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Comment by abakker | Hacker News Reader

Agree so much with this. Frank Howarth, Abom79, This Old Tony, Welding Tips and Tricks, Jimmy DiResta, Stumpy Nubs, Stefan Gotteswinter - there's so much great content like this on youtube. TV was never a great place for craft because it has to serve a general audience. Youtube has so much niche specific content with pretty great production values.

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Wow you named almost every channel I pay attention to. I would add Matt Cremona, AvE, NYCCNC and April Wilkerson.

I listen to the Welding Tips and Tricks podcast that features a 60 year old from Alabama (Hi It's Jody from Welding Tips and Tricks) talking to two guys in rural Ohio. They regularly mention how Instagram in particular has encouraged friendly competition amongst welders. Whereas previously a great welder would only be known to the 20 guys in his shop, now he can post those intricate welds on Instagram and people countrywide try to emulate that technique. The maker community is positive, kind and encouraging. For all the negativity swirling around social media, it is nice to see it used in positive ways to unite people.

Yeah, those channels are all on my list. How could I forget NYCCNC? He's taught me so much. I grew up with a pretty hands on education in basics of mechanics and woodworking, but youtube and web forums have made it possible for me to self-teach the CNC, Machining, and Woodworking hobby at pretty much any level I want to engage with it. There's always a video for what you want.

Project Binky, from Bad Obsession Motorsport

Two rally car fabricators and lifelong friends in Shropshire who, over the last five years, have been fitting an AWD turbo Celica into the rusted out shell of an old Mini, while adding an air conditioner and a stereo. The craft and attention to detail are absurd.

Binky is absolutely fantastic. I've been following it for years and it's great they're posting more often now that their Patreon is supporting the show.

I'd also add B is for Build.

I’m sure there are perfectly good reasons having to do with logistics, but I find it hilarious that they put the sound system in before they had the radiators built.

Doing the important work first :)

Bob Moffat from weld.com channel on yt is great

Somewhat surprised not to see ClickSpring [1] on your list. Though maybe not so much home-improvement (I'd argue Welding Tips and Tricks isn't so much either), Chris' series on making a skeleton clock shows some top notch craftsmanship, and the production values are amazing.

At the other end of the spectrum (low-tech but maybe considered home-improvement) would be Primitive Technology [2] - an Aussie that builds all manner of things from clay, sticks, vines, and fire.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/clickspring

[2] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAL3JXZSzSm8AlZyD3nQdBA

I would add to this list Matthias Wandel, who has tutorial videos about making his own jigs and tools from wood, including a a 20" bandsaw from plywood. He also invented a "pantorouter", which allows a router to follow a template at 2:1 scale.

If you like them Essential Craftsmen is also a great channel. He is a bit more no-nonsense compared to like This Old Tony (who I LOVE) without being dry.

Plus he has Cy

Just discovered him this weekend and binge watched his spec house series!

Love this one.

I've found "Acorn to Arabella" [2] to be a wonderful series/channel so far - "building a 38’ sailboat from stump to ship".

"People building things" is easily my favorite genre on YouTube. Old things [0, 1, 2], new things [3, 4], useless things [5], repairing things [6] - all fantastic.

0: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAL3JXZSzSm8AlZyD3nQdBA

1: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEjEAxdJLOg4k854j-oESfQ

2: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAiDWnTP0WB1xCp6uuUo0VA

3: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvdee86uThqIrloZjWwNVg

4: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq2rNse2XX4Rjzmldv9GqrQ

5: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjRkUtHQ774mTg1vrQ6uA5A

6: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJvsSlrbdhn4PDXdIuLKW...

Man, I can't watch acorn to Arabella after watching them pour that lead keel. That was super dangerous and irresponsible.

Yeah, there were almost certainly far better ways to do that. Not to mention they now have two lead keels, since they haven't done anything with Victoria's... (But I don't remember if they had bought Victoria as a parts ship yet when doing the Arabella pour)

They have seemed to start taking PPE more seriously in recent episodes though, at least for welding bronze.

Victoria had an iron keel.

Well that certainly explains why it wasn't melted down to contribute to Arabella's lead keel then

I'll add to this Ishitani Furniture. It's not quite informative like many of the others you mentioned as there is no narration or exposition, it's a little more artistic in that you simply admire a skilled craftsman performing his craft from start to finish.

I would add “The Crazy Framer” to the list. He gives a great insight into production level rough carpentry and also the shear amount of work one person can accomplish in a short amount of time when they are focused and competent.

Great list. Also really good - Mustie1 who does a lot of old VW "rustoration", and South Main Auto, who's a whiz with electronic diagnosis tools. I've learned a lot from these channels.

+1 for Mustie1

Matthias Wandel has some excellent woodworking from the perspective of an electrical engineer; Andrew Camarata's channel has hundreds of hours of practical ingenuity and problem solving.

I used to think it was great, but now I think about a powermatic bandsaw.

(AvE was involved. I chose wood shop because he said there weren't any old welders i.e. they don't live long)

ever seen a welder wearing a mask? I really haven't. But, I've seen many welders breathing stick welding fumes through a lit filter cigarette...sigh.

As someone who welds as a hobby, I'd say the bigger danger for anyone welding is probably grinding dust/silicosis, rather than welding fumes. (But, There are obvious qualifications, like don't weld zinc, etc.)

That's a funny claim. I know welders of all ages. The older ones seem to tend to migrate to other work which requires less physical exertion, but that's true of every job I see.

I don't know any old dancers, but that doesn't mean dancing is lethal. It means they tend to shift to choreography or teaching or something else as they get older.

His tone of voice was really funny. ISTR it was on a video about beginning stick welding. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fUAHkUfTps&t=17m34s

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