TV hosts needed for home improvement show
J R North
any combination thereof'. If you want the man, better call on the weekends...
JR not-in-that-trap North
HomeT...@yahoo.com wrote:
<snip>
> Ideally, we're
> looking for a family, consisting of a Man, woman, son and daughter, or any
> combination thereof.
>
HomeT...@yahoo.com
searching for a Handyman/host for a new home improvement show. Here's the
twist... It's a family oriented show, so I'm looking for a
Handyman/Contractor, late 30's or early 40's. You should be a family man,
with at least one teen son or daughter who works with you. Ideally, we're
looking for a family, consisting of a Man, woman, son and daughter, or any
combination thereof.
The show would focus on weekend projects: Painting, minor repair, deck
building, some furniture restoration, lawn work, fencing, automotive, tips,
etc. and doing those projects with your family (see the concept?). Whereas
Dad and/or Mom would give most of the "how to" stuff, the rest of the family
would chime in with their perspective... i.e. You're redecorating the den.
How can you make painting fun for your 8 year old? Or... How can the whole
family help with the building of a new deck?
So, if you think you and part, or all of your family just might be the next
home improvement stars, Write to me at HomeT...@yahoo.com, and we'll discuss
it further. Thanks, and feel free to pass this offer to anyone you might know
that fits the bill.
Vince
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mull...@advinc.com
HomeT...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Hi. I'm a television producer here in Los Angeles, and I'm seriously
> searching for a Handyman/host for a new home improvement show.
> Here's the
> twist... It's a family oriented show, so I'm looking for a
> Handyman/Contractor, late 30's or early 40's. You should be a family man,
> with at least one teen son or daughter who works with you. Ideally, we're
> looking for a family, consisting of a Man, woman, son and daughter, or any
> combination thereof.
Hmm. I guess same-sex couples would be right out then.
> The show would focus on weekend projects: Painting, minor repair, deck
> building, some furniture restoration, lawn work, fencing, automotive, tips,
> etc. and doing those projects with your family (see the concept?). Whereas
> Dad and/or Mom would give most of the "how to" stuff, the rest of the family
> would chime in with their perspective... i.e. You're redecorating the den.
> How can you make painting fun for your 8 year old? Or... How can the whole
> family help with the building of a new deck?
Actually I think that most folks here at r.c.m. are of the opinion that
the best way to deal with one's familly when doing renovations is to
send them *far* away before renting that really big tow-behind
air compressor and jackhammer setup.
You are not likely to find too many takers here, but ya never know.
Problem is that most home metalworkers are too busy pondering important
questions of life to worry about fixing up their houses. In fact
most of us would like to find a really nice shop with ground level
access, maybe garage bay doors, and 3 phase power. Then we could just
put a cot or a bunk or something in the back and maybe add one of
those propane fired burners to cook on. Plumbing optional.
The abovementioned "important questions of life" might go like this:
How large a lump of cast iron can I fit down the basement stairs?
Could it be a bigger one if I took down this wall?
Do I need run capacitors on my phase converter?
How many lathes can I own before divorce proceedings are initiated?
Which is better, MIG, TIG, stick or torch?
How do I heat/air condition my shop so the tools don't deteriorate.
(if the house gets cold, tell them to put on a sweater!)
The list just goes on and on.
>
> So, if you think you and part, or all of your family just might be the next
> home improvement stars, Write to me at HomeT...@yahoo.com, and we'll discuss
> it further. Thanks, and feel free to pass this offer to anyone you might know
> that fits the bill.
>
> Vince
I wish you luck on your search - perhaps the woodworking ngs might be
more fertile ground. While some folks around here do stuff around the
house, it usually is only a feeble excuse to go out and get that
backhoe that's been lusted after for years. Fitch you know who I am
talkin about!
Jim
Fitch R. Williams
>While some folks around here do stuff around the
>house, it usually is only a feeble excuse to go out and get that
>backhoe that's been lusted after for years. Fitch you know who I am
>talkin about!
Yup!
Did I tell you that the building inspector showed up to so the "final"
on the new garage while I was experimenting with the new excavator?
Nedra had some grass clumps in the side yard that she wanted to get
rid of, the ground was hard as old concrete, my back wasn't up to it,
so I thought what the heck - lets try the excavator! Nedra thought
that was a great idea.
