Barley Twist Table, Pt.1

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... MORE THAN 40 MILLION PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEIR CARS AND HOMES CHOOSE STATE FARM FOR THEIR INSURANCE.

STATE FARM--A PROUD SUPPORTER OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HEY.

HELLO AGAIN.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL, AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE, BUT I BRING A TALE OF WICKEDNESS, OF EVIL, OF KINGS BEHEADED, OF A MILITARY DICTATOR SITTING ON THE PLACE OF THE RIGHTFUL KING.

I BRING A TALE OF CIVIL WAR, STRIFE BETWEEN THE 3 KINGDOMS OF SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, AND WALES.

BUT THIS IS THE KIND OF FURNITURE THEY WERE MAKING DURING THAT TIME-- A CROMWELLIAN BARLEY TWIST TABLE FROM THE TIME OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR, AND INDEED IT HAS LITTLE DROP LEAVES, 3 LEAVES THAT DROP, AS THE CITIZENS OF WALES, OF ENGLAND, OF SCOTLAND DROPPED BEFORE THE RAMPAGING ARMIES THERE, LEAVING THE EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE TOP HELD TOGETHER ONLY BY THESE DOVETAILS, AND YET THE PIECES STILL TRY AND PULL APART WITH SHRINKAGE THERE, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR POSTS CONVERGING, YET THEY ARE HELD AS SEPARATE BY, AGAIN, BARLEY TWIST STRETCHERS, AND THEN UP TOP, A SKIRT OF A SINGLE BOARD CUT WITH ANGLES, AND THAT'S ALL WE'RE REALLY GOING TO SEE HOW TO DO, IS TO DO THE FRAMING PART OF THIS, HOW TO FRAME UP IN SOLID WOOD BEFORE WE DO THE CARVING, THE BARLEY TWIST TABLE.

WE'LL SEE HOW TO DO THE DOVETAILED TOP NEXT TIME, HOW TO DO THE CARVING.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO FRAME THIS UP, THOUGH, RIGHT NOW.

AGAIN, SOMETHING FROM THE MID-1600's, THE TIME OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR.

SO, OF COURSE, A FAMOUS OAK PLAYED A PART IN THAT STORY, WHEN CHARLES II CAME BACK TO TRY AND REGAIN THE THRONE FROM CROMWELL.

HE ESCAPED AFTER LOSING A BATTLE AND HID IN AN OAK TREE, AND IT IS SAID THAT HIS TIME IN THE OAK TREE AND HIS WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO SHELTERED HIM, THE WOODSMEN WHO SHELTERED HIM, THAT HE LEARNED TO BE THE BEST KING, ONE OF THE BEST KINGS OF ALL ENGLISH HISTORY THERE.

SO HERE WE ARE CLEAVING OUR OAK, MAYBE LIKE ANNE OF CLEAVES THERE, RIGHT?

SO HERE WE ARE, SPLITTING OUT THE OAK.

TRYING TO GO WITH THE GRAIN HERE.

I'VE GOT AN OAK.

WE'RE GOING TO GET RID OF THE SAPWOOD ON THE OUTSIDE.

THERE YOU GO.

A NICE SOLID WEDGE THERE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DARK WOOD IN THERE.

THIS IS STILL NICE AND GREEN, BUT STILL GOING WITH THE GRAIN, SO WE KNOW IT WILL BE VERY STRONG, AND WHEN WE CARVE THAT BARLEY TWIST, IT'LL RETAIN A LOT OF THE STRENGTH.

NOW, I'M GOING TO SIT HERE ON THIS SHAVING HORSE AND DRAWKNIFE DOWN OUR SPLIT PIECE OF OAK.

I'M GOING TO START DOING THE BLANK-- OOH, A BIG KNOT RIGHT THERE.

I'M GOING TO DO THE BLANKS FOR THE LEGS.

SO HERE I HAVE THE DRAWKNIFE HOLDING IT IN THIS FOOT-OPERATED VISE.

