1325 - Appliance Installation & Furniture Making
February 17-23, 2003 | August 18-24, 2003
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HI, I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME HOME AGAIN
TO OUR CENTER-ENTRY
COLONIAL PROJECT
ON A WINDY DAY.
TODAY WE'RE REALLY
PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES.
THIS IS OUR
NEXT-TO-LAST VISIT.
SO RYLEY'S HERE
TO PUT IN A MEDICINE CHEST,
WE'VE GOT FINISHED FLOORS
TO LOOK AT,
APPLIANCE INSTALLATIONS,
AND WE'RE VISITING
THE NORTH BENNET STREET SCHOOL
WHERE WE'LL LOOK
AT 18th CENTURY TECHNIQUES
FOR MAKING
BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE.
STICK AROUND. IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
SEARS
ALL RIGHT.
THE WEATHER'S NOT EXACTLY
GREAT OUT THERE,
BUT THE CENTER ENTRY
AND MOST OF THE HOUSE
IS AT THAT POINT
WHERE IT'S ALMOST READY
TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE OWNER.
AND THE FLOORS
HAVE ALL BEEN COMPLETED,
SO IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA
TO WEAR SOME BOOTIES
ON YOUR SHOES
SO THAT YOU DON'T DAMAGE
THESE BEAUTIFUL HARDWOOD FLOORS
THAT ARE JUST
ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
THE DETAILING
IN THE FRONT HALL,
THE PAINTING
IS PRETTY MUCH
FINISHED AS WELL,
SO THAT YOU'VE GOT
THE MAXIMUM EFFECT HERE
OF CONTRAST
BETWEEN THE WHITE
AND THE MARSH HAY
THAT WE CHOSE
FROM THE SIGNATURE COLLECTION.
AND I THINK
IT WAS A GOOD CHOICE
THAT OUR INTERIOR DESIGNER
DID--LESLIE.
VERY, VERY NICE.
BUT LET'S SEE WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN HERE.
HOWARD, THE FLOORS
LOOK GREAT.
WELL, THANKS, BOB.
THE FLOORS
ARE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
AND WHAT ARE YOU
GETTING READY TO DO HERE?
WE'VE GOT TO MOVE
SOME APPLIANCES
OVER THE NEW FLOOR,
SO WE WANT TO BE
REAL CAREFUL WITH IT.
WE HAVE AN AIRSLED
THAT WE USE
TO MOVE HEAVY EQUIPMENT
WITH.
AN AIRSLED. WOW.
NOW, HOW DOES THIS WORK?
IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
IT'S COMPRESSED AIR.
IT GOES THROUGH
THESE LITTLE HOLES
IN THE BOTTOM.
LIKE AN AIR HOCKEY TABLE.
EXACTLY. IT'LL
LIFT THE APPLIANCE
OFF THE AIR.
IT FLOATS ON
A LITTLE CUSHION OF AIR.
SO THIS JUST GETS SLID
RIGHT UNDER THE...
JUST LIKE THAT.
AND IT'S GOT A CAPACITY
OF AROUND 1,400 POUNDS,
SO YOU CAN MOVE SOME
PRETTY HEAVY PIANOS,
THAT KIND OF THING.
SO ANYBODY IN BUSINESS
LIKE YOU ARE--
FLOOR REFINISHING--
REALLY SHOULD HAVE
ONE OF THESE.
ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW,
THE MOST COMMON HAZARD
WHEN YOU'RE
WORKING ON A JOB
IS INJURING YOUR BACK,
SO THIS ELIMINATES
THAT LIFTING HAZARD.
I THOUGHT YOU
WERE GOING TO SAY
INJURING YOUR FLOOR.
ANYWAY,
LET'S CRANK IT UP.
OH, WOW!
YOU DON'T NEED
A HAND, DO YOU?
THAT'S PRETTY AWESOME.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA FOLLOW
YOU RIGHT IN IN A MINUTE
AND SEE HOW WE COULD
HOOK UP THAT MACHINE,
BUT I WANTED EVERYBODY
TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK
AT POLLY FORCIER'S WORK.
LAST WEEK SHE WAS HERE,
AND SHE SHOWED US
HOW TO GET STARTED PAINTING
A TRADITIONAL MURAL.
