New host for Rough Cuts.....


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Hope they show it here. I've heard good comments about the new host, but I'm not familiar with him. 13 projects in 13 half hour episodes is a lot to take on and cover effectively.

I've searched the local lineup and don't see it anywhere. 

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I caught it in my So Cal area yesterday.  I had read some comments on the new host as being slowww.  I did not see this so much that I would call it a characteristic.  The subject matter was a small rectangular table, M&T at the apron to tapered leg joints and hand-cut pocket holes to attach the tapered under edge top.

Understanding that they only have half an hour, I still felt large gaps were left in the processes.  They were able to get to a mostly finished table but, someone who had never built one would be sorely tested to get through the process with the show segment as a guide.  Fine Woodworking magazine articles are generally pretty thorough and sequential.  There didn't seem to be a lot of that sort of influence in the production work of the show.

There were things in the show like a taper jig that were only shown as a completed item with no mention as to how one might build one.  Contrarily they showed how to apply glue to a tenon multiple times.  Obviously you could dedicate a half hour show to building a throw-away taper jig but, some mention as to construction and the purpose of the various parts could help someone who had no experience with such things.

I have setup to record the series as I am generally busy on Saturdays and I will watch more of it.  In short, and with only a sample of one to draw from, the show seemed to skip things that a beginner would need to see yet was not advanced enough for someone who might not require the missing info. 

I'll keep an open mind and see where they go with this but, they will really have to up the continuity or focus more specifically to an audience or they are not going to get a lot of positive reviews.    

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9 minutes ago, gee-dub said:

I caught it in my So Cal area yesterday.  I had read some comments on the new host as being slowww.  I did not see this so much that I would call it a characteristic.  The subject matter was a small rectangular table, M&T at the apron to tapered leg joints and hand-cut pocket holes to attach the tapered under edge top.

Understanding that they only have half an hour, I still felt large gaps were left in the processes.  They were able to get to a mostly finished table but, someone who had never built one would be sorely tested to get through the process with the show segment as a guide.  Fine Woodworking magazine articles are generally pretty thorough and sequential.  There didn't seem to be a lot of that sort of influence in the production work of the show.

There were things in the show like a taper jig that were only shown as a completed item with no mention as to how one might build one.  Contrarily they showed how to apply glue to a tenon multiple times.  Obviously you could dedicate a half hour show to building a throw-away taper jig but, some mention as to construction and the purpose of the various parts could help someone who had no experience with such things.

I have setup to record the series as I am generally busy on Saturdays and I will watch more of it.  In short, and with only a sample of one to draw from, the show seemed to skip things that a beginner would need to see yet was not advanced enough for someone who might not require the missing info. 

I'll keep an open mind and see where they go with this but, they will really have to up the continuity or focus more specifically to an audience or they are not going to get a lot of positive reviews.    

Nice review, thanks!

I can see how they wouldn't have time to show everything.  For me, knowing that there is such a thing as a tapering jig might be enough to go find out how to make one.

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1 hour ago, Barron said:

It’s on their web site, no sign up seems to be required. I liked it.  

It went by quickly, but they did put up a caption that said you could learn how to build the jig on their web site. 

I’ll be watching for more episodes. 

 This is great. I am a subscriber but, I guess that doesn’t matter :-) I’m glad they’re going to do things like post links for jigs and assumably other detailed info. That’s much more like what I would expect out of fine woodworking. 

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I watched the first episode last night.  It was pretty OK.  I'll watch again.

I agree with GD's review in it's entirety.  It was a very basic table...the shaker table with no drawer doesn't really get any more basic...and we don't need to know a lot of details on how to build any portion of that table, but if someone were building that table and NEEDED the instruction, the show falls plenty short.  I know it's a half hour show, but still...

Maybe I'm spoiled by the Guild videos, but lumber selection?  Milling?  Building the dang taper jig?  What about some alternate methods of making a mortise, other than a mortiser?  Or even other joinery options...that table could be made by a beginner with dowels easily.

What about allowing the top for movement?  He attached it to the base with pocket holes...even if they were fancy hand-chopped pocket holes. 

I'd wonder if they'd be better suited to make even basic projects like this in two parts if they can't weasel out hour long shows(?)

 

*In contrast, I'm watching Tommy Mac's first episode of RC now.  The same length of show, a slightly more complicated project (a trestle dining table), and it seems like he's three times as thorough.  Maybe it's because Tommy talks so dang fast...*

 

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5 minutes ago, K Cooper said:

I’m confused. Are there two Tommy Mac’s? I seem to remember one that was much younger and was all over the place (talked fast). I’ve never seen this guy, the one Mick provided a link to. 

Tommy MacDonald - old host, younger fast talker

Tom McLaughlin - new host

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8 hours ago, drzaius said:

What I really liked about NYW was that after watching an episode, I felt like I'd seen a good overview of all the steps involved in a build. I never got that with T Mac, even though I did like that show.

I agree. Whoever planned the NYW episodes did so in a way that made me feel like I could build the project they showed, and Tommy's builds felt like I was just watching someone else build furniture.

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