Peter & the Box

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."

HEY.

HELLO AGAIN.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I AM SO GLAD YOU CAN JOIN ME AGAIN HERE BECAUSE WE ARE JOINED BY THE MASTER JOINER OF PLIMOUTH PLANTATION, MR. PETER FOLLANSBEE.

PETER, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR TRAVELING ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE WITH YOUR BOXES.

NOW, WHAT ARE THESE?

THESE ARE JUST A TYPICAL PIECE OF STORAGE FURNITURE OF 17th-CENTURY ENGLAND OR NEW ENGLAND-- AN OAK BOX.

THIS IS A THING PEOPLE WOULD CALL-- ANTIQUARIANS WOULD CALL THESE BIBLE BOXES.

YEAH, THEY'RE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THAT, BUT THEY WERE FOR STORING ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

SO IN THE PERIOD, THEY WEREN'T CALLED BIBLE BOXES.

SO THEY WEREN'T FOR BIBLES, AND THEY WEREN'T MADE BY PILGRIMS EITHER?

BECAUSE THE GUYS OFF THE "MAYFLOWER..." NOT REALLY.

THEY DIDN'T CALL THEMSELVES PILGRIMS.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA SEE-- AND IT'S A VERY SIMPLE BOX, THOUGH.

REAL BASIC STUFF.

BUT NICE, NICE CARVING ON THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

ALWAYS DECORATED ON THE FRONT.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE THAT WASN'T.

AND USUALLY WITH CARVING LIKE THIS, SOME MORE ELABORATE LIKE THIS ONE, OTHERS SIMPLER.

NOW, THIS ISN'T DECORATION, THOUGH.

THESE ARE NAILS, I MEAN, HOLDING THIS THING TOGETHER.

THESE ARE IRON NAILS DRIVEN THROUGH A RABBET JOINT THAT FASTENS THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER.

AND THERE YOU SEE THAT RABBET JOINT DOWN INSIDE THERE.

LOOK AT THAT.

YEAH.

REAL SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION.

THIS IS A QUICKLY MADE PIECE OF FURNITURE FOR THAT TIME.

UNBELIEVABLE.

YEAH, BUT THESE THINGS NOW AS ANTIQUES, IF YOU HAVE A REAL ONE, THESE THINGS ARE, LIKE, $50,000, $60,000.

THEY CAN BE, YEAH.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A GOOD ONE... WE'LL GO BURY SOME OF THESE IN A MANURE PILE, AND SEE IF WE CAN MOVE THEM LATER ON.

YEAH.

LET ME KNOW IF THAT WORKS.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THIS IS THE ONE YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW US HOW TO DO, THOUGH, RIGHT?

SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THIS, YEAH.

THIS ONE IS AN OAK BOX I FINISHED NOT TOO LONG AGO.

AGAIN, SOME BASIC GEOMETRIC CARVING LAID OUT WITH A COMPASS.

THE CURVES OF THE TOOLS HERE ARE DETERMINING THE SHAPES OF THE PATTERNS.

I SEE.

OK.

SO A COMPASS, AN AWL, A SQUARE, MAYBE HALF A DOZEN CARVING GOUGES TO ESTABLISH THOSE DESIGNS.

AND THEN AGAIN, THE SAME KIND OF CORNER JOINTS.

JUST RABBET JOINTS ON THE CORNERS.

BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING THE WOODEN PINTLES LIKE THAT ONE HAD, THIS HAS THOSE VERY FRUSTRATING YET SIMPLE-- WHAT ARE THEY CALLED?

THEY ARE SOMETIMES NOW CALLED SNIPEBILL HINGES.

THE PERIOD TERM IS GIMMALS OR GIMMOS-- A PAIR OF IRON RINGS LINKED TOGETHER AND SPREAD LIKE A COTTER PIN TO FORM THAT HINGE.

AND THEY'RE JUST SO FUNKY, AND YET THIS IS THE WAY THEY DO IT-- JUST BEND IT OVER ON THE TOP.

DRIVEN RIGHT THROUGH THE INSIDE OF THE BOX AND THE TOP OF THE LID TO FORM A QUICKLY MADE SIMPLE HINGE.

AND THE GREASE AND THE SUET, THAT'S GOING TO COVER ALL OF THAT PRETTY SOON.

YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM SHOWING.

ON A BRAND-NEW BOX, THEY LOOK A LITTLE JARRING, BUT THEY'RE FINE.

WELL, THIS ONE IS NEW, AND YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE WONDERFUL GRAIN, AND I GUESS THAT'S THE CHARACTERISTIC THING OF THIS--THE OAK.

YEAH.

WHEN I STUDY THESE ORIGINAL PIECES, WHAT I LOOK FOR IS HOW WAS THE WOOD EXTRACTED FROM THE LOG.

