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Tools & Workshop Articles, Blog Posts and Slideshows

Tools & Workshop Videos

  • Installing a Chair Rail and Restoring a Corner Cupboard
    In the dining room, carpenter Bob Ryley installs a chair rail and works with carpenter Danny Ruffini on the glass doors that will be added to the corner cupboard—one of the original features of the house.
  • Creating a Cornice Molding for the Dining Room
    Bob helps carpenter Bob Ryley create an elaborate five-piece cornice molding in the dining room.
  • Installing Wall Paneling in the Entranceway and Visiting the Completed Tiled Shower
    Inspired by designs found in the Isaac Bell historic house, paneling is installed on Bob’s entrance door to the living room. Bob looks at the completed tiled shower in his guest bathroom.
  • Installing a Decorative Inlaid Vinyl Floor and Reviewing the Workshop Layout
    The generously sized workshop has a functional layout and a unique vinyl floor designed by architect Gregory Rochlin.
  • Making an Armoire into an Entertainment Center
    Bob works with carpenter Bob Ryley to construct an insert for an antique cherry armoire to house his bedroom TV and video collection.
  • Replicating Old Window Moldings and Replacing House Trim and Boards
    Experts review the replication of old house moldings and the use of Western Red Cedar for house trim and boards.
  • Crafting Custom Countertops
    Bob assists Princeton Custom Cabinetry as the crew crafts custom countertops on-site for the Miami Beach condo remodel.
  • Designing and Crafting Historical Reproduction Crown Molding
    Brent Hull, of Hull Historical Millwork, is on location to help with the installation of the dining room's crown molding.
  • Building Planter Boxes
    Bob Ryley is in the garage workshop building a planter box for the sunroom.
  • Locksmithing at the North Bennet Street School
    At Boston's North Bennet Street School, Bob visits the locksmithing classroom.
  • Installing Corner Cabinets
    Carpenter Paul Anderson joins Bob to hang corner cabinets in the kitchen of the modern Colonial project house.
  • Installing Molding on the Kitchen Cabinets
    Paul Anderson attaches pre-finished crown molding around the kitchen cabinets in the modern Colonial project house.
  • Furniture Making at the North Bennet Street School
    Bob visits with Alex Krutsky at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. Bob and Krutsky discuss the school's admissions process, which requires previous carpentry experience.
  • Hand-Carving a Mahogany Drawer Front
    Furniture maker Tommy MacDonald demonstrates a few of the techniques he employs to create hand-carved furniture details.
  • Installing Trim on the Back Porch
    Bob helps carpenter Bob Ryley install trim on the back porch of the Habitat for Humanity house in Yonkers, NY.
  • Installing Built-In Cabinets
    Carpenter Bob Ryley installs loft shelves in the upstairs hallway.
  • Engineered Wood Floor Joist System
    Bob discusses the advantages of engineered wood flooring with Steve Barth (from Willamette Industries).
  • Laying Plywood for the Front Porch Ceiling
    General contractor Kevin Kalman and carpenter Bob Ryley lay plywood to the soffit of the front porch ceiling.
  • Interior Trim Tips
    Carpenter Bob Ryley and the finish carpenter install interior trim in the dining room.
  • Applying the Wood Moldings
    Having reviewed the progress made in the basement, Bob checks out some of the finish carpentry techniques used in applying wood moldings.
  • Baseboard Replicas
    In the Virginia governor's mansion, Bob and Bob Ryley look at baseboard replicas and inspect how the space behind the baseboard is used.
  • Baseboard Molding Installation
    Bob Ryley installs replica baseboard molding inside a room of the Virginia governor's mansion, which is under restoration.
  • Restoring the Mantel
    Carpenter Bob Ryley and Greg Cowan (from Tidewater Restoration) discuss the process of restoring the antique mantelpiece.
  • Installing the Restored Mantelpiece
    Bob returns to the Virginia governor's mansion to see the restored mantelpiece reinstalled in the ballroom.
  • Building Cabinets
    Bob visits Todd Allen's cabinet shop, where he helps to mill and assemble the cabinets for the loft conversion project.
  • Bookcase Building
    Bob gives assistance to carpenter Todd Allen, who is building a bookcase for the built-in cabinet array.
  • Building and Installing Cabinets
    Bob confers with carpenters Bob Ryley and David Ives, as they construct and install cabinets in the loft conversion unit.
