The Anarchist’s Tool Chest

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE.

PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY FRIENDS OF NCI HEY, WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU COULD BE WITH US AGAIN TODAY.

AND I AM SO GLAD YOU COULD BE HERE BECAUSE GUESS WHAT.

HE'S NOT HERE.

CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ HAS LEFT ALL HIS TOOLS, AND WE GET TO LOOK AT THEM WITHOUT ALL OF THE RANTING AND RAVING THAT'S BEEN IN HIS BOOK, THIS "ANARCHIST'S TOOL CHEST" BOOK THAT'S GOT EVERYBODY UPSET.

SO WE'RE GONNA GET TO LOOK AT THE TOOLS.

IT'S GONNA BE WONDERFUL, AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT THIS TOOL CHEST, TOO.

HE'S DONE A LOT OF STUDY ON IT, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO HEAR ALL OF HIS DOGMA, ALL OF HIS PREACHING ABOUT THE CONTEXT OF THIS TOOL CHEST.

I DON'T WANT IT.

I JUST WANT THE NICE TOOLS.

SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

LET'S GET THIS BOOK THAT'S CAUSED SO MUCH TROUBLE.

WE'LL LOCK IT IN THE CHEST.

LET'S DO THAT.

OH, THANK YOU.

AND SO-- [KNOCKING] IT'S ALL RIGHT?

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

OH, MAN.

CHRISTOPHER, YOU ARE SO INTO YOUR CHEST.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

YOU'RE UPSETTING EVERYBODY, TAKING THIS ICON OF THE AMERICAN WORKER AND SAYING THAT IT IS THE CHEST OF THE ANARCHIST.

WHAT CAN YOU MEAN BY THAT?

WELL, IN A SENSE, YOU KNOW, THE CHEST IS THE SYMBOL OF THE AESTHETIC ANARCHIST.

THE AESTHETIC ANARCHIST.

THE PERSON WHO OWNS ALL OF THEIR TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE A LIVING.

SO ALL OF THESE TOOLS.

THESE ARE JOINER'S TOOLS.

THEY PUT THEM IN THIS CHEST AND GO TO WORK IN A JOINER'S SHOP.

AND IT FITS, AND IT PROTECTS THEM.

UH-HUH.

AND THEY CAN MOVE QUICKLY, AND ALSO IT LIMITS HOW MANY TOOLS THEY CAN OWN.

NOW, YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT UPSET EVERYBODY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE GUY WHO DIED WITH THE MOST TOOLS WINS.

NO, APPARENTLY NOT.

NOT?

OK.

SO YOU HAVE REALLY UPSET EVERYBODY WITH THIS THING.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU.

IT'S BASED ON A LOT OF STUDY THAT YOU'VE DONE.

YOU COME BY IT HONEST, AND SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT WHY TOOL CHESTS LOOK LIKE THIS.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU SEE THEM, THEY ALWAYS LOOK THIS SAME DIMENSION.

WHAT'S THE STORY?

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, THE 50 OR 60 EXAMPLES I STUDIED REALLY ALL HAD ABOUT THE SAME DIMENSIONS.

THE FIRST DIMENSION TO DEAL WITH IN A TOOL CHEST IS THE LENGTH, YOU KNOW, THE LENGTH OF IT.

AND THE LENGTH IS BASED ON YOUR BIGGEST TOOL.

OK.

I GOT THAT.

AND SO YOU CHOOSE YOUR LARGE TOOL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE'S SOMETHING FOR EXAMPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE.

AND WE HAVE THIS 24-INCH JOINER PLANE.

WE ADD ABOUT 5 INCHES OR SO SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR HAND IN THERE.

AND THAT ADDED TO THE PLANE, AND THE DIMENSIONS OF THE STOCK MAKE US ABOUT 38 INCHES.

SO SAWS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

YOU LOOK AT THE LONGEST FIRST.

THE LONGEST FIRST, AND THAT IS WHAT GIVES US THIS DIMENSION HERE.

THE NEXT DIMENSION IS THE DEPTH.

SO FRONT TO BACK?

IT'S ABOUT 24 INCHES.

AND IT REALLY...

IT ALMOST ALWAYS IS.

IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS ABOUT 24 INCHES, AND THERE'S A GOOD REASON FOR THAT, AND THE REASON IS THAT YOUR ARM IS ONLY SO LONG, AND SO WITH THE CHEST THAT'S 24 INCHES DEEP, YOU CAN REACH THE TOOL THAT'S AT THE VERY BACK BOTTOM.

SO DIAGONAL FROM MY ARMPIT.

LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN ESCAPE MY HAND, BECAUSE THE LENGTH OF MY ARM DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE BOX IS JUST PERFECT.

YEAH.

IF IT WERE ANY DEEPER THAN THAT, YOU COULDN'T REACH IT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND IF IT WERE ANY SHALLOWER, THE CHEST WOULD TIP OVER.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN THE HEIGHT NOW.

IT SEEMS HIGH, 24 INCHES HIGH.

YEAH.

HEIGHT-- 24 INCHES REALLY STANDARD.

