A Very Boring Program
Season 28 Episode 7 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
From bits to braces, augers to angle borers—and even boring a square hole—you know the drill!
Aired: 09/24/10
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
Season 28 Episode 7 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
From bits to braces, augers to angle borers—and even boring a square hole—you know the drill!
Aired: 09/24/10
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
(male announcer) MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP IS PROVIDED BY: (male announcer) WHETHER YOU'RE HELPING THEM LEARN HOW TO WALK...
I'M SO THERE.
(announcer) OR TEACHING THEM TO DRIVE... [tires screeching] (girl) SORRY.
OH, YEAH, I'M THERE.
(announcer) WHEREVER YOU ARE IN LIFE, STATE FARM IS THERE, PROUD SPONSOR OF THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
[horns beeping] [banjo strumming] [upbeat fiddle music] HEY, HELLO AGAIN.
WELCOME BACK TO THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
I'M ROY UNDERHILL.
I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU COULD BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY.
IN FACT, I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU BECAUSE I'M ABOUT TO PRESENT ONE OF THE MOST BORING PROGRAMS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS MEDIUM.
YES, FOLKS, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT BORING IN ALL ITS PERMUTATIONS, AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THINGS THAT ARE NOT ONLY ASTOUNDINGLY BORING, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT BORING THAT IS INDEED ASTOUNDING IN ITSELF.
YES!
BUT LET'S LOOK AT THE PROBLEM.
WHY IS IT CALLED BORING?
WELL, IT'S CALLED BORING BECAUSE IT IS... [laughing] BORING.
IT'S A ROUND HOLE WE WORK, AND IT'S GREAT.
NOW, THE GUY WHO INVENTED THIS KIND OF SPIRAL AUGER-- THIS WAS INVENTED ABOUT, OH, 1780 BY A GUY NAMED PHINEAS COOKE, AND HE WON A PRIZE.
AND THIS IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PREVIOUS AUGERS, BUT GOOD HEAVENS, LOOK AT THAT.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, IT'S STILL JUST ROUND AND ROUND, AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE BORING, NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE BORING WITH, WHAT DO YOU END UP WHEN YOU'RE DONE?
YOU GOT A ROUND HOLE, A ROUND HOLE.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO WITH BORING TO MAKE IT MORE EXCITING?
WELL, WE CAN BORE ON THE INSIDE; WE CAN BORE ON THE OUTSIDE.
WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT WE CAN DO LOTS OF THINGS.
WE CAN BORE WITH DIFFERENT TOOLS.
BUT WE CAN ALSO SEARCH FOR THE HOLY GRAIL OF... [laughing] BORING, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, BORING THE SQUARE HOLE.
CAN IT BE DONE?
OH, WELL, WE'LL SEE, WON'T WE?
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL SEE NOT ONLY BORING THE SQUARE HOLE BUT BEYOND THAT.
YET, IN THIS CASE, I HAVE WITH ME SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING BORING TOOLS KNOWN TO THE WOODWORKING TRADES.
AND WE'LL TAKE THEM FROM THE TOP DOWN, STARTING WITH THE TOP DRAWER, AND WORK OUR WAY DOWNWARDS, TOWARDS MORE AND MORE EXCITING BORING TOOLS, AH-HA-HA.
NOW, LET'S SEE WHAT WE HAVE GOT.
NOW THINK WHAT YOU WOULD PUT IN THE TOP DRAWER OF YOUR BORING TOOLS.
WHAT WOULD IT BE?
WHAT WOULD BE NUMBER ONE IN YOUR LIST?
WELL, IN MINE, IT IS THESE LITTLE BEAUTIES RIGHT HERE.
THESE ARE SPOON BITS, WONDERFUL SPOON BITS.
AND THESE ARE BELOVED OF THE CHAIRMAKERS BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY-- WELL, THEY HAVE LOTS OF ADVANTAGES.
LET'S JUST SEE THEM IN USE, AND YOU'LL SEE WHY.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A MARROW SPOON, DOESN'T IT?
SOUP WOULD NOT RUN OUT OF THIS SPOON, ALL RIGHT?
SO LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.
IN FACT, LET'S CHUCK IT UP IN A BEAUTIFUL BRACE AS WELL.
THIS IS THE BRACE AND BIT.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLATED BRACE, AND IT HAS INSET BRASS.
NOW, THAT'S GONNA COME BACK INTO OUR STORY IN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT YOU NOTICE THERE'S NOT A DOUBLE-JAW CHUCK FOR THIS ONE.
THERE IS INDEED A SPRING, PUSH-BUTTON CHUCK, ALL RIGHT?
