New Yankee Workshop on VHS, Half Price

[LarryG]

The folks at the New Yankee Workshop are in the process of switching all their project episodes over to DVD, and are closing out the remaining stock of VHS tapes for $11.95 each, which is half the regular price. (Two-part episodes are $19.95.) Includes the matching measured drahhing, where one is available. This means you can get the tape AND the drawing for only a buck more than the $10.95 price of the drawing alone. Plus shipping and handling; while supplies last.

A common question is whether the videos include any additional footage over what was shown on TV. Numerous members here have reported that the content is EXACTLY the same as what originally aired on PBS -- no more, no less. (I personally have several of the NYW measured drawings, but have never seen one of the videos.)

[dbhost]

I guess that would require a VCR right? I think I have one in a closet somewhere... Probably near the 8 track player...

[wassaw998]

I guess that would require a VCR right? ...

Only if you want to view it...

[Kristofor]

I'm not making light of your post Larry, compared to the normal prices those are a bargain.


Rant on: That said, I don't think I could call any NYW videos a true bargain, only a relative bargain. I would think they could actually make MORE money by selling them in a more customer friendly package/pricepoint...

Charging $25 per episode on DVD ($325/season without the "drawrings") for a PBS show is highway robbery IMO. Though, if you are planning to build one of the projects I can see that $25 may still be a value if it saves even one piece of wood from being scrapped I suppose.

Now the appeal is obviously much smaller than for most commercial shows, but the production costs are correspondingly minuscule. I'd quite likely start picking up seasons at a $59-99 to save some hassle, but I'll stick with capturing and saving episodes digitally at the current prices.

[JR]

Charging $25 per episode on DVD ($325/season without the "drawrings") for a PBS show is highway robbery IMO. Though, if you are planning to build one of the projects I can see that $25 may still be a value if it saves even one piece of wood from being scrapped I suppose.

I can't argue the value part of your rant, but for clarity's sake, the DVDs include the drawings at that price.

FWIW, I've done a couple of NYW projects and have found the drawings to be very good. The drawings alone are priced at ~$10.95, which is on the high side for this kind of product, but not outrageous, IMHO. I got the video package for one of those projects, the Garage Workshop. It was my first major woodworking project so the video was very useful for me. I did the Patio Trolley project without video and found that my several years of terminal-novice experience was sufficient to slog my way through the drawing without the video.

JR