John Ratzenberger's Made in America brings you the stories of the best people, places and products in the United States. He honors the men and women in the United States who work with their hands and skillfully make products that are the backbone of the American economy.

Q:   Why did you get involved with this project?

A:   I grew up around manufacturing. Bridgeport, Connecticut was once the jewel in the crown of the industrial Northeast. I was raised with the idea that Americans were inventors and problem solvers. The notion of a repairman coming to the house was odd to us. If you couldn't fix it, then certainly one of the neighbors possessed the skills and willingness. I've always had a high regard for people who put their hands to something. A tool and die maker is an artist on par with those who display their works in expensive art galleries. A painter can always paint over a mistake. But when you work with tolerances of 1/10,000th of an inch on a spinning lathe, you can't afford to be careless. At the end of the day when workers exit a factory, there should be an audience waiting to give them applause and tell them "job well done."

Q:   What was your favorite part of the trip to Nashville?

A:   Bobby Garamella. Bobby, Gil Zawadski and myself laughed our way through high school. I hadn't seen Bobby for 15 years, and as he happens to live in Nashville, where we were visiting Gibson Guitar, Bobby and I picked up where we left off. Tears-in-eyes, can't-catch-your-breath kind of laughs.

Q:   Any surprises throughout your journeys?

A:   The only surprise was that there were no surprises. It felt like going home to me. But I didn't know that Campbell Soup is cooked in the can.

Q:   What product could you see yourself making?

A:   Wooden boats. A finely crafted wood boat is the zenith of form and function. It is a very practical work of high art. You can't go fishing or sailing on a Salvador Dali painting. Not for long anyway.