BUT THAT RELATES MORE TO THE BODY AND SOME ERGONOMICS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET SOME TRAYS INTO THIS.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT THE SIZE OF IT.

THIS IS GREAT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THE DIMENSIONS ALL THE WAY AROUND, THIS IS 10 FEET IN CIRCUMFERENCE IF WE LOOK AT IT.

SO A 10-FOOT BOARD WILL GIVE YOU A CHEST.

AND SO IT ALL WORKS OUT.

SO...WELL, ALL RIGHT.

AND WHAT HAVE WE GOT NEXT NOW?

PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

THIS IS WHAT?

WHITE PINE?

IT IS EASTERN WHITE PINE, VERY LIGHTWEIGHT.

AND THAT'S IN CASE YOU GET FIRED AND YOU NEED TO MOVE YOUR TOOLS IN A HURRY, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT THIS LIGHTWEIGHT CHEST.

BUT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SUFFER A LOT OF ABUSE, IT NEEDS TO BE BOMBPROOF JOINERY, AND THAT MEANS... DOVETAILS, YEAH.

DOVETAILS ALL AROUND.

SO YOU'VE PAINTED IT.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING HERE WE CAN LOOK AT.

YEAH.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS HAS DOVETAILS.

AND ON THIS LITTLE CHEST, IT'S THE BROAD SURFACE, THIS BROAD SURFACE, THAT HAS THE TAILS ON THEM, AND YOU HAVE THE PINS ON THE OTHER END.

SO WE'VE GOT TAILS DOWN HERE AND THEN THE LITTLE PINS EXPOSED ON THIS SIDE.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'VE GOT DOWN HERE?

IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'VE GOT HERE.

AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND IT IS ALSO DOVETAILED.

SO THE SKIRT AND THE DUST SEAL AND ALL THAT.

SO THIS IS THE SKIRT.

THIS WOULD BE THE SKIRT.

OK. YEAH.

HERE'S A SKIRT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I SEE HOW IT'S DOVETAILED.

MM-HMM.

AND SO NOW WHILE YOU HAVE THE TAILS ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE CHEST... OH, OK. YOU HAVE THE TAILS ON THE SIDES.

ON THE SHORT ENDS OF IT.

SO THAT LEAVES THEM CROSSED.

SO YOU'VE GOT BOTH DIRECTIONS TAKEN CARE OF.

BECAUSE, AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE DOVETAILS ARE COMING OUT A LITTLE BIT IN THIS DIRECTION.

AND THAT COUNTERACTS THE BUSTING APART.

SO IT'S STRONG.

IT'S STRONG.

IT'S SUPER-STRONG.

IT'S WAY STRONG.

OK.

SO DOVETAILED.

THAT'S IT.

SO DOVETAILS ALL AROUND.

SO THIS THING WILL TAKE A DIRECT HIT AND COME OUT ALIVE.

SO YOU DOVETAIL EVERYWHERE.

DOVETAIL EVERYWHERE EXCEPT IN ONE PLACE THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.

OH, REALLY?

YEAH.

AND IF WE TURN THE CHEST ONTO ITS BACK, LIKE A TURTLE... OK. WE'LL SEE SOMETHING VERY SURPRISING.

WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT CHESTS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM-- OH, MY GOD.

IT'S NAILED.

IT'S NAILED.

EXACTLY.

SO Y JUST NAIL THE BOTTOM ONTO A DOVETAILED CHEST?

YEAH, AFTER ALL THAT WORK.

AND THE REASON IS A SOGGY BOTTOM.

SO, UH...

I HATE THAT.

YEAH.

IS THAT THIS CAN BECOME WET IN A DAMP SHOP, AND THE BOARDS ROT OUT-- THE ROTTEN BOTTOM-- AND SO IF YOU HAD THIS IN A GROOVE, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO REPAIR.

BUT SINCE IT'S JUST NAILED ON-- AND IT'S NAILED ON THIS WAY AND THIS WAY FOR EXTRA STRENGTH.

OH, OK.

SO NAILS COMING UP THROUGH THE SKIRT AS WELL AS IN THE END GRAIN OF THESE BOARDS.

AND THEN IT'S GOT TONGUE AND GROOVE, IS THAT RIGHT, THERE?

YEP.

THAT'S TONGUE AND GROOVE.

AND THAT ALLOWS THAT EXPANSION, AS I'M SHOWING WITH MY HAND THERE.

THAT JUST...THAT EATS UP ALL THE EXPANSION.

WOW.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU FIND-- NAILED-ON BOTTOMS?

VERY, VERY TRADITIONAL-- NAILED-ON BOTTOMS.

SO...LET'S GET THIS.

WELL, THAT UPSETS EVERYTHING.

YOU HAVE TOTALLY UPSET EVERYONE NOW.

SO WE'VE GOT THIS BIG SPACE.

WE'VE GOT IT STRONG, AND WE'VE GOT THE BOTTOM READY TO GO.

WE NEED TO KIND OF-- I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DIVIDE IT UP A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW.

WE NEED PLACES FOR THE TOOLS.

YEAH.

SO WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO?

