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Home > Bob on TV > Home Again > Modern Colonial > Interior Wall Panels and Flooring > 1310 Transcript
1310 - Interior Wall Panels and Flooring
November 4-10, 2002 | May 5-11, 2003
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HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO OUR CENTER ENTRY
COLONIAL PROJECT.
TODAY WE'RE SPENDING
A LOT OF OUR TIME INDOORS
WORKING ON MY FAVORITE--
FINISH CARPENTRY.
BOB RYLEY'S GOING TO SHOW US
HOW TO CREATE SOME AUTHENTIC
18th-CENTURY RAISED PANELS
IN THE DINING ROOM.
WE'VE ALSO GOT
HOWARD BRICKMAN ABOARD,
AND HE'S FINISHING UP
THE BEAUTIFUL OAK FLOORS
THAT ARE BEING INSTALLED.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU
HOME AGAIN.
AUTHENTIC COLONIAL HOMES OFTEN
HAD BEAUTIFULLY PANELLED ROOMS,
AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE
AN ATTEMPT HERE AT CREATING
THE SAME LOOK THAT WE SAW
IN ONE OF THE HISTORIC HOUSES
EARLIER IN THE SERIES--
THE WINSLOW-CROCKER HOUSE.
AND WE HAVE A LAYOUT
THAT CLOSELY REPLICATES
WHAT WE SAW THERE.
THE PANELING THAT WAS IN
THAT HOUSE HAD BEEN CRAFTED
IN THE LATE 18th CENTURY,
AND MUCH OF WHAT'S
THERE IS INTACT.
WE ARE, IN FACT,
GOING TO TRY TO REPRODUCE
ONE OF THE MOLDINGS THAT
YOU SEE IN THIS WALL,
AND THIS WALL WAS ACTUALLY
STRIPPED OF ITS ORIGINAL PAINTS
BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER
OF THE HOUSE
ABOUT 60 OR 70 YEARS AGO,
WHICH MAKES IT A LITTLE
BIT LESS AUTHENTIC.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE HAVE HERE
WILL BE MADE OUT OF PINE
AND WILL BE PAINTED,
AND, BOB RYLEY,
YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW US
HOW YOU GO ABOUT CRAFTING THIS
WITH TODAY'S MODERN TOOLS.
RIGHT. WELL,
THE IMPORTANT THING
ON THIS WALL HERE
IS THAT THE FIREPLACE
IS CENTERED IN THE ROOM,
SO WE WANT TO BE SURE
THAT THE PANELS ARE
C E N T E R E D , A S WE L L .
SO WE'RE GOING TO FIND
THE CENTER HERE,
ESTABLISH WHERE THIS
STILE AND THIS STILE
HERE ARE GOING--
STILES ARE
THE VERTICAL PIECES.
EXACTLY, AND THEN
THE RAILS WOULD BE
THE HORIZONTAL PIECES.
HORIZONTAL, RIGHT.
SO WHAT I'M DOING
RIGHT NOW, BASICALLY,
IS LAYING THEM OUT
SO THAT I KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE
THEY'RE GOING TO GO,
AND GET A HEIGHT
ON THEM, DO A COUNT,
AND ONCE
I'VE GOT ALL THAT,
WE'LL JUST START
FABRICATING THE PIECES,
AND THEN BRING THEM BACK
AND PUT THEM IN PLACE.
EXACTLY, BECAUSE EVEN
THOUGH WE HAVE THE DESIGN
HERE TO LOOK AT,
WE DON'T HAVE
ALL THE DIMENSIONS.
THE DIMENSIONS
ARE SOMETHING
YOU REALLY WANT
TO TAKE IN THE FIELD--
IN THE ROOM.
THIS IS A GUIDELINE.
RIGHT. EXACTLY.
AND LET'S LOOK
AT THE PARTS,
BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT
A LITTLE MOCK-UP RIGHT
HERE ON THE FLOOR.
