Rise of the Machines

Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... (WIND HOWLING) (THUNDER RUMBLES) (CAR ALARM BLARES) Man: WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE.

PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

(HORNS HONK) CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI HEY, HELLO.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

OH, IT'S AN OLD STORY, ISN'T IT?

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HAPPY.

THERE WE WERE, WE WERE HAPPY.

WE WERE LIVING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS SO FAR OFF THE GRID, WAY UP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NEW MEXICO LONG TIME AGO.

IF WE WANTED TO CUT ANYTHING, WE CUT IT WITH OUR HAND SAWS.

WE WANTED TO PLANE ANYTHING, WE PLANED IT.

IT WAS FUN.

WE WORKED ALONE.

IT WAS GREAT UNTIL THAT FATEFUL DAY WE WENT DOWN TO SANTA FE, TAKING OUR GOAT CHEESE AND BEESWAX DOWN TO MARKET, AND WE WERE SEDUCED, AND THAT WAS THE END OF OUR HAPPINESS.

I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY.

IN FACT, HERE'S THE LITTLE HUSSY THAT WON ME OVER RIGHT HERE.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS A BARNES.

THIS IS A BARNES TREADLE TABLE SAW.

NOW, WE WERE LIVING SO FAR OFF THE GRID THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ELECTRICITY WAS.

AND TO DISCOVER THESE TREADLE MACHINES.

HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU.

AH, YES, INDEED.

HA HA HA HA HA.

AH.

OH, THE JOY.

THESE TREADLE MACHINES THAT HAD EXISTED IN THE DAYS BEFORE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION.

WELL, THAT WAS IT.

I SAID, "MAN, WE HAD TO HAVE THESE," BUT, BOY, THEY'RE SCARCE.

OF COURSE, THEY WEREN'T SOMETHING YOU COULD GO OUT AND GET.

IN FACT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SUCH THINGS EXISTED UNTIL THAT DAY.

NOW, I KNEW ABOUT THESE.

THESE WERE TOYS.

OF COURSE, THESE LITTLE JIGSAWS.

THESE MACHINES HERE.

THIS IS A FRET SAW.

THIS IS A VICTORIAN HOBBY.

PEOPLE LIKE TO MAKE-- THEY USE A FRET SA-- WELL, HERE'S A PROPER FRET SAW.

IT'S A LITTLE COPING SAW.

AND PEOPLE WOULD CUT OUT "THE LORD'S PRAYER," YOU KNOW.

JUST CUT IT OUT OF A THIN PIECE OF WOOD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WELL, THIS LITTLE TREADLE SAW HERE-- THIS IS THE MECHANICAL VERSION OF THAT THAT KIDS WOULD USE.

THIS IS A KIDS' VERSION, BUT FOLKS WOULD USE IT.

HOBBYISTS WOULD USE THESE THINGS.

I HAD SEEN THESE.

THESE CUT OUT LITTLE THIN WOOD FOR VARIOUS DECORATIVE THINGS OR TO MAKE JIGSAW PUZZLES.

I MEAN, LITERALLY.

OR IN THIS CASE HERE TO MAKE LITTLE TOYS.

YOU'D MAKE YOUR OWN TOYS LIKE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

CUT OUT YOUR FIGURES AND THEN MAKE LITTLE TOYS SUCH AS THEY ARE.

AND EVEN THE TOYS CARRIED THAT SAME PRINCIPLE THAT MAKES THIS THING WORK.

WE HAVE THE ROTARY MOTION CONVERTED BY A CRANK INTO RECIPROCAL MOTION, SO THE FULL FORCE-- IT'S JUST A WATER WHEEL, BASICALLY.

A WHEEL TURNING AND THROUGH A CRANK MECHANISM GOES INTO RECIPROCAL, BACK-AND-FORTH MOTION.

NOW, THAT IS, OF COURSE, THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE USUALLY HAVE RIGHT HERE.

HERE WE HAVE THE FOOT WORKING.

THE FOOT--HUMANS DON'T HAVE WHEELS, ALL RIGHT, SO WE BRING IN WHEELS INTO THE GAME.

