State of the Craft?

Article - August 30, 2008

Someone posed a very good question in a forum thread recently, and I wanted to bring the discussion to you. The gist was that all of the recent excitement over woodworking (blogs/podcasts/etc…) could actually be BAD for the craft. The logic presented was that many of our great woodworkers have decided to teach woodworking, rather than actually DO woodworking themselves. The post expressed concern that if everyone is teaching, then there will be no one left to actually DO the woodworking. A very interesting point and certainly something for all of us to think about. I am very curious what everyone’s take is on this. Here’s mine:

No doubt, it is way too early to make a definitive call on the long-term effects of the woodworking hobby/blogging/teaching phenomenon (I like to call it a renaissance). But as I see it, its just a numbers game. A couple years ago, many of us were discussing how the craft could very well die because kids are not being exposed to this stuff at an early age. If mom and dad are the type to hire someone rather than go the DIY route, the child may never have an opportunity to develop that love for crafting things (speculating, of course). But now, because woodworking is much more popular and is accessible in formats that the younger generations can relate to, we are creating a new opportunity for exposure that previously didn’t exist. I am certainly not claiming this is filling the gap left behind by the lack of incorporation into school curriculums, but I do at least see it as a step in the right direction.

So with all this buzz about woodworking and with so many people getting into it, wouldn’t you think that at least some of these people are going to have that fire lit within them? The fire to excel well beyond the abilities of their online instructors. And even with the loss of some of our current “greats” (although I would not consider it a loss at all), the excitement and energy that surrounds the craft now could very well be what we need to keep the craft alive so that generation after generation can enjoy it. And those who want to make a career of it, will have the opportunity to do so.

Just like any professional field, some will learn a lot, and then decide that teaching is the way they want to go. Much like my college professors, these people may accomplish little in terms of cutting edge research in their respective field, but at least some of their students will go on to do great things for that community as a whole. And I see no reason why woodworking shouldn’t follow this same pattern.
As far as I’m concerned: more people teaching woodworking = more people learning woodworking = more people have the opportunity to be inspired and take their craft to the next level.

Obviously, none of us know what’s going to happen. But I am fairly certain that the net affect of all this will be better than the direction we were going prior to the teaching/web phenomenon. What say you good woodworkers?

Discussion

Mike In Pittsburgh August 30, 2008 2:23 pm

I agree completely. And frankly, this new trend is likely driving many more innovations in tool design and product design, as well as opening up people’s eyes to what it means to buy quality furniture.

I grew up with a dad who believed every room needed built-in furniture. I’m pretty sure there isn’t a single piece of store-bought cabinetry in the house. That taught me the value of doing it yourself, as well as the basic knowledge and skills I needed to have a go at it on my own. But even so, if I had the opportunity and desire to purchase a piece of custom built, high-quality woodcraft, I’d do it. No matter how good I get (and I’ve got a long way to go), there’s always more experienced craftsmen out there making stuff worth buying. Additionally, if I can look at a piece and say, “hey, I want to take a stab at building that!” I know I have the capability to do so. It’s extremely empowering.

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Karl August 30, 2008 4:49 pm

Let me present some additional factors in addition to Marc’s:

1) Teaching a craft can be more profitable than actually doing the craft. So it’s simply a matter of money. I work with a lot of professional photographers, and they are leaving the craft in ever increasing amounts. In fact, very few can make a living anymore. Most photogs who still have any business, teach.

2) The philosophies and values of people that participate in woodworking, DIY, and the like are a small minority, and getting smaller every day. The value placed upon handcrafted items has been ‘demoted’ to an art where quality and longevity take a back seat to price. Becoming a work art means simply that something is no longer a commodity and only viewed as a luxury. Simply said, it’s the Wal-Mart-ing of society.

3) Just because more woodworkers are connecting through the net does not lead to the conclusion that woodworking is enjoying a resurgence. If woodworking has been on a steady decline over many years, a small increase at or near this time may only be a temporary increase and does not a trend make. Despite that, I hope for a renaissance too, Marc.

For me personally, wood and steel have been the siren of my life. And I strive to impart my love of art, craftsmanship, and the satisfaction of working with one’s hand to my two boys. But they live in a world of Wii, curbside pickup, and disposable everything. I won’t give up easily.

I agree somewhat with Marc. But you, I, and many of us are swimming against the current. It’s hard to look outside our world of values and what we appreciate. Face it, we tend to surround ourselves with people who believe like us. But when you do look, I think you’ll find things are changing… at the speed of the internet.

I just don’t know yet if the change is good or bad.

