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View Full Version : Hey Virgianians (Fredricksburg area)



Glenn Clabo
02-21-2006, 8:31 AM
Just in case you didn't know...This weeks New Yankee Workshop is about something you may be interested in. Norm is in Fredricksburg to recover some 150 year old white oak that was used for the reconstruction of a dam (Crib?) that blew out a couple of years ago. I happen to know the mother of the man, Steve Robinson, who was responsible for the reconstruction.

Corner Tablehttp://www.newyankee.com/sketches/0608s.gif
Program #1808

Saturday, February 25 at 1:00 pm ET (check local listings) (http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?0608)

This project involves some considerable effort. At the suggestion of a friend who, with his colleagues, is trying to restore a historic river, Norm agrees to paddle a canoe over some rapids in search of some unusual white oak that's been submerged there for nearly 150 years. The oak Norm wants was used as a dam on Virginia's mighty Rappahannock River. Today it sits as a pile of salvage on the river's edge just hoping a woodworker floats by to rescue some of it for furniture projects.
Norm engages Bill Jewell, a local sawyer of historical trees, to prepare this timber for the purpose of making a drop-leaved corner table, which Norm finds at nearby Kenmore House, a noted Fredericksburg mansion that was once owned by George Washington's sister. After Norm gets the wood to his shop, he spends considerable effort turning it into suitable pieces to make a copy of the original table - including the challenging turned legs that add so much style to this particular piece. The dimensions are 30" sq x 29" h.

Bill Simmeth
02-21-2006, 8:48 AM
Hey that's interesting! Thanks for the info. I don't know about the "Mighty Rappahannock" part though. I live near its headwaters and it's not much more than a creek to us!

Mark Patoka
02-21-2006, 9:55 AM
Glenn,
Thanks for the reminder. I've seen the WETA behind the scenes segment they've been showing after Norm on Saturday mornings. It's neat to think he was nearby for a project.

Keith Starosta
02-21-2006, 10:23 AM
Most of the outdoor shooting for that segment was done about a mile and a half from my house. I found out they were in town from our local paper, the day after shooting ended! :mad: :eek: I know they were probably trying to low-key it, so some nosey local woodworkers didn't crash the set. :D

I'm looking forward to seeing the episode!

Keith

Byron Trantham
02-21-2006, 12:20 PM
Yep! I'll be watching.:D

Bill Lewis
02-21-2006, 12:22 PM
A slight aside from the original post, but it seemed that WETA skipped the latest series of "This Old House" (the modern house), but is now carrying the DC crack house renovation.

I wonder if the NYW project and log recovery you refer to had something to do with the proximity of the DC project.

I was able to watch the Cambridge house (modern style) on WHUT. It could be that WETA carried it, but not on Saturday morning, and that's my biggest complaint with them. They go for 3 months with a schedule, then a fundraiser for a month, then they change their schedule, go for another three months, then repeat the process, always changing their schedule.

Keith Starosta
02-22-2006, 5:55 AM
A slight aside from the original post, but it seemed that WETA skipped the latest series of "This Old House" (the modern house), but is now carrying the DC crack house renovation.

I wonder if the NYW project and log recovery you refer to had something to do with the proximity of the DC project.

I was able to watch the Cambridge house (modern style) on WHUT. It could be that WETA carried it, but not on Saturday morning, and that's my biggest complaint with them. They go for 3 months with a schedule, then a fundraiser for a month, then they change their schedule, go for another three months, then repeat the process, always changing their schedule.

Bill, I'm pretty much done wasting energy being frustrated with the way WETA runs their schedule. I've donated money, made suggestions, donated more money, and made more fevered suggestions.

The current renovation project is especially interesting to me, as I have a friend who very recently bought one of those old row houses in the District, albeit in nowhere near the condition the TOH home is in. :eek: Should be interesting.

- Keith

Bill Lewis
02-22-2006, 6:11 AM
Keith,
At least I'm not the only one that feels the same way over WETA. They're quite frustrating.

Yes, I agree the current project should be an interesting one. They basically started with only two walls and a roof, and almost no budget. Actually the project house has already been completed.