Stop Working. Start Playing.

Throughout my career I've found that my best work invariably comes when I'm not trying to impress. When my only goal is to explore. To play. So, I've tried to do this more. To stop working and start playing. Between commissions, if nothing else. But more often than not, if I can help it.
Items I use:
Dewalt Trim Router: amzn.to/3LbCbTF
45 deg Chamfer Bit: amzn.to/3KRRejU
Veritas Spokeshave: www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/...
Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this video please consider supporting my channel by subscribing and hitting that notification bell. It really helps small channels like mine.
You can stay up to date with my work here:
/ encurtis​
/ encurtis
encurtis.com/

[@tommoeller7149]

"Make something ugly." Another pithy and priceless piece of advise. Thx.

[@Bloodangel1977]

Ok, so I watch A LOT of woodworking youtube videos. But your approach feels more like you are having a conversation with me vs talking at me. You are my new favorite man. I have learned a lot from your vids so far.

[@ENCurtis]

That’s awesome to hear because that’s exactly my hope. Thanks for much for the feedback man!

[@RootedInThePastWoodworking]

Jason, from Bourbon Moth, is an absolute gem 👍

[@biscuittreewoodworks]

I agree, making small projects from scraps are a great way to practice and learn new techniques! I did this a couple weeks ago with some leftover figured maple that had a crack in it. I made a nice tablet stand and got some practice on my inlays!

[@ENCurtis]

It’s all about practicing and continuing growth 👊

[@christianfischer7972]

"Just let the object evolve" well said Erik! Sometimes the piece you're working on decides to take a different path than you had planned for. That's one of the things that makes woodworking so creative, I guess. Keep it up and thank you for your videos!

[@ENCurtis]

Precisely! Sometimes the piece demands your attention in a way you didn’t see previously. It’s important to give it the space to evolve.

[@philipchandler330]

I'm just starting out so I enjoy putting different wood types together. The three tills I have made so far the color differentiation with a finish applied is unique to each piece appeals to me.

[@blackapronwoodworking]

found myself at a point to come back through the content and learn from what I possibly missed or didn't understand at the original viewing. This topic has totally resonated with me more based on where I am at. I think this is a testament to the value you're providing and how its applicable to the journey we all are treading.

[@sk8brder]

This was so great. I find myself overly stressing at times on all the details of my hobby projects. Thanks ENCurtis for the ENCouragement!

[@ENCurtis]

I'm glad you took something from it 🙂

[@geoffb108]

I have never made a cutting board but I have cleaned up quite a few off cuts for use in the kitchen and even gifted some

[@robertm348]

Nice! I started woodworking to have fun and hopefully design a line of furniture that would hopefully make Chippendale and other famous woodworkers jealous and want to work to learn my secrets. Then I realized I wanted to have fun, and not be famous. I have succeeded at both!

[@ENCurtis]

Funny how you accomplish goals when you cease to chase them, ain’t it?

[@fugixi]

So true, for so many things in life.

[@spycedezynuk]

Love these philosophical videos, you make a lot of sense man. It’s good to take the pressure off ourselves and just enjoy the process once in a while. 👊🏻

[@ENCurtis]

It’s so important! Glad you enjoyed the video my dude 🙏

[@BigRedNZ1]

My project of choice at the moment is “garage furniture”. Ie fixings for my cleat wall to house all my stuff. Again, making something out of small pieces.

[@dls677]

There are so many great takeaways from this. Thank you!

[@Finlock-makes]

I do appreciate your effort to produce unique and thought provoking content

[@Kosh42EFG]

Another good video. Must be said I love the music choices on your channel as well.

[@michaelkelley6905]

Great content. So many projects (non-commercial) on my list of things to work on. I purchased a couple of old handsaws with cracked and broken handles at an estate sale and decided, just for fun to try to make handles for both of them. What a learning curve and so much fun. One from Bo’ D’Arc (Osage orange) one from Texas Live Oak (both pieces I milled from logs). It was so fun and I made so many stupid mistakes, but the second handle took me less than half the time. Such a joyful experience and I ended up with two useable hand saws. Super FUN!

[@chuckgrumble5440]

just cut wood.. I agree and some of my favorite pieces were created on the fly, deviating from my original plan mid-project more than a few times (bout 5 or 6 plan changes on my coffee table). I just put french cleats on my garage door with bowed out maple ply leftovers because i felt like it and didnt get stuck in perfection and it was real nice, buttery smooth like your finish.

[@KOutOfMyYard]

Always the best videos of my week!!! The joy in doing is real

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@glennthomas4159]

You have one hell of a good attitude!

[@jimrosson6702]

Another great video and you are so right we all need to just have fun once in awhile life is too short not to. Thank again for sharing

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you 🙏

[@JeffFontecchio]

Good for you supporting up and coming KZbin creators! I watched with my daughter and now she wants to build something.