  • Hanging Blueboard and Installing Corner Beads
    Bob interviews Brian Dauphinee, who's hanging blue board, installing corner bead, and applying the scratch coat of plaster.
  • Discussing the Hallway Walls
    Bob highlights the long curved wall in the loft's hallway. The wall provides a great deal of storage, and serves as a divider between the private and public spaces within the apartment.
  • Reviewing the Blueprints
    Bob joins the contractors from Crosswinds Enterprises. With framing for the accessible home nearly complete, Bob gets a sense of the layout and looks over the blueprints.
  • Building a Wooden Corner Bracket
    Carpenter Bob Ryley lays out and constructs a corner bracket for the accessible home.
  • Building a Wooden Corner Bracket, Part 2
    Carpenter Bob Ryley continues to fashion a wooden bracket for the exterior of the accessible home.
  • Installing Custom Window Sills
    Bob pays a visit to the site of another unit's construction in the Roxbury development. Here, a carpenter is adding custom sills to windows.
  • Building a Handicapped Access Ramp
    Carpenter Bob Ryley builds a handicapped access ramp for the accessible home in the Roxbury development.
  • Installing a Railing on the Hot Tub Deck
    Carpenter Bob Ryley helps install the new railing on the hot tub deck.
  • House Five: Queen Anne Victorian Porch Restoration
    Bob meets with Judy Lee, the owner of the fifth Elmwood project house. The front porch, built in 1892, must be replaced.
  • Porch Restoration: Custom Reproduction Moldings and Chatsworth's Columns
    Porch restoration continues on the fifth Elmwood project house, with Forester Moulding and Lumber re-milling many porch elements.
  • Porch Railing and Screen Door Installation
    Carpenter Bob Ryley helps install a new porch railing and new screen doors. An underground sprinkler system is also installed.
  • Final Tour of the Restored "Bench" Porch House
    Bob tours the finished house, the fifth in the Elmwood neighborhood project. Better grading and gutters have been added to prevent future water damage.
  • House Six: Portico Restoration, Hardscaping, and Landscaping
    Bob meets the owners of the sixth Elmwood neighborhod project house and reviews the proposed portico plans. Built in 1892, the Victorian home needs a new front porch.
  • Fighting Carpenter Ants and Repairing the Porch
    The restoration of the front porch continues with workers putting the decking down and replacing the old columns. In addition, anti-termite control stations are placed in the yard.
  • Installing Sprinkler System and Replicating Porch Balusters & Railing
    For the side porch to be sturdy, it will need additional support. An underground sprinkler system is installed and replicating old railings is discussed.
  • Restoring the Front Porch
    The front porch is undergoing full restoration, due to excessive water and pest damage to the columns and other structural elements. Demolition begins and repair work starts on the foundation.
  • Preparing the Turret Room for the Spa Tub
    The turret has been reframed and the floor is prepared to receive the spa tub.
  • Removing the Porch Columns
    Bob helps remove the front porch columns, so they can be replicated and used on the home's new back porch.
  • Building an Interior Soffit
    Bob confers with carpenter Cortney Lofton and cabinetmaker Brian Comeaux on the milling and construction of an interior soffit for the bungalow.
  • Kitchen Cabinet Construction
    Bob helps in the process of joining the lengths of wood that will be installed in the kitchen.
  • Building a Pergola and Gate
    Bob confers with contractor and carpenter Cortney Lofton, as he builds a pergola at the Studio City bungalow, which will serve as a gate to the backyard.
  • Custom-Building a Cabinet
    Bob helps cabinetmaker Brian Comeaux custom-build a cabinet for the dining room.
  • Installing a China Cabinet
    The newly built china cabinet is installed. The unit was constructed in several peices, so it would fit through the front door. Several final cuts and adjustments are made to fit the cabinet around the existing trim.
  • Installing Baseboards and Making Moldings
    Bob meets with carpenter Bob Ryley to install baseboard, then visits Paul Morse's workshop to see how specialty moldings are milled.
  • Installing Baseboards and Window Casings
    Bob meets with carpenter Bob Ryley to install baseboard and window casings. Time-saving techniques are discussed, as are the tricky cuts one can make to ensure a tight fit. Ryley measures out a window and adds a new casing.
  • Building a Deck and Stairs
    Bob meets with contractor Bill Wilcox to help build a landing and steps up to the French doors. Bob reviews the footings that support the deck, as well as the methods used to fasten the deck to the house.