THIS IS THE KIND OF... REALLY NOT SO MUCH A FAMILIAR ENGLISH-TYPE SHAVING HORSE.

THIS HAS THE DUMBHEAD, THE BIG SOLID BLOCK.

THE ENGLISH HORSES ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IT INDEED WAS, I GUESS, CHARLES I, JAMES I, HIS FATHER, GETTING INVOLVED IN WARS ON THE CONTINENT-- THE THIRTY YEARS WAR-- AND JUST CAUSING TERRIBLE EXPENSES TO ENGLAND THAT CAUSED SOME OF THE INITIAL DISPLEASURE, SHALL WE SAY, WITH CHARLES I.

HE WAS SAYING HE COULD RULE BY THE DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS AND DIDN'T HAVE TO FOOL WITH THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE.

WELL, IT LED TO TROUBLE, BECAUSE THE ENGLISH PEOPLE WERE NOT USED TO HAVING SOMEONE SAYING, "YOU DO WHAT WE WANT, AND YOU HAVE NO VOICE IN IT."

SO, THERE WE GO.

SO ANYWAY, DRAWKNIFE THIS DOWN.

DRAWKNIFE IT ROUND.

HERE I'VE GOT A LITTLE PIECE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG AND A LITTLE BIT MORE MEAT TO IT.

THIS IS NOW READY FOR THAT INITIAL TURNING.

SO WE'RE GOING TO USE A LATHE, A SPRINGPOLE LATHE NOW, MAKING THE BLANKS FOR THE LEGS USING A LATHE THAT WAS DESCRIBED FAMOUSLY, I GUESS, IN JOSEPH MOXON'S "DOCTRINE OF HANDIWORKS," A BOOK FROM THE LATE 17th CENTURY.

SO HERE WE HAVE THE PIECE DRAWKNIFED DOWN.

THEN WE PUT IT BETWEEN 2 POINTS AND HAVE A CORD WRAPPED AROUND IT AND A SPRING TO RETURN THE WOOD TO ITS PREVIOUS POSITION.

SO THAT'S IT.

SO WE'LL CUT ON THE DOWNSTROKE, AND THEN THE SPRING WILL RETURN IT.

SO HERE I'VE GOT TO CUT THE POMMELS.

WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS CUT KIND OF A DUMBBELL PIECE.

THIS IS WHERE THE ROPE CARVING WILL GO.

THIS IS WHERE THE CONNECTIONS WILL GO.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO MAKE THIS MUCH HERE, WITHOUT THE CARVINGS, AND THEN MAKE ALL THE CONNECTIONS, THE JOINTS UP HERE, THEN COME BACK AND DO OUR CARVING, ALL RIGHT?

SO WE'VE GOT TO BRING THIS DOWN.

I'M GOING TO SEPARATE THIS AREA HERE USING THE PARTING TOOL.

THAT WILL MAKE A NICE CLEAN CUT.

WE SEE THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, TRYING TO MAKE A PARTING CUT.

AND THEN WE CAN BRING DOWN THE WORK WITH A GOUGE.

SEE HOW NICE THAT GOUGE WORKS?

THIS WOOD IS STILL A LITTLE FRESH AND GREEN, SO IT CUTS VERY EASILY.

I TURN OVER THE GOUGE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE A SPIRAL-- CAN YOU SEE KIND OF A SPIRAL CUT COMING OFF OF THERE?

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, SWEEPING IT ALONG.

NOW, AS YOU GET CLOSE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE THE RIGHT SIZE.

SO WE'LL USE THE SIZING CALIPER AND THE PARTING TOOL, OR THE SIZING TOOL.

HOLD THIS ON.

LET IT CUT A LITTLE GROOVE THERE, UNTIL THE CALIPER DROPS OVER.

ALL RIGHT, NOW THE CALIPER DROPS OVER THAT LITTLE SPOT RIGHT THERE.

