(TV Tonight, Wednesday, October 21st, 2009) Tonight has a new Mythbusters that looks at whether a dirty car gets better fuel mileage. Hmmm…if that’s so then we’re definitely doing our part to save gas.

All times are central

• Ask This Old House: Water Softening System, Fiber-Cement Shingles (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Get a Grip (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Exploding Water Heater (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Duct Tape Hour (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Dirty vs. Clean Car (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Time Warp: Blue Men, Propellers, Big Bangs and Viewer Requests (Discovery, 9:00 pm) NEW

(TV Tonight, Tuesday, October 20th, 2009) We get a new Dirty Jobs about crushing toilets in San Francisco, which sounds awfully similar to the recent mattress-crushing episode. A new Disaster House does more damage with horses and Ginsu knives.

All times are central

• Holmes on Homes: Gone to Pot (HGTV, 5:00 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Chariot Bow (Military, 5:00 pm)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Lawn Soil Test, Identifying Water Supply Pipes (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Wood Work (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Aerial Tram Greaser (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: High-Rise Window Washer (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Toilet Crusher (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Planet Mechanics: Air Propelled Sandwich (Green, 8:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Good Bones (DIY, 9:00 pm) NEW

From Fine Woodworking, “the New Yankee Workshop is ending after 21 years on PBS.” But don’t throw out all your plaid shirts yet because Master Carpenter Norm Abram will continue working on This Old House.

“We’ve had a great run, built challenging projects, met wonderful woodworkers and received loyal support from millions of viewers,” Abram said in a statement.

The New Yankee Workshop is a co-production of Morash Associates, Inc. and WGBH Boston. Russell Morash — whose backyard is the secret location of the workshop — is the creator, executive producer, and director of the series. He is also credited with introducing the “how-to” programming concept to television through other celebrated WGBH produced series as This Old House, The Victory Garden, and Julia Child’s The French Chef.

New Yankee Workshop Series Ends [Fine Woodworking]
Norm Abram Closes “Yankee Workshop” [Hartford Courant]

(TV Tonight, Monday, October 19th, 2009) Nothing new tonight.

All times are central

• Modern Marvels: Axes (History, 5:00 pm)
• Trains & Locomotives (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Leaky Skylight, Repairing a Light Switch (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Hedge trimmers, tile nippers, utility knives (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Modern Marvels: Mad Electricity (History, 7:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Season 7 Ep. 2 (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Season 7 Ep. 1 (BBC America, 8:00 pm)
• King of Dirt: Softening a Rectangular Yard (DIY, 9:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Sunday, October 18th, 2009) You know the drill…

All times are central

• Successful Farming Machinery Show (RFD-TV, 9:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Pipe Down (DIY, 10:00 pm)
• Deconstruction: Tools (DIY, 10:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Saturday, October 17th, 2009) Extreme Logging and How It’s Made marathon action tonight.

All times are central

• Top Gear: Best Of 06-07 - Episode 5 (BBC America, 5:00 pm)
• Extreme Loggers: Ice Logging: Night Shift (Discovery, 5:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Escalator handrails, highlighters, guitar strings, wigs (Science, 5:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Amphibious vehicles, putters, model ships, drum heads (Science, 5:30 pm)
• Modern Marvels: Magnets (History, 6:00 pm)
• Extreme Loggers: Ice Logging: The Final Push (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Traditional bows, coffee machines, mascots, hammocks (Science, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Fiberglass insulation, wooden ducks, gumball machines, exhaust systems (Science, 6:30 pm)
• 2010 Roush Mustang: The Art of Performance Engineering (Speed, 7:00 pm)
• Extreme Loggers: Mule Logging (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Motorcycle engines, glass, enamel sculptures, handmade paper, vaulting poles (Science, 7:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Screwdrivers, rubber track loaders, physician scales, carbon fiber baseball bats (Science, 7:30 pm)
• Extreme Loggers: Helicopter Logging (Discovery, 8:00 pm)
• Under Construction: Stairway to Headache (DIY, 9:00 pm)
• Extreme Loggers: Swamp Logging (Discovery, 9:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Artificial joints, accordions, pineapples. (Science, 9:00 pm)
• Under Construction: Lofty Goals (DIY, 9:30 pm)
• How It’s Made: Fire-hose nozzles, hot rods, decorative eggs, baseballs. (Science, 9:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Thursday, October 15th, 2009) We get a new How It’s Made as well as way too many reruns. We do love seeing axes made, though.

