Bent's Channel

[rst]

Another Brit  video site I watch is Manor Wood

 

[Woodenfish]

I have watched Jason Bent’s channel for years and see what he has done in his various shops. In my viewing Jason makes very nice video’s with good lighting and audio. He seems to be a good communicator and seems that he enjoys what he does. His ability to organize his shop is fantastic.

That’s about it. He really has went overboard with the purchase of tools that have way surpassed his knowledge of them and even the idea of building fine furniture. His depth of knowledge on most subjects he records is about three minutes deep prior to filming. He has no real experience at anything and doesn’t really seem to want to improve his level beyond that of a complete beginner. Most of what he does build is just your common build and assembling process that you can watch much more experienced tradespeople perform with a broader depth of knowledge.

Many of his projects he filmed have mistakes of poor practices and in a quickness to be done more than anything. Sometimes he admits to them, shows you some of the problems but never has he shown that he had to redo the work. He seems to be up every manufacturers backside looking for all of the latest and greatest tools and equipment in expectation of being he being their sponsored video influencer. Personally, I would hope by now that he was able to use his notoriety to gain an education or work with a true master craftsman. He knows he is not a real craftsman but in my opinion likes to pose as one for the intimidation of newbies with his tremendous resources of tools. These tools he has are mostly collecting dust, are seldom used if ever or they soon get traded or sold for the next new best model that people are talking about. He is a collector and not a maker.

 

[rjboch]

I have watched Jason Bent’s channel for years and see what he has done in his various shops. In my viewing Jason makes very nice video’s with good lighting and audio. He seems to be a good communicator and seems that he enjoys what he does. His ability to organize his shop is fantastic.

That’s about it. He really has went overboard with the purchase of tools that have way surpassed his knowledge of them and even the idea of building fine furniture. His depth of knowledge on most subjects he records is about three minutes deep prior to filming. He has no real experience at anything and doesn’t really seem to want to improve his level beyond that of a complete beginner. Most of what he does build is just your common building and assembling process that you can watch much more experienced tradespeople perform with a broad depth of knowledge.

Many of his projects he filmed have mistakes of poor practices and a quickness to be done more than anything. Sometimes he admits to them, shows you some of the problems but never has he shown that he had to re do the work. He seems to be up every manufacturers backside looking for all of the latest and greatest tools and equipment in expectation of being he being their sponsored video influencer. Personally, I would hope by now that he was able to use his notoriety to gain an education or work with a true master craftsman. He knows he is not a real craftsman but in my opinion likes to pose as one by intimidation of newbies with his tremendous resources of tools. These tools he has are mostly collecting dust, are seldom used if ever or they soon get traded or sold for the next new best model that people are talking about. He is a collector and not a maker.

This 100%! I have followed this thread with interest because I am torn about Bent's channel. Bent is that average bumbling DIY guy next door who has a garage full of nice tools but little actual skill. While I admire that he created a place for himself online...his pompous ego and actual lack of knowledge bugs me. He is an influencer posing as an experienced and knowledgable woodworker. We used to call them posers, but unfortunately most of our social media and modern world is full of them...who needs actual experience to gain an audience and following?

 

[smorgasbord]

I notice Bent has a whole video on using a rip blade to rip hardwood.

Says a lot about who he thinks his audience is.

 

[Picktool]

[huh] One must wonder who's really bent here  [wink]

 

[Cypren]

I notice Bent has a whole video on using a rip blade to rip hardwood.

Says a lot about who he thinks his audience is.

He’s said on his podcast before that his target audience is beginner DIYers who need basic instruction, so that’s not too surprising. And some of the videos he produces are so basic they really make me scratch my head, like the one explaining the difference between a miter saw and a track saw that he did recently for the main Festool YouTube channel. Do people really get those confused?