WE HAVE RECIPROCAL MOTION DOWN HERE.

LET ME GET A LITTLE BIT OF THAT GOING THERE, A LITTLE RECIPROCAL MOTION, THANK YOU.

THERE WE GO.

OK. UP AND DOWN.

AND THROUGH A CRANK, THAT TURNS THE WHEEL, AND IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE ANOTHER WHEEL CONNECTED TO ANOTHER CRANK, AND THAT TURNS IT BACK INTO RECIPROCAL MOTION SO THE SAW WILL WORK.

SO THIS IS KIND OF FUN.

GOES RECIPROCAL, ROTARY, ROTARY, AND THEN BACK TO RECIPROCAL MOTION TO MAKE THIS LITTLE JIGSAW, THIS TOY, THIS AMUSEMENT HERE.

WHAT ENTRANCED ME ABOUT THAT MACHINE, THOUGH, WAS THAT IT WAS MADE FOR PROFESSIONALS.

YOU COULD REALLY DO PRODUCTION WORK WITH IT, AND IT HAD REFINEMENTS, TOO.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS TREADLE DOWN HERE--LOOK AT THIS.

AND I'LL GET THE TREADLE GOING AND THE FLYWHEEL.

THE TREADLE IS CONNECTED RIGIDLY TO THE FLYWHEEL SO THAT WHEN I LET GO, THE TREADLE KEEPS GOING.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP--THEY'RE JUST A RIGID CONNECTION.

SO ONE MAKES THE OTHER RUN ALL THE TIME.

LOOK AT THE BARNES, THOUGH.

WHAT IT DOES.

WHEN THIS TREADLE GOES DOWN, YOU CAN SEE I CAN FREEWHEEL.

I DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK UP.

I'M NOT CONNECTED RIGIDLY.

WE CAN SAW...

SAW ANOTHER ONE HERE.

LET IT COAST.

AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE DOWN BELOW HERE.

YOU SEE IT AS IT SLOWS DOWN.

IT'S... HA HA HA HA HA.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REFINEMENTS OF THIS MACHINE.

IT HAS DOWN HERE A RATCHET AND PAWL, SO THERE'S THE PAWL ENGAGES BY GRAVITY AND COMES BACK UP, AND YOU CAN JUST GET THIS THING GOING FASTER AND FASTER AND FASTER JUST BY THAT RATCHET ENGAGING WITH THE PAWL RIGHT THERE.

SO THIS FREEWHEELS ALONG.

SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE MACHINE.

WELL, IN FACT, HERE IT IS.

HERE'S THE AD.

AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A BUNCH OF THESE HERE.

THESE ARE THE BARNES MACHINES.

THIS IS ONE WE'VE GOT HERE.

HERE.

THIS IS THE COMBINATION MACHINE.

THE COMBINATION HAD JIGSAW ATTACHMENTS, HAD BORING ATTACHMENTS.

THIS WAS THEIR BIG RIP SAW.

DON'T HAVE THAT.

BUT HERE'S THE NUMBER 3 LATHE.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

HERE'S THE MORTISING MACHINE.

I'VE GOT THAT HERE.

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS.

AND THEN THE FORMER, THEY CALL IT.

IT'S A SHAPER, SPINDLE SHAPER.

A FORMER.

ALL WORKING OFF OF FOOT POWER.

AND I LOVE THE TESTIMONIALS.

AT THAT TIME, EVERYTHING WAS SOLD WITH TESTIMONIALS.

"I AM A ONE-LEGGED VETERAN OF SHILOH, AND YET I'M ABLE TO CUT 19 CORDS OF WOOD USING YOUR FINE MACHINE."

WELL, SAME THING HERE.

IT SAYS, "$10 PER DAY."

THERE'S A MAN IN ROCKMART, GEORGIA, WHO SAYS, "I CAN SAY, IN REGARD TO MACHINES, "THAT THE COMBINATION MACHINE IS JUST BULLY.

I HAVE MADE $10 A DAY FOR MY EMPLOYER."

SO THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.

