In college I had a ‘cool’ history professor. This guy wasn’t cool in the way he’d turn around a chair and sit down to ‘rap’ with us. No, he was cool in that old-style laid-back way. He wore turtlenecks and had a beard. That sort of cool.
Anyway, I took something like three history classes with him and in each of them he showed us videos – he was a believer in videos. Which was also cool. Anyway, in the American history class he showed us various videos from Colonial Williamsburg on gun making, and other ye olde crafts. Particularly imprinting upon me was The Cooper’s Craft, which was about a barrel maker in Williamsburg, and the process of making a barrel from tree to finished product. I particularly enjoyed the video, probably because there is something satisfying in seeing a craftsman do their job well. It’s probably why these sorts of ‘build’ videos have high view counts on Youtube. Either way, I actually ordered my own copy of The Cooper’s Craft on DVD a few years ago, and added several others thereafter on the printing press, gun making, silversmithing, etc.
Continue reading “Coopering — I Made A Bucket”
Joe Made A Thing 