Okay, This Guy Makes Me Look Like a Master Woodworker

[David Weaver]

That actually looks like pretty nice ply. I wouldn't mind having a few sheets of it.

[Jason Roehl]

I knew that would be mentioned and I do understand but I posted it for a chuckle and nothing more.

I got that. I've just had the fortune of living in a couple different foreign countries and have seen many things that would never fly in this country because the safety Nazis would be all over it. But, in the context, it's just people who don't have much, doing what they can, to improve on what they have--something that I sometimes wonder if it has been outlawed here. Don't get me wrong, I believe in working as safely as practical, but my safety is more about the lump on my shoulders than some gadget or some extensive manual written by a bureaucrat somewhere.

[Harold Burrell]

I am absolutely, positively spoiled. MOST of the world lives more like this guy than me.

Chuckling didn't really seem appropriate. Actually...the video made me want to cry...

[Jim Rimmer]

This thread makes me pretty proud of the Creekers. All gave him credit for working with limited space, tools, and (probably) training. I agree, the guy was doing pretty well with what he had. I watched it all the way to the end and he ended up with doors on the cabinet and that was his intent.

[Alan Gan]

I appreciate the mindset here how you all see the good in things. I find myself critical of people more often than not but would also be the 1st person to lend a helping hand to someone in need.

But common sense goes a long way, rich or poor if you are going to work with dangerous equipment at least use the simplest fundamentals of safety. I was surprised that they had all their fingers and toes after seeing that.

I sure do not fall into the category of rich and have spent a lot of time working in places in this country that most people will never see. There are places that people are so dirt poor that they do make with what they.

I am known for sticking my foot in my mouth on more than several occasions.

I do enjoy ready all the knowledge you have and share, the last thing I was trying to do was to alienate myself.

Life is to short to take life to seriously...

[Harold Burrell]

I appreciate the mindset here how you all see the good in things. I find myself critical of people more often than not but would also be the 1st person to lend a helping hand to someone in need.

But common sense goes a long way, rich or poor if you are going to work with dangerous equipment at least use the simplest fundamentals of safety. I was surprised that they had all their fingers and toes after seeing that.

I sure do not fall into the category of rich and have spent a lot of time working in places in this country that most people will never see. There are places that people are so dirt poor that they do make with what they.

I am known for sticking my foot in my mouth on more than several occasions.

I do enjoy ready all the knowledge you have and share, the last thing I was trying to do was to alienate myself.

Life is to short to take life to seriously...

And I appreciate the "mindset" of your post.

You, sir, fit right in here.

[Floyd Cox]

Made me feel humbled, maybe I'll think twice about buying another router to add to the 4 I already have. Kinda spoiled over here in the old USA to getting what I want and not what I need.

[Greg Peterson]

Kudos to this guy for his efforts. It made me feel spoiled rotten and a bit gluttonous. First world standards are truly a luxury.

Thanks for providing some perspective.

[Tom Stenzel]

The two things I noticed when I watched:

Everything on the shelves is in sealed containers. Wherever he is there's a real problem with insects.

There's a water jug next to the left of the shelves. He doesn't have running water in his kitchen.

Think about that!
-Tom

[Alan Gan]

I am assuming this is the backside of a street restaurant in a foreign country, not to much different than some restaurants right here in the USA. I cannot disagree that he is working with what he has but have to wonder how he really lives... Far as I know he may be a person that is very well off in the country he lives. It makes total sense to me that sometimes things are not as they appear...

[Jeff Erbele]

I understand the OP joke angle, how not to build cabinet doors, but good gosh and good golly Miss Molly I am again thankful for how fortunate I and we are.

In my military career I was fortunate to be a main part of a nation building project in Central America in the mid-80's.
Certainly it had international political reasons for our being there and our mission, before "The Wall" came down; a peaceful reason to prevent the former USSR from gaining a foothold or another one in the region. Understand my post is not about politics or geo-political relations; it is about my experience being there.

I, and the task force I was assigned to lived and worked amongst the local people. In the larger picture it does not matter which Central American country I or we were in or trying to help as all of them needed some. Our task force was assigned to the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, after Hatti. At that time the national average annual household income was $640 USD / US Dollars; 1987. In perspective, I was a US Army Captain, earning more per week, plus medical, social security, and all the benny's and perks associated; perhaps worth the pay x 2 or more. In any case substantial and significant.