THERE'S ANOTHER SAYING, "I HAVE THE RIP SAW."

AND ONE SAYS, "I HAVE A LITTLE BOY 5 YEARS OLD, AND HE CAN CUT 10 FEET OF PLANKING WITH NO TROUBLE."

ANOTHER SAYS HIS 11-YEAR-OLD RUNS HIS MACHINE.

SO, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE STUFF.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE THIS THING HAD.

IF I LIFT IT UP HERE, YOU CAN SEE IT HAS A DECK THAT OPENS UP ON TOP.

THIS SPACE WILL OPEN SO THAT YOU COULD PUT IN SHAPER HEADS, SO HERE YOU GO.

BIG OPENING THERE FOR SHAPERS, SPINDLES, DADO HEADS.

AND THE OTHER INNOVATION BARNES HAD ALSO MADE PEOPLE VERY IRRITATED WAS THIS RIGHT HERE.

YOU SEE THERE IS A--THE BELT.

WELL, YOU HAVE A BIG PULLEY AND THEN A SMALL PULLEY VERY CLOSE, IT TENDS TO SLIP, SO HERE WHAT BARNES DID WAS THEY MADE A COGGED-- THIS LITTLE--THESE LITTLE SPIKES ON THEIR PULLEY THERE, AND IT ENGAGED WITH A PERFORATED BELT.

AND THIS, OF COURSE, WAS GREAT, BUT IT ALSO WAS A DRAG BECAUSE IT IRRITATED PEOPLE BECAUSE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO MADE PERFORATED BELTS WAS BARNES THEMSELVES OUT OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, HERE.

IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE.

HERE'S THE CASTINGS ON THIS.

IT SAYS, "WILLIAM BARNES, ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS," AND THEN YOU SEE THE PATENT DATE.

"PATENTED OCTOBER 5th, 1875."

SO THE FIRST PATENT ON THIS MACHINE GOES OUT THE YEAR BEFORE GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER WENT OUT LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.

SO ANYWAY, THIS WAS THE COMBINATION MACHINE.

HAD JIGSAW ATTACHMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

IT IS GREAT.

AND VERY ADVANCED.

IT DOESN'T REPLICATE THE MOTION OF THE ORIGINAL.

YOU THINK ABOUT SAWMILLS HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE, I GUESS, 1300s, BUT THE WAY THEY WORK, OF COURSE, THERE'S A WHEEL AND A PITMAN ARM CONNECTED TO THE WHEEL, AND A SAW IN A FRAME WOULD GO UP AND DOWN AND SAW THE WOOD AS IT ADVANCES THROUGH, SO THAT'S A MACHINE THAT REPLICATED THE HAND METHOD.

THIS, ON THE OTHER HAND, USES THE INNOVATION HERE FROM ABOUT 1800, THE LATE 18th CENTURY.

SOMEBODY--A LOT OF PEOPLE CLAIM CREDIT FOR IT FROM THE SHAKERS TO BRITISH NAVAL ENGINEERS MAKING THIS CIRCULAR SAW.

SO, WONDERFUL.

AND THIS IS A VERY ADVANCED SAW.

IN FACT, THE MOTOR FOR THIS SAW IN PARTICULAR IS SAID TO IMMEDIATELY DETECT CONTACT WITH HUMAN FLESH RIGHT AWAY.

SO, THERE YOU GO.

VERY ADVANCED MACHINE.

BASED, HOWEVER, ON OLD PRINCIPLES THAT GO WAY, WAY, WAY BACK.

THINK ABOUT IT.

HERE'S, UH...

HERE WE ARE.

LONG TIME AGO, WE'RE MAKING A FIRE, WE TAKE A SPINDLE, PUT IT BETWEEN OUR HANDS, AND JUST WORK IT ON DOWN.

SO WE'RE SPINDLE BORING LIKE THAT.

SO, RECIPROCATING MOTION AGAIN.

WELL, AFTER A WHILE, SOMEBODY THOUGHT TO SAY, "WELL, LET'S JUST TAKE A STRING, AND YOU PULL ONE SIDE, I'LL PULL THE OTHER."