All times are central

• Holmes on Homes: O-fence-ive (HGTV, 5:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Salt, wristwatches, wind turbines (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: An Unpleasant Smelling Dishwasher, Transplanting a Rose Bush (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Ports, contact lens, tires (Science, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Classic Update (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Jaws of life, artificial Christmas trees, soda crackers, ratchets (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Tower crane, toothpaste, Internet cable (Science, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Bowling balls, barber poles, felt, radar guns (Discovery, 6:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Glass, changing the tire on a jumbo jet, soft-drink cans (Science, 6:30 pm)
• Top Gear (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Disaster House: What Goes Up (DIY, 8:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Custom running shoes, axes, racing karts, animatronics (Science, 8:00 pm) NEW
• How It’s Made: Mini GP Motorcycle, fig cookies, tool boxes, pipe bends (Science, 8:30 pm)
• Forge and Anvil: Gates of Charleston. Episode 105 (RFD-TV, 10:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Thursday, October 15th, 2009) All we get is a new How Do They Do It? but we’re not complaining!

All times are central

• Junkyard Wars: Beach Rescue Racers (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Controlling Radiators, Tangled Bungee Cords (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Multi-Task (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Junkyard Wars: Off-Road Golf (Science, 6:00 pm)
• Ultimate Factories: Camaro (National Geographic, 7:00 pm)
• Some Assembly Required: golf club, BMW diesel engine, salt mine (Science, 7:00 pm)
• Break It Down: Nuclear Submarine (National Geographic, 8:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Parachutes, Solar Power, Lenses (Science, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Successful Farming Machinery Show (RFD-TV, 8:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Rock Blasting, Mapping, Flowers (Science, 8:30 pm)
• Wrecked: Marci’s the Boss (Speed, 9:00 pm)
• Wrecked: First Day of Spring (Speed, 9:30 pm)

The National Geographic Channel’s Inside show had an episode on the Science of Armored Cars. I didn’t see it, but, if the picture above is any indication, I may have missed a good one. I did a quick search of the TM archives, but could not find if Nick had covered this in his TV Tonight posts.

The picture above is Dillon Aero’s Tactical Vehicle, a customized GMC Yukon featuring their M134D Gatling gun. Those are spent 7.62mm NATO shell casings on the roof and base of the windshield. The M134D Gatling gun can fire 3,000 rounds per minute.

Did any Toolmongers see this show? If so, what did you think?

Inside [National Geographic]
Video [National Geographic]
Dillon Aero [Manufacturer's Site]

(TV Tonight, Wednesday, October 14th, 2009) What will those nutty Mythbusters do with Duct Tape? Find out in a new episode tonight. Time Warp might be new, although we’re not entirely sure.

All times are central

• Ask This Old House: Installing Vinyl Fence, Protective Coating for Garage Floor (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Military (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Modern Marvels: Da Vinci Tech (History, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Big Rig Myths (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Knock Your Socks Off (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Duct Tape Hour (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Time Warp: Coasters, Cars, Cups and Cans (Discovery, 9:00 pm) NEW?

(TV Tonight, Tuesday, October 13th, 2009) A new Dirty Jobs hangs out 30 stories up and washes windows. While Man Caves is usually lame, this new episode looks at making a Hog-friendly garage instead of the usual wine bar or self-esteem workshop. A new Disaster House repairs the damage done by wrestlers and bears, or something like that.

All times are central

• Holmes on Homes: Country Kitchen (HGTV, 5:00 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Rockets (Military, 5:00 pm)
• Machinery of the Past (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Determining the Grade of Landscape, Repairing a Bathtub (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Remodel (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Mule Logger (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Mattress Recycler (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• Man Caves: Harley Cave (DIY, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Dirty Jobs: High-Rise Window Washer (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Planet Mechanics: Cow Power (Green, 8:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Rough Housing (DIY, 9:00 pm) NEW

(TV Tonight, Monday, October 12th, 2009) Another Monday night of nothing.

