# TOMMY MC DONALD HAS LEFT ROUGH CUT PBS SHOW



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hi Gang
According to Charles Neil and Facebook Tommy Mcdonald has left the Rough cut tv show, It seems that the information about him leaving has two sides of the story, one side says he quit, while the other says he was fired.
A rather Ironic item is the Charles Neil has just shot a pilot for a local PBS TV show perhaps putting Charles on the air in some locations. Who knows what will happen next.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Too bad about rough cut, that was a good show.
Hopefully he comes up with a new show.
It's always nice to have the craft represented in a public way.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I found that interesting since he had just built that new shop and must have had $100K worth of Mini-Max/SCM tools in the lower level. They were also listed as a sponsor at the end of that episode. I did not check his Facebook after I had first heard the news, but one person posted his words seemed to have some bitterness in them.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Hey Jim you may have missed it but here is a topic from last week talking about it.
Not much more to say though, other than he's leaving.

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/215042


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Thanks J 
I've been working a lot plus I only get hear say about facebook since I'm not on it. Should I change my title to
Late breaking news or very late breaking news )


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

> Thanks J
> Should I change my title to
> Late breaking news or very late breaking news )
> 
> - a1Jim


No, your good. 
I just was showing you in case you wanted to read more "lumberjock input" about it.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

That's to bad, he was one of the better replacements for Norm. I sure hope they get someone decent to replace him.


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## Boxguy (Mar 11, 2012)

I have nothing against Tommy, but I hope the next guy is less on appearance and hair, and more about explaining and teaching. Norm was always such a good teacher. I learned a lot about woodworking from Norm. I will miss Tommy's friends Al and Eli.

I did have the feeling that Tommy's new shop was filled with equipment far beyond the reach of his audience's pocketbook. Frankly, I didn't get it. Tommy's new shop was set up for commercial production not home woodworking.


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## MikeUT (Sep 5, 2014)

I watched rough cut, but only because it is one of the only woodworking shows on TV. The format is obsolete. There is much better content on YouTube that doesn't require the bloated costs of a production crew. There hasn't been a top-notch woodworking show on TV since Norm.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Hey Jim!

Haven't seen a post from you in awhile. Tommy was mentioning in an interview awhile ago that the shop only looked like that for the cameras. Jimmy Diresta was on TV as well and then he wasnt and he now has found his niche is kinda the *Mr. Internet *now doing it his way. He has been asked to do tv production shows but said it's a lot of hoops to jump through and it's always their way.

I'm guessing no one told Norm how to do it, but I remember when he was the spokesman for Meralack ( SP) cabinets and he was told to stop.

Great news for Charles the "Big dog" and I hope they give him a lot of latitude. ( he'll need it. LOL!)

Happy Easter to you and all if you're so inclined.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

I think I agree w/BigAl. Norm was Norm, and he was/is good at what he did, woodwork and teaching woodworking. Everything revolves on fast fast fast anymore. I've learned that we all should just slow it down, and "smell the coffee". All will be good. Just my thoughts.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Thanks again "J" I did read the other comments, I appreciate the tip.

Hi Tom
Yep, I've been pretty busy. I'm not familiar with Jimmy Diresta but I can see why all that's involved with a TV production is not all glamor and fame. Not sure about Norm his producer and director and creator of THS,NYW,and others was an is Russell Morash know to be fairly picky about his shows, but I doubt he messed with the content that much.

Charles has a behind the scenes Vido of his taping of the Pilot show for his local PBS show,He said they had to stop and go a few times on things like sawdust on his shirt etc.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1662828183729117



Sure I observe Easter are trying to get me in trouble with the easter Bunny? )
Just kidding we observe Easter for it's religious purpose.
I hope you and the whole family have a wonderful Easter also


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

Interesting news. I wonder what Tommy Mac will go on to do? I imagine that being a woodworking celebrity doesn't bring the same sort of fortune as other forms of celebrity. That said, I think that it would be hard to go back to a work-a-day life doing kitchen re-models after the glamour of your own show. Hopefully Chris Schwartz at Lost Art Press has already signed him to write a book "My life as a Woodworker TV Star".


