Hello Salvagers!

It’s the last double header of Season 4 with back-to-back premieres of Salvage Dawgs. We’re sticking close to home this week starting with the American Viscose Plant at the Roanoke Industrial Center. Then we travel up into the woods in nearby Moneta to harvest hand cut stone from a 1700’s cabin.

Better Living Through Hydraulics

Tay scores a Maytag Washing Machine Engine that has been repurposed as a water pump. See if he can get it started  or if this one goes in the project pile and Will Farmer from Farmer Auctions stops by to appraise a US Map dated 1853 from Youngwood High School in Youngwood, PA.

The Custom Shop partners with The Eye Site, Optometrists who want to shake up the traditional look of an Eye Care Center. We help them establish a mix of Industrial Chic with dispensing tables that are the focal point of their display space. Looking sharp, Eye Site!

Ready for another climb? Once again it’s 3 floors up with no elevator as the Dawgs take to the American Viscose Plant. Mike and Robert approach the removal of a Buzzer Furnace from their typical opposing angles. We find out why they call Tay “The Operator” as he maneuvers this 2700 pound pizza oven from a hole in the side of the building. But Grayson is the one who gets to angle grindin’ to remove the real jewels of this pick; large Fire Door Hardware Sets. 

Back in the olden days, you were lucky to find someone to professionally attend to your dental needs. Most often, you visited the local mercantile where the barber yanked your tooth out before giving you a nice straight razor shave. That's all we'll say about this week's "Wow".

Sticking close to home, the crew drives to Smith Mountain Lake to a cabin built in 1765. The only architectural details left to remove from these old ruins are the hand cut stones from two chimneys and massive stone stair treads. For 250 years these stones have held tight to their foundation until the Dawgs came along and brought them down. Imagine the landscaping that would result from these well-worn beauties.

When Gracie takes a break from VCU to work on a custom project, we all get an lesson in glass blowing at the Virtu Glass Blowing Studio. Watch as the Whiteside Siblings work together turn their hand-crafted glass cylinders into a wonderful chandelier piece. Not sure when they’ll have an opportunity to visit the studio again. Too bad because this Custom Light is already gone!

Right here in town, Ted, Robert and our favorite, Parker, do a little barn picking. Or, as I like to call it, four wheeling on company time. One minute the guys are doing some hard bargaining with owner, Rodney Lile. The next it’s like an episode of Dogs of Anarchy as Ted cruises the mean streets of SW County.  None of these finds are still available. Looks like the four-wheeler might have ended up at BDS2. Or the Whiteside house. Where did that go?

What? Only one episode left?? Join us again next Sunday for a riveting standoff with Scott Boulevard Baptist Church.

1, 2, 3, DAWGS!

Sunday night at 9pm EDT on DIY Network

Don't forget Live Tweeting with the Crew 

@BlackDogSalvage & @BlkDogWhiteside

Happy Amelia Earhart Day

Today, July 24^th, is National Amelia Earhart Day, which is also her birthday—she would have been 118.   I was moved to write this post because of my appreciation for what an incredible person Amelia Earhart was and what she accomplished for generations of women who followed in her footsteps by working in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Amelia is one of those people in history that never ceases to fascinate.  She is infinite and has never gone out of style because she still represents the battle for equality that has continued to this day. She wanted to inspire women, so she worked at Purdue University to offer women career counseling, joined the Women’s National Party and supported the Equal Rights Amendment[1]. For her, this battle was more of a challenge.  In a letter to her husband before her last flight she wrote, "Please know I am quite aware of the hazards” […]"I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others."[2]   She set the bar for us ladies back in the 1930’s and in OUR own shared honor as women we must keep raising it!

There was a recent article on CNN that released unseen footage of Amelia in California before her last Circumnavigation attempt that shows her smart, confident and stunningly elegant.[3]  I look up to her bravery and mater-of-factness-- I think she is the coolest and I love having Amelia as a role model especially in what I do for a living. One of my favorite facts that I learned about Amelia today is that she kept a scrapbook of information about “successful women in predominately male-oriented fields”. (1) I am by no means the only female ‘salvager’ but I am very aware of the fact that it is still a male dominated field.   When I began working on salvage jobs I wanted to do everything in my power to prove that I wasn’t a “girl” about getting dirty and working manual labor.  I wanted to blend in with the guys as much as possible so people wouldn’t judge me until I realized, I am female and that’s okay!  I can accomplish the tasks in my own way and have a different perspective on situations and I should feel proud of that.  Upon this realization I feel very privileged to be able to do what I do.  Like Amelia said, “I want to do it because I want to do it”.   