All times are central

• Trains & Locomotives (RFD-TV, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Replacing Cracked Flagstone, Replacing Electric Stove (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Transformers (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Season 7 Ep.1 (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Top Gear: Best Of 06-07, Episode 5 (BBC America, 8:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Mega Planes (Science, 9:00 pm)
• King of Dirt: An Oasis in a Tiny Backyard (DIY, 9:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Sunday, October 11th, 2009) As always, Sunday night is best spent in the shop.

All times are central

• Disaster House: What Goes Up (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Roman Scorpion (Military, 6:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Pipe Down (DIY, 6:30 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Greek Fire (Military, 7:00 pm)
• Weapon Masters: Blowpipe (Military, 8:00 pm)
• Successful Farming Machinery Show (RFD-TV, 9:00 pm)

(TV Tonight, Saturday, October 10th, 2009) Another Saturday, another Dirty Jobs marathon…

All times are central

• Top Gear: Best of, Episode 9 (BBC America, 5:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Vomit Island Workers (Discovery, 5:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Sheep Castrator (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Abandoned Mine Plugger (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Goose Down Plucker (Discovery, 8:00 pm)
• Disaster House: What Goes Up (DIY, 9:00 pm)
• Dirty Jobs: Greenland Shark Quest (Discovery, 9:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Pipe Down (DIY, 9:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Friday, October 9th, 2009) We get a new How It’s Made tonight on many exciting topics. We wonder if the Pizza Cutter and Peeler segments are shot at the same factory?

All times are central

• Holmes on Homes: Shaky Foundation (HGTV, 5:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Land Mines, Air Boats, Car Warehouse (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Handling Storm-Water Runoff, Refinishing Hardwood Floors (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Nuclear Sub, Crash Test Dummies, Fruit and Vegetables (Science, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Measure Up (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Artificial joints, accordions, pineapples (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Airplane recycling, fireworks, computer printer cartridges (Science, 6:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Swiss Army knives, racing wheels, player-piano rolls, oil tankers (Discovery, 6:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: G-Suits, Smart Grid, Stolen Car (Science, 6:30 pm)
• Top Gear (BBC America, 7:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Pipe Down (DIY, 8:00 pm)
• How It’s Made: Arc trainers, pizza cutters, revolver replicas, used-oil furnaces, vegetable peelers (Science, 8:00 pm) NEW
• How It’s Made: Inlaid boxes, Vespa scooters, professional cookware, high-efficiency water heaters (Science, 8:30 pm)
• Forge and Anvil: Playing Horseshoes. Episode 104 (RFD-TV, 10:30 pm)

(TV Tonight, Thursday, October 8th, 2009) We get a new Ultimate Factories tonight showing us how they handcraft a Rolls-Royce Phantom. There’s also a new hot, drunken sailor of an episode of How Do They Do It?.

All times are central

• Junkyard Wars: Jet Trikes (Science, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Christmas Trees, Caulking a Leaky Window (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Hang Tight (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• Junkyard Wars: Power Pullers (Science, 6:00 pm)
• Ultimate Factories: Rolls-Royce (National Geographic, 7:00 pm) NEW
• Some Assembly Required (Science, 7:00 pm)
• Disaster House: What Goes Up (DIY, 8:00 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Working in 600 degree heat, Champagne, Port Expansion (Science, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Successful Farming Machinery Show (RFD-TV, 8:00 pm)
• Disaster House: Pipe Down (DIY, 8:30 pm)
• How Do They Do It?: Propellers, Intelligent Cars, Magnets (Science, 8:30 pm)
• Motorheads (History, 9:00 pm)

(TV Tonight, Wednesday, October 7th, 2009) Finally the second half premier of Mythbusters starts tonight with more ballistics and an attempt to remove socks with extreme prejudice. We also get a new Disaster House, we think.

All times are central

• MythBusters: Mind Control (Discovery, 5:00 pm)
• Ask This Old House: Transforming a Backyard, Dripping Bathroom Fan (DIY, 5:30 pm)
• Cool Tools: Get It Together (DIY, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Red Rag to a Bull (Discovery, 6:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Curving Bullets (Discovery, 7:00 pm)
• MythBusters: Knock Your Socks Off (Discovery, 8:00 pm) NEW
• Disaster House: Pipe Down (DIY, 9:00 pm) NEW?
• Wrecked: The Ice Storm Cometh (Speed, 9:00 pm)
• Wrecked: Jane Runs the Show (Speed, 9:30 pm)