SO WE'VE GOT OUR SPOON BIT CHUCKED UP, AND WE'RE GOING TO USE IT ON A CHAIR LEG THAT I HAVE IN THE VISE RIGHT HERE.
WE'RE GONNA WORK DOWN, IN FACT-- WELL, LET'S WORK UP HERE.
LET'S WORK AT THIS ONE, 'CAUSE I'VE ALREADY GOT ONE DOWN THERE FROM THE OTHER END.
WE DON'T NEED TWO HOLES IN THE SAME PLACE BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING WITH A CHAIR LEG.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BORE STRAIGHT DOWN, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, OUR SPINDLE IS NOT STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN.
IT'S GOING TO BE CANTED BACK LIKES THIS, SO WE'RE GONNA CANT BACK.
NOW, HOW CAN WE DO THAT?
IF WE TRY AND ANGLE OVER, IT JUST SKATES OFF.
AH, BUT HERE'S THE BEAUTY OF THE SPOON BIT.
YOU CAN START ON A ROUND SURFACE HERE.
AND YOU CAN START STRAIGHT DOWN, JUST PUSHING STRAIGHT DOWN, GETTING IT RIGHT ON YOUR LINE THAT YOU SCRIBED, AND BORE IN UNTIL YOU HAVE MADE A SOCKET.
AND THEN THE END OF THIS SPOON BIT ACTS LIKE A BALL AND SOCKET, AND WE CAN TILT BACK NOW.
WE CAN TILT THE AUGER BACK AND BORE AGAIN NOW, STILL IN THAT SOCKET.
NOW YOU CAN'T DO THAT IF YOU HAVE A LEAD SCREW-- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, A POINTY POINT ON YOUR SCREW?
YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
SO HERE WE CAN BORE IN-- AND IT MAKES THAT INCREDIBLE SHAVING--LOOK AT THAT-- THAT ONE-PIECE SHAVING, LIKE SOME KIND OF ODD PASTA THERE-- AND IT COMES TO, BUT IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH THE OTHER SIDE.
IT CAN BORE VERY CLOSE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF A ROUND PIECE BECAUSE IT IS ROUND IN ITSELF.
SO IF I TAKE THAT AND TILT IT, YOU WILL SEE THE HOLE IN THERE, BORED AT AN ANGLE, BECAUSE IT WAS ABLE TO TILT OVER WITH THE SPOON BIT.
SO THAT'S EXCITING BORING, ISN'T IT?
OH?
NOT ENOUGH?
ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S MOVE ON DOWN THEN, FOR THAT'S DRAWER NUMBER ONE.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE DOWN TO ANOTHER DRAWER-- AND WE'LL PUT OUR SPOON BITS BACK.
WHAT WOULD YOU PUT IN DRAWER NUMBER TWO?
AH, WHAT COULD IT BE?
YES, LET'S PUT IN THE ELEGANT LADIES OF THE AUGER BIT WORLD: CENTER BITS.
CENTER BITS!
YES, THEY ARE THE CENTER OF THEIR OWN WORLD.
AND YOU SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE.
THEY HAVE THAT CENTRAL PIKE AND THEN A SPUR THERE THAT CUTS THE WOOD AND THEN A SHAVING-OUT CUTTER RIGHT THERE.
SEE THAT SHAVING-OUT CUTTER?
THERE IT IS, AND THERE'S THE SPUR.
AND SO THE PIKE KEEPS IT GOING, AND IT TURNS AROUND AND AROUND.
WELL, OF COURSE, THE WAY TO SEE IT IS IN THE WOOD.
LET'S TRY THAT.
AGAIN, WE'LL PUT IT IN OUR WONDERFUL PLATED BRACE.
AND I'VE GOT A PIECE OF OAK WE'LL PUIN OUR-- OW--OUR VISE, ALONG WITH MY FINGERS, AND WE'LL USE ATHIS CENTER BIT.
THE CENTER BIT CENTER, AND IT UNDSTANDS WOOD IN WAYS THAT FEW TOOLS DO.
AND HERE, AGAIN, WE'RE USING AN-- ACTUALLY WE'RE GONNA USE A SPOFFORD BRACE YOU CAN SEE THE SPOFFORD BRACE KIND OF-- APPROPRIATE TO THE TIME, HAS THE BEAUTIFUL PEWTER RINGS ON THE HANDLE THERE AND A SPLIT CHUCK--WE TIGHTEN IT UP AND SET THIS RIGHT THERE.
AND IT'S GOING TO PIVOT AROUND THAT CENTRAL POINT.
AND THEN THE PIKE WILL KEEP IT CENTERED AS THE SPUR CUTS THE PERIMETER, AND THEN THE BLADE CAN COME ALONG AND SWEEP OUT THE WOOD.