WELL, LET'S LOOK AT THE BOTTOM HERE, BECAUSE WE'LL START AT THE BOTTOM AND WORK OUR WAY UP.

SO THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO IS YOU TAKE THIS LITTLE WALL, AND IN THESE NAILED-IN CLEATS HERE... OH, OK. THAT SNAPS IN THERE, AND THAT MAKES-- THAT'S NOT MUCH.

IT'S ABOUT 4 3/8", AND IT MAKES A LITTLE CORRAL FOR MOLDING PLANES.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT ON THE BENCH HERE.

YEAH.

EXACTLY.

LET ME GET THOSE.

SHOULD WE PUT THEM IN?

LET'S DO IT, AND WE'LL SEE HOW THEY GO IN, BECAUSE HOW THEY GO IN IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA START FILLING UP...

FILLING UP CHRIS' CHEST HERE WITH TOOLS.

NOW, I'M GONNA-- TELL YOU WHAT.

BEFORE WE GET INTO THESE, THOUGH, LET ME TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF THESE.

HERE'S A PAIR.

OK. WHAT ARE THESE, OF WHICH THERE ARE SO MANY AND SO MANY BEAUTIFUL ONES?

WELL, THIS IS A HALF-SET OF HOLLOWS AND ROUNDS, WHICH ARE THE TRADITIONAL JOINER'S TOOLS FOR MAKING MOLDINGS.

AND SO HERE WE HAVE A HOLLOW AND A ROUND, AND THAT REFERS TO THE SHAPE OF THE SOLE.

THEY COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES.

AND WHEN YOU START COMBINING DIFFERENT SIZES OF HOLLOWS AND ROUNDS, YOU CAN MAKE ANY MOLDING THAT YOU CAN DRAW OR THINK OF.

NOW, THESE DON'T LOOK VERY OLD, I TELL YOU.

NO, THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE NEW.

AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SO LIGHT IN COLOR.

AND THESE ARE MADE BY CLARK AND WILLIAMS DOWN IN ARKANSAS, AND THERE'S ANOTHER MAKER WHO MAKES THESE STYLE OF PLANES-- MATT BICKFORD UP IN CONNECTICUT.

THEY DO BEAUTIFUL WORK.

AND PEOPLE LEARNING HOW TO MAKE THESE MORE AND MORE.

THIS IS GREAT.

WELL, SO OLD ONES, NEW ONES, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THIS IS THE KIND OF PLANES SOMEONE WOULD HAVE-- I'LL GET THAT ONE I DROPPED ON THE FLOOR AND HAND YOU THESE, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DO MUCH PROTECTION IF YOU THROW THESE AROUND.

IT DOESN'T PROTECT YOU FROM ROY UNDERHILL.

FROM ROY UNDERHILL, NO.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

OH, AND THAT'S A NICE ONE, TOO.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL GET YOU ANOTHER ONE.

SO THEY GO INTO THE CHEST HERE... UH-HUH.

TOE DOWN.

TOE DOWN?

WHY IS THAT?

WELL, ONE, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT PROFILE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT THE SOLE DOWN AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE CHEST, BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN'T SEE THE PROFILE.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OR EQUALLY IMPORTANT, IS THAT BY STORING THEM TOE-DOWN, IS THAT WHEN THE WEDGE GETS LOOSE BECAUSE-- AND THAT'S THE WEDGE RIGHT THERE.

MM-HMM.

IF THE WEDGE GETS LOOSE DURING SEASONAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION, THE IRON WON'T DROP OUT TO THE FLOOR OF YOUR TOOL CHEST.

A VERY NICE AND HANDY FEATURE.

SO... HA HA HA!

SO GETTING THESE IN HERE.

AND I ACTUALLY HAVE MORE THAN A TYPICAL JOINER WOULD.

OH, REALLY?

YEAH.

BECAUSE YOU CAN ALSO STORE YOUR RABBET PLANES IN HERE.

YOU'D ALSO SOMETIMES SEE AUGER BITS STORED IN HERE IN A TRADITIONAL BOX.

BUT I HAVE AN EXCESS OF MOLDING PLANES.

NOW, THESE ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

YEAH, THESE ARE.

WHAT'S THE STORY WITH THESE?

THESE AREN'T HOLLOWS AND ROUNDS.

THIS IS A COMPLEX MOLDER.

SO THIS IS AN OGEE SHAPE THAT CREATES JUST THAT ONE SHAPE.

AND THEN HERE WE HAVE SIDE ROUNDS.

AND HERE WE HAVE A BEADING PLANE.

SO THESE ARE MORE SPECIALIZED TOOLS DESIGNED FOR DOING ONE PARTICULAR OPERATION.

I GOT YOU.

WHEREAS HOLLOWS AND ROUNDS ARE KIND OF VERY FLEXIBLE AND OPEN AND ALLOW YOU TO, YOU KNOW, BE REAL CREATIVE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I'M GONNA WALK AROUND.

I'LL PUT THESE IN THE OTHER SIDE THEN...

THANK YOU.

OVER HERE.

OK.

SO THIS IS THE...