I TELL YOU WHAT-- I'LL PUT THE STRING ON A STICK AND I'LL GET MY RECIPROCATING MOTION BY PULLING THE STICK AND THE BOW BACK AND FORTH.

AND IF WE TAKE THE WOOD AND PUT IT BETWEEN 2 SHARP POINTS, WE CAN THEN MAKE IT SPIN, AND WE WILL HAVE A LATHE.

WE CAN DO OUR WOOD CUTTING USING A BOW LATHE.

AND IF I WERE ABLE TO GET MY TOES UP HERE TO HOLD THAT, WE COULD MAKE A BUNCH OF CHESS PIECES, COULDN'T WE?

YEAH.

SO ANYWAY, THIS IS, HOWEVER, A RECIPROCATING LATHE.

AND IF WE HAD A BIG SPRING POLE, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE EASIER AND FREE UP MY OTHER HAND TO HELP ANCHOR THE GOUGE.

NEVERTHELESS, THIS IS THAT RECIPROCATING MOTION FROM THE LATHE NOW.

SO THIS HAS 2 DEAD CENTERS.

I'M GONNA DO IS TAKE OFF ONE OF THE DEAD CENTERS OFF OF THIS MACHINE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE BARNES NUMBER 3 WOOD-TURNING LATHE.

I'LL TAKE OFF THIS EXTRA.

ALL RIGHT, THAT CAN GO DOWN.

AND THIS IS THE OTHER DEAD CENTER.

I'VE TAKEN ONE OFF OF ANOTHER ONE OF THESE SIMILAR MACHINES.

AND NOW WE CAN SLIDE THE TOOL REST DOWN THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN WE CAN SLIDE THE OTHER DEAD CENTER DOWN.

AND NOW WE HAVE--WHEN WE COMBINE THAT DEAD CENTER AND THE TOOL REST AND THE BED AND EVERYTHING WITH A LIVE CENTER, A DRIVE CENTER HERE, NOW WE'VE GOT A MODERN LATHE.

SO HERE WE GO.

WE GOT THE DEAD CENTER HERE THAT CAN GRIP THE WOOD AND TURN IT, AGAIN, PICKING UP THE SPEED FROM OUR FEET.

SO LET'S PUT THE WOOD IN THERE.

THAT GOES INTO THE DRIVE CENTER.

SLIDE THE DEAD CENTER BACK, LOCK IT.

LOCK IT.

UH-OH.

COME ON, LOCK UP.

THERE WE GO.

AND GIVE IT A LITTLE PRESSURE.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN WE TIGHTEN UP THE TOOL REST.

AND WITH ALL OF THIS, WE'RE FINALLY TO WHERE THIS GUY WAS A LONG, LONG TIME AGO.

THIS IS LEONARDO DA VINCI'S DRAWING OF A TREADLE LATHE JUST LIKE THIS WITH THE FLYWHEEL, THE FOOT TREADLE, AND THE DRIVE AND THE DEAD CENTERS THERE.

SO, NOW LET'S SEE HOW WE GO.

THERE WE ARE.

SO NOW WE'RE TURNING JUST RIGHT.

YEAH.

WHOO.

SO NOW WE HAVE CONTINUAL MOTION.

WHAT WE'VE LOST IS THE PRECISION OF 2 DEAD CENTERS, 'CAUSE NOW WE'RE ADDING IN BEARINGS, WE'RE ADDING IN THINGS THAT CAN SLIP, THAT NEED OILING, THAT CAN HAVE PLAY IN THEM, BUT THE TRADE-OFF IS THIS CONTINUAL MOTION THAT ALLOWS THIS TO WORK AND BUILD WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL THINGS.

ANYWAY, SO THERE'S THE TREADLE LATHE.

NOW, WITH THIS--LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING HERE.

ON THIS PARTICULAR DRIVE HEAD, YOU LOOK DOWN HERE.

WHAT THE GUY HAS DONE-- HE GOT SO MAD AT HAVING TO BUY THE BARNES BELTS.

ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN GROUND OFF.

CAN YOU SEE?

YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE ROOTS OF THE LITTLE COGS THAT USED TO BE ON THERE.

AND HE DID THAT SO HE COULD USE JUST A FLAT BELT JUST LIKE THAT, THERE, WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY THEIRS.

UNUSUAL THINGS ABOUT THESE BELTS, IF YOU EVER USE THESE THINGS.

THE SMOOTH SIDE ALWAYS GOES TOWARDS THE PULLEY, AND IT IS VERY WISE TO DISENGAGE THESE BELTS WHEN YOU'RE NOT USING THE LATHE.

SO, THERE YOU GO.

THE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BARNES NUMBER 3.

BUT IT'S BASED AGAIN ON SOMETHING VERY, VERY ANCIENT THAT WE--ACTUALLY NOT THAT ANCIENT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT CAME AROUND IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

IT'S BASED ON THIS--THE CRANK.

NOW, THAT SEEMS INTUITIVE.

WHO WOULDN'T THINK OF A CRANK LIKE THAT?

AN OFFSET IN A SHAFT.

SO YOU WANT TO BORE A HOLE, YOU HAVE A CRANK LIKE THAT.

WELL, THAT IS AN INVENTION THAT CAME AROUND THE MIDDLE AGES.

SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT ACTUALLY CAME BACK WITH THE CRUSADERS.

BUT NOBODY KNOWS QUITE EXACTLY WHERE IT CAME FROM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOOT TREADLES DOWN HERE ON THE LATHE, THAT'S ALL IT IS IS JUST ANOTHER SET OF CRANKS JUST LIKE THAT TO MAKE THIS THING TURN, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS A BIG ADVANCE NOW TO HAVE THIS KIND OF CRANK BORING OVER, WELL, WHAT WE HAD TO DO.

HERE'S WHAT WE HAD TO START OUT WITH IS, OF COURSE, A T-HANDLE AUGER.

SO WE TAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY CALLED IT BORING.

YOU HAD TO PUT THE AUGER ON THERE AND TURN IT AND TURN IT, AND, AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT THIS RECIPROCAL-- NOT RECIPROCAL, BUT INTERMITTENT MOTION.

RECIPROCAL WOULD BE BACK AND FORTH LIKE THAT.

THIS IS INTERMITTENT.

SO WE'RE WORKING AND WORKING AND WORKING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S BORING, SO WHEN WE TAKE THIS, HOWEVER, WE CAN USE A CENTER BIT HERE IN A CRANK, AND BORE RIGHT ON DOWN.

AGAIN, NOW WE'RE ABLE TO USE CONTINUAL MOTION.

YEAH.

HA HA HA HA HA.

IT'S GREAT.

WHAT AN INVENTION.

SO, IT WAS ANOTHER INVENTION, HOWEVER, THAT MADE THESE MACHINES POSSIBLE, BECAUSE, WELL, THEY'RE CAST IRON, BUT THEY'RE NOT ORDINARY CAST IRON.

CAST IRON LIKE YOU'D USE FOR POT IS VERY BRITTLE, AND IT WOULD BREAK.

IT'S FRAGILE.

IT'S BRITTLE.

AND IT WOULD NEVER DO FOR MAKING MACHINE PARTS.

IN THE MID-18th CENTURY, THEY CAME UP WITH...

PROCESS OF MAKING CAST IRON MALLEABLE.

IT'S CALLED MALLEABLE CAST IRON, AND IT'S DONE BY TAKING THE CASTINGS AND REHEATING THEM IN-- YOU KNOW, PACKED IN ORE OR SOMETHING, AND IT MAKES THEM TOUGH.

IT KEEPS THEM FROM BREAKING SO EASILY.

AND THEN YOU COULD GET MACHINES LIKE THIS.

NOW, YOU COULD MAKE A MACHINE LIKE THIS.

THIS IS A BORING MACHINE HERE.

IT HAS THE CAST-IRON PARTS HERE THAT I'M WORKING, BUT IT ALSO HAS STEEL PARTS AS WELL.

