Is Roy Underhill a klutz?

George wrote:

> Guess I crafted the thought and phrase a bit too well.
>
> Didn't use power tools, though, just that old fashioned one between my
> ears.

I used to watch his show all the time when I was a kid, and used to watch
TV. The stuff that guy can do with no electricity is amazing.

I just had a thought though. Those guys back yonder were using metal saws
and metal spokeshaves and metal plane irons and whatnot. That was still
high tech, relatively speaking.

I wonder what people did for furniture during the stone age... Gotta flake
that flint just right so you can make a cutter for your wood shaver. :)

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It's all makeup!

Hehehe, he is definately not a user of "Palmolive" if you remember that
ad. I have always noticed that too but I enjoy the fact that he is on TV
as my hands have looked like that occasionally. Nothing worse than
seeing a set of manicured nails running an antique jointing plane. It
kinda goes against the grain.

Mark

Joe wrote:
> Every time a close-up of his hands doing something is shown, he has 2 or 3
> smashed blue finger nails.
>
>

Dan wrote:

> Where are you folks watching this guy? I've been begging our local PBS
> station to bring him back. I even bought the Red Green CD...
>
> Dan

We have only been in our current location for a year and just found him
on WV PBS Saturday afternoons. Its great that they put all the shows in
a block, TOH, NYW, RWS, TVG, WRS, etc... however we miss them a lot
because if the sun is shinning we are not infront of the TV and we dont
tape them.
I just read a post in another thread from Charlie Self that some of
Underhills funding was cut which will be sad. Hope its not enough to
affect his show... Dunno...

Mark

Roy is a re-creational woodworker. Norm is a recreational woodworker.

If you're process over product, you'll favor Roy.

What is that old saying - "work smarter, not harder?" Seems to favor Norm.

So who is the real poseur?

"me" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:zL%[email protected]...
> Norm probably spends more time drinking coffee than Roy takes to do the
> whole show.
> Norm never makes a joke.
> Norm never breaks a sweat.
> Norm is a poser.
> Roy is a true woodworker.
>

"Orlun" <cbrinkATsio.midco.net> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > Every time a close-up of his hands doing something is shown, he has 2 or 3
> > smashed blue finger nails.
>
> A few years ago, I watched Roy do something I have never seen before on TV.
> He cut himself at the beginning of the show. It was just a trickle but he
> bled almost the whole show, sucking on the cut & getting blood on the wood.
> I am a pretty burly guy but even that managed to make me cringe.
>
> It wasn't till later when I realized that his show was not live TV. Why the
> hell couldn't he just say "cut" get a bandaid or wait an hour, and resume
> taping/filming. Till this day, I have to wonder, what the hell was going
> on.
>
> Anyone else remember that episode?

I can't say that I remember that episode, but I do recall watching a
show where he nicked himself and didn't stop working. As I musician,
I appreciate the "live" taping concept. In the recording studio, the
amateur can work for hours on perfecting something a real pro can do
"live" in one take. This is called t-a-l-e-n-t. Some have it, some
don't. And Roy oozes it (pun intended).

I have the upmost respect for Roy. His shows have taught me many
things. I now realize traditional woodworkers were forced with
product delivery constraints (sell/trade it or starve), large volumes
of manual labor machines perform with ease (hand sawing/planing), and
most of all, respect for hand tools (you don't need Norm's shop to
work with wood).

I hope a new sponsor realizes the large following he as and brings in
new funding.

SS

Mike wrote:
> "Joe" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<9VYXa.74029$uu5.8194@sccrnsc04>...
>

> When you work like Roy, you get cuts, scrapes, blisters, and smashed
> fingers; it comes with the territory. When my hands look like Roys
> (and they have in the past), I know I'm putting in some honest work.
> As I look at my hands right now, there's almost no calluses and just a
> couple tiny cuts/scrapes. Crikey, I might as well go buy a dress!


You think flying a desk is not dangerous? I've done my time on the mean
streets of drafting departments all over this country!

Did you ever get a paper cut from blueprint paper and then pull a print
out of the printer with ammonia all over it? Those blue-collar working
guys have nothin' on us when it comes to pain!


;-}

On 6 Aug 2003 08:10:34 -0700, [email protected] (Sam Schmenk)
pixelated:

>"Orlun" <cbrinkATsio.midco.net> wrote in message news:

>> Anyone else remember that episode?
>
>I can't say that I remember that episode, but I do recall watching a
>show where he nicked himself and didn't stop working. As I musician,
>I appreciate the "live" taping concept. In the recording studio, the
>amateur can work for hours on perfecting something a real pro can do
>"live" in one take. This is called t-a-l-e-n-t. Some have it, some
>don't. And Roy oozes it (pun intended).

