I do enjoy this type of content. You can find “How to” content everywhere but very little on design philosophy. I have probably learned more about fine furniture making from your videos than all the other channels I watch.
Agreed! Design skill is one area I feel sorely lacking in and there are FAR fewer places to find it than technique instruction
This reply is spot on! Not enough content on how to design a quality piece!! Loved this video.
You’re 100% dead-on about your approach to these videos. Design-centric, or at least design-leaning, is sorely missed on YT.
I design professionally in a different medium, and this is the stuff I crave!
I have been learning how to make a thing. Now I think it's time to learn how to make a thing look good. My next goal is to start making good looking things that other ppl would pay money for. Feels like a big goal to set. Time to get to work. Stay awesome.
A 45 minute ENCurtis video? Sounds like something I didn't know I needed. Thanks for the inspiration, as always!
I would definitely watch a 45 minute video. Actually just pick a duration and I would absolutely watch.
We did a similar “grain choice” when we laid out the cuts for a figured granite countertop. Ensured that the cool swirly bits were in the places where they would have a visual effect
It would be interesting to learn how granite reads to someone with more experience than me.
I appreciate the deep dive on technique and design you are sharing on this series. I am looking forward to the next one. Thanks for the great content.
I absolutely love the design elements in your content. Thank you, and keep up the good work!
Really enjoying your videos!!
The focus on craftsmanship and design are sorely needed!!
Cheers!
you bring lots of aspect to furniture making that i never thought about .....beiing new to this, your channel teach me a lot
I really find your thought process on how you go about designing your pieces very helpful.
Great video, I really enjoy your ethos, aesthetic consideration and design, thank you, take care out there and keep 'em coming
Dude, i love your work ethic and the aesthetic considerations you give your work. A joy to watch and learn from.
Love these type of videos. I have never cut a piece out of a board on a skew like you did to get straight grain but I will in the future! Thanks!
Thanks Erik! I enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing and inspiring us!
The instruction on grain direction is absolutely phenomenal! Thank you!
Yes! Absolutely keep up both elements of our craft! I enjoy and need seeing into your insight of layout and design, as well the craftmanship - i.e. when fixed a chip out in a dovetail. Thanks!
Great stuff! Keep it coming. Love the cup.
I like your caring about all the details! 😍 Love your videos.
A beautifully presented video on fundamentals of design.
Thank you.
Just found your content on the tube , as to do you like it! It’s right up my street so much so that I am going through the back catalogue and must say I am really enjoying it keep doing what you are doing 👍
I’m a subscriber from New Zealand. Love your videos, and your thinking about the details of design. It’s an encouragement for me to give more thoughts into those details on my furniture.
Your attention to the artistry of each piece-priceless. You’re a true artist. Thanks for sharing this wisdom and aesthetic with us.
I can't love this video enough. I'm a new woodworker with a few projects complete and I am loving learning the black art of design. Thanks for the great video!
As usual,love the video and especially that little sly mug nod at the end!!!!!! You have to give me a lead on that damn thing
Dude, you are awesome. Really liking your channel. You have instructor skills to match your woodworking skills. Not knocking other creators but having that dual set of talents makes for good teaching. More please!
I love the design conversation and all the little nuance details that find there way in. That tidbit about where and why the bandsaw blade broke is a beautiful example.
I absolutely love this type of video. There is too much technical content and not enough thoughtful design out there. More! More! (Please)
The design content is top notch! Please keep it coming!
Thank you so much for showing this. Finally, someone that shows the grain direction properly. This is great! :) 😊
Great advice about choosing wood for the panel so that it's grain initially blends in with that of the rail. Not something that I was aware of before but thats why I watch your videos. By the way, love the coffee mug.
Thanks for the video Eric,really helpful.👍👍
ROTFL - Love me some air guitar while working too! Thanks for your time and tips sir!
You do an excellent job Eric. Look forward to your weekly videos - your approach is fresh, and I like how you walk your audience through the process. You have really helped me (and my business) to think outside the box from a design perspective. Thanks man!
Attention to detail is always key thanks for the guitar solo to your timing was impeccable. Love ya work
If you ain’t guitar soloing in the middle of your work day, are you even enjoying your work?
I don't know who made that mug for you but I am so envious!
I appreciate this video! I’m a complete newbie hobbyist and like to ensure that my work looks better than big box items. Being mindful of grain and patterns is an easy thing I can incorporate to go to another level without buying more tools
I really enjoy the artistic and design approach,Mother Nature gives us beautiful things, we should treat them accordingly !
Great content. I actually sat through the sponsored portion. Love your work, I learn something every time.
I absolutely love this kind of video so amazingly informative and helpful thank you you are an amazing teacher of the craft of woodworking.
Very good advice, I often lay the ruff pieces out to get the best “ look” mostly to put the best grain into the panel and leave the bland for stiles and rails
Your videos have no equivalent, I am a newbie in woodworking so it will take a while before I will be able to "use" the skiils you teach/narrate, but you are very entertaining. thank you for your videos!
