On Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 9:26:56 PM UTC-5, OFWW wrote:
Has Tommy lost his relevancy to the woodworker?

IMO, I think not. The show will still be the same. It is instructional, just like other shows. His mannerisms has nothing to do with the woodworking jobs to be done.

Saw a link here is a thread, regarding his new shop. Watched them all
to the end. Think Festool is expensive? You should see his shop.

He mentions his tools. He bought the metal tool cabinet. I think he bought the other major tools, though he may have gotten a discount, of some kind, since WoodCraft is "a major supporter" of RoughCut.

http://tommymac.us/2016/10/rough-cut...-recap-season/

Nice tools, second floor looks like he is planning on teaching.

I don't think the show would broadcast a teaching venue, but it wouldn't surprise me if Tommy did some private teaching. "Teaching" is questionable, though, as, if I were to pay to be taught, I would want some sort of degree or certificate of completing a course. I would think he is qualified to teach, but whether he is authorized to award a degree/certificate is another matter.

As to the second floor: He says it's a great place to work on and assemble projects. I'd hate to have to carry even a moderate size project down the stairs, let alone a large one.... or even carry building supplies up the stairs. That kind of hauling stuff gets old, fast!


Tools are so far out of mainstream it isn't funny, there is not much
you cannot make given what he now has. Yet the odd thing is, is that
he seems to be adverse to doing the work by himself.

Well, yes. Almost all of the different shows have "advanced" tools and expert(?) helpers. Even The WoodWrights Shop has tools that the average person doesn't have (and/or can't afford) and guests, demonstrating them (and techniques). Tommy's comment, about upstairs cabinets, references small and/or garage shops. That, to me, demonstrates he is aware of his having a cache of tools, different from what others have. When I don't have a large enough tool, I can go to a commercial shop, that does have a dedicated tool, and get the task done, otherwise, I can do it by hand... just takes longer and lots of manual work. I understand his tool cache as being a demo of the task needing to be done, not that a woodworker needs to have those tools. Probably, any woodworker that can afford big tools and has the space, will likely have what he wants. You, often, don't need large tools to get tasks done. Usually, only commercial operations need stuff done fast, which, to me, is a major consideration for having such tools.

He may use his shop for purposes of the TV program, but he'll also use it as his private shop.... and, likely, get paid (directly & indirectly) for both purposes. All the better for him.

So his set-up, including the lawn/outdoors, has multiple functions, each to a certain extent: Personal (hobby), commercial, man cave(?).

My adverse thoughts:
1) That wood storage addition needs to be bigger, with a automatic garage door. *Next year's project will be to build a barn storage, on the lot.
2) RoughCut, to me, eludes to "direct from the tree". He needs a sawmill and kiln, to fill out his tool chest. He has the lawn space for them.

Well, you all have to see the shop, it is pretty awesome, but it would
be like Driving a Bugatti around town.

Similarly, I would be happy with a shop like Roy Underhill's, but I don't do extensive demonstrations of old techniques.

*My shop does have something they don't seem to have: A frig with beer and such.

Sonny