# Question Of The Week... ( 2019 week 38)



## ripjack13 (Sep 15, 2019)

*Do you think "specific trade/diy" shows are good for educational programming?*









**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks, wood spinners, and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the  and the doc too....

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Brink (Sep 15, 2019)

Oh, no.
Wait, maybe yes.

They do raise interests in the crafts. But might make it seem unrealistically easy.

I don’t watch them.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 3


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 15, 2019)

I do, I think it motivates people to try new things, when they see it being done and how it's done they may give it a try.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Sep 15, 2019)

Have not watched any in over a decade. But many gave some of the worst advice ever but had cute women with big... hold it the wife might read this......

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2 | Funny 4


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## Tony (Sep 15, 2019)

I do think they are good for the craft. They can be unrealistic but the bottom line to me is exposure and that's a good thing. Tony

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## sprucegum (Sep 15, 2019)

I'm guessing they get a lot of people in over their head. Love to watch them knock out cabinetry on the front lawn under a easy up with a table saw, router, and a crown stapler. All in a day. I must be diy challenged takes me a week in the shop with some pretty good equipment to do the same thing. Like I always say a tube of calk and a gallon of paint, makes a carpenter what he ain't.

Reactions: Like 4 | Agree 2


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## Nubsnstubs (Sep 15, 2019)

sprucegum said:


> I'm guessing they get a lot of people in over their head. Love to watch them knock out cabinetry on the front lawn under a easy up with a table saw, router, and a crown stapler. All in a day. I must be diy challenged takes me a week in the shop with some pretty good equipment to do the same thing. *Like I always say a tube of calk and a gallon of paint, makes a carpenter what he ain't*.



Dave, I'm not disagreeing with you, but I've always heard Drywallers and Painters will always CYA.
I just dreamed this up. It should be CACA.(cover a carpenters a**)  I love this site. I causes my mind to work quickly and in the dumpster.

The last time I watched This old House was when Tommie Silva demonstrated how to cut Crown Molding. He was at his miter saw, set it to the angle, grabbed a piece of molding, and made 2 cuts. He put the two pieces together for a good visual, and said, "See, it's that simple". The all knowing smug look on his face told me he was soo happy he didn't screw it up after a few tries.

They also mislead people into thinking that you can cut a piece of wood "Perfect". It will never happen, especially when looking at them cutting a piece on a table saw and seeing the wood come away from the fence at least a 1/16. ........... Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 3


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 15, 2019)

I'll add this, many people watched Norm Abrahms for many years on PBS and he inspired many people to give wood working a try. We need another Norm.

Reactions: Agree 7


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## CWS (Sep 15, 2019)

It all depends on who is doing the demonstration. Look on the bright side. They see how easy it looks and they buy a lot of tools. Then they get discouraged because their project doesn't look like the one TV and us woodworkers get deals on barely used tools.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2 | Funny 2


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## Nature Man (Sep 15, 2019)

Yes. But with any shows for any crafts, you have to realize several retakes were undoubtedly made. Nonetheless, the shows can be inspirational, and sow the seeds of creativity that we as woodworkers seem to have. The fallacy in these shows is that projects are completed with equipment that a lot of us don't have, in timeframes that are sometimes just unrealistic. But I do enjoy them, and am constantly seeking out nuggets that I can apply in things I do. Chuck

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2


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## Brink (Sep 15, 2019)

woodtickgreg said:


> I'll add this, many people watched Norm Abrahms for many years on PBS and he inspired many people to give wood working a try. We need another Norm.



 That irritating Boston accent.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2 | Funny 5


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## rocky1 (Sep 15, 2019)

I watched them for awhile, then it seemed them gals with the BIG... Well we won't go there, Mike's wife might be reading this... Were always the boss, and they were always grabbing sledge hammers and knocking out walls, and always working with tools that they handled in such fashion as to indicate the only time they ever picked up such, was in front of the camera. Very few handle any of their woodworking tools, like they are seasoned woodworkers. 

Then pretty soon, everyone had DIY shows, then we had Alaskan DIY shows, and restaurant DIY shows, and bar DIY shows, and, they 're doing projects in unrealistic time frames, on unrealistic budgets, with unrealistic manpower, and getting unrealistic results as Dave pointed out above, and it just all got to be too much! I seldom if ever watch them anymore.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1


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## sprucegum (Sep 16, 2019)

I am always curious how they deal with the permitting and code inspection on these one week start to finish projects. I live in rural Vt. And it still takes 30 days for a simple no variance permit.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2


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## sprucegum (Sep 16, 2019)

woodtickgreg said:


> I'll add this, many people watched Norm Abrahms for many years on PBS and he inspired many people to give wood working a try. We need another Norm.