THAT'S THE PANEL.
THE RAISED PANEL.
AND YOU CAN SEE
THE PROFILE
OF THE RAISED
PANEL RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE,
THE STILES AND
THE RAILS HOLD IT.
THIS WOULD BE
THE STILE HERE.
THE PANEL
WILL GO IN THERE.
RIGHT.
AND A RAIL WILL
GO DOWN BELOW.
THIS IS THE SAME
TECHNIQUE THAT'S USED
IN CREATING CABINET
DOORS FOR KITCHEN
CABINETS AND THE LIKE.
AND LET'S PUT IT
ON THE BENCH
SO WE CAN LOOK
MORE CLOSELY AT
THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES
AND HOW YOU GET THEM.
OK, THIS IS
THE GROOVED CUT HERE,
AND BASICALLY WHAT YOU
DO IS HAVE--THIS BIT
WOULD SIT IN HERE.
AND THAT MAKES THAT
GROOVE INTO THE WOOD.
AND WHEN THAT'S RUNNING,
THERE ARE SOME BASICS
TO KEEP IN MIND,
IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION
OF THE WOOD.
BASICALLY--OH, YEAH.
YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS
WOOD HERE RUNNING--
THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST
ONE YOU WANT TO CUT,
WHICH IS THE STILE, AND
YOU JUST RUN THEM ALL
THROUGH AT ONE TIME,
BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT
ANOTHER BIT THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO.
ONCE YOU'VE GOT ALL
OF THE STILES CUT,
THEN YOU CHANGE
YOUR BITS.
YOU GO INTO
THIS ONE HERE,
AND THEN THIS
WILL CUT ALL OF
THE RAIL STOCK FOR YOU.
THE RAIL STOCK.
EXACTLY.
AND WHEN YOU'RE
DOING THE RAIL STOCK
AND THE STILE STOCK,
YOU WANT TO DO THEM
ALL IN UNISON
SO THAT YOU'VE GOT ALL
THE DIFFERENT PIECES
THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO BE REQUIRING--
DO THEM ALL
AT ONE TIME.
RIGHT.
LET'S LAY IT OUT.
WHICH GOES FIRST?
OK, LET'S SEE. THIS ONE
HERE--THE TOP ONE--
GOES RIGHT NEXT TO THE
LEFT OF THE FIREPLACE.
THIS ONE HERE GOES NEXT.
OK, THIS ONE HERE
IS THE FIRST ONE
WE WANT TO GET UP.
EVERYTHING ABOVE
THIS BLUE LINE IS NOT
GOING TO BE SEEN,l
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR
CROWN MOLDING IS COMING,
RIGHT TO THERE.
HAVE YOU PRE-MARKED WHERE
THE STUDS ARE LOCATED?
LET ME GET THI S O N
THE BOTTOM, ACTUALLY.
WHAT SIZE NAILS
ARE YOU USING?
THESE ARE SIXPENNY
FINISH NAILS.
Vila: ALL RIGHT,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT ALL
THESE DIFFERENT PIECES
IN ORDER AND NOT
GET THEM MIXED UP,
AND THE PANELS ARE
THE ONE PART THAT WE
HAVEN'T LOOKED AT CLOSELY.
PANELS INVOLVE PUTTING
TOGETHER DIFFERENT BOARDS
OF DIFFERENT SIZES
TO CREATE THE WIDTHS
THAT WE WANT TO USE TO
CREATE THE DESIGN THAT'S
GOING INTO THE ROOM.
WE'VE GOT 3 BOARDS
THAT HAVE BEEN GLUED
AND CLAMPED TOGETHER
AND THEN PLANED DOWN
AND RUN THROUGH
THE ROUTER/SHAPER TABLE
TO GET THIS BEVELED EDGE.
Ryley: RIGHT,
BUT WHEN IT GOES
THROUGH THE TABLE,
IT'S GOING TO GO
THROUGH ON 3 PASSES,
BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING
OFF SO MUCH MEAT.
