Through his YouTube channel and other outlets, eminent woodworker, author and educator Paul Sellers, has greatly affected the woodworking world over the course of his illustrious career. Renowned for his knowledge of traditional hand tool woodworking, Sellers has devoted his life to instruction and preservation of the trade. His channel offers a broad spectrum of material, including project guides, instructional videos, and analysis of woodworking methods. Among both novice and veteran woodworkers, Sellers’ friendly teaching manner and thorough mastery of the craft have won him a devoted following. His undeniable impact is felt way beyond YouTube, across numerous books and articles supporting the woodworking community.
What made him famous?
For anyone interested in conventional hand tool woodworking, Paul’s YouTube channel offers a massive library of knowledge capable of turning a novice into a veritable expert. With its great production quality and Sellers’ interesting teaching approach, the material is painstakingly created to be both instructive and inspirational, captivating hundreds of thousands of viewers. Usually starting with an introduction to the topic or method under discussion, each video then features a thorough, exact step-by-step demonstration, without skipping a single action – a preference of only the most meticulous of creators. That said, his focus on conventional hand tools is by far the most distinguishing factor of his platform, setting him apart from the majority emphasizing power tools and contemporary technologies.
The channel remains unique in its accent on the foundations of woodworking themselves, which is another thing missing from the competition. Before tackling more difficult work, he usually begins with the basics, that is, how to correctly sharpen and maintain tools, which guarantees that the viewers will attain a strong basis in the fundamental abilities required for the craft. Although the star’s wealth of knowledge offers insightful analysis for more experienced woodworkers, his plain, succinct explanations make even the most difficult techniques beginner-friendly and easy to emulate. Apart from project guides, the channel offers a range of additional materials like tool reviews, shop tours, and even philosophical analysis of woodworking, which some would say is the final stage of mastery in that niche. These videos in particular give viewers an opportunity to observe several approaches and techniques, as well as a larger viewpoint on the craft that answers some of the deeper questions – definitely not ones a beginner would spend their time on.
One of the channel’s biggest selling points is the pleasure of making something with one’s own hands, and the need of workmanship, made evident through Pauls’ contagious enthusiasm that never fails to shine through. He frequently talks about the connection to the past that traditional woodworking offers, and the delight of working with hand tools to produce something with one’s own strength and knowledge. Many viewers seem to relate to this accentuation of the less palpable rewards of the work, which also gives the project more depth. Naturally, the production quality that has long since become standard on the channel draws in its portion of the watch time as well, with every video having excellent audio and well-shot editing with crisp images. All of these factors are rounded with Paul’s laidback and calm demeanor, which inevitably helps reduce the stress anyone might experience trying to follow the projects along in their own workshop.
A master’s legacy
The channel’s most popular upload is entitled “How to make a Mortise and Tenon Joint – The Three Joints – | Paul Sellers”, showcasing a detailed tutorial on creating one of the most fundamental woodworking joints. In this video Sellers meticulously demonstrates the process of making a mortise and tenon joint, which is essential for constructing sturdy furniture such as chairs, tables, and beds. He begins by explaining the importance of this contraption and its ability to withstand various stresses and strains, which helps save costs both in terms of object endurance and the lack of need to use sturdier materials, like iron or steel.
Starting with marking out the angles and corners on the wood, the star leads the viewers through each stage of the procedure. In order to guarantee a robust and fitting joint in these first phases, he underlines the requirement of precision, demonstrating how to carve out the joint with old-fashioned hand tools, including advice on keeping control and obtaining neat cuts. He also shows how to fit the tenon into the mortise in the most optimal way, ensuring a strong and tight connection.
He also offers insightful analysis and ideas throughout the video that would help novices as well as seasoned woodworkers advance their craft, making the tutorial easy to follow and substantially instructive through his clear, brief directions and close-ups of the work. With millions of views, the video is among the most often accessed footage available for learning how to design a study wood joint.
The tale of a pioneer
Born on 4 January 1950, in Stockport, Cheshire, England, Paul Sellers is a trailblazer who became fascinated with woodworking early on. At the age of 15, he started working as an apprentice cabinetmaker, therefore beginning his slow but certain path into the trade. He quickly found that crafting things out of wood was almost second nature to him, and thereby realized that he will probably enjoy nothing else quite as much. Sellers developed his abilities in no time, and acquired comprehensive expertise in conventional hand tool woodworking, which he’s retained over the years, refusing to work with specialized tools. The star arrived in the US in 1984 and carried on his lifelong work immediately upon arrival, becoming recognized by his peers for exceptional skill. Apart from starting woodworking courses, he also held employment as a furniture manufacturer, drawing on his 19 years of experience to pursue perfection in the craft.
His teaching career quickly got off the ground, and he gained recognition for his easy and interesting approach in communicating difficult skills. His commitment to safeguarding ancient woodworking techniques was also a standout trait, as very few colleagues shared his philosophy, choosing to instead rely on technology for quicker and easier production. He was particularly well-loved at the Homestead Heritage Woodworking School in Texas, even designing and crafting furniture for the White House during his time there. He eventually started his own New Legacy School of Woodworking, which focused on short courses describing the construction of particular furniture – cabinets, tables, chairs and cupboards. His final big shift was the move to the Sylva Foundation’s Sylva Wood Centre in Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire, England, where his work continued to flourish through YouTube. His final relocation had him shift to his largest-yet workspace in the same county’s Abingdon, within an industrial unit.
Apart from keeping busy as both a master craftsman and revered educator, Paul appears to be a dedicated author, having published multiple books on the profession. “Working Wood 1 & 2: The Artisan Course With Paul Sellers” was released in 2011, detailing some of his most prolific techniques as well as the general philosophy of a dedicated craftsman. “Essential Woodworking Hand Tools” also saw the light in 2016, whose self-explanatory title casts emphasis on his signature preference.
What’s his net worth?
Credible sources estimate Paul Sellers’ net worth at more than $1 million, as of mid-2024, amassed from a number of successful business ventures and resulting income streams, the most prominent of which is his YouTube channel with close to 650,000 subscribers. According to social blade, the star makes anywhere up to 37,000 per annum from ad revenue alone.
Imagine… https://t.co/aK3NVlfoqQ pic.twitter.com/ucyFpIHcqy
— Paul Sellers (@Paul_A_Sellers) February 11, 2020
That said, Paul earns by far the most from his other projects, such as his book sales, sponsorships, endorsements, and most importantly, masterclasses. He’s taken his teaching fully online with the website Woodworking Masterclasses. With a brand-new video every week, featuring part of whichever build is newest at the time, Paul is the owner of what is perhaps the world’s most advanced woodworking knowledge archive, offering step-by-step tutorials on building exquisite pieces, to a much greater extent than even his YouTube channel. To accompany that, he also runs Common Woodworking, which is there to get anyone started as a craftsman, free of charge, featuring tutorials on creating joints and small-time projects.