THE MOLDING PLANE CORRAL IS ALL FILLED UP NOW.

OK.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

SO NOW I'M GONNA SAY WE'VE GOT SOMETHING ODD HERE IN THE FRONT.

WHAT IS WITH THIS, UH, SLOTTED BOARD DOWN IN HERE?

YEAH, THIS IS THE SAW TILL, AND THIS HAPPENS TRADITIONALLY IN A LOT OF AMERICAN AND ENGLISH CHESTS.

AND THESE SLOTS HOLD THE SAW BLADES.

OH, OK. AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS SAW TILL IS THAT IT HOLDS THEM UP FROM THE FLOOR OF THE CHEST SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO REACH DOWN SO FAR.

WELL, WHY DON'T I HAND SOME TO YOU?

BUT YOU KNOW, I TELL YOU, THIS ONE I'M LOOKING AT, THIS IS NOT A CARPENTER'S SAW.

THAT'S KIND OF SHORT THERE.

THIS IS WHAT?

THIS IS CALLED A PANEL SAW, AND THEY'RE ABOUT 20 TO 24 INCHES LONG IN THE BLADE, AND THEY WERE PREFERRED BY JOINERS AND CABINETMAKERS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD FIT INTO SMALLER CHESTS, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD, IN A TIGHT SHOP, WHERE SPACE WAS TIGHT, THEY COULD BE USED AND ARE GOOD FOR THE BENCH.

SO THERE ARE USUALLY 3 PANEL SAWS-- A RIP AND A COUPLE CROSSCUTS-- A FINE AND A COARSE.

SO THAT'S THE TRADITIONAL KIT.

AND THEN WE HAVE ONE LAST SLOT.

SO COULD YOU GET MY TENON SAW?

UH...IS THIS IT?

THAT IS THE TENON SAW.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, WHAT MAKES THIS A TENON SAW?

WELL, THIS TENON SAW IS DESIGNED FOR CUTTING THE CHEEKS OF TENONS, AND SO IT'S A 10-POINT, ABOUT A RIPSAW, AND IT'S A PRETTY BIG HONKING BACKSAW.

AND THIS BACK KEEPS IT ALL RIGID.

SO WHEN WE SAY CHEEK, THAT'S CUTTING DOWN THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD.

MM-HMM.

ALL RIGHT.

YES, IT'S FOR RIPPING, AND THEN-- WELL, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S FILLED UP NOW.

NO.

NO, IT'S NOT.

SO WE CAN ALSO HAVE ROOM FOR THE OTHER JOINERY SAWS AND THIS OF COURSE, THE WOODEN SQUARE.

WE'LL JUST SORT OF STICK THAT IN THERE.

BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT YOUR--YOU'VE GOT-- YOU'VE RUN OUT OF SLOTS NOW.

YEAH, BUT THAT'S OK.

I'M NOT, LIKE, TOO OCD ABOUT IT.

YOU CAN KIND OF STICK THOSE IN.

THAT'S A DOVETAIL SAW, USED FOR CUTTING DOVETAILS AND SMALL TRIMMING CHORES.

AGAIN, A LITTLE RIPSAW.

YEAH, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE RIPSAW, AND THEN THE OTHER SAW WE HAVE HERE IS THE CARCASS SAW.

NOW, CARCASS SAW.

WHAT THE HECK?

THAT'S FOR SAWING COWS.

NO, IT'S NOT.

IT'S THE BODY OF A...A...YOU KNOW, A PIECE OF FURNITURE IS CALLED THE CARCASS.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT DOES A LOT OF THE-- SO YOU'RE CUTTING ACROSS THE GRAIN.

YEP.

YEP.

AND SO YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, TENON SHOULDERS AND JUST GENERAL CROSSCUTTING CHORES.

ALL RIGHT.

I LIKE THAT.

BOY, IT'S GREAT.

NOW, UH...

HERE'S A FEW MORE THINGS HERE.

WINDING STICKS.

OK. NOW TELL US-- WINDING STICKS.

WHAT'S WITH THEM?

WINDING STICKS ARE DESIGNED...

THEY'RE JUST TWO, YOU KNOW, PARALLEL EDGED STICKS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO FIND A TWIST OR IF A BOARD IS IN WIND OR "WIND."

I SEE.

OK. AND SO THOSE ARE MY FANCY DRESS WINDING STICKS FOR IMPRESSING THE LADIES.

YEAH, YOU'VE GOT... YOU MAY HAVE JUST A FEW TOOLS, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY NICE ONES.

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.

THE FEWER TOOLS YOU HAVE, THE NICER THEY CAN BE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW HERE'S THAT LONG JOINTER.

SO I'LL GIVE YOU THAT NOW.

IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO NEXT?

YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

WHAT GOES NEXT IS THIS--WHAT'S LEFT IN THE MIDDLE... ALL RIGHT.

IS WHERE THE BENCH PLANES AND THE JOINERY PLANES ARE GOING TO GO.

WHATEVER'S LEFT JUST GOES RIGHT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE.

SO WE'LL DROP THE JOINER PLANE, HONKING BIG JOINER PLANE IN THERE.

