Woodworking · YouTube & membership
Paul Sellers
Paul Sellers
A lifelong hand-tool woodworker who taught through free videos first. The free teaching built trust, and a paid masterclass membership grew out of it.
paulsellers.com ↗TEACH WOODWORKING ONLINE
How to teach woodworking online.
Hand-tool and shop knowledge is in demand. The lesson from the best teachers: film real work, not a polished production.
Find your thing →free · about 5 minutes
THE SHORT ANSWER
Teach woodworking online by filming real projects in your own shop, one technique at a time. Start with free videos to build an audience, sell plans for the projects you film, then add a beginner course, a membership or weekend classes once people ask for more.
WHAT PEOPLE PAY FOR
What woodworkers pay for
| Format | What it looks like | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Free project videos | YouTube builds and technique demos | Builds the audience everything else sells to |
| Plans and cut lists | PDF downloads for the projects you film | The easiest first product |
| A beginner course | Recorded lessons from sharpening to first box | One-time sales |
| A membership | New lessons every month, a members’ forum | Steady monthly income |
| Weekend classes | Four to six people in your shop | High value, very local |
| Tools, kits or jigs | Things you make or recommend | Product sales and affiliate income |
LIBRARY SPOTLIGHT
How others built it.
Building & trades · YouTube
Essential Craftsman
Scott Wadsworth
A veteran contractor and blacksmith who started filming shop lessons with his son. The channel exists to pass on knowledge that only comes from experience.
youtube.com ↗YOUR FIRST THING
Small enough to make this month.
- Film one joint, start to finish, in under ten minutes.
- Draw up and sell plans for one project you’ve already built.
- Host one Saturday class for four people in your shop.
FILMING AND TEACHING TIPS
Show the work.
- Light from the side shows grain, tear-out and tool marks far better than overhead light.
- Put a second camera on your hands. Viewers want to see the tool meet the wood.
- Clip a microphone to your shirt and keep it away from the saw and dust collector.
- Explain the mistake as well as the fix. That’s the part experience teaches.
FIND YOUR THING
Get a plan made for what you know.
Answer six quick questions and the free Know + Tell Business Builder suggests your best first thing, who it’s for and which tools to use. Your first answer is already filled in.
TOOLS FOR YOUR FIRST STEP
Start with these.
Descript ↗Edit shop footage by editing the transcript, and cut the dead air.Teachable ↗Host a beginner course and sell it with a simple checkout.Claude ↗Turn a project into a step-by-step lesson plan and a cut list.
Know + Tell is free. Some tool links pay us a commission; here’s how we choose.
QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK
Questions people ask.
Do I need a big shop to teach woodworking online?
No. Many popular teachers work in small shops or garages. Clear footage of the work matters far more than the size of the space.
Should I teach hand tools or power tools?
Teach what you know best. Hand-tool teaching has a loyal audience, and power-tool projects draw beginners. Either works if the lessons are clear.
What should my first video be?
A single, useful technique, like cutting a dovetail or sharpening a chisel, filmed start to finish. Short and specific beats long and general.
How do woodworking teachers make money?
Usually from several sources at once: plans, courses, memberships, classes, sponsors and affiliate links to tools they use.
Do I need expensive camera gear?
No. A recent phone, a tripod, a clip-on microphone and good side light are enough to start.
KEEP GOING