The ND Army National Guard was in Command. Utah provided Combat Service Support and California provided Medical Support; all provided Aviation assets. Troops came from primarily the National Guard and US Army Reserve; 150 Duration Staff (which I was one of) 650 on a rotational basis. A few were active US Army, US Air Force, US Navy with other government agencies involved in various ways.

We built a difficult segment of a farm to market road, a runway, refurbished 12 schools and built 8 new ones, conducted marriages and funerals, tended to livestock, field-tested a new, inflatable Army Field Hospital in tropical conditions, provided medical care, pulled teeth, provided clothing and school supplies from donations back home (where the troops came from- across the USA; mostly ND, UT, CA, SD, WY but more.) Donations were a stack of pallets, 8 feet high x 100 feet long x 100 feet wide stock-piled in a hanger bay. Beside what fit on the tail ramps of each C-141's (3 each per 650 man rotation), it took several more dedicated airframes to haul the rest of the donations.

Somebody maybe / probably will get their hair in a knot and their shorts in a bunch over that. Those tax dollars were spent 30 years ago. The training and experience was priceless. The Reserve Forces Commanded the Mission; The Active Forces supported it and Commanded it at a higher level.

A Japanese contractor was building the road segemnt in a mountain valley to our rear and the Ohio National Guard was building a segment over the mountain range ahead of us, with basically the same Command, Staff, Staffing structure as ours, with a similar Mission but at another station.

So what does all of this have to do with building cabinet doors? EVERYTHING.

I am so thankful for what I and we have.
I've seen poor. Some of the world's poorest. First hand. Daily. Lived and worked amongst them. Tried to improve their way of life, in any way I and we could. Gifts and donations are only a temporary relief. Not a long term solution.

I have utmost respect for people of all walks; far more so for those with less.

Worldwide, people are basically the same in that first they need and want food, shelter and water; that is is given, like air.
They want to work, they want to earn a living, they want to improve their selves, they want an education, they want a better way of life, but even more they make sacrifices so perhaps their off-spring can have a better way of life than was possible for them.
That is universal amongst the common, ordinary, citizens of our world.

My experience was most humbling.
I cried with tears flowing down my cheeks when my voluntary mission ended and I had to go home.
...back to my job I loved as a machinist-welder and my employer,
...back to my wife and family I missed and loved dearly.
What an experience like few ever have. But with turmoil of letting it go when the mission ended.

People do the best they can given their resources and knowledge. And often it is very impressive.

EDITED to Add:
For personal reasons the reserve forces train and meet the same standards as the active forces. We are a team across all branches, each with its respective mission. Still and often wrongly viewed as or considered less.
I was a Combat Engineer soldier and officer, as such, a weapons and demolition expert. Fortunately every bullet or projectile I fired was aimed at paper or some skeleton of an artifact of some armored vehicle of yester-year. Not dismissing or with any hesitation of my duty had it been otherwise and not as sterile.

I was very fortunate with 3 years of active duty and 26 years of total service, knowing full well how to blow anything up, take it down or destroy it, I never had to.

Instead, I was most fortunate to build and improve things for a lot of people, at home, stateside and aboard. Combat Engineers are also construction engineers, well drillers, rock & quarry operations, roads, bridges, vertical engineering (structures), airfields, port & wharf construction, base camp engineering, railroads, dikes & dam's, drainage and other civil projects.
I had a part in blowing up one big rock, a mountain, so we could put a road thru it. That was fun and rewarding.
I was fortunate and know it.

My edit was for personal reasons; further explanation of my experiences. Not to distract from my appreciation for those with much less make do with what they have and always impress at that.

[David Brimm]

The two things I noticed when I watched:

Everything on the shelves is in sealed containers. Wherever he is there's a real problem with insects.

There's a water jug next to the left of the shelves. He doesn't have running water in his kitchen.

Think about that!
-Tom

Yeah that was the first thing I noticed and having lived in some 3rd world places have dealt with it myself. I'd guess that the doors are more functional/practical than to spruce up the looks of his cabinets, doors with latches like are shown at the end are a must-have if you have any hope of keeping rats out of your cupboards.