Every family needs one of these. An assembly point for the family keys, hats, and mail, with the added bonus of a large mirror that gets you ready before you leave the house. This Arts and Crafts style hall mirror, framed in oak and fitted with reproduction antique hardware, is an ideal woodworking project. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Every family needs one of these. An assembly point for the family keys, hats, and mail, with the added bonus of a large mirror that gets you ready before you leave the house. This Arts and Crafts style hall mirror, framed in oak and fitted with reproduction antique hardware, is an ideal woodworking project. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Every time Norm does an outside project it is an instant hit. This will be no exception. It?s a useful all-weather convertible bench/table. He found it in an old house in Saint Georges, Bermuda and thought it would be perfect for a New Yankee Workshop project. Made of rot-resistant cypress, this will only get more beautiful with age. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Every time Norm does an outside project it is an instant hit. This will be no exception. It?s a useful all-weather convertible bench/table. He found it in an old house in Saint Georges, Bermuda and thought it would be perfect for a New Yankee Workshop project. Made of rot-resistant cypress, this will only get more beautiful with age. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Encouraged by his success in building the upholstered cigar chair in Season 15, Norm partners once again with furniture guru Norman Coley to build an oversized ottoman that today?s decorators simply must have. Norm visits the semi-annual world famous Chapel Hill, North Carolina furniture market to select the model he will build in the New Yankee Workshop. While he is at it, he adds a leather-covered footstool to go with his cigar chair. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Encouraged by his success in building the upholstered cigar chair in Season 15, Norm partners once again with furniture guru Norman Coley to build an oversized ottoman that today?s decorators simply must have. Norm visits the semi-annual world famous Chapel Hill, North Carolina furniture market to select the model he will build in the New Yankee Workshop. While he is at it, he adds a leather-covered footstool to go with his cigar chair. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Bermudans call themselves Onions perhaps because of those succulent pungent bulbs they have grown for hundreds of years. But onions also appear as wooden buns, or feet, to keep their blanket chests off the damp floors of that seaside nation. Norm, on his trip to Bermuda, finds a historic example in the form of a well-proportioned solid mahogany chest which he is able to reproduce faithfully back at the shop. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Bermudans call themselves Onions perhaps because of those succulent pungent bulbs they have grown for hundreds of years. But onions also appear as wooden buns, or feet, to keep their blanket chests off the damp floors of that seaside nation. Norm, on his trip to Bermuda, finds a historic example in the form of a well-proportioned solid mahogany chest which he is able to reproduce faithfully back at the shop. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

With no television and few newspapers to read, our ancestors had plenty of time for card games thus, game tables were very popular. They often featured circular tops that were hinged and could be folded, designed to be stored against the wall when not in use. When needed, the top flipped down on a hinged gate leg and was suitable for four card players. Norm discovered an example in historic Deerfield, Massachusetts, which he used as inspiration for his piece. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

With no television and few newspapers to read, our ancestors had plenty of time for card games thus, game tables were very popular. They often featured circular tops that were hinged and could be folded, designed to be stored against the wall when not in use. When needed, the top flipped down on a hinged gate leg and was suitable for four card players. Norm discovered an example in historic Deerfield, Massachusetts, which he used as inspiration for his piece. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Lathe 101 is the first in a series of programs featuring the skills required to master a single shop tool. In this first installment, Norm tackles the wood lathe and shows the basic techniques necessary to learn spindle turning, showing several examples of lathes and the tools required to achieve professional results. A self-taught turner himself, Norm then turns a regulation sized baseball bat and even gets a member of the current Red Sox baseball team to try it out in Fenway Park. You'll see the results and you'll learn how to improve your lathe skills on this long awaited program. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Lathe 101 is the first in a series of programs featuring the skills required to master a single shop tool. In this first installment, Norm tackles the wood lathe and shows the basic techniques necessary to learn spindle turning, showing several examples of lathes and the tools required to achieve professional results. A self-taught turner himself, Norm then turns a regulation sized baseball bat and even gets a member of the current Red Sox baseball team to try it out in Fenway Park. You'll see the results and you'll learn how to improve your lathe skills on this long awaited program. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Norm has said many times that chairs are the most challenging projects a woodworker can attempt. Not only do they have to be strong enough to support the heavy twisting action of a human body, they also have to be attractive enough to take their place at the table. Norm visits historic Deerfield in central Massachusetts where he discovers, amid the vast collection of antique furniture, a comfortable, handsome, American-built side chair of the early 1800?s. Norm makes a faithful reproduction back in the workshop and upholsters it in a modern fabric that should stand up well to the rigors of time. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Norm has said many times that chairs are the most challenging projects a woodworker can attempt. Not only do they have to be strong enough to support the heavy twisting action of a human body, they also have to be attractive enough to take their place at the table. Norm visits historic Deerfield in central Massachusetts where he discovers, amid the vast collection of antique furniture, a comfortable, handsome, American-built side chair of the early 1800?s. Norm makes a faithful reproduction back in the workshop and upholsters it in a modern fabric that should stand up well to the rigors of time. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

