The New Yankee Workshop Ended for One Reason—and It Wasn't Money

By the time The New Yankee Workshop ended in 2009, the show was still popular, profitable, and beloved. So why did Norm walk away?

It wasn't burnout. It wasn't ratings. And it definitely wasn't money.

Abram ended the show because his body simply couldn't take it anymore.

By the time he stepped down, Norm was nearly 60 and had spent two decades working on a concrete floor, filming long days without a break. It wasn't the same as his part-time role on This Old House—The New Yankee Workshop was a full-time grind:

• Norm worked 40 to 60 hours a week during production seasons
• He filmed 285 full projects over 21 years
• He lifted an estimated 2.3 million pounds of lumber
• He made over 47,000 saw cuts
• He spent roughly 8,400 hours bent over workbenches

Each episode may have aired in 22 minutes, but every project took up to 60 hours of prep and shooting. Norm didn't just host the show—he did all the actual work himself. Every cut, every joint, every mistake and retake.

As the years wore on, the physical toll added up. He developed joint pain, back issues, and plantar fasciitis from standing for 8 to 12 hours on unpadded concrete. Insurance premiums skyrocketed. A medical check in 2008 found his grip strength had dropped by 23% since 2003. His stamina was fading, his reaction time had slowed, and projects that once took two days to film were now taking four.

Behind the scenes, the pace was relentless. Norm built every project at least twice—once off-camera to work out the kinks, and again during filming. Every mistake meant lost materials and time. On one episode, a minor miscut forced the crew to toss $3,400 worth of cherrywood and start over.

The workload was intense. The expectations were higher. And Norm, who was never flashy or dramatic on screen, reached a quiet breaking point.

In 2009, after months of discussion with producer Russell Morash and WGBH Boston, Norm officially ended The New Yankee Workshop. The decision shocked fans—not because they saw it coming, but because the show was still thriving:

• It had a 9.0 IMDb rating
• It sold plans, DVDs, and pulled in licensing revenue
• Tool sponsorships covered the budget
• Viewer demand was high, even internationally

But Norm didn't leave for a bigger opportunity or a network shake-up. He left because it was time. As Morash put it, the show simply couldn't continue without him. There was no replacement. There never would be.

Abram chose peace over pressure. He stepped back to spend time with his family and finally build for himself—off camera, on his own terms. After 21 years, 235 unique projects, and more than a few bruises, he had nothing left to prove.