YOU TRY TO DO IT IN ONE
PASS, YOU JUST CHEW THE
HECK OUT OF THE WOOD.
SO THE FIRST 2 PASSES,
REALLY, YOU'RE TAKING
OFF MOST OF THE WOOD.
THE FINAL PASS,
ALL YOU'RE DOING IS
TAKING OFF ABOUT 1/16,
AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY
CLEANS IT UP, GIVES US
A NICE, SHARP EDGE.
NOW, BOB, YOU'VE GOT
THE BOTTOM RAIL IN PLACE.
THIS IS ALL DRY BITTING
THAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
THE WHOLE WALL SHOULD
BE DRY FIT, RIGHT?
DRY FIT, RIGHT. THEN
WE COULD TAKE IT DOWN
AND PUT THE PIECES
TOGETHER WITH SOME GLUE.
LET'S TALK ABOUT
THE QUALITY OF THE WOOD
THAT WE'RE USING HERE.
WELL, IT'S NATIVE
EASTERN PINE,
AND WHAT WE'VE GOT
IS A SELECT PINE,
SO IT'S KNOT-FREE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE
ANY KNOTS IN IT.
NO KNOTS. THAT WAY, THEY
CAN STAIN IT IF THEY--
BUT THE MOISTURE CONTENT
IS THE IMPORTANT
THING, RIGHT?
EXACTLY.
WE WERE FORTUNATE
DOWN HERE AT THE YARD.
WHEN WE PUT THE MOISTURE
METER ON IT, THESE ONES
C A M E I N A T 9 % ,
WHICH IS IDEAL FOR WHAT
WE WANT TO DO HERE.
NOW, DO YOU WANT
TO PUT A LITTLE--
WE'RE USING
SIXPENNY NAILS JUST
TO TACK THEM IN PLACE.
YEAH. WE JUST WANT
TO HOLD IT UP FOR NOW.
WE REALLY JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS
GOING TO FIT PROPERLY.
WHEN WE INSTALL, FOR SURE,
YOU'LL BE USING WHAT?
EIGHTPE NNY FINISH?
EIGHTPENNY FINISH NAILS
AND CLAMPS.
LET ME GET
THE OTHER PANEL.
OK, NEXT WEEK, WE'LL
HAVE THEM ALL TOGETHER,
AND WE'LL BE INSTALLING
THE CROWN MOLDINGS.
Vila, voice-over: NEXT,
HOWARD BRICKMAN JOINS US
TO EXPL
AIN HOW TO INSTALL
WIDE PINE FLOORING
FROM CARLISLE LUMBER.
OUR FRIENDS AT CARLISLE
RESTORATION LUMBER
HAVE PROVIDED THIS BEAUTIFUL
WHITE OAK, OLD GROWTH FLOORING
THAT IS INSTALLED
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE,
AND IN THIS ROOM,
HOWARD BRICKMAN IS DOING
A DIFFERENT INSTALLATION
TECHNIQUE, REALLY.
INSTEAD OF JUST NAILING
THEM ALONG THE TONGUE
IN THE TRADITIONAL MANNER,
YOU'RE ACTUALLY SCREWING
THEM ALL IN PLACE
AND THEN PLUGGING
THE SCREWS.
AND WHAT KIND OF A SAW
IS THAT, HOWARD?
THIS IS A SAW MADE
IN JAPAN.
IT'S CALLED A PULL SAW.
IT'S FOR FINE WOODWORKING.
AND WHAT WE'VE GOT IS
A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE
LITTLE PLUGS
THAT WE HAVE CUT WITH
A DRILL PRESS, RIGHT?
YES, THEY'RE MATCHING.
THEY'RE FROM THE SCRAPS
THAT WE USED--
FROM CUTOFFS FROM
THE ENDS OF THE BOARD
SO THAT THEY WOULD MATCH
THE FLOOR PERFECTLY.
