Norm

[lowell holmes]

Old dogs tend to day dream and remember. We remember things that we used to do a lot.
Well today I ran across two New Yankee Workshop books that I have, One is "Classics From The New Yankee Workshop" and the other is
"Mostly Shaker From The New Yankeee Workshop". I would religiously watch the show on the weekend shows. IIRC, they were on Saturday morning.

Before Harvey came through Galveston County, I had video cassettes of the New Yankee Workshop. Oh well, at least he is still on the air, but
it is a different format, Norm is not the main star.

I still watch Norm and Tommy on the weekend shows, but it's not the same.These books were published in the 90's.

One of Norm's project in the "Classics"book is a pencil post bed. When my oldest daughter got married, I made a pencil Post bed for them.
They still have the bed and treasure it.
Maybe others of you have similar stories to tell.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I began watching This Old House....and got the courage to finish an unfinished basement to code. Then Norm began The New Yankee Workshop and I followed him. I built a piece of furniture for my wife from his video and plans. She could have retired but continued to work after she encouraged me to hire a contractor to build a standalone woodworking shop. I was too busy professionally to do it myself. The contractor built an empty shell and I finished it entirely to code. I have a dozen or so of his videos and plans that I bought over the years.

He inspired me.

[Shawn Christ]

I have the "Classics" book you mentioned plus "The New Yankee Workshop" (copyright 1989), both of which I picked up second hand from another member here on Sawmill Creek. The latter book came with a card inside the cover that says "in appreciation of your generous support for public television in the Delaware Valley" and signed "Best Wishes, Norm Abram". I have no idea if the signature is authentic, but I'll pretend it is.

I too grew up watching New Yankee Workshop on PBS weekends with my dad who was a carpenter and I remember thinking to myself "We can do this". My dad and I later built a few furniture pieces which I still have in my home today. Norm was a major influence in my early attempts at woodworking. I still check out the New Yankee website every now and then to see which episodes they are featuring.

[Sean Nagle]

I watched New Yankee Workshop in the late 80's and was inspired to take up the hobby. I put together several Bartley and Cahassett Colonial kits over a few years and then setup a basement shop in the new house we were building.

In 1995, my very first project from scratch used Norm's plans to build an easel for my very young girls. The shop has filled out since then and my skills have improved building countless projects.

I do credit Norm for introducing me to my most passionate hobby.

[BOB OLINGER]

I got the inspiration from one of Norm's shows (plus video) on building plantation shutters. I made enough for all of our house windows. I made one significant adjustment on the corner joints but used all of his jigs and other recommendations. Great info and guidelines.

[Rod Sheridan]

I think Norm has inspired a great many wood workers, myself included.

You can occasionally see the lack of formal training in his safety practices, and some of his methods, however I think he has inspired an enormous number of people to continue to learn the craft.

I live in a large city and wood working is declining among the newer generation due to cost and apartment/condo living. That said some shared shop facilities have opened to enable new people to start the journey.

I wish him well.............Rod.

[Jim Becker]

There are very few of us who are or have been in the "hobbyist" woodworking world that were not in some way influenced by Norm Abram and his New Yankee Workshop series. I made a few of his projects and always learned something from them. Like many, I was disappointed when the program came to an and, but I can also appreciate that he was feeling the need to wind it down, move on and enjoy life. Even for the simpler projects, creating the shows was a whole lot of work and I'm sure it was just plain "getting old" after so many years.

[Curt Harms]

There are very few of us who are or have been in the "hobbyist" woodworking world that were not in some way influenced by Norm Abram and his New Yankee Workshop series. I made a few of his projects and always learned something from them. Like many, I was disappointed when the program came to an and, but I can also appreciate that he was feeling the need to wind it down, move on and enjoy life. Even for the simpler projects, creating the shows was a whole lot of work and I'm sure it was just plain "getting old" after so many years.

I'd read that being involved with both TOH and NYW were just too much for him. I imagine TOH has a much larger audience so NYW was it. Plus, after 20 seasons I think it was getting a bit stale. I bet Delta got a pretty good return on their advertising $ though. I was in a woodworking/contractors tools store, I can't think of the name now - they're defunct - but they said whenever Norm introduced a new gadget, that gadgets sales spiked the next week.