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Mattias in Durham, NC August 30, 2008 4:50 pm

May I be the first to predict that this post will get a lot of comments. I could not agree more, that all these skilled people sharing what they know can only be good for woodworking as a craft. By the original argument, Norm would have been bad for woodworking.

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thewoodwhisperer August 30, 2008 5:01 pm

Interesting thoughts guys. It makes me very sad to think of woodworking simply as an antiquated method of creating things with antiquated materials. And something that is only interesting to folks who find it interesting simply for nostalgic reasons. Could we already be at that point and I am just blinded by my perspective?? That would be a bummer.

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Vic August 30, 2008 5:34 pm

I think the internet has and will continue to change our lives in ways we don’t foresee at this point.

In terms of woodworking, we used to have apprenticeships. Those went by the wayside and the descent into prefab, non-thoughtful design furniture soon followed. For many years now, there has been little change in the woodworking field. I believe it is the teaching/sharing aspect of the internet which has spurred the recent innovations in woodworking equipment. Equipment manufacturers have seen and heard a call for better equipment at the small shop level. The brief glimpse Marc and Nicole gave us of the IWF shows this is indeed happening. I don’t believe the manufacturers would be creating new machines if they did not see the resurgence themselves.

The emergence of the many podcasts and blogs is just one other way professionals can market themselves and their teaching skills. It is not a “new” phenomenon that artists or craftsmen have gone outside of their basic “job” description. I had a friend back in the early 80’s that was a successful photographer. He made the majority of his money speaking about photography. The speaking engagements did not stop his field work, they made it possible for him to be more creative and go to the destinations he wanted to shoot. I think for many of the woodworking professionals the same basic principle is what drives them to get out of the shop and teach or reach out through the internet. There is a huge market in the home workshops. Some of us may only want to make toys and whirly-gigs, while others will be the next great designers/builders. The internet will be the gateway for those designers to reach the masses and thus keep the craft alive and well.

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Chris Altman August 30, 2008 5:37 pm

I agree with you, Marc, but I have some other reasoning. Just because more people are teaching, doesn’t mean less are doing. If we used that logic there wouldn’t be any more scientists, musicians, or engineers left – they’d all be teaching! More teachers means more students!! Agreed that not everyone interested in woodworking will be the next Wood Whisperer, but the bigger the pool, the more high-quality “students” will come out of it. The ones that don’t reach the true woodworker category gain better understanding of the value of hand-crafted goods over Wal-Mart or IKEA goods. Teaching more, talking more, and making more information available to more people is always the way to improve the cycle of the craft – from production to purchase.

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Mike In Pittsburgh August 30, 2008 6:46 pm

Karl makes an excellent point about the Wal-Marting of society. That’s very true for a lot of things. It’s harder and harder to find good software programmers, because these days kids want their iPods to work, but they don’t want to know how they work.

However, as long as there are trees to look at, someone is going to see a coffee table.

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Mark Mazzo August 30, 2008 7:03 pm

Marc,

This is an interesting post.

I too believe that there is a serious lack of value placed on hand-made things…whether they be functional, artistic, or both. That is a root cause for people migrating to teaching the craft. When beautiful things are hand-made but expected to be sold for Ikea prices, we have a problem because there is no value being placed on the creative and/or functional skill it takes to produce such things. Unfortunately the economic effect from this is a narrowing of the market for hand-made art and/or furniture.

The lack of emphasis on teaching hand skills of any kind in schools is also an issue. Shop class is long gone – is art class next? If parents are not teaching these skills they are not getting taught. In these days of instant gratification and dare I say a poor work ethic, young people are not getting enough opportunity to be self-sufficient and creative.

Having said all of this, I am an optimist. I think that things ARE slowly changing both economically as well as socially. People are seeing what they get for furniture for $99 at Walmart – and not liking it! The unique nature of hand-made solid wood furniture and art is again becoming appreciated. Skilled trades are also becoming very much in demand – have you priced out a job with a plumber lately?

So, I think that maybe we ARE at the cusp of a renaissance of sorts. More time and promotion of the art and craft, in print, media and on the Internet can only lead to good things. Hopefully the economic and social tide will continue to turn so that there can be plenty of teaching AND doing woodworking!

–Mark
The Craftsman’s Path

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Wilbur Pan August 30, 2008 7:31 pm

Hmm. On the one hand we have unprecedented access to information on woodworking from masters of the craft unlike any other period in history. On the other hand, we could have our master woodworkers go on simply creating more objects, until they retire and stop creating, and…then what? I know which option seems to result in a more viable future for woodworking to me.