Nice basic design overview. Thx.
For the record, I’d have zero complaints if you did decide to make a 45 minute video.
Would like more of this, inspiring.
like both the design aspect and to the point content you give, actual breathe of fresh air over those drawn out 30-40 minute videos
It’s definitely something I will think of next time I’m doing a frame and panel. The final panel definitely portrayed exactly what you were trying to get across.
Eric, great explanation and presentation. I'm really looking forward to seeing this chest completed. It's going to be epic, and I'll be that red-headed client comes back for more work from you in the future.
I enjoy this type of video, even though my brain doesn't work this way at all. I don't have an artistic/creative bone in my body so hearing someone discuss design is enlightening. I can usually understand what you mean but also recognize the thought pattern is completely different to mine. I think eventually I'll be a competent craftsman, but never really a designer.
Having a background in visual art I really appreciate your design process. I really relate.
This video hits home in one way in particular for me. I feel like I always need to use the wood I have in the most cost effective manner….so I use it all or at least as much as I can. Recently I made an ash base for a cabinet and used rift sawn ash, very deliberate grain lines. However I just cut for the most pieces possible….when all was said and done and the piece was put together, the grain lines ran in slightly different angles than either horizontal or vertical and that gave this weird…and horrible look of a very skewed, not square piece. I need to get out of the use it all mind set when it comes to lumber. Thanks for this lesson and reminder.
Great point! Thanks for sharing. I’ll watch my own work more closely now, and since I’m also tempted to pinch pennies, I’ll put more time into lumber selection (and make sure I have a project plan first!)
Not really one to comment but I feel it’s needed here. You recent videos have made me question my builds, both current and past and look at them with fresh eyes. You’ve also made me realise that I know almost nothing about the subtle design choices that get made in truly fine furniture. I’m basically enrolling in university as a “very’ mature student to help fill this void you’ve made me discover I have. All this is meant as an absolutely pure and heart felt compliment. Please don’t stop this current trend of content it’s fresh, informative, and different from the 1000’s of creators who forget to mention the subtle design choices made and most importantly why they were made.
Thank you, great information. I think I need to make a list from your directions to make sure my brain applies it in every piece. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My eyes don't see the beauty of the balance and the dance. If that makes any sense. I may have to get a second opinions before I finish the board selection. So over my head, but I like it.
I called PETA because of all the rabbits you’ve been cutting.
Very timely, thank you. I was recently talking to a young woman that I occasionally mentor in woodworking about wood and grain selection. She's definitely getting a link to this video. You got a lot of thought process in this short video.
Why is it that band saw blades breaking is such a startling thing? I've been around things that go bang and boom of all types, but I still jump when the weld gives out.
It’s tremendous hearing you talk through why these decisions matter. As you point out, there are tons of people talking about the how, very few talking about the why, particularly with your level of passion around design.
Frame and panel even at the basic level shows more thought than a chunk of ply.
Great video brother! Love the content and the thoughts behind it.
Stiles stand, rails rest. I don't know why it's not taught this way. The air guitar got old pretty fast.
What . . . No "happy little mistakes"? 🤣
Cheers!
Great video as always Erik. And timely for me. I'd like to make Isaac Youngs' wall clock from Popular Woodworking. The author insists that for it to look right, the bottom panel MUST have arrow straight grain. The board I have and want to use has a bit of a "snake" in the center that I think adds some visual interest. I think I'm going with it.
Also, excellent air banding skills. You're almost to the level of Chris Turk (if you watch Scrubs, you know what I mean). I'm still holing out for Justin Johnson in the shop with you. Maybe a guitar build.
Love the Harvey Alpha! I have the Harvey Ambassador! I've never had a blade pop, but I'm sure it's coming!
Thank You.... Your an excellent teacher or professor.. you choose.
As always, a pleasure. Thank you!
I definitely like this type of content!
this is a cliffhanger video. Again, i like yu point of view on how to make things that have layers of design.
Man I like this channel! I really enjoy hearing how others approach design. How do you like that Harvey table saw? I’m thinking about pulling the trigger on one
Very Kranov of you... Yes, I want to hear your design choices and reasons. It encourages me to pay attention.
So true about blade breaking.......
Excellent “splanation” thanks Eric.
Just like photography - composition is goal #1 Ugly grain matching is like a poorly composed picture. It all has to work in harmony or it doesn't work.
Hey, nothing wrong with a 45 minutes video like this!? Although an hour might even be better ...
Thanks
You are right. You can have the best designed cabinet or piece of furniture, however, you can totally ruin it by not laying out the grain and even color to bring out the true beauty of the completed product.
More of this! 45min is even better
The real question is which blade company should we be avoiding 👀👀
Get a Lenox TCB on your bandsaw. You won’t regret it. It’ll only be as good as the weld though.