AND IN THIS CASE, THEY'RE SPLIT OUT OF A VERY STRAIGHT-GRAINED, CLEAR PIECE OF OAK.

AND YOU SEE ALL THOSE RAYS FROM THE RINGS.

THE BEST WAY TO SEE IT IS TO GO AHEAD AND SPLIT SOME.

SURE.

WE'LL LOOK AT THIS STOCK WE'VE GOT OVER HERE.

WE'VE BUSTED THIS OUT THUS FAR WITH WEDGES, AND WE'LL SPLIT THAT ONE AGAIN.

SHALL I HOLD THE WEDGE WHILE YOU SPLIT?

SURE, IF YOU'RE DARING ENOUGH.

YOU TELL ME WHERE TO PUT-- WHAT?

JUST RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE?

YEAH.

LET'S DO IT RIGHT IN CENTER LIKE THAT AND START TO JUST DRIVE THAT IN.

SO ALL OF THESE BOARDS ARE SPLIT OUT RADIALLY FROM THE CENTER OF THE LOG-- YOU WANT ANOTHER WEDGE?

LET'S POP THAT RIGHT THERE.

OUT TOWARDS THE BARK.

SO LIKE A SPOKE IN A WHEEL.

AND WHAT THAT GIVES YOU IS THE MOST STABLE PIECE OF WOOD THAT THE TREE HAS-- VERY LITTLE SHRINKAGE, VERY LITTLE DISTORTION.

WHAT IT REQUIRES IS THAT DEAD-STRAIGHT GRAIN THAT YOU HAVE HERE.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL STOCK.

THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

SOPPING WET, FRESHLY CUT.

I LOVE IT.

SO NICE GREEN STUFF.

I'M GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN WITH A FROE.

IS THAT ALL RIGHT?

POP THAT IN HALF WITH A FROE.

AND THAT WILL GIVE US A PIECE OF STOCK TO PLANE UP AT THE BENCH.

SO I KNOW YOU WANT TO SPLIT IT WHILE IT'S GREEN, BUT DO YOU REALLY GO RIGHT TO WORK WITH IT?

I GO AHEAD AND PLANE IT WHILE IT'S GREEN AS WELL.

WE KNOW THAT IF IT'S STRAIGHT-GRAINED LIKE THIS, IT'S GOING TO STAY FLAT AND TO NOT DISTORT.

THE ADVANTAGE IS IT'S EASIER TO SHAVE WHEN IT'S GREEN LIKE THAT.

SO AS IT DRIES, ALL THE PROCESSES GET TOUGHER.

ALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE THESE GUYS DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR FOOLING AROUND MAKING FANCY...

WAITING FOR YOUR WOOD TO DRY, I GUESS.

NO, NO.

AND THERE'S NO NEED TO.

IF YOU KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO SHRINK AND DISTORT MUCH, THEN THERE'S NO REASON TO WAIT.

THAT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.

THAT'S REMARKABLE.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH.

SO WE'LL POP THAT ON THE BENCH AND PLANE IT.

WOW.

NOW, HOW IS THE TIMBER DIFFERENT IN ENGLAND?

I ALWAYS THINK OF FOLKS COMING TO THE NEW WORLD-- YOU KNOW, THEY'RE COMING FROM TIMBER-SHORT ENGLAND, AND NOW SUDDENLY THEY'RE IN CANDY LAND.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT I HAD ALWAYS LEARNED, BUT THERE'S SOME CONTRADICTORY VIEWS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF TIMBER AVAILABLE IN ENGLAND IN THE 17th CENTURY.

I THINK FURTHER RESEARCH WILL SHOW THAT IT'S, IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THERE'S GOOD TIMBER; IN SOME PARTS, THERE'S VERY LITTLE TIMBER, SO... GOSH.

WELL, THIS IS GOOD-- THE WAY IT'S RESPONDING.

LOOK AT THAT.

SURE.

TAKING NICE BIG SHAVINGS.

THIS PLANE'S CALLED A FOREPLANE, AND NOWADAYS CALLED A SCRUB PLANE.

YOU SEE THAT CURVED IRON.

SO F-O-R-E. F-O-R-E.

THE FIRST PLANE YOU USE.

SO ON THE ROUGH STOCK, YOU'RE TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN OUT ANY DEVIATIONS.

YOU CAN TAKE VERY HEAVY SHAVINGS WITH THAT STEP, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT MOISTURE.

UP AGAINST THE DOG THERE?

YEAH, RIGHT AGAINST THAT PEG.

SO WORKING LIKE THAT FIRST WITH THAT PLANE, AND THEN I'LL SWITCH TO A LONGER TRYING PLANE, OR JOINTER PLANE.

THIS IS ONE I MADE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR BLACKSMITHS.

WELL, YOU'RE REPRESENTING, PLIMOUTH PLANTATION REPRESENTING, LIKE, 1620's?

YEAH.

LATE 1620's.