SO THIS INSTALLATION
INVOLVES
FIGURING OUT WHERE ALL
THE JOISTS ARE LOCATED,
AND WE'VE DONE THAT,
AND THEN...
PREDRILL THE HOLES,
AND THEN PUT A SCREW
IN THE HOLES.
SO ARE THESE
ALREADY SCREWED?
THESE ARE ALREADY--
THEY'RE SCREWED.
I'VE GOT ONE HERE
WE CAN...
SO YOU PREDRILL RIGHT
THROUGH THE LUMBER.
RIGHT THROUGH THE LUMBER,
AND THE SCREW GOES
INTO THE...
WHAT KIND OF SCREW
IS IT, HOWARD?
IT'S A REAL HEAVY-DUTY
INCH AND A HALF.
IT'S ALMOST A #12.
NOT A DRYWALL SCREW.
NO, IT IS NOT.
DRYWALL SCREWS BREAK
WHEN YOU DO THIS.
AND IT SCREWS RIGHT DOWN
INTO THE SUBFLOOR,
AND THEN INTO THE JOIST.
AND INTO THE JOIST.
SO IT PULLS EVERYTHING
DOWN TOGETHER.
AND THEN WE PLACE
THE WOODEN PLUG
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF--
DAB OF GLUE ON IT.
SO YOU DO PUT A DAB
OF GLUE IN THERE.
AND THEN THE PULL SAW
DOES THE REST.
ISN'T THAT NICE?
IT'LL LOOK QUITE PRETTY
WHEN IT'S ALL COMPLETED.
BUT HOWARD AND I
ARE GOING TO GO VISIT
OUR SISTER PROJECT
RIGHT NOW,
WHERE YOU'VE GOT SOME
NICE PINE FLOORING
GOING DOWN, RIGHT?
YES, SOME WIDE
PINE FLOORING--
14- TO 20-INCH WIDE
PINE FLOORING.
IT'S REALLY
BEAUTIFUL MATERIAL.
OK. NOW WE ARE TALKING
SOME OF THE MOST
FANTASTIC LENGTHS
OF EASTERN WHITE PINE
THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE.
HOW LONG IS THIS ONE,
HOWARD?
I THINK IT'S ABOUT
14 FEET LONG, BOB.
AND WHAT'S THE WIDTH?
17 INCHES.
IMAGINE THAT!
NOW, THE BEAUTY OF THIS
IS THAT IT'S SELECTED
OLD-GROWTH WHITE PINE
FROM NEW ENGLAND,
AND IT IS THE REAL
STRAIGHT-GROWING
PINE TREE,
THE ONE THAT HARDLY EVER
MEANDERS OR TWISTS,
SO THAT YOU GET THIS
BEAUTIFUL GRAIN PATTERN.
AND YOU GET KNOTS,
BUT THAT'S PART OF
THE STORY, RIGHT?
TIGHT, RED KNOTS IS
WHAT THEY CALL THOSE,
AND THEY STAY NICE
AND FIRM FOR--
IN ANTIQUE FLOORS,
I'VE SEEN THEM 350 YEARS OLD.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THEM POPPING OUT.
WELL, WITH
FLOORBOARDS LIKE THIS,
LAYING DOWN A FLOOR
IS AN EASY JOB,
YOU WOULD THINK.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF
DETAILS INVOLVED, RIGHT?
WELL, YOU WANT TO--
IN THIS PARTICULAR ROOM,
WE ACTUALLY HAD
TO CUT THE BOARDS.
THEY WERE TOO LONG
TO GO FROM WALL TO WALL.
TELL US ABOUT
THIS TRIM SAW THAT
YOU'VE SET UP HERE.
THIS IS FOR CUTTING THESE
REALLY, REALLY WIDE PIECES.
IT HAS THE ABILITY TO
TAKE A REALLY WIDE PIECE
AND CUT IT OFF AND
GIVE US A SQUARE CUT.
