Tony Wilkins Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 I have lot's of books and several DVD's now on how to do woodworking. I'd love to go to meetings and would really love to go to the schools they offer all around the country. However, being in a motorized wheelchair much of the time makes it difficult. This is compounded by the fact each day I don't know how much strength I have in any limb. So here's the question - for me personally and just in general: What do you think of the value/efficacy of on line wood working schools like Shannon's* and Paul Seller's? *I know that you are a contributor here Shannon and I invite you to comment as well since you have a unique and vested interest in this question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barron Posted July 12, 2014 Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 Marc's guild is a form of class and I've found it really helpful. I keep thinking of joking the hand tool school, but so far I can't justify the Guild and the school at the same time. Marc keeps coming up with great projects and keeps me in the Guild. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted July 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2014 Didn’t mention Marc’s because he’s less hand tool, more hybrid and I’m all hand tool. (Did think about it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdesocio Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 I liked the sellers videos - but they were very long, and I found that because its just one teacher the price per video was fairly high. I opted to check out the shopclass from pop woodworking (which includes 10 seasons of the woodwright shop for a similar price.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted July 15, 2014 Report Share Posted July 15, 2014 Tony, Rob Cosman has a Month free on his site if you want to try that out. I think offering a try before you buy is a nice touch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted July 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2014 Graham, I'm waiting for my free month to be approved at Rob Cosman's site so we'll see. In the mean time - while I'm waiting to decide - I ordered a trio of C. Schwarz DVD's to watch (Forgotten Handtools, Coarse Medium and Fine, and Making Furniture with Handplanes). I had a 'duh' moment in that if I want systematic building of projects that I have the first two books (recommended on this forum) that I bought to learn from. They both have a series of projects - Jim Tolpin's The New Traditional Woodworker and Tom Fidgen's Made by Hand*. I didn't go through them when I first got them because I just didn't have the basic tool set to complete the mission. Of the two, I like Fidgen's better but the projects are a little more challenging. * Kate Turabian fogive me for not using correct title format Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Anderson Posted July 19, 2014 Report Share Posted July 19, 2014 Paul Sellers for the win. I like Graham, too. As a novice, I have a lot to learn. I find woodworking instruction similar to learning to swing a golf club. For me it is best to learn a particular school of thought rather than bits and pieces from here and there. I only hope my woodwork will be better than my golf game ever was. If I didn't find myself getting away from "hybrid" woodworking I would still be in the Wood Whisperer camp. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wilkins Posted July 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Update: Just got the access from the Rob Cosman site a day or so ago and just started watching so no judgment as of yet. Went ahead and got the first semester of Shannon’s hand tool school (it’s on sale till the end of the month). I like Shannon (at least as far as online personalities go - don’t know him otherwise). If I was just starting down this road it would be great and I’d recommend it. For me though, it was just another slightly different method so not really worth the money. Paul Sellers is up there as far as what I’d recommend. However, I feel most comfortable with what I learned first - a combination of the methods of Schwarz and Charlesworth as presented on their DVD’s. It will be interesting to see how your stuff develops Graham. I find it just as well presented and useful as any of them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skunkeye Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 I'm a member of Paul Sellers' Woodworking Masterclasses, for me the 15 bucks a month is well worth it. His classes could easily pay for themselves if you take his advice on tuning up Ebay saws, planes, spokeshaves, etc. He does have opinions, but he seems willing to back up his opinions with videos explaining his positions. Highly recommended. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 Cheers Tony, That's nice to know. As far as how things develop I will never have the time to put together weekly videos at a set time. At the very best I might manage one a week. It's a case of as and when for me and whatever takes my fancy. I don't see a situation where I would charge for the content apart from the the money from youtube videos, which for anyone who knows would at best support a hobby, not allow for quitting the day job. I am willing to work on suggestions, if there is something you would like me to do please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G S Haydon Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 Thanks for your vote of confidence too Dan, as you know I needed to check you meant me before saying thanks . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenaissanceWW Posted July 24, 2014 Report Share Posted July 24, 2014 Slack I think you need to identify what your goals are in seeking out a class or any instruction. It sounds like you are already well informed on techniques so perhaps you need to examine what you are lacking in your own woodworking right now and what you hope to improve upon. It may be as simple as finding a project you are excited about and in that case instruction may not be what you need...just time to get it done. Woodworking is such a vast arena that building an online course to suite everyone's needs is near impossible. (trust me on this one) All that can be done is inform on the fundamentals that allow a woodworker to apply to their own desired projects or hit the nail on the head exactly by building a project that woodworker also wants to build and then guide them through step by step. I'm sure you can see then that sometimes its like throwing darts blindfolded. So I would urge you to do some self examination to figure out what is next for you on your own woodworking journey then find a resource that will more closely align with that. That might be one of my projects in the Hand Tool School or a book or something Paul is building, or whatever but if it matches your desires you will gain much more from it in the long run. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Meeker Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 (edited) Wow, it is what I am looking for. I am planning to build my house by myself next year, so interested in this class, will register straight away when this online course begins. Edited November 1, 2016 by TIODS Removed link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 11 minutes ago, John Meeker said: Wow, it is what I am looking for. I am planning to build my house by myself next year, so interested in this class, will register straight away when this online course begins. Welcome to the forums John.. Be aware that post is a couple years old.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 11 minutes ago, John Meeker said: Wow, it is what I am looking for. I am planning to build my house by myself next year, so interested in this class, will register straight away when this online course begins. You dig up a two year old thread to bait people into your stupid golf link? This is a woodworking forum incase you havent noticed. People like you really annoy me. 4 minutes ago, TIODS said: Welcome to the forums John.. Be aware that post is a couple years old.. Guy is a scammer, Kev. Erase his account.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 I've removed his link. If he's legit, he'll stick around and join in on the conversation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 21 minutes ago, shaneymack said: You dig up a two year old thread to bait people into your stupid golf link? This is a woodworking forum incase you havent noticed. People like you really annoy me. Maybe he wants to build his own house...using hand tools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Just now, estesbubba said: Maybe he wants to build his own house...using hand tools Yeah exactly. Like everyone here is too stupid to see what he was trying to do... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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