Last Year’s Different Highlights

Social media to some is a bit like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. Thos who like Marmite usually have it on toast and turn to it every morning to start their day. It can be the same with Facebook and YouTube. I like it for one or two reasons but the main one is that it’s through social media that I can let so many people searching for real woodworking know about our work. I thought this years happenings would be of interest to you because I know that you too care about the community we’ve become. Let’s take a look at our YouTube channel first. Some of you will know that we recently passed the 225,000 mark. Not bad considering that was never in our psyche when we first started presenting for YT.

TOP 3 MOST POPULAR YOUTUBE VIDEOS (2017)

First place:”Fibonacci spiral shaving” ( 559,274 views)

Second place: “How to Make a Poor Man’s Spokeshave” (104,206 views)

Third place: “How to Make a Workbench Episode 1” (100,998 Views)

Last year moved so fast and we achieved so much but I thought you might like to see some of the surprising highlights flagged up by numbers. Well, at least they surprised me as they would Mr Fibonacci I’m sure. I wonder what he would feel at my taking a few seconds to create a three-dimensional example of his mathematical formula. It did go pretty wild when we put up just the old photograph on my Facebook but when we filmed it! Whoah!

I wanted to show people who might need a spokeshave that they didn’t have to spend much of anything but a little time to make a spokeshave that worked. They took that as a trainer and then went on to make a really good one from some basic scraps. My Real Woodworking Campaign in action.

And currently I was amazed that my new how-to on building a great workbench suddenly reached people around the globe and how many started building it straightaway.

TOP 3 MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS (2017) 

Most looked at on my blog were the following blogs.

I tell you, I am surprised because other posts took a lot more effort and energy pulling together, but it shows what people are looking for.

How to build a workbench part 7. This is the one with the drawings and measurements. We have replaced this series with a new one currently being released because the old one was too big for 95% of my audience. that said, people found it entertaining to see me in my garden making a workbench. Part 1 was popular and the reason is it broke through the barriers people faced with buying masses of hardwood at top prices. We made it affordable, doable and more important all inclusive. This new series though is so top notch. I appreciate what we achieved initially but crafting good film is like crafting a piece of fine furniture. It’s the small details that make the biggest impact.

Applying any wood finish is often very intimidating because you can have hours, weeks and even months in a project. I thought that this video took away some of the fears and would help people to realise that with the right steps they could get started. It worked.

TOP 3 MOST POPULAR FACEBOOK POSTS

Well here was a turn-up. It was the videos again that struck the high note with most people. The Inlaying Geometric Shapes followed by Fibonacci spiral video followed by Laying Your Plane on its Side. Who would have thought it.

TOP 3 MOST POPULAR INSTAGRAM POSTS

Instagram also liked videos. Hannah flipping her workbench over safely was great and then my gouging Google with a couple of gouges in a few seconds seem to draw intrigue. Hannah’s levelling of her workbench top caught the imagination and I think this was helpful for those watching.

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So there you have it, just a few 2017 events that grabbed my attention.

17 Comments

  1. Hi Paul,
    I discovered you on YouTube and I am grateful that you decided to do it.

    As for the videos, I’m not surprised by the Fibonacci curve or the bookmark having so many views. They are in essence distilled down videos that visually show the pure joy woodworking. Additionally they show, that some simple things we can do as a woodworker can quickly lead to something quite elegant: the curve shows raw nature in action, the bookmark looks complex but even simpler than your popular wall clocks.

    Here’s an idea:
    How about you do a YouTube live even making something as simple as the bookmark. Schedule it ahead of time, tell us the tools and materials we need, then run for an hour as we all make something at the same time with you. You would probably set the Guinness Book of World Records for the most items being built at the same time. It would be a wonderful event and a great way to kick off 2018.

    1. What a great idea! I have an ideal project but think our schedule may not allow for it. It would be good though. Gonna look into this tomorrow but can’t yet say for certain.

  2. Thank you opening up some stats to the community.
    It is almost as interesting as witnessing the whole project growing and maturing. Always a pleasure.
    Congrats to the whole team on a great job!

    I am seeing more content from you that is shorter and a bit easier/quicker to consume in leisure evening watch.
    I hope this brings even more people in, and I know it will serve as a way to reconnect with my inner woodworker even on a busy working day. It might be the reason why short-form videos do so well. I might be wrong, of course.

    I wanted to share what initially pulled me into your videos and your way of presenting, though probably this won’t be something new to you. I was pulled by the level of craftsmanship, presentation and kindness.
    But, what I really liked was the “slow-pace editing”. I get to see each step and even more important: in those repetitive, slow and “boring” parts I often hear bits and pieces that themselves would make an interesting book “Everything you don’t need to know, but probably should”.

    What I want to say: do keep making slow long format videos, along with the shorter ones – we enjoy them all!