Amen!


>I have the upmost respect for Roy. His shows have taught me many
>things.

Yes, he explains a lot about wood movement and why things
are assembled in such 'n such a way.


>I hope a new sponsor realizes the large following he as and brings in
>new funding.

Yeah, like the successful hand-tool manufacturers like Knight,
Lee Valley, Williams, and Lie-Nielsen should be sponsors now.
Yes, that's a direct hint, guys. (That means YOU, Robin.)


-----
= Dain Bramaged...but having lots of fun! =
http://www.diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

In news:vp_Xa.74544$uu5.7634@sccrnsc04,
Wood Butcher <[email protected]> spewed forth and said:
> I used to wonder the same thing after watching several of
> his shows and witnessing his shaking hands, dropping things,
> clumsy tool handling, and apparent poor workmanship.
> Then I found out they tape his show in one take, beginning
> to end, with no editing and splicing. Also much of the time
> he is holding the work/tool for the benefit of the camera and
> not in the best position for him.
>
> I no longer wonder. Under those conditions I know I
> couldn't do as well as he does.
>
> Art
>


not to mention, all the tools he ever uses are hand or foot powered tools.
I don't think I could take an adz<sp> to a chunk of tree and make a usable
piece of material.

On Thu, 07 Aug 2003 13:45:41 GMT, "George"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Guess I crafted the thought and phrase a bit too well.
>Didn't use power tools, though, just that old fashioned one between my ears.

And I, apparently, didn't. My apologies, George; I'll practice
reading the black parts. ;>

Michael Baglio
Chapel Hill

"JackD" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Norm works smarter? He spends a week taping a show. Roy finishes his in a
> half hour and then can go take a shower and have a beer. Of course he
> probably is wracking his brain all week to come up with stupid puns.

Actually, Roy is pretty much of a wise-ass all the time... I worked at
Colonial Williamsburg in the past and at various times shared housing with a
housewright, a couple blacksmiths, an interpreter, and an archeologist. The
archeologist was a woman and she was best of friends with Roy's wife Jane.
My lady friend's kid was at Roy's and Roy's kids at our place on a near
daily basis. I had my share of opportunities to hear him in action. ;-)

John

You're not extreme? You've set up your own straw man to hit.

I would never have used words as foolish as you have attempted to put in my
mouth.


"JackD" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "George" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Roy is a re-creational woodworker. Norm is a recreational woodworker.
>
> Roy shows how common woodworking problems have been handled historically.
> Norm shows how a laser chop saw cuts.
> I already know how to use a chop saw, but different approaches to problems
> are always interesting.
>
> > If you're process over product, you'll favor Roy.
>
> I do. Are you saying that the techniques shown by Roy are not capable of
> producing fine furniture or woodwork? If we go to the hall of fine
> woodworking and remove any furniture made with pneumatically fired brads
and
> which has never seen the light of a laser we are still left with
99.999999%
> of it.
>
> > What is that old saying - "work smarter, not harder?" Seems to favor
> Norm.
>
> Norm works smarter? He spends a week taping a show. Roy finishes his in a
> half hour and then can go take a shower and have a beer. Of course he
> probably is wracking his brain all week to come up with stupid puns.
>
> I admit I am being a bit extreme here. They both do solve problems, but in
> my opinion Roy is more entertaining, more educational and more
inspirational
> than Norm.
>
> -Jack
>
>
>
> > "me" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:zL%[email protected]...
> > > Norm probably spends more time drinking coffee than Roy takes to do
the
> > > whole show.
> > > Norm never makes a joke.
> > > Norm never breaks a sweat.
> > > Norm is a poser.
> > > Roy is a true woodworker.
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

On Tue 05 Aug 2003 08:47:31p, Mark & Shauna <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Hehehe, he is definately not a user of "Palmolive" if you remember that
> ad.

Where are you folks watching this guy? I've been begging our local PBS
station to bring him back. I even bought the Red Green CD...

Dan

"George" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Roy is a re-creational woodworker. Norm is a recreational woodworker.

Roy shows how common woodworking problems have been handled historically.
Norm shows how a laser chop saw cuts.
I already know how to use a chop saw, but different approaches to problems
are always interesting.

> If you're process over product, you'll favor Roy.

I do. Are you saying that the techniques shown by Roy are not capable of
producing fine furniture or woodwork? If we go to the hall of fine
woodworking and remove any furniture made with pneumatically fired brads and
which has never seen the light of a laser we are still left with 99.999999%
of it.

