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 ME AGAIN TODAY
BECAUSE WE HAVE WITH US ONE OF OUR FAVORITE CRAFTSMEN, ARTISANS, AND SCHOLARS, MR. PETER FOLLANSBEE... HI, ROY.
HOW YOU DOING?
FROM PLYMOUTH PLANTATION WHO STUDIES-- I'M FINE, BUT PETER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BOOK HERE.
OH, THAT BOOK.
NO, I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE BOOK, ROY.
I'M LOOKING AT THE BOOKSTAND, THE LITTLE EASEL THE BOOK IS ON.
OK. WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT HERE, IS WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS.
NOW TELL US ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS GREAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING I MADE BASED ON A 17th-CENTURY ORIGINAL THAT I SAW IN A HOUSE MUSEUM IN MASSACHUSETTS.
SORT OF AN OFFSHOOT OF TURNED CHAIR-MAKING I THINK OF IT.
THAT'S GREAT, BUT IT HAS THE ADDED ATTRACTION THAT IT'S MECHANICAL, TOO.
YEAH.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY AN EASEL FOR A BOOK AND A VARIATION ON A BOOKSTAND,
LIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS.
TO HOLD IT AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS.
THOSE TWO PIECES ROTATE IN THE FRAME.
I SEE.
OK.
SO THAT WHOLE SPINDLE ROTATES RIGHT THERE.
WHEN YOU DO THAT, IT'S THIS WHOLE PIECE IS MOVING UP AND DOWN BECAUSE IT'S LOOSE IN ITS TENONS DOWN AT THE END.
THAT'S RIGHT.
OK. THAT'S GREAT.
ALL RIGHT.
THEN A SHELF HERE FITTED UP TO THE BOTTOM WITH SOME TURNED FEET.
AH, THAT'S SPLENDID.
AGAIN, WELL... AND YOU'RE SAYING YOU FOUND THIS IN AN OLD HOUSE, THIS MUSEUM?
YEAH, I HAD SEEN IT.
I HAD BEEN THERE TO LOOK AT THEIR FURNITURE AND TOOK A FEW MINUTES TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT THEY HAD, AND THERE WAS THIS CREATURE.
WELL, YOU TOLD ME NOW THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD NOT FIND IN A BOOK.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT.
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I'VE EVER SEEN.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE IN A BOOK.
WELL, HERE'S ONE IN A BOOK RIGHT HERE.
HA HA HA!
THAT'S A TRICK BOOK YOU HAVE.
THIS IS A WOODWORKING BOOK HERE, SO ANYWAY, HERE ARE ALL THE PARTS WE HAVE.
SO PETER'S GONNA SHOW US HOW THEY ALL-- HOW TO MAKE THEM AND THEN HOW TO PUT THEM TOGETHER.
SURE.
BUT AGAIN, THE LESSON.
IT'S NOT JUST THE BOOKSTAND.
THIS IS THE LESSON FOR ALL SPINDLE CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THIS SHARES WITH CHAIR-MAKING, AND CERTAINLY ANY TURNED WORK HAS SOME OF THE SAME ELEMENTS.
THIS ONE I MADE OUT OF ASH AND AN OAK SHELF,
AND THESE BITS ARE SOME MAPLE AND ASH FOR ANOTHER ONE.
SO REALLY, YOU CAN GET STUFF JUST RIGHT OUT OF THE FIREWOOD PILE.
SURE.
LOOK AT IT.
JUST A SHORT LENGTH OF WOOD WILL DO THAT.
THAT'S GREAT.
SO THESE ARE GETTING READY TO-- YOU'VE GOT TO TURN THESE FIRST, I GUESS, AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CARVING THERE AND SOME HOLE-BORING AND STUFF.
SO WHERE DO WE BEGIN?
WELL, I HAVE ONE THAT I'M WORKING ON.
AS I SAID, THIS ONE'S ASH.
THIS IS A MIXTURE OF ASH AND MAPLE.
THOSE NATIVE NEW ENGLAND WOODS THAT I USE ALL THE TIME FOR MY WORK I SPLIT FROM A LOG, SHAVE THEM WITH A HATCHET OR A DRAWKNIFE,
AND THEN TURN THEM.
BUT I'VE BEEN MAKING SOME LATELY OUT OF SOME WALNUT, AND THIS STUFF CAME TO ME AS SAWN STOCK, SO I'VE HAD TO RIP IT INTO THESE SQUARES.
SO YOU'RE NOT USED TO WALNUT.
THAT IS SO FUNNY.
NO.
I DON'T USE IT MUCH UP THERE.
THAT'S SO FUNNY.
AND I DON'T WANT-- I CAN TURN A SQUARE, BUT ON MY LATHE, I'D RATHER... HAVE IT OCTAGONAL BEFORE I PUT IT ON THE LATHE.