    1. Your encouraging words are important and they don’t at all go unnoticed. Whereas we do believe in what we are doing, it doesn’t do any harm to hear it from time to time so thank you for taking the time to type up the message.

      1. P.S. You could see if when replying to a comment, the CMS can send email notification (maybe make it optional via checkbox “Send me email updates on comments in this thread”)

  3. Good evening Paul your work is important please keep it going. I notice you don’t talk about Georgian furniture or do a Georgian style project . I think it would interest a lot of people in the fact they made such brilliant pieces with so little tools. I am also interested in training young children in woodwork… maybe you could do a video or project aimed at a young child getting started. These are just suggestions from a loyal member.

    1. I love Georgian pieces too. Especially some of the more elegantly simple and finely made pieces; both oak and mahogany. I think we will tackle woodworking with kids although in some ways we already have without saying it as my original work, spoon, spatula, cutting boards and tool tote were from when I developed my curriculum for working with children. It was the parents that came with them that made me realise these parents are the ones I need to train because they can teach their own children if they have the right foundation. Hence my redoing the workbench series now and more to follow.

  4. Wanted to spend a few minutes thanking you for your no-nonsense (aside from a few puns) approach to teaching woodworking and the basic use and maintenance of hand tools. Thanks to you, I don’t hesitate to sharpen planes, chisels, and hand saws. All of it from watching your videos and getting a direct understanding of the principles behind the work, and the method to do it.

    I wish you and yours a very happy holiday and a joyful 2018.

  5. I’m replying to the “live build” suggestion. I have no idea what the logistics would be, but I would likely participate if it happened.

  6. Thank you for all you and your staff do. I have always loved how you present your life style, even the ‘opps’ in the videos. I appreciate how you are a teacher who has awakened in me what I always knew was there, but didn’t understand how to express it.
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and all your loved ones.

  7. Hello,

    i must say i had no handtool background when i first saw your youtube videos. I only knew other youtube channel with machines.
    What was my first impression ? at first i found it annoying. Much talk, someone proud of his old tools and his techniques, it wasn’t for me. It was so much the opposite of fast and easy woodworking. I didn’t get the message you wanted to deliver on woodworking.
    Then i began to slowly look into this hand tool world, and a few months later i bought your books. Now i have a paid account of woodworking master class and am inspired by your projects and videos. I’m waiting each week for the next video.

    So, what was the switch? probably the quantity of work you and your team are making. There are videos, blog, comments and replies. It’s not only the quantity, but your efforts to put your soul in your work and communicate to others which in the end is what matters to me.

    So i understand why you have so much followers, and also why i’m surprised when i see other woodworking channels with more subscribers who only use jigsaw and tablesaw.

  8. I am a retired teacher of Technical Studies and I taught 3 years in the UK and 9 years in Germany
    teaching in a British Forces Education Authority School. Unfortunately my contract ended and
    because my wife is german I decided to stay in Germany. I have been living here for 44 years now and although I worked for an industrial Company I have never stopped working with wood.
    Ever since I started teaching I have been involved with the restoration of antique furniture.
    Obviously I love old woodworking tools and have enormous pleasure in retsoring them as well-

    Mr.Sellers I am so pleased that you have made so many Videos to help upcoming craftsmen and that you present them in an easy and understandable way. I look Forward to every new Video that you make with your Team giving so many people encouragement and enjoyment in making your Projects.

    Keep up the good work and may I take this opportunity to wish you and your team and family a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

    1. As you probably already know, I am inspired and entertained by you and your team always. Thank you so much!

  9. Hi Paul,

    Well done on everything, and thank you for it all.

    However… I don’t wish to cause any upset, but I’ve been looking back at some of your posts linked to in this blog…
    Unless I’m misreading something, in the “Workbench Drawings and Measurements” link, some of the measurements in your drawings don’t correspond, that is to say the sum of the measurements given on the right of the drawings, (the breakdowns), doesn’t correspond to the overall measurement given on the right…

    Specifically these two;

    https://paulsellers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSC_0420.jpg

    and

    https://paulsellers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSC_0421.jpg

    Sorry to be a pain! Have I got it wrong?
    I know folk make things to suit their own requirements/needs/resources, but if someone is trying to copy your measurements this might cause a problem.

    My apologies if I’ve got that all wrong!!

    Regards,

    Matt

  10. Paul, I have the past 44 years been a carpenter and superintendent in construction. I retired this past March, you have inspired me to get back to my roots and love of wood working, and striving to master the craft of working with my hands. While my wife and I search for the suitable location to retire to where I can build my desired workshop, i am collecting my tools and practicing on small projects like jigs and dovetail boxes. I so love and enjoy watching your videos learning new things and techniques. Thank you for your time and all the effort you put into these instructional treasures. I have been watching you now for about 6 months, and look forward to many more years. Such a great gift to pass along your knowledge of your craft.

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