Is a BEGINNER Woodworker BETTER than a YouTube "Pro"?

[@lester44444]

Idk how everyone didn't get a lot of this was a joke 😂 might've been a bit too subtle and realistic with the jabs, might need to ham it up some more lmao Cam did a beautiful job also, thats a nice clean desktop

[@modustrial]

Exactly! 😃

[@Tavieme]

@@modustrialnah… you were being a a hole and this guy gave you a way out. You are awful at joking and you’re just not that good as a actor.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

For the record, my wireless charger works just fine for me 😂😂

[@patrickdugan4395]

Cause you da man!!!

[@TheAshers999]

😂 I feel like you got burnt 😂

[@c.a.g.1977]

You can always swap it out or a Mountain Dew holder 😄

[@Danielism]

Love how you show the amateur mistakes and show the remedy. All the other KZbinrs doing the pro vs amateur don't show those mistakes!

[@BreloomsGarden]

I hope Cam wasn't feeling too bad about some of these moments here and was being a good sport, but I'm sure this was a great learning experience! Seems super fun.

[@carterbaralt1540]

Might I suggest routing a channel in the back of the speaker holder arms, so the cords can be run down under the desk instead of up above. Looks great & good work Cam.

[@AlexAlex-gj4jd]

Yes!

[@PattyPaints]

My thought, too. Hidden speaker cords would be awesome to not take away from those sleek "Starship Enterprise" arms!

[@TheAshers999]

Same, I just commented something similar

[@erc1971erc1971]

I am going to have to vote for Cam's desk. Not because it is the superior product - your desk is freaking amazing. But because Cam stepped out of his comfort zone to start learning a new skill. For a beginner it turned out really well! And, if he keeps learning, he will be more valuable to Modustrial Maker down the road. And tip...don't taunt Cam and refuse to let him use the CNC...he is the camera man and could make fun if you while editing a future video :P

[@slowman82k8]

I think the point was to limit him to more the "beginner" tools. CNC isnt beginner.

[@toms2oo8]

@@slowman82k8 Should have put the pro on beginner tools and the 'beginner' on "expert" tools.

[@doubledarefan]

@@toms2oo8 You reminded me of Jetsons Meet The Flintstones.

[@drdeaf9420]

I must say, as a beginner woodworker, i do love this format, let him make mistakes and help him fix them as they are very common mistakes that everyone makes especially if they are new. And very nice not to laugh/take the piss out of that person as it can discourage them on finishing the project. Fantastic video and such great mentorship. Both of the tables look fantastic !!

[@teddluke534]

I like Cam's desk. It is not as simple as it looks with the way it was built. I can see he put in a lot of effort and thought behind it. Way to go Cam!

[@guillaumep.7206]

I really liked seeing a beginner try, fail, get taught, fix, move on and succeed. As a more than beginner myself, it makes me feel good not to see an experienced youtuber show how he achieved amazing results by editing out most of the parts that feel simple to him but are completely unknown to me (alternating wood grain, using a jointer first, etc)

[@modustrial]

thanks, from both of us!

[@Th3R4junC4jun]

@2:23 I 100% did that when I started and had to figure out what a thickness plainer was on my own. the teaching moment here is invaluable

[@Th3R4junC4jun]

Pro Tip: if you have some flat sheet good that is at least as long as the board you want to plain. andhere the board to the sheet good and the plainer will copy the flatness of the sheet good onto the board that you want to flatten.

[@bernclif]

I like the Walnut desk. It’s warmer in color, sleek looking and classier.

[@millcitymercantile]

Cam for sure. Thankfully Cam has a great sense of humor.

[@yuGtahT]

Cam did great here! Good job Cam!

[@farvasstache6532]

So yea, I'm a fan of the Walnut, and the stands of course. No doubt those adds some "pop". But Cam's desk with it's glorious flaws is also a nice clean looking desk. Winner? Pro, but don't do the "dance of joy" (

[@angelinabrown3142]

The speaker platforms did it for me. I love those. And, yes, they do resemble the sweep of the Enterprise but not the original. It reminded me of the nacelle arms of the D. (Yes, I'm a Trekkie. I own that.) I do love the outlet cover, though.