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Watched him a couple times. Not my cup of tea. Wish him the best, though.


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## CJIII (Jan 3, 2014)

Is this truth? I like Tommy Mac.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Funny, I had just caught the final show of this season this morning (I record and watch when I get a chance). He had already (apparently) thinned the herd of machine tools from the last episode I saw. He had rearranged things slightly and I didn't see the stand alone 16" jointer (his combo TS also has a jointer). It may have been there, but he had a lot more space on the lower floor. Oh, well.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

I'll take Charles Neil over Tommy the kool kid any day of the week.

Happy Easter everyone.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

I've met him and watched his show, as I watch any woodworking shows. I'm a junkie like most. He was a little over passionate at times but we all have our idiosyncrasies. Too bad his show is no longer and wish him the best. It was sad when he left lumberjocks because of some bashing he was receiving as well.

I will surely be on the lookout for Charles show. He's a great guy and he took the time to talk me through some finishing issues in was having a few yrs ago. Best mm to both of them.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Other than Tommy saying he won't be on the show anymore I haven't heard anything. Any other stories are probably gossip. Norm had carte blanche to do what he wanted, Tommy was hired by a production company. I think their big mistake was trying to be too much like New Yankee because that only draws comparisons.


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## putty (Jan 1, 2014)

I saw him at a woodworking show in Dallas, I struck up a conversation with him, then he said come on, I'll buy you a beer. I had a beer in the hallway, he didn't drink one, but bought some soda's for a couple of kids too.

I thought he was a real good guy… but buy me a beer I would say that about anyone


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## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

I really enjoyed Norm a lot and Tim Yoder for turning and he was on there for 18 months and gone. He did a good job in turning and teaching to.

To bad it seems the TV network is all cooking and I am very tired of that and it seems woodworking in way down on the ratings.

To bad to since it is so good for the person to do a craft and relax doing it to and they see something that can be achieved in the making.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I use to communicate with Tommy when he had his podcast before his TV show he always seemed like a nice guy ,At that period in time he was making a Bombe chest on Chest he seemed to be very persistent going to great efforts and sometimes tons of work to correct the smallest errors,it took him close to a year to build it but it was a beautiful work of art when finished.He had it finished by a professional finisher and I use to see it when he had it in the back of the shop when he first started Rough Cut show, I'm not sure he every sold it. Tommy is far more talented than myself but I could see he had quite a bit to add to his woodworking knowledge bank, back in the pod show days he seemed afraid to even try routers and he got upset when he got glue on his hands. I like Tommy I wish him success in the future.
Now it's Charles Neils turn to give his local PBS show a go, Charles is truly and experets expert woodworking and finishing but he still can teach and relate the very beginning novice woodworker all the way up to a 20 year woodworker.Charles is already an author, teacher, lecturer and master finisher and woodworker so he doesn't need a show to prove his worth, but he loves to share his knowledge with others. 
Good luck my friend with your PBS show "Woodworking Then and Now"


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## Babieca (Apr 13, 2014)

I wasn't always the biggest fan of Tommy Mac the TV personality, but I really appreciated the wide variety of projects they did on the first few seasons of the show, from contemporary to traditional and everything in between. I think that variety is really missing from the other woodworking shows including St. Norm.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Charles contacted me when there weren't the wide variety of YouTubers and asked me to give input as I'd been critiquing woodworking DVD's.

Charles has his way of teaching from being in the shop. He has learned and been burnt along the way. He has a lot of great YouTube videos with excellent tips.

He suggested I check out Lj's many years ago, and it's been my home away from home ever since. I met Jim on Charles site when Charles was daily blogging, but he wearied of that.

Tommy was a young fresh face who was doing something new. In my opinion the pace was too fast and too frenetic. To Tommy's credit he brought in people including Charles to share their knowledge. Jim wanted to know who Jimmy Diresta is as Jim stays in the woodworking zone. Jimmy is an example to all of us that we can make a difference if we are willing to swim upstream. Charles is my main mentor, and I refer to his DVD's as I know what he has taught me and if I forget I have him to help.

