Shopsmith Forums

honeywell wrote:I know the shows are only avaible for a short time.
Is there a way to save the videos to a separate file?

I use the "Grab ++" tool that is part of the Orbit Downloader to download flash video. It saves it in the native ".flv" format. You'll either need another tool to convert it to a format that Windows Media Player will play, or download the VLC Media Player which will play just about any video/audio format made.

But there are also web sites that will do the conversion for you. You just put in the web address of the page where the video is and in a few minutes it will prompt you to download the file. But these pages are usually made to work with Youtube and similar sites. The one I tried (http://keepvid.com/) didn't work with the New Yankee Workshop video.

Shopsmith should have jumped on the Norm wagon in 88 and furnished all his tools and sponsorship. There would have been Millions of Shopsmiths sold. Oh well that is what they say about hind-sight.

On the NYW site under FAQ's there are a few questions regarding the SS. Norm states that one was "Given" to them to use, could've been by the company. I think it comes down to who gave the best support financially. Just think how much different things would be If Norm used SS tools through the course of the show. Many people will buy based on what someone is using vs. what is the best for the job. I bet there were some Shopsmiths purchased from Norm using them on the show.

mbcabinetmaker wrote:Shopsmith should have jumped on the Norm wagon in 88 and furnished all his tools and sponsorship. There would have been Millions of Shopsmiths sold. Oh well that is what they say about hind-sight.

If I remember correctly I believe someone in the know did say that Shopsmith did try to underwrite the Norm's show. But there was problems, one of them was Norm did not like the Shopsmith concept. So when they sat down to sign contracts Old Yankee walked away.

If you read Norm's site in the question and answer section Norm diplomatically says he does not like Shopsmiths. Doesn't make me like Norm any less I just think he doesn't have good taste!

I'm glad those will be available, although not cheap, they are probably worth the cost if you are building the specific project. I have to say that Norm must have some good skills, I would have no fingers if I did those cheek cuts free hand!:eek: It is clear these were made in a different time.

Ed in Tampa wrote: If you read Norm's site in the question and answer section Norm diplomatically says he does not like Shopsmiths. Doesn't make me like Norm any less I just think he doesn't have good taste!

In my garage/shop the SS made it possible for me to give away many of my freestanding tools to the kids and create a usable workspace for more enjoyable hobbying. If I had a 7000 sq foot shop, a separate room for dust free finishing, and a crew to help move things around, perhaps SS would not be my first choice. In my restricted work area, I love it.

Still, New Yankee Workshop is a first class production, fun to watch. I'm glad the thread was posted so I can follow it on-line.

I watched the one episode of NYWS and now I remember why I liked the show. Norm was real. It also provided me with some insight with why I lost interest.

In the early shows Norm's focus was on building things and that was what he did. In the later shows it seemed like Norm was proving he was worthy to be called a fine craftsman. In the first show he did not use any clamps to hold his glue up. In the later shows he used so many clamps I often worried the workbench might collapse under the weight. It also seemed like in the end he used so many jigs and fixtures to insure high quality that to someone watching the program the idea of building of the jig or fixture actually turned into the project.

I really liked the old days when Norm showed his tricks and quick fixes to open joints, and mistakes. I do believe we should always be increasing our ability and craftsmenship, but I think many times we can lose focus, are we building something or are we trying to show how precise we can be?
I know this sometimes sucks the life our of me and I lose interest in the project.

I was faced with this in our last remodel. I was real hesitant to install the cabinets so when my wife came up with an expert to do it for about the 1/3 the normal cost I jumped on it. However watching him I realized I could have done everything he did and probably had done it better. However what he knew from doing it so much was how to fix his "oops". He was in fact an expert, very highly rated and sought after but he still made an "oops" or two. One or two I don't think I would have made. However the results were different. Had I made them I would have had no idea how to fix them. He made them and knew exactly what to do to fix them.

He cut crown moulding like it was second nature. I would have spent more time measuring for the first piece than he did cutting and installing it all. I don't think I would have made any mistakes yet he made two. And now even though I know what they are I really can't find them since he knew exactly how to fix them. To me that is craftsmenship. And I think that was what Norm focused on in the early programs.

Well said Ed. I have a good friend that says "oops" in the finished products "let you know it was made by a man". Alec

One of my instructors use to say that it was not an "oops" if he made a mistake. It was a "design feature".

jdramsey wrote:One of my instructors use to say that it was not an "oops" if he made a mistake. It was a "design feature".

One nice thing when working with wood is the ability to successfully incorporate on-the-fly "design features" into a project.