[@moritzh.]

Well, I'm certain your desk is a lot higher quality and standard, but I prefer the lighter colors and simplicity of the amature desk... Well done :)

[@MrTakoyaki1]

I think it's cam for me. I love the simplicity. Woodworking is polishing mistakes. I don't think I've ever worked on a single project where I haven't made a mistake.

[@Poppy-xp8fr]

I go with Cam… he is very tolerant of the patronizing approach.

[@nikolajlandrock2191]

Same. I watched the intro on the overview screen, no audio, just reading graphics. I kept checking if it was some third party channel that posted a mashup of older vids or something.

[@Sousyned]

Yeah, some Buddy Valastro “friendly competition” vibes.

[@brianeatock4383]

“I didn’t know you could screw that up so bad.” A jerk comment for sure. How about helping with your vast knowledge without being so patronizing?

[@philipwilliams8114]

I’m afraid that I have to agree. This shows a different side to Mike

[@Poppy-xp8fr]

Let’s picture an analogy for a moment. Let’s say a professional basketball player challenge a high school student to a game of 1:1. The amateur had to use one of the red playground balls, shoot from the three point line only, no layup shots allowed, no rebounding permitted, play in hiking boots, not allowed to jump etc. When the amateur didn’t make a shot or made even the slightest of errors, they would be reminded that they are not a professional and then questioned why they aren’t performing as well as the seasoned professional. That’s what it looked like.

[@JaayB]

Both desks look great! The beginner one is definitely something I would try at some point if I ever get the chance, but I only have some basic hand and power tools. The only thing that annoys me with the pro desk is the speaker orientation. As a music guy this bugs me. If you can put some angle adjustment on it so the speakers can point directly at your ears and make a sweet spot, that would truly be a pro move for audio work and editing. Otherwise it's great for casual listening.

[@stephenoran2019]

Both desks turned out awesome! Cam did a great job for a relative newcomer to making! Any future features on adding to the desks would be awesome! Thanks so much!

[@rdph6693]

What a hard choice! I think if I were in an office I would have to go with the Pro build. But for home it's definitely Cam's. I've mentioned before how much I love pine paneling, this just seems to fit right in.

[@TrailRat2000]

I like Cam's. It's nice and simple, looks great and I wouldn't be scared to use it to work on.

[@Grumm-Nation]

Modustrial Gaming would be sick! I would definitely watch. A game to start with if you are not all for FPS, is Satisfactory, a factory building game where you can build a factory, but also rely on numbers, and calculate how much you need for what you want.

[@LordBoZman]

My favorite thing in this is the level of trust you had in Cam not editing this to make you look like an asshole.

[@TheAshers999]

Haha, think he likes his job though 😂

[@LordBoZman]

@@TheAshers999 Oh I know but it's still funny to think about

[@ericpatterson8794]

He didn't?

[@scherre]

Both desks looks awesome. I do like the darker colours of the walnut wood more but in terms of finished product made by beginner vs pro I do think Cam deserves the win. We know you can (and do) make awesome stuff often. Cam's desk absolutely looks like a high quality, sturdy piece that people would pay handsomely to have in their home or office. To get that good of a build on the first project he was completely in charge of is incredibly impressive, especially given there were a few 'oops' moments along the way. I very much agree that the jigsaw mishap turned into a happy accident as the wood frame on the power insert looks great.

[@allenhess656]

I like Cam's desk. On the production side of the office, his fits beautifully.

[@marihannah6702]

Both of the desks turned out beautifully!

[@PhillyFan344]

Wow this video was awesome. Both desks came out great. The fancy inlays made it. Please do another pro vs amateur with Cam on these little projects. Be a fun story line to see his progress.

[@kaylenesyberjedi9690]

Both desks look awesome. However, as I get older, I have discovered that I prefer a more industrial and darker look to my furniture, so I have to go with the pro build. Not knocking what Cam made. He did a fantastic job. I also like how you turned his mistakes into learning experiences, showing him what he did wrong, and how to go about fixing it.

[@corail53]

I would just call it mikes build. He is no pro.