 

[hdv]

I tried to keep from engaging in this thread, but really, what's up with all the negativity? If, after trying a few times, you find you don't like a channel, then just stop watching it. No one is forcing anyone to keep watching them. As long as the proprietors of a specific channel don't promote risky behaviour (and yes some of them actually do), I don't see the problem. They managed to carve out a nice niche for themselves. Let them. It is up to you to decide if you want to invest or waste your time watching their videos. Just as it is their own decision to produce videos and choose their topics (be it just simple jigs or shop furniture or high-end bespoke furniture). Or their sponsors for that matter.

If there is enough demand for more advanced videos, I am sure eventually someone will jump in and carve out their niche doing that. It might even be someone from this forum or even this thread.

Until then, a forum like this is a much more valuable source of information than a video made for consumption by the general public to ask specific questions about a particular problem your are faced with.

Enjoy what you like and just ignore what you don't (as long as it doesn't pose a risk to others). Life's too short to waste time on negativity.

 

[peter halle]

I saw Brent's video on using the correct blade and like many I started scratching my head.  But then after some slight reflection I am glad he did it.  All so often we read here questions about saw performance and the query back in order to help includes the phrase "what blade were you using?" 

It made me think back to when I, like many others, bought our first track saw and there wasn't any information out there to be found unless you found this place.  Now a search on the internet for a question is just as likely if not more likely to show links to videos versus links to our forum.

I would also venture a guess that a number of saws were received as gifts for Christmas and that the application specialists at Festool have received a bunch of calls about performance.  Also I would guess that there are a number of saws returned under the trial period that work perfectly fine but the blades look like they were used for cutting the wrong materials.  And then Festool also monitors to some degree other social media and sees those comments and questions about performance.  So, to have someone who isn't a Festool employee do a video like he did makes sense.

My guess is that getting extra blades with your already expensive present or even when you order your own saw isn't the norm.  Lack of knowledge and also expense must at least sometimes play a role.  Honestly if someone were to ask me about buying extra blades at the time of purchase or even buying extra accessories, I would have to advise caution.  Not caution because it wasn't a good idea, but caution because of Festool's policy that allows for the return of a tool within the trial period - but not usually the accessories or extra consumables - even if unused - even if they were purchased in the same transaction. 

Festool has all sorts of influencers out there that appeal to all sorts of different viewers.  I would much rather see more accurate information out there about Festool than not, so I don't have an issue with Jason and his channel and if a video doesn't appeal I'll watch something something else. 

So if there are any influencers out there who happen to read this, please educate yourself before you do a video, assume that people know how to open a box and don't need unboxing videos, and remember that the just liket others in the entertainment industry, you are only as good as your last effort and yes, time will pass you by.

Carry on!

Peter

 

[bertv]

I tried to keep from engaging in this thread, but really, what's up with all the negativity? If, after trying a few times, you find you don't like a channel, then just stop watching it. No one is forcing anyone to keep watching them.

[…]

Enjoy what you like and just ignore what you don't (as long as it doesn't pose a risk to others). Life's too short to waste time on negativity.

I second this. No need to bash and diss a person, guys. Be civil.

 

[ChuckM]

TBH, Bent wasn't a name I could recall, but to be fair, I don't follow any particular YouTuber and so I might've seen his videos but not remember him.

The comments in this thread drove me to Google him. After seeing the furniture projects (my interest and strength) showcased on his website, I think his target audience is beginners. So I suspect the "negative" or less favorable comments are due to different expectations on the part of the commenters who could be far more experienced. They aren't attacks as such.

 

[smorgasbord]

I notice Bent has a whole video on using a rip blade to rip hardwood.

Says a lot about who he thinks his audience is.

He’s said on his podcast before that his target audience is beginner DIYers who need basic instruction, so that’s not too surprising. And some of the videos he produces are so basic they really make me scratch my head, like the one explaining the difference between a miter saw and a track saw that he did recently for the main Festool YouTube channel. Do people really get those confused?