[@ENCurtis]

😂😂 Jason could use the support. But I love to hear about your daughter. That made me smile man. Thanks for sharing 🤙

[@oniechambers3522]

Dude you're awesome thanks!!!!

[@einsteinbpc]

Love this video. Never be ashamed of something you made it’s far more than the majority of people are doing.

[@frankfaherty2065]

Excellent video Eric! Thanks for reminding everyone to have fun.

[@ENCurtis]

Thanks man! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jerrybyrd7778]

Loved the video. Especially the reminder of why we do this. 😊

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you! I really appreciate that.

[@reaganharder1480]

I just finished a computer desk i've been building for myself for the last two years. In several ways I bit off more than I could chew with attempting a bunch of joinery stuff with next to no prior experience, and upon close examination there's probably 2 joints in the entire desk that aren't terribly ugly, but from a distance i am beyond pleased with my design and material choice, and functionally it does exactly what I wanted it to do.

[@davidmeyer9204]

Thank You! I must be one of the few that has never made a cutting board. I started this endeavor In the early 90's and maybe it is time to make a cutting board.

[@ENCurtis]

They may be simple objects but they are a perfect example of functional beauty each time you’re playing in the kitchen. I say it’s time my man! 👊

[@davidmeyer9204]

@@ENCurtis You are right!

[@jameslockwood5113]

Well played sir

[@NewmanSpecialsWoodwork]

Another great video and a perfect sentiment. You absolutely need to take some time to have fun - all work and no play makes Eric a grumpy guy!!😁🙌

[@ENCurtis]

Haha precisely! Thanks brother 👊

[@JimEichenberg]

Needed to hear this. Thanks m8.

[@RootedInThePastWoodworking]

Taking an esthetic risk should always be done when possible. Push your limits and grow.

[@karatekid10908]

I found you just the other day on youtube and you have very quickly become one of my top favorite woodworkers on youtube. Just great high quality videos with an emphasis on hand tool woodworking which is really where I want to be in my own woodworking journey. I think ive watched almost 10 of your videos over the past 2 days and its been quite inspiring.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate that and I’m glad my channel is resonating with you my dude 👊

[@williamshaffer2562]

Wow. Very deep Mr. Curtis. Enjoy your work and videos Eric. Carry on sir. Semper Fi young man.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you sir. I appreciate that 🙏

[@rollingstone3017]

So true. I’ve ceased projects because they stopped being fun. Usually because it wasn’t perfect. After letting it languish for a while, the flaws seemed not so egregious. Going to finish now with a different attitude 😊

[@georgetumillo446]

Primo idea on using hand screws clamped to your bench in lieu of having a bench vice which I don’t have. Until then, I have a great alternative, so thank you for that. With regards to the music, I actually like your music selection. Hard driving but it’s still stays in the background enough that I can focus on what you’re doing. I do agree, though that it could be turned down just a little.

[@TWC6724]

Words of the wise my brother. Good video. One of my “you had me at hello” moments for you, was your epoxy table with the little boat. Being a woodworker, I’m so over epoxy tables, but that one my friend was pure art. You took that to another level by using your own words in this video. You had fun with that one that took it somewhere else and it became absolute beauty! 💪

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you so much my man. I appreciate the kind words and the long time support! 🙏

[@ryanm2214]

You give really good advice sir! Appreciate finding your channel recently!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@Tlttht]

Love it, i think i want to do this thank you for your content.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you for watching 🙏

[@paulruud5804]

Erik, yes! And it just hit me that you might be playing with your video too. Awesome! Wish you were still in Pok.

[@ENCurtis]

Exactly! I’m playing with a craft I’m relatively new at in these long form videos. Some will be good. Others mediocre. But the point is to keep making. Experience, after all, is the great teacher.

[@dustindrake6644]

Commenting for the algorithm. Really enjoying your channel man. Keep up the great work!

[@ENCurtis]

I appreciate that man. Thank you 🙏

[@clemoniii]

Nice Saturday morning video. Thanks

[@ENCurtis]

Glad you enjoyed it my dude. Thanks.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@strongjohn10956]

I, at least, learn a lot more from my mistakes than from projects that come off without a hitch. Mistakes force me to rethink the project and come at it from a new direction that often improves it. And, for me, if I'm not having fun, why bother? I do woodworking and furniture restoration because I enjoy it, not because I need to make a living from it - not that there is anything at all wrong with being able to make a living from this craft, just that I do not feel any pressure to produce/perform - I have that in other spheres of my life -smile-.

[@LimitedGunnerGM]

You and Jason should do a video together if you both going to a high end barber for a hair and beard trim. I think it would be hilarious.

[@dmkshop]

they did do a video together kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqi0lYSKa5pleM0

[@aucomint]

I found your channel not long ago. Well, actually the KZbin algorithm led me to it. What's funny -- and I hope you won't feel offended -- is that the very first time I saw you it reminded me of Jason. I mean, a great woodworker with a beard, muscular arms, a good sense of humor and to top it all off who seems to appreciate whisky and bourbon. Yeah, so many points in common... This is probably the reason why I keep coming here.