[@jampresident9197]

I am always going to pick walnut as it is one of my favourite woods, but the 2X4 desk looks pretty sweet.

[@Kriss_941]

Honestly... think I would go for the amateur one. However if I was to do this myself I'd do alot different either way... - Built in wireless charging is nice, I'd keep that, but I would put it on the right hand side since I'm right handed and it just makes sense you know, I would probably go with the "invisible" approach though. - Get rid of the powerstrip and if anything add a USB hub instead. The outlet with all the plugs goes on the underside of the desk to hide the cables. - Speaker shelves are nice, but it's a desk... You sit so close that unless you angle them inwards dispersion will be an issue so fix that. - PC hanging under the desk could be ok, but not when it's right where my legs would be, move that shit to the side or just make the desk large enough so it fits on top of the desk. - Keyboard trays belong in the late 90's early 2000's get that shit out of here. - Since I have, an external AMP/DAC for my headphones, an AMP for my passive speakers and an Audio interface for my guitar I'd probably add some shelves of sorts for these and maybe something to hang my headphones on. - Also some way to easily store my other keyboards within arms reach for when I decide I wanna switch it up. - Oh, and don't forget epic gamer RGB ambient lighting.

[@Katter1234]

Either of the two builds I would love to own. You both did an amazing job for each of your skill sets. I think the overhead LED light bar would look better on the pine desk with less reflecting light. Enjoy your work and inspiration.

[@jsraudio]

quick tip from an audio engineer here, you may want to remake the speaker mounts with a 30 degree inward angle, ideally you want the speakers pointed at your head, forming an equilateral triangle, so angling them in 30 degrees is the optimal angle for nice direct, balanced sound.

[@annegrzesiak7139]

Hard to choose! I like the walnut. The project was executed nicely. Using 2x4s was very cost-effective. I prefer the size & casters of the walnut desk.

[@shiggins1324]

More of this. It's a great format. Mentor and student. Don't think I've seen any other channels doing this. I'd know if I were starting out, these are the mistakes I'd make. Great way to get across tips. Even if this was a joke, I believe the format is great.

[@modustrial]

Thanks, we had fun and will definitely do some more in the future

[@stanleysadventres]

I also go with Cam, he did pretty good for his first project!!

[@PattyPaints]

Mike, yours is gorgeous with the walnut and super cool charging plate, but... I gotta go with Cam's for simplicity, its light and bright look, clean lines, and the cute factor. (Cam's, not the desk's.) Plus... I always root for the underdog. 😁 Is he really 6'7"?! No wonder you're always filmed at a good angle! Lol! I think Cam has earned a Beginner Winner Chicken Dinner!!! 😂😂

[@MatthiasPowerbomb]

Your desk turned out super-slick. No surprise there. Cam's is more simple, but it came out very well, especially for a first project.

[@AstronomyGarage]

To be honest, it's tough to decide. I like the simplicity of the pine 2x4's, but the walnut sure has a beautiful finish.

[@c.a.g.1977]

The walnut looks way better, but that's a given. I believe that the 'amateur' desk is pretty sweet, considering the (lack of) experience of the builder. Just love your shop and all tyour tools, Mike, you are very fortunate to be where you are now in life, but you worked very hard for it!

[@CihaPet]

The walnut is beautiful, but I'm going to have to go with Cam. Taking something 'plain' like a 2x4 and really making it pop. Mistakes were made, sure... But it isn't how often you fall, it is getting up and crossing the finish line.

[@mamahnita]

They both look nice but I like yours better because it is bigger and has more features. Good job and congratulation on your first project Cam.

[@traceyshenanigans]

You made an off the cuff reference to Modustrial 'gaming'. I think that there is a huge market for upscale gaming desks and your desk would fit in perfectly. Plus, who doesn't want LED lighting?

[@cynthiagilbert]

As always beautiful art work! Your camera man did awesome to !!🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@davidroddini1512]

Not going to lie. I think the walnut desk looks good. But I definitely like Cam’s desk better. I personally tend to prefer the simplest way to get the job done. That’s definitely Cam’s desk!

[@shellywinters2162]

I think both desks are amazing. The Pro gets number 1 for me just because of all the additional features however I would have preferred it made out of a lighter wood.

