What should I say?

[David Rose]

Mark, give me all the critique you want! Just please don't stomp my projects into pieces!!! Who knows what piece might exist that could be good scrap?

David

There are some great comments here and I really appreciate them.....if ones interest is improving as a woodworker then they should be prepared to hear a review of their work....for 20 years or so I have been asked by various Architectural Universities to give Senior Thesis Critiques on students work....and I have always tried to be supportive and yet let them know enough of the truth to help them to learn. What did upset me is if little effort was shown....some looked like they started the final years project a few days before it was due....I would get a bit tough on these students...probably dad was paying for their education....or party festival...
At SMC I usually see very fine work in both design and crafstmanship...sometimes I see great crafstmanship and the design could use some help....sometimes some real help...It is difficult to smile and say it all great when I think there is room for improvement....It would be a much better project the design was up to the standards of the workmanship...what to do?
It is difficult to judge asthetics and it is difficult to hear from the designers perspective since it is very subjective....
Occasionaly at the Senior Thesis Review another Architect or Profesor would really rip a project verbally....I have even hear of one professor that would smash a students models with his foot....Though that is hard to imagine the lesson is that the project itself and the model are not as important as what they stand to learn from it
That is the crossroads for me.....don't say anything....be tactful....tell the truth and make enemies and hurt peoples feelings...tell them how nice they hold the router in the picture
Thanks for your input....I have listened and will tread with great care and remember its all in the interest of improving...You hold the chisel very nice also

[Wayne Watling]

Guidelines... its hard to pin it down to a strick set of guideline because there are so many variables. Relatively speaking I'm a newbie WW but when I post projects I like to hear comments from those who understand their stuff, the same goes in all other spheres of life. In this delicate area of critiquing, a post from someones own knowledge and hard earned understanding is never taken the wrong way and always has that ring of strength and truth to it that serves to help progress.

Regards,
Wayne

[Nathan Hoffman]

There are some great comments here and I really appreciate them.....if ones interest is improving as a woodworker then they should be prepared to hear a review of their work....for 20 years or so I have been asked by various Architectural Universities to give Senior Thesis Critiques on students work....and I have always tried to be supportive and yet let them know enough of the truth to help them to learn. What did upset me is if little effort was shown....some looked like they started the final years project a few days before it was due....I would get a bit tough on these students...probably dad was paying for their education....or party festival...

Mark,
I like your comments about letting someone know when not enough effort was put into their work. That comment reminds me of something Peter Egan wrote in Road & Track magazine, and it applies to woodworking as well as car restoration.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=26&article_id=3720

Just my 2 bits.

[Lars Thomas]

Nathan excellant article. Sometimes brutal, always honest is a good thing. Lars