Originally Posted by
Robert Hazelwood
I think a lot of Sellers' more controversial teachings are intended to be along these lines- i.e. newbies should get to work and build skills rather than spending money on gadgetry and fancy tools.
I don't know if that is what Sellers intends or not, but that is a pretty good message. The advice to newcomers really should be focused on what they have and helping them get it to work (if it is adequate), rather then encouraging them to give up on a perfectly adequate set of stones and go buy something else. I assume people around here are trying to be helpful and not shills, but sometimes I think a stranger could be forgiven if he drew the opposite conclusion.
I have not watched an enormous amount of Sellers videos (or anyone's), but when I was trying to figure out how to flatten and square lumber, I found his videos to be helpful. He was the only one I found who actually flattened and squared a reasonable sized board. All the others I found had so many edits that it amounted to a description of what they were going to do and then "presto-chango" they cut to the end of the process and show you a flat and square board.
If you have no skills, someone who can help you get mediocre skills is of value.
I know half the forum could do it faster, better, and could use a micrometer and an electron microscope to prove it, I'm just saying to someone trying to figure out the very basics some of his stuff can be quite helpful. And if I ended my life with mediocre woodworking skills, I think I could rest easy. It is a hobby for me after all, not what pays the grocery bill.