[@tx4631]

I love that ocean Wallpaper on your curved monitor. I commented on another video a long time ago that I thought a nice colorful aquarium would look nice in your home. As for the desk I love both of them.

[@modustrial]

I actually took that photo myself :) I used to have a saltwater aquarium years ago, but now I’ve got my hands full with Tex!

[@daniellemhall1358]

Both desks are beautiful. I always tend to root for the underdog, and that is how I'm leaning now, but the Enterprise shaped speaker holders are leaning it to the other side a little.

[@kilianfunke8974]

Definitely need to built some sound absorbers for the studio room. This will make your VO, ultra crisp. They are quite echoey right now. Also I would love your take on sound absorbtion, and nerd out about it. It will also make the space that you guys do spend quite some time in, a hell of a lot more comfy.

[@modustrial]

That is in the plans for a studio makeover down the road!

[@slayer2580]

​@@modustrialUse Rockwool for the acoustic panels. 👍

[@ronaldtreitner1460]

i like them both but i do like walnut more, only one change i'd do to both would be to hide the electrical plugs and cables under the desk top in some kind of channel so its all hidden. one thing i'd also prefer is no speaker stands built in because if i'm going to have a really nice desk i'm going to have surround sound speakers mounted or hidden around the room, but that's me.

[@tomrockholm-timeless_morph6691]

I’d have to go with yours but it would’ve been a touch better if you could’ve cable managed the speaker wires through their stands or routered a slot in the back of them to neatly tuck the wires so they aren’t just dangling across like that. Both look great and I wouldn’t hesitate to have either option as my own haha.

[@fredcarlson5775]

Mike I really love your desk I do prefer walnut for me my wife loves Cam's desk since they are not in the same room it works

[@leegarner4111]

I love the walnut,Cam did a great job,but I have to vote for yours.

[@Salimji26]

I would say that plate Cam has would look a lot cleaner if it was routed out and flush mounted, I like his more though, very simple, not a huge fan of the curves or the rounded corners when it comes to my desks. Both look amazing though, been looking for ideas for a new surface for my standing desk

[@ghoulgoil5029]

Yours of course! But Cam’s is pretty sweet too. Pretty work on both desks.

[@Beezerfish79]

Cam gets bonus points for the Harry’s sweatshirt. Boiler up!

[@wadetyler5056]

For most budgets the pine is fine, the walnut is beautiful but very expensive!

[@rhkips]

I don't get the whole sit-stand desk thing, just can't figure out why on earth you'd wanna stand... LOL I love Cam's build! Despite not having much experience, he had an idea, and he went for it! That's the true spirit of DIY. Just go for it, make mistakes, learn from it, but don't stop until you've built the thing you wanted to build. I've built so many things that I hate, but I value each one 'cause I learned a lot from each of them. :) I love your build, too! I have an arguably unhealthy obsession with walnut! It's easily the most beautiful non-exotic wood, and your execution with it here is stunning!

[@xelaander8429]

If you've ever had to sit on a project for 6 plus hours you'd get why at a point you just rather stand and continue working

[@benjamintennant6851]

I agree. I think price for price Cam's is better. I also prefer the lighter colour and shape of Cams.

[@jonathonbarnes3582]

I will go with the amateur desk. Simple, clean and economical. I want to see a LED strip light routed into the edge though! Great work guys.

[@timothycanipe6470]

I personally love the look of black walnut, and I love the speaker stands you made. So I'd have to go pro instead of noob for this build. Gotta say though, Cam's desk looks great for a first build.

[@woodworksbygrampies1284]

Hola! 🖐Great video, I really enjoyed this one. Congrats to Cam on his first build, really good job.👏👏I would definitely like to see more of this style video where you each build the "same" project and see the results. There are many of us "beginners" that need a more down to earth approach to some of the nice projects more advance builders are making. I think that the arm for your lighting sounds like an interesting video, I would definitely watch it as well. Take care and have a good one, Adios!👊

[@manlycactus]

very nice seeing a video with cam! This was a cute project!

[@CrimsenOverlordVideos]

I'd be happy with either desk. You guys did great.