I was sitting on the excavator seat effortlessly digging up the clumps
with hydraulic assisted wrist movements. Nedra was estatic that the
clumps were going to be history, and so chuckling and grinning she
would take them off the bucket, thump the dirt off the roots back into
the hole, and toss them in the cart with great satisfaction. Worked
for me.
So when the inspector showed up, there I am in the cushioned seat of
this totally awsome little diesel powered digging machine, calm, cool,
and drinking iced tea looking at her in the dirt and hot sun happpily
thumping the clumps. The inspector looked really puzzled until I
snorted and said "Eat your heart out Tim Allen". He laughed so hard I
thought he was going to hurt himself - so did Nedra.
Fitch
In So. Cal.
The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for rec.crafts.metalworking
is at http://w3.uwyo.edu/~metal.
The companion web page for rec.crafts.metalworking is the
Metal Web News at http://www.mindspring.com/~wgray1/
The "Drop Box" for metalworking related pictures and binary files
is at http://www.metalworking.com/
w.j.ward
"educational" shows. One thing I liked about "This Old House" or even
Norm Abram's "New Yankee Workshop" is that they DO go into a little more
depth. "Furnature to Go" also does a pretty good job demonstrating real
tricks of the trade. But how many more home improvement, woodworking
and cooking shows can the televison market support?
What I'd like to see is a show that goes to the next level. For all
those who have seen all of the "introduction" shows, but don't want to
make a career change, where do they go?
I'd like to see one of these cable TV shows that featured "high-tech"
hobbies. Not just "here it is and a geek that does it", but for those
aficionados of a particular avocation, "here's help on pursuing your
hobby". Metalworking is spoken here, but there are dozens of other
"hi-tech" hobbies, many of which overlap. I, for one, got interested in
metalworking because my amateur radio activities always require the
fabrication of something. People into model aircraft or rocketry may
get into amateur radio for control or data transmission; and they may
get into machine work for making the models. Those who make their own
telescopes would also be perfect candidates for excursions into the
model machining world.
Such a television show would, of course, not have the potential mass
audience that another home improvement show might have. Most television
is aimed at the same 50th percentile audience, isn't it? The people
I've met through this news group, while differing in level of formal
education, tend to have greater powers of reasoning ability than that
50th percentile. But wasn't the promise of cable television that there
would be niche programming? (Wouldn't it be neat if there was a cable
channel that played nothing but music videos? But NO, they all have to
capture the same audience.)
I guess that it comes down to one thing: money. While those pursuing
the "hi-tech" hobbies will probably have more disposible income than the
average idiots of the world, there are just so many more of them.
HomeT...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> Hi. I'm a television producer here in Los Angeles, and I'm seriously
> searching for a Handyman/host for a new home improvement show. Here's
....
>
> Vince
>
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--
-
w.j.ward KB8NT Redford Twp., Michigan U.S.A.
...dumped Microsoft I.E. in favor of Netscape.
Fitch R. Williams
>While those pursuing
>the "hi-tech" hobbies will probably have more disposible income than the
>average idiots of the world, there are just so many more of them.
Probably the folks pursuing hi-tec or even trailing edge tech (this NG
to some extent) don't have the time to watch the show anyway.
James Wilkins
>
> I'm rather tired of these "let's just skim the surface" type
> "educational" shows. One thing I liked about "This Old House" or even
> Norm Abram's "New Yankee Workshop" is that they DO go into a little more
> depth. "Furnature to Go" also does a pretty good job demonstrating real
> tricks of the trade. But how many more home improvement, woodworking
> and cooking shows can the televison market support?
>
> w.j.ward KB8NT
PBS ran several excellent series that went well beyond the beginner
level, such as the JPL physics course and French In Action. Even these
failed for lack of interest. I wonder how large the market has proven to
be for Jim Hrisoulas' or Guy Lautard's videos.
Personally, if I want to learn how to do something, I buy a book.
j. wilkins KB1DAL
Neil Gilmore
> Such a television show would, of course, not have the potential mass
> audience that another home improvement show might have. Most television
> is aimed at the same 50th percentile audience, isn't it? The people
> I've met through this news group, while differing in level of formal
> education, tend to have greater powers of reasoning ability than that
> 50th percentile. But wasn't the promise of cable television that there
> would be niche programming? (Wouldn't it be neat if there was a cable
> channel that played nothing but music videos? But NO, they all have to
> capture the same audience.)
