Woodworking in Berea

HELLO, I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

AND WHAT IF I WERE TO TELL YOU THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR GREAT NATION, THERE IS A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE THAT HAS A LABORATORY DEDICATED TO THE STUDY OF MUSCLE-POWERED WOODWORKING MACHINERY, A COLLEGE THAT ALLOWS ITS STUDENTS TO PAY FOR THEIR EDUCATION BY WORKING WOOD.

NOW, THIS SAME COLLEGE HAS A BRILLIANT COLLECTION OF EARLY AMERICAN FURNITURE BY WALLACE NUTTING AND A COLLECTION OF EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS OF APPALACHIAN ARTISANS AT WORK.

IT'S ALSO SPAWNED AROUND IT A COMMUNITY OF WOODWORKERS WHO ARE NOW MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE REST OF THE WORLD.

IT'S A VERITABLE HOTBED OF SUBVERSIVE WOODWORKING.

IT'S THE SIGNPOST UP AHEAD, OUR NEXT STOP, BEREA, KENTUCKY, HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

(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... [brakes squeal] (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] THIS IS THE EDGE OF THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU IN KENTUCKY, AND IT LOOKS PEACEFUL ENOUGH.

BUT IN THE 1850s, THIS WAS A PIVOT POINT BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL NORTH AND THE SLAVEHOLDING SOUTH, WITH MOUNTAINS AND SMALL FARMERS TO THE EAST AND BLUEGRASS PLANTATIONS TO THE WEST.

IN 1842, YOUNG KENTUCKIAN JOHN GREG FEE WAS SENT OFF TO SEMINARY SCHOOL IN OHIO.

HIS PARENTS, NICE MIDDLE-CLASS SLAVEHOLDING FARMERS, THOUGHT, WELL, HE'S GONNA COME BACK, SETTLE DOWN, AND BE A NICE MINISTER IN OLD KENTUCKY.

BUT JOHN FEE DID NOT COME BACK AS A NICE MINISTER AND SETTLE DOWN.

INSTEAD, HE WAS RADICALIZED AT SEMINARY SCHOOL.

HE BECAME AN ABOLITIONIST, AN AGITATOR.

AND NOT ONLY WAS HE ANTI SLAVERY, HE BELIEVED THAT PEOPLE OF ALL RACES WERE EQUAL.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, HE THOUGHT MEN AND WOMEN WERE EQUAL TOO.

IN 1855, JOHN FEE AND HIS FRIENDS BEGAN BUILDING A SCHOOL THAT WAS TO BE OPEN TO MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL RACES.

THEY BUILT IT IN A PLACE THEY CALLED BEREA AFTER A BIBLICAL TOWN KNOWN FOR ITS OPEN-MINDED INDIVIDUALS.

WELL, OF COURSE, IN 1859, AN ARMED MOB RAN THEM OUT OF THE STATE, AND THEN CAME THE CIVIL WAR, BUT THEY KEPT ON.

THEY CAME BACK, REBUILT THE SCHOOL, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYED OPEN TO STUDENTS OF LOW INCOME, STUDENTS WERE REQUIRED TO COMBINE WORK WITH THEIR STUDIES TO HELP PAY THEIR WAY, AND THEY STILL DO THAT TODAY.

MANY FOLKS MAKE THE MISTAKE OF THINKING THAT BEREA COLLEGE IS A CRAFT SCHOOL.

IT ISN'T.

INSTEAD, IT'S A PLACE WHERE LIBERAL ARTS STUDENTS WORK AT HANDCRAFT INDUSTRIES TO HELP PAY THEIR OWN WAY.

IT BEGAN WITH WEAVING IN 1893.

AT FIRST, STUDENTS FROM THE MOUNTAINS WOULD BRING COVERLETS WOVEN AT HOME TO HELP PAY FOR THEIR TUITION, BUT SLOWLY THE COLLEGE ACQUIRED LOOMS THAT THE STUDENTS STILL USE TODAY.

ON MOUNTAIN FARMS, BROOM CORN IS ONE OF THE NARROW RANGE OF CROPS THAT DOES REAL WELL, SO IN 1920, WITH THE HELP OF DONATED MACHINES, BROOM MAKING ALSO BECAME A PART OF BEREA COLLEGE CRAFTS.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S WOODWORKING.

BEREA LIES WITHIN ONE OF THE FINEST HARDWOOD FORESTS IN THE WORLD.

AT THE COLLEGE, STUDENTS UNDERTAKE THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF WOODCRAFT FROM PICKING THE LUMBER DOWN TO FINISHING.

AND IT'S CALLED CRAFT, BUT IT'S MORE LIKE MODERN MANUFACTURING, WITH THE LATEST POWERED MACHINERY.

STILL, THERE'S ALWAYS HANDWORK SUCH AS FITTING A MORTISE AND TENON JOINT OR CUTTING THE ACORN FINIAL OF A BED.

