Menu
What's new

who are your top five most influential woodworkers?

I counted all the woodworkers you guys mentioned, plus the woodworkers mentioned at WoodNet and LumberJocks.

There were over 100, so I picked the top 31 who had more than one mention and wrote a mini bio for each and included links to notable interviews or sources of information for each one.

I'll be trying to get more input from woodworkers over the next couple of weeks and will continue to revise this particular page, plus release other guides similar to this one but with the lesser known woodworkers...

As I mentioned there are over 70 woodworkers who only got one mention, each one deserving of his/her own little write up, and deserving of recommendation to others as sources of inspiration.

Anyways, if you have a minute check out the top 31 most influential woodworkers and let me know what you think :)
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2007/03/10/toolcribcoms-guide-to-your-31-most-influential-woodworkers/
 
Garrett French said:
I counted all the woodworkers you guys mentioned, plus the woodworkers mentioned at WoodNet and LumberJocks.

There were over 100, so I picked the top 31 who had more than one mention and wrote a mini bio for each and included links to notable interviews or sources of information for each one.

I'll be trying to get more input from woodworkers over the next couple of weeks and will continue to revise this particular page, plus release other guides similar to this one but with the lesser known woodworkers...

As I mentioned there are over 70 woodworkers who only got one mention, each one deserving of his/her own little write up, and deserving of recommendation to others as sources of inspiration.

Anyways, if you have a minute check out the top 31 most influential woodworkers and let me know what you think :)
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2007/03/10/toolcribcoms-guide-to-your-31-most-influential-woodworkers/
Click to expand...
In your bio of Sam Maloof, you comment "Yet David Marks said upon meeting the now departed Mr. Maloof..." Unless something's happened that I didn't hear about, I think Sam is still with us.

Mike
 
I will stay out of this opinion. I know that seeing hands on was the best teacher that I had. Not a TV show in the world will teach you more than what the old craftsman can teach you. The old guys had no chances for eror or it would cost them their profit. TV guys make sure they have it right befor the show airs.
Thanks
Chuck
 
Chuck you weren't the only person to not have been influenced by TV woodworkers... I heard at least one other woodworker who was more than a little opposed to them.

And HOLY MOSES, Craig - Wayne Henderson is amazing. Thanks for that link.

G
 
A friend of the family, Bud Shaw, was a 5th generation cabinet maker. I liked watching The Woodwright Shop. Other than those I guess books are my inspiration.
 
As I think about this, it brings back a flood of memories. When I was very small, I learned that my Grandfather was a carpenter on the Palace of Fine Arts, in San Francisco. When I was in his basement, I remember seeing hand tools everywhere. Even after his death, I was not savy enough to ask for any of his tools. Something I've regretted ever since.

In chronological order it would have to be;
1. My high school wood shop teacher. Patient when I knew nothing. I was with him, every chance, for four years.
2. Also when I was in high school, a contractor my Dad hired to add a room and redo the kitchen. He took my friend and I to his shop for a couple projects. I wish I had been smart enough to save them.
3. Watching Norm from the beginning. Including his early partnership with Bob Vila on a seperate program. I didn't care much for Bob. It was Norm's easyness and explanations on camera that inspired me. I kept years of his programs in a library, even before I had the tools to enable me to tackle his plans.

Thanks for this thread,
Mike
 
i am the 1st woodworker in my family:
so here it goes
1: brian priester, he has been my mentor and patiently put up with my mistakes. he is a s.c.a.d. graduate and amazingly talented both in his skill level and ability to think outside the box.
2.the greene brothers
3. stickley,gustav
4. sam maloof
and lastly 5. tage fried

phillip workman

W.A.L.S.T.I.B.
 
1 First and Foremost, My Dad, starting about age 4, and I worked on many projects with him for ourselves and customers, on up through High School.
2 My College Shop Teacher
3 George Nakashima
4 and of course, NORM
5 and then the Router Workshop Boys for innovative methods.
6 Numerous Nameless old Craftsmen that I couldn't have known, but studied the pieces they had made that had endured the test of time, many of which I discovered in my travels around the World during my flying career.
7 Numerous Craftsmen from the different woodworking forums
8 and Especially the works of Mark Singer, Architect/Woodworker
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top