AND SO WE CAN JUST START LOADING UP WITH THE OTHER TOOLS.

SO JUST ANY ONE NEXT?

SURE.

WHAT'S THIS ONE HERE?

THIS IS JUST AN OLD STANLEY JACK PLANE WITH SOME FANCY EMBELLISHMENT ON IT, SO I KNOW IT'S MINE.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO GET LOST THERE.

WELL, IT MIGHT GET STOLEN.

BUT, UM, JACK PLANE GOES IN THERE AND THE SMOOTHING PLANES.

AND HERE I GUESS-- BOY, THAT IS HEAVY.

WHAT MAKES THAT SO HEAVY?

IT'S BRONZE.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE WEIGHT.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T.

AND THAT'S A PRETTY HEAVY TOOL, BUT IT'S VERY NICELY MADE.

YEAH.

VERY NICE.

OK. AND HERE'S A...

THIS IS A LITTLE MORE PROLETARIAN STEEL PLANE HERE.

YEAH, THAT'S A SHOULDER PLANE DESIGNED FOR TRIMMING THE SHOULDERS OR CHEEKS OF TENONS.

SORT OF AN ENGLISH MODEL, BUT MADE IN AMERICA.

VERY NICE.

WOW.

SO YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE TOOLS AND FIGURED OUT REALLY WHAT WAS ESSENTIAL TO DOING WHAT YOU DO, WHICH IS JOINERY, CABINETMAKING.

MM-HMM.

AND THIS IS A MOVING FILLISTER PLANE WITH A SKEW BLADE.

THIS IS A NEW DESIGN.

THIS IS NOT A TRADITIONAL DESIGN.

IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL DESIGN, NO.

BUT IT'S GOT A LOT OF TRADITIONAL TOUCHES.

BUT THIS SKEW BLADE, WHICH MEANS THE SKEW IS AT AN ANGLE, PULLS THE FENCE AGAINST THE WORK, AND SO THAT HELPS KEEP YOU ON TRACK.

WOW.

OK. AND THERE'S THE DEPTH STOP AND THE FENCE.

SO THIS IS JUST GREAT.

AND IT WORKS ACROSS THE GRAIN.

IT'S EVEN GOT A LITTLE CIRCULAR NICKER RIGHT THERE.

YEP.

VERY NICE.

WOW.

OK.

I USUALLY USE THE WOODEN KIND.

ALL RIGHT.

HERE.

NOW, DON'T TELL-- THIS IS IT.

NOW, HERE IS...

THIS IS NOT THE CITIZENS' TOOL HERE.

IT'S A PLANE OF THE PEOPLE.

THIS IS EBONY AND IVORY, MAN, AND SOLID GOLD.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH.

NO, SOLID BRASS.

BUT THIS IS MADE BY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, AN INDIVIDUAL CRAFTSMAN.

JUST LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO LIKE YOUR NICE FURNITURE, YOU CAN LIKE THE NICE PLANES MADE BY INDIVIDUALS.

AND THIS IS DOVETAILED STEEL.

DOVETAILED STEEL INTO BRASS.

INTO BRASS WITH EBONY ENDFILL.

AND AN ELEPHANT GAVE ITS LIFE FOR THAT?

YOU THINK?

YEAH.

OR ONE OF THOSE NUTS, YOU KNOW, THOSE CRAZY NUTS.

NOW, HERE'S SOMETHING.

NOW, SPEAKING OF NUTS... YEAH, THIS IS NUTS.

CHRISTOPHER, THIS IS NUTS.

NOW, TELL ME ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE THE-- I KNOW IT'S A PLOW PLANE.

THIS IS THE NUMBER-ONE CROWNING MOST EXPENSIVE TOOL AND THE MOST PRIZED TOOL IN ANYBODY'S CHEST OF TOOLS TRADITIONALLY, BUT THIS IS BRAND-NEW, THIS IS GREAT.

YEAH, THIS IS A BRIDLE PLOW BASED ON A MATHIESON MODEL, AND IT WAS MADE FOR ME BY A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY.

ON HIS OWN?

HE HAD NEVER MADE PLANES BEFORE?

HE MADE A COUPLE PLANES IN HIS DAD'S SHOP.

BUT, UH, HE, UH...YEAH.

HE ENTERED IT IN A TOOL CONTEST, AND, UH... YOU DIDN'T HAPPEN TO BE A JUDGE IN THAT CONTEST, DID YOU?

MAYBE.

HA HA HA!

I BET.

AND THIS IS WHY IT'S CALLED A BRIDLE.

IS THAT RIGHT?

BECAUSE IT HAS THE-- IT GOES ACROSS THE SPARS.

AND SO YOU CAN ADJUST THE FENCE.

CAN I OPERATE IT THERE?

PLEASE DO.

GO FOR IT.

SO UNDO THE THUMBSCREW.

BOY, THE THUMBSCREWS ARE JUST RIGHT, TOO.

SO THAT GOES THAT WAY, AND THEN THE FENCE SHOULD SLIDE.

MM-HMM.