WE'VE DONE THAT WITH THE PARTING TOOL.

AND NOW WE KNOW HOW DEEP, AGAIN, TO GO WITH THE GOUGE.

GO FROM ALL OUR PARTING... IS SUCH SWEET SORROW.

ALL THE WAY DOWN.

THERE WE GO.

BRINGING...

THIS DOWN.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL WORK A LITTLE BIT DOWN HERE, JUST BECAUSE WHY?

I DON'T NEED TO DO IT.

YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO DO IT, BUT IT IS SO MUCH FUN TO DO WOOD-TURNING IN NICE WOOD ON A NICE LATHE.

ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO STOP.

THAT'S ENOUGH OF THAT.

WE'LL TAKE THIS PIECE NOW OUT OF THE LATHE AND TAKE IT OVER TO THE BENCH AND START CUTTING THE FLATS ON THE POMMELS.

SO WE'VE GOT-- SEE, WE GO FROM SPLITTING TO TURNING TO SOME BENCHWORK NOW, AND LET'S SEE, I'VE GOT A PIECE HERE I CAN START FLATTING.

HERE I'VE ALREADY GOT ONE FLAT ON IT.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD-- I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE GEOMETRY OF THE WAY THESE LEGS ARE DONE, WITH AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE, BEFORE WE START DOING THAT, BECAUSE, AS I SAY, I CAN GO INTO IT, BUT, BOY, IT'S A COMPLEX BIT OF BUSINESS HERE.

WE LOOK AT IT-- IT'S AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE JOINED BY 4-SIDED LEGS.

NOW, THIS HELPS US A LITTLE BIT IF YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ARITHMETIC OF OUR TIME.

SO HERE'S THAT EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE, AND HERE ARE THE LEGS.

THEY ARE 4-SIDED.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT A TRIANGLE, IT'S ALWAYS 180 DEGREES.

SO WE HAVE EQUILATERAL-- 60 DEGREES, 60 DEGREES, 60 DEGREES.

A SQUARE, A RECTANGLE WITH 4 SIDES IS GOING TO ADD UP TO 360.

AM I RIGHT?

90, 90, 90, 90, AND IF YOU SQUEEZE ONE, THE OTHER ONE GETS-- SO ONE GETS NARROWER, THE OTHER GETS WIDER.

SO IT ADDS UP TO 360.

WELL, HERE WE HAVE THE ARRANGEMENT OF THOSE 60-DEGREE STRETCHERS COMING IN TO MAKE THE EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE, GOING INTO THE 4-SIDED PIECE TO FORM THE FLATS ON THE POMMELS.

SO HERE WE HAVE TO HAVE 120 DEGREES TO GET OUT TO THAT 60-DEGREE SPLAY BECAUSE THESE ARE AT 90 DEGREES APART.

ANYWAY, SO IT'S 90 IN THIS CORNER, 90 IN THAT CORNER, 120 IN THE BOTTOM, AND 60 DEGREES ON THE POINT.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK HERE-- I'LL SHOW YOU THE REAL PIECE RIGHT THERE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT POINT IS OUT HERE IN SPACE, THAT'S PART OF A NATURAL ROUNDING OF THE TURNED PIECE, THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

SO THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO DO.

IT'S...JUST A LITTLE COMPLICATED.

SO ANYWAY, WE GOT A PIECE HERE READY IN THIS LITTLE PLANING TROUGH THAT I HAVE--60 DEGREES.

SO IT ACTS AS KIND OF A CALIPER, TOO.

WE CAN DO THE 60-DEGREE ANGLE, AND I TRY AND ORIENT IT BY HOLDING IT SO THAT I'M GOING TO GET THE MOST FLASH-- I THINK MAYBE YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS PIECE, I HOPE.

HERE YOU CAN SEE, THIS HAS SOME OF THAT...THE RAYS.

YOU TRY AND MAXIMIZE THE RAY FLECK.