I guess I needed to provide more context, including repeating some of my earlier posts.

OK, he says his audience is beginners, yet he has at least 3 videos on why a Hammer sliding tablesaw is so great, including "I've been using the wrong tablesaw for years" and "I will never go back to a normal tablesaw." And then his statement that the real blocker for most is the space it takes - not the $9300 price, lol.

Beginners, indeed.

 

[Packard]

When you are in the business of creating “content”, you have to ask yourself every day, “OK, what am I going to write about today?”

The best content creators are not necessarily the smartest, but the create stuff that is of interest to others. 

Perhaps we (at FOG) should be curators of topics for people creating woodworking videos.  We could create tons of topics and directions to go with them, and then rate the topics for beginner, intermediate, or advanced woodworkers.

Creating orphan videos (unwanted, unloved, unveiled) is the realm of a lack of creativity, not a lack of knowledge or skills. 

It may be that Bent’s skills and knowledge are first rate, but his creativity is such that after the first 10 or 15 videos, he has run out of ideas to pursue.

FOG members could be an “idea mill” to the content creators.

If you had to list 10 ideas for videos, would you be able to come up with 10 really interesting ones?

And bad ideas are nothing new.

I have a book at home that is about using the table saw.  It was the first book I bought  on the subject after buying my saw some 30 years ago.

They suggest mounting two blades in the saw separated by a stack of large washers.  Doing so, they suggest, allows you to rip two narrow strips of material at the same time. 

One narrow strip against the fence and the second because of the second blade. 

I never tried it.  In my mind, the second blade meant twice as likely I would get kick back.  (Remember, back then carbide tipped blades were rare.  So stock was much more likely to kick back as the cutting edge was the same dimension as the body of the blade.

(I’ll try to post an image.)

 

[Woodenfish]

I remember Jason buying an expensive CNC router table and hooking it all up with dust collection piping to make one simple project. Afterwards, he sold the machine probably because he did not have the patience to learn how to use it. I watch him repeatedly purchase more tools and equipment way beyond his skill level and then state his channel is for beginners. I’m not judging but why would a beginner need to spend over $100,000 to begin woodworking? I have never seen Jason make any molding, create a jig or cut any piece of wood not at 90 degrees. His purchase of the sliding tablesaw and that combo jointer/planer was extremely impressive, as was his mentioning of owning every Festool tracksaw except for one model. Most every tool he owns has zero hands on time other than being part of a backdrop for recording video. He could of saved a lot of money and used a green screen.

His channel is a public display of madness where if you spend a lot of money on tools you don’t know how to fully use you can bypass experience by learning. He has this O.C.D. problem and a hoarding issue that is funny to watch. That is the major reason I watch is the entertainment aspect of some guy going crazy and getting nowhere. He is not a serious teacher of woodworking but a poser with nothing else to do.

 

[Cheese]

His channel is a public display of madness where if you spend a lot of money on tools you don’t know how to fully use you can bypass experience by learning. He has this O.C.D. problem and a hoarding issue that is funny to watch. That is the major reason I watch is the entertainment aspect of some guy going crazy and getting nowhere. He is not a serious teacher of woodworking but a poser with nothing else to do.

Your reply is interesting... [smile] ...and because of it I'm now curious to see the "public display of madness" for myself. Which of his videos would you recommend me viewing?

 

[krudawg]

Don't bother Cheese; these are statements by woodworkers who deep down inside, are envious of anybody with high-end tools.  It's the same kind of people who dislike people with big fancy homes mostly because they don't have one themselves.  Like it is some kind of stain on people who work hard to buy expensive tools and then make videos and tutorials.  I simply can't wrap my brain around this line of thinking. 

 

[Woodenfish]

I live in a big fancy house, have a lot of fancy stuff and own about the same dollar amount of tools Jason has and everything I own is paid for. I also build many pieces of finely crafted furniture and objects for my home and family.