SO WHAT I DO IS MAKE THE FURNITURE THAT THEY USE IN THE REPRODUCTION HOUSES THERE FOR THAT PERIOD.

SO IN STUDYING THE ARTIFACTS, I'M TRYING TO MAKE THE...

REPRODUCE THE ARTIFACT, BUT REPRODUCE THE PROCESS AS WELL, USE THE SAME TOOL KIT.

SO THIS PLANE IS ONE I BASED ON A 16th-CENTURY PLANE I SAW IN ENGLAND THAT WAS RECOVERED ON THE SHIPWRECK THE "MARY ROSE," A SHIP THAT WENT DOWN IN 1545.

SO THAT'S HENRY VIII'S WARSHIP.

HENRY VIII'S FLAGSHIP.

IT WAS RECOVERED IN THE 1980's, AND THEIR COLLECTION OF ARTIFACTS, INCLUDING CARPENTER'S TOOLS, IS JUST AMAZING.

SO YOU'RE WORKING IT DOWN.

SO THIS IS EVEN MORE RADIAL THAN WHAT WE'D CALL QUARTER-SAWN.

THIS IS THE BEST PIECE OF WOOD YOU CAN GET OUT OF AN OAK LOG.

THIS IS WHAT QUARTER-SAWN WOOD WISHES IT WAS.

BEAUTIFUL.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE GOT THE IDEA NOW.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO GET THIS STUFF DOWN, FLAT, QUARTERED, AND NOW I GUESS THE CARVING BEFORE YOU PUT THE BOX TOGETHER?

YOU DO THE CARVING BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY.

SO THE BIGGEST BULK OF LABOR IS IN DOING ALL THAT PLANING.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL HAVE THE GREATEST EXPENDITURE OF TIME.

AND I'LL GRAB A HOLDFAST HERE TO JUST FASTEN THIS.

AND I'VE GOT THIS CARVED SECTION THAT I STARTED.

YOU'VE NAILED THE OAK-- I'VE NAILED IT TO A PIECE OF SCRAP PINE, AND IF THIS IS GOING TO BE MY BOX FRONT, THIS EXTRA LENGTH GIVES ME SOMETHING TO NAIL DOWN.

IT KEEPS THE CLAMPS OUT OF THE WAY OF MY CARVING TOOLS.

I GOT YOU.

THAT'S GREAT.

ALL RIGHT.

THE CARVING TOOLS ARE VERY SIMPLE.

THEY'RE THE SAME AS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR MANY YEARS.

AND THIS ONE IS A V-TOOL.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL BE OUTLINING SOME OF THE STOCK THAT I'VE ESTABLISHED THE DESIGN WITH THIS COMPASS.

SO I'VE GOT A CENTER LINE STRUCK THERE, SWING THE COMPASS THIS WAY AND THEN THAT WAY.

OH, SO YOU JUST REALLY PACE ALONG, MUCH LIKE WHAT KIDS DO IN GEOMETRY CLASS JUST TO HAVE FUN THERE.

YEAH.

AND NOW HERE WE ARE FINALLY PUTTING IT TO USE.

I NEVER BELIEVED IT WHEN I WAS A KID.

NOT PAYING ATTENTION WOULD BE REWARDED ONE OF THESE DAYS.

SO I'VE GOT A V-TOOL HERE AND A SMALL HICKORY MALLET THAT I'LL JUST START TO OUTLINE THAT STUFF WITH.

AGAIN, THAT RADIAL CUT IN THE OAK CUTS VERY, VERY NICELY, REAL CONSISTENT MATERIAL.

IT'S AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

NO DIVING GRAIN OR SWITCHING DIRECTION OF GRAIN.

YOU CAN CUT JUST BEAUTIFULLY IN THIS KIND OF STOCK.

SO YOU DO ALL THE ONES GOING THIS WAY.

YEAH.

IF I'M DOING A ROW OF 2 FEET, 4 FEET, 5 FEET, I'LL DO ALL THOSE SAME CUTS FROM THE SAME POSTURE.

IT DEVELOPS MORE CONSISTENCY BUT INCREASES YOUR SPEED AS WELL.

SO IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO CARVE A DESIGN LIKE THIS.

THEN I'D GRAB THIS CURVED GOUGE, AND THAT DOES THAT OUTLINE.

SO BY STRIKING THAT LIKE THAT, LIKE THAT... YOU JUST MARCH ALONG WITH THE PATTERN.

YEAH.

AND YOU JUST CHOP RIGHT INTO IT... LIKE THAT.

I WOULD BE SO WORRIED ABOUT BUSTING PIECES OUT, BECAUSE THE GOOD THING IS THIS WOOD SPLITS EASILY, THE BAD THING IS IT SPLITS EASILY.

OAK IS A FUNNY WOOD THAT WAY.

IT SPLITS VERY NICELY, WHICH IS ITS ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE AT THE SAME TIME.