As far as the issue of practicing vs. teaching, there are two reasons to get into woodworking. One is to have a career in manufacturing products out of wood, which is going to be hard given the Wal-martization of the U.S. The other is to pursue it as a hobby and create objects for one’s own pleasure. The pieces I’ve seen from hobbyist woodworkers have been uniformly breathtaking in their quality. Of course, part of this is due to the fact that costs aren’t really an issue to the same degree it is for someone trying to make a living at it. Even Frank Klausz has said that in his opinion, the best woodworking is coming from hobbyists, not from those in the business.

I think that woodworking will survive. Woodworking as a significant segment of the manufacturing sector may not, but fine pieces will still continue to be made.

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Eric August 30, 2008 9:12 pm

I think all this teaching of the craft will produce a lot more hobbyists, and of those, some will indeed move on to be professionals. So I think it all balances out in the end…

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Paul-Marcel St-Onge August 31, 2008 12:04 am

I agree with Wilbur. If the masters just did woodworking without teaching, there’d be no continuum. Certainly many craftsmen will move to teaching and building less, but not all will succeed. This initial wave will get thinned when beginners like me picking the best and ignoring the rest. We should be happy there’s a surge!

A recurring theme of the comments is the lack of kids learning to appreciate craftsmanship in furniture or even learning how to use minimal tools (I’ll raise my hand to the latter). With that in mind, a timely post on ToolMonger for your reading pleasure:
http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/.....s-anymore/

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muddlermike August 31, 2008 4:09 am

sounds like a “chicken little” complex. I think the craft has been dying because of mass production/import furniture as well. The current masters of the craft HAVE to go out and teach or else the craft will most certainly die at the hands of new technology like CNC machines. Keeping the custom – hand made furniture business alive will be accomplished by passing on the skills and with it building a renewed appreciation for quality.

Our disposible society is comming to a turning point – this country’s mind set needs to switch to conservation in many ways, and one of those is to return to longer lasting products. we need to abandon the ideas that rooms and furniture should be changed every 5-10 years, but rather making long lasting furniture that will stand the test of time. Someone’s got to build, refinish, and repair those pieces.

I abandoned the idea of crafting fine woodworking pieces as a hobby long ago because I had no reliable way to learn the skills – short of hiring on to a cabinet shop. It was only recently – after discovering resources like this and many more new websites, books, and videos – that I renewed my love of woodworking and started to build a shop. I hope to produce quality furniture for my family in the future, and maybe even sell a couple of pieces way, way, way down the road. Still, I’ve achieved a new sense of what quality is, and would know it if I saw it. Now, whether I build or buy the furniture, I plan to spend my money on quality from now on. I’ve also passed on my knowlege to my parents, wife, and kids. All because of what I’ve learned from so many online, book, and video teachers. That can only be good for woodworking, in my opinion.

mike

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Joey August 31, 2008 7:06 am

I think if we want a revival of people who see the values in finely build furniture its going to have to come from the craftsman and artist who build the furniture to show the people the value of owning these pieces. We need to drive the movement by teaching on the internet, and taking on apprentices, or just talking to people about the benefit of well build custom made furniture and cabinets.

As far as Walmarts go I think a lot of people buy there just because they can’t really afford any thing better. I don’t know anyone who dreams of a Walmarts or Target’s furniture, that just what they are settling on until they can afford better or their young and don’t know better yet.

Wood I don’t think wood will ever become an antiquated material people here at lease LOVE wood.

Joey
http://sleepydogwoodworking.blogspot.com/

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Victor August 31, 2008 7:29 am

Woodworking could take a lesson from medicine where everything must get done, regardless of having to teach new pioneers. With regard to teaching procedures the common utterance is, “See one, do one, teach one!” The one area of stressed importance must however always be on, “SAFETY!”

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Tom in San Antonio August 31, 2008 7:55 am

I, for one, am glad that so many are willing and able to teach woodworking. Trial and error are good teachers, but sometimes harsh ones. I’d rather spend a little time listening and watching, then go and cut some wood with what I’ve learned. That’s knowledge. But I also find that I can refine my skills faster if I have some base of knowledge. Let me reiterate and revise my opening comment: I am glad and grateful for those who can and will teach. They help me every day, and they give me ideas to pass on to my grandchildren.

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Rick August 31, 2008 8:40 am

I think that everyone has a good point.