WHERE'S THE ACTUAL SAW?
THE SAW IS UP HERE.
LET'S...
OH, HERE WE GO.
PUT THE GUIDE...
DROP THIS IN PLACE.
Vila: NOW, THESE ARE
GERMAN TOOLS, RIGHT?
YES, SIR.
AND THEY HAVE
THE BUILT-IN VACUUM
AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED
SETUP FOR A PROFESSIONAL
FLOOR INSTALLER.
WHAT DID YOU PAY FOR THAT?
IT WAS ABOUT $1,700
FOR THE ENTIRE SETUP.
Brickman: NOW WE NEED
TO SWITCH THE ENDS, BOB.
YEAH. 17 1/2. THAT'S
PRETTY AMAZING.
OK, THIS GOES UP.
THIS GOES UP.
LET'S SWAP ENDS.
SO SOME OF THESE
BOARDS COME THROUGH UP
TO 20 INCHES WIDE, RIGHT?
YES. I THINK 19 INCHES
WAS THE WIDEST WE HAD
HERE. IT WAS 19.
ALL RIGHT, ONE MORE
SQUARING OFF, BUT THIS TIME,
YOU'RE MEASURING
SO THAT WE KNOW
THAT IT'S GOING TO BE
A STAGGERED JOINT.
I WANTED TO STOP
THE JOINT
A COUPLE OF FEET
SHORT OF THE DOORWAY
WHEN I PUT
THE NEXT PIECE IN--
OUT INTO THE HALL.
IT LOOKS NATURAL.
THERE WE GO.
LET'S SET IT
ON THE GUIDE.
THERE WE GO.
THERE WE GO.
THANK YOU, BOB.
ALL RIGHT, EASY CUTS.
THAT'S ONE THING
ABOUT A SOFT WOOD
LIKE THIS PINE.
OK. I'LL GRAB
THE OTHER END.
WHICH END GOES UP BUTTED
AGAINST THE WALL, HOWARD?
YOUR END, BOB.
AND RICHARD'S GOING
TO GET THAT TABLE
OUT OF OUR WAY.
NOW, YOU'VE PUT DOWN
THIS BLACK STUFF,
WHICH IS 15-POUND
FELT PAPER--
TARPAPER, WHATEVER
YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE
OF THAT, HOWARD?
WELL, IT'S
A VAPOR RETARDER,
AND IT ALSO INCREASES
THE SURFACE FRICTION
OF THE SUBFLOOR
SO THAT THE...FLOOR
DOESN'T MOVE AS MUCH
WHEN IT SHRINKS
AND SWELLS.
WHICH END GOES
OVER HERE? THIS ONE.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT
COMPONENT IN THE WHOLE
INSTALLATION, ISN'T IT?
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT
MAKES THE FLOOR
GIVE YOU BETTER
LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE.
OK. AND THAT'S
ALL THERE IS TO IT.
THERE'S NO
TONGUE-AND-GROOVE HERE,
SO WE JUST GET READY
TO NAIL, RIGHT?
YEAH, ONE THING
WE'RE GOING TO NEED
TO DO, BOB, IS...
WE'VE GOT A LITTLE
BIT OF A JOINT HERE,
SO WE NEED TO WEDGE
THIS ONE TOGETHER.
ALL RIGHT.
AND I CAN DO
THAT RIGHT AGAINST
THE BASEBOARD HERE.
BECAUSE THIS SPECIES GROWS
SO TALL AND S T R A I G H T ,
CARLISLE LUMBER
CAN GET A FULL 16 FEET
WITH NO KNOTS AND NO LIMBS,
AND A COMMON AVERAGE WIDTH
OF ABOUT 13 TO 20 INCHES.
OLD-GROWTH TIMBER HAS A VERY
DENSE GRAIN AND KNOT STRUCTURE.