AND THE TECHNIQUE HERE
REALLY IS THE SAME TECHNIQUE
THAT WAS USED
A COUPLE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
IN SOME EARLY-AMERICAN
COLONIAL HOUSES
WHERE ITINERANT DECORATORS
WOULD COME THROUGH
AND DO JOBS LIKE THIS.
THE WILLOW TREES,
EVERYTHING
SOMEWHAT STYLIZED,
BUT IT DOES HAVE
THE FEEL OF KIND OF
AN OLD SHAKER COMMUNITY.
AND HER SON KEN
CAME IN HERE
AND DID AN AMAZING JOB
OF RECREATING
A STENCILED LOOK
FROM ANOTHER
EARLY NEW ENGLAND HOUSE.
AND THIS TOOK HIM
THE BETTER PART OF 2 DAYS.
BUT THIS
IS A HISTORIC PATTERN
THAT IS TAKEN FROM
AN 1801 HOUSE, I BELIEVE,
AND WE JUST CHOSE
DIFFERENT COLORS FOR
OUR OWN PURPOSES HERE
SO THAT THEY WOULD
COORDINATE NICELY
WITH THE FRONT HALL.
AND, AGAIN,
THE FLOORS IN HERE
ARE JUST STUPENDOUS.
SO, IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY
GETTING OVER THE THRESHOLD
INTO OUR BATHROOM AREA
HERE, HUH, HOWARD?
OK, THAT'S A GREAT TOY.
EVERYBODY
SHOULD HAVE ONE.
AND, HOWARD,
YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB
WITH OUR FLOORS HERE.
THANKS SO MUCH.
THANKS, BOB.
GOOD LUCK.
WELL,
I'M GONNA GET IN HERE
AND SAY HI
TO BOB RYLEY
AND DAVE DUVERGER
WHO ARE OUR PLUMBER
AND CARPENTER, RESPECTIVELY.
PUTTING IN ONE
OF THESE WONDERFUL
NEW MACHINES IS EASY,
EXCEPT THAT
THEY ARE BULKY,
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS
IS THE PART OF THE JOB
WHERE YOU CAN BANG
INTO SOMETHING.
HERE, YOU WANT ME
TO GET THAT OUT OF HERE?
YEAH, CAN YOU
GRAB THAT?
I'LL GET IT.
WATCH THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
AND--
YEAH, WE GOT SOME
TIGHT QUARTERS IN HERE.
NOW, RYLEY, WHY DO WE
HAVE THAT STEP-UP?
WELL, YOU KNOW
WHAT THAT'S FOR IS--
IT'S JUST TO
MAKE IT EASY TO GET
TO THE WASHER AND DRYER
SO YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BEND OVER SO--
TO LOAD IT AND UNLOAD IT?
YEAH, IT'S JUST
A COUPLE OF 2 X 8s
AND A PIECE OF PLYWOOD
THAT ELEVATES THEM.
WELL, THIS IS THE NEW
KENMORE ELITE HE3T,
AND THESE ARE REALLY
STATE-OF-THE-ART
APPLIANCES.
THEY DO AN AMAZING
JOB OF CLEANING
BIGGER LOADS,
AND THEY'RE ENERGY STAR,
SO THEY'RE SAVING
A LOT OF ENERGY.
NOW, IT HAS CATALYST
CLEANING ACTION,
WHICH DIRECT
INJECTS AND SATURATES
THE CLOTHES FASTER
AND MORE THOROUGHLY.
IT REALLY
GETS THEM CLEAN.
AND IT HAS
A SANITARY CYCLE
THAT USES TEMPERATURES
UP TO 150 DEGREES
TO REALLY GET OUT
DEEP STAINS.
THE SPIN CYCLE
ON THIS MACHINE
GOES UP TO 1,200 RPM,
WHICH REALLY EXTRACTS
ALL OF THE MOISTURE,
SO THAT BY THE TIME
YOU PUT IT IN THE DRYER,
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO DRY IT AS LONG,
AND YOU SAVE ENERGY.
WHAT'S NICE ABOUT THE WAY
THAT HE'S ROUGHED IT IN--
HE'S GOT THE GAS PIPE
RIGHT IN THE CENTER
SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO THEM
WHEN THEY'RE BOTH IN PLACE.
IF YOU'VE GOT TO SHUT IT OFF
FOR SOME REASON OR OTHER,
YOU CAN GET RIGHT TO IT.