I truly wish both men a lot of success. I have been looking at myself when attempting to make a VLOG and saying "Who'd watch that guy?" LOL!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Things I really appreciate about Tommy is that he will say he made a mistake and show it, and he was always quick to give credit where it was due. If Eli was the man behind something, he gave Eli credit. A few times I noticed mistakes or that a piece had been switched out between takes but that is editing, you can't show everything. But my impression is that he is a straight up and honest guy.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

While I have been an open critic of Tommy Mac and RoughCut as it began, I do understand how and why he needs to sever that relationship with PBS. Having met and talked with an "earlier" PBS WW star(DM), I think I understand about the financial short-comings of working with PBS in the long term.

Good luck to Tommy and his future ventures. At least he recognized the PBS reality early enough to do something positive for his own reputation and future.


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## Rrrandy (Feb 1, 2017)

a1jim, don't worry about competition from the other Tommy Mac thread…they're now discussing the USPS and WWIII.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Looks like he's going to focus on teaching classes for the immediate future.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Mike, I don't recall David Marks ever being on PBS (at least not on the my local stations). His show was started by the DIY channel before it became the "rock gardening" channel. (I'm guessing DM is David Marks).


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## TravisH (Feb 6, 2013)

Wasn't a huge fan of Tommy Mac but still thought of the current wood working shows the one I was most likely to watch. It is unfortunate as any show lost in this niche market is a blow. Less and less need for a TV show every year with the way internet based wood working has taken off. I also think they have a huge issue with demographics.

Doesn't matter how much a guy knows they have to draw in an audience. I think many individuals choices would draw a very narrow audience and more importantly you need an viewership that is interested in spending money on new tools and products. Growing up most I knew that watched woodworking shows are do watch shows now are very much more likely to be looking at plots at Shady Glen Acres that a new table saw.

I am afraid TV woodworking shows are relegated to Ellen Design challenge or home renovation stuff. Neither really about woodworking unfortunately.


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## mramseyISU (Mar 3, 2014)

> Hey Jim you may have missed it but here is a topic from last week talking about it.
> Not much more to say though, other than he s leaving.
> 
> http://lumberjocks.com/topics/215042
> ...


There's a lot of crazy going on there.


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## BigMig (Mar 31, 2011)

I enjoyed Tommy's shows, but always wished he'd go slower…or remove the trip and spend a little more time on the project. Might have been better as a one hour program…but I learned a lot from him, Eli and Al D'


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## JulianLech (Jan 13, 2011)

That's a shame he is leaving Rough Cut. I enjoyed the show and his high energy for woodworking. I hope he continues to make other woodworking shows perhaps on YouTube. The PBS stations will definitely have a void to fill.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

> That s a shame he is leaving Rough Cut. I enjoyed the show and his high energy for woodworking. I hope he continues to make other woodworking shows perhaps on YouTube. The PBS stations will definitely have a void to fill.
> - Julian


I think Tommy is launching his own website subscription service, and thus cutting out the middleman. At least that is what it sounds like to me.

FROM TOMMY'S WEBSITE:

INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES FOR MEMBERS
Here is a sneak peak at some video shot in the old shop. It is for a new video subscription series I'm putting together. I had tons of requests for more instructional videos and felt it was time to take a deep dive. Thanks for all of your comments and support! Have a look and let me know what you think! More info to come as we roll this out.


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## xwingace (Apr 25, 2011)

Aw man, I had a total bro-crush on him!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> "_INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES FOR MEMBERS
> - HorizontalMike


I like these videos. The camera is a bit intrusive, in other words I never forget it's there because the panning is so regular and unnatural, but Tommy is good.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I guess some folks are asking who would be a good replacement, but I question if a replacement with the same format makes any sense. I guess some may think it makes a woodworking show less valuable on the market if the show is broken down into segments rather than it into one 20 minute show, but many times Roy Underhill will break projects down into two to Three shows. As a woodworking instructor I know it's very hard to get the essence of any woodworking project out even in an hour. I hope the sponsors, producers and production companies will start to understand this concept plus they choose their next personality not just for their star quality but for their expertise in woodworking and teaching what they know.