FOR PATTERNS, THEY FOLLOW AN ECLECTIC MIX OF ARTS AND CRAFTS, SHAKER, AND EARLY AMERICAN DESIGNS.

THEY'VE HAD SOME GOOD OUTSIDE HELP TOO.

THESE STOUT WING CHAIRS WERE NOT MADE HERE.

THEY WERE A GIFT FROM PERHAPS THE 20TH CENTURY'S BEST-KNOWN MAKER OF REPRODUCTION FURNITURE, WALLACE NUTTING.

MORE GIFTS FROM WALLACE NUTTING AWAIT US AT THE LOG HOUSE CRAFT GALLERY, WHICH IS A FASCINATING STRUCTURE IN ITSELF, BUILT IN 1917 AS THE WEAVING STUDIO.

NOW IT'S THE RETAIL CENTER FOR THE PRODUCTS MADE BY THE STUDENTS AND OTHER ARTISANS.

BUT IF YOU GO UPSTAIRS, YOU'LL FIND A LITTLE ROOM THAT IS CHOCK-FULL OF WONDERFUL WALLACE NUTTING FURNITURE.

AND TO TELL US MORE ABOUT IT IS THE CURATOR OF THE BEREA COLLECTION, CHRIS MILLER.

CHRIS, THANKS FOR HAVING US.

WELCOME TO BEREA.

IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE AND TO SEE THESE WONDERFUL THINGS.

THIS IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL NUTTING PIECE, ISN'T IT?

YES, HE'S BEST KNOWN FOR HIS WINDSOR CHAIRS.

WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM IN THE ROOM HERE, A VARIETY OF SHAPES AND STYLES.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

HE USED ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOODS: I GUESS PINE ON THE SEATS, AND THE SPINDLES ARE HICKORY; IS THAT RIGHT?

I THINK SO.

MM-HMM, AND THEN OAK ON HERE, AND THESE ARE, OF COURSE, HARD MAPLE, BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING IN NEW ENGLAND.

IT'S JUST PERFECT.

IT WAS THE BEST WOOD FOR EVERY PIECE.

BUT WHAT THE HECK HERE?

LOOK AT THIS.

HE DOES THIS PERFECT REPRODUCTION AND THEN BRANDS "WALLACE NUTTING" IN THE BOTTOM.

WHAT'S THAT?

WELL, THAT'S RIGHT.

WHEN HE FIRST STARTED MAKING REPRODUCTION COLONIAL FURNITURE, HE WAS CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE WOULD PASS IT OFF AS THE ORIGINALS, SO HE BRANDED IT TO PROVE THAT IT WAS A REPRODUCTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH THE BEREA FURNITURE AS WELL.

THAT'S RIGHT.

BACK IN THE 1920s, HE CONVINCED US TO DO THE SAME.

SO IT WON'T BE SOLD AS AN ANTIQUE.

NOW, HE WAS A GREAT FRIEND OF BEREA COLLEGE.

HOW'D THAT COME ABOUT?

THAT'S RIGHT; HE WAS FOND OF OUR APPALACHIAN COMMITMENT.

HE WAS FOND OF THE FACT THAT THE STUDENTS WORKED.

THERE WERE JUST A LOT OF THINGS HE LIKED ABOUT BEREA.

AND THERE'S A PIECE OF HIS HERE, AGAIN-- YEAH, ANOTHER VERY FINE PIECE THAT SHOW THE DETAILS OF HIS WORKMANSHIP.

HIS PIECES ARE PRETTY IDENTIFIABLE BY THE QUALITY OF THE WORK.

YOU SEE THE DOVETAILS ALONG THE SIDE, AGAIN, THE SPECIAL CHOICE OF WOODS WITH THE POPLAR ON THE SIDES AND THEN THE BEAUTIFUL CARVING OF THE FAN.

MAN, NOW, HE MUST HAVE HAD SPECIALISTS TO DO THE CARVING, SOMEBODY WHO DID THAT, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DO THIS HIMSELF.

THAT'S CORRECT.

RIGHT, HE HAD SPECIALIZED CRAFTSPEOPLE FOR EVERYTHING.

I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A GUY WHO CARVED SEATS.

THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT CARVED FANS.

THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO TURNED LEGS, SPECIALISTS FOR EACH PART.

BUT SOME OF THESE GUYS WERE, LIKE, SWEDISH OR LATVIAN.

I MEAN, IT WAS FOLKS FROM ALL OVER IN HIS LITTLE FURNITURE FACTORY BUT DOING IT BY HAND.

THAT'S CORRECT.

WOW.

AND HE WAS AN AUTHORITY.

I SEE YOU'VE GOT FURNITURE OF THE PILGRIM CENTURY?

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

YES, WALLACE NUTTING WAS A COLLECTOR OF FURNITURE AND ALSO WENT AROUND AND PHOTOGRAPHED A LOT OF PEOPLE'S PIECES, DOCUMENTED IT VERY CAREFULLY: MEASUREMENTS, DESCRIPTIONS.

