The Troublesome Triangle Stool

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, HELLO AGAIN.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU COULD BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY

BECAUSE WE HAVE WITH US OUR FAVORITE WOODWORKER

FROM UP AT PLYMOUTH PLANTATION,

WHERE ALL THE PILGRIMS LIVED IN THE 17th CENTURY.

IT'S PETER FOLLANSBEE.

HE'S HERE.

HE'S GONNA SHOW US HOW TO MAKE ONE OF HIS FAVORITE PROJECTS-- WILL NOT.

WONDERFUL...WHAT?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO, YOU'RE NOT?

I GAVE UP.

THAT STOOL I WAS BUILDING, IT DROVE ME NUTS.

I TOSSED IT IN THAT STOVE.

I'M SICK OF IT.

LET'S BURN IT.

PETER, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

SEND IT TO THE PURIFYING FIRE, ROY.

I'VE HAD IT WITH THAT THING.

BURN IT.

YOU'RE SITTING ON ONE THAT YOU MADE.

THE PILGRIMS AT PLYMOUTH PLANTATION USE THIS ALL THE TIME.

YEAH, I MADE THIS 3-FOOTED STOOL ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO BASED ON ENGLISH MODELS AND DUTCH PAINTINGS, A 16th, 17th-CENTURY STANDARD.

WELL, IT'S PERFECT.

WHY CAN'T YOU MAKE THEM NOW?

IT'S IN THE STOVE.

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

BACK THEN I WAS YOUNGER.

I WAS UP FOR A CHALLENGE.

I'M NOT UP FOR IT TODAY.

I CAN'T HANDLE IT.

OH, COME ON, MAN.

I'M SICK OF IT.

CAN YOU SHOW US WHAT'S SUCH A BIG CHALLENGE WITH THIS THING?

SURE.

IT LOOKS PRETTY SIMPLE.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST DECEPTIVE-- YEAH.

IT'S ONLY GOT 3 LEGS.

SO IT OUGHT TO BE 25% EASIER.

YEAH.

LESS WOOD, EASY TO DO.

THIS THING WILL DRIVE YOU NUTS PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

THINK ABOUT A 4-LEGGED CHAIR.

ALL RIGHT?

THE SEAT RAILS ON A 4-LEGGED CHAIR ARE AT TWO DIFFERENT HEIGHTS.

LIKE THIS LITTLE ONE HERE.

GRAB THIS THING.

SO THIS IS GONNA HAVE A FIBER SEAT, WHETHER IT'S CORN HUSKS OR HICKORY BARK.

BARK OR WHATEVER, YEAH.

SO THE SEAT RAILS COME INTO THE POST

AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AT THE FRONT AND THE SIDE.

THAT SIMPLIFIES THE JOINERY AND ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE A LOT OF STRENGTH WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE INTEGRITY OF THAT POST.

SO THEY DON'T RUN INTO EACH OTHER.

THIS ONE GOES ABOVE, AND THIS ONE GOES BELOW.

AND THAT'S GOOD, BECAUSE YOU WANT THIS TO BE LOWER FOR THE WRAPAROUND ANYWAY.

IT MATCHES YOUR LEGS BETTER.

AND IT'S PRINCIPALLY SO THOSE JOINTS DON'T INTERFERE.

THIS THING IS A DIFFERENT...

DIFFERENT CREATURE.

THE SEAT IS A WOODEN PANEL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT IS FITTING IN GROOVES IN THE SEAT FRAME.

THAT MEANS THE SEAT FRAME HAS TO ALL BE IN ONE PLANE.

SO THEY CAN'T BE STAGGERED HERE.

THEY CAN'T BE STAGGERED.

SO EVERYTHING IS BEEFED UP.

THEY'RE THICKER BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY INTERFERE WITH EACH OTHER.

LOOK AT THIS SAMPLE I HAVE.

OK. NOW, THIS IS ONE YOU CUT UP TO THROW IN THE FIRE?

NO, NO.

THIS ONE I MADE JUST TO SHOW THE MUSEUM VISITORS THE CONSTRUCTION.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE'S A TENON COMING THROUGH.

SO THAT'S AN EXTENSION OF THIS RAIL HERE.

A RECTANGULAR TENON THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN THIS ONE GOES THROUGH THE SAME SPACE AND COMES OUT HERE.

SO IT LOCKS THAT IN PLACE.

YOU PUT THIS ONE IN THE POST AND DRILL THE HOLE AND DRIVE THAT ROUND ONE THROUGH.

I'LL BE.

OK.

SO ONE OF THEM PINS THE OTHER ONE IN.

WELL, THAT'S PRETTY HARD, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN'T BE THE WORST-- SO YOU CAN DO ONE OF THEM.

I CAN DO ONE JOINT VERY EASILY.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU CAN'T ASSEMBLE-- YOU CAN'T ASSEMBLE THEM IN SEQUENCE.

