woodworker interviews project

[Garrett French]

I'm going to start interviewing woodworkers for the ToolCrib blog.

The questions must be interesting and even fun to the woodworker, questions that make them think...

What questions would YOU ask your favorite/most influential woodworker?

Note - I may end up quoting your questions directly, but in any interviews I do for ToolCrib I will mention you guys and link here.

Thanks again for your help on most dangerous power tools:
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2007/02...ng-power-tools

G

[Rob Bodenschatz]

You're doing a nice job with that blog, Garrett. I've been following it for a few weeks & you're capturing some real interesting nuggets from your travels around the forums. Keep it up.

Feel free to quote me on that.

[Garrett French]

yer killin me. AND you're getting quoted for that

Seriously thanks though - when me and my buddy first started working with ToolCrib one of the things I saw was there are bunches of forum "silos" with no one really connecting them.

In the subjects I normally write for there are whole sites dedicated to covering forums.

I saw that one role I could take was as a sort of forum community correspondent and that's when I started bugging you guys with questions like this one

[Frank Pellow]

Garrett, here is a list that I whipped off. I am sure that with more thought, I can extend the list.

• Is woodworking for you a hobby, a business, or something in between?
  
  
• What types of woodworking do you prefer and why?
  
  
• What types of woodworking do you not practice and why?
  
  
• Where is your shop located and why is it located there?
  
  
• If you could change the location of your shop, would you? If yes, where would you locate it?
  
  
• What 5 things do you like best about your shop?
  
  
• What 5 things would you most like to change in your shop?
  
  
• Please describe the woodworking project that you have completed that you most proud of. Please describe the project you are least proud of.
  
  
• What is the next woodworking skill that you would like to acquire?

I wish you success with your interviews and look forward to reading them.

[Garrett French]

I asked the WoodNet guys about their most influential woodworkers...

Norm Abram's on everyone's list (well, there are three responses so far so...)
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthr...lapsed&sb=5&o=

Just thought I'd throw that in the pot and see where he stands at FW

[Bill Lantry]

Garrett,

Top five:

Nakashima
Frid
Krenov
Hylton
Carol Reed

Lots of reasons for each one, but the most important is each lead to change, or to moving forward on something. I know, I know: three of them can't be interviewed anymore... You may wish to add in Bill Pentz, as lots of shops around the country are different because of his work. The ones whose writings helped me a lot, when I was just starting out, were (I know this is hard to believe) Nick Engler and Tom Hintz. And the best woodworking writer I've ever read: Joe Johns, out in the wilds of Montana...

On questions to ask:

What's the silliest thing you see lots of woodworkers doing?

What tool hasn't been invented, but should be?

Whose work do *you* admire?

What non-famous craftsman do you wish people knew more about?

If you had to live your woodworking life over again, how would you do things differently?

Special bonus : What's the most important lesson you've ever been taught?

Good luck on those interviews...

Thanks,

Bill

[Frank Pellow]

Garrett, I think that these interviews would be more interesting if you interviewed a full spectrum of woodworkers from hobbiest to proffesional and from unkowns to "stars".

[Ned Bulken]

hate to say it but tage frid passed away in 2004

[tod evans]

garrett, i think you would be wise to phone folks and speak to them one on one for a candid interview instead of trying to go off a form or sheet....i also think that covering as broad a spectrum as possible is a good idea if you`re serious about doing this right....record a phone interview....edit it and send it to the person being interviewed for their approval.......do a couple at a time and make monthly installments in your web thing...(the term "blog" reminds me of large green cartoon characters)........if you posted several interviews once a month it would give your audiance something to look forward to every month?.......just spoutin` off .....tod

[Garrett French]

Frank - these are a great starting point for asking questions, and I totally agree with you on interviewing both hobbyists and professionals.

And I like your emphasis on the wood shop itself. I think there will be some interesting material to come out of questions along those lines...

Bill your questions would be fun to answer, making them great candidates

And Tod I agree with you on the phone calls - what do you mean by a broad spectrum though? I assume you mean types of questions to ask?

G