I think Norm is the real deal, picked up quite a few good ideas watching his shows. The whirlwind one week house transformation fake reality shows not so much.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Pharmacyguy-Jim (Sep 16, 2019)

IMHO if it comes from PBS or the like it’s probably educational. If it comes DIY network or TLC, etc. it’s more entertainment than education. Rule of thumb if the “cast” looks like your average Joe or Jill you are probably going to get some solid info. If the men are all buff and hunky and the women all skinny and pretty, well, buyer beware.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Mike1950 (Sep 16, 2019)

sprucegum said:


> I am always curious how they deal with the permitting and code inspection on these one week start to finish projects. I live in rural Vt. And it still takes 30 days for a simple no variance permit.


I can actually remember the show that sent me off the deep end. Being a stucco-eifs -Plaster contractor I was pretty observant of the stupid stuff they did with exterior sidings- sometimes resulting in Contractor being sued for something he did not do. 
This show was in South east somewhere. Stucco exterior- nice new house. But they were going to enhance with flower beds. so across the front of house they put landscape blocks up 4'out to just below the windows and filled the damn thing up with dirt. Now stucco is pretty durable but once you start watering those beds those walls are going to rot. wish they did a 5 yr pic of demoing the house.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 2 | Informative 2


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## Wildthings (Sep 16, 2019)

Mike1950 said:


> I can actually remember the show that sent me off the deep end. Being a stucco-eifs -Plaster contractor I was pretty observant of the stupid stuff they did with exterior sidings- sometimes resulting in Contractor being sued for something he did not do.
> This show was in South east somewhere. Stucco exterior- nice new house. But they were going to enhance with flower beds. so across the front of house they put landscape blocks up 4'out to just below the windows and filled the damn thing up with dirt. Now stucco is pretty durable but once you start watering those beds those walls are going to rot. wish they did a 5 yr pic of demoing the house.


Actually, in the SE, they were setting up a subterranean termite farm!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2 | Funny 4


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## Gdurfey (Sep 16, 2019)

Wife and I are into the home DIY shows, but we are semi-wise enough to not go hog wild. But agree with many of you, it has inspired us and given us many ideas as we move towards our forever home. I also know much of the changes we want to make we can do........but my lack of experience and practice make me nervous to start often times. I can accept being slower than a professional, but am somewhat afraid of the costly mistakes....

And yes, there are a few we strictly watch for entertainment, and others we don’t touch after we see a single episode. 

For me personally, being a motorcyclist, I hated Orange County Choppers........ugh....and the one kid really was talented....but..... To me, that is a prime example of diy gone wrong!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Rocking RP (Sep 17, 2019)

The DIY shows now are just too scripted. They always have to have some drama in them. 'This Old House' is still one of my favorites. Also, there's one on PBS that I hope is coming back called 'A Craftsman's Legacy'. I like that it is more about old school ways of doing things rather than the latest, greatest tool. Though I liked watching Norm and he always had the latest greatest.

Reactions: Like 2


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## ripjack13 (Sep 17, 2019)

Rocking RP said:


> 'A Craftsman's Legacy'.



Do you get Spirit tv channel? I see the reruns on there...


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## sprucegum (Sep 18, 2019)

Rocking RP said:


> The DIY shows now are just too scripted. They always have to have some drama in them. 'This Old House' is still one of my favorites. Also, there's one on PBS that I hope is coming back called 'A Craftsman's Legacy'. I like that it is more about old school ways of doing things rather than the latest, greatest tool. Though I liked watching Norm and he always had the latest greatest.


If you like old school check this out, I have posted it here before but it was a long time ago. Old Ben is long gone but the mill has been preserved. I feel very fortunate to have known Ben, he was friends with my wife's family . They have a farm just a short distance from the mill . I even got to spend a hour helping him rip some stock on the water powered table saw, didn't think much about it at the time but I was pretty lucky to have done it.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 2


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## David Hill (Sep 25, 2019)

Agree with the shows being too scripted. Would like to see some where they overcome/adapt to things like an errant cut, misaligned fence, a bad catch, etc.
It’s hard to say what’s best to start and fan the spark in folks to get them going. Local clubs for woodworking, carving, turning..I think should publicize more and the tv shows should mention that more. For that matter, the shows on PBS should feature a local listing for those interested.
Just my 0.02.

Reactions: Like 3


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