I CAN'T BUILD THIS JOINT AND THEN COME AND BUILD THAT ONE.

YOU HAVE TO SORT OF TEASE ALL 3 OF THEM

TOGETHER AROUND THE SEAT, AND THEN THE STRETCHERS ARE COMING IN AT A COUPLE BEATS BEHIND.

AND THE STRETCHERS, THEY'RE NOT AT THE...

THEY'RE AT 3 DIFFERENT HEIGHTS.

THEY'RE SMALLER JOINTS.

THE JOINTS DON'T INTERSECT.

SO THEY'RE STAGGERED.

SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE ALL YOUR MORTISES ARE.

YOU'VE GOT AN ODD NUMBER.

YOU CAN'T HAVE THE BACK ONES-- YOU SEE WHY I'M BURNING THIS THING.

IT'S ENOUGH TO DRIVE YOU CRAZY.

PULL IT OUT OF THE FIRE.

COME ON.

NO, I DON'T WANT TO.

NO, COME ON.

GET IT OUT OF THE FIRE.

LET'S DO IT.

WE'LL AT LEAST TRY AND MAKE THE PARTS.

ALL RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.

THERE'S A PIECE HERE.

THAT'S NICE.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH, PULL THEM OUT OF THERE.

THAT'S RIDICULOUS.

OW!

AH.

OK. GLAD YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY MATCHES HERE.

SO...

AH, THERE WE ARE.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS PUT THIS TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THIS ONE HERE, UM...

THESE ARE APART.

CAN I PUT THIS TOGETHER HERE?

LET'S SEE IF I CAN DO THAT.

I HOPE SO.

I COULDN'T DO IT.

WELL, I'VE GOT THIS HOLE HERE.

AND...ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS WOULD GO UP.

THAT RAIL WOULD GO UP LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE, YEAH.

SO SEE IF I CAN PUSH IT IN THERE.

AND THAT'S ALREADY HAD THE HOLE BORED.

YEAH, THIS IS ALL READY TO ASSEMBLE.

ALL RIGHT.

CAN YOU HOLD THAT?

NOW GIVE ME THAT MALLET SO I CAN TAP IT THERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S GOING RIGHT ON IN.

YEAH.

HERE YOU GO.

AND SO THE TENON OF THE NEXT PIECE TO JOIN IT LOCKS ALL THAT TOGETHER.

EACH SEAT RAIL IS RECTANGULAR ON ONE END AND ROUND ON THE OTHER.

OH, THAT'S GREAT.

I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL.

THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN.

OH, YEAH, YEAH.

THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT A POST AND A STRETCHER AND A RAIL, AND THAT'S IT.

MM-HMM.

WELL, OK.

YEAH, IT'S THESE 9 PIECES.

THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME.

SO ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS MAKE THEM AND DRILL THE HOLES AND PUT IT TOGETHER.

WELL, LET'S MAKE THEM.

NOW, THIS IS WHAT KIND OF WOOD?

HERE I'VE USED WHITE ASH ON THIS ONE, A FABULOUS WOOD FOR CHAIR-MAKING, GREAT STRENGTH BUT NOT AS HEAVY AS-- WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH ASH HERE.

AND OF COURSE, BOY, ASH IS UNDER BIG THREAT RIGHT NOW.

IT'S UNDER PERIL, YEAH.

THE EMERALD ASH BORER--

BAD BORERS GETTING INTO IT.

WREAKING HAVOC ON IT.

WELL, LET'S DO SOME-- I'VE GOT SOME OAK HERE.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

WOULD THAT BE GOOD?

IT'LL WORK JUST THE SAME.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY'RE BOTH A RINGED POROUS HARDWOOD, IDEAL FOR THIS SORT OF WORK.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO SPLIT THAT DOWN WITH YOUR FROE.

WELL, I THINK I'LL SEE IF I CAN TAKE A THIRD OF IT OFF.

IT'LL PROBABLY RUN OUT.

BUT THIS IS SOME TOUGH, TOUGH OAK HERE.

THAT IS SOME FAST-- YOU CAN SEE HOW FAST IT GREW.

WELL, IT--AH!

I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET IT DOWN HERE.

I'M GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME.

NO, NO.

WELL, THIS IS TOUGH.

THIS IS THE TOUGHEST OAK I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH.

BUT I THINK THAT'S GOOD IF YOU'RE MAKING A CHAIR.

SURE.

YOU WANT NICE STRONG STUFF.

THESE PARTICULAR STOOLS ARE SO OVERBUILT, IT'S IMMATERIAL.

BUT YEAH, THAT'LL HAVE TREMENDOUS STRENGTH.

YEAH.

SO YOU CAN SEE, I MEAN, THIS IS ASTOUNDING.

THAT'S 1, 2, 3 RINGS RIGHT THERE.

SO IT'S, LIKE, 3 RINGS TO THE INCH.

SO THAT WAS A FAST-GROWING PIECE OF WOOD.