Such was the promise of cable, but it hasn't worked out that way. Instead,
now we can
have 80 or so channels, each of which plays a single episode of a single show
-- 4 or 5
times a day. Frequently, while watching the TV (usually while doing something
else), I'll
catch excatly the same bit of a show 2 or 3 times a day. So what was supposed
to give
us more choice in what we watch has instead become just a big set of reruns.
Neil Gilmore
n...@wesson.com
Eric Wilner
: Personally, if I want to learn how to do something, I buy a book.
A book? A BOOK????
When I want to learn how to do something, I buy MORE MACHINERY!
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+----- The author is insane. Any opinions are those of Great Cthulhu. -----+
James Wilkins
>
> je...@mitre.org (James Wilkins) writes:
> : Personally, if I want to learn how to do something, I buy a book.
>
> A book? A BOOK????
>
> When I want to learn how to do something, I buy MORE MACHINERY!
And what does that teach you???
jw
william thomas powers
>>
>> A book? A BOOK????
>>
>> When I want to learn how to do something, I buy MORE MACHINERY!
>
Not to look into laser with remaining eye?
Do not move the cutter *through* the piece to reach a station on the
other side?
The equipment you just bought does not do what you need to do?
How to flat line a bank account?
This technique can provide a wealth of learning experiences and if
you spin out on the learning curve all you need is lots of money
to recover---(though some really good medical insurance can help too!)
Thomas
Eric Wilner
: >
: > A book? A BOOK????
: >
: > When I want to learn how to do something, I buy MORE MACHINERY!
:
: And what does that teach you???
Lessee... buying more machinery teaches me that I don't really have
that much money on hand; playing with the new machinery teaches me
that whatever it was I wanted to do in the first place is harder
than it sounds (but eventually I usually get the hang of it); and
"The author is insane..." teaches the local sysop that there's
more than one way to write a disclaimer.
All seriousness aside, I find that the "ponder a little, tinker a
little" approach works a lot better for me than reading the manual.
For starters, there usually isn't a book that's really at my level;
typically, there's a choice between introductory fluff, which doesn't
tell me anything non-obvious, and advanced material, which assumes that
one has already taken a two-year course in the subject at hand. Neither
of these is conducive to learning anything useful -- in the former
case, I wonder how any of it can be applied concretely; in the latter,
I just wonder what any of it actually means.
My usual "learn it quick" approach, be the problem in metalworking,
electronics, or programming, is to scan through the available
literature (books, Web, whatever) to get an overview, then head
for the lab to start tinkering and see if I really do understand
any of it. After some tinkering (which, of course, is where the
machinery -- mill, spectrum analyzer, compiler, whatever -- comes
in), I have a much better handle on what questions I need answered,
and then can make more sense of the literature, and/or have
definite topics to ponder while making scratch marks on the ol'
notepad.
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Scott A. Moore
;>
;>je...@mitre.org (James Wilkins) writes:
;>: Personally, if I want to learn how to do something, I buy a book.
;>
;>A book? A BOOK????
;>
;>When I want to learn how to do something, I buy MORE MACHINERY!
I turn up the horsepower, buy books (but don't read them), and
ask all kinds of people for advice I have no intention to follow.....
Tom Holt
from er...@iptcorp.com (Eric Wilner) contains these words:
> My usual "learn it quick" approach, be the problem in metalworking,
> electronics, or programming, is to scan through the available
> literature (books, Web, whatever) to get an overview, then head
> for the lab to start tinkering and see if I really do understand
> any of it. |
I see.. Sort of, the best way to learn a new machine is to break
it... And when all else fails, read the manual...
Been There. Done That.
mull...@advinc.com
pow...@cis.ohio-state.edu (william thomas powers) wrote:
> >> : Personally, if I want to learn how to do something, I buy a book.
> >>
> >> A book? A BOOK????
> >>
> >> When I want to learn how to do something, I buy MORE MACHINERY!