AS YOU MOVE UP THE TREE,
YOU START TO SEE MORE KNOTS
THAT BLEND NICELY WHEN
THEY'RE APPLIED TO THE FLOOR.
THEY SHOW A REAL
TRADITIONAL LOOK.
BECAUSE EASTERN WHITE PINE HAS
A RELATIVELY SHORT LIFE SPAN--
FROM 150 TO 180 YEARS--
CUTTING AT MATURITY IS
ACTUALLY GOOD FOR THE FOREST.
THIS LUMBER IS ALSO CUT
DURING THE WINTER MONTHS,
WHEN THE GROUND IS FROZEN,
AND LOGGING DOES LESS DAMAGE
TO THE FOREST FLOOR
WHEN THE SAP HAS
STOPPED RUNNING,
WHICH MAKES DRYING
THE LUMBER MORE EFFICIENT.
Vila: SO THAT BUTTS
TIGHTLY TOGETHER,
AND NOW YOU'RE
READY FOR NAILING?
THAT'S GREAT.
SO YOU'VE DETERMINED
THAT ALL THE NAILING,
WHICH IS FACE NAILED
AND WHICH IS PART
OF THE LOOK
OF THE INSTALLATION,
FALLS ALONG
THE JOISTS THAT ARE
ALREADY DOWN THERE.
YES. WE JUST
WANT TO MAKE IT
A NICE, STRAIGHT LINE
ON THAT JOIST.
AND THE NAILS
THAT ARE BEING USED
ARE THESE FABULOUS
CUT NAILS,
WHICH, IF YOU
LOOK CLOSELY,
THEY HAVE A BIT
OF A CURVE TO THEM.
NOW, THIS IS MADE
EXACTLY THE WAY
THEY WERE MADE A COUPLE
OF CENTURIES AGO.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF
THE CURVE IN THE NAIL?
WELL, THE NAIL GETS
A LITTLE BIT WIDER,
AND THEN IT GETS
NARROWER AGAIN,
AND THAT INCREASES
THE HOLD ON THAT
A LITTLE BIT.
I SEE.
BECAUSE THE MAIN
THING IS, YOU DON'T WANT
T H E N A I L S T O BA C K U P .
SO YOU JUST TACK THEM
INTO PLACE, AND THEN
WE'LL RUN ALONG AND NAIL
THEM ALL DOWN, RIGHT?
BUT IN THE MEANTIME,
WE'RE GOING TO VISIT
THE FACTORY
WHERE THEY'VE BEEN
MAKING THESE FOR
NEARLY 2 CENTURIES.
WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT
WITH A TOUR OF THE 180-YEAR-OLD
TREMONT NAIL FACTORY
IN WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.
NEXT TIME ON...
WE'LL GET STARTED ON
THE FINISH CARPENTRY
AT OUR CENTER ENTRY
COLONIAL PROJECT.
RYLEY WILL JOIN US
TO INSTALL REPRODUCTION
18th-CENTURY RAISED PANELING
IN THE DINING ROOM.
OUR FLOOR INSTALLER,
HOWARD BRICKMAN,
WILL BE USING TRADITIONALLY
MANUFACTURED NAILS
ON WIDE PINE FLOORING.
ALSO, WE'LL VISIT
THE TREMONT NAIL FACTORY,
WHERE THEY'VE BEEN MAKING
NAILS THE OLD-FASHIONED
WAY FO
R 180 YEARS.
SO DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME
HOME AGAIN.
NEXT TIME ON...
IT'S RAISED PANELING,
WIDE PINE FLOORING,
AND TRADITIONALLY
MANUFACTURED NAILS.
DON'T MISS IT.
WE'VE TRAVELED
TO WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS,
TO VISIT THIS MILL BUILDING,
WHICH IS ON THE NATIONAL
REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
IT STARTED OUT NEARLY
200 YEARS AGO AS A COTTON MILL.
THE BRITISH BURNED IT TO THE
GROUND DURING THE WAR OF 1812.