LOOK AT THAT SPIRALLING SHAVING THERE.
ISN'T THAT GREAT?
IT CAN SWEEP OUT THE WOOD AROUND IT.
SO IT CUTS ACROSS THE GRAIN WITH THE KNIFE AND THEN SHAVES IT OUT IN BETWEEN.
SO THERE WE GO; THERE'S THE CENTER BIT.
NOW, IT'S GREAT FOR SHALLOW HOLES LIKE THIS.
FOR DEEPER HOLES, YOU REALLY NEED THAT SPIRAL BIT THAT PHINEAS COOKE DEVELOPED.
BUT THERE IS THE BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT CENTER BIT.
ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?
OH, BUT YOU WANT MORE?
YOU WANT MORE?
ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S KEEP GOING HERE.
WHAT HAVE WE GOT AS WE MOVE DOWN?
THAT'S DRAWER NUMBER TWO.
LET'S MOVE DOWN TO OUR THIRD DRAWER AND-- OH, GOSH.
OH...
IT'S THESE, AND I HATE THESE THINGS.
IT'S GIMLETS.
I HATE 'EM; TO HECK WITH 'EM.
AND THE REASON IS, I HAD TO USE THESE THINGS TOO DARN MUCH.
THEY ARE REALLY A FRUSTRATING TOOL.
THEY'RE HANDY.
NOW, LET'S PUT IT WHAT WAY; I SAY THEY'RE HANDY.
THAT'S FINE, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE ONE PIECE.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE HANDLE, AND YOU TWIST IT IN.
AND YOU TWIST IT IN, AND YOU TWIST IT IN, AND YOU TWIST IT IN, AND IT SNAPS, AND IT SPLITS THE WOOD AND-- I HAD TO USE THESE TOO DARN MUCH LAYING PEG SHINGLE ROOFS AND STUFF LIKE THAT IN AN HISTORIC RECONSTRUCTION.
AND IT JUST KILLS YOUR WRIST.
YOU'RE JUST CONSTANTLY DOING THAT TWISTING AND YOU'RE JUST--UGH-- YOU'RE IN AGONY BY THE END.
HECK WITH THESE THINGS.
I'M PUTTING 'EM BACK.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON.
I HAVE PLENTY MORE.
WE WON'T MISS THEM ONE BIT, THE GIMLET.
OH, THESE ARE GREAT.
WHAT HAVE I GOT IN HERE?
I HAVE WONDERFUL--WELL, THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BITS HERE.
HERE IS A LARGE ONE, NOW.
THIS IS CALLED A NOSE AUGER, A NOSE AUGER.
YOU SEE IT'S A HALF CYLINDER, AND YOU SEE THE CUTTING NOSE RIGHT THERE.
THERE'S THAT CUTTING BLADE THERE, SHARPENED UP, AND IT WORKS AROUND-- ONCE IT'S CENTERED, IT CUTS GREAT, BUT YOU ACTUALLY, FOR ONE THIS SIZE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A LITTLE POCKET FOR IT TO FIT IN, AND THEN IT CAN CENTER ITSELF AND CUT DOWN, BUT YOU SEE HOW IT WOULD JUST RIDE AROUND ON TOP OF THE WOOD; IT WOULD NEVER GET IN THERE.
WELL, IF WE USE A SMALL ONE, LIKE I HAVE RIGHT HERE, A SMALL ONE, THAT WILL CENTER ITSELF.
THIS IS SMALL ENOUGH-- SAME CONFIGURATION.
YOU SEE THAT LITTLE LIP DOWN THERE AND AGAIN THAT IT IS A HALF CYLINDER CUT OUT, SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE KIND OF AUGER USED IN THE 18TH CENTURY A LOT.
THERE, SEE?
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL.
LET'S USE IT.
ALL RIGHT, AND AGAIN-- LET'S SEE-- I WILL USE--LET'S SEE-- WE'LL USE THE PLATED BRACE ON THAT.
AND I'LL CLAMP UP ANOTHER PIECE.
WE'LL TURN IT THIS WAY AND SEE HOW THIS BORES.
AND SEE HOW THAT CENTERS ITSELF ON THE WOOD, JUST 'CAUSE IT'S SMALL ENOUGH.
VERY NICE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND RIGHT ON THERE.
AND IT'S WALKING AROUND A LITTLE BIT.
NOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE A BIG ONE'D BE VERY FRUSTRATING.
YOU'D HAVE TO CHISEL OUT A DIAMOND SPOT VERY QUICKLY OR USE A GOUGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT ONCE THIS GETS GOING, GETS DOWN IN THERE-- NOW SEE, THIS IS NOT CUTTING VERY WELL.