YOU COULD SEE THAT ONE GROW.

AND IN OAK, THAT MAKES IT VERY, VERY STRONG.

SO I LIKE THAT.

SO NOW I'VE GOT-- AND I'M USING MY SPRINGPOLE LATHE HERE, BUT YOU HAVE THE SAME KIND OF THING?

SAME SORT OF LATHE.

I THINK WHEN WE WERE TALKING BEFORE, YOU WERE SAYING YOU BUILT THIS

FOR BEING ABLE TO MOVE IT, TO MAKE IT PORTABLE.

I BUILT MINE TO BE IMMOBILE.

BUT THE SAME THING.

YOU HAVE THE PIKE HERE, THAT SHARP, SHARP POINT.

AND WE'LL JUST CENTER THAT ROUGHLY SHAVED WOOD.

SO WE TOOK THAT OAK AND SHAVED IT DOWN AND PUT A LITTLE BEESWAX ON THERE.

AND WE'LL PUT IT ON THAT PIKE, AND THEN THE CORD WRAPPED AROUND IT IS WHAT'S GONNA MAKE IT TURN.

SO THE SAME PRINCIPLE AS HAS BEEN AROUND MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS, YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL TAP THAT IN.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW I JUST WANT TO SEE IF I'M TURNING THE SAME WAY YOU WOULD.

IF I HAD THIS, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH IT A LITTLE BIT.

AND JUST, UH--OOP.

I NEED A LITTLE MORE TOOL REST UP THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE WITH THE GOUGE, SAME THING.

EXACTLY THE SAME IDEA.

IT'S THAT RECIPROCATING ACTION.

THE CUTTING STROKE IS ON THE DOWNWARD STROKE.

AND THEN THIS LEVER IS TAKING IT BACK TO RETURN IT.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT GREEN WOOD CUTS LIKE CHEESE.

IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.

WELL, YOU CAN SEE IT, YEAH.

I MEAN, AS I EXPOSE IT, YOU CAN SEE IT'S STILL WET DOWN INSIDE THERE.

BUT THAT'S OK FOR THIS?

SURE.

THESE CHAIRS ARE ALWAYS MADE OUT OF GREEN WOOD.

IT'S EASIEST TO CUT IT IN THAT STAGE.

SO THIS WAS NOT AN ELABORATE-- WOULD YOU SAY THIS IS A PIECE A PIECE OF FOLK OR BUNK FURNITURE?

OH, YEAH.

WE SEE THESE DEPICTED IN ALL OF THESE DUTCH AND FLEMISH PAINTINGS OF THE DAY, MIDDLE CLASS AND LOWER MIDDLE CLASS.

SO LIKE BRUEGHEL'S BAR FIGHTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT?

OK. YEAH.

THEY'RE IN ALL OF THOSE PAINTINGS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE... ONE OF THE PRIMARY RESOURCES WE USE FOR STUDYING THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

THE STOOL ONLY SURVIVES THERE.

WE DON'T SEE THE STOOLS ABOVEGROUND, BUT IN THE PAINTINGS.

YEAH.

HUH.

REALLY?

THE ONES I'VE SEEN IN RESEARCH TRIPS TO ENGLAND ARE ALL CHAIRS.

OK.

BUT THE STOOLS DIDN'T SURVIVE?

SO I'VE EXTRAPOLATED THIS STOOL FROM THE CHAIR CONSTRUCTION AND THE DUTCH PAINTINGS.

ONLY KNOWN IN BRUEGHEL PAINTINGS AND SO FORTH.

SO IF YOU FIND ONE OF THE ANTIQUE STOOLS, YOU'VE REALLY GOT SOMETHING.

SEND IT ON DOWN.

RIGHT.

NOW LET ME SEE.

DO YOU DO A LITTLE BEAD EVERY NOW AND THEN?

THEY OFTEN HAVE LITTLE BEADS AND OTHER RINGS.

AND AN ENGLISH WRITER, RANDALL HOLMES, 1688,

SAYS, "THEY'RE ALL WROUGHT WITH KNOPS AND RINGS."

KNOPS?

WHAT ARE KNOPS?

KNOPS ARE KNOBS.

KNOBS.

OK.

SO JUST TURNED DECORATION CUT INTO THEM, JUST AS YOU DO THERE.

[CLANG] ALL RIGHT.

SO--OOP.

THERE YOU GO.

NOT JUST AS I DO THERE, BUT KIND OF LIKE I DO THERE.

I DO IT LIKE THAT.

YOU DO THAT?

YOU HAVE A LITTLE TRACK RIGHT ACROSS IT THERE?

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S MOXON'S "DOCK," ISN'T IT?

DOCK.

"I DOCKED IT."

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WITH GREEN WOOD, IT'S QUICK TO FIX AS WELL AS IT IS QUICK TO MESS UP.

PAINT WILL HIDE THAT JUST FINE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT LOOKS SWELL.

LET'S MOVE RIGHT ON HERE.

