Our show is geared toward woodworkers of all skill levels, with a special emphasis on beginners.
Norm would be rolling over in his grave – Oh wait! Norm’s still alive and kicking…:)
Seriously, though, I watched the clip on youtube, and the format is eerily similar to The New Yankee Workshop – visit an historic place and then go back to the shop and build a somehwat modernized (in your case totally different) version of the antique piece.
Without the benefit of knowing what a full seasons’ mix of projects will be, I’m not sure how your show will be very different, other than the obvious fact that ‘It’s not Norm’.
I guess what I’m saying is that I’ll need to see more before I’ll know whether this is a show that I would add to my Saturday afternoon lineup.
Bob
Replies
tool... if there's room for another woodworking show, then your's will certainly fill the bill
i think Gail really came into her own after the intro.. you might think of reshooting the Mayflower scenes and the tour of the prototype chest
but anyways.. entertaining and kept my interest for the 5 minutes
thanks for sharing.....
was that lumberyard in Bristol ,RI ?
The tour of the prototype chest was ok but I think the show might look better with a skirt.
every court needs a jester
The tour of the prototype chest was ok but I think the show might look better with a skirt.
I think it would look better without one (You *had* to know that was coming...:).
Bob
be a leg man
every court needs a jester
Mike, I'll bet the lumberyard is Downes & Reader in Stoughton, MA
http://www.grosshillrentals.com
I noticed she used "piffin screws" to assemble the chest.
(-:
I thought she seemed to be "talking down" a bit to the camera - Like she was talking to a really low end DIY or a child. That sort of annoyed me.
But she is a lot easier to look at than Norm.
BTW - Why promote the show now, when it isn't coming out until 2008?
Toolpig, you'll be hearing from my lawyer! Norm.
Best of luck with the show.
Thank goodness they didn't choose a woman named "Norma" to host the show.
There are always growing pains on shows like this. On New Yankee I think it took Norm 2 or 3 years before he finally started accounting for wood movement and cross grain construction when assembling his projects.
Mongo
My all-time favorite PBS woodworking show was the one with Roy Underhill. No power tools, and I'll bet he could build a piece of fine furniture almost as quickly as Norm.
And there's something about seeing him walk out into the woods to get the raw material for that next project.
Allen
woodworking show was the one with Roy Underhill
He's still on both of my PBS stations (local and Houston at different times).
He's taken to measuring things, though.
Which kind of sours the 'romance' the show had for me in days of old. When he'd eyeball a scribe to some setting, and build an entire peice of furniture with not much more than that one dimension.
Shoot, the other day, he made dining room chairs. Not only were they made to plan dimensions, but to all-matched dimensions. Egad.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
I always enjoyed that show to the max until one time there was a closeup view of his hands and you could see all the scars and marrs the years had given him. Made me rethink the attraction to primitive tools.
Still enjoy watching him tho' but I appreciate powertools more now.
be battery or plug
every court needs a jester
was a closeup view of his hands and you could see all the scars and marrs the years had given him. Made me rethink the attraction to primitive tools.
Yeah. There's something to be said for, i nthe words of the song, "Coming by it honest," though.
I remember hearing, but never being able to verify, that he was/is a professor of early American history in one of the Carolina schools. Always thought that would be a trip, hear this dude wander in and start to lecture on how the early industries of the SE coast did this or that. Like as not sporting some bandaid proudly from some exercise in making a Froe from scratch instead of using a junked car's leaf spring . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Cap'n,
I heard he was one of the "suits" at Colonial Williamsburg!
he ran one of the interpretation sites for carpentry.....
Urban legend??
Mclaren
I met him (Roy Underhill) at Williamsburg while visiting the College of William and Mary: he had an active furniture-making business in addition to his work with the theme-park. Here's some bio stuff.
http://www.unctv.org/pressroom/woodwright/season26nationalpremiere.html
http://www.pbs.org/wws/program/history.html
<!----><!----> <!---->
Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
Edited 3/7/2007 1:15 am ET by PhillGiles
Phill, thanks a lot for those links. I had no idea The Woodwright Shop was still in production. It's been 15 years or more since I last saw the show. Sad to think how much I've missed.
My wife added local channels to our DirecTV account, so now I at least have the option to watch it if it's available here.
Someone mentioned Roy's scarred hands. True, I'm sure, but make a mistake with a handplane, and might bruise a finger. Get careless with a molding head on a table saw, and you might lose a finger.
From the UNC-TV Website: "Using only tools of yore, Roy shows that woodworking doesn’t have to be expensive, noisy or dangerous (well, not too dangerous)."