[@MagnusX117]

Great video. My votes for the pro. Really enjoyed this vs format. It’s a nice touch that it’s not an overly serious competition, rather a work and learn together experience, very cool.

[@modustrial]

thank you!

[@ChronicAUZ]

this would be a sick VS type of series also educational for those at you and his wood working levels. also good way to make some cook looking stuff that isn't always the same

[@lukepoynting291]

Yeeeaah, that was tough to watch. Very self-indulgent and patronising. I really never thought I'd see that level of shameless self promotion through belittlement on this channel. I really hope you can tone that down in future Mike, quite a bit. A little obnoxious, gotta say it... Oh, and nice job Cam, both on the build and the tolerance... Still love what I've seen from the channel overall btw. It's been a great journey to watch and you do have a lot to be proud of Mike, can't deny that.

[@dewrules235]

I’m generally a dark wood guy, but overall there’s just something about Cam’s desk that speaks to me.

[@timlovegrove1097]

Love the look of the speaker stands, only comment would be they point straight ahead, where they should be angled somewhat towards the listening position to get better stereo imaging. Generally they would be set up as a triangle pointing slightly behind the listener’s ears. That might be less of a consideration if you’re not mixing songs from raw audio, but it would improve the overall listening experience. Easy to do if you used a single screw to mount the top plate, as it could then be rotated.

[@lydiacavanagh8347]

Love both the desks tho. My favourite is the walnut one

[@hazonku]

I love all the people who commented that it was mean to not let Cam use the CNC. Most beginners simply aren't going to have ready access to an industrial sized CNC either due to budget or space. You can tell they must be new here because I'm sure I wasn't the only longtime viewer who was happily surprised to see Mike still has that janky sled he used back in the tiny basement days.

[@purdue92]

I love how Cam is always representing Purdue. Boiler up!!! 🙂

[@ShopNation]

Dangit, Cam. My vote was for 3D printing the bezel around your jigsaw...eh...adventure

[@nova_kane]

I'd watch a Modustrial gaming series where you critique the quality of the furniture in the games. Excellent desks lads.

[@markstevensfpv3722]

I would have enjoyed this video more if there wasn’t this competitive aspect to it - I would’ve liked to have seen you guiding Cam on his desk, whilst making yours as the main content. I’m sure that it was done in good spirit, but in parts of the video it felt like you were putting him down - especially given that he didn’t have the tools and materials you did. Please see this as constructive criticism, I really enjoy your content typically! Looking forward to the rooftop decking 👍

[@NWGR]

Just an FYI, the alternating grain for tabletops is mostly a myth, or at most, it doesn't really affect anything. I always align boards for appearance and haven't had any panels "explode" or warp in my 18 years of woodworking. There's quite a bit of info on the web by pretty reputable woodworkers debunking it. Both came out great, I like the lighter colored wood for desktops. They reflect light better and are more pleasant to work on.

[@modustrial]

thanks for the insight!

[@stephdunham]

It’s funny you mentioned Star Trek in reference to the speaker stands because I was going to ask why I felt like at some point I’d hear “Engage” with an “Aye, Captain” in response when I saw those stands

[@miriam4235]

I gotta say, cameraman Cam won for me. That is mainly because I don't like dark wood and a simpler and sleeker design over all. 😆

[@sergeydolzhin1846]

Dark looks better in life, rather than light. On the video lift table looks better.

[@Stephen_A.]

You both made great desks. 💙 My desk consists of a fiberboard top (cut for me at Home Depot) on top of two filing cabinets. But at least the filing cabinets are matching. 😂

[@jub_388]

The front facing speaker built up is a definitely no-go for me. In my opinion, with such nice speakers, it's mandatory to set them up correctly. This means to orient them in an isosceles triangle. With each speaker and your head being a corner of the triangle, so that the speaker face you directly. Wich ensure accurate sound reproduction.

[@slyfox7429]

Ok if we're voting the walnut desk wins by DESIGN and build using expensive tooling. However since this is a DIY type channel, I vote for Cam's desk as it's the simple design and the least dollars on the build. Cam did an excellent job with minimal errors. The difference between a beginner woodworker and a master is the master has learned how to cover his errors.......

