Chris Swarz surfaced at Highland Woodworking.

[Tony Wilkins]

2 Questions for everyone....

One: How many would even go to a meet & Greet with The Schwarz.......

Two: What happens when we run out of popcorn, trying to even read this thread? Acting like it was Bob Villa doing that Highland Woodworking show......and telling you to do tenons first..

I woukd definitely go to a meet and greet.

[Frederick Skelly]

I'd do a meet and greet, based on what Dave said about him being very personable.

[J. Greg Jones]

Lost Art Press, and by extension Chris Schwarz, have a open house once a month at their Covington KY storefront. Next one is scheduled for January 12.

[Patrick Walsh]

I don’t get humans,

I observe something within the Woodworking sub culture.

I am a cabinet maker by trade. Previous I was a finish carpenter. I make furniture in my free time. I don’t have much of it. I can make anything I want to make bad enough without and prior knowledge. I just figure it out. I may not be as versed as say a dedicated furniture maker but nor is a furniture maker of the the shaker tradition versed in classic federal style the same.

My point.

When I was a a finish carpenter I noticed a hierarchy and or attitude amongs finish carpenters vrs general carpenters as though the finish carpenter was someone of more value. The same for the jump form finish carpenter to cabinet maker.

Now I work in a mill building full of woodworkers of various dissapline. We have exhibit makers, furniture makers, wood art makers and cabinet makers.

The wood art makers have attitude as though what they do is “art” and everything else in beneath them. The furniture makers the same attitude toward cabinet makers and maybe the cabinet makers the same attitude over the exhibit makers.

I see it this way. We all share something in common more than we differ. We all like to and or build things all day tommake ends meet and largely by choice as it is what suits us best. Be it conscious or subconscious I think it has been a decision and a choice for most all of us to make things of wood to pay the bills. Again the point is we have far more in common than we differ yet we focus on what makes us different.

Are there drastic differences with regard to things that kind of correlate as work from less refined work to more refined work sure!

But man why do woodworkers have to carry themself with such a largely arrogant elitist attitude the further one works toward the utmost refinement.

It’s really a turn off.

If nothing else it revails the most ugly side of most all of us a humans. Selfishness and a failure to be able to see beyond one self or thinking I am someohow better than or more worth the next guy be it because of skill, money, address, title or whatever.

I try to best to see things this way. We all have to go #2nand most all of us use a toilet. We all have to eat the same food and breath the same air. We all hurt when someone or something goes south. We all get happy when we experience something good.

So what they he’ll do we choose to focus on how we are different vrs the same as largely the difference between us is much smaller than the similarities.

Ok last edit and end of rent.

WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER OPEN YOUR EARS AND YOUR HEART.

[Frederick Skelly]

Again the point is we have far more in common than we differ yet we focus on what makes us different.

So what they he’ll do we choose to focus on how we are different vrs the same as largely the difference between us is much smaller than the similarities.

Patrick,
Good post and a good reminder, especially at this time of year.

No real point here. Just some observations based on your post........ I think it is wired into humans to see a pecking order. Most humans are pack animals, and in packs there is a definite hierarchy. Look at your dogs, horses and of course wolves. In another way, humans are still very much "tribes" - you are in or you are out, you are like us or you are different, etc. We emphasize the difference because our (insert tribe, religon, political party, belief system, etc) makes us "better" and therefore we are "right" to do what we want and "they" are bad and just have to suffer if they don't like "our" way. Some people fight these pack and tribal tendencies better than most of us. In my mind, those are the Peacemakers.

Merry Christmas. Especially to The Peacemakers.
Fred

[Mark Rainey]

Patrick, a good post and good will. Fred, good insight which I agree with. It is the nature of the beast to distinguish himself from his compatriots. Call it pride, power...John Adams said as long as we have someone below us we are content. Sad but true. Life is full of unavoidable contradictions. It is the time of the year to make sure we pursue the ideals you articulated Patrick.

[Lee Schierer]

Guys, let's stay on topic and not venture into areas that are contrary to the TOS.

[Jim Foster]

Hobelbanke is Dutch I think? (last book in the Amazon link below) So, CS is known beyond the realm of English. If you take a quick look at the link below you will also see his book reviews on Amazon are all very high. I think part of the reason for his high reviews are that he has a gift for sharing tips, techniques, project presentations, etc... in a way that seems achievable and more straightforward than many woodworking writers of previous generations.

