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There are few things I dislike more than seeing myself in video. I’m one of those guys who has a face for radio. And when I talk, I move my hands in a way that looks like I am giving myself an erotic chest massage.
But readers have asked , insisted even , that we provide video instruction for things that are difficult to show with words and still photos. So I’ve swallowed my discomfort , hard.
For more than three months, Glen D. Huey and Drew DePenning filmed me as I was building the workbench shown on the cover of the August 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Nothing was faked or set up for the cameras. It was just me working, Glen filming, me sweating and Glen chuckling.
In all, we recorded more than 40 hours of video, which Drew has been distilling into a compact narrative that explains in the most succinct terms possible how to build this bench using hand tools. We were able to greatly condense the story of building the bench by almost eliminating the “talking head” part of woodworking videos (a crime of which I am guilty on occasion).
Instead, most of the video is of me working with narration layered over the video. In film, narration is a “cheap plot device,” according to one of my favorite film professors. But I think it works here.
In addition to the video, the DVD has some extras that you will find useful.
– There is the complete story from the August 2010 issue with the cutting list and construction drawings, plus two additional views of the leg joinery.
– An extensive slideshow that contains more than 80 images , many of them unpublished. This shows you nitty-gritty details in high resolution so you can study them.
– SketchUp files of the bench, plus two variants I worked on and a SketchUp file that shows you how I took Roubo’s image of the leg and transformed it into a real working joint.
I am very not displeased with this DVD , my highest praise for my own video work.
As of today, the DVD is now in stock in our warehouse and is shipping. The DVD is $24.99.
If you are considering buying it, would you do me a favor and use this link? They track this stuff, and thanks to you guys, I won $100 in beer money, which I plan to share with the entire staff.
And speaking of beer, I think my chest massage thing could perhaps become a drinking game for you and your woodworking buddies. You have to drink anytime I’m treating my chest like an old-fashioned radio. Or anytime I say the word “unit.”
As always, thanks for your support. It’s why I still get to work here and am not the “detail sander” editor.
– Christopher Schwarz
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Narration is by no means a bad filming technique, Chris.
What I hate seeing is two guys talking to each other, in turn explaining something to the other like they have no idea which end of the chisel is sharpened, and pretending like the camera isn’t there.
I also hate a blue jean shirt worn with blue jeans and no belt. Makes it look like you’re wearing a blue jean uniform.
Hello Raymond,
We encode our DVDs as Region 0, which means they will play in any DVD player. They are, however, formatted in NTSC aspect ratio to fit properly on NTSC televisions, but you shouldn’t have any problem watching it on a computer.
Drew DePenning
I am about to start in on my own bench and would be tempted by the DVD, however being in the Southern Hemisphere, need to know for what Region the DVD is classed? Up here in the Sthn Hemisphere we are Region 4. Can you tell me if the DVD is US/Canada only or will it play elsewhere?
Chris, you know your legacy will be workbenches, don’t you? I think you’ve made enough of a name for yourself, and done well enough from them — especially the Robo, that your wife should welcome it into your sunroom. Just ask her if she thought the late Sam Maloof was allowed to have his work displayed in his home? 😉
Ok, laddie, I bought ur dvd and spent a penny more on the plane dvd to support the young’uns. ruummmmmmmmm.
For $100 worth of beer, I’d rub yor chest in an erotic fashion, arrghh!
Careful, Megan. Some might find that an excuse to play the game. 😉
I may have to get this DVD. I’ve just started building a new workbench after a move. I plan on using Douglas fir from a local heritage steam mill for the top. Looking at the pictures, though, I’m starting to doubt the 3.5" square maple I have for the legs is massive enough.
do NOT try that drinking game. He’s on par with the number of "whos" in "The Grinch."