French Work Bench, Part 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."

[HORNS HONKING] HEY.

BONJOUR.

BIENVENUE ENCORE TO LA "WOOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU CAN BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY BECAUSE IT'S A VERY SPECIAL DAY, A RARE DAY IN ANY WOODWORKING SHOP.

IT'S THE DAY WHEN YOU GET TO FIRST USE YOUR NEW WORKBENCH, AND BELIEVE ME, THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE THIS VERY LONG.

WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO MAKE THIS WONDERFUL WORKBENCH.

I'M GONNA SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT FIRST, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME OF THE STORY BEHIND IT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THIS BABY HAS GOT HERE.

WE GOT A TOOL WELL BACK HERE AT THE BACK THERE TO KEEP YOUR TOOLS AWAY FROM THE BENCH.

THAT'S HELD BY THIS LITTLE SPLAT ON THE SIDE, HELD BY A TONGUE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.

THE WHOLE BENCH, THIS MASSIVE TOP IS HELD TOGETHER WITH THESE DOVETAIL JOINTS THAT CONNECT THE LEGS TO IT.

IT HAS 4 LEGS OF COURSE.

THERE'S A HOLE FOR A HOLDFAST DOWN THERE, AND THEN DOWN AT THE BOTTOM BETWEEN THE STRETCHERS, IT HAS A TOOL BOX DOWN IN THE BOTTOM.

ISN'T THAT COOL?

OF COURSE, A DRAWER ABOVE THAT RIGHT THERE, AND THEN MOVING RIGHT ALONG, WE HAVE GOT A PRESS, WE CALL IT, A VICE DOWN AT THIS END.

SO IT'S A PERFECTLY NORMAL WORKBENCH WE SEE, AND IT HAS OF COURSE THE LITTLE STOP DOWN AT THE END THAT TAPS UP AND TAPS DOWN WITH OUR MALLET.

AND THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BEAUTIFUL, MASSIVE MAPLE TABLE, IT HAS, OF COURSE, THE HOLD FAST-- OR SHOULD I CALL IT THE VALET-- BECAUSE THIS IS INDEED A FRENCH BENCH, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU THE STORY OF WHERE THIS THING CAME FROM.

I WAS ACTUALLY TRAVELING IN FRANCE AND SAW-- IN A LITTLE VILLAGE, I SAW A WORKBENCH, A WORKBENCH IN A MARCHÉ DE PUCE, AND AGAIN IT HAD THIS-- THE VALET, THE BIG HOLDFAST RIGHT THERE IN THE TOP, AND THE TOOL BOX DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.

I'D NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE, BUT I KNEW I HAD SEE THAT BENCH BEFORE, AND WHERE HAD I SEEN IT?

IT IS OF COURSE ROUBO'S BENCH FROM 1769.

ANDRÉ ROUBO WROTE "L'ART DU MENUISIER," AND WE SEE ALL THOSE FEATURES ON THAT BENCH.

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN A FLEA MARKET, HERE IT IS 1769, THE DOVETAIL JOINTS AT THE CORNER, THE BIG VALET THERE, THE SHELF FOR THE TOOLS DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, THE DRAWER, AND EVERYTHING.

NOW THERE'S A VICE, OF COURSE, ON THE ONE I HAVE HERE, AND IF YOU LOOK AT ROUBO, HE SHOWS A VICE IN THE LOWER PART OF HIS DRAWING.

AGAIN, THE VALET, THE HOLDFAST WE CALL IT, AND YOU SEE THE TOP OF THE JOINT THERE.

RIGHT THERE, THE-- I SHOULD SAY THE LITTLE DOVETAIL, THE QUEUE-D'ARONDE, THAT WE HAVE AT THE TOP OF EACH OF THE LEGS., NOW WE'RE GONNA SEE A VARIATION ON THAT, NOT THAT SAME QUEUE-D'ARONDE, BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE.

NOT HOW THERE'S NO TOOL WELL ON THIS BENCH.

IT JUST HAS A LITTLE RACK-- THEY CALL IT A RATELIER-- ON THE BACK FOR THE CHISELS THERE SO YOU CAN ALWAYS CUT YOURSELF AS YOU WALK BY.

DOESN'T HAVE A TOOL WELL.

THAT'S BECAUSE AT THAT TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, HUGE TIMBERS INTO THEIR WORKBENCHES, SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO HAVE A FOOT-WIDE PLANK OF MAPLE WITH ABOUT A 8-INCH TOOL WELL AT THE BACK, THEY GOT A TWO-FOOT-WIDE PIECE OF BEECH OR ELM AND MADE THEIR WORKBENCHES.