SO WE'VE GOT THE-- THAT'S THE WHOLE PREMISE.

YOU JUST TURN ALL THOSE PIECES.

THEY'RE BASIC CYLINDERS.

OK, BUT THAT'S CYLINDERS, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TO DO SOME RECTANGLES.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH.

NOW WE HAVE TO CUT THAT RECTANGULAR TENON, AND THAT IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

JUST A...ONE LITTLE TRICK TO IT.

WELL, YOU'VE GOT THESE COOL BLOCKS HERE.

NOW, WHAT ARE THESE?

THOSE ARE CALLED...

IN THE 17th CENTURY,

WE HAVE SEEN THEM CALLED JOINERS SADDLES BY JOSEPH MOXON.

AND A V-BLOCK OR A CRADLE WE'D CALL THEM TODAY, AND THEY'RE A REAL HANDY THING TO HAVE.

ALL RIGHT.

IN CUTTING OUT THE RECTANGULAR TENON ON THE ROUND STOCK-- WE'RE USED TO LAYING THEM OUT ON FLAT STOCK.

HERE, WHAT I DO IS I MARK A VERTICAL CENTER LINE

RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDST OF THE PIECE.

AND THAT SERVES AS MY ORIENTATION.

AND THEN I HAVE MARKED ANOTHER CENTER LINE HERE AND JUST A CENTER POINT HERE AND CONNECT THEM.

UH-HUH.

AND AT THAT STAGE, I GRAB MY MORTISE CHISEL, AND I JUST EYEBALL THAT RIGHT ON THAT CENTER LINE AND JUST LEAN ON IT HERE AND THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF EYEBALLING IN THIS.

YEAH.

BUT YOU'RE STILL WORKING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE BENCH ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE EYEBALLING LOTS OF ANGLES.

YOU ARE TRYING TO GET AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE BENCH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THEN I'VE MARKED THAT OUT ON THIS END.

BUT I WANT TO MARK IT OUT ON THE BOTTOM, TOO.

SO I'M GONNA ROLL IT 180 DEGREES AND THEN CHECK IT WITH THE SQUARE AGAIN.

OK.

AND REPEAT THAT WHOLE PROCESS.

THE POINT OF CHECKING IT HERE IS JUST TO SEE

THAT I HAVEN'T NOW TILTED THIS ROUND

AND LAY OUT A CRAZY TENON.

I'VE GOT ENOUGH TROUBLES WITH THIS THING.

OK.

SO USING THE BENCH TOP AS A REFERENCE THERE.

AND THE SQUARE, JUST WORKING OFF

CENTER LINES AND PLUMB LINES.

WHAT A COOL THING.

REAL SIMPLE.

IT'S AKIN TO SOME ACTUATING IN TIMBER FRAMING.

SO AT THIS POINT, IT'S JUST CUTTING

THE SHOULDERS ON THESE PIECES.

YOU WANT TO DO THAT?

I'VE GOT A SAW HERE.

AND THIS IS ASH.

SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S FRESH, IT WON'T BE SO WET, YOU SAY?

IT SHOULD CUT PRETTY WELL.

BECAUSE ASH IS ASTOUNDINGLY DRY.

YEAH.

THE FABLE ABOUT ASH IS THAT IT WILL BURN EVEN WHEN IT'S GREEN.

THAT'S WHY I STUCK THAT IN THE STOVE, TRYING TO HIDE THE EVIDENCE.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

YOU JUST WANT TO WATCH THAT YOU DON'T CUT THROUGH THAT TENON DOWN ON THIS SIDE.

YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE WAYS TO GO.

YEAH, I DO.

AM I ABOUT THERE?

ALL RIGHT.

JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE.

THERE YOU ARE.

OVER HERE, YOU'RE ALL RIGHT.

OK. AND ONE MORE HERE.

AND ONE MORE HERE.

OK. NOW, THIS SIDE HERE.

AND YOU TURNED THAT LINE INTO IT.

YEAH, I SCRIBED THAT SHOULDER WHILE IT WAS ON THE LATHE,

JUST DID THAT WITH AN AWL.

WOW.

THAT MADE IT EASY.

YEAH.

AND SQUARE.

WE KNOW THAT'S 90 DEGREES THEN... THAT'S RIGHT.

TO THE LENGTH OF THE STRETCHER.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HOW ARE WE DOING DOWN THERE?

AM I COMING IN CLOSE?

YOU'RE--OH, OH, OH.

YOU'RE FINE.

YOU CAN STOP THERE.

HA HA HA!

OOPS.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

OH, WELL.

SO NOW WE'VE GOT THAT.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA RIP THIS DOWN WITH THE SAW AGAIN?

NO, NO, NO, NO.

NO?

REMEMBER, THE ASH IS A RINGED POROUS HARDWOOD.

THE WHOLE SHTICK WITH THIS IS YOU CAN SPLIT THESE PIECES.

