# Review of the Video "Sam Maloof: A Fine Woodworking DVD Profile"



## rookster

Hey Mark,

Remember that even in 1989, Sam had been woodworking professionally for a very long time. Think of this as where you might be in another 25 years.


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## decoustudio

You are right Rookster. I calculated that Sam was in his mid-70's during the filming. A powerhouse of muscle, passion, design, and love. It all just exudes from him as you watch him work, and pick out wood, and shape a chair arm, and hug his wife, and sit and rock and tell stories, and walk around his orchard, which is now an interstate highway.

And, he's doing all of this work during the years that most of us guys are looking for an RV to drive and a keno screen, or fishing hole..

There's a lesson in there somewhere.
Mark


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## IowaWoodcrafter

I can't order this DVD. I'm in awe of your work, Mark. I feel like a child when I look at my work compared to yours. If Sam overwhelmed you then I have no chance of my ego coming out unbruised.


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## decoustudio

Thanks Owen: Go ahead and get the DVD. I've recovered now, and have a burning passion fueled by Sam's inspiration…...again.

I read his autobiography (future review to do) maybe 10 years ago, and it is just packed with what makes him tick. One of the things that impressed me so much, was that he didn't let the lack of money, the lack of a shop, the lack of tools, the lack of anything get in his way. I'm sort of the same way, but he obviously has more common sense, intelligence, skill, and tools, than I have.

He started out making furniture from used sandblasted plywood pieces that he scavenged, and took off from there. When he didn't have a shop, he would pull his tools out of a chicken coop and worked on the grass, and put the tools back at the end of the day. Eventually he got enough money to pour a concrete pad. He just worked on the concrete pad, and after each project he could afford to buy 2-3 studs for the walls of his future shop. He pieced it all together one little leg at a time. He says all the while, his wife helped, and encouraged him to stick to it.

He said in the Western Design Conference lecture in 2006, that, "You just can't give up."

At the Conference, he told a heart warming story of how he and his wife and the mailman all stood together on the sidewalk looking at an envelope in Sam's hands. He quickly opened it up, it had a big check, and all three of them jumped up and down with joy. They had enough money to cover the rent for the next 8 months. He said that the mailman was just as happy as he and his wife was. I have a UPS delivery guy like that. He is excited to bring me supplies, and hear every trip how things are going. We need folks like that in our lives. We are equally excited about customer checks, and often jump up down, and always hold a check and look up, "Thank you Lord."

From what I can see of Sam after studying him for the past 10 years, and only shaking his hand for brief moment in Cody, WY, reading anything in print about him, reading from his book, seeing his profile on "Modern Master's", and watching this Taunton DVD…...........Sam would mostly like say,

"I'm pulling for you." And so would I.

He wasn't built in a day, neither was Rome, and neither are we!

Now, let's all get to work!
Mark


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## DaveT

When he does a cut or something he goes, "Now look at what I have done" or something along those lines, makes me chuckle.


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## jockmike2

Like I said before Mark, one day we'll all be saying, why that's a" Decou". Wait and see. Just like we say that's a Maloof now. mike


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