Here is my thoughts. Isn’t our responsibility to teach and pass on our knowledge of woodworking? At the same time we need to find the time to create projects in our own shops to keep the interest alive. I am looking at teaching some woodworking classes at the local Woodcraft store. But I am not going to do this exclusively. I don’t want to lose my love of the craft. I love woodworking and want to make a living at it. I am always looking to pass my knowledge to the younger generations. I want to pass on the passion that I have for woodworking. I hope that all woodworkers will look at teaching the craft like I do A PASSION.

Just my 2 cents

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Mitchell August 31, 2008 8:54 am

Hello,

I agree that teaching the craft is as important as doing the craft. As said above, the larger the pool of students, the more likely craftsmen (and craftswomen) will appear.

This isn’t a field such as writing where those who can’t write become critics. Teachers need to know and be able to do the profession in order to teach the profession.

I believe the Internet is a positive force that helps diseminate information to the people and does help sway the profession toward new and improved tools at all levels.

Set a good example: Go out there and make some sawdust!

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Tom Buhl August 31, 2008 8:58 am

another thought on teaching vs. producing. By teaching, at least when the teacher pays attention to feedback, the craftsperson becomes better, wiser and more capable. So while the volume of production is diminished, the quality has the opportunity to improve. Not by the repetition of volume, but by the exposure to questions, feedback and the deep, creative thinking required to teach.

So if one is driven to teach and share, I say bravo! The world needs more passion and compassion driven people than wood (or other) items. Quality and feeling.

Rock on.

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rgdaniel August 31, 2008 9:40 am

As a mere weekend hack who’s enjoying the renaissance if only because of the easy access to information, and demonstration, you can take my opinions with a grain of salt, but I don’t think “teaching” represents the death of “doing”. Any good teacher will tell you that they learn a lot from their students. So if great woodworking teachers are still, therefore, learning, then what’s not to like? Win-win.

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John Hammett August 31, 2008 9:40 am

At the age of 63 and a retied truck driver, I find that the internet and woodworking has turned the craft into a life saver. I can’t tell you how many times I have turned to the internet for advice and Marc videos has really inspired me to make and design better.

The only outcome of this is like in mining. There are very few true miners left. However, the old timers are willing to teach and show how a living could be made digging holes in the ground. But the real winners are the people that sell mining equipment. Because of the internet I can see woodworking following in the same steps. Buying tools is never ending. Learning how to use the older and the newest tools can be a real problem without the internet.

The art of woodworking has and will always be necessary. As I show others, it seems I learn more as well. The State of the Craft is good hands. The Woodwhisperer is one of the leaders of the Craft.. I would like to say, Thank you Marc.. You are a real Credit to the Art of Woodworking…

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Shannon August 31, 2008 9:46 am

This thread is bound to ellicit some discussions. I was so driven to respond that I started typing a response from my iPhone when I saw Marc’s blog from a link on Twitter. (Am I a web 2.0 freak or what) I bring this up to make the point that I think the onset of WW blogging and podcasting is attracting a younger generation. I am in my early 30s and I am not the youngest of the podcasters out there! Secondly it is exactly the blogging and podcasting that is driving me to work more in my shop. Most of the deep philosophical questions seem to be already on the forums so I have been blogging about what is new in my shop. If I am not out there working on stuff then I don’t have a lot to say and no one would ever read it. Secondly, with the onslaught of all of this information on the net, I am constantly inspired to try new things. I would have never have thought I could tackle a Federal style piece until I came across T-Chisel’s podcast. Now am I playing with stringing inlays and patteries. I never imagined that I would want to make my own wooden plane until I read The Village Carpenter’s blog about Krenov style planes. Now I have the blank squared up and acclimating in my shop for a wooden plane.

Nope, the only thing the Internet is doing to my productivity is amping it and increasing the quality of my work. (Except when I am typing) With that, gotta get back into the shop!

Shannon
The Renaissance Woodworker

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Scottish Iain August 31, 2008 10:02 am

Funnily the same issues are being talked about over here. No woodwork or metalwork being taught in schools – we call it “craft and design” – without the practicalities of the hands on “craft”. Where will the next generation of “experts” come from if not from the schools – us.
People who are passionate about quality made items (not just furniture) that last a lifetime and dont come flat-packed. If that means using the tools that the next generation use ie the internet, to get the message across and give instruction and encouragement, then lets do it.
Teaching comes in many forms. As someone who lives in a bit of a woodworking backwater, the internet has been an invaluable tool in learning, research and of course shopping!
Lets all learn, then try to teach what we’ve learned to anyone who cares to listen, log on or watch.
We have to stop (or at least give the finger to) the global homogonisation of craft, art, music, food and culture in general.
Remember also – you dont do woodwork in front of a PC!!
Keep the craft alive.

Iain.