  • Framing the Deck and Laying the Deck Boards
    Bob and carpenter Bob Ryley continue working on the backyard deck. Once they've finished theframing, they begin laying the deck boards.
  • Building a Bookcase
    Bob and carpenter Bob Ryley meet in the workshop to build a set of bookcases for the home. Ryley demonstrates the various cuts and joining methods used to make the furniture sturdy. Face plates are added for a finished look.
  • Plaster Cornice Reconstruction
    Bob surveys the plaster cornice in the project home. Water damage has ruined a large section and much of the remaining plaster needs repair. Bob and restoration contractor Richard Sparks discuss the different elements of the reconstruction process.
  • Adding Detail to the Plaster Cornice
    Bob observers the expert plasterer add detail to the cornice, which is under reconstruction due to water damage.
  • Decorative Woodwork Restoration
    Bob assists Patty Hettich in stripping paint from decorative woodwork, then making rubber molds to create new details in the Federal-style home.
  • Plaster and Cornice Work
    Bob joins restoration contractor Richard Marks to see how the existing plaster and cornice work is blended with the new drywall.
  • Bench Construction
    The wood has arrived for the perimeter benches, so Bob and contractor Bob Ryley begin constructing the architect-designed benches for the greenhouse. The wood is a cypress, which is excellent in damp environments.
  • The Home's Exposed Framing System
    Bob discusses the home's framing with contractor Bob Ryley.
  • Distressing Wood Beams
    Juan Santos shows Bob how to distress the new Douglas Fir ceiling beams so they look like they're hundreds of years old. By using standard construction tools in an artistic form, Santos can even add the appearance of termite damage.
  • Visiting Tecate, Mexico
    Bob travels to Tecate, Mexico to meet tilemaker Javier Ramirez. Javier shows Bob the different kinds of clay common to the Baja region of Mexico, and demonstrates how the clay is used in different types of handmade and painted tiles.
  • Framing the Barn
    Bob confers with Paul Pacella (from Maine Post and Beam of Cape Cod) about framing the barn. Eastern white pine is being used; this type of pine is a popular lumber choice in New England thanks to ready availability and low cost.
  • Discussing the Framing and Selecting a Garage Door
    Bob and contractor Bob Ryley review the building plans and the progress made on the post-and-beam garage. Framing continues, and Bob discusses the various joints and tools used. He and Ryley also choose a large door for one end of the building.
  • Placing the Engineered Wood Glulam Roof Ridge Beam
    Bob and Paul Pacella (of Maine Post and Beam) discuss the cutting and placement of the engineered wood glulam ridge beam for the garage.
  • Cutting Joists Using 17th-Century Techniques
    Bob heads to Plimouth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, where artisan-carpenter Pret Woodburn shows Bob how mortise-and-tenon joinery was cut back in the 17th- and 18th-centuries.
  • Working With Exterior Trim
    Bob and contractor Bob Ryley create an overhang detail with eyebrow returns and cedar plywood siding.
  • Talking Indy Race Cars With Lyn St. James
    1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Lyn St. James visits Bob at the garage project to share her automotive expertise. With temperatures falling outside, Bob parks his 1974 Jaguar E-type B-12 roadster in the barn for the winter.
  • Roof Framing and Constructing a Turret
    Bob confers with contractor Bob Ryley, who is beginning demolition work on the roof dormer in order to make way for the planned turret.
  • Reviewing the Frame and Attaching the Verge Board
    As contractor Bob Ryley attaches the gingerbread-style verge board on one gable end of the Martha's Vineyard Victorian project, Bob remarks on the notable features of the building's wood frame.
  • Creating the Porch Railings and Balusters
    After reviewing the final stages of the septic system installation, Bob helps contractor Bob Ryley install the decorative porch railings and balusters that Ryley has made by hand.
  • Building the Farmer's Porch
    Bob discusses the process of building the farmer's porch with contractor Larry Landers. The natural crowning of wood is discussed, as are methods for ensuring a level surface.
  • Building a Medicine Cabinet
    Bob helps contractor Bob Ryley hand-craft a medicine cabinet using a radial arm saw, Dado blade, router, screws, and carpenter's glue.
  • Applying Exterior Trim to the Dormer Window
    Bob helps carpenter Bob Ryley apply exterior trim to the gable end dormer window. Ryley demonstrates how to avoid seams, how to transfer an angle from the roof to the trim, and how to create the perfect triangular cut for the ear board.
