The Woodwright Shop quality

[Judson Green]

Didn't Roy early on want to be an actor? Didn't he go to school for that?

[Tom Vanzant]

David, Roy finds sharp edges and splinters on a regular basis. Have you ever seen Him when he did not have at least one band-aid? Let's not encourage him towards straight razors.

[Tom M King]

Didn't Roy early on want to be an actor? Didn't he go to school for that?

I don't know if he went to school for acting. He could have easily pursued it.

When I first met him in the mid 1970s, just before he was graduating, he was living in Hillsborough, NC, teaching a class in his backyard to a group of students building shave horses, and the house was full of a lot of the tools you still see in the TV show.

I just happened to be walking by the house and walked up to ask what they were going to do with so many shave horses. We spent a good while looking over the tools he had, and he even put me on the spring pole lathe. I haven't seen him since.

[Megan Fitzpatrick]

Roy was indeed a theater major as an undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill, and went to CO to start a theater troupe with his wife, Jane. But here's the perhaps more surprising thing – after moving back to NC, he studied forestry and environmental science as an MA student at Duke, where he did his thesis on muscle-powered woodworking (and a show was born...). Chris Schwarz wrote a great feature on Roy in the Nov 11 issue of PWM. I've seen Roy's non-TV show work up close; he's quite good, even if that doesn't always come through in the 22 minutes of one-take filming (and I know from experience that he is excellent at playing the fool).

[David Weaver]

David, Roy finds sharp edges and splinters on a regular basis. Have you ever seen Him when he did not have at least one band-aid? Let's not encourage him towards straight razors.

It's a good match, then. It's hard to cut yourself that bad with a straight razor. Your reflexes work pretty well when the nick happens on your face instead of your fingers, even if you don't consciously think of it. I would much rather nick myself with a straight razor than a chisel - chisels are usually moving with a lot of force.

Those nicks would make for bad TV, though! It's not good to learn shaving with a straight razor the day before a public appearance unless you have a lot of cats and can make a good cover-up excuse.

[Jim Koepke]

(and I know from experience that he is excellent at playing the fool)

Thanks for saying this Megan. Every time he has a professional on the show he turns into a "know nothing." It keeps the guest talking and explaining more.

It seems he projects the feeling of, "if a bumbling goof like me can do it so can you."

jtk

[Pedro Reyes]

I love his shows, and even watch them again and again, they are for me "entertainment" first education next. If you had a show with David Charlesworth it would be the complete opposite, (and I would still watch ;-) but for me, even as a kid it spawned my interest in not only woodworking, but trying to do stuff with my hands, and that has more value to me than seeing a perfectly cut dovetail.

As a counter example I offer Norm, who can get engaged (as a novice) if you don't own but a jigsaw, drill and a couple of chisels? At least with Roy the project seemed doable, that was engaging, Norm was like "what?!?! I need a 20" planer, $%^# this"

Pedro

[Zach Dillinger]

I have tried to do woodworking on camera exactly once... and I made such a hash of it that I haven't tried since. Looking like a complete fool while doing things I've done a million times. Put me in front of 30 actual people, no problem. Public speaking is fun! But don't ask me to be on camera... Anyone who can be so wonderful on camera (like Roy) has my respect.

[David Weaver]

I love his shows, and even watch them again and again, they are for me "entertainment" first education next. If you had a show with David Charlesworth it would be the complete opposite, (and I would still watch ;-) but for me, even as a kid it spawned my interest in not only woodworking, but trying to do stuff with my hands, and that has more value to me than seeing a perfectly cut dovetail.

As a counter example I offer Norm, who can get engaged (as a novice) if you don't own but a jigsaw, drill and a couple of chisels? At least with Roy the project seemed doable, that was engaging, Norm was like "what?!?! I need a 20" planer, $%^# this"

Pedro

When I first started woodworking, the first video I watched was david charlesworth's video. I borrowed it from a friend of mine, and eventually the two of us in combination bought all of the DVDs and watched them. His wife would say "oh no, you're watching Jesus in monotone again. I'm going to fall asleep!!"

haha.

I always liked David's videos because he's methodical, and if you do what he does, you get the same result, and it's precise. You can decide from there if you need less precision and more speed. There's a clean crisp parsimonious feel about the content and delivery (there's nobody playing the fool or any of that annoying stuff, and no circus atmosphere stuff). Our wives didn't love the videos as much as we did, though.

[Pedro Reyes]

When I first started woodworking, the first video I watched was david charlesworth's video. I borrowed it from a friend of mine, and eventually the two of us in combination bought all of the DVDs and watched them. His wife would say "oh no, you're watching Jesus in monotone again. I'm going to fall asleep!!"

haha.

I always liked David's videos because he's methodical, and if you do what he does, you get the same result, and it's precise. You can decide from there if you need less precision and more speed. There's a clean crisp parsimonious feel about the content and delivery (there's nobody playing the fool or any of that annoying stuff, and no circus atmosphere stuff). Our wives didn't love the videos as much as we did, though.

haha at your wife's assessment, spot on.

I have his books and like them, he is as you say methodical, but I think that if both were presenting at the same time, more people would gather around Roy, at least more "newbies", and that has some value. While we are on the subject, I enjoy Jim Kingshot's (sp?) videos a lot, wish there were more out there.

/p

[Gary Herrmann]

Early in my career I had to go to a week long train the trainer class. They video taped us and made us watch. Gave us a topic to create materials for, then picked that apart.

Watching yourself on camera is cringworthy, but it's an excellent teaching tool. To do it all the time takes some talent.

I think Roy appeals to Neanders, general WWers, turners, tool pigs, non woodworkers and others. I've got 10 seasons on DVD and one of his books.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Along the lines of what Gary, said try teaching. If you take it seriously, nothing will improve your personal performance more than having to think, analyze, plan out, practice, and then actually teach a class. Years ago when attending a train the trainer class for sea kayaking we had to plan and execute a demo. I did not take it seriously enough, was ill prepared, and tried to wing it. I was excoriated, lambasted, and bluntly told by the instructor trainer why my performance was pathetic and inadequate. The critique by the other class members wasn't gentle either. I learned a painful lesson and never put myself in an unprepared position again. Teaching forces you to think out methodology, the reasoning behind your approach to a particular operation, and the practice physically helps to advance your skill level.

On the subject or Roy though there is a lot more there than what you see. He is a very well read and educated person with a lot more subtle side to him than just the public persona he presents.

[Bob Lang]

Gotcha Megan -- November 2012 issue.

Bob Lang

[robert dankert]

. . . . Maybe I am just being overly critical.

I think so, but I probably just have different expectations.

If you like more precision you may like this set of videos by Curtis Buchanan making a comb back windsor chair:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...mBHEWgiZAl37lx

[Glenn Samuels]

I've been to Roy's school twice in Pittsboro, NC. He is an excellent instructor who is happy to give encouragement to some of us new neanderthals. I agree with others that he can do very detailed work when he has the time. A 20 minute show just doesn't give him enough time. On top of all the education received through his school, he is always entertaining.