Grayson Goldsmith

Black Dog Salvage
&
Salvage Dawgs

---

[1]  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Earhart

[2] http://www.ameliaearhart.com/about/bio.html

[3] http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/09/us/feat-amelia-earhart-photos-footage-discovered/

Best Ratings Ever!

Hello Salvagers,

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Record numbers of you tuned in this past Sunday to watch Captain Silo and the Dawgs conquer salvage adventures and we really appreciate it!

Let’s keep the momentum going this week with a trip to Wild, Wonderful Parkersburg, West Virginia for a ride on an authentic Sternwheeler. Then it’s on to Wheeling to reclaim arched doors & windows from a city apartment building.

To wow us this week, our Knights in Shining Armor have arrived! Okay, more like knights in dented tin. The knights didn’t stand guard for long before, one by one, they departed. Alas, what is a Dame to do? 

Who’s ready for an excellent DIY project? 

Salvaged wood trim is the perfect material to use for picture framing. Courtney works in the shop to craft a mirror frame from an abundance of salvaged trim and brings her sculpture skills with her to really turn this one into a showpiece; a touch of subtle color gives it the final polish. 

Ah, the dulcet tones of a calliope. Who are we kidding? It’s loud, it’s mildly irritating and it’s heavy. Let’s Go, Dawgs! We help our good friend, Captain Heck, discharge a calliope from his paddle wheel boat, P.A. Denny. This was just a removal job for us and we know you’re disappointed you can’t visit the store to give it a whirl. 

We did get a chance to do a little picking at the Mountain State Steel Foundry where Heck has amassed 50,000 sq. ft. of industrial and nautical finds. Not featured in this episode are piles of large, wooden foundry patterns that are dwindling fast because of their sculptural shapes, bright color and patina.

 Our 2nd episode of the evening finds the youngins come to the shop with a 3-foot tall Betty Boop statue, the boys get a little googlie-eyed and we get a quick lesson in Betty lore from Mike & Ted. Sorry guys, she boop-oop-a-dooped right out of the store just a few weeks ago; flappers can be so fickle.

The shop taps deep into their varied resources this week to construct a completely original Wine Tasting Table. This great collaborative piece between the wood shop and the iron shop brings diverse elements like a hand-turned wood bowl, a vintage iron light post and barrel staves together. It’s a unique table with a small footprint; making it a perfect buy for any wine enthusiast who loves to play host.

In Wheeling, the Dawgs salvage the upper floors of an apartment building built in the late 1800’s. While the A Team coax 100-year-old plinth blocks and trim off the wall, Team B takes to the 3^rd Floor to tackle plumbing and wrestle it down to the sidewalk. There were a few exercises in futility with splintering wood and stay put ceramic tile, but extraction of the cast iron sink and tub went smoothly even without an elevator. 

Be stunned as nearly seven feet of Tay folds into 4 feet of tub, 
be astounded as Grayson catches flying door jambs
 and be amazed as Mike abstains from throwing salvage down the stairs!

We’re getting so near the end - only three episodes left! Tune in Sunday night at 9pm EDT on the DIY Network!

Don't forget live Tweeting with the Crew! @blackdogsalvage & @blkdogwhiteside

Thanks for watching!

Salvage Dawgs- Return to Geyser Gulch

This Week's Sneak Peak

It’s all about return engagements this week for our busy salvage crew. We return to Bedford, Virginia to go to work on a terracotta silo and return to Geyser Gulch to make one last play for water cannons and roadside attractions. And, as always, vintage treasures and custom delights abound!

As  avid fans of the Road Runner cartoons, we got a little misty-eyed at the sight of this week’s first WOW! Can you guess which Acme-like product Wile E. Coyote dropped on our doorstep?

A:  A Catapult

B:  Dynamite Blaster

C:  A Rocket!

Tune in at 9 p.m. to find out.

We’ve seen some beautifully refinished factory cart tables built by the gentlemen in the Custom Shop, but this week they turn the project on its head.  They've removed the wood top to expose the view clear to the fantastic iron wheels no longer hidden underneath. Of course this particular table sold quickly, but we have factory carts for days…

On a return trip to the Bedford Elk’s Home, the Dawgs take down a silo that quickly became one of Ted’s all-time favorite salvage jobs. Knocking down block by block all 45 feet of terracotta brick was so popular with everyone, they spent not one, not two, but three whole days on task.  Stacks upon stacks of these beautifully salt-glazed bricks are at the warehouse waiting for repurpose. Let’s put all that hard work to reuse!

On to our next episode! Before making our way back to Branson, check out the Edison Phonograph we acquired on a barter. This iconic design is the universal symbol for recorded music and the guys loved getting to see how the mechanics work. 

