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By my estimate, he probably made between $10,000 and $15,000 for that one video, based on it's length and the number of views. The variance depends on ad views. The winning combination, if you can achieve it, is a long video plus high view count i.e. high ad view count, high ad click count.Originally Posted by derek labian
So I understand why some of us fine woodworkers might scoff, but if he's making $15K off a video like that, who's the one laughing all the way to the bank?
Meh, I wouldn't say "laughing to the bank"
You can make good money with the amount of effort he put in other ways. At this point, there isn't going to be a 'free $20 on the sidewalk that no one else picked up' in this YouTube / woodworking world. He worked really hard for that $10k to $15k REVENUE. He could have also built two decks in a month and made that kind of money (after materials).
So "laughing to the bank"? Probably not. Earning money for his efforts? Yes. Taking a big risk to get that money? I think so, but this world is his expertise. So maybe to him it wasn't a risk.
Last edited by andrew whicker; 10-06-2022 at 1:30 AM.
Moderator
I begrudge noone for making a living entertaining folks and, perhaps, stimulating others to actually make things. I'm also all for recycle/upcycle. Yea, some of the stuff is subjectively not anything I'd ever be interested in, but the joy of making things isn't necessarily any different if one is using reclaimed pallet wood or 5000 year old sinker mahogany. (Clearly, there are differences in the end product, of course) Folks really can make a good living being content creators, but there's often a bunch of other marketing and money streams involved for those doing it full time. Patreon, product sales, sponsorships, etc, all play a roll. So these folks are working for a living and that's just fine by me.
Obviously and understandably, I'm not for dishonesty or scamming, of course...
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Contributor
Agree completely. I follow a number of YouTube channels. Over the years, one can determine whether or not the content creators are bringing in significant money.
There's an off-road/overlanding channel I follow called "Trail Recon". When he started out, he would simply make videos on his phone when he went wheeling with his son. The channel became so popular he quit his job and did YouTube full time. Then it got so big his wife quit her job and now participates in the videos. This also helps to bring in more woman viewers which again will help to grow the channel. They were both medical professionals making good salaries in Southern California, so the revenue stream must be pretty significant.
On the other hand, I follow a channel called "Vinyl Rewind" where a guy does videos about vintage vinyl records. After many years of doing that, he recently made a video pleading for support because his typical job went away during COVID and hasn't come back. He made it clear his YouTube channel revenue is inconsistent and currently doesn't bring in enough to make a living.
[OP]
Contributor
I never commented that he was attempting fine woodworking
The product he is trying to sell is his channel... by woodworking
His video is titled "Pallet Wood Has Never Been Used Like This Before", NOT "A well produced video of me milling lumber"
His estimates do not ring true at all, I have more than enough experience to confidently say that.
So, I guess I'm still a hater?
Contributor
Watching YouTube woodworking videos will rot your woodworking brain.
Dont let your creativity get influenced by woodworking videos and look to the wood for guidance. It’s a trap that will stunt your natural creativity.
Good Luck
Aj
Contributor
That was a bit painful to watch, particularly all the time spent moving wood around, and when he puts the oil on, which usually brings out the beauty of the wood,
but in this case made it look worse (IMO). Also doing repetitive tasks for too long is dangerous, as well as boring. I would never spend hours straight on a jointer.
One of the curious things about Youtube for me is the uniformly positive comments, no matter how marginal the project or content. Are critical ones removed, is it just the convention?
[OP]
Contributor
I watched it twice, I'm still sore.
IMO, the only way this project makes any sense to undertake is if you're a YT presenter. Which is why I asked the original question.
It cost too much for what it is. It takes too long for what it is. (even without his suspect numbers)
And I know, YT algorithms are complicated, but I really don't think he is fully compensated for 215 hours of work and 1.2k of materials. I guess maybe I charge more per hour than he does?
I just find the whole thing sad on many levels, and the positive commentors simply don't know any better.
Contributor
I find Marc Spagnuolo's videos inspiring. But yeah, most are just brain dead.
Contributor
There's another very recent thread here on SMC about YouTube recommendations.
Search it out, some of the recommendations are excellent high level makers, inspiring for even the most advanced woodworker.
Contributor
Making money creating a woodworking video is different from creating money through woodworking. The video is meeting an entirely different human need. Entertainment, instruction, inspiration, hate watching, friendship, technical instruction, even building self confidence comes from watchin these videos. People don't get all thatfrom my work. I just build stuff.
Norm Abrams was an early content creator. He inspired people to feel capable, and proud of their work. The Norm Abrams Router Table was great. People spent years building them, looked like fine furniture, and elegant storage. The things never needed famly approval or sales, they stayed in the shop. I wish Norm would build a hyper fancy router table out of pallet wood.
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I was speaking to some of the other comments regarding the "haters", in that it did look like a lot of work and it does appeal to a lot of people. My larger point is that people do all kinds of nutty things that aren't efficient, just because they want to see if it can be done, and for the attention the ridiculousness brings. For all the people disliking this video, probably most people who read this tread at least watched some of it.. Clickbait works, i mean you 1) clicked on it, 2) watched it, 3) engaged, 4) shared it! It's a home run
[OP]
Contributor
Firstly, it's just low quality wood, I don't care where it comes. The fact that the wood was used previously for pallets is irrelevant. Making a table from wood is a few thousand-year-old concept, so just to see if it could be done, doesn't cut it in my book.I was speaking to some of the other comments regarding the "haters", in that it did look like a lot of work and it does appeal to a lot of people. My larger point is that people do all kinds of nutty things that aren't efficient, just because they want to see if it can be done, and for the attention the ridiculousness brings. For all the people disliking this video, probably most people who read this tread at least watched some of it.. Clickbait works, i mean you 1) clicked on it, 2) watched it, 3) engaged, 4) shared it! It's a home run
Yes, I clicked on the video to see the numbers he came up with. I think they're all way off, and I posed a simple question to him about his video. I was then surprised with his answer, that in turn prompted this thread. Yes, clickbait works, it's not the issue.
This guy is, by his own admission, out to get clicks, not teach or inspire anyone to work with wood. Which is where this whole thing started. He is primarily a content creator, not a woodworker.
The entire point of my posting this thread was to start the discussion about where is the line between the two groups, or is there one?. Are videos like this helpful or harmful to woodworking, or are they just "entertainment" for the Dunning-Kruger disciples.
I'm a woodworker, watching someone performing the profession/craft that I love in this manner, isn't entertaining, it's offensive. So no, I normally don't watch anything like this.
One side note, if this guys wants to continue to build things (I've looked at some of the videos on his channel) he needs to learn how to mill lumber. It would probably save him some time and money.
He's (and the rest of these people are) just trying to make a living like the rest of us. There's no way you can be super productive with contracted / commissioned work and also shoot & edit these types of videos. So you're focusing on content over productivity (like wood whisperer, etc). I think he chose to make money the hard way.. brute force (in both the literal woodworking aspect and the time it takes to produce relevant content over and over). I really don't think this is a great way to break thru and make money in 2022. Wood Whisperer broke thru at the right time, stuck with it and now can probably coast (ish). But what do I know.
Whatever camp this video falls into, it's someone trying to make a living producing videos. I assume the fail rate is pretty high. As I said before, this guy could have put the same effort into 4 weeks with real jobs and made good money WITH potential referrals. It's the allure of passive income, but YT videos are fleeting without substance or without cultural meaning so it's just another viral video that will go the wasteland server somewhere. He better hope it produces income in the short term because it's probably not going to in the long term.
I think it's entertainment... he's not really teaching anything, just showing how he works. And he's not an expert.
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