YEAH, BUT IF
YOU'RE REMODELING
AND YOU'RE PLANNING
ON INSTALLING
THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT,
THIS FRONT-LOADING
EQUIPMENT,
WHICH IS BASICALLY--
IT'S EUROPEAN
TECHNOLOGY--
YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE
YOU FRAME OUT
A CLOSET BIG ENOUGH,
RIGHT?
EXACTLY, YEAH.
THIS IS 3 FEET DEEP,
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW TIGHT
EVEN AT 3 FEET THIS IS,
'CAUSE THESE
ARE 28 INCHES DEEP.
THEY'RE 28 INCHES DEEP,
AND THEN YOU NEED
ANOTHER 6 INCHES OR SO
BACK THERE...
FOR THE VENTING.
DAVE, ARE WE READY
TO PUSH THIS IN?
WE'RE READY.
OK.
THIS'LL BE HARD.
JUST SLIDE IT BACK.
NICE GOING, FELLAS.
OK. GOT THAT?
THAT'S IT.
AH, THEY LOOK GREAT.
LET'S PUT
THE DOOR BACK ON.
WHEN WE COME BACK,
WE'LL FINISH INSTALLING
THE PLUMBING FIXTURES
IN THE MASTER BATH.
THE MASTER BATH
IN A HOUSE OF THIS SORT
IS USUALLY A ROOM WHERE
ALL THE BELLS
AND WHISTLES ARE PUT IN,
AND HERE WE'VE GOT
BEAUTIFUL GRANITE COUNTERS
AND BEAUTIFUL DOUBLE VANITY.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW,
DETAILING THAT'S
REALLY, REALLY DELUXE.
THE KOHLER SINKS ARE IN,
BUT WE HAVEN'T FINISHED
THE TRIM.
AND DAVE DUVERGER
OUR PLUMBER
IS PUTTING IN
THE TRIM PACKAGE IN HERE.
AND I MUST SAY, THIS
IS A VERY NICE-SIZED
SHOWER ENCLOSURE.
IT'S ABOUT
ALMOST 6-FEET-SQUARE.
SO THAT MEANS
IT'S REALLY
ONE OF THOSE
FANCY ROMAN DEALS
WITH 2 SHOWER HEADS,
RIGHT?
WELL,
WE ACTUALLY HAVE 3.
OH, IS THAT RIGHT?
WE HAVE A HANDHELD,
ALSO.
OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
BOY.
MY FIRST QUESTION
ALWAYS IS--
HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE
THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
ENOUGH WATER COMING
OUT OF ALL THESE SOURCES?
'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT--
THIS IS WHAT?
THIS IS YOUR
TEMPERATURE CONTROL?
THAT'S RIGHT.
YOUR MIXER.
AND THAT'S
ANTI-SCALD, RIGHT?
YES. BY CODE.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT
1, 2, 3 DIFFERENT
SOURCE CONTROLS.
THAT'S RIGHT.
IF YOU PUT ALL 3 OF THEM
ON AT THE SAME TIME,
DOESN'T THAT DIMINISH
THE AMOUNT OF WATER
COMING OUT?
WELL,
THEY WOULD NORMALLY
IF THEY WERE PIPED
ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
AS THEY WENT
FROM A SOURCE,
THE PRESSURE WOULD DROP
IN EACH SUCCESSIVE HEAD.
BUT WE TIE THE END
OF THE LAST ONE
BACK INTO THE FIRST ONE
SO WE HAVE A LOOP.
AND THAT WAY THEY
MAINTAINS EVEN PRESSURE
THROUGHOUT
ALL THE HEADS.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE
TO STOP AND MAKE
A RIGHT TURN.
YOU'RE JUST GETTING
OFF THE EXPRESSWAY,
AND IT DOESN'T REDUCE
THE VOLUME OF WATER.
WHAT ABOUT THE SIZE
PIPING THAT'S USED?
WELL,
IN ORDER TO DO THAT,
ESPECIALLY
WITH THESE BIGGER--
SO MANY HEADS,
WE RAN 3/4-INCH LINE
DIRECTLY ALL THE WAY
UP TO THE MIXER.
SO YOU FEED IT
WITH 3/4.
AND THEN
TAKE 1/2 INCH
OFF OF THOSE.
YEAH. THIS IS THE NEW STYLE
FROM KOHLER, I BELIEVE.
