comments on posts by Herman and Rob

[Ken S]

In the Tormek section, Herman and Rob have been discussing the woes of properly setting up planers and jointers.  I count myself among those who would have such difficulties.

However, one tool I feel quite fluent with is the bandsaw.  i don't mean to brag.  I was fortunate enough to have had a day long seminar with Mark Duginske at the Conover Workshop twenty years ago.  Part of the class was a thorough demonstration of changing blades and setting the saw guides, etc.  Ever since then I have felt confident changing blades and my bandsaw runs quite well.

For those of you not fortunate enough to be able to study with Mark, I would recommend his bandsaw books and DVD. 

When I need to tune my jointer and planer, I will search for similar training aids, perhaps online.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

Books and videos are excellent sources of information.  Sometimes, though, there's just no substitute for hands-on training under the tutelage of a master.

This is why technology can't replace teachers.  In the 1920's when the radio became readily available to people of even modest means, it was thought that attending lectures would no longer be necessary.  Why have 20 000 lecturers spread across the planet giving lectures in every university and college?  We could just take the best of the lecturers and have him lecture over the radio, and everyone could listen, even those who couldn't afford tuition.

Well, we all know how that worked out, don't we?

Fast forward 90 years and we now have the world wide web offering essentially the same proposal.  I look forward to seeing how it'll all work out.