THE REASON IS, I'M OBLIQUE TO THE CRANK.
I'M GONNA TURN MY HANDLE AROUND A LITTLE BIT, ALL RIGHT, AND NOW I SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE ON THE CUTTING EDGE SIDE.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME EXPLAIN THIS HERE.
HAVE I GOT IT?
YEAH, THERE IT IS.
ALL RIGHT, YOU WANT TO HAVE THE CRANK ON THE SIDE TOWARDS THE CUTTING BLADE.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WHEN WE GET TO ONE OF THESE LATER ON, BUT NOW IT'S CUTTING ON DOWN.
THIS'LL GO RIGHT ON THROUGH OUR PIECE JUST FINE.
NOW, OF COURSE, WHEN IT EXITS ON THE OTHER SIDE, JUST LIKE A BULLET, IT LEAVES A HECK OF AN EXIT WOUND, SO NORMALLY WE WOULD CLAMP ANOTHER PIECE OF WOOD TO THE BACK SIDE OR BORE FROM BOTH SIDES AND MEET IN THE MIDDLE SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF EXIT WOUND, BUT THERE IT IS.
THERE'S THE NOSE AUGER.
ELEGANT...
EFFECTIVE...
BUT MAYBE NOT THAT EXCITING STILL.
LET'S MOVE ON A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME OTHER GUYS IN THIS TOOL CHEST HERE, IN DRAWER NUMBER THREE, BEFORE WE GET DOWN TO THE SCARY DRAWER, NUMBER FOUR HERE.
NOW, WHAT ARE THESE THINGS?
LOOK AT THESE.
THESE ARE KIND OF CUTTING HEADS.
THEY LOOK LIKE MACHINE CUTTING HEADS, AND INDEED THEY ARE.
THESE ARE A PART OF-- THEY'RE KIND OF VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE CALL HOLLOW AUGERS.
LET ME SHOW YOU SOME HOLLOW AUGERS.
SO IF YOU'RE A WHEELWRIGHT, YOU NEED HOLLOW AUGERS.
AND SO I JUSTIFY THESE THINGS AS AUGERS BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR NAME; THEY'RE CALLED HOLLOW AUGERS.
AND YOU HAVE TO PRECEDE THEM WITH A CONE CUTTER, WHICH IS A STRANGE TOOL.
WE'RE GONNA USE AN IRON BRACE, SO WE'RE GETTING INTO VICTORIAN KIND OF MACHINE-MADE TOOLS HERE.
THIS IS A REGULAR IRON BRACE, AND I HAVE ON IT A THING THAT LOOKS LIKE A PENCIL SHARPENER.
AND THAT IS THE SAME KIND OF CONFIGURATION.
IT'S A WHEELWRIGHT'S SPOKE POINTER.
SO HERE WE HAVE A SQUARE PIECE.
WE'RE STARTING TO POINT IT SO WE CAN USE OUR NEXT TOOL, WHICH IS A TENON CUTTER.
SO THAT'S GREAT.
THERE WE GO; WE'VE POINTED THAT DOWN-- I GIVE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE-- AND THAT, OF COURSE, MAKES A CENTRAL POINT AROUND WHICH THIS NEXT TOOL CAN ROTATE.
SO THIS, YOU KNOW, BEING A HOLLOW AUGER, HAS TO CENTER ITSELF SOMEHOW.
WELL, IT CENTERS ON THAT CONICAL POINT THAT WE'VE MADE.
AND HERE YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT INCREMENTS OF THE HOLLOW AUGER, FROM AN INCH ON DOWN, AND IT CAN CUT ALL OF THESE SIZES, JUST USING THAT SINGLE CUTTER, RIGHT THERE, THAT YOU SEE.
THAT SINGLE CUTTER, RIGHT ON THE PERIMETER, TURNING AROUND HERE, WILL CUT THAT INTO A TENON.
NOW THESE ARE USED BY WHEELWRIGHTS A LOT.
LET ME SEE WHAT BRACE I'LL USE-- THIS SIX-PENNY BRACE HERE-- AW, THAT WON'T EVEN FIT HERE.
OKAY, I'VE GOT TO USE THE SPOFFORD.
LET ME TAKE THAT OFF.
I'VE GOT TO USE THE SPOFFORD BRACE BECAUSE IT'S A BIG SHANK ON THERE BECAUSE THIS THING WOULD TAKE A LOT OF TORQUE.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO ORIENT THE CRANK TOWARDS THE CUTTING BLADE SO THAT WHEN THAT NATURAL TENDENCY TO ROCK DOWN ON THE HANDLE LIKE THIS IS ORIENTED WITH THE CUTTER, SO IT KEEPS IT DOWN.