Allen
There was a Woodwright thread over on Knots a while back, #33968. If you're interested in where the program is being carried, take a look athttp://research.backchannelmedia.com/programs/Woodwright%27s_ShopDan
Roy is one of my heroes - his books hold an honored place on the shelf and are frequently removed for review -
and his show is remarkable, not only for content, but for production -
when you get to see an episode, observe that it is taped in 'real time' - generally the program has no cuts, just a start to finish performance - which does make for some interesting moments - blood on projects and things like that -
an American original -
"there's enough for everyone"
Phil,
Bet that was cool to catch up with him.
Unionville where?
Mclaren
Yes, I was there for another reason, and in the low season: they were doing a couple of interior renos that winter; and, they were over-budget and behind schedule when they discovered several of us had wood-working skills and asked us to volunteer some hours.
The village of "Unionville" Ontario (19th century restoration) within the Town of Markham. It's in York Region just north of Scarberia in the GTA.
<!----><!----> <!---->
Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
he ran one of the interpretation sites for carpentry
Might could be. I'm wanting to remember that he (used to) specialized in 1700-1800 or so woodwork, and choosing an "era" like that is a halmark of historian types. Which might be why linking him to UNC or the like 'seemed' reasonable.
Like as not, it's all apochryphal.
Cool, "we" are all right, a little.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Underhill
Seems he started out at UNC Chappel Hill, was off in the hinterlands, then came back and graduated from Duke. He's also part of the CW program, too.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Agreed.Watching him was a treat. He's a "no excuses" kind of guy. I always got a kick watching him turn wood on his lathe.I think Sphere got to hang with him a while back.Mongo
buimp
every court needs a jester
You know, I've never met Sphere, but based on his posts I've come to picture a taller version of Roy Underhill.
I need to change my tagline or it's gonna look like I have a thing for the guy...."This is a process, not an event."--Sphere
Keep it man. That's one of the best. LOL
They won't sell you a gun if you are crying.
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/
I worked with him at CW for one summer. I met the family too, in NC. I have a least every tool he has with the exception of a post drill and I sold my treadle lathe.
I learned a lot in a short time, cool guy.
Man that was like a whole lifetime ago..'87? I think.
We're drawing the plans to build a branch in Colonial Williamsburg, and it's interesting the things we have to consider. The inside is all ours, of course, but the outside has to fit in with the style of the 'hood. This week we (the archys and me) got a personal tour of the commercial store area with the resident architectural historian ... very interesting to see and understand some of the details. We also have to consult with their staff archeologist before we dig the foundation."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I cut this out years ago, the comments about the rough hands reminded me..Bud
What are you building in Williamsburg, I work for a GC in that area, we do a fair amount of work in Williamsburg.
Rob
Takes too long to load on dial-up. I got work to do....
Ah, Newer Yankee Workshop, how droll. I kept waiting for her to say: 'and there's no better rule, than to wear these, your safety glasses".
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Ah, Newer Yankee Workshop, how droll. I kept waiting for her to say: 'and there's no better rule, than to wear these, your safety glasses".
Maybe she could team up with Norm. They could pretend to be a couple. They already have the name 'Woodworking Together', and it fits better than HomeTime...
Bob
Having been a bottle baby, I have a keen appreciation of chests, and of the display of both antique versions from Olde Plimoth Plantation and of the more contemporary, rotund variety.
A bit heavy handed on the wardrobe accomplishments and script synchronizations, though- especially as things get bit more in hand in the action scenes <G>
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise Him in the midst of the throng. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save them from those who would condemn them to death.
- Psalms 109:30-3
Should call her Norma Abram. Female replica of Norm. I'd change it around a little bit, get her own identity.
There was a link next to your video for a guy called the wood whisperer. I had never seen him before. That guy does a really good show. Put him on instead. At least check him out. This cat is good.
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/
They won't sell you a gun if you are crying.
I have to go with Gunner on this one. The Wood Whisperer.
His strength is clear and precise explanation of technique. This is what beginners need. Gail is pleasant and from what I can see, competant. But, there has to be more to make me want to tune in regularly.
Norm Abrams, Tom Silva, Roy Underhill are the Gold Standards. Also great to watch are Scott Philips of American Woodshop (?) and Router Workshop.
Gail needs 'a hook' to get me as a regular. Too much like a softer side of Norm. (he's kind of squishy, anyway) Perhaps a "tool of the week" theme and something built primarily by that tool. Or even 'mini seasons', a series of 3 or 4 shows tied together by a central theme, then 3 or 4 more with another goal, etc. through a whole season.
Run this by the folks across the street at Fine Woodworking in their Cafe'
Another type shoiw that might be of interest to some would be Finishes. So many to choose from. Modern and traditional. How to make the choice and why. Techniques. One style of work finished in multiple ways and how the project results are affected by the type chosen.