SO HERE I HAD TO MAKE A MODIFICATION THAT CAME TO ME WHEN I SAW THE END OF THAT FRENCH WORKBENCH.

I LOOKED DOWN ON THE END, AND I SAW THAT THE BACK LEG THERE WAS CANTED IN, CANTED IN BUT STILL SPLAYED OUT AT THE BOTTOM SO IT HAS A BROAD BASE BUT IS STILL TENONED INTO THAT TOP THERE, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID IN THIS BENCH HERE.

I'M GONNA SWING THIS END AROUND A LITTLE BIT SO YOU CAN SEE IT.

UNH!

THERE YOU GO.

LOOK AT HOW I HAVE BROUGHT IN THE BACK LEG THERE.

SEE?

BROUGHT IN THAT BACK LEG SO THEY CONVERGE, AND THAT GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM IN DOING THE JOINTS IN THE TOP, BUT WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW WE SOLVE THAT PROBLEM AS WE GO ALONG.

TELL YOU WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

I'M GONNA START STRIPPING THIS BENCH DOWN, TAKING OFF ALL THE UNNECESSARY PARTS, AND YOU'LL SEE JUST LIKE A BIG, OLD DOG WHEN IT GETS WET THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH SKINNIER THING WHEN WE GET DONE HERE.

SO TAKE OFF THE VALET, I TAKE OFF THE MALLET.

I PUT THAT OVER THERE.

GONNA TAKE OUT THE LITTLE DUST RISERS, THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT LIFT THE DIRT UP OUT OF THE TOOL WELL, AND ACTUALLY TAKE OFF THE TOOL WELL ITSELF.

AHH.

HA!

LOOK AT THIS.

WE'VE HARDLY GOT ANY BENCH LEFT.

LOOK HOW SCANT THIS WHOLE THING LOOKS.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU NOW THESE DOVETAIL JOINTS.

I'M GONNA DO IT WHILE I TAKE OFF THE VICE HERE.

IF YOU WOULD, DIRECT YOUR EYE TO THE JOINT BEHIND THE VICE, OR THE PRESS AS THE FRENCH CALL IT.

DO YOU SEE HOW IT'S DOVETAILED ON THIS SIDE SO THE JOINT CAN'T PULL OUT THAT WAY?

IT'S ALSO DOVETAILED, SPLAYED OUT TO THE TOP THERE SO THE LEG CAN'T PULL DOWN THAT WAY.

NOW THAT MAKES A JOINT THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL APART INDEED.

IN FACT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL APART.

WELL, IT CAN'T BE BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WOULD ALSO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT TOGETHER.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY A PUZZLE DOVETAIL.

IT'S NOT THE TRADITIONAL FRENCH ONE, SO THIS IS A NOUVELLE FRENCH BENCH HERE, AND I HAVE THESE JOINTS.

THEY ARE RISING DOVETAIL JOINTS.

I HAVE A LITTLE ONE RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WORKS.

AGAIN, THIS LOOKS THE SAME AS THE BIG BROTHER BACK HERE.

AGAIN, SPLAYED OUT TO THE INSIDE AND NARROWER AT THE BASE, SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOU COULD NOT PULL THIS LEG DOWN, YOU CAN'T PULL IT OUT THAT WAY, BUT INDEED, YOU CAN.

YOU CAN SLIP IT--WORK IT OUT, AND IT SLIPS BACK.

IT'S CALLED A RISING DOVETAIL.

IT RISES UP INTO PLACE, AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT GOING ON HERE TO CONNECT THIS JOINT, AND THE REASON I DID THAT IS BECAUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

I'M GONNA PUT THIS LITTLE GUY UP HERE.

I HAVE A SMALLER VERSION.

MAKING A LITTLE BENCH FOR LA PETIT ENFANT.

HERE'S THE FRONT LEG, AND HERE'S THAT BACK LEG SPLAYING OUT SO THAT WE GET THE BASE IS AS WIDE AS THE WHOLE BENCH BUT THE BOTH OF THESE CAN TENON INTO YOUR NARROWER TOP PLANK.

NOW OF COURSE, THAT BACK LEG IS SPLAYED, HAS TO COME THROUGH A MORTISE THERE, SO THAT'S COMING IN ONE ANGLE, AND TO MAKE IT GO TOGETHER, I ANGLED BACK THE FRONT OF THE JOINT THERE AND MADE A DOVETAIL THAT WOULD DROP IN.

I'M JUST GONNA HAVE TO KNOCK IT APART FOR YOU TO SEE, BUT ANYWAY, YOU TRY AND MAKE THIS FACE AND THIS FACE PARALLEL, AND THAT WAY THE BENCH TOP CAN DROP DOWN.