OK.
SO HOW DO YOU OCTAGONALIZE A PIECE LIKE THAT?
WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS SET IT ON THE BENCH WITH ONE END OF IT PROPPED UP IN THIS LITTLE V-BLOCK CALLED A JOINER'S SADDLE.
AND THIS IS OUT OF MOXON?
MOXON HAS...YEAH, YEAH.
SO THAT'S A 17th-CENTURY AUTHOR ON WOODWORKING.
IT'S A GREAT SOURCE FOR US.
SO I JUST PROP IT UP LIKE THAT, BRACE IT AGAINST A BENCH HOOK OR A BENCH DOG,
AND THEN...
LOOK AT THAT.
SHAVE THOSE CORNERS DOWN.
SO JUST HELD AT ONE END?
YOU CAN DO IT
IN A SHAVING HORSE WITH A DRAWKNIFE.
BUT MY GOSH.
BUT I JUST-- I WORK AT THE BENCH ALL THE TIME.
IT'S WHAT I'M USED TO.
YOU ARE GOING TO TOWN.
SO BRING IT DOWN TO AN OCTAGON, AND THEN IT'S READY FOR THE LATHE THERE.
HA HA HA!
NOW WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THAT PLANE THERE WHEN YOU GET THAT SIDE DOWN.
WELL, THAT'S A PRETTY SPECIAL PLANE.
THAT IS A SPECIAL PLANE.
IT'S GOT A NAIL IN IT.
NOW, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING, TO SPRING FOR THAT NAIL AND EVERYTHING.
BUT IT'S A VERY UNUSUAL FORM TO ME.
ASK ME WHAT KIND OF WOOD IT IS.
WELL, WHAT KIND OF WOOD IS IT?
THAT'S MADE OUT OF FIREWOOD.
I MADE THIS PLANE
WITH A BLACKSMITH FRIEND OF MINE, MARK AITCHESON, AND IT'S BASED
ON ONE OF THE FINDS FROM THE MARY ROSE.
AND WHAT WAS THE MARY ROSE?
THE MARY ROSE, THE SHIPWRECK
OFF THE COAST OF PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND, 1545.
WOW.
SO THAT WAS HENRY VIII THEN.
HENRY VIII'S SHIP.
AND IN THE 1980's,
A TREMENDOUS CREW OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN-- SINCE THE 1980's, HAVE BEEN RECOVERING THE SHIP AND ITS ARTIFACTS, AND AMONG THEM WERE CARPENTER'S TOOLS.
SO THAT PLANE I BASED ON SOME ARCHAEOLOGICAL DRAWINGS THEY PUBLISHED.
THAT'S GREAT.
AND IT'S JUST A LITTLE SINGLE IRON THERE.
YEAH, A LITTLE SINGLE IRON MADE OUT OF WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL.
AND OVER TIME, THIS HORRIBLE FLAW THAT I CHOSE THIS HORRIBLE PIECE OF WOOD... YEAH, YOU'VE GOT A BIG OLD CRACK.
LED TO A CRACK IN THERE.
SO I JUST NAILED IT SHUT.
OH, MY GOSH.
BUT IT WORKS GREAT.
SO THIS SINGLE-IRON PLANE.
WELL, ALL RIGHT.
JUST...SHOWS TO GO YOU THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
JUST SHOWS TO GO YOU IS RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
SO YOU GET THESE THINGS DOWN OCTAGONAL NOW, AND NOW THEY'RE READY FOR THE LATHE?
AT THAT POINT-- WELL, THEY'RE ALMOST READY.
ONE OF THE PIECES I LIKE TO DO IS MARK THE CENTERS.
SO I SET IT UP IN MY VISE.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO MARK THE CENTERS, BUT I'VE SET THIS PAIR OF COMPASSES
TO THE DIAMETER I'M AFTER.
AND I JUST SORT OF EYEBALL WHERE IT'S GOING TO FALL.
A VERY DIRECT METHOD, YEAH.
THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD TO ME.
SO IT'S GONNA FIT IN THERE.
OK. AND THEN I JUST LEAN ON THAT POINT, AND THAT PRESSES THE CENTER POINT
AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO?
OK.
THE OTHER WAY IS TO TUMBLE, AND YOU USE THE DIVIDERS, BUT, BOY, THAT GETS IT DONE.
YEAH.
LOTS OF WAYS TO SKIN A CAT.
SO THAT'S HOW I PREP THEM, AND WE'VE GOT SOME ON THE LATHE.
OK. WELL, LET'S GO.
NOW, THIS IS THE SAME KIND OF LATHE YOU USE, BUT THIS IS A MORE COMPACT ONE, AS WE SAY.
YOU'VE GOTTEN USED TO USING THIS A LITTLE BIT, THOUGH?
