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WHO'S THE FINEST WOODWORKER.

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11K views 90 replies 66 participants last post by  JoeLyddon 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey Friends
I was trying to establish in my thought who I thought was the best woodworker ever,I remember reading a article in Fine woodworking about an informal poll by the regular contributing editors(a very impressive group) on FWW and they all came up with Phil Lowe as the best woodworker they knew. He is miles and miles ahead of my capabilities and a amazing craftsman and teacher after some more thought I realized that our vote for the best woodworker ever is based on our own experience. as and example when I first started I didn't notice or even think about the miters were tight in a picture frame or not ,I was just impressed that someone could make a picture frame, but now that I've made some picture frames I can appreciate the skill it takes to make nice tight miters.Even though I've been a woodworker for close to 25 years I still don't know enough to be a judge of fine furniture in a furniture show, So I guess for me it has to be what I think of there finished work based on what I know.I know in developing a list of who might qualify for such a lofty title, folks might think of TV personalities like Norm Abram or Tommy McDonald or even David Marks all super craftsman in there own right, but dose their celebrity really qualify them for the top spot. Then there are the old masters of days gone by like Duncan Phyfe ,John Goddard or John Townsend. Were they the best ever? I don't know if it's possible to name the very best ever but there has to be craftsman that we would include one or more of the following categories :

top 100 old masters
top 100 modern masters
top 100 Ljs members
best in your neighborhood
 
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#4 ·
Thankyou everyone from the acedem…..........................Ah crap, it wasn't me.
A1jim, the best woodworker in real terms was my DAD. He was able to make a lot of things with pretty primitive tools (According to todays standards, )
I look at the architecture of Europeans ,Asians, Romans and I am perplexed. Completely in AWE at what those people years ago were able to build. It has lasted !
We do have well known people in North America as well, to name ONE is a difficult thing. Personal taste would decide which ONE I really think stands out.
Very good topic…I will follow this and learn even more. Thanks A1jim for starting this.
 
#5 ·
Any effort to define the best has to be very subjective.

I personally know a guy who is extremely artistic in what he designs and builds. His workmanship is very good but would probably not qualify as "the best". His artistic talent may qualify his as "the best". Are we talking about great joints or great artistry?

I have great admiration for the old woodworkers who did such great work with virtually nothing but hand tools - often hand made hand tools. Does the state of the tools they had to work with figure into the decision?

Some woodworkers have access to and work with some incredibly beautiful pieces of wood. Others, work with more basic stock. Does the quality of the wood factor into this decision?

Do you only consider one or two exceptional pieces or do you consider their work in total?

How do you compare a complex piece of furniture (a complex desk for example) and an impressive turning?

My point is that this is very subjective and everyone will have their opinions.

Despite all my babbling - the woodworker I admire the most is Sam Maloof.
 
#7 ·
Just IMHO mind you, but the best woodworkers ever are, or were…

Jesus of Nazareth. (Hey, you think he didn't work in Joseph's carpentry shop when he was a boy?)
My Grandpa H…
My great uncle Gilbert,
My Dad. Dad, Uncle Gilbert, and Grandpa furnished and accessorized several family homes with equipment that would be considered primitive by todays standards. I had no idea furniture was made of cheap plywood and particle board until after I got my first apartment and tried furnishing it on my own… Now their style and mine are radically different, but I will say this, I sure wish Dad was closer so I could spend some quality shop time with him while he's still here…
That dude I saw making Jaguar masks on the road on the way to the pyramids at Chichen Itza. He could do things with, and I kid you not, a swiss army knife, and sand held in a banana leaf used as abrasive that would blow your mind!

I might be a little biased though…
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
Jesus of Nazareth. (Hey, you think he didn't work in Joseph's carpentry shop when he was a boy?)
(I agree)

Sam Maloof - Woodworker… In his field… He redefined the Rocking Chair along with other chairs and furniture.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (you didn't think I'd vote for anyone else… did you?)

Note: Jim said "... who was…"
... but the title says "who's" = who is … (???)
 
