Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Yes he does make bold claims - he says so himself.
But is it as good as he says it is?
Paul, his version of sharpening
- Thread starter pe2dave
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But is it as good as he says it is?
raffo
Established Member
It's not an American idiom. In Spanish it means what I wrote.
So, is that why you are soft on Sellers?
Argumentative
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
In the UK it just translates as peasant.
and I'm not soft on Sellers.
Is his router plane as good as he says it is?
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Argus
Established Member
............................ Thirty All raffo
Established Member
I don't know, I don't like the look of it. I can manage with an old Millers Falls one.
I enjoy a nice bit of fish with my chips.
Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)
Established Member
It has potential. Sharpening will be easier than a Stanley/Veritas/LN. It is missing a depth stop, which is very important in my opinion. But more so, it can only use a single blade width. I use a range of blades, from 1/8” through 1/2”.
Regards from Perth
Derek
I wonder how much he gets from his books? If the example is typical it should be condensed into a pamphlet which might be understandable. For someone with 40 years experience to jump into "micro bevels" and "primary bevels" and the like it seems to me he has sold his soul to the devil and jumped onto the bandwagon.
Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)
Established Member
Sellers sold his soul a long time ago. He is one of the heaviest self-promoters on the Web. Video subscriptions, on-line teaching courses, books, and now tools. He has an army of fan-boys, and does not tolerate any dissension on his blog (your post will be removed if you question him in any manner).
Regards from Perth
Derek
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
I thought he was denigrating micro/primary/secondary bevels and the cliches of the modern sharpeners, in favour of the "macro camber"? i.e. convex bevel.
He seems to be arguing for normal traditional sharpening.
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
Well just one home-made tool so far, and he tells you were to buy the bits yourself!
He is earning his living by it and gives out a lot of free stuff - generally good advice. And he isn't sponsored by or promote particular tool brands
I'm not entirely surprised, knowing personally how hysterical the modern sharpening fraternity can get!
johnnyb
Established Member
it's just his brusque manner that I find grating. that and his constant lifestyle monkey muck.
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Jameshow
Established Member
I think he's got a whole media army for behind the camera staff who control his output, publicity and celeb status who have salaries to fill and as such control the whole shebang ironically the opposite of his on screen persona?!
thetyreman
Established Member
he's just giving out one method of sharpening a chisel, having tried the microbevel system myself I prefer the convex bevel that sellers uses, not saying it's better or worse, it just works for me.
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
Precisely. In many circumstances that goes for most of us, but not everyone. No names, no pack drill.
I believe his son helps him run his business. I don't think they control him. It's obvious he posts himself on his Facebook page as he often posts short little videos or reflections/poems he writes.
I don't think Sellers has sold out either - he offers plenty of videos for free on YT, but he doesn't do sponsored videos or 'review' gifted products he won't actually use. His subscription site is pretty cheap and although not to my taste, his furniture style is accessible and he has a nice angle at the moment of filling his own home with the pieces he's making - plus the videos / tutorials are very comprehensive and in-depth. A lot of makers only have indepth tutorials on making a workbench.
Saying all that, he definitely seems to lack humility or want to accept anyone else's opinion or learn from them (must be why you like him Jacob!
). He only follows 9 people on Instagram and most of them are family. I've never heard him attribute or reference any other woodworkers or highlight anyone elses work (most others do). For me the real mark of the man was that when David Charlesworth passed away, he didn't post anything as a tribute or reference him whatsoever when so many others did.The fact he denigrates any kind of power tool woodworking is so sad - it's ok to have a preference for handtool woodworking but to constantly harp on about how handtool only woodworking is superior is just nonsense
Jacob
What goes around comes around.
But handtool woodworking is his pitch. He's only trying to encourage people not to give up!
I've written before about Sellers lack of humility, and enough has been said about that already. He has a very approachable manner in his videos though.
That router plane kit is not unreasonable at that price. So it seems to be a genuine attempt to create an affordable plane. It doesn't look very nice though. The traditional wooden ones look nicer, and the one Derek Cohen shows on his website looks nicer and is even cheaper to make. The thing is though, if I would buy and make the sellers plane and then find out that I don't need it, the money and time would be wasted. In the same scenario but with the sellers plane replaced with a Veritas router plane, I could get almost all the money back on the second hand market and no time wasted. It is expensive to be poor as we say in Sweden.
That router plane kit is not unreasonable at that price. So it seems to be a genuine attempt to create an affordable plane. It doesn't look very nice though. The traditional wooden ones look nicer, and the one Derek Cohen shows on his website looks nicer and is even cheaper to make. The thing is though, if I would buy and make the sellers plane and then find out that I don't need it, the money and time would be wasted. In the same scenario but with the sellers plane replaced with a Veritas router plane, I could get almost all the money back on the second hand market and no time wasted. It is expensive to be poor as we say in Sweden.
Blackswanwood
Still Learning
It’s a bit ironic that this thread mainly consists of finding fault in someone who makes a living out of encouraging people to give woodworking a go and then there is another live thread peddling the view that the world is going to hell in a hand cart as no one takes up woodwork as a hobby anymore!