[Cary Falk]

My Norm story is that I didn't watch his show. I may have only seen parts of a couple episodes total. I am probably a little younger then the average here. It sounds like is show was during my HS and College days. I worked in a cabinet shop at that time. When I got out on my own I didn't have the time/space/money to have very many tools. None of the woodworking personalities appeal to me enough to seek out their programming. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy woodworking. I now have the space and money for some nice tools. Woodworking magazines are the same way. I will skim through one in about 5 minutes. Mostly for Ideas and to look at new tools. Maybe I am just weird.

[Jim Dwight]

My router table is arranged like Norms and has drawers like his. I also incorporated a lift, however, based upon an American Woodworker article. So it is a mixture. It is about the 4th I have built and I expect it to be the last.
I also built a house full of plantation shutters based upon his jigs and ideas.
Norm was a very good carpenter who could build furniture. Especially in early designs, he ignored wood movement. But he was still fun to watch and his ideas were worth knowing about. These days I guess it is youtubes where people get similar information. My favorite is probably Ron Paulk.

[Dewayne Reding]

Norm was very entertaining. And he owes me about $10K for getting me into this thing. :)

[Steve Demuth]

My Norm story is that I didn't watch his show. I may have only seen parts of a couple episodes total. I am probably a little younger then the average here. It sounds like is show was during my HS and College days. I worked in a cabinet shop at that time. When I got out on my own I didn't have the time/space/money to have very many tools. None of the woodworking personalities appeal to me enough to seek out their programming. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy woodworking. I now have the space and money for some nice tools. Woodworking magazines are the same way. I will skim through one in about 5 minutes. Mostly for Ideas and to look at new tools. Maybe I am just weird.

I didn't even know who he is until opening this thread a few moments ago, so you may be weird, but you're not quite alone. Haven't had a television in the house since Nixon was President.

[lowell holmes]

Norm still appears on "This Old House" on occasions.
And I remember when Harry Truman was president.

[Ken Sanderson]

What first struck me about Norm back in the day was that he didn't change router bits - he changed routers!

I always had severe shop envy from Norm's shop - and I'd bet like a number of others here, I just wasn't satisfied until I had what I felt was it's equal. Of course the result of his projects were always nice too. :D

[Travis Porter]

I have the same books. Norm is what got me started in this habit. I remember him making that little shaker side table and thinking I can do that.

the shop he was in when he started was fairly sparse, but as the seasons past his tool collection grew. I always had tool envy. Only once did I get a tool before him.

He always was down to earth and matter of fact. My only negatives was finishing was always an after thought, and he liked brad nails too much. I still loved the show and looked forward to it every week.

i have built quite a few of his projects. The one I have built most is the Adirondack chairs, albeit with a few enhancements after making a few. I would guess I have made at least 20 of them.

[Sean Nagle]

Of all the tools in his shop, it's the Timesaver that I'd take in a heartbeat.

[Peter Kelly]

I always had severe shop envy from Norm's shop - and I'd bet like a number of others here, I just wasn't satisfied until I had what I felt was it's equal. Of course the result of his projects were always nice too. :DThe shop featured on NYWS was/is owned by the show's executive producer / director Russell Morash, not Norm. I believe the Victory Garden was filmed in his back yard as well.

[Curt Harms]

The shop featured on NYWS was/is owned by the show's executive producer / director Russell Morash, not Norm. I believe the Victory Garden was filmed in his back yard as well.

I think Morash had a lot more to do with the success of TOH & NYW than he's given credit for. The production quality was a step up from what was common on PBS at the time. They(Mr. & Mrs. Morash) retired in 2009 with the end of NYW according to this (https://www.bu.edu/today/2011/two-pbs-pioneers-look-back/))

[Bill Berklich]

I think Morash had a lot more to do with the success of TOH & NYW than he's given credit for. The production quality was a step up from what was common on PBS at the time. They(Mr. & Mrs. Morash) retired in 2009 with the end of NYW according to this (https://www.bu.edu/today/2011/two-pbs-pioneers-look-back/))


I dearly love Norm and he was a great spokesman for the art but I think you at right that Morash really made the show. The look and feel, pace, and shots.

[ken carroll]

Well, the good news is: Norm made just about everything you could possibly make out of wood, so he had nothing left to give!

[lowell holmes]

I think that it would be difficult to keep a show fresh for 25 years or more.

[Dewayne Reding]

I think that it would be difficult to keep a show fresh for 25 years or more.

Absolutely no doubt of that. Very few TV shows survive even a few seasons. There was little competition at the time for this hobby. I think it is safe to say NYW is the reason many other WW shows came into existence.