THAT IS THAT FLASH, THAT COLOR, THAT'S LEFT BY THE CELLS THAT ARE THE RADIALLY COMMUNICATING CELLS IN OAK.

AND SO YOU HAVE THAT WONDERFUL QUARTER SURFACE THERE.

SO TRY AND MAXIMIZE THAT.

IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT 2 SURFACES CONVERGING.

SO WORK, PLANING ALONG WITH A LONG PLANE.

THIS IS A LONG JOINTER.

IT'S THE LONGEST ONE I HAVE.

AND IT MAKES IT EASY BECAUSE IT'S RIDING ON THE BACK AT THE SAME TIME IT'S CUTTING ON THE FRONT.

SO WE CAN TAKE A SURFACE WE'VE ALREADY CUT, AND NOW IT'LL RIDE ON THAT SURFACE BACK HERE AS IT CUTS THE FRONT.

SO LET ME SEE.

LET'S GET THAT DOWN IN THERE.

SO KEEP WORKING THESE DOWN AND TESTING, TURNING IT END FOR END IN THE 60-DEGREE CRADLE.

LET ME GO AND DO ONE MORE END HERE.

SO AGAIN, RIDING ONE ON THE OTHER.

AND...LET'S SEE.

I'M GOING TO STOP RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I WANT TO TEST THIS.

YOU CAN TEST IT BY LOOKING DOWN THIS SURFACE HERE AND SEE THAT THEY ARE ALIGNED, THAT THIS IS IN THE SAME PLANE AS THIS.

BUT IT'S HARD TO TELL WITHOUT A LITTLE HELP FROM WHAT ARE CALLED WINDING STICKS, AND THOSE ARE 2 STICKS-- AND THIS IS A NICE PAIR OUT OF EBONY WITH BOXWOOD ON TOP-- AND YOU USE THAT COLOR CONTRAST TO HELP YOU SEE IT.

ANY STICKS WILL DO.

A COUPLE OF FRAMING SQUARES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

JUST SO THEY'RE PARALLEL-THICKNESS STRIPS.

SEE, I NEED TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE WAY HERE.

[CRASH] A CROWDED BENCH HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO SET THIS UP SO THAT THE STRIPS LINE UP, AND BOY, THEY DO.

OK.

SO YOU JUST KEEP PLANING AND TESTING.

IF THE STRIPS ARE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, THEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOME CORRECTING.

SO THOSE STRIPS, THOSE WINDING STRIPS, WILL HELP MAKE SURE YOUR FACETS-- AND YOU DON'T HAVE A SPIRALING TABLE.

THAT WOULD BE AWKWARD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE MOVE ALONG, MAKING THESE FACETS ON THERE.

I'M GOING TO MOVE TO ANOTHER CRADLE NOW THAT HAS A 30-DEGREE BEVEL ON IT.

WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS FOR MORTISING AS WELL.

AND THIS ONE WE CAN'T PUT IN THE VISE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TURN IT END FOR END.

IT'S AN ASYMMETRICAL CRADLE.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT, IT HAS A 30-DEGREE SLOPE RIGHT HERE AND ONE AT RIGHT ANGLES.

THAT WILL HELP US NOT ONLY WITH THE PLANING, BUT THE MORTISING.

SO SET IT THERE AGAINST THAT LITTLE STOP.

AND THEN AGAIN, WORK OUR WAY DOWN, LETTING THAT LONG PLANE, IF YOU HAVE ONE, RIDE ON THE BACK AS IT CUTS THE FRONT.

AGAIN, TURNING END FOR END.

AND THE REASON THIS PIECE HAS METAL STRAPS ON THE END HERE-- SEE THOSE METAL STRAPS--IS BECAUSE WHEN I MADE THIS CRADLE, I DIDN'T LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO PUT ON THE NORMAL WOODEN STOPBLOCK THERE.