AND THE BRIDLE KEEPS IT PARALLEL TO THE SKATE AT ALL TIMES.

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.

OK.

SO THERE IT IS.

AM I OPENING IT UP THERE PROPERLY?

YEP.

YOU'RE DOING A VERY NICE JOB.

THERE YOU GO.

WOW.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT FENCE OPENS UP WITH THAT BRIDLE CONNECTION.

SO YOU'VE REALLY GOT TREASURES IN HERE.

INDIVIDUAL CRAFTSMEN HAVE MADE THESE TOOLS JUST LIKE-- SO THAT'S, AGAIN, PART OF THE ANARCHIST.

YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE SYSTEM.

YOU ARE NOT.

YOU'RE BUSTING UP EVERYTHING.

YOU ARE NOT HELPING OUT THE VERY BIG COMPANIES.

YOU ARE HELPING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL CRAFTSMEN WHO ARE VERY MUCH LIKE YOURSELF.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S SEE.

WELL, LOOK.

CHRISTOPHER, AS USUAL, YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN YOUR DRAWERS.

BUT THEY'RE NOT DRAWERS.

AND JUST DON'T DROP THEM.

THEY'RE TRAYS, AREN'T THEY?

THEY ARE, AND YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THE TRADITIONAL CHEST, AND THERE ARE SOME THAT HAD DRAWERS AND SOME THAT HAD TRAYS.

I USED TO HAVE ONE THAT I MADE, AN ENGLISH MODEL FROM BENJAMIN SEATON, THAT HAD LOTS OF LITTLE BITTY DRAWERS.

AND THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DRAWERS IS YOU GET STUFF LOST IN THEM.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FORGET WHERE YOUR COUNTERSINK IS OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE LIKE, DRAWER, DRAWER, DRAWER, WHERE IS IT?

AND SO TRAYS, UM...

THEY PREVENT YOU FROM DOING THAT.

AND I SEE IT'S DOVETAILED, TOO.

THE SAME KIND OF THING THAT WE HAD BEFORE.

IT HAS A LOT OF THE SAME CONSTRUCTION DETAILS OF THE CHEST, IS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW-- THE SIDES HAVE TAILS HERE, AND WE HAVE A BOTTOM OF OAK THAT'S NAILED ON.

WOW.

SO THAT'S JUST NAILED-ON OAK AT THE BOTTOM?

WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU... WHY NOT PINE?

WELL, UH, OAK WEARS A LOT BETTER THAN PINE.

AH, OK. AND SO THAT OAK ON THE BOTTOM WILL RUN AGAINST THE OAK RUNNERS.

I SEE.

SO YOU'VE GOT DOWN IN HERE-- THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING BACK HERE, THESE LITTLE STEPS THINGS?

OK. AND THEY'RE ALSO OAK.

SO THE BOTTOM OF THE OAK TRAY IS GOING TO SLIDE ON THE OAK RUNNER AND WEAR BETTER.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW THAT WE EXPLAIN IT.

SO THIS IS A VERY HEAVY TRAY.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST TRAY.

WHAT WOULD YOU KEEP IN THIS NOW?

YOUR BIG TOOLS.

A BUNCH OF KIND OF STUFF HERE.

YEAH.

ANYTHING IN A TOOL ROLL, YOUR BRACE.

YOU'VE GOT TOOL ROLLS HERE AND WHAT?

PLANE IRONS?

PLANE IRONS, YEAH.

AND MY LITTLE EGGBEATER DRILL.

AND YEAH, FUN TO PLAY WITH.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEN HERE.

OH, LOOK AT YOUR BRACE.

OK. YOU'RE A SNOB.

I'M SORRY, BUT LOOK IT THERE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SPOFFARD BRACE.

IT'S THE SIMPLEST BRACE EVER.

IT DOESN'T HAVE A FANCY RATCHETING MECHANISM.

IT'S SO COOL.

NO.

IT'S COOL.

IT IS.

BUT ALL RIGHT.

EVERYTHING SPEAKS ABOUT YOU HERE.

YOU WANT TO TELL A MAN, DON'T LOOK AT HIS LIBRARY.

LOOK AT HIS TOOL CHEST THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S SEE.

OH, I FORGOT ONE HERE, A LITTLE ROUTER PLANE.

ROUTER PLANE, USED FOR PLOWING OUT GROOVES IN THE BOTTOM OF THAT.

WHERE WOULD THAT GO?

GOES IN THE MIDDLE.

SO I'M GONNA PUT THAT.

WE FORGOT THAT GUY.

SORRY.

MORE DRAWERS HERE.

AH.

HERE.

SO THIS ONE...

THIS IS THE NEXT-- WELL, WAIT A MINUTE NOW.

BEFORE WE DO, I JUST NOTICED SOMETHING LOOKING OVER HERE.

THE RUNNER ON THIS LOWER DRAWER ONLY GOES--YOU CAN'T GO ANY FARTHER.

IT STOPS.

YEAH.

YEAH.

THAT'S INTENTIONAL.

AND THE REASON BEING IS YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO SLIDE FORWARD AND BREAK THE HORNS OFF YOUR SAWS.