IF YOU HAVE IT SO THAT YOUR NATURAL TENDENCY IS TO LIFT THE CUTTER, IT DOENS'T WORK AS WELL.
SO NOW WE CENTER IT ON THERE AND START CRANKING DOWN, AND THAT LOW-ANGLE CUTTER, WORKING ON THE END GRAIN LIKE A BLOCK PLANE, WILL CUT THE END OF OUR PIECE INTO A TENON.
AND AS I SAID, THESE WERE USED BY WHEELWRIGHTS.
WHEELWRIGHTS LOVED THESE THINGS-- WHAT A GREAT INVENTION TO MAKE TENONS-- BUT RUSTIC FURNITUREMAKERS AS WELL.
HERE'S A ROUGH PIECE OF WOOD-- YOU CAN MAKE THIS NICE MECHANICAL TENON-- THAT WILL THEN JOIN TO A HOLE THAT YOU BORE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, A SPIRAL AUGER.
NOW, AW, THIS IS GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TOWARDS THE REAL HOLY GRAIL OF WOODWORKING: BORING THE SQUARE HOLE.
NOW, THERE'RE BOGUS WAYS TO BORE A SQUARE HOLE, OF COURSE-- YOU KNOW, BAR BET KIND OF WAYS.
IN FACT, LET'S DO ONE HERE.
I'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF WAYS OF DOING THIS HERE.
AH, HERE WE GO, OKAY.
[laughing] THIS IS A TRICK THAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A BAR BET ABOUT BORING A SQUARE HOLE.
TAKE A PIECE OF LEATHER, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SAY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BORE THE SQUARE HOLE IN, AND FOLD IT IN HALF AND PUT IT BETWEEN ANOTHER PIECE OF-- TWO PIECES OF WOOD, ALL RIGHT... AND CLAMP IT UP.
IN BETWEEN THESE TWO-- GOT A LITTLE KNOT RIGHT THERE; THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT FUN-- BUT THERE WE ARE.
NOW IT'S CLAMPED UP.
NOW, WITH OUR AUGER, OUR ROUND AUGER, WE'RE GONNA SET IT RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF OUR PIECE OF LEATHER AND BORE DOWN HALF THE DIAMETER OF THE AUGER.
SO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-- I'LL GIVE IT TO 7.
THAT'S PROBABLY TOO MUCH.
BUT NOW, AFTER WE UNDO THAT AND TAKE OUT THE LEATHER AND UNFOLD IT, WHAT DO WE HAVE?
A SQUARE HOLE THROUGH OUR PIECE OF LEATHER.
SO WE HAVE BORED A SQUARE HOLE, BUT THAT'S A BAR TRICK.
THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
WE REALLY WANT TO GO FOR THE TRUE SQUARE HOLE.
AND INDEED, I HAVE, IN DRAWER NUMBER FOUR, A TOOL SO STRANGE, SO BIZARRE THAT IT WILL CHALLENGE YOUR BELIEFS OF WOODWORKING BEYOND ANYTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE.
IN FACT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEND THE KIDS AWAY RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE, AND ACTUALLY USE, A DRILL THAT HAS BEEN UNUSED FOR CENTURIES.
THIS IS CALLED A PASSER DRILL, AND IT IS A REPLICA THAT WE HAVE MADE BASED ON ONE FROM THE SHEFFIELD FACTORY OF THE WILLIAM MARPLES COMPANY.
NOW, HERE'S THE FIRST ELEMENT OF IT HERE.
HERE'S THE ONE WE'RE GONNA USE.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S LIKE A TUNING FORK.
WHAT A BIZARRE THING; ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN HERE IS A STICK WITH BRAIDED RAWHIDE CORD ON IT.
THAT'S THE SECOND ELEMENT OF IT.
HERE'S THE THIRD ELEMENT: A BREASTPLATE WITH A BALL BEARING-- WHAT ON EARTH?
AND THEN, FINALLY, THESE TEMPLATES, THESE HOLLOW TEMPLATES HERE.
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
WELL, THAT'S THE TRICK HERE.
THAT'S THE PASSER DRILL.
AND THE WAY TO SEE IT, TO UNDERSTAND IT IS TO JUST USE IT.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT THE PLATE ON.
GOES ON YOUR STOMACH.
YOU SEEN BREASTPLATES; WELL, THIS IS A TUMMY PLATE HERE.
YOU SEE IT, AND YOU MAY ADMIRE MY MANLY BEARING THERE.
IT HAS A--I'M DEFINITELY AN OUTIE NOW.
