Feature Friday // Moy’s WoodShop

Welcome to the latest installment of Feature Fridays.

If your new to our site, Feature Fridays is a segment where we highlight a YouTube WoodWorker that you might not have heard of before.

For this weeks Feature Friday please welcome Moy’s WoodShop.

Moy’s passion for woodworking began in high school, when I took my first wood shop class.

Of the several projects I made in high school wood shop class, only two have survived. A hanging corner shelf which is still displayed in my brother’s house and a very simple desk that mother still has in her home.

Several years ago, Moy and his wife  purchased their first home. In order to save money they purchased a “fixer upper”.

I purchased some basic tools and got to work.  I soon found myself working day and night trying to make our home a comfortable place to live in. I had underestimated the amount of work our home needed. Life had just got in the way and woodworking just took a backseat.

About four years ago Moy’s wife got him a router as a gift and then received a 10in table saw as a gift from his wife’s aunt. He modified my table saw with side extensions and an outfeed extension.

I asked myself what am I going to make with these tools? I thought back to my first wood shop project, which was a three legged pedestal table. I knew this was to be my first “comeback” project. My shop was missing a lathe and I began to research alternative ways of wood turning. I found a YouTube video made by Izzy Swan where he turned a round tenon on the tablesaw. I was amazed by this process. I made the drill powered jig, installed it in my tablesaw, and turned the pedestal with a chisel. The pedestal table turned out amazing, just like the one I made in wood shop so many years ago. I had forgot how good woodworking made me feel.

He was back and hooked into woodworking more than ever.

In no time at all, Moy’s wife started showing  him pictures and asking if he could make the projects. He was always willing to give it a shot. One project was a triple bunk bed for his sons.

Once I completed the triple bunk bed, I gained a great deal of confidence in my abilities. Soon friends and family member were asking me to build their furniture. It is awesome feeling someone asks me to make a piece of furniture that is going to be displayed in their home.

I continued to watch woodworkers on YouTube and soon realized there was a community that shared the same passion for woodworking as I did. I began to interact with woodworkers via comments and other social media such as Google plus. I uploaded some pictures of my work and I received a positive response from woodworkers such as Sterling Davis and Ted Alexander. Their videos had inspired me to get in the shop and make something on several occasions. Ted told me I should make a video and upload it to YouTube. Armed with a cell phone and a cheap tripod, I made my first video. I still record and edit all my content on my cell phone. Ted was my first subscriber on my YouTube channel and has continually supported my channel.

Being a YouTube content creator has been an amazing journey. I have made many friends, more than I can mention, but you know who you are. I have seen the woodworking community step up and help a fellow woodworker when they needed help the most. I am proud to be able to say I play a small part of this awesome community.

My approach to getting my kids involved was simple. Show my kids the entire process of a project starting from a sketch on a piece of paper to the finished project. Ask them for their opinion such as what kind or router profile should I use  or what stain should I use. Soon I started to hear “that’s cool Dad”. Even if they only help for a couple of minutes they feel it is their project as much as it is mine. One day, my 11 year old son, Noah asked me ‘Dad can I make a gift for mom?’ I tried to hide the excitement as I said ‘ok’, but I was thrilled! Noah continues to become more proficient with tools and it is obvious he has the woodworking itch. Although my other kids are slowly coming along Noah has surprised me by seeing a project through start to finish.

My goals as a YouTube content creator is a simple, be honest about who I am:
An average guy with inexpensive tools,a small garage shop, and besides high school wood shop, no formal training. Above all, I want to show that woodworking is available to everyone with every experience level and every budget.