> What is that old saying - "work smarter, not harder?" Seems to favor
Norm.

Norm works smarter? He spends a week taping a show. Roy finishes his in a
half hour and then can go take a shower and have a beer. Of course he
probably is wracking his brain all week to come up with stupid puns.

I admit I am being a bit extreme here. They both do solve problems, but in
my opinion Roy is more entertaining, more educational and more inspirational
than Norm.

-Jack



> "me" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:zL%[email protected]...
> > Norm probably spends more time drinking coffee than Roy takes to do the
> > whole show.
> > Norm never makes a joke.
> > Norm never breaks a sweat.
> > Norm is a poser.
> > Roy is a true woodworker.
> >
>
>

JackD <[email protected]> wrote:

> Norm works smarter? He spends a week taping a show. Roy finishes his in a
> half hour and then can go take a shower and have a beer. Of course he
> probably is wracking his brain all week to come up with stupid puns.

Uh, Norm builds a whole object, usually a more complex one than Roy's
typical project, and starts from raw lumber. Roy shows the techniques
to accomplish a given project, but never finishes, and notice he has
two or three partially completed items sitting around so he can skip
over some time-consuming steps. Roy has a do-it-all-in-one-take policy
for his show. No edits, no retakes, you see all the mistakes and slips
as they happened. Considering that, Roy does a heck of a good job in
a half hour show, but clearly he spends a lot of time researching,
setting up, making a test piece, making some partially complete pieces
and planning what things to show before the lights and camera start
working. Norm builds a proto-type, experiments with techniques,
plans what things to show, but also probably does retakes and obviously
his show is edited, not a one-take. I would not want to make a bet
on who puts in more time and effort for a show.

> I admit I am being a bit extreme here. They both do solve problems, but in
> my opinion Roy is more entertaining, more educational and more inspirational
> than Norm.

I enjoy both. Roy is more "fun" in a way, but Norm is more likely
to be building something I might actually want to build. Not that
I dislike Roy's stuff, just a lot of it is not stuff I would want
to build. I do enjoy the historical aspects and seeing how things
can be done with old hand tools. I'm just more likely to apply
a Roy technique to a Norm project than the other way around.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

In article <9VYXa.74029$uu5.8194@sccrnsc04>, [email protected] says...
> Every time a close-up of his hands doing something is shown, he has 2 or 3
> smashed blue finger nails.
>
>
>

... and always seems to manage to cut or nick himself when doing a
project. :-)

"Joe" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<9VYXa.74029$uu5.8194@sccrnsc04>...
> Every time a close-up of his hands doing something is shown, he has 2 or 3
> smashed blue finger nails.

When you work like Roy, you get cuts, scrapes, blisters, and smashed
fingers; it comes with the territory. When my hands look like Roys
(and they have in the past), I know I'm putting in some honest work.
As I look at my hands right now, there's almost no calluses and just a
couple tiny cuts/scrapes. Crikey, I might as well go buy a dress!

Cheers,
Mike

On Thu, 07 Aug 2003 01:24:52 +0000, Michael Baglio put fingers to keyboard
and said:

> On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 11:20:31 GMT, "George" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>Roy is a re-creational woodworker.
>
> What? Roy Underhill is past Master Housewright at Colonial Williamsburg.
> To try to reason _any_ thing about his ability or talent from what you
> see on "The Woodwright's Shop" is futile.
>
> Don't confuse style with content. Underhill has forgotten more about
> woodcraft in all its forms than any 50 of us will ever know.

Michael, I think you missed George's intent - go back and read his note
carefully and subtly. "re-creational" is NOT recreational. I think it
was meant as a compliment...

--
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1.207.633.9600 | Troi
[email protected] |
+-------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 11:20:31 GMT, "George"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Roy is a re-creational woodworker.

What? Roy Underhill is past Master Housewright at Colonial
Williamsburg. To try to reason _any_ thing about his ability or
talent from what you see on "The Woodwright's Shop" is futile.

Don't confuse style with content. Underhill has forgotten more about
woodcraft in all its forms than any 50 of us will ever know.

(Except Tom Planman, of course. But I'm not counting him because I'm
still convinced Tom Planman is really 6 people in one body.) :)

Michael Baglio
Chapel Hill

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 11:20:31 GMT, "George"
<[email protected]> pixelated:

>Roy is a re-creational woodworker. Norm is a recreational woodworker.
>
>If you're process over product, you'll favor Roy.
>
>What is that old saying - "work smarter, not harder?" Seems to favor Norm.
>
>So who is the real poseur?

My vote for that position goes to George.

P.S: Don't ever diss the good lord Roy again, eh?


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