THAT IS JUST A BRAISE BALL BEARING.
AND THIS IS A COPY OF THAT ORIGINAL.
AND THE ORIGINALS WOULD JUST HAVE-- YOU KNOW, THE OLDER ONES WOULD JUST HAVE A DIMPLE IN THEM, AND THE POINT OF THE DRILL WOULD FIT IN THAT DIMPLE.
AND THEY WERE PROBABLY PRETTY OLD.
THEY PROBABLY CAME FROM FRANCE AND WENT INTO THE CUTLERY TRADE IN ENGLAND.
IN FRANCE THEY WERE CALLED, I BELIEVE, A PASSE-PARTOUT, AND THEY BECAME THE PASSER DRILL IN ENGLISH.
NOW HERE WE GO.
HERE WE HAVE A PIECE OF WALNUT.
LET ME GET THIS PIECE HERE.
IT'S A LITTLE SMALLER HERE.
WE HAVE A PIECE OF WALNUT.
I'M GONNA PUT THE STEEL TEMPLATE OVER IT.
NOW, PETER ROSS MADE THESE TEMPLATES AND THE DRILL, ALONG WITH ME.
WE WORKED TOGETHER, REPLICATING THE ORIGINAL THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY.
AND IT WAS BOUGHT-- NOW HERE'S THE THING; HERE'S HOW THIS WORKS.
THAT'S GONNA SPRING INSIDE THERE AND TRACK AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THAT LITTLE TEMPLATE THERE AND SCRAPE ITS WAY IN.
AND THAT I BELIEVE IS STILL BORING, BUT IT'S THE MOST EXCITING BORING YOU'VE EVER SEEN.
SO HERE WE GO; I'VE PUT THE BOW ON IT, AND I'VE GOT THAT RAWHIDE, THE BRAIDED RAWHIDE THAT GOES INTO THE BEARING THERE, SO NOW I'VE GOT THE BEARING ON ONE END, ON MY STOMACH, AND GOT TO LINE IT UP STRAIGHT, GET EVERYTHING STRAIGHTENED UP.
HERE'S THE BOW THAT DRIVES IT.
AND NOW, THAT IS GOING TO JUST JITTERBUG AROUND INSIDE THAT HOLE LIKE THAT.
ISN'T THAT GREAT, ALL RIGHT?
WE DO IT LIGHTLY AT FIRST AND THEN REALLY GO AT IT.
YEAH.
NOW, WHAT'S STRANGE IS, OF COURSE, TO GET INTO THE CORNERS THERE, WE HAVE TO MOVE OUR BODY AROUND, SO NOT ONLY ARE YOU DOING THIS STRANGE THING, YOU HAVE TO MOVE YOUR BODY UP AND DOWN AND AROUND.
AND IF YOU WONDER WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE THINGS, WHY NOBODY EVER USED THEM, IT'S PROBABLY 'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SUCH STRANGE MOVEMENTS WITH YOUR BODY.
WELL, LET'S OPEN THAT UP NOW AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
THERE'S THE TEMPLATE, AND THERE IS THE SQUARE HOLE.
THERE YOU GO.
SO WE CAN BORE A SQUARE HOLE USING THE PASSER DRILL.
NOW, THIS WAS USED FOR CUTTING THE DIAMONDS-- IN FACT, LET'S CUT THE DIAMONDS IN TRI SQUARES.
LET ME SHOW YOU THE ORIGINAL HERE, AND THE ORIGINAL IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
HERE'S THE DRILL-- VERY WORN, THE DRILL PART.
THIS IS THE BREASTPLATE, OR STOMACH PLATE, FROM THE ORIGINAL AGAIN-- WILLIAM MARPLES FACTORY, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, WHERE THEY MADE FINE JOINERS TOOLS.
AND LOOK, THIS IS BRASS, AND I BET YOU ANYTHING IT WAS A SHELL CASING, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT HAS A BALL BEARING INSIDE THERE.
THIS WAS USED UP UNTIL THE 1960s.
IT WAS THEN COLLECTED BY JOHN SAINSBURY, WHO WAS THE HISTORIAN FOR RECORD RIDGWAY WHEN MARPLES WENT OVER TO THEM.
AND IT WAS KINDLY--THIS ORIGINAL WAS KINDLY LOANED TO US BY DON AND ANNE WING OF THE MECHANICS WORK BENCH.
JAY GAYNOR PUT US TOGETHER, SO I'M INDEBTED TO THE FOLKS WHO SAVED US ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE.
NOW, WHAT WAS REALLY INCREDIBLE IS, IT CAME WITH A DOZEN TEMPLATES.
