Request feedback about your dream Woodworking TV Show

[swedishiron]

With Norm Abram's recent retirement announcement fresh on everyone's mind and the obvious fact that the number of woodworking shows under current production is slowly dropping off, I want to pose a question to SAPFM woodworkers and find out what you think would make for a great continuation of woodworking on TV. Specifically, what kind of information is most important to you; tips ,techniques (veneering, turning, inlay, using handtools, etc), special guests, field trips (museums, lumber yards, craftsman workshops, WW schools, etc.), design process, projects (built in a single episode, or spanning over multiple episodes), or all of the above? Essentially, what would pull you away from your coveted shop time to watch a weekly 30 minute woodworking TV show?

Just looking for your honest opinion.

[R Bohn]

For me, the question is an easy one.With Norm hanging up his tool belt, there will definitely be a void,I mean I know a lot of beginners that took up woodworking because Norm made simple projects using basic tools. And Roy is still has us interested with the old world stuff, and there are a number of carving shows,turning shows.And through forms [like sapfm] one can get most building/construction questions answered by what I conceder truly remarkably people.But think the one subject most would like addressed,or seen,is high end, period finishing. Its not a subject one can wright about, it has to be seem, and even better experienced. I travel the center part of the country maintaining museum,and private collections,why?, because there is no one out there.I get countless calls and emails every month asking for help finishing a project someone may have spent a year or more building.How do you email someone how to French Polish for example? George Frank once told me ,you can't learn finishing from a book ,it has to be seen.      I think a show that incorporates finishing and high end furniture making [visiting shops/field trips]would be of interest to most everyone that builds furniture.Even if some of the info is over your head,if you watch it enough, your likely to pick some of it up.       Randy

[Jeff L Headley]

How about an in depth study of 6 of the most desirable pieces this country has to offer for the first season. Construction details with a brief history of what is going on while these piece were being produced for context. It would cover regional characteristics with local secondary woods. It would also cover why they used the construction techniques that they used. Was it to compete with all the other pieces that were being brought in from other areas like Charleston or Baltimore or maybe because the local indigenous population attacked the logging efforts of the local lumber producer or some one new came to town with this great idea which became the standard.
One show a week until reruns. Then 8 of the most desireable pieces for the second season because of the overwhelming support from the first season. I have a few ideas. It would be a great show. What would be your favorite pieces. Of coarse it would be aired in support of The Society Of American Period Furniture Makers.

[msiemsen]

I would like to see a show with two shops, one building with hand tools and the other with power tools. Each shop would build the same piece of furniture using their preferred methods. Each shop would be treated the same by the show, no favoritism. Visits to other shops and visiting guests would be part of the program. Finishing, Randy, would of course be part of the process. A show like this would make people, especially beginners, aware that they have choices in tools and processes. Maybe the hosts could visit an historical piece of furniture, make a drawing, and then each build it with their methodology.
Mike

[dkeller_nc]

What would I like to see?  Multi-part shows building high-style pieces from start to finish with historically correct methods.  Interspersed with in-depth discussions of period construction details, and regional differences.

Of course, such a show would be an abyssymal flop.  What I've garnered from participating extensively in other forums is that the vast majority of woodworkers are highly interested in the latest and greatest powertool (sold as unreasonably cheaply as possible, of course).  One of the reasons (and perhaps the only reason) that Roy's show is successful is because he's Roy, not because he makes things with period methods.  In fact, I've seen a number of posts on SawMIll Creek where the vast majority of the posters think a handplane is an archaic and semi-useless tool akin to the Amish refusing to use internal combustion engines.