One classic furniture form that Norm has long admired is the tilt top table. Graceful Chippendale feet support a central pedestal, which in turn supports the tilting mechanism and a glorious cherry top, which is fashioned in a hanker chief outline. When stored in the up position it provides a dramatic backdrop, and when it is down it is a comfortable and useful table for four. Norm finds the original at the historic Harrison Gray house on Boston's Beacon Hill. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

One classic furniture form that Norm has long admired is the tilt top table. Graceful Chippendale feet support a central pedestal, which in turn supports the tilting mechanism and a glorious cherry top, which is fashioned in a hanker chief outline. When stored in the up position it provides a dramatic backdrop, and when it is down it is a comfortable and useful table for four. Norm finds the original at the historic Harrison Gray house on Boston's Beacon Hill. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Never in the history of The New Yankee Workshop has there been a more challenging project. This bonnet-topped Queen Anne-legged tiger maple highboy is a classic in every sense of the word. Even the reproduction hardware is rare. Joining Norm in the search for a suitable highboy that Norm can reproduce are Leigh and Leslie Keno, much respected furniture experts from the PBS show FIND. They take Norm to Leigh?s gallery in New York City and show him a glorious original they believe was built in Wethersfield, Connecticut in the early 19th century. It takes Norm two programs to complete the magnificent project and those who have seen it say it is well worth his time and effort. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Never in the history of The New Yankee Workshop has there been a more challenging project. This bonnet-topped Queen Anne-legged tiger maple highboy is a classic in every sense of the word. Even the reproduction hardware is rare. Joining Norm in the search for a suitable highboy that Norm can reproduce are Leigh and Leslie Keno, much respected furniture experts from the PBS show FIND. They take Norm to Leigh?s gallery in New York City and show him a glorious original they believe was built in Wethersfield, Connecticut in the early 19th century. It takes Norm two programs to complete the magnificent project and those who have seen it say it is well worth his time and effort. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Norm demonstrates how to build a highboy (part 2 of 2).

Norm demonstrates how to build a highboy (part 2 of 2).

Largely unknown in grandmother's time, kitchen islands have become indispensable in today's modern home. Used to house sinks, cook tops, storage for pots and pans, recyclables, and barstools, they often become the most valuable work surface in a busy kitchen. Norm builds this one out of poplar and birch plywood for a painted finish and lines it with hard wearing factory-applied finishes intended to give this island a long career of heavy use. Along with the high-tech plywood, Norm uses state of the art drawer slides and period pulls to complete this useful project. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Largely unknown in grandmother's time, kitchen islands have become indispensable in today's modern home. Used to house sinks, cook tops, storage for pots and pans, recyclables, and barstools, they often become the most valuable work surface in a busy kitchen. Norm builds this one out of poplar and birch plywood for a painted finish and lines it with hard wearing factory-applied finishes intended to give this island a long career of heavy use. Along with the high-tech plywood, Norm uses state of the art drawer slides and period pulls to complete this useful project. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Way back in 1988, when we needed to make a sign for The New Yankee Workshop, we turned to a small company in Lincoln New Hampshire whose signs we admired and asked them to create ours. We have always wanted to pay them a visit and to find out how professionals create these masterpieces. In this program Norm does just that and finds out how a router, a sand blaster, a hand chisel, and a sophisticated computerized machine can be used to carve modern signs. Then he learns how the professionals design, hand letter, paint, and gild these beauties. He returns to the New Yankee Workshop and applies the lessons he's learned to his own collection of shop-made signs. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

Way back in 1988, when we needed to make a sign for The New Yankee Workshop, we turned to a small company in Lincoln New Hampshire whose signs we admired and asked them to create ours. We have always wanted to pay them a visit and to find out how professionals create these masterpieces. In this program Norm does just that and finds out how a router, a sand blaster, a hand chisel, and a sophisticated computerized machine can be used to carve modern signs. Then he learns how the professionals design, hand letter, paint, and gild these beauties. He returns to the New Yankee Workshop and applies the lessons he's learned to his own collection of shop-made signs. Written by The New Yankee Workshop

In this PBS series, craftsman Norm Abram demonstrates how to build quality furniture in one's own workshop using traditional carpentry techniques. Abram also gives pointers on restoring and caring for antique furniture, along with short history lessons regarding famous craftsmen of America's past. Written by Jean-Marc Rocher rocher@fiberbit.net