several such courses that relied on an armada of power tools
that I could neither afford, nor house - it was a breath of fresh air.

(The North Bennett street school intro course uses a table saw the size of a conference table, and a jointer that could be a landing strip for small aircraft.)


The New Legacy classroom had a full suite of Veritas handplanes available.
We were all using the same Narex bevel edged chisels for all steps that required "excavating".

Two thirds of what I did in that course were with a #4 plane, 3/8" chisel and a marking knife.
Perhaps an additional 7-8 tools were used, but were what came to hand most often.

Tools were provided so that everyone had something ready to use, and we were educated on
how to rehab what we brought along, but didn't have time to use.

The method relies very heavily on marking out with a knife, and following a stepwise process.

It was frustrating, difficult and immensely rewarding.
Remedial? Perhaps. It did stick, and it's a basis from which I can advance my meager skills.

I came away knowing that I would make things with the tools I already owned,
and could begin to let go of the things that didn't get used in my shop.

It's important to note that the videos are intended for two audiences;
those that wish to get started but find the array of tools bewildering,
and the professionals writing about woodworking that never made furniture for their living.

Mr. Sellers is complicated man, and absolutely genuine in his intent.
I don't think he's much motivated by money.

There's no signature line of tools in the works.

This is someone that says he invests in people with our common interest
and everything I've seen supports that.

[dan sherman]

He's praised high end tools, as long as I've followed him, but I think he also points out difference between icing on top, and what the bare minimum to do a job is.

He does say buy the best tools you can afford, but i think that needs to be taken in context.

here is a quote from an old blog post of his.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/get-started-in-hand-tool-woodworking



Start buying your tools, but don’t get too bogged down in the details and
trying to compare one brand to another. Buy the best tools you can
afford, and buy only the tools that are discussed in the three books.
Let me say that again in a different way:
Don’t buy a tool because it looks cool or you think it could do the jobs of
three of four tools. Buy simple tools. But buy the best you can afford.


How i take his point of view is like this:
If you had the choice between a complete set of low end chisels and 4 LN's, he would say get the 4 LN's hands down. The reason being they are better and you don't need a complete set to do good work.

[Jim Matthews]

How i take his point of view is like this:
If you had the choice between a complete set of low end chisels and 4 LN's, he would say get the 4 LN's hands down. The reason being they are better and you don't need a complete set to do good work.

That sounds about right. It meshes closely with observations made during the class session.

This is aimed at people who are delaying their start because they "Need one more XYZ, first."
The rudimentary methods taught in the class made some things that exceeded my incoming skill set.

The techniques have improved my approach to building things.
Less hardware, better joints.

[Brian Holcombe]

I occasionally pick up a tool or two during the coarse of a project or in preparation for a project. For me, I can read online all day, but the lesson is more deeply engrained when I'm in the shop applying new found knowledge, working with a new tool, ect.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I occasionally pick up a tool or two during the coarse of a project or in preparation for a project. For me, I can read online all day, but the lesson is more deeply engrained when I'm in the shop applying new found knowledge, working with a new tool, ect.

You got it backwards! You reward yourself upon completion of a project, and the more time-consuming and elaborate the project, the bigger/better the reward!

[Dave Anderson NH]

In regards to the lifestyle comments I like to think of what Rob Lee told me years ago. I'll paraphrase because I can't remember the exact words. The gist was that he didn't consider Lie-Nielsen to be a competitor. His competitor was fishing, hunting, golf, and all of the other leisure activities that competed for woodworking dollars. Think of adult hobbies as things that divide us into tribes.

[Daniel Rode]

I think you're dead on when it comes to hobbyist woodworkers. I have many interests and they compete for my time and money. Woodworking has a higher priority for me right now but my dance card is pretty full theses days.


In regards to the lifestyle comments I like to think of what Rob Lee told me years ago. I'll paraphrase because I can't remember the exact words. The gist was that he didn't consider Lie-Nielsen to be a competitor. His competitor was fishing, hunting, golf, and all of the other leisure activities that competed for woodworking dollars. Think of adult hobbies as things that divide us into tribes.

[Scott Stewart]

A significant theme of The Anarchist Toolchest is about buying forever tools rather than tools that will have to be replaced. (described as tool shaped objects).

[James Conrad]

Maybe someone can enlighten me...

Sellers describes himself as a "lifestyle woodworker," what the heck does that mean?

[Bruce Mack]

Nice to hear. I like his zest and common sense. After dithering for years about best methods of sharpening, I put aside the jigs, and with Mr. Sellers' technique (and a little side sharpening thrown in) I've stopped venerating my tools and started using them.

[Adam Cruea]

In regards to the lifestyle comments I like to think of what Rob Lee told me years ago. I'll paraphrase because I can't remember the exact words. The gist was that he didn't consider Lie-Nielsen to be a competitor. His competitor was fishing, hunting, golf, and all of the other leisure activities that competed for woodworking dollars. Think of adult hobbies as things that divide us into tribes.

He's right, though.

I've watched a couple of Seller's videos and left kind of feeling "meh, that was pretty much a waste of x minutes." I'm not saying he's worthless, just that a lot seemed common sense, though I do doubt the "lifting a plane up" bit when pulling back. If you listen carefully, you can hear the blade pass over high spots and focus on them a little better.

I still prefer old tools to new tools, for the most part, unless the new tools are cheaper. My #51 LN? Yeah, no brainer, as I'm not paying $1500 for a Stanley #51 that isn't engineered as well as LN did it.

One thing I've found, though, to get away from the "gotta have it"-ness of woodworking? If you could use it on 3 or more projects, chances are it has a use to you. Otherwise, forget it. But I realize that goes against a lot of today's society where instant gratification is a key. I also realize that me doing woodworking every weekend and taking time off from it when I want to play Diablo III on my computer means that I'm not going to be close on talent to any professional, but again, our society doesn't like that viewpoint (going back to Mr. Weaver's mentioning of people expecting to be good at something when dabbling in it).