SO I KNOW THIS PIECE FROM WORKING IT IN THE BEGINNING.

I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD-- YOU KNEW IT WHEN IT WAS A TREE.

I KNEW IT WHEN IT WAS A LOG.

AND I'M JUST GONNA CHUCK IT LIKE THAT

AND SPLIT THAT STUFF OFF.

ALL RIGHT.

HOLD IT TIGHT THERE.

YOU GOT ENOUGH CRANK ON THAT?

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT DID IT.

JUST LIKE THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THERE ARE YOUR PEGS FOR LATER ON.

YEAH, IF YOU NEED THEM.

AND THEN YOU SOMETIMES CAN COME BACK A LITTLE BIT-- SO YOU SPLIT, WHAT?

JUST...

I SPLIT JUST OUTSIDE MY LINE.

SO YOU KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WHERE THIS WOOD IS GONNA GO.

AND THAT GIVES YOU JUST A LITTLE ROOM FOR... AH.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU RIVE THE WOOD-- YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA BE STRAIGHT-GRAINED AND VERY STRONG AND QUICK TO WORK WITH.

YEAH.

SO AT THAT POINT, I DO A LITTLE MORE SPLITTING AND SOME PARING TO FINISH THAT TENON OFF.

OK.

SO WE GET A TENON.

NOW, WHAT ELSE?

ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT?

WELL, YEAH.

THIS ONE NOW NEEDS ITS SEAT GROOVE.

OH, OK.

HOLD THAT WOODEN PLANK SEAT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

WE'RE NOT GONNA WRAP A SEAT ON THIS ONE.

YEAH.

SO THAT'S WHAT HAS GOT TO GO IN THOSE GROOVES.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA SET IT HERE ON THE BENCH IN THE VISE, IN THE DOGS.

NOW, WHO WOULD MAKE THESE?

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT TURNERS WOULD HAVE A BENCH LIKE THIS.

IT'S SOMETHING ELSE?

THERE'S GREAT STORIES ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE

IN LONDON BETWEEN JOINERS AND TURNERS, AND ONLY THE JOINERY CAN USE THE GROOVING PLANE OR THE PLOW PLANE.

AND THEY REALLY WERE VERY STRICT ABOUT THAT.

OK. WELL, UNLESS YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH IT, I GUESS.

DON'T GET CAUGHT.

SO HERE WE'RE GONNA USE A PLOW PLANE, AND WE USE IT IN JOINERS WORK ALL THE TIME... ALL RIGHT.

WHERE THE FENCE GUIDES THE CUTTING IRON TO CUT THAT GROOVE.

AND THAT HAS-- THAT'S THE IRON.

SO BASICALLY IT'S A CHISEL HELD IN A FRAME WITH A GUIDE FENCE ON IT RIGHT THERE.

AND WE KNOW THIS FROM THE 17th CENTURY?

OH, AND MOXON AS WELL.

SO USUALLY IT RUNS ALONG A FLAT PIECE.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

SO WE DO IT ON THE EDGE.

BUT WE'RE RUNNING IT ALONG THIS ROUND BIT.

SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.

LET'S SEE HOW YOU DO IT.

SO WHAT I DO IS I JUST POSITION MY HEAD ABOVE THE TOP CENTER OF THAT CYLINDER.

AND I'M LOOKING AT WHAT WE CALL

THE SKATE OF THE TOOL THERE.

AND I'LL JUST START TO PICK INTO THAT WOOD.

SO AGAIN, EVEN WITH THIS, YOU'RE HAVING TO EYEBALL.

THIS IS EYEBALLED, YEAH.

WOW.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THE TOP CENTER OF THIS EASILY ENOUGH.

WOW.

AND THAT ASH IS NICE STRAIGHT-GRAINED STUFF.

IT CUTS BEAUTIFULLY.

OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

AND THEN YOU JUST START TO EXTEND BACK AS I'VE GOT THAT DEPTH.

NOW I'M JUST CUTTING INTO THAT GROOVE.

SO IT SORT OF TRACKS ITSELF A LITTLE BIT.

AND START AT THE FAR END AND THEN WORK YOUR WAY BACKWARDS?

SO I'M GOING BACKWARDS AS I GO FORWARDS.

HA HA HA!

PROGRESS.

AND SO THAT'S THE WHOLE...

THAT'S THE WHOLE WRAP.

AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE THE GROOVE THAT THIS SEAT IS GOING TO DROP INTO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

OK. WE HOPE.

AND WE WANT IT DEEP ENOUGH SO THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA FALL OUT.

YEAH.

I MAKE IT A HALF-INCH DEEP

OR EVEN A SHADE DEEPER.

THIS WILL SHRINK.

YOU SIT BY THE FIRE, THIS WILL SHRINK, AND BAM, YOU'RE ON THE FLOOR.

SO YOU BE CAREFUL THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, WE'VE GOT IT READY TO GO NOW.

THAT'S READY TO ASSEMBLE.

WELL...NO.