SO YOU HAVE STEEL RODS, YOU HAVE A STEEL SHAFT, YOU HAVE CAST GEARS, YOU HAVE CAST LEVERS HERE.

SO YOU'RE COMBINING THESE 2 METALS.

THEY COULD MAKE THESE MACHINES BEFORE THE DAYS OF MALLEABLE CAST IRON, BUT TO MAKE THEM OUT OF STEEL, VERY EXPENSIVE.

THIS CAST IRON IS WHAT MADE THESE THINGS POSSIBLE, SO NOW, INSTEAD OF BORING AWAY WITH THE T-HANDLE AUGER OR EVEN THAT BRACE AND BIT, NOW YOU CAN USE A SET OF CRANKS AND BEVEL GEARS AND BORE DOWN LIKE THIS WITH CONTINUAL MOTION.

THE POWER FROM MY CRANK'S GOING THROUGH THE BEVEL GEARS RIGHT HERE, DOWN THE SHAFT TO THE AUGER THAT THEN BORES THE HOLE THROUGH THE TIMBER.

SO ALL OF THIS JUST CARRIES ON THAT COMBINATION OF CAST IRON HERE, AND THEN THE STEEL THERE MADE THESE WONDERFUL MACHINES POSSIBLE.

ALSO, THE BEVEL GEAR.

AND IT WASN'T JUST-- IN WOODWORKING, TOO, I'VE GOT A POST DRILL HERE.

LOOK AT THIS.

THE BLACKSMITH WOULD HAVE, A MACHINIST WOULD HAVE, AND I HAVE HERE A POST DRILL.

HERE YOU HAVE THE CRANK AGAIN AND THE DIFFERENT GEARS FOR THE DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND THE BEVEL GEAR TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION, SO THIS IS A TRUE MACHINE.

THE BEVEL GEAR CHANGES THE DIRECTION, THESE OTHER GEARS CHANGE THE SPEED, AND THAT'S WHAT A TRUE MACHINE IS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS DEVICES TO CHANGE DIRECTION OR SPEED, AND/OR SPEED.

THIS ONE ACTUALLY HAS A LITTLE THING UP TOP HERE, A LITTLE RATCHET AND PAWL THAT ADVANCES THE BIT SO THAT YOU CAN DRILL THROUGH STEEL AS I'M DOING DOWN BELOW.

THAT SLOWLY MAKES THAT ADVANCE AND SO, EVEN WORKING BY HAND, ABLE TO GET PRECISION AND POWER DRILLING THROUGH STEEL IF YOU WANT TO.

SO, ALL COMES BACK TO THAT BEVEL GEAR.

HERE'S ANOTHER BEVEL GEAR.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS ONE IS A BEVEL GEAR ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FORMER HERE.

YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THE BICYCLE-TYPE PEDAL DOWN THERE THAT TURN THE BIG GEAR.

THAT TURNS A SMALLER GEAR, SO ONE TURN OF THE BIG GEAR GIVES US MANY TURNS OF THE SMALLER GEAR, AND THAT, IN TURN, GOES UP THE SHAFT TO ANOTHER BIG WHEEL AND THAT BIGGER WHEEL WITH ITS BELT INSTEAD OF GEARS TRANSMITS THE POWER TO THE SPINDLE HEAD UP HERE THAT ROTATES AT HIGH SPEED AND DOES THE CUTTING, SO LET'S SEE HOW THIS WORKS.

NOW, THIS WAS INTENDED-- YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS INTENDED.

IT WAS JUST AN INVENTION.

SOMEBODY WAS GLAD TO HAVE MADE IT.

WHAT'S THE CLOSEST THING?

THERE'S NO ANALOG TO THIS IN THE HAND-TOOL WORLD SO MUCH, 'CAUSE HERE'S A PLANE.

WE'D MAKE MOLDINGS WITH OUR PLANE.

WE HAVE THE SINGLE IRON IN THERE AND THE SHAPED BOTTOM.

WE'D PLANE ALONG.

THIS IS NOT REALLY THE SAME.