SO I HAD TO PUT ON A METAL STRAP.

THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT'S THERE.

SO YOU KEEP WORKING THESE PIECES DOWN.

HERE'S THAT 120-DEGREE ANGLE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PUT A MORTISE IN EACH OF THESE FACES.

AND THEN JUST KEEP TURNING AND TURNING BACK AND FORTH UNTIL YOU DO EACH OF THESE.

NOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF WE HAD DONE THAT BARLEY TWIST CARVING ON THIS SURFACE HERE, THERE'S A CHANCE OF BASHING IT UP.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH JUST A RAW CYLINDER HERE.

NOW WE'VE GOT SOMETHING EVEN ROUGHER ON IT.

WE ARE GOING TO--LET ME SEE IF I HAVE IT HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO START CUTTING THE MORTISES IN.

NOW, YOU SEE, HERE'S HOW THIS THING WORKS AS A MORTISING CRADLE.

MORTISES ARE THE SOCKETS THAT HOLD THE TONGUES, THE TENONS, THAT IS GOING TO JOIN THIS TOGETHER.

NOW, I HAVE A MORTISING GAUGE, AND I BELIEVE IT'S SET FOR THE RIGHT-- YEAH, THIS IS GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

HERE I'VE LAID OUT WHERE THE BOTTOM RUNGS ARE GOING TO GO IN AND LAY OUT THIS RIGHT HERE, USING THIS DOUBLE-TOOTHED MARKING GAUGE, AND THE TEETH ARE SET.

SO THOSE 2 LITTLE TEETH ARE SET TO THE EXACT WIDTH TO CHOP THE HOLE IN THE WOOD.

SO SET THOSE 2 TEETH THE EXACT SAME DISTANCE, AND THEN THE INSET IN WE WANT THEM TO GO.

SO THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN WE DO IT ON THIS SIDE HERE.

AND USE THE-- LET'S SEE IF I HAVE IT.

WELL, I WON'T TRY AND MARK IT UP ANYMORE.

USE THE CRADLE TO HOLD IT AS WE WORK.

SO I'M GOING TO SIT ON IT NOW, AND I'VE GOT MY MALLET, AND GOSH, WHAT MORE DOES A GUY NEED?

READY TO GO.

SO START MORTISING 2 CONVERGING SOCKETS.

NOW, WITH THE GEOMETRY OF THIS PIECE, I WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING-- I'D BE IN SPACE WITHOUT HAVING THIS CRADLE TO WORK ON.

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S NOTHING SOLID UNDERNEATH HERE.

SO THIS IS REALLY CRADLED WELL, AND WE CAN WORK OUR WAY DOWN WITH THIS MORTISING CHISEL VERY QUICKLY, WHICH MAKES THE MORTISING GO FAST BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, IT'S SOLIDLY SUPPORTED, AND SECOND, IT KEEPS YOU FROM DAMAGING THE CORNERS ON THIS PIECE AS YOU WORK YOUR WAY DOWN.

YOU DO THIS IN 2 STEPS-- 3 STEPS ACTUALLY.

WORK DOWN, BECAUSE THEY ARE CONVERGING MORTISES.

WORK DOWN ONE ALMOST TO THE BOTTOM.

THEY'RE ALMOST TO WHERE IT'S GOING TO CONVERGE WITH THE OTHER ONE.

NOW I HAVE TO TURN THE WHOLE THING AROUND.

ALL RIGHT.

SET THIS RIGHT HERE.

SEE, NOW I'M GOING TO DO THE OTHER ONE.

BUT I DIDN'T CUT THIS ONE SO DEEP THAT I WOULD HAVE LEFT A HOLLOW UNDER THIS ONE WHEN I COME DOWN AND MORTISE ON THIS-- AM I RIGHT?

YEAH.

MORTISE ON THIS SIDE.

