YOUTUBE IS MANIPULATING YOU

In our last issue I announced that 2026 will be the year I commit career suicide by pushing back against the YouTube algorithm. It’s time to stop pulling my punches, so get ready…

YouTube is manipulating you and you probably don’t even realize it. Nearly every day, some long-time subscriber asks me where I have been. “I haven’t seen one of your videos in months!” When I tell them I still make 1-2 new videos each week, they can’t understand why I rarely show up in their feeds.

This isn’t anything new. Long ago social media giants like YouTube (and Facebook, Instagram and TikTok) noted that people rarely go to the trouble of visiting the personal pages of each individual channel they subscribe to. Viewers are far more likely to choose their next video from recommendations served up to them. That gives YouTube the power to control what you watch by limiting what you see. Instead of displaying a list of new videos from the channels you’ve subscribed to, they push you toward the videos that the algorithm thinks you should be watching. Your ability to customize your experience is little more than a veneer. YouTube has limited your input in countless ways such as removing the thumbs-down option, adding extra steps to complicate the subscription and notification process, and by eliminating email notifications entirely. This not-so-subtle strategy has worked like a charm. Viewers watch what is served to them, and this algorithm-recommended content performs well, while what the “beast” ignores (including most videos from your favorite channels) shrivels and dies on the vine.

Video creators adapt by producing content specifically to please the algorithm- shallow videos that appeal to the masses rather than to their original audience. Given the choice between a detailed tutorial about pinned mortise and tenon joinery and “Fainting goat meets scared opossum”, the algorithm is going to pick the one that more people will watch. While your favorite woodworking channel isn’t going to blatantly start making barnyard videos (at least not most of them), they are forced to make shallower content with greater mass appeal: “10 shocking ways to use popsicle sticks!” or “Let’s smash glue-joints with a hammer!” Since the algorithm also favors videos that draw a lot of impulse clicks, creators resort to clickbait titles and annoying thumbnail images that portray them as “shocked” about everything.

All of this is annoying, to be sure. In a lot of ways, it has ruined YouTube. But it is a numbers game, and the numbers don’t lie. We all click on videos we never thought we would watch, simply because the creator and algorithm conspired to bait us.

We could do a deeper dive into more sleazy ways YouTube manipulates creators and their viewers. For example, we could talk about how the algorithm bends its own rules to favor certain channels, which is why a few appear to buck the trend for a while. (“So-and-so has a million subscribers and he never uses clickbait!”) We could chat about how the algorithm actively handicaps older channels to force them out despite their popularity. In the future I may even tell you about the massive financial incentives that further encourage viewer manipulation. But I think you get the point, for now. It’s a broken system that has sucked much of the joy out of making educational content for woodworkers.

I want to start having fun again. In the next issue I’ll tell you how.

-James Hamilton

THE NEW STICKERS ARE IN!

HOW TO MAKE BETTER BAND SAW RIP CUTS

Here are some tips to help you make better rip cuts using a band saw:

1. Use a sharp blade. A dull blade will drift and make it difficult to cut a straight line. It doesn’t have to be brand new, but if you can’s get a straight cut, it’s probably dull.

2. Use a wider blade. Wider blades are better suited for rip cuts—like a rudder on a boat, a wide blade helps steer itself straight. You can rip with a narrow blade, but a ½" or wider blade will yield better results.

3. Use fewer teeth. Fewer teeth per inch (TPI) means larger gullets, which clear sawdust more efficiently. This lets you cut faster and keeps your blade cooler. However, fewer teeth also mean rougher cuts—so there’s always a trade-off. A 6 TPI blade is a good general-purpose choice for most work. 4 TPI is better for ripping thicker materials, but swapping blades just for a few rips isn’t always practical.

4. Set up the saw correctly. Setup matters even more than the blade itself. This includes:

Blade tracking: The blade should run down the center of the wheels.
Tension: Follow your saw’s recommendations.
Guides: Set them as close to the blade as possible without rubbing.
Table: Make sure it’s level so your cuts stay square.
Guide height: Lower it so it’s just above the workpiece.
Outfeed support: Essential for longer boards.

5. Watch your technique. Feed speed and consistency are key. Don’t overwork the blade—let it do the cutting. If you push too fast, the teeth will clog with sawdust and cause drift. The thicker the material and the higher the TPI, the slower you’ll need to go. Avoid stopping and starting during the cut; this leaves visible blade marks. You can remove minor marks with a quick pass over the jointer or a few strokes with a hand plane.

When cutting freehand, focus on your line and make small corrections. When using a fence, keep the board snug against it the whole time. And always use a push stick—especially near the end of the cut—to keep your fingers clear of the blade.

If you’d like to learn more, I made a whole tutorial about it. Enjoy!