WELL, I'VE HAD SOME FUN WITH IT.
ALL RIGHT.
AND SO HERE I HAVE ONE OF THE CROSSPIECES, ONE OF THE RAILS ON THIS.
AND THAT'S ALL SET BETWEEN THESE TWO SHARP POINTS.
SO THERE'S JUST POINTS
AND THEN THE CORD WRAPPED AROUND IT
AND THE SPRINGPOLE IS HELPING ON THE RETURN.
AND YOU CUT ON THE DOWNSTROKE.
CUT ON THE DOWNSTROKE.
SO HERE WE HAVE THAT OCTAGONAL STOKE, MATERIAL, AND I'VE GOT A GOUGE HERE TO START TO ROUGH THAT DOWN.
WOW.
SO YOU GO AND...
WOW.
OK.
SO IT'S GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE OCTAGON, AND YOU CAN HEAR IT CUT SMOOTHLY.
IT JUST STARTS TO TAKE THOSE FACETS DOWN, AND IN A FEW PASSES, WE'LL GET YOU DOWN TO A CYLINDER, AND THEN I EVEN ROLL THE GOUGE A LITTLE BIT ONTO ITS SIDE, AND AT THAT STAGE, I'D PROBABLY SWITCH A, UM...A SKEW CHISEL.
THIS IS GREAT.
NOW, HOW DO YOU LIKE TURNING WALNUT?
OH, I LOVE IT.
IT'S MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS WORK.
AS I SAID, I'M NEW TO IT.
THAT'S ASTOUNDING.
THERE YOU REALLY SEE THE WAY THAT MATERIAL RESPONDS.
IT POLISHES UP NICELY.
WELL, YOU'VE GOT THAT DIAGONAL SHEARING CUT
WITH THAT GOUGE ACROSS IT, AND THEN THE BEVEL IS POLISHING IT SO YOU'VE REALLY GOT A LUSTER TO THAT ALREADY.
YEP.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST CUT A LITTLE BEAD.
I JUST USE THE POINT OF THE SKEW LIKE THAT.
OK.
SO YOU USE THE POINT OF THE SKEW.
OK. JUST ESSENTIALLY MAKING A BEVEL THERE.
AND ROLL THE TOOL UP A LITTLE BIT.
MAKE A BEVEL THERE.
AND THEN JUST SORT OF BLEND THOSE BEVELS LIKE THAT.
RIGHT.
I KEEP FIDDLING WITH THAT TREADLE.
BUT THE TENON... AND THEN WE CAN BEVEL RIGHT TO THIS.
AH, THERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
JUST MAKE A LITTLE NECK RIGHT THERE AND A CENTER LINE.
BUT THE TENON...
SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT MEASURE THOSE WITH A PAIR OF CALIPERS TO GET THE TENONS YOUR SIZE, THE SIZE YOU NEED.
I LIKE TO USE-- IF YOU'D HOLD THAT.
MMM.
OK.
A SCRAP PIECE OF HARD SCRAP WOOD.
AND I'VE BORED A TEST HOLE IN IT.
SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS BEVEL THE VERY END OF MY TENON.
AND I KNOW THAT'S EXTRA-LARGE RIGHT THERE.
OK.
AND AT THAT POINT, I THINK WE CAN POP THAT OUT AND TRY TO FORCE IT IN THAT TEST HOLE.
AND THAT WILL... [TAP TAP]
SEE WHAT THAT DOES.
OK.
SO ALL I DO IS THEN PUSH AND TWIST LIKE THAT.
UH-HUH.
AND THAT BURNISHES A MARK ON THE END OF OUR TENON.
OK.
I GOT IT.
NOW I TURN THE REST OF IT DOWN TO THAT.
AND THAT MAKES THEM PERFECTLY FIT THE HOLE.
ALL RIGHT.
OK.
ALL YOU HAVE TO WATCH FOR IS PERIODICALLY THAT HOLE WILL GET REAMED, AND YOU NEED TO BORE ANOTHER TEST HOLE.
OH, BOY.
OK.
SO, NOW THAT'S THE TURNING NOW.
YOU'VE GOT IT ALL ROUND.
WE'VE GOT SOME BORING TO DO, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY ALL IT IS, IS TURNING AND BORING.
IT'S JUST LIKE A LITTLE TURNED CHAIR,
LIKE A TURNED CHAIR FOR TOM THUMB.
HA HA HA!
OK.
SO, WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?
I HAVE SOME BITS OF THAT MAPLE ONE.
AND WHAT I HAVE STARTED IS I'VE BEEN BORING THOSE HOLES.
LET'S SLIDE THIS UP A LITTLE BIT HERE.
I SEE.
ARE YOU GONNA BORE THIS HOLE NOW?
BECAUSE I WANT TO LOOK AT HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO IT BEFORE YOU DO IT, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO IT WITH.
BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING DOWN INSIDE.
YOU'RE PEEKING INSIDE MY HOLES.
I WAS LOOKING DOWN INSIDE THERE, AND I CAN SEE THE CENTER POINTS DOWN THERE OF A SPIRAL AUGER, A SCREW AUGER, A JENNINGS BIT.
NOW, THAT WASN'T INVENTED.
THAT'S THIS KIND OF BIT RIGHT HERE.
YOU CAUGHT ME, ROY.
WELL, YOU PREFER USING THAT JENNINGS BIT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU DID RIGHT THERE.
FOR THESE I DO.
IF THIS WERE A TURNED CHAIR, I'D BE USING A PERIOD-STYLE BIT BECAUSE THE TURNED CHAIRS ARE MASSIVE.
THEY'RE 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER OR MORE.
SO THERE'S ROOM FOR ERROR.
AND THOSE PERIOD BITS WANT TO WIGGLE THIS WAY AND THAT.
BUT HERE, THE TOLERANCES IN THE BOOKSTAND ARE MINOR.
SO IF THIS HOLE IS OFF THAT-A-WAY, YOU'LL REALLY KNOW IT IN THIS THING.
IT WON'T SWING.
OK.
SO I MAKE TWO BOOKSTANDS A YEAR.
I GO AHEAD AND USE THE AUGER BIT.
THE SPIRAL.
WELL, HERE.
I'VE GOT ALL THESE DIFFERENT AUGERS BORED INTO A PIECE, BUT I'VE SPLIT THE PIECE OPEN THERE SO WE CAN SEE THE SECTION.
SO THIS IS WHAT YOU'D SEE IF YOU X-RAYED IT AS WELL.
AND DIDN'T THAT SOLVE A FAMOUS CASE OF FURNITURE FORGERY?
THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE I STARTED MAKING CHAIRS, AND THERE WAS A FELLOW FROM NEW ENGLAND NAMED ARMAND LAMONTAGNE WHO MADE A COPY OF A 17th-CENTURY STYLE CHAIR IN PILGRIM HALL IN PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS.
AND IT ENDED UP IN A MUSEUM IN THE MIDWEST.
YEAH.
THEY SAID IT WAS REAL, BUT HE SAID, "NO.
X-RAY IT, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT I MADE IT."
AND IT SHOULD HAVE HAD WHAT?
THESE KIND OF HOLES RIGHT THERE?
LIKE A SPOON BIT?
YEAH.
SO THAT ROUNDED BOTTOM.
BUT INSTEAD IT HAD THE SQUARE BOTTOM HERE OF THE--AND YOU COULD EVEN SEE WHERE THE LEAD POINT IS.
THIS ONE I GOT ENTHUSIASTIC WITH, AND I WAS TRYING TO STOP IT AT THE SAME DEPTH AS THE OTHERS, BUT THE SPIRAL BIT IS SO EASY, I JUST KEPT GOING.
BUT HERE, LET'S LOOK AT THESE.
THEY ALL HAVE A DISTINCTIVE PROFILE.
WE SAW THE SPOON BIT.
THIS ONE IS WHAT NOW?
A PIERCER BIT?
WELL, YEAH, I CALL IT A PIERCER.
IT HAS LOTS OF NAMES.
LATER THEY CALL IT A BRUSH BIT, A TABLE BIT.
AND IT'S SORT OF A VARIANT OF A SPOON BIT.
IT HASN'T GOT THE TIP, THOUGH.
YEAH.
SO YOU COULDN'T HOLD SOUP IN IT.
BUT IT LEAVES A LITTLE RING ACTUALLY AT THE BOTTOM.
HERE'S THE ONE THAT DOES THE SPOON.
OK. WE'LL TAKE THAT OUT.
THIS IS A...
I THINK THIS GOES INTO THE 18th CENTURY.
SO HERE WE HAVE A NOSE AUGER OR A SHELL AUGER.
IS IT COMING OUT?
YEAH.
THERE IT IS.
A SHELL AUGER, AND THAT HAS THAT ROUNDED BOTTOM THERE.
BUT THAT HAS THAT LITTLE LIP THERE THAT DOES THE CUTTING ACROSS THE GRAIN.
IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ONE.
YEAH.
IT'S VERY NICE TO HAVE.
AND THESE ARE ANTIQUES, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON NOT TO USE THEM.
CENTER BIT FROM THE 19th CENTURY.
AND THAT DOES A FLAT-BOTTOMED HOLE WITH A PIKE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
THERE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE ACTUAL AUGER BIT RIGHT THERE.
VERY CHARACTERISTIC.
BUT THEN THIS ONE WILL LEAVE THAT SCREW POINT, AND SO THAT TELLS YOU YOU'RE UP INTO THE 19th CENTURY.