BECAUSE IF I HAD THAT VOID IN THERE, I COULD EASILY GO INTO SPACE AND SPLINTER OUT INSIDE, BECAUSE THIS IS-- THESE 2 TUNNELS CONNECT.

SHALL WE PUT IT THAT WAY?

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET ME JUST OPEN THAT UP SO YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE DIVERGENCE NOW.

ALL RIGHT, SO THOSE 2 ARE GOING TO CONNECT.

WE'LL HAVE PLACES FOR THE TENONS ON THE PIECES TO COME IN.

THE KEY WITH THESE TENONS, THOUGH, IS THEY HAVE BEVELED SHOULDERS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS NOW-- THE CONVERGING ANGLES OF THIS TAPERING TRIANGLE TABLE HERE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING STRAIGHT UP LIKE A REGULAR TABLE.

THE LEGS CONVERGE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT ANGLE ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE SKIRT AND THE STRETCHER.

SO LET'S SEE HOW MUCH ANGLE WE HAVE AS I PUT THE SQUARE ON HERE.

I'VE GOT A FRAMING SQUARE 24 INCHES LONG, AND IT'S HANGING OUT THERE ON THE SIDE, AND SO THIS GAP IS THE KEY ITEM RIGHT THERE, THIS GAP BETWEEN HERE AND HERE.

THAT'S 2 INCHES.

SO IN 24 INCHES, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, WE COME IN 2 INCHES.

SO THAT IS AN ANGLE OF 1 IN 12.

IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, I THINK.

I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE BIT TOO SHALLOW.

YOU WANT TO HAVE ENOUGH ANGLE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING IT DELIBERATELY AND NOT BY ACCIDENT.

SO THERE WE ARE.

SET THE BEVEL, THEN, FOR THAT SAME ANGLE, WHICH IS 1 IN 12, OR WE MOVE OVER AND DO 1/2 IN 6.

IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME ANGLE.

NEVERTHELESS, IT'S THE SAME ANGLE THAT WE WANT THE TABLE TO COME OUT AND THAT WE WANT TO CUT THE SHOULDER RIGHT HERE ON THE SKIRT.

SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TRANSFER THAT TO A MITER BOX.

SO WE GOT ALL KINDS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING HERE-- MITER BOXES, CRADLES, SOME NICE PLANES, TOO, COMING UP NOW.

THIS MITER BOX-- JUST SIMPLE.

YOU CAN MAKE THEM FOR ANY JOB.

3 PIECES OF WOOD LAID UP WITH A SAW CUT DOWN.

JUST VERY ACCURATELY LAY IT OUT SO EACH CUT WILL BE THE SAME AS THE OTHER.

SO THERE'S JUST SOMETHING TO HOLD YOUR WOOD AND THEN CRADLE THE SAW.

YOU CAN SEE THE SLOTS THROUGH.

SO I HAVE ONE GOING THAT WAY AND ONE GOING THAT WAY.

NOW, AS CAREFUL AS I WAS LAYING THIS OUT, IT'S STILL NOT QUITE ACCURATE LIKE I WOULD LIKE.

NEVERTHELESS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CUT THAT SHOULDER ON HERE.

YOU CAN SEE I'VE ALREADY GOT THE TENON CUT ON THIS ONE.

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT ON THIS END.

AND I'VE VERY CAREFULLY CUT THIS TO MATCH THE ANGLE THAT I WANT.

SO THE END OF THE TENON IS NOW OUR GUIDE TO CUTTING THE SHOULDER OF THE TENON.

I DO THAT BY USING THE MARKING GAUGE-- CUTTING GAUGE ACTUALLY.

THIS IS A GAUGE WITH A SHARP KNIFE INSTEAD OF A SCRATCH ON IT.

DO IT ALL THE WAY AROUND.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT'S DONE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW AGAIN, THAT SAME MARKING GAUGE, BUT HERE WE'RE GOING TO GAUGE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE PIECE.

USUALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE JUST DID A MEASUREMENT.