Want another great idea for salvaged solid wood doors? See how Black Dog Salvage puts an unmistakable stamp on a Custom Arbor using Old World Iron and wonderful woodshop skills. 

Back at Geyser Gulch, the Dawgs salvage pieces our most adventurous customers will flock over. How about a frying pan that can cook up a 6’ omelet? We’ve got two of ‘em! A whimsical water feature you pump to operate? We’ve got three of ‘em! An enormous toy barrel stuffed with Raggedy Ann and a Teddy Bear? There can only be one of those in the world. Ready to make it yours? Before you ask, the Chicken has flown the coup, but the “Birdhouse Coop” is still up for grabs. Get it now before Grayson makes a new home for Arlene & Cynthia. We brought back so many truckloads of oversized whimsy, even we don’t know what all we’ve got! Come for a visit to see it all.

Tune in to DIY tonight at 9pm EDT!

Don't forget Live Tweeting with the crew :

@blackdogsalvage 

@blkdogwhiteside

Can you believe we are already halfway through the Season? Until next week, Salvagers…

So you want to start your own Salvage business?

Whew, where do we start?

Step one:

Get a big first-aid kit and a large bottle of pain relievers! 

Step two:

This Google search may help you a bit as well.  

But in all seriousness, it can be as simple as finding the building to salvage, getting the rights to remove the goodies and hauling them out. It's also as complex as the articles from the search results suggest.

 You'll need some capital and very good negotiating skills to get started, we pay for the rights to salvage the structures we work in. You will also need to network with others and let them know what you're doing. You should research the demolition permits that are being pulled in the cities and towns in your surrounding area and talk to the contractors that pulled them. Get friendly with realtors. You'll need retail space to sell and a staff that knows what they are selling. In short, there are no magic bullets. Like any business you start, you'll need time and money. Best of luck to you and if you ever find a bigger salvage job than you'd like to handle, drop us an email here.

Salvage Dawgs Premieres at 9pm EDT Tonight!

Who’s ready to go double speed? We’re moving to 9 pm this Sunday and bringing two brand new episodes with us! Hop on board for a visit to the Clapp Farm in Burlington, NC to put Mike’s rigging skills to work on a 35’ Aermotor Windmill. Then we’ll circle back to Virginia to help clear out the Bedford Elk’s Home of some mid-century modern treasures. Go Dawgs!

There’s no better way to remind yourself how easy you’ve got it then to experience domestic machinery of the 1920’s.  You will have a renewed appreciation for your washer & dryer
or  laundromat after checking out the Antique Maytag Washing Machine we picked up from
our good friend, Pat Harrison. For a small investment of $225 worth of quarters, you too can experience the labor-intensive process of wringing out item by item to be hung up to dry.

When the task calls for bringing a giant Windmill safely 
to the ground, you might think the Dawgs would rent a crane and lift that puppy right onto the back of a flatbed truck. 
But as Mike says, “If you don’t go through life with some challenges, you’re not ready for the Zombie Apocalypse.” Heavy equipment sponsorships be damned, we are ready 
to defeat the walking dead. 
If you’re prepared to go off grid, this windmill ($2500) is waiting to be of service again, along with a great cast iron Farm Bell  ($625). 

Down in the shop, watch as Jeff chews the heck out of a stick of Wrigley’s while he and Mike use some beautiful barn board and salvaged lighting to design a fantastic floor lamp ($525).

Don’t go home just yet! Our next stop is Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for the estate sale of an avid nautical collector. This was a natural pick for our Navy men and we still have plenty of sea-faring goodies floating through the marketplace, including the Engine Order Telegraph ($5200).  
What’s Morse code for “Sold”? Because the Ship Signal Light did just that.

On our visit with the Benevolent Order of the Elks in Bedford, 
we help clear out the lodge room in exchange for some picking. Watch as our Exhausted Rulers spin sconces, chip away tile from a silo and cover Beyonce songs. We could not be more excited to have secured vintage seat units from the small theater. These Art Deco Delights will set the perfect mood in your retro screening room. A lot of the great pieces we brought back did not make the cut for the show, so be sure to check the Online Marketplace for some fantastic Heywood-Wakefield furniture and your very own enormous elk antlers!  

How do you turn an old apple crate into a swinging love nest for two? The boys construct the swing, while the girls feather the nest with some authentic US Mail bag seat cushions. This great custom piece did not hang around for long, but we still have plenty of mail bags for your own postal projects.

Full steam ahead until next week, where we’ll make return trips to Branson and Bedford for more salvage fun! Remember, we will be live tweeting tonight at 419 West Restaurant at 9pm EDT. Join us on Twitter @BlackDogSalvage & @BlkDogWhiteside