WE'VE GOT THE POSTS.

WE'VE GOT TO CUT SOME JOINTS IN THE POSTS STILL.

OH, OK. OH, OH, OH.

THE THROUGH-POSTS.

RIGHT.

OK.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE RECTANGULAR MORTISE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I'VE STARTED THIS ONE.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU-- THE LAYOUT FOR IT IS REALLY QUITE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID FOR THE RECTANGULAR TENON.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THE EXACT SAME IDEA.

I LAID THAT PLUMB LINE ON THERE, MARKED OUT THAT MORTISE.

AND I'VE STARTED CHOPPING IT THROUGH FROM THIS SIDE,

AND I'M JUST ABOUT AT THE POINT WHERE I'M GONNA ROLL IT OVER AND COME IN FROM THE OTHER SIDE AND MEET THAT IN THE MIDDLE.

AND YOU'VE LAID THAT OUT WITH THE SAME CHISEL THAT YOU USED BEFORE.

EXACTLY THE SAME.

SO THAT MAKES IT THE SAME WIDTH, OF COURSE, UP THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HOPEFULLY EVERYTHING WILL WORK.

WELL, NOW, SEE.

I TOLD YOU THIS WAS EASY.

YOU WERE GOING ON AND ON ABOUT HOW TOUGH THIS IS.

WELL, YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET, ROY.

HA HA HA!

NOW, I LIKE THE WAY YOU MORTISE THERE.

YOU CUT A-- YOU HAVE A... GOOD STYLE THERE.

YOU CUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE TO MAKE YOUR RELIEF CUT.

YEAH.

I START A V-NOTCH RIGHT IN THE CENTER... MM-HMM.

[HAMMERING]

AND GO BACK AND FORTH.

WITH THE BEVEL FACING INTO THAT, YEAH.

AND THE BEVEL IS JUST ABOUT PLUMB.

THE TOOL IS AT AN ANGLE.

RIGHT.

AND THAT BRINGS THE CHIP UP THE BEVEL.

I LIKE THIS.

YEAH.

THAT'S HOW I DO THEM IN MY OAK FURNITURE.

NOW, A LOT OF YOUR WORK HAS BEEN STUDYING THE OLD STUFF AND LOOKING FOR THE TOOL MARKS, TOO.

OH, YEAH.

SO YOU'VE REALLY-- THESE PARTICULAR CHAIRS I'VE SEEN IN NUMEROUS MUSEUMS ON TRIPS TO ENGLAND.

AND THEY'RE JUST ASTOUNDING.

THEY'RE OFTEN EXTREMELY DECORATED.

THE 3-LEGGED ONES?

THE 3-LEGGED CHAIRS, YEAH.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE AN IDEA WHO...HA HA HA... DID NOT LAST.

I THINK IT-- WELL, IT LASTED FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED YEARS, BECAUSE THEY GO BACK TO THE 15th CENTURY.

BUT BY 1660, I WOULD SAY,

THEY ARE OLD-FASHIONED AND NEARLY GONE.

MAN.

NOW, I'M LOOKING AT THIS HERE, THE WAY YOU'RE CUTTING, IT'S CUTTING REAL WELL.

IS THERE A DIRECTION YOU TRY AND ORIENT THE RINGS?

UM, I DO, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT PERIOD CORRECT.

I MEAN, THEY PROBABLY JUST CHOP THEM HOWEVER THEY LAID IT OUT.

I HAVE CUT THIS RIGHT IN...

INTO THE GROWTH-RING PLANES.

SO I'M REALLY CUTTING RIGHT DOWN THE RADIAL PLANE OF THIS PIECE OF WOOD.

I DO THAT JUST FOR EASE OF CUTTING.

IT MAKES IT SIMPLER.

LOOKING DOWN THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT READY TO BREAK THROUGH.

ALL RIGHT.

OOPS.

UH-OH.

IF IT JARS LOOSE LIKE THAT, WE CAN-- WHACK IT AGAIN.

WHACK IT AGAIN.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW THAT'S THAT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TENON ON THE-- THE MORTISE FOR THE TENON TO GO IN UP HERE.

WHAT ABOUT DOWN HERE NOW?

WELL, DOWN THERE, WE'RE GONNA BORE

A HOLE FOR THE STRETCHER, AND ONE SEAT RAIL IS GONNA LIE RIGHT IN HERE, AND THE STRETCHER IS GOING TO BE IN THE SAME PLANE AS THAT.

SO I HAVE THIS BIT RIGHT HERE.

OH, WOW.

TO BORE THAT HOLE.

YEAH.

SO THIS IS THE OLD-SCHOOL BIT HERE.

WHAT IS THAT?

THAT IS A SPOON BIT, AND IT'S A BEAUTY.

THAT'S AN ANTIQUE ONE.

WOW.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

OK.

BUT THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES TO USING IT, PARTICULARLY ON THIS ROUND STOCK.