IT WAS REBUILT,
BURNED AGAIN,
BUT IT'S BEEN A NAIL FACTORY
FOR ABOUT 180 YEARS.
LET'S GET STARTED.
Vila: AND
THE GENERAL MANAGER
HERE, BILL DRISCOLL,
IS GOING TO EXPLAIN
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THIS OPERATION.
AND THIS IS
STUNNING MACHINERY.
THIS IS REALLY
EARLY STUFF, RIGHT?
THIS ORIGINALLY
WAS A DESIGN, BOB,
BY EZEKIEL REED,
WAY BACK IN
THE EARLY 1800s.
THE MACHINE THAT
WE ARE LOOKING AT HERE
WAS PROBABLY BUILT
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
1860 AND 1890.
GORGEOUS PIECES.
NOW, THIS WAS ALL
DRIVEN BY WATER POWER.
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
WATER POWER FROM
THE MILL POND WAS FED
UNDERNEATH THIS
MILL WHERE WE'RE
STANDING RIGHT NOW,
AND A CENTRIFUGAL
WATER WHEEL
PROVIDED THE POWER TO ALL
THESE OVERHEAD SHAFTS
THAT YOU SEE
IN THE MILL TODAY.
AND SO THIS IS BASICALLY
STILL THE SAME MACHINERY
THAT IS IN
OPERATION CREATING
YOUR PRODUCT LINE HERE.
THE SAME MACHINES
THAT YOU SEE HERE
ARE ONES THAT
WE'RE USING TODAY.
WE USE ABOUT 20 OF
THESE MACHINES A DAY
FOR THE VARIOUS NAILS
THAT WE MANUFACTURE.
BUT YOU'VE MOVED INTO
A NEW FACTORY BUILDING,
WHERE YOU'VE GOT THEM
ALL GANGED UP
AND WHERE THE OPERATION
IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT,
BECAUSE THIS IS LIK E
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
BE IN THE SMITHSONIAN.
THIS IS ALL
OVERHEAD SHAFTING,
AND THESE
OVERHEAD SHAFTS
WERE THE PRIME
RESOURCE OF POWER,
AND CONTINUED
TO BE THAT WAY
ALL THE WAY UP
UNTIL ABOUT 2000.
NOW, THIS IS AN AREA
OF MASSACHUSETTS
THAT'S REALLY WELL KNOWN
FOR CRANBERRY BOGS.
WHERE DID THEY GET
THE IRON ORE NEARLY
2 CENTURIES AGO
TO HAVE NAIL
MANUFACTURING?
BEFORE THE MILLS
STARTED MASS PRODUCTION
OF THESE NAILS
AROUND 1819, 1820,
MOST OF THE FARMERS,
BECAUSE IT WAS
AN AGRARIAN ECONOMY,
MADE THEIR OWN NAILS
IN THE WINTERTIME,
AND THEY FOUND
BY TILLING THEIR LAND
THAT A LOT OF
THE ORE IN THE LAND
THEY SMELTED
IN THE WINTERTIME,
AND THEY COULD ACTUALLY
MAKE NAILS OUT OF IT.
SO THEY FOUND ORE
IN THE BOGS?
THAT'S CORRECT, AND THIS
IS THE SAME IRON ORE
THAT WE USED UP THROUGH
PROBABLY ABOUT 1860,
BEFORE WE STARTED SOURCING
IRON FROM OTHER AREAS.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE MADE
SHEETS LIKE THIS,
AND THEN
THIS WAS FED INTO
THE MACHINE RIGHT HERE?
THAT'S CORRECT, AND IT
FED INTO THE MACHINE,
AND THEN THE RECIPROCAL
ACTION BACK AND FORTH,
NAILS WERE CUT OUT OF
THIS PARTICULAR SHEET
OF--IT USED TO BE IRON,
NOW IT'S STEEL,
AND THE NAILS
WERE PRODUCED.
