Cat Free YouTube Channels Den of Tools

Den of Tools

Yes, this is an animated bear doing tool reviews.

  This is heading back to one of my favorite types of YouTube Channel. This is more of a tool review and a good deal-finding channel. I have not seen any projects on this channel yet but that is fine. And yes I love the animated bear.

Scorecard

The Rating uses G, PG, PG-13, and R while the other categories use A for the best that I know of, B for good but others might be better, C is average, D below average, and F is just terrible. 

• Rating G From what have seen this is totally family-friendly. Red Beard is a family man and it shows.
•  Quality A I really like the animated bear that is the "host of the show". It really makes for a fun watch. Now when he shoots video the quality goes down like when he does shopping at the store video but I just do not care.
• Community A The community currently seems on the whole good but has the required flame wars over what brand of tools is the best. Red is not a fan of Snap-On because of the price. He is a best bang for the buck kind of bear.
• Depth A Red really seems to be on top of things. He seems to have inside contacts at many tool companies and stores like Lowes, HomeDepot, and Harbor Freight. 
• Overall A  It is very informative and yet fun to watch. 

Where to watch it

  YouTube Den of Tools.
   He also has a website located at www.denoftools.com
   

What I think of this show

I really like this channel. It is fun and informative. It is great fun. What is really great is that Red really keeps hin channel on target. No politics or other off-topic subjects. He does have two other channels that cover gadgets and weight loss. So if you like tools this is a channel you may like.

Lost in the Pond. A funny and touching look at ourselves.

Lost in the Pond

And now for something completely different. 

   This channel is not about technology, tools, airplanes, history, or cats. This channel is about being an American. It is a mirror that we can stare at ourselves in and laugh. 
   The creator of this channel is a gentleman from England that moved to the US around 10 years ago with his American wife. He moved not to a big city on the coast but to the midwest. This is about all the things he loves about America and the things he finds really odd. It is a fun look at ourselves through someone else's eyes. 
   If you are not from the United States it is a great way to find out more about the United States. I am sure that many people think that they know all about the US from movies and TV but imagine what we would think of the UK if we based it on Harry Potter, Bennie Hill, and Mr. Bean. 

Scorecard

The Rating uses G, PG, PG-13, and R while the other categories use A for the best that I know of, B for good but others might be better, C is average, D below average, and F is just terrible. 

• Rating G I have not seen every video but the ones I have seen have been profanity-free with a few beeped out words.  While small children may not get the humor you will not have to turn it off in a hurry if they walk into the room.
•  Quality B  Production quality is good, It is mostly talking headshot but he is actually a pretty good presenter. I could see him as a good stand up act. 
• Community B The communities on YouTube Channels are often terrible but this one seems fine. I have not looked a lot into the comments to be honest because it is just pure entertainment to me. 
• Depth A It is as deep as it needs to be. The creator does research a bit on the subjects that need it. Again this is just a fun channel and not really a how-to or Nerd war channel. It is educational but in a fun way. No test will be given at the end of the videos. 
• Overall A  It is fun and enlightening all at the same time. Just watch it.

Where to watch it

  YouTube Lost in the Pond
     

What I think of this show

I really like it. It is fun.

Cat Free YouTube Channels: Drachinifel

Drachinifel

Nerds!!! But only military history nerds need to apply.

I am a big fan of history, technology, and all things that fly. That lead me to add Military History to my list of interests.

This channel does a great job of covering the history of not just ships but also the technology used on those ships as well as the evolution of the ships over time. 

Scorecard

The Rating uses G, PG, PG-13, and R while the other categories use A for the best that I know of, B for good but others might be better, C is average, D below average, and F is just terrible. 

• Rating PG This channel is profanity-free which is nice to see but it is all about military history and that means warfare. That also means people die in none too pleasant ways. It is not graphic but when talking about warfare I believe parental involvement needs to be involved. 
• Quality B  Production quality is good but a lot of the images are just that images with Drachinifel doing a voice-over. I feel the writing and research is very good. Some of the early videos use a voice synthesizer instead of a human voice and it can be distracting. The information is still good but you may want to see if he has remade that video with a human voice before watching some of the older videos.
• Community A The communities on YouTube Channels are often terrible but not this one. The community is small and you will see very little drama. Sure you may get into some heated debates about things like the value of the British armored flight decks in World War II or F4U versus F6F as to which was better but nothing really nasty.
• Depth A Yes this is pretty deep. Not as deep as it could be since we are talking about Military History here but deep enough for a YouTube Channel.
• Entertainment Value B  This channel is much like the last one I reviewed Lore Reloaded except that instead of doing deep dives into fictional starships Drachinifel does deep dive into real historical starships. If you are into military history you may like it. If not then this channel is probably not for you. It lacks a broad appeal but that is not a terrible thing.   
• Overall B A good channel if you like naval military history.  I am glad that Drachinifel has dropped the robot voice overs.

