Anyone recognize this fella?

[Jason Coen]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/80144d40c92bf8dc50a7695c1a95358b.jpg

:p

I loved that episode. I really liked the tiny thumb planes that were used for shaping the violin and the thickness gauge that was used to check the thickness of the front and back pieces.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Egads I didn't realize they had color film way back then.

[Chris Griggs]

Is that George?

[David Weaver]

Definitely George.

[Bruce Page]

George, I love the puffy sleeves!

[Jason Coen]

George, I love the puffy sleeves!

Definitely some sweet threads!

:D

[Gary Herrmann]

George! You're famous...er...!

[Jim Koepke]

Cool.

It seems everyone who wears long sleeves ends up rolling them up.

jtk

[george wilson]

Every craftsman,it seems,hated those big puffy sleeves!! Finally,the costume shop actually started making short sleeve shirts for those who wanted them. I'm not sure why they agreed to do that,but they did. They looked like long sleeves rolled up,but were short sleeves. This one is a long sleeve shirt,though. I was glad when I became toolmaker in 1986 and didn't have to wear those costumes any more. They were not that comfortable to me. The rear ends of the pants were designed for sitting in the 18th.C.,so I always felt as my rear was naked since the pants fitted so loose back there. I did not enjoy rolling up my stockings and tying the knees of the pants off just below them. I'll bet that caused some to get varicose veins for sure. Surprisingly,my legs did not get cold in the Winter with those tight stockings.

I'm not at all sure when this episode of The Housewright's Shop was filmed,and have no memory of doing it,(except a faint recollection). Absolutely no recollection of what subject matter we did,either. If anyone posted this video,I'd like to see what we did. It would be a truly first time viewing experience for me!!

This must be early. The inlaid lute is back there on the viewer's left. It was finished about 1971. Several other fancy instruments I eventually made are not there yet. An "English guitar" to my right,and a mold for it just to the left of my head. Seems like mostly violins hanging at that time. Obviously,we are a lot younger in this picture!!

I made the thickness gauge seen in the movie(and,apparently in this episode). I still have it,and should post it,but the little needle pointer got lost,and I need to make a new one.

[Jason Coen]

George, I sent you a message about the episode.

[george wilson]

I feel like Ronald Reagan with no memory. He could watch all his old movies for the first time repeatedly!!:) (Not that I have that many).

Thanks,Jason. I can show it to my grand daughters. But,when they see me young,they say they like me the way I am now!

[Jason Coen]

George, more than happy to do it. :)

[Bruce Page]

If anyone has a link to the video please post it. I'm sure there are many of us that would like to see it.

[Jason Coen]

No link, at least that I know of. The picture is a screenshot from my iPad which has the episode. I just checked, and that's episode 12 from season three.

[Jason Coen]

Here's another screencap:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/5575714c1860b37d56941d02e540aedb.jpg

Marcus is showing Roy how to do inlay while George watches. Earlier in the episode, George showed a thumb plane he made, how violin backs were shaped, and how wood was bent around an iron to fit the sides around the mold. You can see the parts of a lute on the bench, and Darrel (?) showed how the shell of the lute was formed and fitted, as well as how to carve the center piece (can't remember the name). George also showed a miter plane that he made and used that I'm pretty sure he's posted on here.

It was a great episode. I need to watch it several more times to catch everything in it.

[Jason Coen]

Just grabbed some more screencaps.

Small thumb plane George made next to an original:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/ee697e57dbc4ec1cccfeb52f0910e0f0.jpg

The calipers I mentioned earlier:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/aae4e51a2ddb4eee274dd90afc4fd3fa.jpg

A boxwood rose done by George:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/b77c0f2a522889585817dfea8f53a11d.jpg

Cutting a rose for a lute. George designed the pattern based on historical examples. The line in the pattern is continuous(!).
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/fdbe5ac8e5e797618bdc1c1fac0765bb.jpg

A compass cutter George made:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/65e3fd157b0243c3987fb8ca3a1b588a.jpg

Now this is cool. This is a bow drill that George made.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/7eb1a8394e5ed6400d05ca57217db605.jpg

Ok, THESE are my favorites - a tiny drawknife and two boxwood and ivory spokeshaves. Way cool.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/65f0264076797f08078a0ffc32f45e5b.jpg

Finally, the mitre plane. I think I've seen this here, but not sure. Beautiful.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/USPcompact/4cb4d350a202be0ad1ce1503c9007244.jpg

[Bruce Page]

Jason, thanks for posting those!

[george wilson]

You are reminding me of tools I made that I need to go collect!! Forgot about that circle cutter entirely. I don't have the low angle miter plane anymore. It was an experiment I made.

[Bruce Page]

I found a short clip. George comes in at 1:50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSCUpA2T1JQ

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Thanks for posting the link, Bruce. I'd love to see the whole episode though.

Klaus

[Chris Griggs]

Roy is so lucky. I wish I could hang out with George and ask him all kinds of questions.