YOU CAN SEE THIS TEMPLATE WITH THE FIVE OPEN SPACES THERE.
WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?
WELL, YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU CAN'T DO THE WHOLE PATTERN AT ONCE.
YOU HAVE TO DO SMALL SEGMENTS.
AND I LOOKED AT THIS, AND SUDDENLY IT STARTED MAKING SENSE.
I SAID, "WHERE HAVE I SEEN THAT BEFORE?"
WELL, HERE IS A TRY SQUARE THAT I HAD IN MY TOOLCHEST.
AND LOOK--DARNED IF IT ISN'T REUNITED AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
THERE'S THE TEMPLATE THAT MADE THAT INLETTING FOR THAT BRASS, RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S GOT TO BE-- IT IS A PERFECT FIT THERE.
SO HERE WE ARE, THIS MARPLES TRY SQUARE, WITH THE TEMPLATE AND THE ORIGINAL TOOLS FROM SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, THAT MADE IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY IT NOW, CUTTING A DIFFERENT STYLE OF PATTERN, NOT JUST THE SQUARE BUT SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE ELABORATE HERE.
WE HAVE GOT A TRIFID-- A TRIFOLIATE PATTERN HERE-- AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT THESE THINGS DO, WHY THESE BRASS ITEMS ARE INSET THERE.
THEY'RE THE WASHERS FOR THE PINS THAT HOLD THE BLADE OF THE SQUARE STEADY TO THE BODY.
SO WE'RE GONNG TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT PATTERN USING THIS TEMPLATE THAT PETER ROSS MADE, RIGHT HERE.
ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL THERE?
SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AND THEN UP-- SORRY, UPSIDE DOWN-- DO THAT AND REUNITE THESE ITEMS.
SO LET'S GIVE IT A SHOT HERE.
YOU'LL TAKE SOME WALNUT, NOW, AND FIT IT ON THERE.
WE'RE GONNA PUT IT IN THE VISE.
NOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE THESE GUYS-- THIS IS ASTOUNDING THESE WERE USED UP UNTIL PROBABLY THE 1960s.
IT WAS JUST THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW-- I WISH I KNEW A LITTLE MORE OF THE HISTORY, BUT I SURE AM INDEBTED TO THE FOLKS WHO PRESERVED THIS INCREDIBLE TECHNICAL THING.
SO HERE WE GO.
WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH THAT ONE FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL WORK OUR WAY AROUND.
BUT AGAIN, WE LOCK THE BOW.
SO HERE'S THIS ANCIENT RAWHIDE BOW.
I MEAN, THIS GOES BACK; THIS IS STONE-AGED.
I MEAN, THIS IS PRIMITIVE FIREMAKING, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THIS BOW HERE INTO AN INDUSTRIAL BALL BEARING, PROBABLY IN A SHELL-CASING STOMACH PLATE THERE.
NOW THE SPRING GOES IN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT BEAUTIFUL TEMPER THAT PETER ROSS PUT ON THAT THING RIGHT THERE.
SO SPRING STEEL WITH BLADES THAT FIT INTO THE CORNERS, AND WE WORK IT.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'LL MOVE UP TO ANOTHER ONE.
TRY AND GET-- SEE, I LEARNED YOU HAVE TO MOVE AROUND.
YOU HAVE TO SWING YOUR BODY AROUND.
NOW HERE WE GO AGAIN ON OUR LAST PIECE OF THAT TRIFOLIATE SHAPE.
THERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
[laughs] NOW LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT THERE.
THAT SHOULD HAVE ROUTERED OUT THOSE PIECES PRETTY SQUARE TO THE TEMPLATE.
SO WE TAKE THE TEMPLATE OFF.
THERE'S THE TEMPLATE, AND HERE IS WHAT IT HAS LEFT US: THESE THREE HOLES THAT WE ARE NOW GOING TO JOIN WITH A GOUGE.
AND THAT WILL MAKE OUR TRIFOLIATE OPENING.
SO IT'S VERY SIMPLE.
YOU CAN IMAGINE-- YOU LOOK AT THIS, AND YOU SAY, "OH, GOSH, THIS'D BE SUCH A HARD THING TO DO."
BUT IT'S REALLY JUST VERY QUICK WITH THE PASSER DRILL, WHICH PROBABLY CAME, I'D SAY, FROM PASSE-PARTOUT.
THAT'S THE NAME FOR, LIKE, A PASSKEY OR, LIKE I SAID, A FRAMING MAT ANYTHING THAT'S CUT...
IN PRINTING, SOMETHING THAT'S CUT TO ALLOW YOU TO PUT NEW TYPE IN.