SO YOU USE DIFFERENT-SIZED CURVES TO DO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE OUTLINE.

YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A FLEUR-DE-LIS, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SEEING THERE.

SO BY CHOPPING THAT IN, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SEVERING THE FIBERS, AND THEN USING THAT VERY SHALLOW GOUGE, SOMETIMES WITH MALLET PRESSURE, SOMETIMES WITH HAND PRESSURE, YOU CAN COME AROUND AND JUST CUT OUT THAT BACKGROUND.

THIS IS VERY LOW, LOW-RELIEF CARVING.

YEAH, IT'S REAL SIMPLE STUFF, BUT IT GIVES YOU AN INTERPLAY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT CARVING IS ALL ABOUT.

AND THEN YOU CAN COME DOWN LIKE THAT AND CUT THAT RIGHT OUT LIKE THAT.

NOW, YOU TRACE THESE PATTERNS-- I MEAN, THIS IS VERY ANCIENT STUFF.

YOU TRACE THIS BACK TO ENGLAND?

OH, SURE.

I'VE FOUND THIS ON LOTS OF SURVIVING WOODWORK OF THE PERIOD IN COLLECTIONS HERE IN AMERICA AND IN ENGLAND, MUSEUMS AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS.

SEEN IT IN TEXTILES AND CERAMICS AS WELL.

THERE'S SOME FURTHER ACCENTS THAT WE DO.

THIS...THIS TOOL IS A SMALL TEXTURE PUNCH THAT I MADE WITH JUST A PIECE OF SCRAP STEEL FROM THE SMITH.

CUT THE TEETH WITH A FILE AND CAN USE THAT TO TEXTURE THE BACKGROUND, JUST ADD FURTHER... CAN I SEE HOW THAT WORKS THERE?

DO YOU HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU NEED TO DO THAT?

YEAH.

A FURTHER DIMENSION OF TEXTURE AND MORE LIGHT AND SHADOW.

THE WHOLE THING IS REALLY JUST A PLAY ON THAT.

SO THIS WAS NO BIG DEAL.

I MEAN, THESE CARVINGS-- THEY REALLY WENT TO TOWN.

OH, YOU DO THEM VERY QUICKLY.

WOW.

A BOX LIKE THIS, THAT'S MAYBE-- WHAT IS THAT?--6 INCHES BROAD AND 20 INCHES LONG, I WOULDN'T SPEND AN HOUR CARVING IT.

NO KIDDING?

SO ONE OF THESE BOXES IS HOW MUCH WORK?

OH, MAYBE A DAY.

A DAY?

ALL RIGHT.

OK. MAYBE A LONG DAY, BUT MAYBE A DAY.

YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER KIND OF PUNCH HERE, TOO.

YEAH.

THAT ONE IS JUST A MALTESE CROSS THAT I CUT WITH A FILE IN THAT OLD CUT NAIL.

AND AGAIN, JUST AN ACCENT PIECE JUST LIKE A LEATHER PUNCH ALMOST, ONLY YOU'RE HITTING OAK WITH IT.

GREAT.

HERE.

WE'LL HIT ONE.

OK. GREAT.

SO JUST STAMPING IT.

AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T WORRY-- I KNOW YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT SAYING THIS HAS GOT TO DRY A LITTLE BIT BEFORE DOING IT, JUST DOING THAT ANYWAY?

YEAH.

YOU FIND AN OPTIMAL MOISTURE CONTENT FOR THAT CARVING.

IF YOU'RE DOING IT ON THAT DEAD-GREEN STUFF WE JUST PLANED, IT'LL COME OUT A BIT FUZZY.

AND SO YOU LEARN JUST BY PRACTICE AND BY FEEL THAT, OK, A WEEK OR 2 IS ENOUGH FOR THAT SURFACE TO DRY ENOUGH BUT YOU'RE STILL CUTTING INTO THE GREEN WOOD.

OK. WELL, LET'S SEE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE CARVING YOU WANT TO DO ON THIS PIECE, OR ARE WE READY TO GO?

THERE'S ANOTHER DETAIL WHERE YOU TAKE A GOUGE TO JUST MAKE A LITTLE HALF-MOON LIKE THAT AND LIKE THAT, AND THEN COME AT IT, AND THERE'S ACCENT PIECES THAT ARE OFTEN CUT LIKE THAT.

AND THEN SOMETIMES YOU THEN TAKE A SHALLOW GOUGE AND JUST SHAPE THESE OUTLINES A BIT, LIKE THAT AND LIKE THAT.

AND HERE YOU NEED TO COME, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE HILL ON ONE DIRECTION AND UP IT ON ANOTHER.

SO YOU'RE SWINGING DOWN THE HILL WITH THE GRAIN.

SO THAT'S DOING A LITTLE BIT OF MODELING.

