Rough Cut—Woodworking with Tommy Mac: Wall Cabinet

With his Boston accent, boyish looks, and tendency to address the viewing audience as “you guys” every 20 seconds, Tommy MacDonald—host of the PBS-aired Rough Cut series—gives the impression of extreme informality (“Glue on my fingers. It makes me mental.”). But the results of his expert furniture-making have been displayed by the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Concord Museum, and the Rhode Island School of Design. This episode focuses on building a wall cabinet with special moldings inspired by architectural details found on Boston's Old North Church. After a visit to the latter site and a drop-in to the studio of master craftsman Phil Lowe (who explains the historical design relationship between buildings and furnishings), MacDonald gets busy quickly assembling a cabinet. The bulk of this how-to for handypeople concerns the tricky business of crafting dentil, cove, and quarter-round moldings, which come together to make a handsome finished product. DVD extras include printable plans. Recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)