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JOEL Joel's Blog

A New Blog - Introducting Ben Seltzer

02/17/2011

A New Blog - Introducting Ben Seltzer 4I am please to announce that Ben Seltzer is starting up Ben's Brooklyn Built-It blog. Ben's one of the toolmakers here but the blog is going to be about various woodworking projects he is working on. Unlike old guys like me he's still young and optimistic and doing new and exciting things as he learns how to work wood. Ben's one of those guys who has been making stuff to fit his needs for years and his blog is about exploring what he can do with wood as a creative outlet. His challenge is made far more interesting to read about because being a Brooklyn hipster he is part of the new generation of crafts men and woman who are creating a new vocabulary of furniture. On what I pay him he doesn't have the cash for fancy wood (although I promised to help with that), and living in an apartment he doesn't have the space for a formal shop. We let him borrow all the tools from the showroom - which is only fair as he built a fair number of them.

It's real exciting for me to see what he is working on. He is like the total opposite of me. You can read his first blog entries here.

There is another thing to consider. With small exception most people I know do woodworking just as one way of making stuff. The same people who are building furniture are also plastering their walls, cutting a wedge for a door, figuring out why the dishwasher won't start, and of course sharpening everyone's kitchen knives. Ben's not doing classic woodworking -yet - but I think his building project are pretty much the way lots and lots of people get started.

In order to support multiple blogs we made some software changes. If you are already subscribed to my blog, you still are. If you want to subscribe to Ben's blog - that is done separately.



Join the conversation
Awesome! I've met Ben a couple times around and at the showroom, he seems a really nice and thoughtful guy.
Looking forward to following the blog and hearing about someone else's experiences making things in Brooklyn.
Cheers,
Niels

ps. "Brooklyn hipster" that's a little harsh don't you think? Living around williamsburg and bushwick, I have a pretty good idea of what real hipsters are. Im pretty sure they aren't really "making" anything- well anything that isn't covered neon paint and glitter. :)
02/17/2011 Barry
Looking forward to reading Ben's thoughts!

Does he ride a singlespeed bicycle?
03/21/2011 G. Michael Sullivan
Can't wait to see built-ns on a small space perspective. Living in an apartment growing up in Manhattan, I know only too well that every inch of space should have a purpose. Good luck will all of your endeavors.

G. Michael
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The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the blog's author and guests and in no way reflect the views of Tools for Working Wood.