What is Ugliest Piece of Furniture Norm Has Made?

[Gary Keedwell]

[

If Norm makes a piece, and finishes it with a muddy Minwax pigment stain and topcoats it with Polyurethane - in my book, it ain't fine woodworking.

Todd

Well said... I agree. Finishing IMHO is not Norm's forte'.

[/QUOTE]LOL Yea, Norm and about 80% of the woodworkers out there.
Gary

[Darren Ford]

If I am not mistaken, Norm has said in the past that he uses the brads because he doesn't have the luxury of letting joints dry as long as they need to during assembly. Every show is shot in 2 days I think, so corners have to be cut.

[Terre Hooks]

I'll go out on a limb and say that all of the folks here who bash Norm would choke like they had swallowed 3 chicken bones if they were put in front a camera to film them building a shoebox.

[Michael Pfau]

I am in Cowboy country, a HUGE fan of Norm's but I would never have that thing he built in my house!!

[Michael Gibbons]

Couple things to note:

1. Norm must have been doing something right all these years or they would have pulled him of the air. Corporate funding or not. Besides, a lot of folks think he's doing a geat job-me included.

2. I have no training in any field of any kind. So if I become a furniture maker, does that make me an outcast because I started late and have no classical cabinetmaking/furniture making training?

3. I think it's a neat idea that Norm doesn't have to do all the finishing. Besides, How would you like to watch him stain/polyurethane a peice for 5 minutes in a show? Like watching grass grow. He's also said he doesn't do all the finishing and also that it is his weak point in woodworking.

4. All you have to do is pick up a tool catalog or go online and you can figure out what tools he uses. Most companies have picked certain colors that are specific to their brands. Delta gey,Jet white,Powermatic mustard. General green,etc..

5. My least favorite design is the Turkey Table. By the way he found that table in a private collection. I did find however,that the turning and cutting of the legs were quite complex ( to me ). So the episode came in handy.

6. I really like the "historicals" as they call them which are the places that they find the ideas. Not all projects are exact repro's. Some have to be modified for size or materials to fit the needs. Norm also has a major say as to what goes on the measured drawings. It's his dimensions that are put down after ne figures out what is needed.

7. If you want a decent look at his shop go to his website and go to the tour the shop link, then to panoramic view.

....Mike

[Curt Harms]

I'll go out on a limb and say that all of the folks here who bash Norm would choke like they had swallowed 3 chicken bones if they were put in front a camera to film them building a shoebox.

I think You're pretty safe on that limb, Terre

[Joe Mioux]

You just hit on my pet peeve about Norm. We have NEVER got to see HIS shop! Probably never will as longs as he is paid/sponsered with tools, as it would actually show his preferences.

I wonder how many of the tools used in the early years were Norm's?

There is a list of all tools that have appeared on NYW. the list even shows the episodes they were used. Refer to the woodbutcher(dot)net.

it's actually kind of fun reminisicing...

joe

[Jeff Norri]

I am not sure why Norm always get bashed for having so many nice tools???

He gets them for free guys! I pay for mine and I have a Unisaw, 8" jointer, lunch box planer, 12" CMS, 17" DP, 17" BS, a few routers, drills, sanders and what not. The NYW is a nice shop, but I know there is more then guy here that could rival it.

[Jeff Norri]

PS can you tell I am a Norm fan? I just looked at my own post and saw old Normy on it! I forgot that was my Avtar

[Michael Gibbons]

A few more notes;

1. Norm had a few articles written about him.
a. Fine Woodworking, March/April 1993. You need to buy the article online.
b. Popular Woodworking, August 2005
c. Woodworkers Journal, April 2007

2. Norm states that he would really like to add more hand tool work into the show but there is not enough time.

3. Folks bash Norms tools but he has evolved just like the rest of us. Just take a look at his shop in the first episode, "The Medicine Cabinet". His shop was pretty thin.

4. The only things he has that the average joe woodworker probably won't is the wide belt sander and the moulding machine.

5. Norm also states that the show was not meant to be a complete course on woodworking. It was meant to appeal to a wide audience and show them some simple projects that could be done with some basic "tools".

6. I have all 7 books.

[Barry Beech]

I will just say that I am a FAN!!!

[Darren Ford]

As luck would have it, I found a few minutes last night to browse through the shows my Tivo had recorded for me, and guess what, the Cowboy furniture episode was there.

I thought Norm did a pretty good job at reproducing the piece, it was just a horribly ugly piece to start with (in my opinion). I did think that there were several design elements worth noting, the relief routing was cool (the technique, not the content), as was the leather top. Its just the whole package was not to my taste at all.

My problem with that program was not the ugly inspiration, but the fact that it was so rushed it was impossible for me to really keep up with what was happening. He spent way too much time at the lodge. Definitely not one of his better ones.

[Danny Thompson]

Whoa. Hold on there! Norm didn't design this piece. This, like many of his projects, was a an antique reproduction.

I don't like it. Doesn't fit my tastes. Truth is, I don't like the design of most of the antiques he reproduces. But I always find the shows interesting because I always learn a little about how things were done in the past and I learn or reinforce a few techniques that are applicable to more modern work.

Take this one for example, it had some interesting challenges (rosettes, curved door).

I'll keep watching until I've seen them all, that's for sure.

[Danny Thompson]

LOL. He said, " . . . the other Jewish carpenter."

[Gary Whitt]

I don't like it. Doesn't fit my tastes. Truth is, I don't like the design of most of the antiques he reproduces.

Same here.
I pretty much don't like most of what Norm re-produces.
But...... Norm has gotten a lot of people started in woodworking.