A New Internet Woodworking Show- Any Ideas?

(Note- this is part of my recent blog on Lumber Jocks, but I wanted to put it in the Forum too because many don’t read the blogs and I need as many Ideas as I can get…)

No point in boring you with the specifics that have filled my days since the snow began to fall here. But I thought I’d try and chat with you a little bit on one of the ideas I’ve been developing… a new internet woodworking show.

I realize that these days of cheap video cameras and internet blog sites mean you can hardly tap a couple of keystrokes without tripping over another video blog. But I think I may be able to channel some of my work into something different. My aim isn’t to compete with the great shows of some of our fellow LJ’s. Everybody has their own style. Steve at Woodworking for Mere Mortals (a great guy with whom I recently spoke about this idea) does small, unique, low budget projects and a bit of entertainment. Garage Woodworks caters to just what the name implies, people who have a table saw in their garage and he makes himself feel like your woodworking buddy down the street. The Internet Woodworker has a very small shop and it’s fun to just listen to him chat with us. All of these and others are fantastic because they did their OWN thing. That’s what I plan to do- MY own thing.

Of course I didn’t wake up with this idea this morning. I’ve been thinking and planning for some time now. But I wanted to know what specifically YOU would like to see. I’ll let you in on a couple of my ideas and you tell me what you like and what sounds like a real snooze-fest…

1. I don’t plan on making a blog that demonstrates how to make furniture or other projects. I think I would rather concentrate on what I am working on right now- building my shop. For a lot of people, that’s the sole reason for woodworking! I take a lot of pride in my shop, keeping it as functional as possible while maintaining a pleasant atmosphere. I think it as a “man cave” more than a work space.

2. I want it to be a little entertaining. Stevinmarin uses his personality to cut the boredom of and make his show less of a “how to” and more of a good time watching show. So I could develop a couple of characters, maybe enlist the help of some unique friends. I’m NOOOOO actor or comedian. But I do know some interesting people…

3. I want to divide each 5-10 minute program into separate segments. One may be a bit about a homemade chisel sharpening system, another about different kinds of chisels and which to use, maybe a review on a new chisel set, it doesn’t have to all be about a series of steps for building some project.

4. I think it would be nice to include others, maybe an interview with a fellow LJ or a visit to HIS shop on film.

5. I want it to be low budget. I have a camera, computer equipment and editing software. But I don’t want the show to feel like a high production affair. I want it more informal. It wouldn’t make sense to have a show that shows how to improve a shop without spending a lot of money that looks like it costs a ton to produce. I want it to almost look intentionally low budget.

Those are just a couple of my ideas. But I want you to consider this a bit of “market research”. What would YOU like to see. ANY idea is welcome, even if it seems nuts!

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