AND THEN THE FORSTNER BIT, ABOUT THE SAME THING.
SO, OK.
SO FOR THE VERY BOLD AND VERY SKILLED, YOU COULD USE THE SPOON BIT ON THIS.
RIGHT.
USE A SPOON BIT TO DO IT, AND THAT WOULD BE HISTORICALLY-- BUT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART, I'D GO WITH... THAT WOULD DO THE THING.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, VERY GOOD.
SO THAT'S OUR "BORING" HISTORY LESSON RIGHT NOW.
SO LET'S GET YOU THAT AUGER OUT, AND YOU'RE GONNA BORE ONE OF THESE HOLES?
YEAH.
YEAH.
AGAIN, THE JOINER'S SADDLE HERE,
A PAIR OF THEM, AND A HOLDFAST
ARE ALL I'M DOING TO PREP THIS.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO HOLD THAT STOCK.
YOU COULD EVEN PUT IT BETWEEN DOGS ON YOUR BENCH AND SO ON.
WHAT I HAVE DONE IS USED A RULER
AND JUST MARKED OUT THE TOP CENTER OF THIS PIECE.
YOU'RE EYEBALLING EQUIDISTANCE IN.
SO FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, JUST LOOKING IN AT THE RULE.
TRYING TO PUT MY EYE RIGHT AT THE TOP AND JUST PRICKING THAT MARK LIKE THAT.
AND THE LINE I SCORED ON THE LATHE.
OK.
SO THAT'S ALL DONE?
AND THEN IT'S JUST A CASE OF SETTING THE BIT IN PLACE AND GETTING IT STARTED.
BUT ONCE IT'S JUST ABOUT READY TO CUT,
THEN I PULL BACK,
AND I JUST CHECK IT WITH A SQUARE IN THIS PLANE AND IN THAT PLANE, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO LOOK THAT OVER.
NOW, I KNOW COCKY SORTS, YOUNG FOLKS WILL NOT DO THAT.
BUT THE OLD, EXPERIENCED GUYS I KNOW WILL ACTUALLY USE THAT.
YEAH.
WELL... AND SO THEN I JUST SORT OF GET IT SET
AND TRY NOT TO MOVE THE BRACE AS I BORE DOWN.
SO WHAT I WANT TO WATCH FOR WITH THIS BIT
IN THIS SMALL- DIAMETER MATERIAL, IS I DON'T WANT THAT SCREW TO POKE THROUGH.
SO YOU STOP RIGHT BEFORE IT POKES THROUGH.
I GOT YOU.
OK.
SO IF YOU FEEL THE BOTTOM OF THAT WIGGLE... HOW DO YOU STOP JUST BEFORE?
WELL, ROY...
YOU CAN COUNT YOUR TURNS, I GUESS, IS ONE THING.
FEEL THAT.
OH, OK. THAT'S WHERE I STOP.
THAT'S ALL YOU NEED.
AND EVEN IF I'VE BROKEN THAT FIBER, IT ISN'T ENOUGH RIGHT THERE.
SO THAT IS VERY NORMAL.
SO THEN YOU BORE THE WHOLE ROW OF THOSE.
SO IT'S GONNA END UP LOOKING LIKE THIS.
CAN WE PUT THIS ONE TOGETHER HERE?
SO THIS IS A-- WE CAN HAVE A LOOK AT IT, SURE.
THAT'S A TIGHT ONE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT'LL GO IN.
THE ONE WITH THE HOLES IN IT TAKE THE RATCHET MECHANISM.
SO THAT ONE, THE TENONS HAVE BEEN TURNED TO BE
INTENTIONALLY LOOSE LIKE THAT.
OK. AND THIS ONE IS A TIGHT ONE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE GO TIGHT, LOOSE, TIGHT, LOOSE, AND HERE'S ANOTHER LOOSEY RIGHT THERE.
OK.
SO THESE WOULD FIT IN.
AND YOU'VE GOT THAT ONE IN WALNUT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE TOGETHER, IS THAT RIGHT?
BUT ONE QUICK THING ABOUT THIS-- HERE YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING, WITH THE TIGHT ONES IN THAT POST, THAT'S REALLY THE HEART OF A TURNED-CHAIR PROJECT, IN THAT THESE CAN BE MADE AND ALLOWED TO DRY OR FORCED TO DRY,
AND THEN YOU SIZE THE TENON WHEN THE STOCK IS DRY, DRILL THE POST WHEN IT STILL HAS SOME MOISTURE IN IT SO THE POST WILL SHRINK ONTO THE DRY TENON.
SO YOU CAN BUILD THIS BOOKSTAND WITHOUT GLUE PRETTY MUCH.
