I haven’t met Jay Bates, and I don’t think we ever spoke before either. I’ve been following his YouTube channel for a while, and probably watched some of his videos before that.
Jay’s videos are well done, and they’re done in the way that you can follow along, and even try your hand at similar projects, regardless of your skill level.
Advertisement
His videos are very creatively done, and it’s obvious that they’re carefully edited, without coming across as carefully edited. For instance, I remember a video (although I cannot find it at the moment) where he merged two videos where he talks on one side, while he’s doing it on the other. Captions are added where needed, and unobtrusively. (You’ll see what I mean.)
Content-wise, he has informational videos as well as project videos.
What I like most is that he comes across as a “normal” DIYer or woodworker. For instance, in one video, he referred to a notebook for quick talking points.
It sounds ironic, coming from me since ToolGuyd is largely product-focused, but I like that Jay doesn’t focus on brands or tools very much. His passion comes across as focused on the work and the results.
I don’t believe he has any sponsorships, and if he does, it’s not obvious in the way other YouTubers of similar prominence push certain brands, deals, or tools.
Long story short, I like Jay Bates’ woodworking videos, and I like them a lot. He also sells plans for some of his projects.
Advertisement
Here’s a recent video of his, for a taste:
See More(Jay Bates’ Woodworking Channel)
Other Links:
- Jay Bates “Vlog” – there’s some good discussions here too!
- Jay’s Custom Creations Website
Here’s one from his Vlog channel, a discussion of softwood vs. hardwood for a DIY woodworking workbench:
I like the idea of a “Favorite YouTubers” series, where I share some of my favored woodworkers and presenters, and so if you like this kind of post, we’ll do more of them. I’m also always interested in hearing about your favorite YouTube channels, and so that might be another post. (In other words, this isn’t the place to plug your channel or your favorite maker’s channel.)
David
Jay is awesome, and a great woodworking community member.
My short list includes Jimmy DiResta, Izzy Swan, April Wilkerson, Matt Cremona, Black Beard Projects, ZH Fabrications, the Third Coast Craftsman, Crafted Workshop, Nick Ferry, and Paul Sellers. I’ll also watch Frank Howarth, and John Heisz or Mattias Wandel at times, and Mike Peace does a nice job on his lathe videos.
Matthew Marinaro
Can argue any of those names, but what about the carpenter?!
Matthew Marinaro
Whoops…I can’t argue any of those names…typo
David
I suspect I’m missing a reference – and maybe someone who I should be watching?
I forgot to add the Essential Craftsman who is somehow under 300k subscribers. He’s just plain calming to watch, and reminds me of the side of my family that built houses for decades.
MikeIt
Thanks I’ll check out his vids. I haven’t had a regular source of woodworking videos ever since New Yankee Workshop went off the air 🙁 If we are sharing our favorite tool related youtubers I’d like to put forward AvE. He’s entertaining and easy to understand though he hardly speaks english XD
DANIEL
AvE has my vote. ?
Thin Man
I like this guy quite a bit myself. Of course he’s very knowledgeable about all that he presents but I remember the first video of his I watched he was working through all the steps, measuring, cutting assembling then the gluing up and, I kid you not, after he glued everything up, the next take showed him eating chips and drinking coke as he “watched the glue dry”. I laughed out loud and have been a fan ever since.
Rrich1
Jay is by far my favorite YouTuber. His video editing style is great and his projects are very well done.
John804
Stuart, Jay’s channel was my gateway into the wide world of different creators on YouTube. I really like the idea of a “Favorite YouTubers” series.
glenn
I have found this guy’s videos/tutorials useful. His name is David Stanton and he has some really helpful videos.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaWyhL_aRycHwvkrrYccaFw
No affiliation whatsoever, just came across his Youtube channel while searching for cabinet ideas.
Thomas M Reece
Check out Essential Craftsman. Lots of good info on blacksmithing, logging, carpentry, and tool stuff galore.
David
He’s a big favorite for me too. His current “here’s the entire process of building a spec house and how we make decisions and do the work” is really fun to watch.
satch
I’ve seen a few of his videos. Good stuff. Lots of people can do it and not teach. And many can teach(from a lecturing standpoint) and cannot do it. It’s the rare ones that put both together really well and are comfortable presenting both.
will
he is a good video editor, but not a good wood worker. He is not talented in woodworking.
DFig
The style of that first cabinet video does nothing for me. Would be racing to the support site(s) if the subject matter was of interest, though. The second vid was more my speed. A scosh wordy, but guy has good preso form. None/very little of that uhhhh and off the cuff, unscripted, just had a great aha moment bs. Thanks for the lead, will check him out some more.
Pretty sure I saw reference inna thread here to this guy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXzeI0cOlM
Not a ton of videos, but, really, very purty gud. Editing plus woodworking skill is really up there. Makes up for the infrequent captain obvious blurbs. Thanks to whomever it was that posted the link to Jer.
My parting gift, lol. Found this guy, Al, a while back. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR_dYmTZ5RMqgEahIYATuQ/videos Gooder explainer and can craft some pretty impressive stuffs from obscure yet readily available materials. Again, not super quantity laden with the content, but a home repair or three mixed in for measure. I get a kick outta studying? the workings of other peoples’ noodles.
DFig
Ahhhhh, bleep me! How could I forget this gem?
https://www.youtube.com/user/submarineboat/videos
Dude built a friggin’ boat. IN HIS FRONT YARD! All kinds of other useful stuff, too. SVSeeker is BOSS.