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## mramseyISU (Mar 3, 2014)

> I guess some folks are asking who would be a good replacement, but I question if a replacement with the same format makes any sense. I guess some may think it makes a woodworking show less valuable on the market if the show is broken down into segments rather than it into one 20 minute show, but many times Roy Underhill will break projects down into two to Three shows. As a woodworking instructor I know it s very hard to get the essence of any woodworking project out even in an hour. I hope the sponsors, producers and production companies will start to understand this concept plus they choose their next personality not just for their star quality but for their expertise in woodworking and teaching what they know.
> 
> - a1Jim


That's essentially what the boys on the Woodsmith Show have been doing the last couple years. I spend half the show doing one part of one furniture project then the other half is some shop jog or storage. They've only been getting one big project a season done on that show.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Yes, that's true Mramsey the Woodsmith show is a good example of not rushing through projects, they do a great job of breaking projects down step by step.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

I met Tommy twice at WIA. He's the same in person. A good guy. The 2nd time I was wearing a Lumberjocks T shirt.

He came to me and asked what kind of woodworking I do. I showed him this.

He started laughing and ran away with it. He showed it to Scott Phillips and everyone else around that he knew. He asked about how I did it and said he really liked it. Talk about making my day. And this was after he left here.

Thanks, Tommy! Good luck!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Lot of honest and sincere talk from Tommy on his live feed this morning. He said he wasn't allowed to talk about it, but essentially confirmed that he was fired and doesn't know what he will do. When asked about YouTube, he said he didn't want to jump into it without testing other waters first. He was visibly sad and upset when he talked about the show and seemed most upset that many people believed he was only a host and not a furniture builder. He also talked about the tiger maple desk he's building and even mentioned the selling price. I enjoy the live feed more than the show, heh, guess that was the problem.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Hmmm … I wonder if there was some sort of advertiser backlash. Woodcraft was the major sponsor, and they don't sell SCM machinery. Maybe they pulled the plug?


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## mramseyISU (Mar 3, 2014)

> Lot of honest and sincere talk from Tommy on his live feed this morning. He said he wasn t allowed to talk about it, but essentially confirmed that he was fired and doesn t know what he will do. When asked about YouTube, he said he didn t want to jump into it without testing other waters first. He was visibly sad and upset when he talked about the show and seemed most upset that many people believed he was only a host and not a furniture builder. He also talked about the tiger maple desk he s building and even mentioned the selling price. I enjoy the live feed more than the show, heh, guess that was the problem.
> 
> - Rick M


I just listened to his facebook live after reading this. That sure sounds like a guy who got the axe. Also I'm going to have to start listening in to his facebook live posts more often. I liked the show but he's really funny when he's not trying to cater to the bosses at PBS.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

My take is that he was fired for being unpopular. He mentioned twice that he's not Norm, he's Tommy MacDonald. It goes back to what I said earlier that copying NYW was a bad idea because it drew comparisons. You can't chase the last great thing. If they try again with a new host maybe they will have learned a lesson.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

PBS's loss on this one in my opinion big time. Everyone is different we all know that. Unpopular that's some suit making a decision no doubt. It would be like comparing David Marks, Woodsmith shop & Underhill etc. etc. etc. to Norm. I'm a wood junkie and watch all shows and respect the fact there trying to put out the best product they can for us woodworkers. I couldn't do any better I'm guessing. Got to love politics.


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## Blakester (Dec 6, 2017)

I just saw in the Feb 2018 issue of Fine Woodwoking that the new host of Rough Cut is Tom McLaughlin from NH Furniture Masters.


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## sawdustdad (Dec 23, 2015)

Not familiar with McLaughlin, but I will watch the show to see what he does. I was never a big fan of Tommy Mac, only watched a few times. I watched Norm and learned a lot about the the mechanics of woodworking and David Marks for the aesthetics. Woodsmith Shop is so over-produced it's hard to watch-the opposite end of the spectrum from Roy Underhill, who is down to earth. I love that Roy often sports stitches or cuts on his fingers, just like me!