HE WAS DEFINITELY EXPERT ON THE THINGS THAT WERE MADE, AND HIS OWN PIECES REFLECT THAT.

THIS IS GREAT.

BUT HOW WOULD HE DO THAT?

SAY, LIKE, HE WAS GONNA MAKE A WINDSOR CHAIR KE THIS.

WOULD HE JUST FIND ONE THAT HE THOUGHT WAS GREAT AND THEN DO IT, PERFECTLY MATCHING IT?

WELL, REALLY, THIS WAS AN IDEALIZED WINDSOR CHAIR.

HE TOOK AND COLLECTED UP MANY, MANY EXAMPLES, MEASURED THEM ALL, AND PICKED THE PARTS, E SHAPES, THE DETAILS THAT HE LIKED BEST AND CREATED THIS IDEALIZED WINDSOR CHAIR AND IN SOME WAYS SHAPED OUR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT A WINDSOR CHAIR SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

WELL, I BROUGHT MY RULER.

NOW, YOU'RE THE CURATOR.

CAN I GO AHEAD AND DO THIS?

'CAUSE I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THIS ABOUT WALLACE NUTTING PIECES, THAT THEY SHOULD MEASURE EXACTLY 18 INCHES FROM THE GROUND TO THE FRONT, AND THEY DO, AND 17 1/2 ON THE BACK LEG, ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S CHECK THAT.

THIS IS GREAT.

AND SO HE REALLY CAME UP WITH A FORMULA-- THERE IT IS, 17 1/2-- AND A FORMULA FOR THE SPLAY.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT NOW.

THIS SHOULD BE 4 INCHES OUT OF VERTICAL ON AN 18-INCH-HIGH LEG, SO LET'S MEASURE THE TOP.

THAT'S 10.

AND IF--THERE WE GO-- THE BOTTOM IS 18, SO HALF OF THAT WOULD BE 8 AND THEN 4, SO WE HAVE 4 INCHES' SPLAY.

SO HE REALLY WAS WORKING TO AN IDEAL THAT HE CREATED.

THAT'S CORRECT.

WOW, SO HE, LIKE, SHAPED OUR WHOLE IDEAL OF WHAT EARLY AMERICA LOOKED LIKE.

HOW DID HE GET STARTED?

WAS HE ALWAYS A FURNITURE MAKER?

NO, MR. NUTTING ORIGINALLY WAS A CONGREGATIONAL MINISTER.

THEN HE GOT INTO PHOTOGRAPHY, AND HE LIKED TO SHOOT THESE COLONIAL SCENES.

AND YOU SEE THE WINDSOR CHAIR IN THERE TOO.

OH, YEAH.

HE WOULD DRESS PEOPLE UP IN COSTUME.

HE PURCHASED PROPERTIES AND DECORATED THEM WITH HIS COLLECTION.

AND THEN THESE PRINTS WERE MADE AND HAND COLORED AND VERY POPULAR IN THE 1920a.

EVERY HOME HAD SOME.

WOW, SO THAT'S A PHOTOGRAPH AND HAND TINTED, BUT PEOPLE COULD AFFORD THAT, EVEN IF THEY COULDN'T AFFORD THIS FINE WALLACE NUTTING FURNITURE.

NOW, YOU'VE GOT A PIECE HERE.

ONE OF YOUR CHAIRS LOOKS ASKEW TO ME.

THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A NUTTING-- THIS ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT IN THAT IT'S NOT A NUTTING, AND IT REALLY COMES OUT WHEN YOU START TO COMPARE DETAILS.

THIS WAS FOUND ON CAMPUS, AND PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS A NUTTING, AND A LOT OF THINGS JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT TO ME.

IF YOU COMPARE THE SCROLLWORK HERE... YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.

YOU'LL SEE QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE.

NOW, NUTTING, AGAIN, HE HAD A SCROLL-- SOMEBODY CUTTING THAT SCROLL.

THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT SO MUCH SHARPER AND CLEANER THAN THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE.

AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION TOO.

IS THAT DIFFERENT?

THAT'S RIGHT; THE SEATS-- IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THE LEGS PUNCH THROUGH THE SEAT ON THE OTHER PIECE.

BUT ON THE NUTTING, THE JOINERY'S HIDDEN.

ALL RIGHT.

AND LET'S LOOK AT THE BOTTOM HERE TOO.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN COMPARE THE TURNINGS THERE TOO.

YOU'LL SEE QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE.

THESE ARE VERY MUDDY OVER HERE.

YEAH, BOY, HE'D NEVER SIGN OFF ON THAT.

SO THIS DIDN'T GET THE NUTTING BRAND.

AND YOU LOOK AT HIS TURNING: IT'S JUST AS CRISP AND CLEAN AS IT COULD BE.

THAT'S RIGHT; HE HAD A THING HE CALLED THE NUTTING WAY.

AH, ALL RIGHT.