Def like understanding a bit more about design/wood choices (how to's are great but doesn't help me get to that next level)
Great commercial fade in!
Focused design discussion is good.
Nice video.
I had a eureka moment while watching the section on grain selection. For me, grain selection has always been about trying to find grain flow that will match well enough that my glue seam is not apparent or worse, an eye sore. But hearing you talk about movement, flow, and thinking about where the lines will draw your eye, all of the elements of composition that I think about in photography suddenly collided with my thoughts on grain selection for my woodworking projects. The way that I think about material selection changed, in that instant. I think that I said out loud "Oh, I get it", or something like that.
Beautiful things.
Will this grain detract from the over all composition? Will this grain be a distraction? Where will these lines lead the eye? Do I want that to be the focal point or do I want people to look elsewhere? Do I want lines to lead anywhere? Suddenly, I knew that I needed to consciously consider these and dozens of other issues with material selection, composition, balance, and contrast, that I was considering subconsciously, but not really working at a conscious design level.
Sometimes things worked in a project and sometimes they didn't. But now, looking at the things that didn't work, I can see why. Or, I can see why the they didn't work for me.
That's really cool.
Intelligent comments and the actual craftsmanship….make for a interesting video!
Thanks for the content super helpful and fun!
How did you maintain the 1/8” reveal around the panel? Did you use space balls or does the tongue just go full length and width?
Also...wish my band saw played music like yours xD
thank you
No disagreement with what you’ve said. There are many pieces that I’ve seen that I would personally describe as just….perfect. But that usually means just superb design, very well executed.
Sometimes, it does come down to affordability. You are quite lucky if you can find clients who will pay for 100% perfection in design and build - because that costs a lot of money. I’d guess at 3, 4 or 5 times what a very good piece might cost. As an example, for perfection, I would use the very finest solid material in the timber wanted; that might be exquisite curly maple or perfectly black ebony. For a very good piece, I might well take very good curly maple veneer and glue those to a substrate of mdf or plywood. Not absolutely the finest, but much cheaper (and better for the environment?).
I’d just add that, in timber, perfection is …impossible? Not too many woodworkers work to the kind of tolerances that, say, aeronautical engineers have to. A piece that I make this morning might well not be the same dimensions tomorrow. Good enough often covers a multitude of sins but it can actually mean that perfection would cost a lot more and not be perfect for long.
I love the design work of Pedulla Studio. It just suits me taste to a tee. Is the build perfect? Probably not but it’s very good.
I suppose the end lesson is be realistic. Don’t worry about what matters very little. I’ve been described as a failed perfectionist; I used to strive for perfection and never quite get there; at the age of 69, I finally have come to terms with the conflicting desires to be happy with what I do but try to make the next piece at least as good as the last.
What about choosing the widths of the rails and styles? How do you decide? For instance, If I was making a smaller door/smaller frame I would obviously reduce the width but do you have a way to determine what those dimensions would be? A ratio that works?
Where do you get your wood? I’m continually impressed with the wood selection in this project. I still have to say I can’t wait to see the finish go on. Yeah buddy
Mary Tsai (Kodamari Design) is an amazing designer and woodworker that more people need to check out, so being a butt of her joke is nothing more than the most sincere compliment 😂
One question: you must go through a lot of wood to find just the right grain, etc. Do you make those decisions before you go to the [insert source of wood here], or do you just buy a ton and look through it and make decisions then?
I appreciate your content. I did want to mention though, when you are teaching about rails and stiles you spell stiles like style. Not to be hyper critical, I'm just a teacher as well.
Beautiful, do you use Spaceballs?
The idea that people pay no attention to grain is weird to me. But then again I consider myself more of an artist and wood is just one medium that I use. So I approach all the various things I do with an aesthetic focus. Sometimes you have to work with the material you have and you don't want to buy more so you have to make compromises. But it always seemed odd to me that pointing out grain matching was a tip that people needed to hear. It just seemed obvious that if you want something to look good you have to pay attention to how it looks. I'm not saying I'm great at any of the crafts I do, just that approaching everything as an artist does give me that one advantage I suppose.
I agree with you as I’m much the same, but if there’s anything I’ve learned from years of teaching it’s that people all bring different view points to the table. And it’s often throw away comments of what seems totally obvious to one person that someone else finds tremendous value in.
@@ENCurtisI love how you can put yourself in the shoes of the student and realize that “obvious” things might not be so obvious to us. That kind of perspective-taking is one thing that makes you a great teacher. Thank you!
I like 45 minute long videos... definitely got a good lesson out of this, I'm going to pay more attention to my piece internals.
The oldest kid from a series of unfortunate events?
Do you use a specific brand of blades for: table saw, band saw, chop saw? Currently I'm using Freud/ Diablo, though I'm sure there are higher quality blades. Just curious.
The first 100 people to use the code ENCURTIS at the link below will get 60% off of Incogni: Incogni.com/encurtis