IT'S VERY INTERESTING,
'CAUSE WHAT THEY'RE DOING
IS THEY'RE COMBINING
THE TRADITIONAL CHROME
WITH THE MORE UPSCALE BRASS.
IT'S NOT GOLD-PLATED,
IT'S JUST BRASS.
AND IT'S A VERY NICE LOOK.
IT'S KIND OF
A EUROPEAN LOOK.
IT'S GETTING
VERY POPULAR.
YEAH, AND THAT KIND
OF RUNS THROUGHOUT
THE WHOLE BATHROOM.
THANKS, DAVE.
LET'S GO FIND RYLEY
AND LOOK AT
THE MEDICINE CHESTS.
WELL, IF WEIGHT
IS AN INDICATION OF QUALITY,
THESE ROBERN MEDICINE CHESTS
ARE VERY HIGH-QUALITY.
THERE WE GO.
GOOD.
AND THIS ONE
IS THE COLONIAL MODEL,
WHICH--I GUESS,
I DON'T HAVE THE CROWN.
OH, THERE IT IS, OK.
IT TAKES A CROWN
ON TOP OF IT,
WHICH GIVES IT THAT
KIND OF COLONIAL LOOK.
RIGHT. HAD TO TAKE
THE CROWN OFF
SO WE CAN GET
TO THESE CLIPS.
RIGHT.
NOW, VERY OFTEN
IN NEW CONSTRUCTION
YOU WILL HAVE
A MEDICINE CHEST
THAT'S BUILT
INTO THE WALL,
AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
THE FRAMERS KNOW
TO FRAME FOR IT.
BUT HERE,
THIS IS A SURFACE MOUNT,
SO WHAT ARE YOU
DOING THERE?
WELL, THE WAY
THIS ONE'S MOUNTED
IS A BOTTOM Z BAR HERE
IS GONNA ACTUALLY BE
CARRYING THE WEIGHT OF IT.
SO WE FOUND ONE STUD.
YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND
AT LEAST ONE STUD
IN THE WALL,
WHICH WE'VE ALREADY
LOCATED OVER THERE.
AND SO OVER HERE
WE'RE GONNA PUT
A TOGGLE BOLT...
AND THESE ARE--
AND ATTACH THIS SIDE.
THESE ARE PRETTY GOOD.
THEY GRIP.
THOSE ARE GOOD ONES,
YEAH.
NOW, THIS Z BAR
IS VERY SIMILAR
TO THE TECHNOLOGY
THAT'S USED IN HANGING
EUROPEAN KITCHEN CABINETS,
ESPECIALLY
THE UPPER CABINETS, RIGHT?
EXACTLY, YUP.
YOU JUST HANG THEM,
AND THEN
ALL THE WEIGHT'S
ON THE BOTTOM,
AND THEN YOU JUST--
THE TOPS JUST HOLD IT
UP AGAINST THE WALL.
SO THIS IS
A LITTLE TRICKY HERE.
WE GOTTA--LET ME
BACK THAT OFF
A LITTLE BIT,
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE
A TIGHT FIT.
OH, OK.
READY?
YEAH.
OK.
THAT'S GOTTA GO
TO YOU ABOUT AN INCH.
OOH. OK, PULL THE TOP
OUT A LITTLE BIT.
OK. DOWN.
IT'S ON THERE.
IS THAT WHERE
IT GOES?
YUP.
TIGHTEN THESE. OK.
YOU'VE GOTTA
HOLD THAT.
YEAH, I'VE GOT IT.
OK. ALL RIGHT.
THERE YOU GO.
THEN AT THE TOP YOU'VE GOT
SOME FASTENERS AS WELL.
RIGHT.
OK.
GOT IT CENTERED
RIGHT THERE.
NOW, OVER HERE
I KNOW I'VE GOT A STUD.
THERE IT IS.
YEAH.
OK, THAT'S
GOT IT STARTED.
I'VE GOT TO HOLD IT
IF YOU CAN JUST HAND ME
THAT CORDLESS DRILL
RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU.
THAT'S INTO THE STUD.
GOOD.
SO THAT'S NOT
GONNA GO ANYWHERE.
SO THIS IS ALL METAL,
AND IT'S VERY
NICELY DONE, THOUGH,
BECAUSE IT REALLY
LOOKS LIKE A NICE
CROWN MOLDING IN WOOD.