IT CHANGES THE WHOLE NATURE OF YOUR WORK WHEN YOU DO THIS.

HERE WE'VE GOT THE ROTATING CUTTERS.

AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT THEY'LL DO.

THERE WE GO.

YOU'LL SEE WHAT THEY'LL DO.

THEY'LL DO THESE FLUTINGS.

YOU SEE IN VICTORIAN FURNITURE JUST TONS OF FLUTING, AND WITH THIS ROTARY CUTTER, YOU CAN DO THE STOP FLUTING.

THAT'S TOUGH TO DO WITH A PLANE THERE.

YOU CAN DO A STOP FLUTING.

AND, OF COURSE, IT WOULD COME WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF CUTTERS, HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU.

IT'S ONE CUTTER ON THERE NOW.

YOU HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT CUTTERS THAT YOU COULD RELY ON, SO IT WAS REALLY A REPLACEMENT FOR THIS THING.

THIS, AGAIN, A MALLEABLE CAST-IRON.

THE STANLEY 45 PLANE HAD DIFFERENT CUTTERS YOU COULD PUT IN HERE.

AGAIN, STRAIGHT AND ANGLED, CURVED IRONS THAT YOU COULD PUT ON THIS SHAFT, AND THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY REPLACED.

ALSO ENABLED YOU TO DO THINGS IN WOODWORKING THAT WERE HARD OTHERWISE.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS NEXT--OOP-- GET THIS NEXT DEVICE ON HERE.

'CAUSE END GRAIN IS REALLY TOUGH TO TACKLE WITH, UH... WITH A HAND PLANE.

END GRAIN DOES NOT LIKE TO BE PLANED BECAUSE IT BREAKS OUT, BUT IF WE TAKE THIS GUY HERE...

HERE WE GO.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO IT NOW.

THERE WE GO.

A NICE GROOVE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE END GRAIN OF OUR PIECE, AND THAT IS WHAT MADE POSSIBLE-- OR MADE A LOT EASIER MAKING BOXES LIKE THIS THAT HAD SPLINED JOINT CORNERS, 'CAUSE YOU CAN NOW GO JUST WALLOPING THROUGH THAT END GRAIN WITHOUT TEARING IT OUT, SO THERE IT IS-- THE END GRAIN CUTTER.

SO THIS IS THE FORMER.

NOW, I TELL YOU, THIS CHANGED THE WAY THE WORK WAS DONE.

IT WAS NOT LIKE--THE LATHE WORK PRETTY MUCH LOOKED LIKE LATHE WORK AFTER THE CAST-IRON TREADLE LATHE WAS INVENTED.

THIS THING DID CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE WORK.

ONE THING THAT HASN'T CHANGED ON THIS ONE, THOUGH, IT HAS THE ORIGINAL BROWN PAINT ON IT AND A LITTLE BIT OF THE PIN STRIPING.

SO IT'S A REAL PRETTY MACHINE, BUT THE PRETTIEST OF ALL, AND ONE THAT I REALLY LIKE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE WORK IS THIS GUY RIGHT HERE.

LET ME GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY.

THIS IS THE MORTISING MACHINE.

THIS BEAUTIFUL MORTISING MACHINE.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A FOOT CHISEL.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT WORKS.

JUST MY FOOT PUSHING DOWN ON THE LEVER GIVES IT A LITTLE EXTRA OOMPH TO PUSH A CHISEL DOWN SO THAT WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO WITH A MALLET AND MORTISING CHISEL YOU CAN DO WITH JUST YOUR FOOT PRESSURE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE CHISEL WILL ROTATE BY TURNING IT HERE AT THE TOP.

YOU CAN JUST WORK YOUR WAY BACK AND FORTH ON THE END TO MAKE A BRIDAL JOINT, SUCH AS I'M DOING HERE, OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A PIECE OF WOOD, YOU CAN WORK WITH THE TREADLE AND JUST CUT OUT A MORTISE.

SO FOR DOOR AND WINDOW SHOPS THAT WERE ALWAYS DEALING WITH REPETITIVE WORK LIKE THIS, AH, MAN, THIS WAS GREAT.