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Jim August 31, 2008 11:32 am

Marc,

Great subject…obviously…my eyes got tired about half way though (just came from my shop) I only have two things to say.

1. Ask how many professionals (and there are a lot of them) who got the woodworking bug from dear old Dad who was a hobbyist?

2. Have you looked at Lumberjocks lately? The number is growing at an alarming rate. The more amateurs you have the more professionals you’ll get. The Internet is just increasing the fun for the hobbyist thus spurring more interest and better tools.

There’s no fire to put out here folks, the world is safe for woodworking….LOL

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guestjacob August 31, 2008 12:17 pm

This is the weirdest argument I have ever heard. How could more people teaching something = less people doing it. That just goes against common sense.

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Daniel in British Columbia August 31, 2008 12:18 pm

Marc, this was a great topic to bring up!

I am a professional woodworker/handyman. I have found that the internet to me my main source for inspiration and instruction.

I, like many of you, have been fatigued by the regurgitated content that’s produce by magazines and t.v. shows. I’m so put off by it that I no longer read or watch those things of which I held as the gospel of DIY and woodworking ( sorry This Old House).I can still feed my hunger for that knowledge and inspiration through blogs and podcasts. And I am even more thankful that enough content is produced so rapidly that I can consume it on a daily basis( that beats the old days when I had to wait a week or a month for something new).

But concerning the argument “too many talkers not enough doers” , for me, can be concluded as this- As a “doer” I need the “talkers”. They are an crucial part of my success. Without their knowledge I would be stagnate in my skills. And without their efforts in providing that knowledge, I would not be inspired to challenge myself.

Knowledge is not only power, knowledge is freedom.

Thank you Marc for continuing to be out front and blazing the trail in this new frontier of education.

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Alan August 31, 2008 12:25 pm

Because one teaches, in whichever medium, does not mean that we have “lost” that person to the creative process. If a person is called to teach their craft I would expect that fine pieces of furniture would continue to be made as part of the teaching process and most teachers I know usually acknowledge that they expand their horizons by learning from the students who bring new visions to the craft. They would also continue to make their own pieces due to their love of the craft. I would say we are in a lot better shape with all of the access to the web information. Marc is a prime example. Hopefully what I am trying to say got through the after surgery pain pills.
Chandler, AZ

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Jonathan August 31, 2008 1:45 pm

I think that the longevity of the craft depends upon how you view “the craft”. There are essentially two sides to it – hobbyists and professionals – each having their own reason for being a woodworker.

I see the hobbyists increasing for many reasons. The amount of information and self-education that is available has only been increasing with the growth of the internet. While the number of apprenticeships might be going down (does anyone know? I’m just guessing), the amount of available classes has been going up. With new innovations in the woodworking industry, the hobbyist can actually make pieces for themselves with less knowledge or skill, and in a safer manner.

As far as the professionals go, I see the number declining. The number of top craftsmen will probably remain, but the rest of the field will mostly likely thin out. I think there are two factors involved with the possible decline.

The first what has been stated earlier. The majority of people that expect high-end furniture and low-end prices. I don’t think it is a lack of appreciation for craftsmanship. It’s just that people don’t want to pay for the craftsmanship when they can get something “good-enough” at Wal-Mart, Target or IKEA. If they buy it from a store, they aren’t paying a craftsman to build it. (full-disclosure… I have furniture from Target and IKEA. In fact, I really like IKEA’s style of furniture – just not the construction. But many times I have compared what I could buy it for, and the amount it would take to make it myself, and most of the time, it’s less time and money to buy it then make it. Of course I will have to probably replace it in 5-10 years, but I will hopefully have more time then :-)

The second reason I see the number of professionals diminishing, is the same reason that the hobbyists are increasing. The hobbyists think that they can make it just as well as a professional. Whether or not it is true is irrelevant. As long as they THINK that they can design and construct a piece as well as a professional, means that they would never approach a professional to do it for them. I have seen the same thing happen in photography.

My father was a photographer for 30+ years. In the beginning of this career, he was doing fine – no problems financially. But over the last 15 years of his career, it got harder. The jobs were fewer and fewer apart, and the pay was less and less. It corresponded to the rise of the point-and-shoot camera. He started teaching to bring in extra money, just like the woodworkers.

Of course none of this is deterring me from striving to make the leap from hobbyist to professional. I have been a professional web designer for 8 years, and I have many of the same concerns with that field (I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “but I could get a kid in college to design my website for a quarter of that!” My response typically is “OK, just let me know when you want me to come back and fix it :-)

Long story short. I think the total quantity of “the craft” will be the same or even larger. Just the best quality will show up on fewer and fewer workbenches. I’m just hoping that one of them will be mine.

