First time watching David Marks

Feb 26, 2004 54 Replies

Please, no flames for some criticism. I like his show...



I'm usually on my way to work at 7:30 in the morning, but happened to stay home today. Great stuff, cool project of a glass table with two supports with a 15" radius, held together with 3 copper pipes. I liked most of his methods.



I did cringe, however, when he was running these slats through the jointer without a push stick. Once slip, and he's going to be missing some fingers. I also didn't notice any hearing protection.



Once of the things that really bugged me though, was this constant smirk he seemed to have when describing a woodworking procedure. Almost like there was some inside joke he had with the crew! I don't know his personality, and frankly he has terrible TV presence, but wondering if he's always smiling like this.


I watch the show because of his high level of woodworking skills and never even considered his "TV presence" as a factor worthy of my consideration

Could it be that you've been raised on the unreality of TV and he's a real woodworker, not some actor hired to play a part?

No flame ... just curious.

Yeah..LOL... I uh.. remember being bothered by the smirk also. I got the impression that he was stoned. Anyway, you get past that and realize that he is quite accomplished. He was well on his way long before this TV show. Have you seen his web site?

The guy isn't the issue with me, I like him, probably a good person. I'd like to see the show more often.

If I had the U.S.S Enterprise for a jointer, I'd be smirking a lot too.

His smirk used to bug me too, I thought it made him look like a smart ass but I don't think that is the case anymore. I like his show a lot because he talks alot about design and form of his creations and he makes some beautiful projects. I wish his show was on more often.

He does however always wear long sleeve shirts. He should at least roll up his sleeves while using power tools.

He was at the local woodworking show here in So.Cal in January. You always get a different perspective in person, almost like a second first impression. My second first impression was, he looks a lot older in person. Regardless, he was a nice guy, answering questions about the project from the show that he had on hand (the curved top chest), and the smile was pretty much what you see on the tube.

The smirk always seemed to me to be "how the heck did I ever make it to cable TV?"

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His smirk still bothers me.

At first I thought it was because he was some type of smartass.

Then I realized he was being paid to be on TV showing how to build something he was going to sell for more money, he probably scored a new light system because can't have any kind of shadow on TV. And guessing from other threads on Marks , Marks was counter culture, long hair and tattoos. Now he's main stream and all he had to do was cut his hair and wear a long shirt. He has a bunch of hard core conformists, the 9 to 5ers, tuning into him to see how things are done.

I'd smirk to.

He IS some kind of smart ass, and the jokes on us.

Damn Mark you got issues buddy......

Jim

... and who apparently love the word "smirk".

Seeing how he's an artiste, I'd classify it as closer to a Mona Lisa grin.

I too was at the show in Ontario, CA., and met David. I spent almost a half hour just talking about woodworking and different finishing techniques. I was very impressed with his humility and general friendliness. He is very open about his processes, trials and errors. He is no carpenter turned woodworker, he truly is an artist that creates in wood. I could tell he really loves creating.

Dave

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Counter culture... I don't think so, this guy is an accomplished artist with many of his pieces in museums around the country. Check out his BIO at his web site

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counter culture types I have seen want nothing to do with culture and museums and galleries and collections and exhibitions and TEACHING and publications numerous affiliations. I'm guessing also that he pays for nothing to have that show produced. None of the above mentioned has happened since he has shown up on TV. The TV gig has come along after a long long list of accomplishments... Check the web site.

DIY won't let him show his tatoo(s).

I'm sure the smirk reflects some sort of disdain for the simplistic projects he builds on the show. If you look at his website, you'll see that what he builds on the show is very basic compared to his gallery and art pieces. Kinda like Norm banging together a pine birdhouse on TV.

Jon E

And just exactly what is wrong with being a carpenter turned woodworker?

I recently got DIY and started watching David. I enjoy watching his show cause he has skills but I have yet to see him build anything that I would want to build. The problem I have is not really with him but with the show. You would think that being on DIY that it would be for the home hobbyist. I'm sure some of you have some of the tools he uses but I don't...I don't have a 12" (or how ever freakin' big) joiner, multi-router, or that fancy vacuum press. For those of you that have these things....it must be nice.

Greg

I had the privilege of having lunch with David Marks at the Ontario Woodworking Show a few weeks ago. I can attest that David is not only a real woodworker but he's also a friendly guy who does tend to smile a lot. My impression is that he really enjoys life and is still somewhat surprised by the recognition the show has brought him. As to smirking at an inside joke with his crew, I doubt it, since I observed no sarcastic or snide side to his personality.

Most of his pieces are interesting to me for the joinery and technique's he uses, including his frequents, and often ingenious, use of templates. I am always trying to anticipate how, where and why he will use a certain cut, tool, or method ... I am getting better at guessing what he'll do next.

Some of the 'round' things he builds, like the mirror stand, are doubly interesting for the methodology, although, like you, I doubt whether I'll ever be interested in doing them.

You gotta respect the man's output of woodwork ... it is inarguably artistic and functional, but still accessible to the average wooddorker who wants to put his shoulder to the wheel. The more I learn and attempt do myself, particularly in the area of design, the more I am impressed with his talent.

... and that by gawd ain't a "smirk", it's a s*it eating grin from doing what he loves to do, and doing it well enough to be successful in a tough age.

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Larry Bud) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

Love his show, he does great work. Smile irks me, but the 'helmet head' haircut down right frightens me! Seems like a good guy who enjoys smoking a bud or two before shotting the show.

When he was approached about doing a show the folks who were doing the asking wanted a show on how to make shaker furnityure etc.. he said no there are enough of those shows out there. He said he awanted to do projects that were a little harder and involved little more creativity and used some exotic wood combinations etc... I love his show... Is it still in production? seems like I have seen the same shows over and over?.

Or, it may merely be his normal facial contour.

Gotta love conspiracy theories....

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