RKA
I like the idea of a you tube series. There is so much content out there that it’s sometimes painful wading through the swamp to find good ones. And even among the good ones, each of us has preferences, whether it be personality, delivery, detail, brevity or the nature of the projects they share (indoor furniture, shop idea, stuff for the kids, keepsakes, etc.).
But YouTube and website content (forums or other) is more than 50% of my learning. 49% is with my hands and the last 1% is print. I’ve already found the websites I want to follow, and if I need something specific, I will scan through the google results and prioritize content from those preferred sources. You tube for whatever reason is a challenge. But I suspect I have found my favorite content producers yet, so it feels a bit like the internet in 1998. A window into a whole lot of muck.
RKA
Sorry, that should have said “have NOT found my favorite…”.
Framer joe
Slow tool day? Iiteraly hundreds of new tools out there that only
you have access to.
I’m not going to rag on the guy,but as a pro ,I’m offended by his lack of skill, in his chosen field.
I mean,Mike’s Wood Shop does a nicer
job and he owns a plumbing company.
Tools please…..
Stuart
That’s the short way of saying that there was nothing important, pressing, or interesting enough to keep me at my computer.
So rather than force myself to power through something less interesting, or leaving it at 1 post for the day, I posted about something I found more run.
There are a lot of reviews and topics in the queue, but nothing I wanted to rush into posting prematurely.
Owen
To this guy’s credit, he isn’t whining about being his videos being demonetized and begging for money. There is a difference between voluntarily asking for donations and those that use emotional/psychological dog whistling begging for money.
Another one of my “favorites” and I use this term sardonically, is the corporation endorsed shills. Not going to name drop and these people are fairly easy to spot. Again, there is a difference between a product review that is sponsored that at bare minimum addresses this fact and those that aren’t precisely as transparent as they could be. Not should, albeit there are FTC guidelines.
Also worth noting is that in the channel description (about), this reads verbatim, “These videos are for entertainment purposes only.” Legally speaking he isn’t liable for these videos either being so called “skillful” or any other vernacular. If I had to ascertain from the description, he isn’t intentionally or unintentionally representing himself as a master carpenter, let alone “teacher”.
Personally I’ve never heard of this individual myself as I do not watch much if any videos via Youtube anymore. There is a far better platform out there in my personal opinion.
Michaelhammer
As I’m watching this guy build a really cheesy set of cabinets, I couldn’t help but wonder what he would charge for such a thing. I’m afraid I will go down a dark and very negative path right now, so I am just going to sum up with…yikes!
sp
Back in 2015 you mentioned a great You Tuber, designer and creator: Jimmy Diresta. It will be nice to see some more like thees.
As for the ‘slow tool days’, I must say I’m a little concerned. In the last year or two, I think you posted much less tool news compare to previous years. Much bigger segment relating to deals, sales and ‘father days gifts’ (also a mass launch of posts about knifes) rather than new tools and trends posts.
I’ll be happy to see again, more about new tools and technologies. How about some words regarding Bosch’s 2nd generation of 18v flexiclick that released in Europe last May (same heads and accessories but with the last GSR Dynamic series body and motor and also Connected series)? may by it’s not so important but still interesting. What about a section for “Tool Rumors” like Photo Rumors?
Now I’ll go to check out some Jay’s custom creations videos as long as I have time to keep my self in front of my computer..
Stuart
In the last 2 years, we moved and had a second child. Ideally, I need a several-month hiatus to get everything ToolGuyd-related up to speed. Realistically, I cannot do that.
I cannot apologize for slowing down, because that’s just the way it needs to be, at least for a little while longer.
I didn’t post about Jay’s channel because there was nothing else to talk about, I posted about it because it was the most interesting and enjoyable thing to write about at that moment. Perhaps that didn’t come across as clearly as I intended.
“Tool Rumors” is problematic territory, but there’s always the potential for these to be shared on the ToolGuyd Forum. For a rumor to be discussed in a post, there has to be public sourcing, and it has to be shareable.
sp
I think I understand. Thanks.
As I’m not american, nor english speaker, I hope I was not miss understood. Your blog is interesting (as well as JCCs videos), smart, helpfull and enjoyable. I would go farther and say it even indispensable. Since 2012 I enter this site almost every day with lot of enthusiasm and almost zero disappointments.
Stuart
Thanks, I appreciate it!
ToolGuyd is nearly 10 years old now, and I haven’t lost any steam. I’m working on a lot of things in the background, with most being better for ToolGuyd in the long run. But a lot of that requires being physically away from a computer.
Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated, especially when constructive.
Goji
As with any rumor/theories, I remain somewhat skeptical until there is viable proof to back up this claim? Years ago, there was a rumor SK was going to manufacture American made locking pliers. Now perhaps they (SK) doesn’t have the machinery for this, yet none the less nothing to my knowledge ever came of this.
Similar to Wilde, years ago allegedly they still have some the equipment to make locking pliers. Hard to say if this is true and even if so, there might be reasons why they haven’t made USA made locking pliers yet.
Most recently, I’ve heard a theory now that Stanley Black and Decker owns Irwin, they might re-open the Dewitt Nebraska plant. Either to assemble the locking pliers or to manufacture a majority of the product.
Now of course I’d LOVE to see all three of these rumors/theories come to fruition. Maybe SBD will actually bring back Vise Grip back to the states, anything is possible. However, without there being credible sources, I digress these might only be wishful thinking.