The Project Farm Edition

Noah here. A recent YouTube review of car jack stands opens with this light bit of storytelling: “When I was just a kid, I saw a car fall on top of a person because the car was not properly secured. It was a terrible event, and fortunately, the person did survive. The question is which jack stand brand is the best and which one is dangerous. Let’s find out!”

Just reading that doesn’t do Project Farm justice. You have to hear it. Todd, the channel’s purveyor, always sounds like he is yelling at 1.3x speed.

Why is this interesting?

There are a lot of deep rabbit holes on YouTube. I’ve even explored a few in past WITIs. But DIY YouTube goes deep. Since moving into a house and all of a sudden needing to own tools, I’ve gotten to know the ins and outs of tool reviews on YouTube, which seems to be the best source for this kind of stuff. And of tool reviews, Project Farm and its staccato reviews are the cream of the crop.

Each video is about 20 minutes long and takes whatever tool category is being covered through a litany of tests. Some, like the number of ratchets it takes to turn a ratcheting screwdriver one full rotation, make obvious sense. While others, like a handle torque test on the same stubby screwdrivers, are a little more far-flung. (Most of the screwdrivers can do 400 lbs-plus, but who is using a stubby screwdriver like that.)

Part of the fun of the channel is watching the crazy ways he comes up with to test these tools. The Project Farm Drywall Anchor review included tests measuring every possible way one of these things could be pulled out of a wall.

I couldn’t be further from an expert on this stuff. But the wonder of YouTube is getting a view into the brains of creative people in fields way outside my normal world. (NRB)

—

Thanks for reading,

Noah (NRB) & Colin (CJN)

—

Why is this interesting? is a daily email from Noah Brier & Colin Nagy (and friends!) about interesting things. If you’ve enjoyed this edition, please consider forwarding it to a friend. If you’re reading it for the first time, consider subscribing.