THAT'S CALLED A PASSE-PARTOUT.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA DO THIS IN TWO STAGES HERE I'LL TAKE OUT A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK WITH A GOUGE AGAIN.
AND THEN WE'LL PRESS OUR BRASS INTO THAT OPENING.
THERE WE GO.
SO ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS TAKE OUT THE MIDDLE PART.
ISN'T THAT GREAT?
THEN WE TAKE THAT OUT.
THE PASSE-PARTOUT-- AND I THINK JAY GAYNOR WAS THEORIZING ON THIS-- THAT THIS PROBABLY CAME FROM THE CUTLERY TRADE.
IF YOU HAVE A JACKKNIFE WITH A LITTLE SHIELD IN THE SIDE, THIS PASSER DRILL, OR PIERCER-- CURSOR DRILL, AS IT CAME TO BE CALLED-- WAS PROBABLY THE TOOL THAT WAS USED TO DO THAT.
SO THERE WE GO.
NOW WE'VE GOT OUR OPENING ROUTED IN THERE.
WE HAVE OUR BRASS READY TO GO, AND THE BRASS IS SLIGHTLY TAPERED AND SHARP ON THE EDGE.
YOU CAN SEE THE PASSER DRILL DOESN'T REALLY GET THOSE CORNERS VERY SHARP.
THAT'S HARD TO DO, BECAUSE THAT WOULD REALLY WEAR THE TEMPLATE.
BUT IF WE MAKE A LITTLE BRASS PIECE THAT IS JUST A LITTLE BIT TAPERED TO GO IN THERE... ALL RIGHT, YOU CAN GET IT LINED UP JUST RIGHT-- I HOPE I HAVE--I'M GONNA PUT A STEEL PLATE OVER IT.
SEE IF I CAN GET IT LINED UP JUST RIGHT, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA SQUEEZE IT IN THERE.
NOW I'VE GOT TO HAVE IT JUST LINED-- OH-- JUST LINED UP JUST RIGHT.
LET ME BRING THIS UP AND THEN REALIGN THAT AGAIN.
OKAY, SO IT'S OVER THERE.
PUT THE STEEL PLATE OVER IT, AND OF COURSE WE'RE JUST PUTTING IN THAT ESCUTCHEON.
NOW THOSE SHARP CORNERS ON THE BRASS, IF I'VE GOT 'EM RIGHT, SHOULD SQUEEZE INTO THOSE CORNERS, AND WE WILL HAVE INSET...
THE BRASS WASHER, OR ESCUTCHEON.
THERE WE GO; LOOK AT THAT.
SEE, THAT'S READY TO MAKE A BLADE.
WE PUT THE BLADE IN THERE FOR OUR LITTLE TRI-SQUARE.
SO THERE IT IS, THAT INCREDIBLE PASSER DRILL THAT WAS INSET BY HAVING THESE TWO LITTLE FORKED ENDS OF IT DANCING AROUND.
LET ME SHOW YOU AGAIN HOW THAT WORKS.
THAT FITS INSIDE THE CASE-HARDENED PLATE AND THEN DANCES AROUND INSIDE THERE-- THOSE TWO LITTLE TEETH.
SO YOU CALL IT BORING?
NO!
NO ONE DARE CALL THIS BORING, FOR THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING DRILL THAT EVER THERE WAS.
WELL, YOU KNOW THE DRILL, AND IN FACT, HERE, LET ME TAKE OFF THIS BELT HERE, BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE WON THE CHALLENGE.
YOU KNOW...IF YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS BELT AWAY FROM ME, THERE'S ONE PLACE YOU CAN DO IT.
IT'S RIGHT HERE IN THIS SHOP, 'CAUSE I AM THE WOODWRIGHT, AND NOBODY'S TAKING THIS AWAY FROM ME AS LONG AS I'VE GOT MY PASSER DRILL AND MY BOW.
WELL, ENOUGH OF THAT.
WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN BORE THE REGULAR KIND OF HOLES NEXT TIME WHEN WE GET TOGETHER HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.
SO LONG.
(announcer) LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.
YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT: Captioning byCaptionMax www.captionmax.com [upbeat fiddle music] (male announcer) MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP IS PROVIDED BY: (male announcer) WHETHER YOU'RE HELPING THEM LEARN HOW TO WALK...
I'M SO THERE.
(announcer) OR TEACHING THEM TO DRIVE... [tires screeching] (girl) SORRY.
OH, YEAH, I'M THERE.
(announcer) WHEREVER YOU ARE IN LIFE, STATE FARM IS THERE, PROUD SPONSOR OF THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
(male announcer) WE ARE PBS.
(male announcer) ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE: WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE, AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.