I have been woodworking off and on most of my life, just for fun. I spent years watching Norm Abram (the God of woodworking) as well as other professional woodworkers on television and always envied their skills. I subscribed to magazines and read woodworking books endlessly. I scoured web sites. I learned how to do even the most complex procedures — in my head. But book-smarts is one thing, actually building any of those projects was another.
Suddenly, I found myself faced with a couple of disheartening discoveries: 1) I cant afford fancy, expensive tools and wood, and 2) as much as I would like to, I have neither the time nor dedication needed to become a master woodworker, or even a semi-skilled professional. My skills are always growing, but I know my place in the real world.
So who are Mere Mortals?There are millions of woodworkers around the world. Its a little-known fact that less than .01% of them will ever make a complete set of kitchen cabinets. (Well okay, I just totally made up that figure.) So why are so many woodworking resources devoted to building projects that most people simply cant do or have the patience to take on? Well, there are a few reasons. With Norms show, I could always draw on individual techniques he used, scale them down and use them in my own work. Plus it is just fun and fascinating to watch a master of any craft working at the top of the game. He just seems like a nice guy. And he wears plaid. But Norm is the exception. Much woodworking instruction seems somewhat pompous or self-indulgent ("hehe, look what I can do, you fools!") — or worse — just tedious and boring. I actually fell asleep watching a woodworking DVD once!
So I decided to start making entertaining videos that show fun projects that regular people can make at home on weekends without thousands of dollars invested in tools. You know, stuff for us non-gods: the Mere Mortals.
So if you are like me, join my army of Mortals! Follow me on this blog and subscribe to my YouTube channel. We have the power to take back Olympus and make the hobby of woodworking fun again.
Watch this blog for my videos as well as pithy insight you wont find on my YouTube channel alone.
This is a new project so I dont really know where it is headed, but check in from time to time in the coming days for some for some fun announcements.
- Steve in Marin