Good luck. We'll be watching (?)
...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...
Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home.
...aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
The show's premise is OK; simple techniques using minimal tools for maximum results on a one weekend DIY project. As an old carpenter who's always approached on-site built cabinetry and stairbuilding from a similar point of view, I'll watch a few shows...give Gail a chance to demonstrate her skills and your collective ideas on some useful projects.
Here's one suggestion, custom musical instrument cases: I made a veneer plywood case for my Yamaha S80 synthesizer, using inexpensive Russian birch ply. That plywood has about seven solid laminations which look great revealed with a couple coats of polyurethane. Could be glued and screwed with dowel caps, though I used biscuits and clamps for better alignment and invisible joinery. I scribed the ends of the synth and cut inserts for the case, to hold the keyboard in place, then added 1/8" mahogany ply, protruding about one inch below the inside of the top, to align the two halves. Finished with inexpensive brass hardware, it's a handsome case and an effective way to transport a rather heavy keyboard. Total time, after rounding up materials; one short weekend, around twelve hours. Total cost, about $90-$100.
Best wishes for a successful first season.
Peter
Edited 3/10/2007 3:28 am ET by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Interesting when she ran that piece a wood through the TS that she allowed the skinny end up against the fence especially with no hold downs.
Seemed pretty dangerous to me..especially being that pretty much was her only TS technique..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFexyK8J1Iw
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Like some of the other posts have said, it was interesting enough to keep my interest for 5 minutes. It really comes across like a female yankee workshop. Not saying that's good or bad, just what it is.
If you look through Gail's website, you really get a sense of her personality. The rockn' theme song, her 'stop looking' t-shirt and the new tattoo she's talking about. NONE of this comes through in the clip.
That's really a shame - her real personality is much more interesting than the best-manners approach in the clip. Marc Spagnuolo is able to put together podcasts that are funny, show his true personality and teach you something at the same time. Might be a good concept to consider.
Got a link to her website, please
try this... http://www.hometownwoodworking.com/
Thanks
with your "emphasis on beginners "
your hostess should practice more safety than she demonstrates in her pictures...........
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, wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
Hey,
When are we going to get a show based down here in the Ozarks? Some pretty interesting furniture like dining room tree stumps to match, double barrel sling shots, etc. New England stuff is wore out and takes more than 30 minutes to make. You can do a lot with Hickory.
Earl Pitts
get a show based down here in the Ozarks?
When you can find a production crew that's not so much a bunch of girls' blouses as to have them not be frightened of being out past "civilization" quite so far as Ozarks <g>.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Another show based in Massachusetts.
As much as I like the cast of This Old House and Norm's charm, this is what caused me to tune out nearly completely to the show.
This may not be the case for the new show, but the setting may be getting kindof old for folks in 90% of the country that isn't centered around all things Boston and its state.
This isn't meant to offend anyone, especially woodworkers.
No, it's a point well taken; how much Shaker furniture can you flog outside of New England ?
<!----><!----> <!---->
Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
re - No, it's a point well taken;
------thank-you, thank-you and thank-you.many of us (not in the trade) are so far removed from the world of historical review boards, architects and interior and lighting designers that permeate these new england-based PBS shows with remodeling budgets bloated by regulatory red tapes.it's the tile setters, plumbers and landscape dudes that make it bearable whenever their segments are plopped in but some of those segments have turned into product placements.but i digress - this thread is about the new woodworking show.
What an amazing schedule you must have -- to have a trailer released nine months before air. Do you have shows in the can already? Pilots here are generally done in a couple months or less, we even have one that's scheduled for only 19 days from shoot to delivery. What they pick up in mid May is on the air in September.
-- J.S.
Yet another woodworking show directed at amateurs. My only question is, will she be using a pneumatic nail gun on every project like Norm?
Checked out the links... sorry, but good luck to you. Nothing remotely interesting here as it's all been done before. Her work is pretty basic, and her technique is uninspiring to be kind.
I know I sound very negative, but after 25 years of woodworking, I find these shows more and more insulting to the craftsmen out there who spend 100's of hours on one piece of fine furniture. Try telling someone that period piece they want built will be $10,000 when Norm and Gail seem to churn things out in 1/2 hour.
Reminds me of all the crap homebuilding/renovation shows people seem to be churning out where code and safety violations run about one per minute.
Oh and does she really need the "Stop Looking" tee shirt stretched across her chest on the web site? Will there be an accompanying shop calendar when the show airs?
Oh well, as HL Mencken said, "no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public."
found this....http://www.pinktoolbelts.com/links.htm.
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., wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
Oh brother...