IT'S A FAVORITE OF CHAIR MAKERS.

BUT I'VE PICKED UP A BLOCK TO BOOST ME UP A BIT.

OH, OK.

THERE'S NO LEAD SCREW, NOTHING TO DRAW THIS IN.

SO YOU LEAN ON IT TO MAKE IT GO.

SO I LIKE TO GET UP A LITTLE HIGHER.

YOU'VE GOT TO PUSH HARD IN OTHER WORDS.

OK. AND THE ROUND BIT ON THE ROUND STOCK

SOMETIMES WANTS TO WALK THIS WAY OR THAT.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE YOUR HOLDFAST IS HOLDING.

OK.

SO TO START IT, I'M WIGGLING BACK AND FORTH.

AND I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT MY ANGLE YET.

I'M JUST STARTING A DEPRESSION THAT WILL FALL WITHIN MY LAYOUT.

YOU'VE MADE KIND OF A SOCKET THERE, AND THIS IS LIKE A BALL.

SO CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR ANGLE AT THIS POINT STILL?

I'M TURNING THE HEAD OF THIS AROUND AND AROUND.

I HAVEN'T REACHED FULL DIAMETER YET.

SO YOU'RE MOVING THAT SOCKET AROUND, AND NOW STRAIGHT ON DOWN.

NOW I'VE GOT IT WHERE I WANT IT.

SO AT THIS STAGE, I'M GONNA LEAN ON IT.

LOOK AT THAT SHAVING.

THAT IS SO DIFFERENT.

AND AT THAT POINT,

I SOMETIMES WILL THROW A SQUARE HERE TO SIGHT THIS AND TO SIGHT THAT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF DAY IT IS.

I WANT TO COME BACK TO ME A LITTLE.

OH, OK.

SO VERY...YEAH.

YOU CAN DO THAT TO SOME DEGREE WITH THIS.

LOOK AT THAT SHAVING.

THAT IS SO DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER KIND OF AUGERS.

YOU EVER FIND THESE IN A RAT'S NEST?

THAT WOULD BE A COOL THING TO FIND IN AN OLD HOUSE.

LOOK AT THAT.

I DON'T LOOK IN RATS' NESTS.

WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK FOR SHAVINGS.

YOU LOOK IN ALL KINDS OF ARCHAEOLOGY.

NEXT TIME I'M LOOKING FOR SHAVINGS, I'LL LOOK IN A RAT'S NEST.

BUT I HAVE.

I'VE WORKED IN OLD HOUSES, AND THE RATS BRING IN STUFF.

AH, NEVER MIND.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S CARRY ON NOW.

SO WE'RE READY TO PUT THIS TOGETHER...

EXCEPT FOR-- WAIT A MINUTE.

WE'VE GOT ONE MORE HOLE.

WE'VE GOT TO DO THE ONE THROUGH THERE.

YEAH.

THIS ONE IS FOR A CHAIR THAT-- IF WE SUCCEED ON THIS CHAIR,

I'LL PUT THIS IN IN CHAIR NUMBER TWO.

I'VE GOT A SAMPLE HERE.

NOW, SEE, I WANT YOU TO DO THIS ONE IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND HERE.

YEAH.

I'LL SHOW YOU HOW WE GET THAT ANGLE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE TRICK.

BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING I MADE UP, AND I HOPED YOU WERE GONNA MAKE ME A CHAIR, BUT THIS IS JUST A PIECE OF PINE AND A PIECE OF OAK HERE.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANYTHING HERE TODAY.

OK.

SO I'LL DRIVE THIS ONE IN.

ALL RIGHT.

[HAMMERING]

AND SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OF YOUR SUB-ASSEMBLIES.

NOW, THE THING IS, THIS OTHER ONE HAS TO COME IN AT JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE TO INTERSECT.

JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE, SURE.

SO LET'S JUST LIGHTLY TAP THAT THERE.

OK.

NOW, YOU CAN FIND THAT ANGLE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

IF YOU COULD FIND MY OLD WORK BENCH,

SCRIBED ON THE TOP OF MY OLD WORK BENCH WAS THE SEAT PLAN.

BUT I BUILT A NEW BENCH.

SO THAT SEAT PLAN IS GONE.

BUT I KNOW YOUR TRICK.

YOU USE YOUR SEAT.

I JUST DROP ONE IN THE TAPER, AND NOW WE'RE JUST GONNA ROLL THAT OVER TO YOU UNTIL THIS... COME TO YOU, YOU, YOU A LONG WAYS UNTIL THAT'S GONNA COME UP PLUMB.

SO RIGHT THERE.

OK. AND THAT--WAIT.

YOU WENT A SHADE OVER.

RIGHT THERE.

SO I'M GONNA HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.

SO YOU USE THE SEAT ITSELF AS THE THING.

I'VE SEEN YOU DO THIS, AND IT'S JUST GREAT.

IT SIMPLIFIES THINGS BECAUSE WE AREN'T ASSEMBLING IT YET.