#14 ·
That is a really tough call; I don't know enough about "famous" ww to make any sort of suggestions; this month's FWW mag features Jere Osgood; his creations are absolutely amazing, however I've seen my share of projects on LJ's which are beautiful and incredible. Some stuff I can sort of imagining one day to have the skill to build, there's a lot of projects on this site though that I can never imagine being able to build!
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
I think the best woodworkers has to be the waterbucket maker
he is judged several times a day to proof his new build bucket is thight
if we talk a single person …. but none of those we know the name on

and if there can be more than one who can have build a thing it most be the boatbuilders
since people littrely put there life in there hands

if it comes to furniture it has to be one that is a master of several trades in woodworking
both to design /build / turning/carving /veenering and finish how many can claim that now adays
compared to the old masters that made furnitures of high end to the realy rich including
queens and kings among those who did that there is several that is pretty much unknown to the mass

I have seen a few on L J

to find the best of the best will take years and a few $ (alot of them)to find out

take care
Dennis
 
#16 ·
Jesus of Nazareth? I don't think he did much with this woodworking and I can't ever remember hearing about any of his woodworking skills or what type of stuff he built…I believe he got his skills and his notarriety on other areas.

I agree with Rich..there are so many variables and areas of woodworking that make it hard to define under one title. So many people with so much talent and longevity building in so many different styles in their trade.
 
#18 ·
Hmmmmm…..

Most of build things we've seen or copy someone else's design, or even buy a design and build to the plan.
The really interesting and awesome stuff for me is the original work. People that come up with something never seen before, and build it really well.

Most of us have never really had a truly original thought. I know I'll take flak for that statement, but I believe it to be true. The really amazing woodworkers have skill, talent, and can think miles ahead of the rest of us.

I don't know who these people are off the top of my head, all I really know is, I'm not one of them.

Wait, you said best in my neighborhood? Well I'm pretty high up on that list. :) I think there's only one other guy anywheres near here.

Thanks for making us think again Jim.

Mike
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
wow jim, you really hurt me on this one…i thought i was, based on what i know of my skills and then others…LOL…LOL… im a legend in my own mind…....lol….....yes your right, when i see the works of the great ones , ive seen so many who i thought were just fantastic and know i wont ever reach there skill level…but i know for sure ive seen some very good craftsmen on this web site…but who is the best, well i think joe has got, good luck in finding out who it might be, maybe some real close ones will be revealed in this thread…good post jim… p.s…and besides…ive never seen a man look so good in a red dress then me, and wear a tool belt…LOL..
 
#22 ·
Hmm,

Short and obvious list.

Tage Frid, for re-introducinng us to the Danish Workbench
George Nakashima/Gentaro Hikogawa, introduced traditional Japanese woodworking to America
Sam Maloof, goes without saying
Gustav Stickley, father of the Craftsman Style
Greenes/Halls, contemporary classics

And lets not forget James Krenov.
 
#23 ·
Actually my point about Jesus was the influence on woodworkers. Not specifically regarding woodworking, but he sure did have an impact. (Not a comment on religion, rather a comment on the historical person and impact…)
 
#24 · (Edited by Moderator)
I gotta say Noah, I am not sure what gopher wood is, but hos ark was tight and that was before the days of steam bending and such.

I think the best is very difficult to determine, we can say the most artistic, or the most utilitarian, or the most cost effective. I love the work of Gustav Stickley. I don't think we can leave out Antonio Stradivarius for his violins and Zacharias Hildebrandt who built Bach's organ.
 
#25 ·
a very good idea Jim. My thoughts are my Uncle Herm. He was an incredible craftsman, but, nobody else knows of him because he wasn't on tv, or in any magazines. I still have an LP cabinet that he made for me on my 18th b-day (we won't say how long ago that was), that resides in my shop, and every glance at that cabinet, I get inspired by Uncle Herm. My $.02
It really isnt anything fancy, but, to me, it means a bunch. Here is the cabinet:
Wood Rectangle Wood stain Varnish Hardwood


some inlay that he did. I know they have this stuff in places like Woodcraft nowadays, so I don't know if he actually made it, or if he bought it. I'll never know.
Cabinetry Wood Rectangle Wood stain Floor
 

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#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am of the mindset that there is no one that can be called the best, everyone has their area in woodworking where they excel, and certainly there are many who excel in every area of woodworking. For me it's not so much the craftsmanship but the one who has the patience, the focus and the design ability to start from a few hunks of wood or boards and create something that was only an image in their mind. Every one here to me is the best woodworker…. Ok if you make me choose I would go with Norm Abram, as he was a big influence in my obsessive hobby, that's what makes him the best to me.
 
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