AGAIN, JUST A WAY TO CATCH SOME SHADOW.

BUT YOU WOULD BE WRONG IF YOU TRIED TO PUT TOO MUCH WORK INTO THIS?

YEAH.

YOU JUST BANG IT OUT.

YOU DON'T WANT TO FUSS TOO MUCH WITH IT.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN HOLD THIS IN THE LIGHT A LITTLE BIT HERE AND SEE WHAT WE GOT, BECAUSE YOU SEE THAT TEXTURING IS SO NICE, BECAUSE THE BOX IS SEEN JUST LIKE THIS, ON THE FRONT IN THE VERTICAL STYLE.

YEAH.

RAKING LIGHT COMING ACROSS THEM IS REALLY THEIR BEST ADVANTAGE.

MANY TIMES THE BACKGROUNDS WILL BE PAINTED RED OR BLACK AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, NOW WE GOT THE CARVING.

THAT'S KNOCKED OUT.

NOW WE'VE GOT TO DO THAT INCREDIBLE JOINERY IN THE CORNERS.

YEAH, YEAH.

TIME TO GET SOME SOPHISTICATED JOINERY GOING.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE AFFAIR.

IT'S A RABBET JOINT THAT...

I'VE STARTED ONE HERE, AND I'LL CUT ANOTHER ONE.

I'LL MOVE THOSE TOOLS ASIDE.

SO HERE IS A FRONT, AND IT'S THE FRONT THAT ALWAYS GETS THE RABBET.

THE FRONT AND THE BACK OF THE BOX GET THE RABBET, AND THE NAILS GO INTO THE END GRAIN OF THE SIDES.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A RABBET, THAT'S THIS-- THAT'S THAT JOINT.

SHOULDER JUST CUT AWAY RIGHT THERE.

IN BRITAIN, A REBATE.

IN AMERICA, A RABBET.

AND SO WHAT I DO IS JUST LAY THE BOX FRONT DOWN AND STAND THE BOX SIDE IN ITS POSITION.

LINE IT UP ON THE OUTSIDE.

LET ME HOLD IT THERE.

YOU GOT IT?

YEAH, I GOT IT.

AND THEN JUST SCRIBE A MARK WITH AN AWL LIKE THAT.

SO YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT DIMENSION THAT IS.

YOU DON'T CARE.

IT'S WHATEVER THE THICKNESS OF THIS BOARD IS.

SO IT'S FLUSH ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND THERE WILL STILL BE ENOUGH ROOM ON THE INSIDE, NO MATTER WHAT.

SO HERE I HAVE A MARKING GAUGE THAT I'VE SET TO MARK THE LINE ON THE END GRAIN OF THE BOX FRONT.

SO THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH WOOD YOU LEAVE.

SO THAT IS GAUGING FROM THE OUTSIDE.

YEAH.

YOU WANT TO MEASURE FROM THE FACE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU MADE FLAT WITH THE PLANE.

THE INSIDE FACE MIGHT NOT BE TRUE.

I GOT YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AND DOESN'T NEED TO BE REALLY.

SO YOU JUST MARK THAT A BIT LIKE THAT.

AND THEN WE'LL CUT IT WITH A BACKSAW AND A CHISEL.

I HAVE A BENCH HOOK HERE.

THAT'S THE BENCH HOOK.

OK. GOTCHA.

SO YOU JUST SAW DOWN TO YOUR LINES.

I'LL SIT DOWN AND WATCH HERE, SEE HOW FAR YOU GO.

GOSH.

THE WAY YOU DO THIS JOINT, IT'S SO FUNNY.

I KNOW CABINETMAKERS WILL LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WELL, THAT'S NOT CABINETMAKING.

THAT'S NOT BOXMAKING.

NO, IT'S JOINERY.

CABINETMAKERS-- THIS IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS.

AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE STUFF, STILL DONE BY A JOINTER IN THE PERIOD, AND HE USUALLY CUTS MORTISE AND TENON JOINTS.

BUT DEPENDING ON WHAT HIS CUSTOMER WANTS, IF THEY WANT A BOX, THIS IS HOW A BOX IS MADE.

I'VE SEEN A FEW THAT WERE DOVETAILED OUT OF MAYBE A COUPLE THOUSAND THAT I'VE LOOKED AT.

REALLY?

ALL RIGHT.

VERY RARE FOR THEM TO BE DOVETAILED.

THEY'RE USUALLY A RABBET, USUALLY FASTENED WITH IRON NAILS, SOMETIMES WITH WOODEN PEGS AND GLUE.

OH, I GOTCHA.

SO I'VE CUT INTO THAT RABBET WITH THE BACKSAW.

NOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS STOCK SPLITS SO WELL, I WON'T SAW THAT PART OUT.

THAT'S TOO MUCH WORK.

I'LL JUST SPLIT IT WITH THE CHISEL.