Woodworking is the 2nd largest hobby in the world. Typically anyone that helps people to enjoy a hobby or make a seemingly impossible process achievable, gets high grades. Chris has and continues to help hobby woodworkers learn and more greatly enjoy their hobby (in large numbers, due in part to the sheer number of people involved in the hobby), especially as it pertains to the use of hand tools in woodworking. In every sense Chris Schwarz is a professional woodworker, or he would not be building commissioned pieces as well as writer, teacher blogger, etc...

There are a number of hobbyist and professional craftsman and craftswomen on this forum that are more talented at making furniture than Chris, but very few of them have the gift or desire to share their passion and journey the way Chris is. I see no reason why anyone would want to chip away at him or what he is doing to help support our passion for woodworking

Link below to book reviews and Dutch titled book

https://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Schwarz/e/B001JRZTJA

[Edwin Santos]

Hobelbanke is Dutch I think? (last book in the Amazon link below)

Woodworking is the 2nd largest hobby in the world.

Jim - What is your source for this statement?

[Jim Foster]

Edwin,

I can't remember the source, it was yrs ago that I researched this for a project. Gardening was listed as the largest hobby, woodworking, included anything using a hammer, nail and wood, etc... Framing of a room in the house, making a simple planter box, anything cutting or joining wood, pounding a nail was included as a woodworking hobby. My recollection is that a more pure woodworking hobbyist would have objected to the breadth of what types of construction or making was included as the woodworking hobby.

[Simon MacGowen]

Jim - What is your source for this statement?

We need to define hobby first before we could discuss which one(s) are the most popular hobbies. I often see reading listed as a hobby, but not everyone looks at it as a hobby like sewing, fishing or woodworking which requires skills or physical involvement.

Google gave me different lists, and in one of the lists, crafts (which I assume to include woodworking) is in the top 10. But the one that does spell out Woodworking as a hobby, Woodworking is outside the Top 5 range.

Unscientifically, about 10% in my small neighborhood have serious woodworking machines (tablesaw, planer, etc.) in their shops/garages. I see bikes a lot more...50% or more.

Simon

[Edwin Santos]

Edwin,

I can't remember the source, it was yrs ago that I researched this for a project. Gardening was listed as the largest hobby, woodworking, included anything using a hammer, nail and wood, etc... Framing of a room in the house, making a simple planter box, anything cutting or joining wood, pounding a nail was included as a woodworking hobby. My recollection is that a more pure woodworking hobbyist would have objected to the breadth of what types of construction or making was included as the woodworking hobby.

We need to define hobby first before we could discuss which one(s) are the most popular hobbies. I often see reading listed as a hobby, but not everyone looks at it as a hobby like sewing, fishing or woodworking which requires skills or physical involvement.

Google gave me different lists, and in one of the lists, crafts (which I assume to include woodworking) is in the top 10. But the one that does spell out Woodworking as a hobby, Woodworking is outside the Top 5 range.

Unscientifically, about 10% in my small neighborhood have serious woodworking machines (tablesaw, planer, etc.) in their shops/garages. I see bikes a lot more...50% or more.

Simon

Very enlightening if it's true. I always thought woodworking was a bit of a narrow niche compared to things like sewing, gourmet cooking, photography, wine collecting, fishing, reading/book clubs, auto enthusiasts, home theater/audio, etc. Maybe it's more mainstream than I thought.

I think woodworking varies by country a lot. It was surprising to me to find out during a trip to Japan that despite the deep history and tradition with woodworking there, very few people in the general population pursue it as a hobby. There was nothing even resembling a Rockler or Woodcraft there. I think some of this might have to do with the fact that space is a big premium and woodworking requires at least some space, quite a bit if you have stationary tools.

[Jessica de Boer]

Hobelbanke is Dutch I think?

It's German. I should know because I'm German

[Roger Feeley]

He has a schtick of contagious energy that makes you want to get in the shop and do something.

Good point Mel,

Imparting information in such a way that you come away saying to yourself, "Yeah, I can do that!" is something of a gift.

Some authors kind of rub your nose in how much better they are than you. You come away impressed but intimidated. Chris isn't that way.

[Rob Luter]

Good point Mel,

Imparting information in such a way that you come away saying to yourself, "Yeah, I can do that!" is something of a gift.

Some authors kind of rub your nose in how much better they are than you. You come away impressed but intimidated. Chris isn't that way.

Agreed. In the two occasions that I've had personal interaction with Chris, his MO was more that of a servant leader than an authority. Kind of like "I used to at this but I managed to crack the code, let me share the solution with you".