What annoys you about Norm?

[Philly]

Alf
Sorry,MY hand skills were a bit weak there :roll:
Hey Neil
Did you see the other new tool-floor standing oscillating belt sander. He has been using it instead of the jointer to clean up machine marks.
And that guys web-site is THE saddest in the world!
Cheers
Philly

 

[Neil]

I did indeed - with a big Delta sticker on it :roll:

Of course it is a completely necessary and justifiable machine to have when you already have a jointer :roll: - just when I thought he was getting better behaved as well...

And that guys web-site is THE saddest in the world!

Agreed!

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Anonymous]

It's not Norm that annoys me so much as the show has become boring. Norm was inspirational to me getting going more seriously back in the early 90's and I learned a lot of basic shop techniques from him, but I haven't seen anything for at least 6 years now that I could say was new. He needs to show a few things that are different and challenging sometimes -- how to hand cut a blind dovetail for example? I learned more from watching 'This Old House' in recent years that NYW.

The only thing I can think of about Norm himself that annoys me is his use of the word assemburly. I wonder what it means.

 

[tim]

Now this may be heresy :

I don't have any problem with his use of tools (if I had the budget I'd probably have most of them) or the 'here's one I prepared earlier' factor and I do agree some of his finishing choices are odd (at best).

but

while I think that some of his jigs and workstations esp router tables and mitre saw bench are pretty damn good, I haven't seen one piece of furniture that I have thought I really, really like that. True I haven't seen all the programs or projects but I just don't find what he makes very exciting. :?

T

 

[Steve Maskery]

Tim
I think you hve hit the nail(gun) on the head there. I haven't spent much time in USA, apart from 3 months a decade ago, but my impressions were, and still are, that "normal" American taste is very old-fashioned. Not always repro, I'll grant you, but certainly VERY conservative. When I look at FWW I wonder where the cutting-edge design is now. I'm no fan of avant-garde anything really, but I do prefer good modern to tired recycled Victoriana.

Don't get me wrong, I like watching Norm, but yes, his choice of projects is often boring.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Gill]

I've been very taken with the projects in his latest series, especially the dry sink and the French plant stand. In fact, this latest series is one of my favourites. When I get round to redesigning my kitchen, I'd like to incorporate elements of his dry sink project as part of a recycling centre. And one day I'll have a French plant stand in my greenhouse.

Norm's early work is very plain, influenced to a large extent by the Shakers. If you're not keen on that style of furniture, I don't suppose you'd like his projects much. Added to which, he does try to replicate historical pieces rather than trying to innovate. In many ways, his style is very cautious. I should imagine that fans of programmes such as 'The Great British Woodshop' would find it too cautious for their tastes, but Norm has his own philosphy which is to produce heirloom furniture rather than avant-garde stuff.

Gill

 

[Philly]

Gill
Agree with you on the new series-some really nice, different pieces! I wasn't too sure about the painted tables and commented so to TPTB-She totally disagreed, so maybe Norm is going for the ladies in this series? :wink:
Loved the big mahogany dining table.....
cheers
Philly

 

[Alf]

I haven't spent much time in USA, apart from 3 months a decade ago, but my impressions were, and still are, that "normal" American taste is very old-fashioned. Not always repro, I'll grant you, but certainly VERY conservative.

Agreed. On the other hand at least you don't get endless tables with 4" thick legs etc like we seemed to have suffered a rash of over here in recent years.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Noel]

4" thick legs etc like we seemed to have suffered a rash of over here in recent years.

Personally I like chunky designs but agree, not much in the way of nice slim tapered stuff about these days.

Noel, whose legs are totally rashless..............

 

[Anonymous]

hi
for me its his choice in shirts, along with most of his furniture,which seems too be in bad taste
http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?0406

 

[RogerS]

I must have missed NYW. Is it on one of those new-fangled satellite-thingummy-widgit things or can I see it on my steam tele?

 

[Philly]

Yes, its on Discovery Channel. Worth seeing or borrowing a video if you can.
Cheers
Philly

 

[Rosco]

Hi all,
I have great respect for Norm and have watched his program for many years and personally think that the man has done more to promote and introduce new people to the art of woodworking than anyone else that has gone before him. Saying that though I do have some niggles with the great man, 1) his total lack of regard of the cost of materials 2) the way he sometimes makes things out of wood that should be on display and loved for the wonderful substance that it is and then he goes and paints it when I see this all I want to do is cry 3) his lack of regard to what his fans think as having written to the guy on 3 occasions and not once had a reply. Apart from this I still think the guy is great and long may his show continue.

All the best,

Rosco

 

[Jorden]

He never seems to makes mistakes :evil:

Yes but that is probabley the wonders of television.

I clearly remember one episode where he admitted making a mistake by letting what should have been a stopped dado run through in the prototype. He corrected this in the 'built for television' one.

Dennis

 

[Taffy Turner]

Norm is the Daddy!!!!

He is single handedly responsible for me broadening my interest from turning to woodworking in general. (Well, not quite solely reponsible - this forum + website has a lot to answer for too!!!). :roll:

He can do no wrong in my eyes, other than one minor niggle - his turning technique is very poor! I am always slightly suspicious whenever he does any turning - you see a 20 second shot of him butchering some poor piece of innocent wood, and then lo and behold, a perfectly respectable result myseriously appears in the next shot. I can only assume that he buys his sandpaper by the mile!

Having said that, he has obviously been practising, as his technique is much better in the later series, and he has stopped using that bl**dy copy lathe (don't even get me started on that one.....). :?

Gary

 

[Philly]

Yeah, Norm doesn't exactly "keep the bevel rubbing at all times", does He? :lol:
Cheers
Philly

 

[Taffy Turner]

Yeah, Norm doesn't exactly "keep the bevel rubbing at all times", does He? :lol:
Cheers
Philly

Some of the time would be nice for a start!!

They must just edit out his catches!

 

[Philly]

He does seem a little nervous when turning! Mind you, I can hardly talk..... :roll:
Cheers
Philly

 

[seaco]

I think he's very good only thing I could grumble at is all the bloody repeats if he's been going 17 years I couldn't have seen them all could I?... :roll:

I must get out more...I must get out more...I must get out more... :?