[@timj.]

I think the powerstrip frame actually gives a nice bit of contrast on the desk.

[@Arkie80]

Great work guys. Both of you did a top notch job. I'd love to see you build the LED stand Mike. That'd be great.

[@SunnyGlasgow]

top class, i prefer Mike's desk but Cam's desk is fantastic too 👍

[@mitchyuk]

Preferred Cam's desk, looks lighter and I like the lines better. You need to work on being less patronising but Cam seemed to take it in stride! Good tips for how to recover from mistakes, I think you could do more videos on that.

[@xelaander8429]

How was he patronizing? Did we watch the same video?

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic work, guys! Both turned out fantastic! 😃 Really well done!!! Stay safe there with your families! 🖖😊

[@docphi]

Love the desks. It's hard choice. But I would prefer the walnut desk. But I have to say Cam's desk looks like some a professional would make even though he's an amateur (I guess with the little help you gave him and what he learned by osmosis it was expected to be a great product)

[@ann-marietrotman9589]

The moment you didn’t let Cam use the fancy machinery you lost I’m afraid lol. Cam gets my vote!

[@theadventuresofvictorandel9044]

I prefer Cam’s desk. The phone charging point in the top left corner was not impinging on the work area of the desk. The lighter wood looks fresher (not a huge fan of dark wood). Mike’s desk was very professional and slick but I didn’t like the speaker stands. “You can’t please all of the people all of the time!” Well done to both!

[@RasmusDK..]

sick build.. only upgrade would be to hide the speaker wires inside the mounts but beautifull table.. and the amature build is nice aswell. wish i had the gear to make something like this ❤❤

[@jisy9785]

I like both extremely much. What in my opinion gives you the win is the colour. If Cam had put a finish that would make the wood even a little bit darker it would have been perfect. But yours was a darker colour wood to begin with which for me is a must. So over all Cam's desk was just too bright. Other than that I like both equally as much

[@miki09l]

and just like that.... BOOM! love it! be sure to update us on those leds :)

[@lynda.grace.14]

I love a dark, sleek finish without knots. So one point for MM. However, I dislike the speaker arms and speakers fixed to the desk in that way. So one point for Cam. Plus, it wasn't made clear to him that he couldn't use the CNC at the outset of the project. He ought to have understood that from the beginning. So I'll give him an extra point for the handicap. So Cam wins. That said I wouldn't want either desk in spite of the effort applied to each on account of the light wood with knots on one and the speaker arms on the other.

[@GareebSAG]

I love your work and effort in these videos. I have learned so much from you. First video I saw was the beginning of the abandoned building then I subscribed immediately. Keep it up.

[@h4rbing3r_1st]

Definitely prefer the professional one. I love dark colors (all the furniture in my room is dark), and the smooth corners would really save my clumsy ass, as I bump into my current desks corners all the time XD

[@TotalBoat]

They both turned out pretty amazing! 👏👏

[@davidjasinski6633]

Like both! It would depend on the other furnishings in the room which way I would go. Can you comment on the total cost of each desk, including all the PC mounting hardware?

[@Blitzenwagon]

Love both the builds on its own.. Nice work cam for the first time, trail and error is the way to learn right 💪 For the speaker stand i had chosen for a channel true te legs for the wires. Love the channel ✌️😉

[@retroandgaming]

I'm voting for the PRO desk but as you are the PRO you will also get the heat. The desk is beautiful! But if you had hid the speaker wires inside the speaker stands it would have looked a lot better from the side and back. But yeah.. my desk doesn't look that good and I'm also envious so keep that in mind... :D

[@mrrberger]

Well the pro desk should have had the edge banding on the back of the Keyboard platform raised to stop the mouse, pencils and pens getting pushed off the back, the front of the slide rails covered to stop jagging your hand/s. The power board on a pro version would likely be recessed by the height of the plug and a notched top plate/cover. deciding between both is hard as Cam has more latitude in the omission dept where you don't. What Cam didn't do that almost every newbie does when building a hero piece is spend lots of time trying to get it right, they lack the skills and tools but spend more time. Think I'll have to give my vote to Cam.