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John Sherrod
03-15-2006, 7:30 PM
I guess here is the one place where people would get this:
In the real world, no matter HOW hard you try, you will NOT be able to locate enough lumber that is perfectly straight to do whatever your project is, so that Invariably you will wind up either having to put a little extra pressure clamp wise, or , worse case, you will wind up with at least ONE door on your set of cabinets that you are building that will have the one edge opposite a hinge sticking out at least an additional 16th of an inch difference between the top and the bottom. And if you are really lucky, it will be the most viewed door, according to placement. Now on Norm Abrams show, apparently from the planet wambeeno, he has GOT to have an eight to ten foot long iron that he uses to press the wood so that it is perfectly straight. And am I the only one who has a look of absolute disbelief at some of the woods that man uses? Like one time he built the most beautiful coffee table, out of a wood that has been extinct for 70 years or so, chestnut. Yea, lemme go to lowes and get me some of that, aisle 3 if I'm not mistaken. But he is the master craftsman, no doubt. In his world, there is never any snipe on the ends of his boards, he never holds one end of the board down too hard and messes up a jointed edge on the end of a long run. His biscuits always line up across the boards perfectly so that an edge is not sticking up across the width of the piece (again, that chestnut coffee table comes to mind). And my FAVORITE thing of all, when he finishes a piece, there is NEVER any glue spots on any of his joints that the finish wont look right on. I use titebond II the same as him, so apparently he must have off camera somewhere eight to ten kettles of boiling water so that the glue does not set up before he can get it wiped off. Just a couple of observations on my part. I would LOVE to hear anyone else who has seen similar things to those. I cant be the only one who has a hard time believing that things actually run that smoothly and problem free. Personally, I would like to think that seeing the pitfalls could offer alot of valueable insight as well.

Jim Becker
03-15-2006, 7:56 PM
Or...you could use a jointer to flatten one face before planing for thickness. This is the only way to insure you have flat, straight and true material in your project.

Relative to glue, in most cases, I find it easier and better to remove squeeze out after it sets a bit...say, an hour...using a scraper. I only do the wet rag thing when scraping will be cumbersome or impossible. If I'm really awake, I even remember to mask inside corners prior to gluing to catch squeeze out without it getting on the wood.

You, too, can buy Chestnut. It's available from many full service hardwood vendors, although almost all of it is reclaimed lumber from barns and buildings. The 'borg isn't going to have much more than expensive poplar, pine and "some grade" of red oak. Oh, and sometimes maple.

As to Norm...Norm is "that good". He makes mistakes, too, but what you see on the show is what is actually happening, edited to shorten the time. There is not a lot of off-screen "extra" work being done outside of the prototype almost always shown during a project. There are no "little elves"...he does all the work. In fact, you can watch shows in production via their web-cam which is refreshed about once a minute when they are in the shop shooting or just working.

BTW, welcome to SMC!

Joe Pelonio
03-15-2006, 7:56 PM
I've admired Norms work for many years, my who son is now 18, when he was 3, would watch a video I had with highlights of the early "This Old House" shows for hours and hours. One day when he was 4 my wife came into the front room and found him sitting on the floor with a phillips screwdriver removing the furnace fresh air intake screen while the
tape was on.

Anyway I'd love to know how many hours it takes to film one episode of the New Yankee Workshop, and how many pieces he messes up that we never see on TV. Watching him, it seems like when he has a bad board he just runs it through the planer and like magic it's perfect.

John Sherrod
03-15-2006, 9:00 PM
I have heard that the glues such as gorilla and many imitators in the polyeurethane vain can be scraped, but have you had success with scraping the "normal" wood glues? (such as the titebond series, which, I just found out recently they have a new version which shows up under black light, so that you know where it is.)?

Tom Mullane
03-16-2006, 7:15 AM
I have to agree, Norm is that good.... one of my friends knows him and he said all the work is done by Norm... He does have helpers, but he does all the major work himself... mostly the helpers do some grunt work and clean up after him.
About the only thing Norm does that drives me nuts is staining beautiful pieces of wood that I would finish with an oil or lacquer finish...
I watched him do a gorgeous cherry lap desk and then stain the sucker with mahogony stain and finish with brush on poly.... I thought I was going to be sick... LOL... But then again he is sponsored by Minwax... so he has to use their way of doing it..

Dennis Peacock
03-16-2006, 8:28 AM
About the only thing Norm does that drives me nuts is staining beautiful pieces of wood that I would finish with an oil or lacquer finish...
I watched him do a gorgeous cherry lap desk and then stain the sucker with mahogony stain and finish with brush on poly.... I thought I was going to be sick... LOL... But then again he is sponsored by Minwax... so he has to use their way of doing it..

ROFL!!!!!! I hear ya Tom!!!! Me too... ;) :D

John Anderson
03-16-2006, 8:32 AM
I have seen some of the scraps used for clamping etc., that look remarkabley like some of the parts in the piece he's building. Helps when I screw up..... hey, I'm just like Norm.....naaaa.

Ken Fitzgerald
03-16-2006, 8:57 AM
John.............I've not met Norm A. but I'm just betting he's as human as you and me. I've seen various people that have worked for him on the The NewYankee Workshop interviewed and they've stated that he very seldom does screw up something while making his projects.

I will say one thing. His show has probably had one of the biggest effect in the number of woodworkers in the US today! Just like I'd take a contract from God to live to be 87.....I'd take a contract from God to be as good as Norm!

Jim Becker
03-16-2006, 10:16 AM
For those of you interested in watching Norm work (and have the time), the web cam is available at: http://www.newyankee.com/yankeecam.php They also have slide shows from the last season.

John Sherrod
03-16-2006, 2:43 PM
Norm is the reason I became a woodworker in the first place. He is in my estimation about the best with power tools, for what that's worth. I have a passion for doing things as good as possible regarding woodworking, and i believe he shows the way, emulating traditional woodworking with modern technology. There is only one other person who is just beyond good to the point of proffessor emeritus- I believe his name is Roy underhill. I apologize if that isnt his name, I think that's it though. Anyways, he used to come on right after Norm here locally on Saturdays and truly do the things the way they were done a hundred and more years ago.Hand work with scarce little electric. He did things that were astounding, and his wife would come on too and help on occaision. I had little desire to try to emulate him, because I was too enthralled just watching him. I knew my limitations, so to speak.
But back on the subject at hand, I learned by his example to do certain things, that when practiced were not nearly as easy as they first looked. Like, for instance, I purchased a dedicated mortiser and a tenoning jig. I learned that unless the wood is perfect and not in need of planing, a 1/4" mortise will not be exactly 1/4" from either side, and that if the board is planed, no matter HOW precise an attempt is made at adjustments, it will always be slightly to one side or the other. I have found that for me, the only solution, that works with any thickness of board, is to mortise it one way, turn it around and shave off the imperfection by running the mortiser again. and then adjusting the tenon to match it. it works, with little stress for me.For him, he just boom boom boom knocks 'em out and he's done. lol, Love him though.

Joe Pelonio
03-16-2006, 3:19 PM
You know I forgot that my son and I met Norm years ago at the Orchard Supply Harware Home Fair in Pleasanton, CA. Josh was 3 and asked him wear his toolbelt was. Norm squatted down and shook his hand, and talked
to him a good 5 min. At the time Norm seemed just as nice as he does on TV. We also met the Makita tool girl, who signed a calendar for him and Martin Yan, who made Josh really mad. He was cooking on stage, we were in the first row, and he said "What's the matter little boy, you look confused". Then the audience all laughed. Thank goodness that was beofre we met Norm and he forgot all about it later.