AS LONG AS THIS IS WETTER HERE, A LITTLE BIT, IT'LL SHRINK UP ON IT AND HOLD IT THERE DEAD-TIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THAT'S PART OF CHAIR CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S BORROWED RIGHT FROM TURNED CHAIR-MAKING.
GETTING THESE THINGS IN LINE.
IF I LOOK AT THEM THIS WAY, THEY'RE ALL IN A DEAD LINE ALL TOGETHER.
YEAH.
DISREGARDING THESE TWO THAT FLOP ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT THAT'S GREAT.
THEY ARE ALL IN LINE.
THAT TELLS YOU YOU DID YOUR BORING WELL.
AND YOU NEED THIS IN CHAIR WORK AS WELL.
IT'S MORE CRITICAL THERE, OF COURSE.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, EXCELLENT.
LET'S SEE.
SO YOU ARE EARNING YOUR APPLE.
SO LET'S SEE.
NOW IF WE GET THE WALNUT ONE, BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE HOW THAT BOTTOM GOES ON.
WELL, THERE'S THE SHELF.
AND HERE'S A COUPLE OF TOOTSIES.
BECAUSE THAT'S INTRIGUING.
YOU'VE GOT THESE...
IT'S AS SIMPLE AS CAN BE.
WELL, IT DOESN'T LOOK IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD TO TURN IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN JUST DO IT, AND TURN ON THE LATHE, BUT I THINK YOU FOUND THE SIMPLE WAY TO DO IT.
SO WHAT WE DID IS TAKE THOSE FEET, AND THEY COME THROUGH THE SHELF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE'VE BORED INTO THE END GRAIN OF THE POSTS.
OK. AND THEN THAT JUST GOES RIGHT ON TOP.
AND THEN THOSE THEN GO SIT ON THE FEET.
IT'S NOT LIKE THIS THING HAS ANY GREAT STRAIN.
YEAH.
WELL, UNLESS IT'S A BIG, BIG, BIG BOOK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SURE.
NOW, HOW DO YOU GET THEM LINED UP THERE TO KNOW WHERE TO BORE THE HOLES?
INTO THE SHELF?
RIGHT.
I JUST TEST-FITTED THE FRAME ON TOP OF THE SHELF, SCRIBED AROUND IT, AND BORED A HOLE IN THE CENTER.
SO I BORED THROUGH THE TOP OF THE SHELF.
I TRY TO MAKE IT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD-- I WANT TO GET THIS THING DONE.
I DON'T WANT TO FOOL AROUND WITH IT.
ALL RIGHT.
SO HOW ABOUT THE BORING INTO THE END GRAIN NOW?
BECAUSE IF I PULL THIS OUT, WE'RE GONNA SEE, YOU WENT RIGHT INTO END GRAIN.
CAN YOU DO THAT WITH THESE KIND OF AUGERS?
SURE YOU CAN DO THAT.
IT TAKES A LITTLE PRACTICE.
IT TAKES A LITTLE CARE.
I HAVE ONE OF THE MAPLE ONES, AND I'VE GOT A POINT PRICKED FOR THE CENTER.
ALL RIGHT.
AND I SET IT UP IN THE VISE LIKE THAT.
AND AGAIN, I KEEP TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE SQUARE THIS WAY AND THAT.
I DON'T WANT THAT POST LEANING, YOU KNOW, EAST OR WEST.
I WANT IT NICE AND TRUE.
AND AT THAT STAGE,
I JUST GO AHEAD AND BORE IT.
I SET THE AUGER BIT UP THERE.
AND NOW, IF I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE POST IS PLUMB, THEN I CAN USE EVEN A BIGGER SQUARE THAN THAT AND CHECK THAT MY BIT IS PLUMB.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN...SO WE SHOULDN'T HAVE AN APPLE THERE.
WE SHOULD HAVE A PLUM THERE.
I GOT YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
AND SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO JUST LEAN A LITTLE BIT TO GET IT TO GO.
BECAUSE I KNOW THE BRACE IS SOMETIMES NOT... YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE POSITION-- OH, WHAT DID YOU GET?
THE THREADS WERE CLOGGING WITH THE MAPLE FIBERS, BUT IT SHOULD GO NOW.
ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE I'VE GOT-- BELIEVE ME, I'VE GOT A WHOLE HALF-DOZEN-- OH, THERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
GOT A HALF-DOZEN OTHER AUGERS IF THAT ONE DOESN'T-- YEAH, THERE WE ARE.
THAT'S THE PREMISE.
BUT THAT'S GOING FINE.
BUT I KNOW WHEN YOU BORE INTO END GRAIN, YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE A SHARP, PROPERLY SHARPENED AUGER.
IT WANTS TO BE NICE AND SHARP, YEAH.
AND THIS IS NICE STRAIGHT-GRAINED WOOD AND STUFF.