WE WANT TO HAVE THE SKIRT BACK-SET A LITTLE BIT SO ANY TIME WE'RE GOING ACROSS THE GRAIN, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO IN SPINDLE-TURNING, TRY AND MAKE A SHARP CUT AND THEN SAW THE REST OF IT, OR DO THE REST OF IT... AS YOU MUST.

I'M GOING TO BE CUTTING DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

AND YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR, BECAUSE YOU CAN EASILY DO THAT.

NOW WE'LL DO THIS OTHER SIDE HERE.

READY.

AH...

THERE WE GO.

LET'S SEE IF I WENT DOWN ENOUGH.

ALMOST THERE.

A LITTLE BIT MORE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE MADE OUR SAW CUTS ACROSS THE GRAIN.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO PLANE OUT THE WOOD ON TOP OF THOSE SAW CUTS AND LEAVE THE TENON.

SO THIS IS READY TO GO INTO THE VISE HERE.

AND LOTS OF WAYS OF DOING T BUT I THINK THIS IS A VERY CONVENIENT WAY TO WORK, CUTTING WITH A PLANE.

NOW, I'M GOING TO USE A LITTLE RABBET PLANE, OR A FILLISTER PLANE.

YOU CAN SEE IT HAS A FENCE ON IT.

IT'S AN IRON PLANE.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE ROMANS USED IRON PLANES, THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF PLANE THAT WOULD BE USED IN THE 1600's.

IT WOULD BE ALL WOOD, BUT NEVERTHELESS, HERE WE ARE.

NOW, THIS IS COARSELY SET ENOUGH... AND EVEN AT THIS ANGLE, IF YOU'RE CAREFUL, YOU CAN BRING IT DOWN LEVEL, BECAUSE HOW ELSE COULD YOU DO THIS?

WELL, YOU COULD DO IT WITH A SAW.

YOU COULD DO IT WITH A CHISEL.

BUT YOU'LL OFTEN FIND ON A BROAD TENON LIKE THIS... YOU'RE BETTER OFF USING A PLANE AND JUST PLANING IT ALL THE WAY DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I WANT TO GET TO THAT LINE.

AND JUST STOP AND CHECK.

AND SEE, I RAN OUT OF THE SAW CUT THERE.

SO I'M GETTING SHRAPNEL UP AROUND THE EDGE THERE.

BUT WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT WITH ANOTHER PLANE.

I'VE GOT A LOW-ANGLE DOVETAIL PLANE THAT WILL DEAL WITH THAT FUZZY STUFF THERE.

IT'LL CUT RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT END GRAIN.

YOU CAN SEE THIS PLANE HAS A VERY LOW ANGLE IRON.

SO IT DOES REAL WELL ON END GRAIN.

SO I'LL WORK THAT DOWN HERE.

AH, BUT OF COURSE, IT'S TOO FINELY SET.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN GO THIS WAY.

I'VE LEFT IT TOO FINELY SET TO REALLY DO IT WITH GREAT DISPATCH.

NEVERTHELESS...HA HA HA!

THERE WE GO.

NOW WE'VE GOT IT.

THAT'S TO GET THROUGH THE FUZZY STUFF.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT A SMOOTH SHOULDER THAT HAS LEFT ON THAT END GRAIN-- NOT QUITE ALL THE WAY, BUT DOING THAT TWICE WILL LEAVE US WITH A TENON THAT IS ACCURATELY CONVERGING AT THE SAME ANGLE AS THE TOP.

SO WE'LL SAW THOSE ENDS OFF, AND WE'LL PUT THAT IN.

I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE OFF THAT OTHER PIECE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO... WHERE ARE WE NOW?

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD, AND I'M GOING TO KNOCK THIS APART A LITTLE BIT AND LET YOU SEE HOW THESE LOOK GOING TOGETHER.

