Bob takes us on the first of many visits to the Winterthur Garden and Museum in Delaware's Brandywine Valley. Winterthur was the vision of Henry Francis DuPont, who researched and collected antiques and housed them here. Greg Landry, Director of Conservation for Winterthur, takes Bob to the Dominy Workshop, which once belonged to a family of carpenters and clock makers on Long Island. The workshop-turned-museum houses a multitude of Colonial-era tools, many of which are still in use today. Bob takes a turn on the great wheel lathe, which was used to mill large items like table tops as well as other decorative items. Landry also shows Bob some handtools, including antique saws, planes, and drills.
Tommy MacDonald demonstrates a few of the techniques he employs to create hand carved furniture details. MacDonald lines up the grain of the mahogany and securely fastens the wood to a worktable. After sketching a pattern onto the work piece (in this case a seashell pattern) he uses an assortment of handtools to shape, refine, and finish the pattern.
Concrete contractor Shawn Doyle is on hand to review the techniques used in pouring the concrete floor of the garage. A laser levels is used to ensure an accurate level and several power and handtools are used to smooth the floor. Lastly, a control joint is installed to allow for expansion and contraction of the floor.
On location at the project house, Robert Adam from the North Bennet Street School demonstrates the tools and techniques used to handcraft reproduction moldings. Using a millwork profile found in the Winslow Crocker House, Adam uses a selection of antique handtools to recreate the molding using century-old techniques.