Every single time I watch TOH, they find some way to slip in the word “patina”. The other week they were working on a stained glass window (or something like it) and were talking about removing the “patina” prior to soldering. Next they will be showing how to remove the patina from copper pipes before soldering.
What’s wrong with the word “oxidation”?
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Replies
In the case of the stained glass window it might not be oxidation, but a chemical used on purpose to "color" the lead.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I never watch TOH. Possibly. . . pretentious a-holes?
Well, once I caught Bob Vila asking an electrician about, oh, six times what he was doing.
"Bob, I've taped this new Romex to this old knob-and-tube wire, and I'm going to use the old wire as a pull to the nearest box."
"So that's the old wire?"
"Yep."
"And that's the new wire."
"Yes, that's Romex."
"And you've taped them together?"
"With black tape. Yes."
"And you're going to use the old wire. . .?"
"I'm going to pull on it. It goes to the next box"
"So you've taken the old wire, and it's taped right to the"
"Yes Bob, it's taped to the new wire, and I can then pull on the old wire and it'll come right along with it, to the next box."
"And the Romex will go where it needs to."
"That's right."
. . . pretentious a-holes?
Maybe a little, but I still like the show. There's always a little something to learn. I never did like Bob Vila, though. He always struck me as a used car salesman... a used car salesman that was always on the verge of getting himself or someone else hurt. And yes, asking stupid questions, too!
I thought Steve Thomas was pretty good and I don't mind Kevin O'Conner surrounded like he is by some very impressive talent (Richard, Roger, Tom and Norm).
Actually I like Bob Vila. It was always funny watching him cut off others conversations mid sentence, and watching him touch everything, especially rare antiques that were in a fragile state, and then watching him help the workers by offering constructive advice to them while they were holding things on a ladder that were at least their own body weight. Then again, watching him use a hammer was entertaining too as the camera always cut away when the nail started to bend.But all in all, he did a good job as host, much better than sail boat boy.
Mark
I agree with you 100%
Once I saw Bob going through Monticello, there they are in Thomas Jeffersons room and Bob starts handling the damn duplicator thing( I don't recall what its called ) that Jefferson had build/invented, WTF was he thinking, this is a piece of American history, we can see it, you don't need to be fondling the damn thing!
He always cracked me up
Didn't care for sailboat boy or banker boy, seams they're actually trying to see how much of a duffus they can get.
Really cracks me up when I see Kevin carrying a tool belt, what the hell is he going to do with that, surprised he know how to put it on!
I get something out of the show, they work with a lot of new stuff and also work on some cool places but none of the guys hosting the show would be my choice for a decent laborer.
Doug
I love how Kevin is kept in his place. I was watching Ask This Old House one night and they decide to send Kevin out for a segment.
The segment was on window washing.
Back when Villa was on, at least they were doing somewhat "normal" and not outrageously (at least for me) expensive projects. Now they go to a house that the owners just dropped a million (or two) dollars on and they fix it up by spending another quarter mill. Or someone buys a perfectly good Craftsman style bungalo and then they rip off the roof and make it a two story and double the footprint and think that is in keeping with the house's original character!
Yes, the projects are outrageously overdone, and they don't really show much of the actual work like they used to. It's pretty uninteresting, but ask this old house is entertaining.
Reminds me, it's on right now, so I'll go watch.
Bob Villa??? Wow, you really haven't watched it in a looooonnnngggg time! I think they're on their 3rd host since the Villa daze.
I gotta say, I like the show. Sure, they may be a little pretentious, but it's television. I sorta expect that. But more than anything, I've picked up a lot of good tips from that show. Not saying you're wrong for not liking it - you don't, I do, the world would be boring if we were all the same. But I think Villa hasn't been on that show in at least 8 years. I think he has his own show called Home Again, which I may have watched once or twice. --------------------------------------------------------
Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.netSee some of my work at AWorkOfWood.com
Bob Vila left in 1989.
I loved Bob Vila. I also noticed that if you ever corrected him during your interview, the interview ended immediately:
Bob "So Tim, I see you're gonna paint this fence, will you be using a stick with leafs on it?"
Tim "No Bob I thought i'd use this brush."
Bob "Okay, lets go see what Mike is working on."
NEVER correct Bob. Remember Riley the carpenter on Home Again? Remember the bloody gauze covering what was left of his hand? Bob never mentioned it, neither did Riley. Wonder if he corrected Bob?
I remember that show. I thought Bob asked Riely about it and Riley said, "dont ever take the guard off a piece of machinery" something like that, Bob just went about his business.
Riley cracked me up too, good fit for Bob.
Doug
I think I saw the episode where he did cut them off, he was doing a dado or goofy rip on some screens or sash frames or somesuch. Ofcourse they didn't show it happen. But I recall seeing that bonehead cut and saying to myself "Thats a good way to lose a finger or two" Short time later, there he was, all wadded up in gauze.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
New book alert; Eckhart Tolle "A new earth"
A must read.
Wonder what Bob is doing these days. I kind of miss him.
The only time I ever see him now is squating next to a box of "Bellawood Fine Floors".
"Cause if its good enough for Bob, Wow."
I don't think that he has made any new shows for a year or two. But there are still reruns on cable.But the last that I saw him he does not cut off an interview when people correct him. Otherwise the shows would only 20 seconds long.First you have allof the product placements.Hi, I am Bob Villa in my hager slacks. And checking my Citizens watch that I bought from Sears I see that it is time to start the show. I open the Stanley door with the Yale lockset to see that Don is working on the kitchen.It is John Bob,John has just finished installing custom kitchen cabinets.John - I am attaching the last RTA cabinet from the local lumber yard.Bob - then John will be installing a granite countertop.John - the countertop people are making a template to fabricate the engineerer stone top..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
For a guy no one has seen in a while, he must have made his mark cause all these "conversation snippets" are dead on.:>)
Maybe he isn't on TV anymore because someone in power finally figured out that, even after hanging with tradesmen for twenty-some years, he's still freakin' clueless.
I remember an electrician who showed up on one of my framing jobs one day, trying to tell me how to do carpentry, just like Bob does.
After trying to be courteous for a few minutes I decided the best way to deal with him was to have two of my guys escort him to his truck. One on each elbow, they lifted him off his feet and carried him out to the street, him yelling at them to put him down. It was a thing of beauty to watch.
Edited 5/26/2008 12:26 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
i noticed that whenever there was work to be done, Mr. vila was nowhere to be seen.
Dumb it down for dumb viewers. Oxidation sounds too scientific for the masses to digest. Patina is oft heard in the antique boutiques that are really what we called junk furniture shops.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
New book alert; Eckhart Tolle "A new earth"
A must read.
I'm thinking we ought to market a varnish named "Patina" and it would sell like hotcakes.