WELL, AND IT WAS DONE, THOUGH--IT'S SO FUNNY-- DONE BY LATVIANS, ITALIANS, SWEDES, AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND YET HE WAS TRYING TO CREATE THIS EARLY AMERICAN IMAGE THAT HE PERPETUATED.

BUT DEFINITELY THE FURNITURE STUFF WAS DONE BY FOLKS WHO DEFINITELY DID NOT COME OVER ON THE MAYFLOWER.

WALLACE NUTTING WAS NOT THE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHER WHO CREATED ROMANTIC VIEWS OF AMERICA.

THESE PORTRAITS OF APPALACHIAN AMERICANS ARE THE WORK OF DORIS ULMANN, AND A MAJOR PART OF HER PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOW PRESERVED HERE IN THE ART DEPARTMENT OF BEREA COLLEGE.

A SUCCESSFUL NEW YORK PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER, DORIS ULMANN'S STUDIO ON PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, SAW THE LIKES OF PAUL ROBSON, THOMAS WOLFE, AND ALBERT EINSTEIN.

BUT GRADUALLY, THROUGH THE 1920s AND '30s, SHE BEGAN PHOTOGRAPHING WHAT SHE CALLED THE VANISHING TYPES IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH.

NOW, IT WAS NOT HER INTENTION TO DOCUMENT THE TECHNICAL PROCESSES OF EARLY HANDICRAFT, BUT YOU CAN STILL LEARN A LOT FROM HER PHOTOGRAPHS: THE DETAILS OF LOG NOTCHING, THE LAP OF A LONG BOARD SHINGLED ROOF, HOW TO USE A RIVEING BRAKE, AND STACK THE WHITE OAK SHINGLES TO KEEP THEM FLAT.

YOU CAN SEE HOW TO WEAVE A CHAIR FROM CORN SHUCKS AS WELL AS SEE THE BEAUTY OF A SINGLE CORN SHUCK AS IT JOINS INTO THE CORD AND MARVEL AT THE GRACE OF THE HANDS AS THEY PULL AND TWIST IT TIGHT.

DORIS ULMANN PHOTOGRAPHED THE WOODEN WATERWHEELS FOR GRINDING CORN AND A GREAT WHEEL LATHE POWERED BY THE CORN BREAD THAT IT GROUND OR BY CORN LIQUOR, IF YOU WANT TO INDULGE THE CLICHE.

BUT WHETHER IT WAS MANPOWER TURNING A LATHE OR WOMANPOWER TURNING A GRINDSTONE, THE DIGNITY AND STRENGTH OF THESE PEOPLE IS FOREMOST.

IN HER PORTRAITS, YOU MEET WOMEN WHO DON'T JUST WEAVE THE WHITE OAK STRIPS FOR CHAIR BOTTOMS; THEY ALSO TURNED THE LEGS FOR CHAIRS IN THEIR WOODEN SPRING-POLE LATHES AND WITH WOODEN RIFLING MACHINES, CUT THE SPIRAL GROOVES INTO THE BARREL OF A GUN.

DORIS ULMANN CAME HERE TO BEREA, WHERE SHE PHOTOGRAPHED LOOMS BEING MADE FOR THE CRAFTS PROGRAM AT THE COLLEGE AND BEREA COLLEGE STUDENTS EARNING THEIR KEEP MAKING PRODUCTS TO SELL, INCLUDING DESIGNS LIKE THE BEREA BASKET THAT STUDENTS STILL MAKE TODAY.

ANOTHER OF HER FAVORITE PLACES WAS THE JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS.

THERE SHE PHOTOGRAPHED WOODCARVERS, AND AS A FELLOW ARTIST-CRAFTSMAN WITH THE CAMERA, SHOWED HER ONENESS WITH THE WORKING HANDS SHE LOVED TO PHOTOGRAPH.

NOW, IT'S AMAZING TO REALIZE THAT IN THE 1930s, DORIS ULMANN WAS WORKING AT THE SAME TIME AS DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHERS MARGARET BURKE-WHITE AND DOROTHEA LANGE.

BUT WHILE THEY WERE SHOOTING INDUSTRY AND THE MIGRANTS OF THE DEPRESSION AND DUST BOWL WITH THEIR GRAFLEXES AND LEICAS, DORIS ULMANN CONTINUED WORKING IN THE OLD PICTORIALIST STYLE, USING HER 8 1/2 X 6 1/2 INCH GLASS PLATE VIEW CAMERA AND MAKING HER OWN PLATINUM PRINTS.

THIS REQUIRED THE SUBJECTS OF HER PHOTOGRAPHS TO HOLD STILL, TO COOPERATE WITH HER AS SHE WORKED.

AND BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T SIMPLY EXPOSE THE SUFFERING AND HARD TIMES OF THE MOUNTAINFOLK, SOME CRITICS DISMISS HER WORK AS NAIVE MYTHOLOGIZING.