ALSO GREAT ON THIS MACHINE, TAKE A LOOK DOWN HERE.

JUST THE INCREDIBLE CASTINGS HERE.

THE WONDERFUL LION'S FOOT THAT THESE HAS.

YOU EVEN GOT THE TOENAILS RIGHT ON THE LION'S FOOT.

AND THIS RETAINS A LOT OF THE ORIGINAL PIN STRIPING.

YOU SEE THE BLACK AND THE RED AND THE GREY THROUGH THE KNEE THERE AND ALL THE WAY ON UP, JUST THIS WONDERFUL PIN STRIPING IS STILL ON HERE.

AND, BOY, WHEN YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE ORIGINAL, IT IS JUST MAGNIFICENT STUFF.

SO, GREAT MACHINE.

NOW, WHICH ONES OF THESE MACHINES, IF YOU HAD TO HAVE ONE, WOULD IT BE?

I LIKE THIS GUY A LOT.

I LIKE THIS BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT REPLICATES-- IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE NATURE OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

DIFFERENT CHISELS THAT WILL FIT UP IN HERE AND JUST PUT IT TO DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.

WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO.

SO, NICE.

I LIKE THAT.

I LIKE THE LATHE.

I LIKE ALL OF THESE THINGS.

BUT I TELL YOU, IT'S-- THEY'RE NOT UNBREAKABLE.

IF YOU DROP ONE OF THESE THINGS OVER, THEY SNAP, AND, BOY, THEY ARE MURDER TO TRY AND GET BACK.

IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO REPAIR CAST IRON.

SO THEY'RE STILL FRAGILE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE THING ABOUT ALL OF THESE TOOLS AND HOW FUN THE LATHE IS AND SO FORTH, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE OLD DAYS WHEN WE WERE HAPPY WE HAD OUR CLUB AND JUST A WEDGE AND THE SIMPLE MACHINES LIKE THIS, AND WE'D TAKE A PIECE OF WOOD AND SET IT UP LIKE HERE WITH THE FROE AND THE MAUL AND WE WOULD WHACK IT ONE.

AND BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WOOD LONG ENOUGH, WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS A STRUCTURE TO THE GRAIN.

WE KNEW WE COULD SPLIT IT DOWN LONG ITS LENGTH AND NOT ACROSS ITS LENGTH LIKE THAT.

WE UNCOVERED STRUCTURE IN THE WOOD.

AND JACOB BRONOWSKI WROTE ABOUT THIS.

HE SAID, "THIS IS WHERE MAN PROBABLY FIRST DISCOVERED LOOKING AT THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THINGS."

THIS STARTS WITH SPLITTING WOOD AS EINSTEIN ENJOYED SO MUCH.

EVERYBODY LOVES TO SPLIT WOOD JUST 'CAUSE OF THE RESULTS.

BUT ALSO WHEN YOU DISCOVER THAT HIDDEN STRUCTURE, YOU START LOOKING IN THE STONE AS WELL, AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET METALLURGY, THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THE IRONWORKING, THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THESE MACHINES.

IT ALL BEGAN WITH SOMEBODY SPLITTING THAT FIRST BIT OF WOOD AND LOOKING FOR THE HIDDEN SECRETS WITHIN.

SO THAT'S THE IRON, AND THE IRONY IS, OF COURSE, THESE OLD MACHINES WORK OFF OF SOLAR POWER.

I EAT THE FOOD.

AW, IT'S GREAT.

WONDERFUL STUFF.

MAYBE THE SEDUCTION IS NOT SUCH A BAD THING AFTER ALL.

AND MAYBE INSTEAD OF BEING SOMETHING OUT OF THE PAST, THERE'S SOMETHING OUT OF THE FUTURE.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME.

IT'S ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

Announcer: LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT PBS.ORG.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... (WIND HOWLING) (THUNDER RUMBLES) (CAR ALARM BLARES) Man: WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE.

PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

Woman: BE MORE.

PBS.

Announcer: ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE, WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE" AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.