[Jim Matthews]

I feel like Ronald Reagan with no memory. He could watch all his old movies for the first time repeatedly!

I've seen Ronald Reagan's movie - it was shot repeatedly, with the same dialog using different actors and sets.
It's hard to remember something you slept through...

I can only imagine what a true-to size cabinet shoppe would have been like for men like Peter Follansbee and yourself -
there would be a callous on the back of your heads - every morning you would be found knocked out under the lowest beam.

I've toured a Swedish castle where everyone was either my size, or crouching to get through doorways.

Jim
Westport, MA

[george wilson]

I can't make the black screen work. Just a black screen.:(

Jim,I did whack the top of my skull a few times on a doorway in the old gunsmith's shop. Pretty low door!!

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Coincidentally I found another video showing George and his crew making a violin and a harpsichord. Hope, the link works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K48FezBoPWg

Klaus

[george wilson]

Klaus,there is a 6 part series on youtube showing the whole movie. For some reason I can't access your like,but have seen the film on youtube. I think your link doesn't work for Mac computers,or something.

You can buy my movie from Colonial Williamsburg,but they HID it in a 2 part DVD that just says something like "Music of Williamsburg".The Music of Wmsbg. is a truly dreadful film made a very long time ago. I don't know why they stuck mine in there without any identification. They could re make that old music movie today much better than the old version,if they would. But,I think my film was the last trades film they ever made.

[Jason Roehl]

I found a short clip. George comes in at 1:50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSCUpA2T1JQ

Very cool. Not just because one of our own is in it, but also because I had never seen the extended opening credits. I've seen quite a few episodes of TWWS, but never that opening with him crossing the rail bridge, stream and walking through the woods. Sadly, I don't think TWWS is on any of the channels I get anymore--my DVR is set to record it, but none have shown up for a few years.

[george wilson]

He walks through town,over a wooden trestle and into the deep woods. But,the Woodwright's Shop is set up in a sound stage in reality.:)

[Jason Coen]

He walks through town,over a wooden trestle and into the deep woods. But,the Woodwright's Shop is set up in a sound stage in reality.:)

Yeah, it's over at RTP, and the city scenes were filmed in Durham ("Derm", if you're from here). I was on a TV show several times in high school (now there's some hilarious TV...) and was shocked to find Roy's "shop" on the next stage over. The wooded scenes I believe were filmed at Eno River State Park.

[Jason Coen]

Very cool. Not just because one of our own is in it, but also because I had never seen the extended opening credits. I've seen quite a few episodes of TWWS, but never that opening with him crossing the rail bridge, stream and walking through the woods. Sadly, I don't think TWWS is on any of the channels I get anymore--my DVR is set to record it, but none have shown up for a few years.

Watch online: http://m.video.pbs.org/program/woodwrights-shop/

PopWood also has old seasons out on DVD, which is where I got the pictures I posted.

:)

[george wilson]

You are way ahead of me on these locations,Jason!! My journeyman Ed Wright told me about the setup after he had done a show with Marcus in Roy's series.

[john davey]

I saw this episode on the pop woodworking video site.. Since Megan posts here once in a while maybe they can send George a copy of it if there isn't a copy write issue. Since he is in it I would think it would be only fair:)

[george wilson]

Thanks,John. Jason is sending me a copy.:)

[Klaus Kretschmar]

George, I've seen all parts of these videos. And I enjoyed them a lot. That was about two years ago and that was the moment when I realized your outstanding skills. Sadly those videos didn't work any longer since about 2011 because of some struggles that I can't understand. Anyway, I've seen them once and I do know that they showed pure art. That was what I felt at least.

I'd like to see more videos showing you and your work.

Klaus

[Chris Griggs]

I was watching George's harpsichord video this morning. That's a lot of fun to see. I may need to download this episode from PWW.

Hey George, are you still rockin that pony tail you had in the Harpsichord movie?

[Gary Herrmann]

Jason, good on you for sending George a copy.

George, I enjoyed watching the videos a great deal. You're extremely talented.

[george wilson]

Chris,the pony tail was a "wiglet". They stuck it on the back of my head,and it felt like the hair pins went into my skin!! VERY uncomfortable. I have never ever had long hair,or changed my style. I never responded to fashion fads. And it's too late now!!

[Mark Wyatt]

I like that George doesn't remember making the television show, but he knows exactly when he finished the lute in the background. Remember the good and important things, forget the rest. Bravo!

[george wilson]

I remember finishing the lute because I had it mostly done when I opened the musical inst. shop in 1971. I had spent the first year,1970,in a closed shop frantically making the large harpsichord and other instruments for getting the new music teacher's shop open. I have a press release picture of the lute in final progress in the new musical inst. shop. I have inlaid the neck,and the body is done. I had not engraved the inlaid neck yet.

Plus,I have the lute,and it has a label in it!!:)