BUT BY TREATING THE SAM RUSSELLS AND THE JETHRO AMBURGYS OF THIS WORLD WITH THE SAME DIGNITY SHE GAVE TO THE ALBERT EINSTEINS AND LILLIAN GISHES AND ROBERT FROSTS, HER ACTIVIST EXPRESSION OF THE WORTH OF EVERY PERSON IS EVIDENT IN EVERY IMAGE.

DORIS ULMANN WAS IN CONSTANT POOR HEALTH WHILE SHE WAS TAKING THESE PHOTOGRAPHS, AND SHE DIED BEFORE THEY COULD BE PUBLISHED IN THIS WONDERFUL BOOK, HANDICRAFTS OF THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS.

BUT AS WONDERFUL AS THIS BOOK IS, WITH ALL ITS BEAUTIFUL DORIS ULMANN PHOTOGRAPHS, IT SHOWS A CULTURAL COMPLICATION THAT'S NOT REALLY APPARENT AT FIRST GLANCE.

IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, THERE'S ALL THESE FOLK CARVERS, MOUNTAINEER FOLKS DOING THEIR WHITTLING AND STUFF KE THAT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT AN EARLIER VOLUME, A STUDY OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS OF THE KENTUCKY MOUNTAINS, PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, WE READ THAT, "IN TRAVELING THROUGH THIS SECTION, "ONE LOOKS OUT FOR SOME EXPRESSION "OF THE ESTHETIC FEELING, "AS ONE FINDS IN THE WOODCARVING OF THE ALPS AND SCANDINAVIAN MOUNTAINS."

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WAS NO WOODCARVING TRADITION IN THE MOUNTAINS IN 1901.

BUT IN 1937, GOSH, IT'S FULL OF THE OLD MOUNTAINEER DOING THEIR WHITTLING AND WOODCARVING.

WHAT HAPPENED?

WELL, THIS WAS CULTURAL INTERVENTION, FOLKS FROM THE NORTH SETTING UP FOLK SCHOOLS IN THE MOUNTAINS TO INVENT A MARKETABLE CULTURE.

THEY TAUGHT THE FOLKS, OH, DANISH WEAVING, ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING, AND GERMAN WOODCARVING.

BUT ONE TRADITION THAT DID SURVIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS PRETTY MUCH INTACT IS THAT OF THE OLD MOUNTAIN DULCIMER.

AND LOOKING AT DORIS ULMANN'S WONDERFUL PLATINUM PRINTS, YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THE MUSIC PLAYING.

[lilting dulcimer tune] AND IF YOU FIND YOUR WAY DOWN TO THAT LITTLE WOODWORKING SHOP ON THE CORNER RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BEREA, YOU'RE BOUND TO HEAR DULCIMER MUSIC, BECAUSE THAT'S THE SHOP BELONGING TO FURNITURE MAKER AND DULCIMER MAKER MR. WARREN MAY.

WELCOME.

THANKS FOR INVITING US IN.

GOSH, THAT IS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC FROM A BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.WOW.

AND YOU NUMBER THESE AS YOU MAKE THEM.

WHICH ONE IS THIS HERE?

SURE DO; NUMBER 15,060.

15,000 DULCIMERS AND COUNTING.

I HAVE STARTED AND FINISHED EVERY ONE OF THEM.

OH, IT'S WONDERFUL.

BUT EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE MADE SO MANY AND THEY'RE SO FAMILIAR TO US, THE HISTORY IS REALLY SHROUDED IN THE MISTS, ISN'T IT?

IT GOES SO FAR BACK.

WE'RE PRETTY SURE IT'S THE FIRST FRETTED INSTRUMENT IN EUROPE, PROBABLY ABOUT 1,000 YEARS AGO, MUCH OLDER THAN GUITARS OR BANJOS.

BUT PROBABLY APPEARED IN THIS COUNTRY EARLY 1700s.

HERE'S ONE MAYBE 170 YEARS OLD, TOTALLY HAND CARVED, HAND PLANED.

WOW, THEY SURVIVED IN THE MOUNTAINS HERE.

GOOD OLD YELLOW POPLAR WAS THE MOST TRADITIONAL.

IT WAS A LITTLE LOUDER.

AND THIS ONE HERE?

PINE AND WALNUT, PROBABLY A LITTLE MORE TYPICAL OF THE EARLY KENTUCKY: THE DOUBLE-CURVED SIDE, THE STRENGTHENING, THE LIGHTER WOOD, WIRE FRETS, THREE STRING, HAND CARVED SCROLL, WOODEN PEGS, AND A LITTLE MORE OF THE BAGPIPE SOUND, WHICH WAS A LITTLE MORE OF THE TYPICAL SOUND.

WOW, IT'S SO WONDERFUL.

I LOVE IT.

SO THAT ACCOMPANIED THE BALLADS COMING FROM THE OLD WORLD AND SO FORTH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

PROBABLY THE FIRST INSTRUMENT IN THE MOUNTAINS HERE.

AND--BUT STILL, AND ALL IN ALL, IT'S REALLY JUST A BOX, LIKE ALL FINE INSTRUMENTS, AND YOU'VE GOT SOME OF THE PARTS RIGHT HERE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

COURSE, WORKING FROM THE SOLID WOOD.