AND, OF COURSE, IT'S
GONNA BE MOISTURE PROOF,
AND YOU'VE GOT
BEVELED MIRRORS.
IT'S A NICE JOB.
NEXT, THE CRAFT
OF MAKING FINE FURNITURE
IS KEPT ALIVE AT
THE NORTH BENNET STREET SCHOOL.
NEXT TIME ON...
THERE'S A LOT TO FINISH UP
AT OUR CENTER-ENTRY COLONIAL.
WE'LL SHOW YOU A NEAT DEVICE
FOR MOVING HEAVY APPLIANCES,
RYLEY JOINS US TO INSTALL
AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT
KENMORE ELITE
WASHER AND DRYER,
AND WE'LL GET TOGETHER
WITH THE PLUMBER
AS HE INSTALLS
ALL THE FIXTURES
IN THE MASTER BATH.
ALSO, WE'LL SEE HOW THE ART
OF BUILDING FINE FURNITURE
CONTINUES AT THE NORTH BENNET
STREET SCHOOL,
AND A TALENTED CRAFTSMAN
DEMONSTRATES
HIS TECHNIQUES
FOR WOOD CARVING.
SO DON'T MISS IT.
THAT'S NEXT TIME ON...
NEXT TIME ON...
WE'RE INSTALLING
A WASHER AND A DRYER,
PLUMBING FIXTURES
IN THE MASTER BATH,
AND A MEDICINE CABINET.
DON'T MISS IT.
WELL, WITH ALL THIS
PROGRESS IN THE HOUSE,
WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY
FOR FURNITURE.
WE'RE GETTING SOME PRETTY
IMPRESSIVE PIECES TO SHOW OFF
FROM THE WORLD-RENOWNED
NORTH BENNET STREET SCHOOL
IN BOSTON, WHERE THE ART
OF FINE FURNITURE MAKING
IS BEING KEPT ALIVE.
I TOOK A TOUR OF THE WORKSHOP
WITH ALEX KRUTSKY,
A 1981 GRADUATE OF THE CABINET
AND FURNITURE-MAKING PROGRAM,
WHO'S NOW ITS INSTRUCTOR.
ALEX, HOW MANY STUDENTS
ARE ENROLLED
IN THE CABINET
AND FURNITURE-MAKING
COURSE HERE?
IT'S SOMEWHERES
BETWEEN 35 AND 40.
AND EVERYBODY IS INVOLVED
IN MAKING A PROJECT
IN THIS PARTICULAR
PART OF THE ROOM, RIGHT?
YEAH, THIS IS
THE UPPER BENCH AREA,
AND YOU CAN SEE
THERE'S SOME CHAIR WORK
GOING ON HERE.
GUS IS SHAPING
THE BACK POST
OF THE CHAIR YOU SEE
IN THE DRAWING BEHIND HIM.
Vila: SO THEY MAKE
FULL-SCALE DRAWINGS
OF WHATEVER PROJECT
THEY'RE GONNA WORK ON?
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO CREATE THE CURVES
FIRST ON A PIECE
OF PAPER
IN ORDER TO GET THEM
ONTO A PATTERN.
FREEHAND?
YEAH, SOME FREEHAND,
AND THEN SOMETIMES
YOU BEND A THIN
PIECE OF WOOD
TO GET A NICE,
FAIR CURVE.
YOU CAN TRACE IN
OFF OF THAT IF YOU HAVE
ANOTHER PAIR OF HANDS.
ESPECIALLY
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I THINK IF YOU DO IT
FOR MANY YEARS,
THEN YOU MIGHT
NOT HAVE TO DRAW
QUITE AS MANY THINGS,
BUT IN THE VERY
BEGINNING,
IT'S NECESSARY.
I NOTICE EVERYBODY'S
GOT SOME RELATIVELY
BEAUTIFUL TOOLBOXES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT
THEY ARRIVE WITH, OR...
NO, NO, THAT'S
THE FIRST EXERCISE
AFTER THE BEGINNING
MECHANICAL-DRAWING
EXERCISES.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO BUILD
A CHEST FOR THEIR TOOLS.
THAT'S A PIECE OF
TRADITIONAL CASE WORK
THAT LETS THE STUDENTS
BEGIN THE PROCESS
OF LEARNING
HOW TO DO MILL WORK,
CREATE PANELS,
DOVETAIL JOINTS.