> >
>
>
> Do not move the cutter *through* the piece to reach a station on the
> other side?
>
> The equipment you just bought does not do what you need to do?
>
> How to flat line a bank account?
>
> This technique can provide a wealth of learning experiences and if
> you spin out on the learning curve all you need is lots of money
> to recover---(though some really good medical insurance can help too!)
Actually I tend to side with the "purchase machinery" fellow. There's
basically two kinds of folks. Those who read up on a subject, talk a lot
about it, and then explain how a particular thing can't be done.
The others just go ahead and do it. Yeah, things get broke sometimes,
but after a while you get the hang of being safe while learning by doing.
Those who are no good at this go back to books and naysaying after they
loose a few digits or whatnot.
Granted a lot of the stuff I did with no formal training had some
literature involved, but not much.
First bicycle built from scrap parts (the book had a picture of one
of those 3-speed sturmey archer hubs, "see how complicated - never touch
one of these." Too late - I'm already riding the thing.
First radio built. Again from scraps and bits. Did have a book for that,
but I found out that old dyanamotors can give a real zap.
First lathe - Had to re-build it to make it work. Only printed matter
on machinery I ever read - the south bend booklet - came along with.
First house - boy was that an experience. Nuff said.
First kid - likewise, only more so.
All the jobs I ever got were not because of what I had read, but what
I could *do*. They didn't care about my bibliography, or a degree.
They all wanted to know if I could produce. Yes? Here's the paycheck.
So the moral is:
Don't buy a house
Don't have any kids
No machinery
Don't build anything.
Just read about it. Then you want to know howcome the
other fellow gets hired.
Jim (sorta tongue-in-cheek tonight, off to visit the library)
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James Wilkins
>
>(william thomas powers) wrote:
> > >> : Personally, if I want to learn how to do something, I buy a book.
>
> basically two kinds of folks. Those who read up on a subject, talk a lot
> about it, and then explain how a particular thing can't be done.
> The others just go ahead and do it. Yeah, things get broke sometimes,
> but after a while you get the hang of being safe while learning by doing.
> Those who are no good at this go back to books and naysaying after they
> loose a few digits or whatnot.
Do you deny that some of us can read the book AND do the job?
If the info is available I grab it; if not I wing it. Yes, there are
those who are crippled by indecision when they don't have ALL the facts
- it's called Analysis Paralysis. Maybe they work as college professors
supervising researchers or in think tanks writing papers. I've been the
hands-on guy who makes the hardware happen in both of those situations.
I've been the researcher, too, but I'm not good at writing papers.
On the other side is the self-taught individual who is fine doing what
he knows but hits a brick wall at some point when the task exceeds his
experience. I've worked for some of them, too, and they are very
dangerous whenever they think their jobs and reputations are threatened.
In contrast experts with Ph. Ds are -much- more likely to admit to me
that they don't know such-and-such, then look it up and learn. The only
trouble with them is that they change jobs so often.
jw, think tank tech
mull...@advinc.com
James Wilkins <je...@mitre.org> wrote:
>
> Do you deny that some of us can read the book AND do the job?
To do so here would obviously be folly. I just prefer to see
it the other way 'round - do the job, and read the book too.
>
> .... Yes, there are
> those who are crippled by indecision when they don't have ALL the facts
> - it's called Analysis Paralysis.
LOL - I like that. Never heard it put quite that way before!
> In contrast experts with Ph. Ds are -much- more likely to admit to me
> that they don't know such-and-such, then look it up and learn.
Ha! This is the part where I guffawed out loud. My experience with
phds is somewhat different. Yes there are a lot of smart ones where
I work, but I kinda suspect that those ones would still be bright
candles even without the degree.
But the other end of the spectrum happens to be the new post-docs
who are invariably strapped for cash, and typically wind up with old
beater cars to drive to work. So I wind up helping them out in the
parking lot from time to time.
These poor folks have spent the last 7 years or so getting a physics
degree and so didn't have any time to fool with cars - now the
automotive education has to begin. Like you have to put gas into
the sucker to keep it running.
Or "you mean you have to put water into the *battery*?
Yes, it's an electrochemical reaction going on in there. Remember
that course?
Tires - suposed to have tread, and *must* be round.
And so on.
Jim