[@michaelzimmerman635]

I gave up on BM. Clownish behavior and promos unrelated to woodworking became too much. Which is why I find your content so much more enjoyable.

[@MV-wb2cz]

agreed!

[@dekim631]

Sweet, I often find myself doing simple skill building exercises before the next project and also do it in different variations to best suit the next project. Good video, keep it up, shop tour ?

[@ENCurtis]

Shop tour ain’t a bad idea. People seem to enjoy them. Perhaps soon.

[@brianhawes3115]

And with that, you’ve got another subscriber

[@ENCurtis]

Thanks my man!

[@MV-wb2cz]

New Subscriber here as well. Thank you ENCurtis. You seem very genuine in your videos.

[@deek3048]

Yeah, you should have dovetailed those endpieces!

[@brucewelty7684]

If what you are doing is no longer fun STOP IT! I am a bit more advanced than total novice. Everyday is a new challenge for me. But I have fun and I am learning.

[@user-ct1hw9iz2k]

Having fun don't be a lame!

[@markusscholter4097]

Every adult should play more. It's the state of mind where we learn. With ease & enthusiasm. And enthusiasm is like a fertilizer for our brain. Things we learn/do in that state we will never unlearn. Playing is learning. All that is proven by the scientist Gerald Hüther. Yet people tell children to stop playing and start learning. Grotesque. like you could seperate that... We even stop them from playing to make them do "serious important" things. We cut them and us of from our potential. So, play 😉

[@MJKCreations]

At 3:22, I saw you jointing the wider surface of the board. I've never seen that, never considered it myself. Why joint that surface instead of plane it? So new to everything, and I apologize if the question is way too basic. I just haven't had a reason to ask it before.

[@rossanctuary5238]

...and that's exactly why I never made a cutting board. Basically because everyone else is or has built one before.

[@dar4431]

12:58 whoa... thats deep bro

[@ChrisToups]

great video! Quick question: why not drill the holes for the dowels while the main board still had the sides on it? Why take it apart and drill 8 holes instead of 4?

[@rfrisbee1]

Because the holes in the main piece of wood are slots not holes to allow the main piece of wood to expand and contract across its width. This is also why he only put glue in the centre. He may have also moved the slots on the main piece slightly inward so that when the dowels were fitted they pulled the joints tight.

[@ChrisToups]

@@rfrisbee1 thank you!

[@philaandrew100]

What's this work thing you speak of? 😆 Many moons ago when I was a poor Art Student one of my teachers had a few workshop rules. Rule one: Never be precious about anything you are working on. When you get all uptight about shizz is when you will inevitably screw up. Relax, have fun. Enjoy the journey wherever it takes you. Rule two: See rule one. Glad to see you have pretty much the same attitude.

[@thomaskirkpatrick4031]

I would love to make furniture for a living, but I don't know how to get started. I'm no Sam Maloof, but I've been wood working for many years, I just don't the first step? What comes first?

[@ENCurtis]

Everybody’s path is different. For me, the first step was school. For friends of mine, it was developing a product that sells well that they could produce and sell reliably. Others take the road of the furniture shows and attempting to develop a client base that way. My advice would be to seek out as many professionals as possible, ask them how they got started, and copy the path that makes the most sense for you.

[@thomaskirkpatrick4031]

@@ENCurtis Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question.

[@christopherharrison6724]

Why not add a little pressure and attempt to make a pretty end grain butchers block chopping board ,no pressure 😅

[@ENCurtis]

Haha I love a good challenge

[@brucewelty7684]

Oh, you did not give a link to the new guy.

[@ericcommarato7727]

...so you don't camber your plane blades?

[@joebass5]

Dude, please turn the music up. You chose great songs and I love videos are more 3 dimensional.

[@michaelmaestas5039]

ALL HAIL TO JASON AT BOURBON🦋MOTH

[@matthewvonhofen]

You're just dancing around the core concepts of learning. Brains work in focused and diffused modes. All work and no play makes Curtis a dull boy. Focus on the work you need to live, and diffuse on the stuff that brings you joy. It is the core recipe for growth.

[@geoffb108]

Yes get off the Perfection Train. Perfect and Permanent are two words that shouldn't be used because they don't exist. Satisfaction is what we should strive for and beauty is what we produce. Be kind to your self, round off a few corners and leave a few nicks and holes.

[@robertast.esprit7679]

Dude, I like your style of teaching, but the music is WAY too much. Turn it down, please. It's so much loader than you speaking.

[@mypony891]

I agree so much. Thanks for mentioning this

[@marks.2814]

Yes please music is not necessary in videos. Makes me not watch people's videos. Awesome work. Thanks

[@jasonl2095]

Late to the game on this video, but your cold open made me think of "The Book of Five Rings" and the perfection of your craft through "no-thing-ness". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Five_Rings