AND IT GETS
THEM ORGANIZED
IN THE BEGINNING,
HOLD THEIR TOOLS
FOR THEM,
GIVES THEM
AN OPPORTUNITY
TO EXPLORE
THE TRADITIONAL
CASE WORK
IN A PROFOUND WAY.
ALEX, WHAT'S
THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS LIKE?
IS IT EASY TO GET
INTO THIS SCHOOL?
WELL, THERE'S QUITE
A FEW APPLICANTS,
AS YOU COULD IMAGINE.
AND THEY NEED
TO GO THROUGH
A SCREENING PROCESS,
AND I THINK IT'S
VERY USEFUL FOR THEM
TO HAVE HAD SOME
SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE
BEFORE THEY GET HERE.
THEN THEY CAN
PICK UP THE BASICS
WHERE WE START IT
AND REALLY RUN WITH IT
IN A WAY THAT THEY
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
IF THEY HAD TO REALLY
START FROM SQUARE ONE.
RIGHT. SO THERE'S
SOME EXPERIENCE TO BE HAD.
IS THIS YOUR PIECE?
THIS IS TOM'S PIECE.
HE'S BEEN
WITH THE GROUP HERE
FOR ALMOST
THE WHOLE TIME.
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF.
SO YOU'LL BE FINISHED
IN ANOTHER HALF A YEAR?
I'LL BE FINISHED
IN THE END OF JUNE,
ACTUALLY.
AND YOU'VE
BEEN BUILDING THIS?
YEAH, I BUILT THIS.
WHEN DID YOU START
ON THAT THING, ANYWAY?
I STARTED IT RIGHT
AROUND CHRISTMASTIME.
SO IT'S JUST BEEN
ABOUT 6 MONTHS.
YEAH, ABOUT 5,
5 1/2 MONTHS.
AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING
BEFORE YOU CAME TO
THE SCHOOL HERE?
I WAS
A UNION CARPENTER.
OK, SO YOU HAD
CARPENTRY EXPERIENCE.
CORRECT.
BUT NOT FINE
FURNITURE BUILDING.
NO, NOTHING LIKE THIS.
YEAH. IS IT BASED
ON A HISTORIC PIECE?
IT'S BASED ON A PIECE
MADE IN SALEM
BY HENRY RUST
ABOUT 1760, 1780-ISH.
I PICKED IT 'CAUSE IT'S--
WELL, ACTUALLY,
MY INSTRUCTOR
PICKED IT FOR ME.
SO IT WAS MADE
IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS,
WHERE THERE WAS
A WHOLE HISTORIC SCHOOL
OF FURNITURE BUILDING.
Alex: OH, YEAH,
SALEM WAS A HUGE
COMMERCIAL CENTER
AT ONE TIME
RIVALING BOSTON IN
ECONOMIC STRENGTH
AND POWER.
RIGHT.
AND THEY CERTAINLY
HAD THE FURNITURE
TO PROVE IT.
CAN WE TOUCH IT?
CAN WE OPEN IT?
OH, YEAH.
YUP, SURE.
OPEN UP THAT OTHER--
OPEN ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THIS IS ALL MAHOGANY.
CORRECT.
THE BRASSES
LOOK PERFECT.
I MEAN,
PERFECTLY AUTHENTIC.
YEAH, THEY'RE TYPICAL
FOR THE PERIOD.
THERE'S A HARDWARE COMPANY
THAT MAKES PERIOD HARDWARE,
SO THAT'S WHERE
WE ORDER FROM.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY
BEAUTIFUL, TOM.
THANK YOU.
NOW, ALL OF IT
IS SOLID MAHOGANY.
THERE'S NO
VENEER WORK HERE?
NONE AT ALL.
YEAH.
ARE THERE ANY
SECRET COMPARTMENTS?
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO SAY.
YEAH, THERE'S A FEW
SECRET COMPARTMENTS.
HOW MANY HOURS
DO YOU THINK
YOU'VE PUT INTO IT?
A SOLID 4 MONTHS WORK,
5 MONTHS WORK.
IT'S BEEN
QUITE AN EXPERIENCE.
PRETTY TEDIOUS,
BUT IT'S REWARDING
IN THE SAME BREATH.
YEAH. NOW, WHEN
YOU'RE FINISHED WITH
SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA
TAKE IT HOME AND PUT IT
IN THE LIVING ROOM.