WE SLICE OUT THE BOOKMATCH TOPS.

IN THIS CASE, THEY'RE-- UNFOLD IT, ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

CHOSEN THE KNOTHOLE HERE, AND OF COURSE, YOU GET YOUR REALLY PRETTY GRAINING AROUND THERE.

WE'VE HOLLOWED OUT THE BACK AND USUALLY GO AHEAD AND SCULPTURE AND DO A LITTLE MORE HANDWORK ON THE HUMMINGBIRDS OR THE OTHER SOUND HOLES.

A LOT OF THIS WE HAND CARVE WITH A POCKETKNIFE AND CHISEL.

AH, SO YOU SAW IT OUT AND THEN TRIM IT AROUND THERE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

A LITTLE EXTRA HAND DETAIL IS PRETTY TYPICAL.

AND THEN WHAT'S NEXT?

THE SCROLL, I GUESS, ADDS ON TO THE TOP HERE?

YES, AS I'M WORKING ON THIS, WE'RE BLANKING OUT THE SCROLLS.

THIS IS HAND CARVED TOO.

YEAH.

SAME TIME, PROCESSING AND BENDING OUR SIDES, WHICH WOULD ALSO BE BOOKMATCHED FROM THE SAME PIECE OF WOOD.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

THE LITTLE HARDER PIECE WOULD BE THE REALLY PRETTY BALANCED AND MATCHED BACK PIECE.

AGAIN, BOOKMATCH OPENED UP SO IT'S TWO SYMMETRICAL PIECES.

THAT'S RIGHT; BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF CHERRY THERE.

WOW; NOW, YOU SAID-- YOU MENTIONED THESE KNOTS HERE.

AGAIN, BOOKMATCHED, BUT DO YOU LEAVE KNOTS IN THE WOOD?

THAT SEEMS A LITTLE STRANGE.

SURE DO, 'CAUSE THEY TURN OUT REAL PRETTY WITH ALL THE EXTRA DETAIL THERE.

OH, THAT'S WHAT I SAW IN THE WALNUT.

YEAH, HERE'S A FINISHED ONE OVER HERE.

OH, OKAY.

SO YOU TAKE OUT THE KNOT.

IS THAT RIGHT?

IN THIS CASE, IT WAS A PERFECTLY NATURAL KNOT.

THIS ONE I'LL JUST LEAVE TO CAPTURE ALL THE WOOD AROUND IT.

AH, OKAY.

GOSH, THAT IS BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL WALNUT THERE.

BUT THIS ONE HERE BEHIND IT-- I LOVE THAT.

IS THAT TULIP POPLAR?

THAT'S TULIP POPLAR WITH A LOT OF MINERAL-COLORED GRAINING.

YOU'LL HAVE THAT REAL BRIGHT MOUNTAINY SOUND FROM THAT INSTRUMENT.

OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

WOW.

WONDERFUL.

WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT.

I THINK THE CHERRY IS THE TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT.

I WONDER IF YOU COULD TAKE US OUT ON SOME OF THESE DULCIMERS.

SURE.

HERE WE GO.

(Roy) PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKING MUSIC LESSONS FOR AGES, BUT NOW THERE ARE MORE AND MORE PLACES WHERE FOLKS CAN LEARN TO TUNE THEIR PLANES AND PLAY BEAUTIFUL MUSIC IN WALNUT AND CEDAR.

KELLY MEHLER'S HAD HIS WOODWORKING SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF BEREA FOR A WHILE NOW.

KELLY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE CAUGHT YOU WITH CLASS IN SESSION.

YES, WELL, THANKS FOR COMING.

OH, IT'S GREAT.

WHAT'S EVERYBODY MAKING?

WE'RE MAKING BLANKET CHESTS, HAND CUT, DOVETAILED BLANKET CHESTS.

(Roy) MY GOSH.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

NOW, HOW LONG A CLASS IS IT TO MAKE THIS CHEST?

IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ONE'S ALMOST DONE.

SIX DAYS.

SIX DAYS.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS HAS BEEN GLUED UP, AND HE'S WORKING ON THE BASE NEXT.

AH, THE BASE AND THE LID.

ALL RIGHT, NOW, THIS IS IN CHERRY.

THIS IS CHERRY, YES.

ALL RIGHT, BUT I SEE THIS IS NOT CHERRY.

NO, THIS IS MAHOGANY.

LARRY IS NOT ONLY WORKING WITH A DIFFERENT WOOD, BUT HE'S ACTUALLY BUILDING A SETON TOOL CHEST INSTEAD OF A BLANKET CHEST.

AH, REPLICA OF A FAMOUS 18TH-CENTURY TOOL CHEST.

YEAH.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

NOW, IT'S, LIKE, 24 INCHES WIDE, SO HE'S HAD TO GLUE UP SOME MAHOGANY, BUT IT'S ONLY TWO PIECES.