  • Building the Porch Rail
    The carpenter shows Bob the new railing on the deck off the master bedroom, explaining that code requires that it be 36 inches tall. The carpenter then builds a piece of railing from scratch, showing how to line up the holes and pre-drill them.
  • Creating the Built-in Cabinets
    Bob meets with Ryley to discuss the site-built, built-in cabinets of birch plywood. Ryley demonstrates many of the cuts and jigs used in crafting the cabinets, and the techniques used to make the panel doors.
  • Constructing a Clapboard Sunburst Fan
    Bob joins siding contractor Brian Quinn, who is constructing a beautiful gable-end sunburst fan from clapboard siding. Quinn explains how to lay out the center moon, how to calculate the spacing and size of each fan, and how to cut the material.
  • Building the "Floating" Deck
    The "floating" deck is built off the master bedroom, over the kitchen. Under the decking, rubber padding is placed.
  • Pine Porch Ceiling
    Contractor Larry Landers installs V-groove pine on the ceiling of the new front porch and demonstrates how to stagger and miter boards for an attractive, old-fashioned look.
  • Building a Custom Stair Railing
    The carpenter explains details of the stair railing to Bob. For example, using a mortise joint adds strength and rigidity to the railing, while using a biscuit joiner makes short work of the cutting.
  • Custom Built-in Bookshelf Unit
    Bob helps carpenter Bob Ryley assemble and install bookshelves in the den, and Ryley shows Bob how to scribe the trim on-site.
  • Custom Crown Molding
    Bob tours the factory where the project house's custom crown molding is cut to custom specifications, while, back at the site, carpenter Bob Ryley struggles to install the molding on uneven walls.
  • Front Hall Mirror
    Carpenter Bob Ryley demonstrates how the front hall mirror is custom-built in the workshop.
  • Framing the New Entryway
    Bob helps carpenter Bob Ryley start building the frame for the new entryway.
  • Crafting New Cabinet Doors
    New cabinet doors, which have been made in the workshop, are installed in the project house kitchen in order to dress up the old cabinets.
  • Installation of Paneling in the Basement
    Refinishing the basement continues with the installation of wood paneling.
  • Building and Painting a Plate Rack
    A plate rack for the dining room is built from scratch and is finished with a faux-antique paint job.
  • Shopping the Architectural Salvage Yard
    Bob shops an architectural salvage yard for used, inexpensive doors and bathroom vanities.
  • Installing Kitchen Cabinet Panels
    Bob demonstrates how to fabricate off-site, and install on-site, wooden kitchen cabinet panels.
  • Bulkhead Entrance and Trim
    Bob helps carpentry contractor Bob Ryley install a bulkhead from a kit and put trim (a soffit, fascia, and drip edge) on the front façade.
  • Putting Up Exterior Trim
    Carpentry contractor Bob Ryley puts up exterior trim around the windows.
  • Installing a Floor Safe
    General contractor Ron Gan shows Bob how to install a floor safe in the master bedroom.
  • Custom Trim, Windows, and Pocket Door
    General contractor Tim Berky trims out the windows with custom millwork created from a profile of the home's original trim. Bob looks at the four-panel cherry pocket door that's been installed between the mudroom and kitchen space.
  • Installing Cedar Deck Railings
    General contractor Tim Berky is building the cedar deck railings, first by notching the edge board to receive posts, then by fitting one post into each notch. Once assembled, he attaches sections of railing to posts by driving in screws.
  • Completing the Trim on the Oriel Window
    General contractor Tim Berky is completing trim on the oriel window that faces onto the deck. He begins by covering the underboard with MDO (medium density overlay). Then, he adds an ice and water barrier, and copper flashing, before finishing.
  • Deck Framing with Pressure-Treated Lumber
    Rick Kleiner (from the Southern Forest Products Association) joins Bob to talk about using pressure-treated deck members. Such lumber resists fungal growth, termites, and decay, and is capable of supporting a strong and stable deck for decades.
  • Building the Deck Frame
    General contractor Tim Berky and his crew remove existing cladding in order to fit the ledger board for the deck tight against the house, with an ice and water barrier to protect against water penetration.
  • Plans for the Multi-Level Backyard Deck
    The extensive new deck will have multiple levels and various sections. General contractor Tim Berky digs holes for the footings before setting them in concrete.
  • Matching Original Victorian Frieze Board
    General contractor Tim Berky is creating a new frieze board to match the existing board and molding on the 1890 Queen Anne Victorian project house.

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