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Bob August 31, 2008 2:34 pm

As one of the “old guys” in woodworking I too am saddened by the fact that many fine artist/craftsmen are required, for financial reasons, to teach more and create less in order to make a living.
As has been said by others in this blog, the upside of this situation is that thanks to the internet they are able to share their talents and experience and motivate others to pick up the craft. Some undoubtedly may “make it big” in the future. In the meanwhile, something very good has happened. for all of us with sawdust in our soul: There has been a proliferation of technology that has become available to the weekend woodworker. When I purchased my cabinet saw, I had a choice of 4 brands to choose, Rockwell, Powermatic, General and Inca. (there were others but they were designed for large professional shops. I chose the Inca because it had a riving knife, a 12″ blade and a beefy vertically moving trunion system. Look around; there are now at least 8 companies that make a similar saw. Somebody must be purchasing them!
The sad thing, as has been stated by others is that the general public has devalued the concept of “handcrafted by…”

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Don August 31, 2008 4:14 pm

I think this is a mountain from a molehill. I have taken classes from master woodworkers and it has helped my skills alot. Woodworking will survive as it has since before Christ was born (Egyptian dove tails?). The internet and the blogs and videos are great entertainment, but the real learning comes from getting into the shop and making all those mistakes. For me it is my major hobby to build furniture for me and family members. But if I or they need something quick, I and them go to Rooms to Go furniture. this is much to do about nothing.

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John Martin August 31, 2008 4:40 pm

It is without a doubt, that this media, has led me into the skills of wookworking that I thought I never had. I did take woodshop back in High School in the 60’s and simply enjoyed it then. It seems that life sometimes lead you in directions that are unforseen in our truest of dreams as becoming just a dream. As a result of a partial disability that dream is fast becoming a reality. I have posted some pics on the Wood magazine gallery some bird houses and feeders. There is a bird house that I purchased from a roadside hobbyist in the shape of a caboose. My wife said I could make it better. In the pictures I show the comparison and from studiying the one from the hobbyist I turned it into one of my bestsellers. I am not claiming on making a living out of this as of yet, but who knows what tomorrows blog will bring, or a visit to the local Rockler store to seek advice on some finishing products as I learn to refinish an old childs dresser which was constructed back in the 50’s. I am a self taught computer user and can get around pretty good on the Internet, I have found the Wood Whisperer just by using google to send me articles and blogs on woodworking daily. I am eager to learn and when I am in the shop and have come to a stand still, I just sit back and think things through, and there is always some tool close at hand that can do the trick to help move the project along. If you guys go away, then I won’t be able give away what I get from you, simple as that.
John e

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Harvey E. Helm August 31, 2008 5:17 pm

Ramdom thoughts
I am a retired Wood Shop teacher. I. A. Now we had a saying that went like this.
“Them that can do, Them that can’t do teach, and them that can’t teach teach teachers” I think there is some truth in that joke…
I subscribe to about 20 plus wood magazines and have authored 2 book on it. I have no fear that it will die. I am currently having a 28 x 28 foot shop built in back of our hiome, because i can not fit all the machines and tools in my 19 x 19 existing one.
Remember our Lord was a woodworker for 30 years before He started his ministry.

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Bill_de August 31, 2008 5:31 pm

Interesting thread but I’m wondering what it’s based on. On one hand I hear that more people are turning to teaching instead of producing. On the other hand we aren’t teaching woodworking in school. Probably means we have less people teaching even though these former teachers might not be names we would recognize.

As for the group of talented people who are teaching on the internet, if not for the internet might not they be the same folks who would be writing books? Sure, videos are a great teaching tools but I think that books have been a pretty effective educational tool ever since Gutenberg made books available to the masses.

As for the argument that masters turning to teaching means we’ll have less masterpieces, I suggest that if they do a good job of teaching they are increasing the possibility of even more masterpieces being produced well into the future … just with someone else’s name on them.

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Claude Stewart August 31, 2008 7:24 pm

Well said everyone. Claude

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Alan Lilly August 31, 2008 8:33 pm

Life if best when shared.

I used to think that keeping knowledge to myself would give me an advantage, but I’ve since realized that sharing my knowledge makes me doubly enriched. I don’t have to give up doing what I love, just because I’m sharing knowledge.

panofish

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John Kasparian August 31, 2008 8:40 pm

The WoodWhisperer’s cutting board will endure for decades through others.

Whose works endure the longest? A masterful teacher or a student who creates a masterpiece.