CUTTING IT IS ONE THING, ROY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S SEE.

WE CAN GO RIGHT THROUGH-- OH, YOU'VE CHANGED BITS.

I'M SWITCHING BITS IN THIS CASE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.

ONE IS, THIS SAMPLE PIECE IS SMALLER THAN MY 2 1/2 INCH DIAMETER CHAIR LEG,

AND THIS OLD SPOON BIT WILL JUST MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT CHAIR LEG, BUT YOU'RE PUSHING YOUR LUCK WITH IT.

AND I DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE TO BREAK THAT ANTIQUE.

AND THIS--OH, RIGHT.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO GET RIGHT ON THROUGH THERE.

USE THIS MODERN AUGER BIT.

AW, MAN.

SO NOW MY TOOL IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE BENCH.

I CAN SET IT WITH A SQUARE.

ALWAYS TRY AND WORK VERTICALLY.

AND THAT WAY, IT'S JUST EASIER FOR YOU TO GET THAT ANGLE.

AND THEN YOU JUST BORE RIGHT THROUGH THE POST,

AND YOU'LL HEAR IT CRUNCH INTO THAT TENON.

HA HA HA!

THERE IT GOES.

OK.

SO IT'S GONE THROUGH THE PINE AND INTO THE OAK.

NOW IT'S INTO THE OAK.

AND WE JUST WANT TO WATCH THAT BOTTOM.

SEE, THIS MODERN BIT HAS THAT LEAD SCREW.

OK.

I GOT YOU.

BUT SINCE YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, IT WON'T LEAVE TELLTALE MARKS OF THE MODERN AUGER IN THIS KIND OF THING.

SO YOU BORE RIGHT ON-- IF YOU CAN GET THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, THEN THE HOLE WILL BE FILLED ANYWAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I'VE GOT HOW THIS GOES TOGETHER, BUT I THINK WE HAVE THE MOST CHALLENGING THING RIGHT NOW, IS TO PUT IT TOGETHER.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I'M TELLING YOU.

I SEE HOW IT GOES.

BUT THIS IS FINE.

THIS IS FINE.

WE CAN DO THIS.

LET'S GET THE PIECES.

CUTTING THEM IS EASY.

ALL RIGHT.

BRING THE PIECES ON UP.

WE'RE GONNA SEE JUST HOW TOUGH THIS IS HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE'S ONE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT GOES TO THE OUTSIDE.

I GOT THAT.

AND...THIS GOES, UH...

GROOVE TO THE... YEP, THERE WE GO.

IS THIS ONE HERE?/ I DON'T KNOW.

NO.

IT'S LOW.

NO.

SO GIVE ME THAT ONE.

SO YOU GET THIS ONE.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'VE GOT IT.

AND I'M GONNA TAP THIS IN.

OH, I CAN'T TAP IT IN YET.

YOU CAN GET IT STARTED.

YOU CAN JUST START THEM.

BUT WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO ADD HERE.

HOLY COW.

THIS IS, UH...

I BUILT ONE ONCE AND FORGOT THE SEAT.

AH.

AND YOU START WHALING AWAY

ON THOSE JOINTS WITHOUT THE SEAT, THEN YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE SOMETHING.

SO EVERYTHING HAS TO CONVERGE LIKE YOU PUT GUNPOWDER AND IT BLEW IT UP, BUT NOW YOU'RE PLAYING IT BACKWARDS.

OK.

THIS IS LIKE WE CALL IT THE GUY FAWKES CHAIR.

YEAH.

SO YOU WANT TO WATCH THE SEAT IS FALLING INTO THE GROOVES.

YEAH.

AND NOW YOUR TENONS COMING IN HERE.

OK.

SO I'LL HIT HERE.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER AS WELL THE STRETCHERS.

OK.

THEY COME IN A LITTLE AFTER.

AH, THIS IS CRAZY, BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HIT ONE SIDE, IT GOES OUT THE OTHER SIDE.

THIS IS GOING WELL.

I SHOULD HAVE HAD YOU HERE EARLIER.

LET ME SEE.

TURN IT THAT WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

TURN IT THIS WAY.

WAIT.

LOOK AT THIS STRETCHER.

I CAN'T DO IT!

AAH!

I TOLD YOU.

YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE ME.

IT'S INSANE.

BUT IT'S TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA SIT DOWN.

HERE WE GO.

WE'RE NOT GONNA FALL BETWEEN TWO STOOLS.

WE'RE GONNA SIT ON TWO STOOLS.

I MUST SAY, PETER FOLLANSBEE, IT IS A TROUBLESOME TRIANGULAR CHAIR, BUT WE HAVE DONE IT BY WORKING TOGETHER, LAD.

THANKS SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

THANKS FOR HELPING ME OUT.

I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

ROY UNDERHILL WITH PETER FOLLANSBEE HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

WHEW!

LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP"

AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ON-LINE 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.