PCN Tours

PCN Tours celebrates its' 25th anniversary of being on-air this year! Come take a behind the scenes tour and learn more about what makes this Commonwealth a great place to live and work with PCN Tours. Each tour is led by a representative of the facility, allowing the viewer to experience television unscripted!

If you would like to suggest a PA manufacturer or museum, contact us. PCN does not charge or receive payment for producing a walking tour.

PCN Tours, From the Factory: Crazy Aaron’s Puttyworld - Crazy Aaron’s Puttyworld, located at 700 E Main St. in Norristown, Pa., is best known for their production of silly putty! Aaron Muderick, the Founder & Executive Chairman of Crazy Aaron’s, has been hard at work to create the world’s best putty for the past 22 years. However, due to the pandemic, production of putty […]

PCN Tours: Hotsticks Firewood - Gish Logging markets their firewood under the brand name “Hotsticks.”  They claim the distinction of being North America’s largest producer of kiln-dried packaged firewood, and bulk air-dried cut and split firewood.  Back in 1999, the company invested more than $2.7 million in kilns and packaging equipment.  Gish says their kiln boiler uses sawdust for fuel, […]

PCN Tours Warrell Candies June 28th, 6pm - The Warrell Corporation has eight distinct manufacturing processing areas: Chocolate Enrobing, Hot Panning, Brittle/Crunch, Dry Roasting, Chocolate Panning, Sugar Mints, Caramel, & Taffy. See them all on this episode of PCN Tours.

Weekly PCN Tours Schedule

Putting Together PCN Tours

By: Larry Kaspar, Senior Producer and Host

“Assembly required” are words some people dread reading.  Often there’s a cartoon next to them to soften the blow that shows a hapless guy with crumpled instructions scratching his head and a bike with the handlebars where the seat should be.

Me, they make my heart sing.  I run for the toolbox.  I actually take inventory of the parts before I dive in.  Who does that? 

Anyone who’s seen and enjoyed PCN Tours knows what I mean.  The series shows how things are made in Pennsylvania.   

Back in 1995, Harley-Davidson in York was a logical place to start.  Their motorcycles inspire a unique brand of loyalty.  We asked them to do the narration as the bikes went down the production line.   That’s it.  No professional voice-over, no script, strictly spontaneous.  That simple, durable formula endures to this day. 

Ever see a wad of Silly Putty as large as your sofa? 

At the factory, the Silly Putty ingredients are put into a re-purposed dough kneader to mix them together.  You know how when you kneaded Silly Putty in your fingers, the air bubbles made little cracking sounds?    Well, the popping sounds at the factory might send you running for cover.  They sound like gunshots.   No kidding.    

Take Martin Guitars in Nazereth.  If you play acoustic guitar, this place is mecca.  When you see the craftsmanship here, you gain an appreciation for guitars, whether or not you’re a musician. 

These older episodes are a glimpse into the past, but viewers still stay in touch by giving us tips for new shows. Next time you’re intimidated by an assembly job, here’s a tip:  don’t do it on a deadline.  Then take a deep breath, take the plunge, and create.

PCN Tours airs on cable on Sundays at 7 PM, and streams on your device with the PCN Select streaming service.