THAT'S SOME BIG WOOD.

THAT IS NICE.

SO YOU GOT PERFECT EDGE JOINING AND THEN JOINING ON THE CORNERS WITH DOVETAILS.

YES.

SOUNDS LIKE I HEAR DOVETAILING RIGHT HERE.

YEAH, ROGER IS CUTTING SOME DOVETAILS ON THIS BASE.

AH, SO THAT'S THE SKIRT OF THE BASE THAT GOES AROUND THE CHEST.

YEAH, WORKING IN WALNUT.

AND IT MAKES SENSE TO USE A WHITE PENCIL WHEN YOU'RE WORKING IN WALNUT, DOESN'T IT?

HELPS YOU TO SEE IT, OBVIOUSLY.

YEAH, CUTTING ON THE WAIST-- THAT'S ALL YOU NEED IS US TO DISRUPT YOU WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO GET YOUR DOVETAILS RIGHT.

BUT FOLKS ENJOY WORKING WITH THE HAND TOOLS.

WELL, THEY'RE ALL SMILING.

AND--OH, I SMELL SOME DIFFERENT WOOD OVER HERE.

NOW, THIS IS-- AROMATIC CEDAR.

(Roy) OH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

NOW, WHAT'S HE DOING HERE?

WELL, THESE ARE GONNA BE THE BOTTOMS OF THE CHESTS INSIDE, AND HE'S MAKING A RABBET AROUND WITH A SHOULDER PLANE.

OH, I GOT YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST FINAL FITTING.

NOW, THIS IS VERY KNOTTY STUFF.

RED CEDAR'S NOTORIOUS FOR THAT, BUT, GOSH-- IT REALLY IS.

HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB.

YEAH, LOOK HOW NICE THAT IS.

YEAH.

SO THIS IS, OF COURSE, RED CEDAR, SO IT WILL REPEL THE MOTHS, AS THEY SAY.

AS THEY SAY.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT YOU GOT TO ASSEMBLE THE CHEST AROUND IT, NOW, SO I GUESS ASSEMBLY IS A BIG PART OF THIS.

AT THE ASSEMBLY TIME, WE'LL PUT THAT IN.

AND THEY'RE ASSEMBLING OVER HERE OR GETTING READY TO.

AH.

NOW, WHERE DO THESE FOLKS COME FROM THAT COME TO YOUR CLASSES?

OH, GOSH, THEY COME FROM ALL OVER.

WE HAVE SOME FOLKS FROM ALASKA, SOME FROM NEW YORK, SOME FROM LOCAL.

FIND THEIR WAY OUT HERE TO KENTUCKY.

ALL RIGHT, NOW, THIS IS CHERRY?

YEAH.

YEAH?

UH, I THINK YOU GUYS-- THEY FORGOT THE GLUE.

WELL, THEY'RE JUST TESTING IT NOW, BUT THEY WILL GLUE IT.

AND WHAT KIND OF GLUE WILL YOU USE?

YOU GOT TO GET EVERYTHING FITTED UP JUST RIGHT.

YEAH, IT TAKES A WHILE, SO WE USE A SLOW-SETTING GLUE.

WE USE LIQUID HIDE GLUE.

AH, ALL RIGHT, JUST LIKE IN THE OLD STUFF.

SO YOU'RE REALLY GETTING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WORK HERE.

WELL, WHAT WORKS.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

NOW, TELL ME ABOUT IT.

NOW, YOU--JUST LIKE OUR DULCIMER SHOP, YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE COLLEGE, BUT YOU CAME UP OUT OF THE COLLEGE.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YEAH, I WENT TO SCHOOL THERE.

I TOOK THEIR INDUSTRIAL ARTS PROGRAM.

AH, SO RUDY OSOLNIK WAS YOUR TEACHER?

YEAH, HE WAS MY MENTOR.

AH, WONDERFUL.

MATTER OF FACT, HE STARTED ME TEACHING SEMINARS WAY BACK IN THE '80s.

BUT AT THAT TIME, YOU WERE MAINLY DOING CUSTOM FURNITURE, AND THEN YOU STARTED WRITING.

PEOPLE KNOW YOU THROUGH YOUR BOOKS AND ARTICLES, AND THE DEMAND FOR CLASSES PICKS UP.

THIS IS GREAT STUFF.

WELL, I TELL YOU, WE ARE GOING TO, I THINK, HEAD BACK OVER TO THE COLLEGE.

THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT INFLUENCE ON YOU AND THE COMMUNITY, I THINK.

YES, FOR SURE, THEY HAVE.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ONE LAST LOOK OVER THERE BEFORE WE LEAVE.

KELLY, THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.

WELL, THANKS FOR COMING.

TAKE CARE.

TAKE CARE, ROY.

LIKE MOST SCHOOLS, BEREA COLLEGE CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN MODERN TECHNOLOGY.

THEY WORK A LOT IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, SOLAR POWER, ELECTRIC CAR DESIGN.