TODAY IT'S MORE
MECHANIZED,
BUT IT'S STILL
BASICALLY THE SAME--
BASICALLY THE SAME DESIGN.
WE'VE MADE MACHINES
THAT ACTUALLY ARE COPIES
OF THESE MACHINES THAT
ARE 130-140 YEARS OLD.
IS THAT A REAL NAIL
KEG THAT YOU JUST--
THIS IS A REAL NAIL KEG
THAT WE USED TO SHIP
NAILS OUT OF HERE.
AND UP THROUGH
PROBABLY 1970, 1980,
100-POUND KEGS OF NAILS
WERE SHIPPED TO VARIOUS
CONTRACTORS, SUPPLIERS,
HARDWARE STORES,
AND WAREHOUSES.
TODAY THEY'RE PACKAGED
IN CORRUGATED CARTONS.
TODAY, ALSO,
THE MAJORITY
OF YOUR PRODUCT
IS USED IN RESTORATION
WORK, RIGHT?
THAT'S CORRECT.
WE DO AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK
WITH FLOOR INSTALLERS,
FLOOR MANUFACTURERS.
CARLISLE IS ONE
OF OUR CUSTOMERS--
ONE OF OUR FINE
CUSTOMERS.
IN FACT, THE NAILS
THAT YOU SEE HERE
ARE SOME OF THE NAILS
WE USE IN FLOORING.
WE HAVE A CLINCHED
NAIL HERE.
WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL
NAIL THAT WE MAKE
FOR CARLISLE
WITH THE NARROWER
HEAD ON IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR
STANDARD WROUGHT HEAD,
WHICH IS ALSO USED
IN FLOORING BY MANY
O F O U R I N S T A L L E R S.
SO ALL OF THIS MACHINERY
STILL IN OPERATION.
HOW DO YOU FIX IT WHEN
SOMETHING BREAKS DOWN?
WE FIX IT INTERNALLY.
WE HAVE OUR OWN
MACHINE SHOP.
WE DO OUR OWN LATHES.
WE HAVE BRIDGEPORTS.
THERE IS NO ORIGINAL
MANUFACTURER YOU CAN GO TO
AND ASK, "CAN WE GET
A NEW PART FOR ONE
OF THESE MACHINES?"
SO YOU'VE GOT
TO MAKE IT YOURSELF.
SO 90% OF THE PARTS
THAT WE HAVE HERE
ARE MADE INTERNALLY.
WHEN SOMETHING BREAKS,
WE TAKE IT OFF A MACHINE
THAT'S IN MOTHBALLS.
GOOD OLD
YANKEE INGENUITY.
THANKS FOR THE TOUR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOB.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WHEN WE COME BACK,
HOWARD BRICKMAN WILL FINISH UP
OUR PINE FLOOR INSTALLATIONS,
SO STICK AROUND.
AND NOW EVERY NAIL
IN THE ENTIRE ROOM
HAS TO BE SET.
THAT'S A NICE,
BRIGHT NAIL SET.
JUST ONE POUNDING?
2 OR 3.
JUST TO GET IT
BELOW THE SURFACE.
JUST BELOW
THE SURFACE.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY,
WE'LL BE SANDING IT
VERY, VERY LIGHTLY
AND PUT DOWN
A TONGUE OIL FINISH,
WHICH WILL REALLY NOT
CHANGE THE COLOR OF IT.
IT'S THE SUNLIGHT
HITTING IT EVERY MORNING
THAT WILL SLOWLY
DARKEN IT AND GIVE IT
A VERY MELLOW LOOK.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
HOME AGAIN
NEXT TIME.
WE'LL BE SHOWING
YOU HOW COMPUTERS ASSIST
IN RECONFIGURING
THE HOUSE INTERIOR,
AND WE'LL BE TRIMMING OUT
THE DOORS AND WINDOWS.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD TO
HAVE YOU
HOME AGAIN.
|
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