OK.

SO THIS IS ONLY GONNA SLIDE THAT FAR?

WHEREAS THE OTHERS CAN SLIDE THE FULL WIDTH OF THE BOX.

YEAH, PRETTY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE WE GO.

PUT THAT IN THERE.

AND WHAT WOULD THIS HAVE IN IT?

THIS IS THE SECOND TRAY, AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE TOOLS THAT YOU'RE NOT REALLY USING ALL THAT MUCH RIGHT NOW.

SO IN HERE IT'S GOT MY FASTENING AND UNFASTENING TOOLS, MY MORTISE CHISEL, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT I'M NOT-- THE PROJECT I'M WORKING ON RIGHT NOW DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF USE FOR NAILS.

HA HA HA.

OK. AND THEN HERE, YOUR TOP DRAWER OR TOP... TOP TRAY, AS WE SAY.

AND THAT GOES UNDER THE CHAIN THERE.

GOES IN RIGHT LIKE THAT.

RIGHT LIKE THAT.

OK. GOT IT DOWN.

SO THESE ARE YOUR MOST NEEDED ONES PERHAPS OR... YEP.

THESE ARE THE MARKING AND MEASURING TOOLS.

I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF DOVETAILING.

AND IT'S-- YEAH, IT'S HITTING-- HITTING MY CHISEL ROLL BACK THERE.

SO LET ME GET THAT STUFFED DOWN THERE.

PUSH THAT DOWN IN THERE.

SEE, I'VE MESSED IT UP BY POKING AROUND INSIDE HERE.

BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S ALL PUT TOGETHER HERE, IT'S STILL-- OH, THERE IT IS.

THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

IT'S THE BRACE.

YEAH, IT WAS YOUR FANCY SPOFFARD BRACE.

I'M SORRY.

LOOKS LIKE DRAWERS TO ME.

SO I DON'T GET IT.

I MEAN, WHY IS THIS ANY BETTER THAN JUST HAVING A BUNCH OF NICE DRAWERS IN FITTED PLACES?

BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING.

YEAH.

WELL, AS I SAY, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.

UM, THAT GETS BACK TO THE ERGONOMICS HERE.

IS THAT...THIS HEIGHT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

IT'S A TOOL CHEST.

HOW COULD I HAVE IT WRONG?

WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE THE TRAYS ARRANGED CORRECTLY.

IF YOU ARRAY THE TRAYS LIKE THIS... OH!

HOLY COW.

OK. THEN FIRST OFF, YOU ARE JUST, LIKE, A HAND MOTION AWAY FROM EVERY TOOL IN THESE 3 TRAYS.

WOW.

YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING YOU OWN.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT'S NOT LIKE-- YOU CAN PUT IT ANYWHERE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT WITH ALL 3 OF THEM.

AND THE STUFF BELOW, YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS.

OK.

SO IF I WERE TO SAY I'D LIKE A NICE, UH, DOVETAIL SAW.

A NICE DOVETAIL SAW.

WELL, THAT'S ONE HAND MOTION AWAY.

I MOVE THE FRONT TRAY, I REACH DOWN, LOOKING YOU IN THE AUGEN, D THERE IT IS.

OH, MAN.

SO, NICE DOVETAIL SAW.

WOW.

OK. LET'S TRY ANOTHER ONE.

I WOULD LIKE A NICE COMPLEX MOLDING PLANE.

A NICE COMPLEX MOLDER.

YOU GOT IT.

OH.

HERE YOU GO.

ONE HAND MOTION.

OH, THAT'S GREAT.

WOW.

ALL RIGHT.

AND LET'S SEE...

ANYTHING ELSE?

I'D LIKE A NICE, UH... A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE SMOOTH PLANE, TOO.

A LITTLE SMOOTHING PLANE?

OK. AND HERE WE GO, SIR.

WOW.

SO YOU REALLY ARE ABLE TO GET THESE JUST RIGHT OFF.

THAT'S ASTOUNDING.

WHAT A GREAT SYSTEM.

I REALLY LIKE IT.

OK.

SO THAT'S GOT-- I AM SOLD ON THIS NOW.

THE TRAYS, AND YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING.

BUT FINALLY WE'VE LEFT OFF SOMETHING NOW.

AH, THE LID.

THE LID HERE, YEAH.

NOW, YOU DIDN'T USED TO HAVE ONE WITH THIS PANEL LID.

DIDN'T YOU HAVE ONE LIKE THIS OLD-- BECAUSE I REMEMBER YOU DID ONE WITH A SINGLE BOARD LIKE THIS.

YEAH, MY FIRST CHEST HAD THIS SINGLE BOARD, SINGLE PINE BOARD LIKE BENJAMIN SEATON'S TOOL CHEST IN ENGLAND.

AND YOU KNOW, THE ADVANTAGE IS, HEY, IT'S EASY.

YEAH, ONE BOARD.

YEAH, THAT'S THE PLUS.

THE DOWNSIDE IS, THOUGH, LOOK AT THAT.