My comments about Jason is his obvious lack of knowledge, experience and patience to learn. I have watched him for years and he hasn’t grown as a woodworker other than to collect more expensive tools that he uses to make mostly tool reviews and a few simple projects that anyone could do with much less equipment.

The main thing is being a maker involves more than your wallet. I wish that he could learn how to make things using and exploiting his tools beyond just turning them on. He has shown no creativity yet poses like he is somebody big in the industry. He is retired and seems to have plenty of time on his hands but can’t get started for some reason. I wish him well in his own way but I do think he is too full of himself. Buying a bunch of high end tools doesn’t make you a woodworker. There is no justification for buying the equipment and not doing anything special with it. He should try and catch up before making any more investments. All he is doing is building a massive tool collection and playing pretend. I think hat is a subject to be fairly ridiculed.

 

[Packard]

[…]

His channel is a public display of madness where if you spend a lot of money on tools you don’t know how to fully use you can bypass experience by learning.[…]

I’m going to be slow to hop on that train. 

I found that when I am being self-taught, it makes sense to buy the best equipment that I can afford. 

The thinking on that is, “This turned out lousy.  Where does the fault lie?  With the cheap machinery I bought? Or with my lack of skills?”

If I have fully competent equipment and my work is lousy, I know that I need more practice or more knowledge or both. 

With crappy equipment, it is me?  Or is it the equipment?

Last year I bought a cheap scroll saw (Wen) to make the toys I’ve been making.  In the beginning, I had a struggle to control the cut.  (Should I have bought a Pegasus?).  I’ve gotten a lot better, but I am certain that some of the intricate cuts I’ve seen on the Internet are quite beyond me.  Is it me?  Or the crappy Wen?

However, I cannot justify the expense of a Pegasus (or other fine scroll saw) for products I am giving away for free to total strangers. 

My point is, I am very slow to condemn people who over spend on equipment. 

As an aside, in the 1970s I worked briefly at a high end camera store. Almost all the Leicas we sold were to rich dentists and medical doctors.  Most of them came back to the store asking, “How come my pictures look like junk.”  And we would give lessons on how to make the pictures less crappy.

In that case, they assumed that buying an expensive camera guaranteed excellent photos.  I don’t think that is the case here with the expensive saw.

(And I have a sliding table saw that is dedicated to make 45 degree angle cuts, and it does that to perfection.)

Would I get a sliding table saw, absolutely.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Would I get a sliding table saw, absolutely.

They are a real asset, but take way too much space, for the typical hobby woodworker. The stationary footprint alone, of the Laguna at work, wouldn't even fit in my garage. The short direction anyway, my space is very rectangular. (Long and narrow, rather than square)

That Laguna is not exactly high-end, but it does make a lot of things easier.
Using a Hans & Frans type fixture makes it very easy to straighten long boards. It was invaluable during the last bunch of barnwood jobs I did. That stuff comes pretty much straight off the barn, except for a trip through a kiln, basically as an insect remover.

It's really nice for very long bevel cuts too. It is very hard to cut an 8 foot long bevel that is usable, straight off the saw, with a regular table saw. Miter-folded assemblies require perfect cuts or they never fit correctly.

I try not to disparage any of the Youtube woodworkers. They are doing something I never could. Putting themselves "out there" like that is just inviting criticism, which is exactly like trouble. It is very easy to find, you don't even have to try. [blink]
I watch them for entertainment as much as anything and maybe learn something, by accident, even if it's not really what they think they are teaching.

 

[Packard]

The one piece of equipment that I yearn for more than any other?

A two car garage door that opens directly into my workshop.  That would make my woodworking so, so much easier. [big grin]

 

[ChuckM]

A slider offers more advantages in cabinetmaking and sheet goods. I build mostly furniture pieces and a slider offers not a lot of added benefits to my SawStop PCS. And unless I get one of those top-end sliders, I'd lose the finger-saving technology.