I didn't grow up with any close family members who were woodworkers. My dad could do basic household repairs and any related carpentry in a pinch, but he wasn't the kind of guy who turned the garage into a workshop. I also didn't attend a public high school, much less one with a decent shop class.
My personal woodworking experience was largely limited to some sessions with an elderly man at one of the churches we attended back around the turn of the millennium. He had all the cool power tools like a table saw with dado blades, a router table, and a drill press. It was fun, I learned a few things, and I made a useful device which the Mother Thing still uses to this day.
The other major woodworking was when I took architectural drafting and design classes at the local community college, and we used their woodworking shop to plane and cut scale framing lumber to make 3D models of different construction processes so we could learn construction methods, see our drawings in 3D, and make the kinds of demonstration models architects used before 3D software was quite so prevalent as it is now.
The obvious cost to achieve either kind of workshop was daunting even then, but as technology expands, more and more people are looking back to traditional tools and techniques as a way to reconnect with our ancestors and find ways to make individual art in a world of mass-produced mediocrity.
I've found two Youtube creators who share a similar enthusiasm for helping people learn these tools and techniques. Both sell plans for their projects, but also offer tips, tricks, and technique demonstrations along the way which can be useful for anyone. They explain not only what they are doing, but also why, which makes more sense than some teachers who just say, "do it my way because I say so."
Rex Krueger
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RexKrueger
Websites: https://rexkrueger.com and https://www.compassrosetools.com
Rex is an enthusiastic proponent of hand-tool woodworking, and his channel includes everything from short excerpts on techniques to making your own tools to demonstrations of furniture building from start to finish. He analyzes old tools and furniture, explains why they were designed certain ways, and then shows how to reproduce them. It's really inspiring and informative.
His persona is just the right balance of self-deprecating and humble, and while he sells products, he doesn't hesitate to point out alternatives.
And his advice for beginners strikes me as someone speaking from experience rather than the pompous bloviating of influencer hustle bros.
The only downside to watching his videos is seeing all the copycat re-uploads from other people riding his coattails by copy/pasting his content in a pathetic bid for YouTube ad revenue popping up in your algorithm. Seriously, those corporate bastards will content strike citizen journalism over someone's stereo blaring a song in the background, but all these folks blatantly ripping off real creators get a free pass somehow.
As of this post, his latest video is all about how to think about tool chests: what to store in it, how to fit everything, and why working from a chest even in a home shop is his preferred method.
Workshop Companion
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WorkshopCompanion
Website: https://www.workshopcompanion.com
Where Rex Krueger focuses on hand-tool woodworking, Nick Engler of Workshop Companion covers everything from hand tool history to optimizing power tool use. There's a massive library of short-form videos with clear and concise explanations on a massive range of topics.
That last one shows how an ancient trammel of Archimedes can be used with a handheld router to make a perfect oval. No need for a massive computer-controlled routing machine here! Do I still want a CNC machine for woodworking one day? Of course! Check out the Wesley Treat channel in the previous posts section below to see one in action in some of his videos. But back to the topic at hand, I really like Engler's considered approach to his content presentation. He also takes time for long-term projects as seen in the two-part series here:
If you want to learn about lumber, tools, and history from a grandfatherly figure who has the spirit of a teacher, this is the channel for you. It's more low-key than Kruger's content, but it's far from flat and boring!
Remember, our ancestors managed to build incredible things with very few tools. It was much more time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it also meant furniture and tools could be personalized works of art and even heirlooms instead of just mass-produced nothingness destined for the landfill. Power tools don't necessarily inhibit this kind of artistry, but a hand tool mindset can make power tool work better.
Did you learn anything from these video clips? Who else fits this genre of useful DIY content creators? Drop a comment below!
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