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Joe September 1, 2008 3:58 am

Mark, thank you for taking the time to teach other, try to never forget your responsibility to the student.

There are few real craftsmen in the world to learn from. Teaching is the next best thing to an apprenticeship. I say the more teachers the better (even bad teachers). Teachers of woodworking (and probably all teachers) don’t teach how to cut wood, sometimes they sculpt personalities and create a true master piece in humanity..sometimes the student becomes the teacher. Learning is the key to it all.

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Rae September 1, 2008 12:52 pm

I admit to not having read ALL the responses to the original posting by Mark, but I have read enough of them to get the sense of the ground most are standing on.

As in most things, there has to be a balance. Trying to have the right balance is the difficult question. The teaching/doing wood working balance is a personal thing. Some people get involved in woodworking because they love it. Woodworking takes time and money – lots of both! Pretty soon those who love it get good at it – maybe even good enough to make a living doing what they love. Also, why not get back some of the investment? Some people get involved in woodworking because they believe it would make a good career – they study formally in colleges and generally work in a production environment. Pretty soon either category of woodworker can get into teaching others.

I am not certain that people teach just because there is money in it. The enjoyment soon wanes if that is what it is about. Teaching is rewarding when there are those who want to learn and devlop their craft. Helping others is generally more rewarding than doing something for yourself. But, again, the two limiting factors – time and money- forces choices to be made and a balance stuck. Teachers need students and students need teachers – both want to produce items that they themselves have designed and buit of wood.

Enough philosophy, already! Where I think things have gone off the rails is that there is a tremendous amount of commercialization of most of the best “teaching” web-sites. It all costs money, and sponsors are necessary. However, tool reports, pictures of everyone’s shop, and even discussions like this are no substitute for project work and demonstration of technique. I don’t mind a few plugs for some useful tool, but give some real meat along with it.

That is my rant! This is long enough. I hope I did not offend anyone. My apologies if I did.

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Todd A. Clippinger September 1, 2008 1:48 pm

Marc,

I feel compelled to add some comment here, but I am too busy working in the shop.

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thewoodwhisperer September 1, 2008 2:47 pm

Too late. You already posted. :)

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Todd A. Clippinger September 1, 2008 4:05 pm

DOH!

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Bill Akins September 2, 2008 5:20 am

I think that one of the problems today is a lack of teachers. Our school systems are failing. I have only been wood working for a couple of years, as a hobbiest. I have grown by watching TV shows and podcast on woodworking. With my growing interest my wife likes to come to the shop every now and then to help sand and paint. My two boys enjoy time in the shop as well and I feel good about passing down knwoledge that I have picked up from guys like the Wood Whisperer. We need more teachers in all categories.

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Jonathan September 2, 2008 9:05 am

The observations here are a little like a blind man describing an elephant. It’s hard to get the bigger picture. I’m not sure that I have the picture either, but I do have a perspective as a someone who has watched a number of skill fads very closely. I think the current buzz in woodworking is very similar.

Some dynamic person with a skill gets media attention and a following. Those followers may also share that skill. In turn, the followers get their own following and small economic niche becomes a growing market.

Suddenly, there is merchandising workshops and more demand for demonstrations of the skill. Much of the attention is swapping of goods and skills between members of the community, which admittedly is growing at this time in the cycle. A zenith is reached when you can no longer go anywhere without encountering other professionals and dilatents. All the hobbyists have spent the money that they can for a hobby, and no one will buy what they can make/do themselves. What follows is an exodus of all but the most ardent professionals and hobbyists and a collapse of the market segment.

Twenty-five years ago it was juggling. Yo-yos cycle into pop culture every ten to twenty years. Beading and beaded jewelery is now on the decline. I think woodworking is on the start of an ascent, but may follow the model.

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Bas September 2, 2008 11:39 am

As long as the teacher teaches more than one student, the sum total of woodworking knowledge has increased. The Internet also enables every woodworker to become a teacher (“LET’S GET READY…..TO MAKE A CUTTIN’ BOARD!”).

A woodworking store owner here in NC reports business is increasing. That’s no surprise when you think of the demographics. The baby boomers are retiring. Many of them still grew up with woodworking and shop class. They now have time, a little money, and space. At the same time, the quality of tools has increased while the price has gone down (yes, there is a lot of junk out there, but also a lot of good, affordable tools).

What is the true state of the craft? We’ll know in 10-15 years, when the baby boomers stop woodworking due to age, health etc.