Where to watch it

  YouTube Drachinifel
       

What I think of this show

After talking to my wife I increase the scorecard for this channel. I actually really like this channel and it is great. I am really going for nerdy content it would seem. I really like this show and I have learned a lot from it. That being said it is not going to be a show that everyone loves. It is a Naval Military History Channel before you dismiss it might I suggest that you watch this video. 

Cat Free YouTube Channels Lore Reloaded

Lore Reloaded

Nerds!!! Really, if you are not a Science Fiction nerd don't bother.

When I was a small child, I was fed a steady diet of science reality and science fiction. I grew up watching the Apollo missions and Star Trek, the original series. Lore Reloaded is dedicated to Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, and other science fiction universes. 

This channel does a deep dive into the universes and treats them as if they are almost real. They look at the ships, the politicians, religion, and the battles in the universes. It fills in a lot of the backstories that add some depth to the stories. 

The amount of research done for the different videos is impressive and it is presented in an entertaining way. 

Scorecard

The Rating uses G, PG, PG-13, and R while the other categories use A for the best that I know of, B for good but others might be better, C is average, D below average, and F is just terrible. 

• Rating PG-13 The Lore Master can get a bit heated over continuity in the Star Trek Universe. He does sort of bleep things but not well. I feel that this does not add any value to this channel.
• Quality B  Production quality is good but not great. I feel the writing and research is very good. The Lore Master is a good voice actor in my opinion. The video is limited to slides, a few animations and clips from the games and shows. 
• Community A The communities on YouTube Channels are often terrible. Lore Remastered is not bad at all. I have seen very little bile. Of course, there is a fair amount of nerd flame wars but they do not descend into nasty battles. 
• Depth A This is all depth. You will get full tactical specs of Starships and analysis of battles that look like military history. You will also get ethical discussions which I really enjoy. Fiction is a way to look at ideas and ethics without putting real people in danger.  Science Fiction is, at it's best, a future simulator. We can look at different futures and see the benefits and flaws in them. 
• Entertainment Value C  If you are into the universes covered then you will enjoy it. If you aren't, then watching this channel may bore or you may be inspired to jump on Netflix and watch some of the material covered. 
• Overall C I really like this show but for some, it will be an F while for others it will be an A+. This is really for those that are into these franchises and will be of little interest to those that are just casual fans or are not fans at all.  The other negative is the use of profanity in the videos even with the bleeping. Again you may not mind it or it may make this channel just for you.

Where to watch it

You can find Lore Reloaded at
  YouTube Lore Reloaded
         Web LoreReloaded.com

What I think of this show

I am a huge science fiction fan and love Star Trek, Star Wars, and most of the other franchises that this channel covers, so it is a fun channel for me and people like me. It has no real educational value outside of philosophical and ethical discussions. I wish that the Lore Master would avoid the profanity since I just do not see any need for it. I find it entertaining and fun and if it is up your alley I suggest you give it a try.

Cat Free YouTube Channels: April Wilkerson

April Wilkerson

A show about making stuff.

When I was a kid, I loved to watch PBS shows like The Woodwrights Workshop, This Old House, The New Yankee Workshop, Hometime, and the Victory Garden. Ms. Wilkerson has made a YouTube channel in that same spirit. She did not start out as a super expert but has learned a lot and is tackling some big pretty complex projects.

So what kind of stuff does she make? Everything from little projects like a bath caddy to building a massive workshop. A lot of her projects are practical and would be pretty easy to duplicate. She is not a super craftsman-like Norm Abram from the New Yankee Workshop but she does a great job of showing you how she builds her projects.

Scorecard

The Rating uses G, PG, PG-13, and R while the other categories use A for the best that I know of, B for good but others might be better, C is average, D below average, and F is just terrible. 

• Rating G This is totally family-friendly.
• Quality B+  Production quality is very good now, maybe just a notch below broadcast TV. What I really like is that she doesn't do b roll or silly intros to her videos.
• Community A The communities on youTube Channels are often terrible. Ms. Wilkerson's channel has one of the best communities on the Internet. In fact, it is shockingly good.
• Depth A- April does a lot of different projects of different skill levels. She is now building a metalworking shop to go with her woodworking shop. She is not a master craftsman but that does not detract from her channel.
• Entertainment Value A  It is fun, clean, interesting, and informative. Ms. Wilkerson seems like a very likable person and is really fun to watch. Ms. Wilkerson has that traditional southern friendly style that is just really pleasant. She is also good at explaining what she is doing.
• Overall A I really like this show. If you like home improvement and woodworking shows, watch this

Where to watch it

You can find April Wilkerson at
  YouTube April Wilkerson
         Web wilkerdos.com
Instagram wilker_dos

What I think of this show

I really like it. Ms. Wilkerson is just a fun person to watch. She makes a wide variety of projects. Her current project is a huge shop and she is building it from the ground up.  She also does simple things like a bath caddy. I have no problem recommending this channel to anyone. What is there not to like?

Cat Free YouTube Channels: TastyPCTV

TastyPCTV

A PC parts review show.

