Comments on the project
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This has been my first project with Paul and I have been following and building the toolbox along with the series. While I have learned from the videos and one cannot be anything but impressed with Paul’s skill as a craftsman, educator and communicator, I have been a bit disappointed by the pace and the content of this series. I am finding it all a bit long winded and repetitive. For example, with each section being around 45 minutes long did it really need two episodes plus to cover the lid? I am beginning to wonder how many more episodes is it going to take to finish the series? How do others see the pace?
5 March 2015 at 6:32 pm #125278Pace is something that’s been talked about a lot before and it’s a very difficult aspect to get right for everyone. There are people who have been members for a while and seen all the previous projects, others who are picking out individual ones. Some like to be shown something once, others twice or more. Some prefer to see every minute detail, others want just the overall picture.
I’m not making this project but personally (can’t justify the floor space!) but I’d like to see the pace picked up considerably. I got more frustrated by the fact that, as someone who has seen all the previous projects, it was episode 5 before there was anything new (skirting). It was then repeated for the top trim, then there were several episodes of screwing, nailing and hinging, all of which has been covered before. The latest episode could have been ten minutes long and still given more than enough detail for anyone at that stage of the project to follow through.
There certainly are small gems here and there and that’s the reason I continue watching the videos every week. Paul will sometimes drop in a remark about a different technique that resonates with me and I try it myself straight away.
I really don’t envy Paul, Joseph and Phil when it comes to editing the videos. It’s impossible to please everybody but I really hope they can pick up the pace without making people feel like they can’t complete the work in the episode themselves.
As a comment about the series in general, I’m still wondering why it was chosen. For me, it’s far too similar to the other tool chest project. Tills instead of drawers, trim and skirting instead of frame and panel. The chest itself obviously really struck a chord with Paul but I don’t see much new material in the series (same went for the occasional table and sofa table).
George.
5 March 2015 at 7:02 pm #125280I for one think the pace is fine. I feel that it is important to show every detail as it’s the little details that make the big differences.
I like the fact that I can watch any project series and will not be left in any doubt as what to do.
Not every project is for everyone so there will be projects that people may not build. If Paul and team start skipping bits in a project as it was already covered in another project then I feel this will become very confusing as you find yourself having to trawl through all the videos to find the one that a particular method was shown, this for me would be very frustrating.EDIT: Plus, there is nothing I like more on a Wednesday evening than to settle down with a hot cup of tea and watch Paul work his magic 🙂
Im fine with the pace personally, speaking for all of the other videos. I’m not following along with this project, yet. I do intend to make a tool chest though. I can see how if you’re more seasoned at this than others, impatience may get to you.
I would suggest tick marks on the video time scroll that partitioned the instruction. That way folks could easily either pick up where they left off, or skip through things they themselves find repetitive while leaving the content in the video for those that need or want it.
I’m with @j1mmy, watching the videos with a massive cup of coffee gears my mind, and relaxes me…I’m able to go straight to my projects without any question on how to proceed. I primarily use the instruction of this project or that in my own workings rather than follow along with a particular series.
Yorky.. et al,
If you are one of those who started with the classes from the beginning or who have already developed significant hand tool skills, then some parts of the project episodes will seem slow paced and repetitive. I believe that is partially by design, a component of the pedagogy.
A very significant part of this instruction in fundamentals is that one sees the application in real time, as opposed to a 1/2 hour video on building a Seymour Breakfront where all the setup and other details are omitted. NYW programs were famous for that.
I agree with George:
“I really don’t envy Paul, Joseph and Phil when it comes to editing the videos. It’s impossible to please everybody but I really hope they can pick up the pace without making people feel like they can’t complete the work in the episode themselves.”
If you find the Toolbox mundane, there’s always the Cutting board. 🙂
Best,
Craig5 March 2015 at 11:11 pm #125287Having slowly munched through all the excellent material available on this site, I must say there’s not much for me in this latest series. As has been said, a few gems but nothing really new.
What is notable is a different attitude, perhaps to encourage a recognition that there is a balance to be struck between our choice of joinery, the intended purpose of the project, and the time that should be spent on it; and that you can impart your project with the marks of good craftsmanship without lavishing a disproportionate amount of time on it. That’s what I’ve taken from it anyway.
I find it quite refreshing to see Mr Sellers nailing and gluing a toolbox’s trim on rather than using a sliding dovetail or whatever convoluted solution we might sometimes be tempted to employ.
It would be nice to see some new techniques and challenges in future episodes, I do feel the pace could be picked up a little without harm.
Not that anybody asked for my opinion, but there it is.
Matt
6 March 2015 at 11:02 am #125296i’ve watch every video since Masterclasses began but sadly i’ve made very few of the projects, this year i am determind to change that so i can’t comment on the pace untill i’ve mastered every technique on every project, because i do believe it is being structured so the techniques become second nature, not so that we have to play and pause a video at each process as i do now, (i am thankful for the rewind button) i do think that repetition is necessary to the learning process, (well it is for me), as a matter of interest how many projects has everyone done from the videos so far.
6 March 2015 at 12:41 pm #125298I think the team is striking a hard balance. While I get impatient at times, I can’t say I have ever been bored watching Paul work.
Nobody is going to want to have to tell new people to Masterclasses to “just go watch old videos” to see what technique Paul is using. At the same time, the members who have seen the old videos may want to step up the pace for repetitive sections, like dovetail cutting or what have you.
Given the balance that the team has to strike, I don’t mind fast-forwarding here and there as I see the need. I rarely do except on a second watching to find something I’m looking for specifically. I more get impatient at knowing there is something coming up, like the tool box skirts, that I really want to see Paul execute!
6 March 2015 at 2:21 pm #125299I think the repetitive nature of Paul’s teaching style is what makes it so effective. Furthermore, the filming style in which they rarely skip ahead and for the most part film in real time adds to the effectiveness of the videos. It would be a shame to cut short any teaching Paul is willing to offer.
As a beginner I appreciate the detailed approach to all of the videos. As I re-watch videos I learn and pickup something important every time. I think Paul and staff provide a good balance to the selection of each project and to the pace that is delivered to us. I have searched many places for educational woodworking videos and I find none better than what is delivered by Paul.
6 March 2015 at 8:44 pm #125315As everyone has said, its tricky teaching when people have different starting points and backgrounds. The joiners tool chest is the first project I have been following along and building every week in some time. I did stop when it got to the lid, because I wanted my lid to acclimate more. I hate to say anything negative against the masterclasses since I have learned so much, but I do agree with George. There has been a bit of repetition in the series with the skirting and bit too much with the hinges and nailing. Maybe its because I stopped the build at the point. I may have a different view if I was building along at the time. In regards to the project, I built the other tool chest too. This project was related but I think it was ok. I think I will prefer this one, but I wish I had made this one larger. I have many wooden planes and they take up a lot of room.
It would be nice to have a Frequently asked questions area that would just say, “search the blog”! I always see posted questions that could be answered in detail by a search of his blog.
I’m building this project, and I think the pace is fine. This is a fairly simple toolbox, so there’s not a lot of new techniques, but I think it makes for a great beginner project. From that perspective, I find it very nice to have every aspect covered (within reason).
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