AND BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT SUCH GREAT QUALITY STOCK, YOU JUST GO RIGHT TO IT.

YOU'RE GOING RIGHT IN THE LINE THERE.

YEAH.

I'LL SOMETIMES PUT THE CHISEL RIGHT IN THE LINE.

IN THE SCRATCHED LINE.

SO THAT'S IT.

THAT WAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TWICE.

A CABINETMAKER WOULD, OF COURSE, INSIST ON SAWING THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN.

OH, THEY'D BE SAWING AND SAWING.

I'M DONE.

AND WE'RE GENERALIZING THAT.

SOME CABINETMAKERS WILL DO THIS KIND OF STUFF WHEN THE GRAIN IS THIS STRAIGHT-SPLITTING.

SO NOW I JUST TAKE A LARGE FRAMING CHISEL, PARING CHISEL TO DRESS THE SPLIT SECTION OF THAT RABBET, AND THIS NEEDS TO BE NICE AND FLAT, AND SO SOMETIMES YOU TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO GET THAT.

NOW, THIS IS THE KIND OF THING YOU COULD DO, I GUESS, WITH A RABBET PLANE, OF COURSE.

YOU COULD.

YEAH, YEAH.

A RABBET PLANE.

YOU'VE GOT A MOVING FILLISTER THERE?

YEAH, THIS IS JUST A RABBET PLANE WITH A FENCE ON IT.

SO THIS WOULD GO DOWN THERE AND PLANE THAT DOWN.

AND THIS IS THE KIND OF TOOL THEY ALSO HAD, BUT NOT THIS... DO I HAVE MOXON DOWN HERE?

I DO.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE IF THAT'S IN THAT FAMOUS PLATE OF MOXON'S TOOLS.

IT'S IN THE PLATE OF HIS JOINER'S TOOLS, THE RABBET PLANE.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE'S A PLOW.

HERE'S HIS RABBET PLANE, WITH THE MOUTH ON THE SIDE.

A RABBET PLANE, SO THAT PUTS THE SHAVING OUT THE SIDE.

SO THESE ARE THE KINDS OF TOOLS FOLKS WERE USING RIGHT OFF THE "MAYFLOWER."

YEAH.

THIS BOOK IS 1670, 1680, BUT THE "MARY ROSE" PLANES FROM THE 1540's SHOW THE SAME FORMS.

SO YOU'VE GOT THEM BRACKETED.

YEAH.

AND WE ALSO FIND THEM LISTED IN PROBATE INVENTORIES OF THE PERIOD, LISTING THE SAME TOOLS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO AT THAT STAGE, ALL I NEED TO DO IS BORE SOME HOLES FOR THE IRON NAILS.

AND THE NAILS ARE TAPERED AND... THAT'S A WROUGHT NAIL.

THAT'S A WROUGHT NAIL MADE BY A SMITH.

SO I USE A TAPERED REAMER FOR THESE VERY FINE NAILS LIKE THIS.

AND I JUST EYEBALL THE LOCATIONS OF THESE HOLES.

YOU DON'T WANT IT TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE BOX BECAUSE IT CAN SPLIT OUT THE OAK.

SO YOU JUST EYEBALL THE CENTER, MOVE DOWN FROM THE TOP, AND EVERY BOX GETS 3 NAILS IN THE CORNER.

SO YOU WORK FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

LET'S JUST DO THAT ONE HOLE THERE.

IN THIS CASE, I'M JUST PRICKING THROUGH UNTIL I CAN FIND THE SPOT ON THE FRONT, BECAUSE I WANT THE TAPER TO COME FROM THE FRONT.

NEED ONE MORE.

NOT QUITE THERE.

ONE MORE.

KEEP GOING THERE.

AND THAT, I THINK, BROKE THROUGH.

YEAH.

SO NOW I'LL USE THE REAMER TO REAM THAT FROM THE FRONT TO SORT OF MATCH THE SHAPE.

AND THEN THE NAIL WILL GO THROUGH.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

I'M GOING TO LOOK AT THIS BOX HERE.

THIS ONE'S READY TO GO, IS IT?

YEAH.

THAT ONE WE'VE GOT IT MOSTLY... ALL RIGHT.

I'M NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT TOO MUCH THE NAILING BECAUSE I WANT TO GET ON TO THOSE HINGES AS FAST AS I CAN, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STYMIED BY THAT.

THOSE CAN BE A STRUGGLE.

AND SO ALL I DO IS TO POP A NAIL IN EACH OPPOSITE CORNER, AND THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT TO DRIVING NAILS INTO HOLES YOU'VE PUT IN IT.

BUT THAT'S THE PRINCIPLE BEHIND IT.

ALL RIGHT, BUT NOW THE GIMMAL HINGE.

LET ME LOOK AT ONE HERE IN THIS YOU'VE DONE SUCCESSFULLY.