For people that are really into building their own PC, review sites and YouTube channels are their mains source of information. TastyPCTV is a little bit different than most. The big difference is the host Lauren. Yes, she is a very pretty young women but she is also the real deal. She is into gaming and building her own rigs. She also does not have your typical hot geek girl look. She goes more for the classic girly, very feminine,  and dare I say it princess look. It is probably more the movie star look from the 1930s and 1940s.  I happen to think that it is great that Lauren has decided not conform to the stereotype of the cute geek girl. While some might not agree, I think Lauren is doing a great service by showing that you do not have to look a certain way to be into technology. Yes, you can be very pretty and feminine and still build a water-cooled gaming rig. I would watch this channel even if Lauren was not so attractive. Frankly I am an old married guy so what she looks like doesn't really matter to me but the quality of her reviews do. She does a good job no matter what she looks like. 

Scorecard The Rating uses G, PG, PG-13, and R while the other categories use A for the best that I know of,B for good but others might be better,C is average, D below average, and F is just terrible. 

• Rating PG Little kids will probably not like this show but there is nothing wrong with the language. She does dress in a way that draws attention but no worse than you see in the mall.
• Quality B-  Production quality is good but not great. The quality of the information is good.
• Community C- The community on youTube Channels are often terrible. TastyPCs is  about average for YouTube. The minus comes from the sexist and rather rude comments. 
• Depth C The show only has a few sponsors so Lauren does not get all the newest parts.  She does do very well with cases, water cooling, and mainstream enthusiast motherboards. So far she has not done much with high end LGA 2011 motherboards and CPUs. If you are looking for tutorials on over-clocking, look elsewhere. Lauren does a great job covering what the average PC builder is interested in.
• Entertainment Value B  I enjoy this show and it is worth watching if you are into building PCs. Lauren is really young and is just getting started, so I have high hopes she will just get better and better. 
• Overall B I really like this show and think it is worth watching. 

Where to watch it

You can find TastyPCTV here on YouTube,  here on the web, and at TastyPCTV on Google+.

What I think of this show

The reviews are good and pretty complete in nature and balanced. Her production values are a bit hit or miss at times, but over all it is pretty good. The one negative is that she does not seem to publish new content on a regular basis. That is understandable since TastyPCTV has a small production team. I am not sure but I think it may be a one woman show.  Overall I think it is worth watching, just be ready to tune out the sexist remarks. 

Update 2018

Since I wrote this Lauren has had a number of personal issues and stopped producing vidoes for a while. She has anounced that she is trying to come back and start producing content. I hope she can pull off her comeback. 

Cat Free YouTube Channels: Tech Channels.

YouTube Tech Channels

There are tech channels that cover just about every kind of tech. The channels that I am going to show you this week are going to be on the more geeky side of tech. These channels will tell about the next hot smartphone or game that is coming out. These channels are about making tech yourself plus a bit of wow that is cool. 

The Ben Heck Show

+Benjamin Heckendorn  became well known for his console mods like his portable Playstation. The channel contains build logs of his projects like a Video Game Controlled Hot Pocket Dispenser or robotic luggage. Don't worry if you do not know anything about electronics because his channel also has tutorials on things like soldering. So if you ever wanted to learn about electronics, this is the channel for you. If you don't, it is still a fun channel to watch just to see the cools stuff he makes. He is also family friendly.

DIY Tryin

+DIY Tryin is a great eclectic geeky channel. Yes it is very new, but the hosts are well known and respected. So far the videos cover subjects as varied as making your own home server to making carbonated anything including eggnog. I do not know where the channel will go but so far I am really enjoying it. So far it is also family friendly.

GeekBuzz

+Nixie Pixel maybe be a pretty face but she is also the very knowledgeable host of +Geekbuzz . GeekBuzz covers the Linux, the gaming space, Open Source, and just about all things geeky. It is always good to see women in tech but I am sorry to say that this channel is PG-13. That does not make it bad but a parent should decide if they want their kids and or teens to watch this. 

Hak5

+Hak5  is all about computer security, hacking, Linux, and all those cool geeky things that you see in the movies but for real. Yes it is family friendly and well done. What I love about this is Hak5 goes deep into the subjects. The hosts +Darren Kitchen and +Shannon Morse are fun, personable and very knowledgeable. 


TWIT's Know How

Know How is the how to show from the +TWiT  network. It is also available as a podcast as well as on YouTube but this is one of those shows that you will want to watch and not just listen. This show covers everything from putting ROMs on your phone to building your own studio. I am sorry to say that the original host  +iyaz akhtar left the show. The current host, +Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ is great, but I will miss Iyaz. Sine the current host is a Catholic priest it is of course family friendly.

MAKE

Make is the YouTube channel of Makezine. It covers the Maker scene. It covers electronics, robotics, even building furniture. It is a professional channel with high production values and of course family friendly.

These are not the only ones. 
These are just some of the channels I have found and enjoy. So if you know of more geeky channels just leave them in the comments, and I hope you enjoy these channels.