The Woodwright's Shop

Roy builds a cedar box for an old sharpening stone while simultaneously teaching you the principles of sharpening and how to maintain the edges on the tools he uses. He also discusses the differences between various kinds of sharpening stones.

Roy shows you how to make a walking stick-chair – a walking stick that folds out to become a small chair – much like the one used by Thomas Jefferson as he laid out plans for the University of Virginia.

Roy explores the wide, and sometimes strange, world of chisels. You’ll learn more about the tools you work with every day, and see how to use odd tools from history that you’ve likely never seen.

Roy makes a “sawbuck” trestle table – first delving into the interesting details, and then actually building it.

Starting with a raw popular log, Roy splits, chops, cuts and carves a huge wooden shovel. Along the way you’ll go through nearly every aspect of woodworking, from rough to fine work.

Roy travels to the Wooden Boat School in Brooklyn, Maine. See three distinct approaches to traditional boat building taught by three different instructors at the school

Roy arrives to find his shop taken over by a gaggle of marionette puppets! We’re joined by a pair of professional puppeteers that demonstrate how to build three types of puppets.

Start learning to make a simple, yet sturdy, portable folding workbench.

Finish learning how to put the workbench together, plus add all-important workholding features.

Make a colonial threaded candle stand – the screw threads allow you to finely adjust the height and position of the candles.

Visit the shores of Blue Mountain Lake in Adirondacks – see how to make an Adirondack guide boat and an Adirondack pack basket. Plus see the region’s signature furniture.

Visit the harness shop of Jim Clatter in Colonial Williamsburg. Learn how to make a variety of leather items including a knife holster, pistol buckets and water buckets using 18th-century techniques.

Roy climbs Bruton Parish Steeple in Williamsburg, Virginia, which has been holding a bell since the 1770s. See details of the original construction that tell us about how our ancestors lived, worked and thought.