SO WE'LL DO SHIFTING BOXES THERE.

YEAH.

'CAUSE THIS IS WHAT DRIVES FOLKS NUTS HERE.

THESE MAKE PEOPLE CRAZY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND JUST STAPLES THERE.

A VERY, VERY SIMPLE KIND OF HINGE.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ME THROUGH HOW TO SET THEM.

SURE.

YEAH.

WE HAVE A COUPLE PAIRS HERE, AND THEY'RE JUST A PAIR OF LINKED IRON RINGS REALLY.

WELL, I'M GOING TO START WITH A NOTCH.

IS THAT RIGHT?

YES.

YEAH, YOU'LL START WITH A NOTCH.

SO THERE'S A CHISEL AND A MALLET.

THIS IS THE HINGE WE'RE LOOKING AT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE IT IS.

AND I'VE GOT TO CUT A NOTCH ON THE LOWER PIECE, ON THE LOWER PIECE.

YEAH, WHAT WOULD BE THE BACK OF THE BOX.

THE BACK OF THE BOX.

IT'S JUST A PLACE FOR THE RING TO SORT OF BURY IN THERE.

IS THAT ENOUGH OF A NOTCH THERE?

YEAH.

LET'S SAY THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH.

THESE ARE SMALL HINGES.

AND THEN YOU'LL DRILL A HOLE.

NOW I NEED A BRACE, AND I GET THIS LOW ENOUGH SO THAT THE TOP OF THAT RING IS GOING TO BE FLUSH WITH THE TOP OF THE BOX HERE?

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW BORE THAT DOWN.

GOOD ANGLE.

WHERE IT BREAKS OUT ON THE INSIDE, YOU WANT IT LOWER THAN THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE BOARD.

I'M TOO SHALLOW, I THINK BUT-- OOP.

POPPED THE TOP OF MY BRACE OFF.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THIS BACK OUT NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I WANT TO HAVE-- OOP.

NOW I POPPED THAT OUT.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS THROUGH HERE AND BACK OUT.

BECAUSE THAT IS THE ANGLE THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO CLENCH THIS.

YEAH, BECAUSE YOU SPREAD THE TAILS OF THAT HINGE AND THEN BURY THEM BACK INTO THE WOOD SO THEY WON'T WITHDRAW, SO IT WON'T COME BACK OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THIS IS BARELY WANTING TO COME BACK OUT.

HOW TIGHT DO I WANT THIS TO BE THERE?

YOU WANT TO HAVE TO DRIVE IT IN, BUT NOT POUND IT IN.

OK.

SO HERE WE GO.

I'VE GOT THAT ALIGNED VERTICALLY.

OH, THAT'S RIGHT ON.

LOOK AT THAT.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

NOW THE CLENCHING-- THAT'S WHAT CAN GET YOU HERE.

AND THE CLENCHING, YOU HAVE A PAIR OF NIPPERS HERE TO SPREAD THOSE.

SO YOU SPREAD THESE TAILS APART, WE CALL THEM, AND THEN HAMMER THEM BACK INTO THE OAK.

AND JUST TURN THAT ONE LIKE THAT.

HERE WE'RE SPREADING THEM RIGHT ACROSS THE GRAIN.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY STOUT.

YEAH.

IF YOU GET THEM IN, THEY STAY IN.

NOW DOESN'T THIS-- IN THE GREEN OAK, THE IRON REACT WITH IT?

YEAH.

IT'LL MAKE A LITTLE BLACK STAIN ON THERE.

THAT'S NICE.

WHEN YOU SEE THAT ON AN OLD ARTIFACT, YOU KNOW THAT A-- THE HINGES WERE THERE TO BEGIN WITH, AND THAT THE WOOD HAD A HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT WHEN THEY'RE INSTALLED.

THOSE ARE PERFECT.

THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU DO--DRIVE THEM IN.

THEY'RE A PRETTY FORGIVING HINGE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW I WANT TO MARK THE LID.

AND I PUT THAT RIGHT THERE.

LET ME GET A NICE SECTION RIGHT THERE.

OK. AND WILL YOU MARK THIS FOR ME?

BECAUSE I'M NEVER QUITE SURE ABOUT THIS, THE BEST WAY TO ALIGN IT.

SO COME LIKE THAT.

THEN ALL I DO IS MARK WITH AN AWL THAT LINE THAT LINE THAT'S THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, AND THEN THAT IS THE HINGE.

AND RIGHT AT THAT CENTER.

AND SO RIGHT IN THERE IS WHERE YOUR HOLE GOES.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THIS-- IS THAT BRACE GOING TO DO IT?

IT WILL.

I JUST HAD-- I CUT THE NOTCH.

IT'S FOR THE LITTLE PIN TO HOLD.

NOW, DO I GO STRAIGHT THROUGH OR AT AN ANGLE?

JUST TILT IT A LITTLE BIT.