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Jeroen from The Netherlands September 3, 2008 1:47 am

To get back on the subject of why people don’t appreciate good craftsmanship any more.
Back in the old days laybor (or is it labour?) was cheap and materials where expensive. So a good craftsman could do a couple of week over building a chair and it was still affordable.
Nowadays laybor is expensive and materials are cheap. So if the same craftsman was building that same chair it isn’t affordable any more. The most people don’t really like the quality of Wallmart and Ikea furniture but can’t go anywhere else.

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Jon September 4, 2008 3:17 pm

Woodworking will never go away and it isn’t a fad. Carpenters have been around since the dawn of history and people will always demand their work. My first foray into woodworking was out of neccessity, too poor to afford a kitchen table, I made a harvest table out of 2x4s and nails with a hand saw and an old wooden gentlman’s plain. All my projects have been in response to the inferior quality of mass produced furniture, which drove me to buy more tools and make it better. Then people started to ask me to make things for them because they recognized that I was driven by quality and they were willing to pay for it. Sure, most people don’t want to pay for good furniture, but some do. Some guys can charge 10,000 for a table. Some charge more. Quality will always survive and that’s no fad.

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Zac September 5, 2008 1:01 am

Well, I think the horse has been beaten ten times over, but I will kick it once again.

I don’t think that it makes sense that more professionals teaching equals less fine furniture being built/purchased. If anything, teaching those of us who are interested in the craft would translate to more non woodworkers gaining knowledge about fine furniture. Even as a total beginner, I have gained rediculous amounts of general knowledge that I couldn’t have fathomed 2 years ago, and I have passed a great deal of it on to friends and family increasing their awareness about quality or woodworking in general. Most of us would never have been exposed to it. Furthermore, many of these people never had and never will have any care to do a lick of woodworking. But, their eye for quality and desire to purchase higher quality than big box specials could change regardless of any passion they have to create something. Thus, more teaching equals more knowledgeable people, which then translates into more demand for quality furniture. Also, more knowledge should create more skilled craftsmen (and women).

I have really been thinking about how much knowledge you can attain through the connectivity of the internet. Anyone with an internet connection could get a master or possibly doctorate level education in just about any subject using the internet. And it is instantaneous and free. I really think that we are in for a drastic shift in what constitutes a “good education” in the near future. Plus, having graduated from college and getting a bit of time away from the grind of instututionalized learning, I find myself desiring further studies in a wide variety of subjects. I firmly believe that my learning curve has drastically increased with my present curriculum due to the fact that I learn what I want when I want.

Well, all this philosophical logic makes my brain hurt now. Crazy blog topics are silly, but I’ll tell you what isn’t silly…. Knowledgable men and women taking the time out of their lives to pass on knowledge to whoever is eager to learn, whether teaching becomes their main source of income or not, . So, to Professor Spagnuolo and all the other Professors that I have learned so much from in such a short time… I thank you for your passion of the craft and especially your passion for education.

Zac

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Dav Pizota December 30, 2008 4:21 pm

To all of you fine people…Permit a craftsman from a brother discipline to horn in. You are all quite right, but..Isn’t there always a but? In this ‘modern’ age we enter what most thinking people admit–especially the teacher type(I’m one too)–that the whoile world is entering a state of social collapse, on pretty much all fronts. The few promising spots, like this fine fellowship of artisans here, are I’m afraid a sad swan song. It will get worse before it gets better AND IT WILL GET BETTER. If I didn’t think that I wouldn’t teach and drink my own vicious chemicals (I am a natural dyer, among aother oddities). Just check what is actually happening to craft schools…Industrial Design, ain’t that a doozy for a craftsman? Keep up the thinking and working, we will finally win. We have to, there not being any other viable options. Thanks, and have a satifying, productive New Year. Dav

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Rob Horton February 23, 2009 5:57 pm

Mention of woodworking in schools reminds me of a major disconnect that I observed back when I was in school. At my high school in the 80s, woodworking, metalworking, auto shop, drafting, etc…were offered but the curriculum was set up such that they formed their own separate side of the tracks. In a nutshell, smart kids would take foreign languages and the rest ended up in shop.

I had the benefit of both worlds in that I was (well, still am) a brainy dork but I completely muffed the placement exam when I entered school. I tracked into some of the industrial arts classes yet I pushed hard to make things up and ultimately got back on track in the “smart kids” side of the school, too.

Anyone else had similar experiences? I for one am glad that I took all those “dirty hands” classes. Now that I’m a dad, I fully intend that my little girl will grow up knowing how to swing a hammer. But I worry about the perception that working with your hands is simply not to be done by people above a certain IQ.

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State of the Craft?

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