AND IF IT HAD A LITTLE MOISTURE IN IT, EVEN BETTER.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
EVEN EASIER.
AS IT SHOULD BE.
SO LET ME SEE.
I'M GONNA PUT THIS TOGETHER.
I'VE GOT THAT FEET THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S CONTINUOUS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THERE, THROUGH THE BOTTOM.
THESE ARE LOOSE HERE.
AND THEY'VE GOT HOLES BORED IN THE MIDDLE.
SO NOW WE'RE READY FOR THE MECHANICS.
OK, AND I'VE GOT-- I THINK ACTUALLY THEY GO ON YOUR SIDE.
THEY DO GO ON MY SIDE.
THEY GO ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE FROM THE SHELF.
ALL RIGHT.
AND SO I'LL PUT THIS HERE.
THERE WE GO.
AND AGAIN, THOSE WANT TO BE A TIGHT FIT.
AND YOU CAN GLUE THEM IF YOU NEED TO, IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING THAT WET-DRY BUSINESS.
AND CAN ALSO BORE A HOLE THROUGH THOSE RAILS AND PUT A LITTLE SQUARE PIN IN THEM, TOO.
A LITTLE PIN IN THERE.
OK.
SO THERE YOU GO.
THAT'S THE RATCHET MECHANISM TO HOLD YOUR BOOK AT ANY ANGLE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THIS ONE-- BOTH OF THEM ARE TURNED.
NOW, I SEE THIS ONE TURNED NICELY AND THEN SHAVED DOWN.
AND JUST CHAMFERED DOWN TO FORM THAT BOTTOM PIECE.
AND THAT WAS A SQUARE THAT YOU THEN...
BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ODD WITH THIS ONE HERE.
IF I LOOK ON...
SO, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT BEGAN AS A SQUARE HERE.
BUT HERE'S A FLAT ON THIS THAT YOU'VE LEFT.
WHAT'S THE ODD PART?
WELL, IT'S...HA HA HA!
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT.
THE TURNING.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEE THE TURNING IS VERY NICE, SO IT'S REALLY WELL EXECUTED.
WE KNOW THIS WAS DONE BY A GOOD TURNER.
BUT WHAT'S WITH THIS.
WE'VE GOT THIS FLAT AND DISCONTINUOUS THING.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU SEE ON THIS OLD FURNITURE?
WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?
I DON'T GET IT.
I'M TAKING THAT AS AN ANSWER.
BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE.
LOOK.
THAT ONE HAS TWO FLATS.
THAT ONE HAS A FLAT ON EACH SIDE.
OH, 3.
HA HA HA!
SO, ROY, WITH THIS SORT OF MATERIAL,
THE 17th-CENTURY WORK THAT I STUDY SO CLOSELY, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE NOT LOOKED AT AS ANY TYPE OF IMPERFECTION OR REJECT.
THAT'S JUST HOW IT GOES.
SOMETIMES YOU GET IT CENTERED PERFECTLY ON THE LATHE.
SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE BIT OFF.
AND BETTER TO HAVE THAT FLAT THERE THAN TO KEEP TURNING THAT DOWN TO MAKE IT FULLY ROUND
AND END UP WITH IT TOO SLIGHT.
THIS 17th-CENTURY STYLE IS PRETTY ROBUST.
SO HEAVY FORMS ARE USUALLY THE NORM.
AND A LITTLE FLAT ON THERE...
I SLEPT JUST FINE THE NIGHT I CUT THAT.
OK.
I JUST HAD TO ASK, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS-- THERE'S CHANGING TIMES IN AESTHETICS OF THESE THINGS.
AND THE 20th CENTURY RUINED ALL SORTS OF STUFF FOR HANDWORK.
OK.
SO WHAT HAVE YOU GOT NOW?
SO AS WE SAID, THAT SQUARE THAT I'VE DONE THE TURNED BIT ON, AND NOW IT'S TIME TO CUT THE RATCHETS.
OK.
I MARKED IT OUT JUST WITH A SET OF DIVIDERS LIKE THE COMPASS THAT'S FLOATING AROUND HERE.
SO I'D OPEN THAT UP AND SPACE OFF THE MEASUREMENTS FOR THOSE AND THEN MADE SAW CUTS DOWN TO A MARKING GAUGE LINE.
NOW ALL IT REQUIRES IS THE VERY SIMPLE TASK OF CHOPPING THOSE IN WITH A CHISEL.
YOU'VE GOT TO FIND A CHISEL FIRST.
I THINK I HAVE FOUND A CHISEL FOR YOU.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO... GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BECAUSE IF I CUT THESE NOTCHES THIS WAY, IT'S NOT GONNA HOLD A BOOK.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE TRYING TO RATCHET-- IT WOULD BE RIGHT DOWN.
THERE GOES THAT BOOK.
I HAD EVERYTHING WORKED OUT, BUT NO.