AGAIN, THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO THE EDGE, THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO SPLIT IT OUT.

YOU'RE THROUGH, SO...

I'M THROUGH?

OK. WELL, I WON'T KEEP GOING BECAUSE THE LAST TIME, I HAD TROUBLE GETTING BACK OUT.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT THAT NOTCH THAT'S SO DEEP IN THE-- THERE WE GO.

THAT'S THE LITTLE PIN RIGHT THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, I'VE GOT MY OTHER-- SO HERE'S YOUR OTHER BOARD.

YEAH.

NOW, I'VE GOT TO PROCEED WITH DIGNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT, BECAUSE I'M GETTING WORKED UP ON THIS GUY.

SO THIS JUST DRIVES IN THERE.

AND THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO HAVE THE HEAD OF THAT FLUSH RIGHT THERE.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS IS EASY WHEN I'M JUST DOING 2 BOARDS LIKE THIS.

WHEN YOU'VE GOT A PAIR OF HINGES, YEAH, AND YOU'RE INSIDE THE BOX, YOU HAVE LESS ROOM, AND THE SMALLER THE BOX, THE MORE DIFFICULT IT IS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SEPARATE THESE 2.

AND THE REAL TRICK IS TO GET THESE THINGS KIND OF BENT AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

SO I WANT TO MAKE A STAPLE OUT OF IT.

YEAH.

YEAH.

AND THEY'RE REAL SOFT.

THEY'RE IRON.

SO, AGAIN, THE NICE THING IS THEY'LL BEND EASY, BUT SOMETIMES THE NICE THING IS THEY'LL BEND TOO EASY.

WELL, HOW DO YOU GET THESE?

I MEAN, WHO MAKES THEM?

I GET THEM FROM OUR BLACKSMITHS.

I HAVE HEARD ABOUT SOME FIRMS THAT MAKE REPRODUCTION ONES NOW.

IF YOU'VE GOT ACCESS TO A BLACKSMITH, ANY OF THEM CAN HANDLE THEM PRETTY WELL.

SO THAT'S IT.

WELL, NOW, 2 OF THESE WILL TAKE UP THAT SLACK.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF PLAY IN THEM.

THEY'RE A REAL FORGIVING HINGE.

SO LESS DAUNTING.

ONCE YOU GO THROUGH A FEW OF THEM, THEY'RE FINE.

ONCE YOU REALIZE HOW SLOPPY THEY CAN BE AND STILL WORK.

I LIKE IT.

THIS IS MY KIND OF WOODWORKING.

IT'S SO FUNNY.

NOW, AS PEOPLE WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY LOOK AT THE CARVING AND SAY, "WELL, THAT'S NOT CARVING," AND THEY LOOK AT THE JOINERY AND SAY, "THAT'S NOT JOINERY."

THEY CAN KEEP BIBLES IN THERE, AND IT WASN'T MADE BY PILGRIMS.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK IT IS.

YEAH, IT'S WONDERFUL.

NOW, YOU'VE GOT A FEW MORE DETAILS HERE.

I SEE, OF COURSE, THE... WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS?

THE CLEAT.

THAT HELPS.

IN THIS CASE, THIS LID IS 2 OAK BOARDS, AND THE CLEAT HELPS KEEP THEM TOGETHER.

THEY'RE EDGE-JOINTED AND GLUED, BUT THE CLEAT WILL KEEP THEM TIGHT, ALSO HELP KEEP THEM FLAT.

I SEE.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S DONE-- AND IT'S CLINCH-NAILED FROM BELOW.

GOSH, AND JUST ON THE TOP.

AND THIS--HOW DO YOU DO THIS THUMBNAIL MOLDING?

YOUR RABBET PLANE, YOUR FILLISTER PLANE.

WHAT I DO IS JUST CUT A NOTCH LIKE THAT AND THEN TAKE A SMOOTHING PLANE, LIKE THIS LITTLE COFFIN-SMOOTHER, AND ROLL THAT OVER.

ROUND OVER THE EDGE THERE.

YEAH.

SO JUST CUT A LITTLE RABBET TO GIVE IT DEFINITION, AND THEN SORT OF JUST A NUMBER OF BEVELS.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL STUFF.

AND THEN LITTLE THUMBNAILS AROUND THE SIDES HERE, TOO.

I REALLY LIKE THIS DECOR AND HOW YOU'RE NOT AFRAID OF THE NAILS AND YOU'RE NOT AFRAID TO JUST DO A RABBET JOINT AND NOT AFRAID TO DO THAT WILD CARVING.

IT'S A FEARLESS PIECE OF FURNITURE.

PETER FOLLANSBEE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING DOWN AND SHOWING US HOW TO DO THIS.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, IT'S WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL.

AND HEY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

WE'LL SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

GOSH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ON-LINE AT pbs.org.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... 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.