THEY HAVE A SUSTAINABLE ECO VILLAGE HERE.

BUT IF YOU LEAVE THE MODERN LABORATORIES BEHIND, FIND YOUR WAY TO THE RESTORED LINK TRAINER, AND TAKE A RIGHT, YOU'LL FIND A LITTLE WOODEN DOOR...

INSIDE OF WHICH... YOU WILL DISCOVER ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED LABORATORIES OF ITS KIND IN ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ON THE PLANET-- THAT IS, OF COURSE, IF YOU PUT MUSCLE-POWERED WOODWORKING MACHINERY AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST OF TECHNOLOGICAL NEEDS.

FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS A HAND-CRANKED TABLE SAW, SELF-ADVANCING.

IT WAS PATENTED ONE YEAR AFTER CUSTER MET HIS DEMISE AT LITTLE BIG HORN.

LET'S GIVE IT A TRY, ALL RIGHT?

[clanking] THERE YOU GO.

1877, AND THINK ABOUT IT, NOW.

WHAT WAS THE CARBON FOOTPRINT ON THAT?

OH, YOU SAY IT'S JUST SAWING.

WELL, HOW ABOUT A MORTISE AND TENON JOIN?

LET'S START WITH A MORTISE.

HERES A MORTISING MACHINE, A FOOT MORTISER, IT'S CALLED.

WE WANT TO PUT A MORTISE-- A SOCKET ON THIS END OF THE WOOD?

WELL, WE HAVE THE CHISEL RIGHT THERE, ALIGNED PERFECTLY.

WE CAN EITHER BORE THE HOLES AHEAD OF TIME OR JUST WORK THE CHISEL DOWN, FACING ONE WAY, THEN FLIP THE LEVER AT THE TOP, BRING THE CHISEL AROUND, AND COME BACK AND REPEATEDLY WORK OUR WAY DOWN, CUTTING.

WHOO.

A VERY, VERY PRECISE MORTISE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PIECE OF WOOD IN A WINDOW AND DOOR SHOP.

SO YOU WANT TO DO MORE?

OH, YOU WANT MORE.

OKAY, HOW ABOUT A TENON TO FIT IN THAT MORTISE?

WELL, WE HAVE GOT RIGHT HERE AN 1877 BARNES DOUBLE-BLADED-- HERE IT IS; YOU SEE THE BLADE RIGHT THERE-- SKEW BLADE, READY TO CUT THE TENON ON THIS BROAD PIECE OF TULIP POPLAR.

AND IT WORKS JUST LIKE A PLANE, ACROSS THE GRAIN, SHEARING OFF TOP AND BOTTOM, CUTTING A PERFECT TENON.

AND YOU THINK ABOUT IT; THESE MACHINES, THEY'RE IN THE TECH LAB, BUT THEY MIGHT AS WELL BE IN THE HEALTH SCIENCES LAB, BECAUSE LOOK HOW STRONG I'M GETTING.

OH, BUT WAIT.

THERE'S MORE.

THERE'S WONDERFUL SPINDLE SHAPERS AND TREADLE-POWERED BAND SAWS.

AND TO LOOK AT ALL THIS WONDERFUL OLD EQUIPMENT LIKE THIS TREADLE LATHE, YOU'D THINK IT HAD BEEN HERE FOR 100 YEARS.

BUT ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE NEWEST LATHE AT BEREA COLLEGE.

IT'S ALL THE RESULT OF THE GENEROSITY OF AN ALUMNUS, TOOL COLLECTOR MONTY SAULMON.

HE COLLECTED THINGS LIKE THIS WONDERFUL TREADLE-POWERED BAND SAW, AND AFTER A WHILE, HE THOUGHT, WELL, HE'D DONATE HIS COLLECTION TO THE COLLEGE.

HE GOT IN TOUCH WITH GARY MAHONEY, AND HE SAID MAYBE HE WOULD MAKE A GIFT OF THESE MACHINES BUT ONLY ON ONE CONDITION.

HE DID NOT WANT HIS TOOLS AND MACHINERY GOING INTO A MUSEUM.

NO, HE WANTED THEM TO GO INTO A LABORATORY WHERE STUDENTS COULD TRY THIS WONDERFUL VINTAGE MACHINERY LIKE THIS BARNES SPINDLE SHAPER AND LEARN FROM IT, LEARN HOW THE MUSCLE-POWERED MACHINERY OF THE PAST MIGHT HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR TOMORROW.

[buzzing] WHAT A GREAT MACHINE.

I MEAN, IT'S SIMPLE, AND IT'S PRETTY SCARY.

BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES WITH SUBVERSIVE WOODWORKING.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON OUR TRIP TO BEREA, KENTUCKY.

THIS HAS BEEN ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

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... [brakes squeal] (girl) SORRY.

OH, YEAH, I'M THERE.

(announcer) WHEREVER YOU ARE IN LIFE, STATE FARM IS THERE, PROUD SPONSOR OF THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

(female 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.