IT WARPS LIKE CRAZY, AND ALSO THIS BOARD, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THIS CRAZY EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN IT, AND I'M SURE WITH THIS CHEST, THE SAME THING HAPPENED THAT HAPPENED TO ME, WHICH IS THE ONLY TIME THE LOCK WORKED WAS ON THE DAY I BUILT THE CHEST.

AFTER THAT, THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION MOVED THE STRIKE.

SO YOU GOT SO MUCH MOVEMENT ON THIS THING.

WOW.

THIS IS KIND OF-- STILL KIND OF A NEAT CHEST.

THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUAL THINGS IT HAS THAT-- OH, YEAH.

THERE'S SOME GOOD STUFF IN IT.

PUT THAT DOWN THERE.

THIS HAS THE TILL WITH, UH... KIND OF COMBINED.

THIS IS DRAWERS AND TRAYS.

MM-HMM.

YEP.

AND THEN THIS IS A PERSON WHO LIKED TO GET THEIR CHISELS-- AND GOUGES.

AND GOUGES.

YEAH.

IT'S A NICE RACK.

AND SO THEY GOT A NICE RACK THERE TO HOLD ALL THE CHISELS AND GOUGES IN HERE.

SO THIS IS ABOUT FROM 1830.

IT'S A BIG RACK.

IT IS.

I'M GONNA LEAVE IT AT THAT, THOUGH.

BUT, UH...HERE.

THIS IS A LID LIKE YOU'VE GOT.

BUT YOU WENT AROUND A SEPARATE LID HERE.

SO IF WE LOOK AT THIS LID THAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT HERE, IT IS CONSTRUCTED IN THIS WAY.

AND SHALL WE TAKE IT APART?

PLEASE DO.

OK.

SO HERE WE HAVE A BRIDLE JOINT, A TIGHT BRIDLE JOINT.

THIS IS YOUR WORK, RIGHT?

YEAH.

TOO TIGHT.

TOO TIGHT TO MOVE.

LET'S TRY THE OTHER END.

LET'S TRY THE OTHER END.

I THINK IT'S A LITTLE SLACKER.

THERE WE GO.

OK. AND SO IT'S A FULL THICKNESS BOARD, AND IT'S GROOVED DOWN THAT SIDE AND DOWN THE EDGES THERE SO THAT THIS WILL FIT INTO THESE OTHER GROOVES BUT RISE UP ON TOP THERE.

REALLY A RAISED PANEL.

YEAH, RAISED, BUT NOT LIKE THE USUAL ONES WE WOULD SEE IN A DOOR.

IT ACTUALLY SITS ON TOP LIKE THAT.

SO I ALWAYS LIKE THAT FOR RAIN, BUT YOU REALLY POINTED OUT THIS IS THE FULL THICKNESS.

YEAH.

REALLY STRONG.

YOU CAN DANCE, YOU CAN GO-GO DANCE ON TOP OF MY CHEST IF YOU WISH.

WOW.

WOW.

SO, ANYWAY...

SO THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO, UH...THE LID.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

WHAT--HOWEVER, I NOTICED YOU HAD A LITTLE CHAIN ON HERE.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF STOPPING THE LID FROM FALLING ALL THE WAY OPEN, AREN'T THERE?

YEAH, THERE ARE.

I HAVE A CHAIN.

SOMETIMES THEY'LL PUT A STOP, AND THE STOP MAY RUN UNDERNEATH HERE, YOU KNOW, A SINGLE PIECE OF WOOD.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CORNERS OF THE CHEST HERE AND BACK HERE-- OH, OK.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

I SEE YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE EDGE THAT DOES HIT DOWN THERE.

I SEE IT.

AND THAT STOPS IT.

AND SO THAT DROPS RIGHT ON TOP OF THERE.

BUT YOU'RE NOT CONVINCED THAT-- YOU STILL NEED-- THIS IS A BACKUP.

AH, OK.

I'D LIKE TO HAVE A BACKUP.

NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD DO A VENEER AND NICE STUFF OR PAINT A LADY ON HERE.

YOU GONNA DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT?

YEAH.

I'LL LET MY KIDS GO AT IT WITH SOME MARKERS REAL SOON.

HA HA HA!

WELL, THAT IS ONE WONDERFUL THING-- THIS WILL LAST FOR MANY GENERATIONS HERE.

SO YOU'VE REALLY GOT EVERYTHING THE ANARCHIST NEEDS IN THIS TOOL CHEST.

WELL, I WOULDN'T SAY SO.

THERE'S ONE THING THAT I THINK THE CHEST IS MISSING.

WHAT'S THAT?

WELL, I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING-- LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN GUESS.

SO, WELL, I THINK IF YOU CAN GUESS, IF YOU LOOK DOWN IN THERE AT THE VERY BOTTOM-- WAY DOWN?

NO.

NO, FURTHER DOWN, ON THE BACK CORNER, IT'S MISSING ONE MORE THING.

WHAT'S IT MISSING?

AIR HOLES.

AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME HERE ON "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

YEAH.

YOU FOUND IT?

IS IT GOOD?

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... [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE.

PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

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 AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.