Matt Estlea (pronouced "Est-lee")

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

Here is another interesting woodworker. This time he is a young Brit who is at the start of what I am sure will be a fine career.

This is his YouTube channel:

The construction of his bench shows lovely attention to detail:

He has a web site as well:https://www.mattestlea.com/

I think that I will retire shortly !!

Peter

 

[Roseland]

Fabulous!

Andrew

 

[Sparktrician]

Hi Everyone

Here is another interesting woodworker. This time he is a young Brit who is at the start of what I am sure will be a fine career.

...

He has a web site as well:https://www.mattestlea.com/

I think that I will retire shortly !!

Peter

Pssst!!!  Peter!!!  His name is Matt, not Mark...  (And certainly not Luke or John...)  [big grin]

 

[peter halle]

<<EDIT:  Renamed topic to change "Mark" to "Matt" - P.Halle - Moderator>>

 

[Cochese]

Saw his bench a couple months ago and started following, he's in the midst of setting up his own place so there hasn't been a lot of project content. But looking forward to more, his cabinet was very interesting.

 

[Stone Message]

I am so grateful to Brian Halle for fixing this - it must be an age thing.

James

 

[Stone Message]

The real problem started because I had also recently introduced everyone to Mike Farrington !

Thanks Peter.

Peter

 

[jpmeunier]

I've watched quite a few of his videos on planes. He is developing into a good Youtube personality.

 

[CirclDigital]

He is good at creating content.... he hardly builds anything though.

 

[Cochese]

He is good at creating content.... he hardly builds anything though.

As I said, his shop situation wasn't settled until very recently.

 

[Svar]

What? Dominos in Roubo build?!  [scared]
Scandalous!

 

[CirclDigital]

As I said, his shop situation wasn't settled until very recently.

He got his last shop as a benefit from school.... he was in that shop for a year (!) and the only build project was a guitar (the cutting board doesn’t really count). The workbench and cabinet were made during his school period.

Most of the rest is linked to his employer and I would considered sponsored content. And that’s a shame because he does have skills....

 

[Wooden Skye]

I agree he needs to start doing more projects or else he may just become a infomercial. The Roubo and the cabinet were great, but he needs to do more because he is very talented.  His videos to this point have laid a good base for his channel, but as he moves into a more permanent space needs to get away from how to make this joint, how to use this plane, etc., and be more project focused.

 

[Birdhunter]

Peter,

I hope your retirement comment was not serious. I enjoy your videos far too much to see you retire.

 

[derekcohen]

What? Dominos in Roubo build?!  [scared]
Scandalous!

Yes. I think young Matt may get away with it for a while. However all benches used for hand planing need to be surfaced every year or so (depending on the wood and environment). Planing down to dominos, biscuits or dowels is, well, "interesting".

There is no need to use these to join boards for a bench. If you do, make sure that they are low down.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Svar]

Band saw technique at 3:38 of the video is downright reckless.

 

[derekcohen]

It is not necessarily reckless as unnecessary. He is sawing the dovetail in the legs. This would be better sawn using a tenon saw or rip panel saw. There are a great number of joints or tasks he performs with machines where I would simply use a hand tool. However he is just a young guy, and he does show promise. He has much to learn, and as time passes he will no doubt grow more proficient. I've seen his videos, and they are about making simple joints or comparing similar hand tools. They are very basic, and I get the impression that he is trying hard to make a name for himself. He is, but with beginners and not those who are experienced in building furniture. I think that he just needs to be encouraged to build furniture.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Svar]

It is not necessarily reckless as unnecessary. He is sawing the dovetail in the legs. This would be better sawn using a tenon saw or rip panel saw. There are a great number of joints or tasks he performs with machines where I would simply use a hand tool.

It's not about the choice of tools. He can carve them with a spoon if he wants. The stock is unsupported. If the blade catches or he loosens his grip it will send that block rotating, potentially snapping the blade.

 

[derekcohen]

Svar, the work piece is supported by an angled fence ...

It remains a less preferred way of doing this cut.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[bertv]

I think that Matt has kind of fallen into the ‘YouTube-creating-for-a-living’ trap. His channel started with high frequency, but widely ranging subjects, changing style a lot — clearly with the intent to build up a viable amount of subscriptions, but this has not worked out, I think. He may have tried to emulate Alec Steele, whoÆs channel is very successful.

If and when he reverts to the earlier series-of-a-build, like he did when he was graduating from college, interest probably will pick up. (I liked those better.)

He is in Canada at the moment, doing a course at Veritas’. Hope he perseveres, because there is potential!