Roy Underhill DVDs

[Ryan Baker]

For those who are interested, the first four seasons of Woodwright's Shop on DVD (Season 1, 2, 3, and 20) are now available to pre-order at shopwoodworking dot com. They are supposed to be delivered in a few weeks.

I just put my order in. I'm anxious to watch those 30 year old episodes again.

[Jamie Bacon]

Put my order in also, all four seaons. Hearing a lot of grumbling about the price on other forums. Not cheap at $40 a season, but worth it to me. Can't wait to watch.

[Chuck Nickerson]

I put my order in as well. Six hours for $40 seems ok: that's like 3 - 4 movies for $40.
Besides, Roy deserves some of my money.

Besides, the 28 episodes release will probably be spread over a year or so.

[Zach Dillinger]

I figure I can spend that much to support someone that I respect so much. Plus, its not like you are just giving away your money. You get all that learning for a little bit of money. It's like a correspondence Masters Degree in hand tools and history.

[David Weaver]

He seems like a nice guy, but the show looks more to me like woodworking entertainment. I'd be more inclined to spend $40 on something that was precise and not designed to fit into a 25 minute time slot and entertain non-woodworkers.

Presume this is part of a fundraiser for his PBS home station (given that my local station has been more and more aggressive about selling permanent copies of past content)?

I can think of at least 50 things I'd spend $40 on before I'd buy anything like that, though, and when it becomes multiples of $40, it's in a different dimension vs. my wants.

[Zach Dillinger]

David, what you do is clearly up to you, but it isn't just woodworking entertainment. It isn't a "plan" or a "measured drawing", nor is it precise, but that is exactly the point. Those things are unnecessary, as long as you get the gist of what he is demonstrating and try it out for yourself. I can tell you that I've learned something from every episode of Roy I've seen and every one of his books; the same cannot be said for many other shows / DVDs / books.

I will happily spend $40 per season for the seasons I don't get as gifts. I'm sure many others will as well.

[David Weaver]

Just putting my two bits that most woodworkers would be better spending their money elsewhere if the amount learned per $$ matters.

Usually threads like these turn into a lovefest because most folks not interested provide no feedback, and someone reading then thinks they're going to learn a lot about woodworking. That's a subjective statement ("a lot"), but were I wanting to do something precise, I'll take robert wearings book over 4 seasons of the woodwright shop.

Loved the show as a kid, though. Just my thoughts. The internet is full of rah rah...I sure wish it would've been more balanced when I was spending my dollars heavily.

[Zach Dillinger]

No disagreements with you David, and I obviously respect your viewpoint. I just hope people don't write this off as entertainment, which is what I objected to. Lots to learn from Roy!

Cheers!

[David Weaver]

I obviously respect your viewpoint.

Crazy talk! There's no reason to go that far. I may be being a little harsh about it. Some of the stuff I've learned or figured out lately has me scrambled in the head trying to figure out if I'm learning the right things and from the right places.

But everyone has a different viewpoint and different type of work that makes them tick. When I was younger I could only see my opinion, but as I get older, I learn to question stuff a little less.

[Jack Curtis]

Like Zach, I've learned something from every WW show I've ever watched. If you want to dismiss it, fine, but it's a fact that Roy Underhill informs everything he touches; and we could support a lot of less deserving people.

[David Weaver]

I've learned quite a bit from shows i've watched, too...often what I don't want to do. There is no shortage of folks who have written brilliant stuff that challenges the reader or watcher more, and who get far less support than Roy.

[Joe McMahon]

PWW just responded to the cost issue:

"we appreciate the comments on several woodworking social media sites about the pricing – and we’ve listened. As of tomorrow, the DVDs will be on sale for $29.99 each – and everyone who has already placed an order will get the $29.99 price per (and you won’t be charged until your order ships). Why are we waiting until tomorrow to update the pricing at ShopWoodworking.com? Well, something about computer inventory systems and overnight automatic updates and I don’t know…but the price change couldn’t be implemented immediately, and we wanted to get this information out right away."

Very classy!!!!

[Ryan Baker]

Good news about the price drop. Can't complain about getting some of it back. I would imagine that a chunk of it is a donation to UNC public TV as well.

I do enjoy watching WWS for the entertainment value, but I agree that there is something to be learned from every episode -- sometimes quite a lot. It is pretty much the only WW show that teaches techniques instead of just selling the latest tool. It's true that it isn't always about the best or most precise technique (and there are other sources out there if you seek that type of instruction), but that, I think, misses the point of what he is trying to do with the show. Unfortunately, it is a limitation of the show format that often leaves Roy rushing to try to cram too much into 22 minutes of show time, and that forces some compromise on the extent of the demos. I've often wished they would just let Roy go for a few hours at a time. But for the most part, I think Roy has done a good job of getting the basics across in the allotted time.

The experinced woodworkers, who already have the basics down, may find less value in the shows other than entertainment. Nothing wrong with that either.

Besides, we get a George Wilson episode in season 3.

[David Weaver]

The folks at PWW are good folks.

[Jack Curtis]

Isn't there an episode in which Roy backpedals his lathe?