OK.
SO YOU'VE GOT TO GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND THEN I LIKE TO DO THEM IN A PARTICULAR SEQUENCE.
I DON'T WANT TO CUT THIS ONE FIRST.
BECAUSE IF I CUT THIS ONE FIRST AND THEN GO TO CUT THAT ONE, I'M CUTTING TOWARDS A VERY FRAGILE CHUNK OF WOOD, AND I MIGHT BLOW THIS ONE UP.
SO I'M JUST GONNA DOUBLE-CHECK THAT I'M HEADING THE RIGHT WAY.
YOU'RE NOT?
AND I'M NOT.
THAT'S GOOD.
I'M GLAD YOU CHECKED.
WELL, I TOLD YOU.
IT'S LATE IN THE DAY.
YOU WEREN'T KIDDING.
ALL RIGHT.
AND I START OUT JUST BY BEGINNING TO OPEN THAT UP.
AND I USE THE BEVEL DOWN.
[HAMMERING]
AND IT'LL BREAK FREE.
AND THEN I JUST KEEP COMING BACK.
OH, THIS MAPLE CUTS BEAUTIFULLY.
IT SURE DOES.
WOW.
NOW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE, IS THE HARD MAPLE HERE.
SO WE HAVE THE WALNUT.
THIS ONE MIGHT BE NORWAY MAPLE.
DO YOU HAVE THAT HERE?
MAYBE, BUT IT'S NOT OUT IN THE WOODS.
IT'S INTRODUCED, BUT INTRODUCED A LONG TIME AGO.
YEAH, CERTAINLY NOT OUT IN THE WOODS.
AND SO I CUT A SHAPE MUCH LIKE THAT.
UH-HUH.
OK. AND THEN THE OTHER END IS JUST KNIFED DOWN AND READY TO GO.
AND I ALSO JUST WILL THEN TAKE THAT CHISEL
AND VERY LIGHTLY JUST BEVEL THAT.
A LITTLE BIT OF CHAMFER WORK THERE, OK, RIGHT AROUND THE EDGES THERE.
SO WE END UP WITH A NICE RATCHET.
SO THIS...LET'S SEE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS ONE TOGETHER HERE, AS WE HAD IT.
SO THERE WE ARE.
THIS LOWER ONE PIVOTS.
AND THIS IS LIKE A... WHAT DO WE CALL IT?
POST-AND-RUNG CHAIR.
SURE, YEAH.
A TURNED CHAIR.
BUT YOU'VE GOT ONE, TOO, THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT'S LIKE A FRAMED PIECE OF FURNITURE, AND IT'S MORE--COULD YOU BRING YOUR CHEST DOWN, SO TO SPEAK?
THIS BOX?
YEAH, YOUR BOX.
THAT'S IT.
WELL, I MASQUERADE AS A TURNER, BUT MY REAL MARK IS AS A JOINER.
YEAH.
SO PEOPLE LOVE... AND A CARVER, TOO.
THIS IS SOME OF PETER'S FAMOUS WORK DOING THESE WONDERFUL BOXES THAT WERE ALLEGED TO KEEP A CERTAIN BOOK IN THEM, RIGHT?
AGAIN WITH THE BOOKS.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.
SO, BUT SHOW US THAT OTHER ONE.
WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO LOOK AT THE JOINT.
I HAVE ONE IN PROGRESS THERE.
THERE'S A BIT OF ONE, AND HERE'S A BIT OF ANOTHER ONE.
WOW.
OK. AND THIS ONE I ONLY KNOW FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.
SO I HAD TO USE CONJECTURE TO HOW THE SHELF FIT IN.
I COULD UNDERSTAND THE MECHANICS OF IT.
SO THERE IT IS NICELY CARVED, AND WE'VE GOT THESE ROTATING PIECES HERE THAT WILL HAVE THEIR RATCHET AND SO FORTH.
BUT IT'S HOW THAT SHELF-- OK, I SEE.
I CAN SEE IT RIGHT HERE.
YEAH.
THIS HAS THE TENON COMING OUT OF THE PIECE RIGHT HERE AND GOING IN, AND THEN IT COOKS AROUND THE FRONT THERE.
AND I SAW THAT KIND OF TENON IN SOME FURNITURE.
I JUST ADAPTED IT TO DO THIS BOOKSTAND.
OH, THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, THIS IS WONDERFUL STUFF, AND I LOVE, JUST AGAIN, THIS CARVING IN THE OLD OAK.
THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE IT.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, FROM THE 17th CENTURY, AND THE KIND OF STUFF YOU DO AT PLYMOUTH PLANTATION.
PETER FOLLANSBEE, ALWAYS A TREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
MY PLEASURE, ROY.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
SO LONG.
WOW.
THAT'S GREAT.
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.