Dropping my favorite woodworking resources on YouTube
Paul Sellers
You have to start with Paul Sellers. I don’t think anyone has more experience and is a better teacher than he is.
He’s very set in his ways and is used to having nice old tools on hand, so you do have to adjust. He uses a front vice for everything, while I prefer a plane stop for most things.
But just watch him. Don’t even worry about the topic. I’ve learned more from just observing the way he uses his body to do the work than anything he’s ever said.
Oh, and make his rag in a can. It’s more of a pain than he makes it out to be. It’s such a wonderful thing to have on hand.
Rex Krueger
The first couple of times I watched Rex Krueger, I thought he was kind of obnoxious. I don’t know why. He’s probably my favorite now.
He has the best content for beginning in the craft. He’s no beholden to any school of snobbery. He covers so much ground.
And his Patreon subscription is the most valuable I’ve ever had. Yeah, you get free plans, which are nice. I use them more for inspiration than as a recipe. But the biggest thing is just access to his Forum. I don’t think I ever see him post anything, but the community there is amazing. Having that small barrier to entry makes it like the internet of old vs social media. Just people with a common interest helping each other, and get this, disagreeing politely. Mind blowing.
And he is the best resource for building budget benches. I do work off a low bench based on his Traveler Bench design. I’ve thought about upgrading to a “proper” bench, but having it with a plane stop covers what I need and is a joy.
It is funny that most see a post 1800 design as necessary when low benches have been used for over 2000 years.
The English Woodworker
The English Woodworker falls between Paul and Rex. Although his content can be sparse.
There is so much value in just watching his hands and hearing his no nonsense approach. He’s just enjoyable.
Stumpy Nubs
This is where I start trailing off. Stumpy Nubs is a mixed bag. Some great content. Some clickbait. A lot of things that assume you can drop a couple hundred bucks on, like, a clamp.
Some of his jigs have been very helpful to me. His recommendations on new measuring tools are great.
He chooses his sponsors based on his love of them, which is admirable. But either then love or the sponsorship does lead to bias.
Taylor Toolworks
Speaking of Stumpy’s sponsors, there’s Taylor Toolworks. Their videos can be great, but they are straight up ads for their products. Which is fair. It’s a channel for a company.
I’ve found their equipment to be a mixed bag. Their plane irons are too thick and just not great.
Just buy 3M Cubitron from normal places you’d get sandpaper. It’s not worth waiting on their shipping. Their kits are kind of silly, although just the paper is very reasonably priced. But it really is great for sharpening and tool restoration. I use it for lower grit than my cheap diamond stones. I wandered into it before they went Cubitron crazy.
But they do have amazing things too. Their Narex selection is wide and better priced than anywhere I’ve found. Their clearance and sales can be great.