YOU'RE GONNA PROBABLY
SELL IT, RIGHT?
IF I CAN, YEAH.
I'LL TRY TO SELL IT.
IT'S A WORK OF ART.
GOOD LUCK.
THANKS, BOB.
ALEX, THANKS
FOR THE TOUR.
YEAH.
COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL GET
A LESSON IN WOOD CARVING
FROM TOM MacDONALD.
STICK AROUND.
THERE'S A LOT
TO BE LEARNED
ABOUT FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP
AND CABINET MAKING.
RECENTLY, TOM MacDONALD
SHOWED US HOW TO MAKE
THIS SHELL CARVING
ON THE DRAWER FRONT.
NOW, TOM,
CARVING OUT THE SHELL
FOR THOSE LITTLE
DRAWER FRONTS
IN THE SECRETARY
LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT,
BUT YOU'RE SAYING
IT'S NOT.
NO, IT'S NOT
TOO DIFFICULT AT ALL
ONCE YOU LEARN
THE ABCs OF IT, YOU KNOW.
YOU'VE GOT A MOCK-UP
SET UP FOR US HERE
ON A NICE PIECE
OF MAHOGANY.
AND I KNOW
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT THE GRAIN
BE ALIGNED PROPERLY.
AND WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE
IS LIKE 3 DIFFERENT
OF THE SAME THING.
LET'S START
WITH THIS ONE.
WHAT DO YOU DO FIRST
THERE?
WELL, AFTER YOU LAY IT
ALL OUT AND STUFF,
YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR GOUGE
AND REMOVE THE MATERIAL
INSIDE THE BLOCKING.
OK, SO YOU'RE JUST GONNA
HOG OUT DOWN TO THERE.
CORRECT.
Vila: I GUESS THERE'S
A REASON WHY MAHOGANY
WAS SO POPULAR.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL,
BUT IT'S ALSO
SOFT ENOUGH
TO CARVE LIKE THIS.
IT'S REALLY
WORKER FRIENDLY.
THAT'S WHY I LIKE IT.
SO, I'M JUST RELIEVING
ALL THE MATERIAL
UNTIL I GET
CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM.
OK.
AND HOW DO YOU MAKE IT
PERFECTLY FLAT?
ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT TOOL
I'M GONNA USE
IS MY ROUTER PLANE--
MY STANLEY 7 1/2.
THIS IS WHAT
THEY HAD BEFORE,
YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC ROUTERS.
Vila: SO THAT'S SET
AT THE RIGHT DEPTH.
YEAH, YOU JUST HAVE
TO KEEP WORKING IT DOWN
UNTIL IT GETS TO
THE FINAL DEPTH
AND REMOVE THE MATERIAL.
HOW DO YOU GET STARTED
CARVING THE SHELL?
AFTER WE LAY IT OUT,
I COME BACK
WITH MY GOUGE,
AND I'LL STAB CUT
THE PROFILE OF MY FIN.
LIKE THIS.
AND I'LL GO
ALL THE WAY AROUND
UNTIL IT GOES FROM
ONE END TO THE OTHER,
EVENLY SPACED.
AND AFTER I STAB CUT IT,
I'LL GO BACK AND DO
A THUMBNAIL RELIEF CUT.
AND ALL YOU DO
IS JUST PUT THE TOOL
MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW,
3/32 AWAY
FROM THE STAB CUT
AND JUST PUSH IN,
ROTATE IT AROUND
A LITTLE BIT,
AND THERE YOU GO.
NOW, WHICH CHISEL
WILL YOU USE TO...
DO THIS?
YEAH, TO GOUGE DOWN
IN-BETWEEN.
A V TOOL.
Vila: AND THERE
YOU HAVE IT.
YOU REALLY
START TO SEE IT.
SO ALL IT TAKES IS PATIENCE
AND A LOT OF SKILL, RIGHT?
WELL, MORE PATIENCE
THAN SKILL.
HA HA HA.
HA HA HA.
THANKS.
PRETTY NICE
PIECE OF WORK, ISN'T IT?
WELL, NEXT WEEK
WE'RE GONNA SEE
THE COMPLETED HOUSE,
THE COMPLETED
FURNISHINGS,
BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
UNTIL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
IT'S GOOD
TO HAVE YOU HOME AGAIN.
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