(My wife just saw that site over my shoulder and said "I never wanted a pink toolbelt! I wanted one just like the boys.)
The Brooke Coe pieces are unique and creative. Too many dead links on that site.
Just for the record, I take no exception to the gender of the person working the wood. However, I do take exception to yet another crappy show hitting the airwaves. I was shocked that someone would post an announcement for such a show here given that there was nothing fine- about any of the work I saw on Gail's site.
Edited 3/13/2007 9:24 pm ET by Thaumaturge
I got the impression we were supossed to dig the chick factor.....
I wasn't impressed with her loose hair and clothes while she's running power tools.....but they adoreher over here:http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=53186she 's a member.
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., wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
Okay, now I know you are spending too much time researching Gail!
Do you spend much time on that forum? I tend to resist forums where they sell merchandise for themselves and plaster cute photos of themselves all over the place.
I looked at some of her postings and had to laugh that she turned down a HDTV cabinet job because she was afraid she'd break the expensive mechanism.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=46073
Oh, and this is an example of her work that made me laugh as well. Yikes! Someone paid her for this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=44792
Okay, I'm done. Good luck to her and her good fortune at grabbing 15 minutes of fame.
I found it after I googled her name, since I can't view the video...I just found that Sawmillcreek 10 minutes agoOMG...and I'm no woodworker....I'm done too....
g'night.
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., wer ist jetzt der Idiot ?
I couldnt agree with you more on your take for the new show.
You know what though, thats probably why it will make it. There are a lot more DIY'ers out there then craftsmen. Another yawner.......
Doug
<<Oh, and this is an example of her work that made me laugh as well. Yikes! Someone paid her for this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=44792
Okay, I'm done. Good luck to her and her good fortune at grabbing 15 minutes of fame.>>
Got to agree with you. I was willing to give her and the show a look but that's the level of work that I reserve for store rooms, certainly not library quality. What's even more amusing are all the "at a girl" posts on that thread.
I forgot the attaboy/girl posts... that's about 90% of her posts.
The other non-attaboy post that actually depressed me a little was this one from less than a year ago where she made a table for a customer that split apparently due to the moisture content and/or constuction method. She's asking for help to figure it out!
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?s=7fec6a9ded82e14b2ca1150d4eae3398&t=36574
Forgive me if I expect people telling me what to do on how-to programs to actually know how to do something.
Oh well, fake it 'til you make it.
<<Forgive me if I expect people telling me what to do on how-to programs to actually know how to do something.
Oh well, fake it 'til you make it.>>
I just noticed that Toolpig, the OP on this thread, has deleted his original post. What was it that Harry Truman said about heat and kitchens? ;-)
Hey TP, I still wish you and Gail well. And I'll bet you sell a lot of T-shirts.
Wow, OP deletes his post.
The power of Breaktime can not be overstated!
You'd think someone purportedly in the media would have a thicker skin. I'll be interested to see if the show ever sees the light of day as I see no mention of the show at PBS sites. Typically shows on PBS are co-produced by a 'sponsor' station like WGBH Boston or similar.
Steeplejack Productions, LLC seems to have plastered the same style of post on every available woodworking site, so they are obviously looking for sponsors to pump up a deal for the show. I am somewhat doubtful come to think of it, that the show is actually slated to appear on PBS. This may be more wish than reality.
Edited 3/15/2007 2:57 pm ET by Thaumaturge
Sorry, I deleted by accident...My fellow woodworkers,I am a TV producer and have created a new woodworking show for public television called Woodworking Together. It’s the first new woodworking show to come to public television in more than 10 years and features the very first woman to host a true woodworking show, Boston-area cabinetmaker Gail O’Rourke.Our show is geared toward woodworkers of all skill levels, with a special emphasis on beginners.Woodworking Together will premiere nationwide on PBS stations in January of 2008. You can view the show’s “trailer” by clicking on the following link…http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9199733913251364374&hl=enWe are currently seeking corporate sponsors to help underwrite our first season on-air. If you are interested in helping to sponsor Woodworking Together, please send an email to [email protected].Also, if you would like your local PBS station to carry this program, please be sure to call them and say that you want them to carry Woodworking Together from American Public Television! Local PBS station information can be found at http://www.pbs.org/stationfinder/index.html.Happy woodworking!!!
"Sorry, I deleted by accident..."
Okay... I hear you.
Nonetheless, just to satisfy my curiosity, what PBS station has agreed to air the show so far?
I didn't read it as a PBS station had agreed to air his show. He said theat he was trying to sell it to Public television.
They won't sell you a gun if you are crying.
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/
The STOP LOOKING is explained at the bottom of this pagehttp://www.hometownwoodworking.com/Friendly%20Links.htmleric