Rob Cosman DVD's

[jonathan snyder]

Hi Folks,

My honey got four of the Rob Cosman videos for me as a Valentines gift. She got something shiny, I got something that will hopefully improve my skills!!

I took off from work early today to watch a couple. I just finished watching the Dovetails and most of the Advanced Dovetails video. All I can say is wow! Rob is a master. He cuts tails first and uses a pen to lay them out. He makes it look so easy.

The videos are well done, good lighting, nice camera work. It is a bit strange as Rob is not talking to the viewer as in most instructional videos I have seen, but rather to another fellow who is standing next to him observing. It seems to work well. I have read almost everything I could find on cutting dovetails, and looked at pictures, but that is no substitute for actually seeing it done.

In the second video, Rob extols the virtues of a Titemark marking gage (Glen Drake). I just picked up a Titemark mini from the Hartville scratch & dent sale about two weeks ago, but have not used it yet. All the dovetails I have cut to date, I used a pin style marking gage, and had difficulty getting a good scribe line, hence difficulty getting tight fitting shoulders.

I guess I will have to take the laptop out to the shop and get practicing!

I watched the Rough to Ready video earlier this evening, and hope to watch the Mortise and Tenon video tomorrow.

All in all, they are well done, and I would recommend them if you haven't seen them.

Jonathan

[Michael Gibbons]

Jonathan, I also have the two dovetail videos and the handplaning and sharpening video. After watching Rob, I went out and bought all the same tools as he uses except for the fret saw(which I couldn't find,So I use a coping saw with thinner blades) and everything seems to work just like in the video. I even went as for as customizing a chisel like Rob did in the advanced video. He truly is a master. Although I don't know how he has any time to do any woodworking with nine kids?:eek: :confused:

[Geoff Irvine]

G'day Jonathan,
Rob points out in his DVD "Draw Making - the Professional Approach" a 'trick' that didn't make the dovetail DVDs. He uses a 140 skew block plane to form a very shallow rebate/rabbet (about 2 passes with the plane) on the inner aspect of the tail board before any marking out. This helps register the tail board on the end of pin board when transferring the marks. The LN140 is that block plane which has a removable side and a fence. He projects the blade a very small amount proud of the plane side. I don't see any reason why you couldn't do this with a rebate/rabbet plane and a wooden straight edge. Apart from helping with the pin marking it also leaves a neater finish on the inside of the draw. Hope this helps.:)

[Don Boys]

Just thought you might like to know that Rob sells both the fret saw and the marking gauge he uses. I have all his videos, and find them to be a true learning experience.

Don Boys

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Not Bad for a Canadian eh!:)

I know we have been enjoying Rob for some time here at woodshows and in classes(I have taken two). I suspect he's going to be in the US a bit more often, keep an eye out for him, Rob is the Real Deal.

[Rob Blaustein]

I recently got several of the Cosman DVDs and love them. He's a great teacher. I have to admit though, I think having the other people in the DVDs to prompt him with questions is a bit unnecessary and maybe even distracting, but they're otherwise so good that I can let it slide.

The DVDs did get a funny reaction out of my wife though. I opened up the package and put the 4 DVDs on the counter in our kitchen. The one on top was the "Rough to Ready" one, but my wife glanced at it and misread it as "Rough and Ready." She then asked me, somewhat incredulously, "honey, did you get porn DVDs!?" "Well, maybe tool porn..."

[Eric Sink]

Just chiming in: Rob's DVDs are excellent.

And for that matter: The Charlesworth DVDs are darn good too.

And, well, not to leave out Chrisopher Schwarz: I enjoyed "Course, Medium and Fine" as well.

And yet, none of these look quite as good on a plasma screen as "Lord of the Rings". :)

[jonathan snyder]

Michael, I like his dovetail chisel, I'm going to grind one like that.

Geoff, I'll have to try that trick, I have a vintage Stanley 140.

Rob, That was a good one :D With all those LN plane, on the bench, it definitely is tool porn.

I'm going to finish watching the advance dovetails video this evening.

Jonathan

[Pam Niedermayer]

I think the reason Cosmo ground that chisel is that he has plenty of LN's laying about. However, there are many appropriate chisels available, for example: Bachi nomi (http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=15.330.12&dept_id=12760)

Other chisels that work well are skews and fishtail.

Pam

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

I think the reason Cosmo ground that chisel is that he has plenty of LN's laying about. However, there are many appropriate chisels available, for example: Bachi nomi (http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=15.330.12&dept_id=12760)

Other chisels that work well are skews and fishtail.

Pam

I have seen this chisel first hand and I have thought if I wanted one like that it would be simple to grind, but hollow grinding the edge would quickly reduce the chisel geometry.

I have since begun to use a pair of skew chisels from Blue Spruce Tool Works and I like them better, they are lighter and easier to move around in my hands...and prettier to look at as well

:)