I'LL GIVE YOU AGAIN THAT RULE OF THUMB AND-- IT'S ACTUALLY A RULE OF THUMB AND 2 THUMBS AND FINGERS-- OF HOW THESE LEGS ARE DONE.

YOU SEE, GET THIS GEOMETRY RIGHT.

THIS IS THE REAL KEY TO DOING IT.

YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT HERE.

THE INSIDE ANGLE, WHERE MY THUMBS ARE, THAT'S 120 DEGREES.

THESE WEBBED LITTLE SPOTS RIGHT THERE, THOSE ARE 90 DEGREES.

AND THE 2 POINTY FINGERS COME OUT AT 60.

SO THERE YOU GO.

SO THAT IS THE CROSS-SECTION THAT YOU WANT FOR THE POMMELS GOING DOWN ON THESE PIECES, BUT AT THIS STAGE, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS.

SEE, THERE'S NO CARVING IN THIS PART, NO TURNING.

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE TURNED FINIAL, OR A LITTLE... KIND OF START-IAL, I GUESS, AND THEN A FINIAL AT THE OTHER END.

ALL OF THIS WORK, YOU CAN IMAGINE, WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST BASHED TO BITS IF WE HAD GONE AHEAD AND DONE IT AND THEN DONE THE MORTISING AND ALL THE PLANING.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT TIME.

I'LL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW WE DO THAT, THOUGH.

JUST IN CASE YOU CAN'T BE WITH ME WHEN WE COME BACK AND DO THE BARLEY TWIST.

IT'S CALLED THAT, I GUESS I TOLD YOU, BECAUSE THEY'D TWIST THE BARLEY SUGAR, BUT ALSO ROPE TWIST.

NOW, HERE YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF HOW THAT SPIRAL IS LAID OUT.

YOU LAY IT OUT ON PAPER IN GEOMETRY BUT LAY OUT THE SPIRAL.

YOU CAN JUST WRAP STRIPS OF PAPER AROUND.

THAT'S THE SIMPLEST WAY TO DO IT.

THEN SAW DOWN AROUND, SAW DOWN AROUND, AND YOU JUST SAW, AND THEN COME BACK WITH YOUR CHISEL.

NOT THIS CHISEL, BUT A VERY SMOOTH PARING CHISEL, AND PARE AWAY.

NOW, THIS WHOLE THING IS HELD IN THE LATHE AS YOU'RE DOING THIS, SO YOU CAN TURN IT.

YOU'RE PARING AWAY, SHAVING OFF THOSE SIDES THERE.

AND YOU TURN THIS FIRST, AGAIN, SO THAT THIS COMES DOWN, THIS CONVERGENCE, SO THEY KIND OF-- IT'S LIKE THEY'RE NECKED IN RIGHT THERE, LIKE HELD BY A BOULEAU.

SO THAT COMES AROUND, CARVE IT ALL OUT, SMOOTH IT OUT.

WE'LL SEE HOW TO DO ALL OF THAT NEXT TIME.

PUT ON YOUR STRETCHERS THERE AND THE LITTLE HOLDERS THERE TO HOLD UP THE LEAVES OF THIS TABLE.

NOW, WHY ON EARTH YOU NEED A TABLE THIS SMALL TO FOLD UP IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BUT WHO KNOWS?

THOSE WERE ROUGH TIMES IN OLD BLIGHTY THERE DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

AND, OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO JOIN THE TOP TOGETHER.

AGAIN, NEXT TIME WE'LL SEE HOW TO DO IT WITH USING THESE LITTLE BUTTERFLY DOVETAILS.

BUT AGAIN, THINK ABOUT THIS WITH THOSE 3 PIECES-- SCOTLAND, WALES, AND ENGLAND DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

THAT'S THE TIME OF THIS ROPE-TURNED BARLEY TWIST TABLE.

WE'RE GOING TO FINISH IT UP WHEN WE JOIN BACK TOGETHER HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

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Announcer: ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND OTHER BOOKS ABOUT TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.