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

here he is https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/experience-woodworking-with-tom-mclaughlin

This is confirmed by our PBS folks


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Tom McLaughlin actually appeared in a number of shows with Tommy Mac … it will be interesting to see what the new show offers.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Many may not have like Tommy's show for one reason or the other. My view of his show or anyone show or even a magazine is "if I leaned just one thing" it's well worth watching or reading. If you are watching to critique someones hair you are watching for the wrong reason.

My apologies to natenaaron for my poor English.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

He seems like a good choice. I've seen pics of his work, impressive.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

> here he is https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/experience-woodworking-with-tom-mclaughlin
> 
> This is confirmed by our PBS folks
> 
> - CharlesNeil


Interesting read, but none of the links to McLaughlin works anymore and this wasn't that long ago. Wonder what happened?


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

> Interesting read, but none of the links to McLaughlin works anymore and this wasn t that long ago. Wonder what happened?
> 
> - Rayne


Try this link: http://www.epicwoodworking.com/


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

It may be that PBS only wants him on their website.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Trading one Tommy Mac for another?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Trading one Tommy Mac for another?
> 
> - bandit571


I had the same thought. Saving $$ on rebranding, lol.


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## Ibboykin (Jan 31, 2018)

Wow I am way behind! I just watched season 7 epidode 12 and when I saw what he had equipped his shop with…...well it pissed me off. 
I was enjoying this season and the new shop build. I get that the tv show guys can afford to build a nicer shop but Tommy went way over board. 
The show was never any good to begin with but like others said, it was about the only show available. 
Sadly….there will
Never be another Norm. Thankfully I inherited all my Fad's DVDs. I have many years worth of episodes.


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

> That s to bad, he was one of the better replacements for Norm. I sure hope they get someone decent to replace him.
> 
> - BurlyBob


Agree!


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## uglyoldfatman (Jan 2, 2018)

Looks like I'm going to be the devel's advocate. Tommy Mac may have started out good, but I couldn't watch the last season without getting P.O.ed every time. I, like most of you, I'm sure, have a garage shop. I don't care to see someone build a 3,500 sq/ft shop that looks nicer than my house with a table saw that costs more than my car. I much prefer the new Tom that shows sensible projects, with practical tips, built with tools that we can all afford.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> Looks like I m going to be the devel s advocate. Tommy Mac may have started out good, but I couldn t watch the last season without getting P.O.ed every time. I, like most of you, I m sure, have a garage shop. I don t care to see someone build a 3,500 sq/ft shop that looks nicer than my house with a table saw that costs more than my car. I much prefer the new Tom that shows sensible projects, with practical tips, built with tools that we can all afford.
> 
> - uglyoldfatman


Not just Tommy but all of the woodworking show. I don't care about the shops, the tools, the attitudes or any of that stuff. If I can learn something I didn't know it makes it well worth it. It they build supper complicated projects above my pay grade there are still technique you can learn. Ad all your learned techniques together and someday you'll be able to build more complex projects. The only bad show is one you learn nothing from.

Side note: If something was pissing me off I'd change the channel.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Before Tommy got the PBS show he had a Podcast of his own doing most of his own camera work and having just graduated from the North Bennet street school furniture program,but even though he had minimal tools and did a fair amount of his work on the floor he was doing very sophisticated projects, his first was a Bombe chest on chest that turned out amazingly well and beautiful. 
I'm guessing the PBS folks wanted to do more viewer based projects and Tommy wanted to do the more complicated pieces. My contact with him back then he seemed like a great guy perhaps the prestige of having his own show gave him the motivation to have his dream shop and tools.


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## CrockerHill (May 12, 2018)

I built the draw leaf table that Tommy and Levi built for my daughter's dining room. Much larger than either Tommy's or the one in Tage's book. Very important to keep everything very square or the leafs are a bit off.


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