I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HOW TO CUT THAT JOINT, AND THEN THE NEXT TIME WE GET TOGETHER, WE'LL DO THE DOVETAILS, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE THIS END APART JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT IT CAN BE DONE.

THEN WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THE LITTLE ONE.

I'M GONNA TAP THIS GUY APART AND JUST USE ITS OWN WEIGHT TO DO IT.

YOU WATCH THAT JOINT RIGHT THERE.

SEE HOW THAT'S COMING DOWN?

SO IT WILL COME APART IF YOU JUST PULL IT OFF, BUT, BOY, IT IS A MASSIVE, MASSIVE PIECE OF WOOD THERE.

SO LET'S START WITH THAT, AND THAT'S OF COURSE A BIG PART OF THE JOINT IS GETTING THIS BIG MAPLE.

THIS IS HARD MAPLE OR BEECH 3 INCHES THICK, SO YOU GET THIS STUFF, IT'S TRÈS CHER, VERY EXPENSIVE.

THIS IS THE OTHER END OF THE 10-FOOT PIECE THAT I USED TO MAKE THE BENCH THAT YOU JUST SAW, AND I WAS REALLY IN QUANDARY.

DO I WANT TO MAKE A BENCH THAT'S A LITTLE LONGER?

I COULD HAVE GOTTEN ANOTHER FOOT OUT OF IT.

MAKE A 6-FOOT BENCH OR TWO 5-FOOT BENCHES, ONE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS GOOD THAN THE OTHER BECAUSE THIS PIECE HAS KNOTS IN IT?

SO I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE AM I GONNA PUT THOSE KNOTS.

WELL, ANYWAY, JUST SHOW YOU REAL QUICK JUST ABOUT CUTTING IT.

YOU GOT A BIG PIECE OF WOOD, A BIG SAW IS REAL HANDY.

SO A FIRE WOOD SAW LIKE THIS ONE VERY HANDY FOR CUTTING THE ENDS DOWN NICE AND SQUARE, AND SQUARING UP IS THE REAL KEY TO THIS THING.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS THING PROPER FOR ALL THE JOINTS TO FIT, SO WE'RE GONNA TRUE THIS PIECE UP, SQUARING THE ENDS AND THEN WORKING DOWN ON THE SURFACE HERE.

IT'S GOT KNOTS IN IT.

NOW I LIKE TO DO IS GET THE SURFACE CLEAR OF THE SAW MARKS SO I CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN IN THE WOOD.

WE'LL SEE HOW TO DO THAT.

AND THE TROUBLE IS, WHICH IS GONNA BE THE FRONT SIDE.

THERE'S A REAL TRADEOFF ON THIS PIECE.

SO I WILL HAVE A BENCH I WON'T WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT FOULING UP.

THIS WILL HAVE A FEW KNOTS IN IT.

NOW ROUBO IS A VERY WONDERFUL WRITER.

ANDRÉ ROUBO, 1760, "L'ART DU MENUISIER."

MENUISIER IS EQUIVALENT TO A JOINER, SO HE DOES DOORS AND WINDOWS AND STUFF.

AND HE SAYS TO ORIENT THE WOOD FOR YOU BENCH-- NOW IF YOU IMAGINE THESE ARE THE GROWTH RINGS COMING UP HERE, THEY'RE COMING UP IN CUPS LIKE THIS, YOU SEE, SO HERE'S THE HEART OF THE TREE IS ON THIS SIDE.

HE SAYS IT ORIENT TOWARDS THE COEUR DE BOIS, THE HEART OF THE TREE UPWARDS BECAUSE THIS RISING GRAIN ON THE ENDS MAKES IT STRONGER.

HE ALSO SAYS WHEN IT TRAVAILLE, WHEN IT WORKS, WHEN IT WARPS, IT WILL CROWN BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS CURVED RINGS TEND TO FLATTEN OUT, AND THAT MEANS THAT CROWN IS GONNA BE ON TOP.

HE SAYS IT'S EASIER TO DEAL WITH THE CROWN HERE THAN IT IS TO THE HOLLOW, AND I MUST AGREE, BUT THIS ONE, THE KNOTS ARE A LITTLE WORSE ON THE CROWN SIDE.

SO NEVERTHELESS, WE GOT TO TRUE IT UP, AND WITH A PLANE-- JUST TAKE A PLANE.

AND I WORK ACROSS THE GRAIN TO START.

SO YOU'RE JUST BRINGING IT DOWN.

IT'S A LOT EASIER TO BRING IT SMOOTH WITH THIS PLANE.

NOW THIS IS JUST KIND OF PRELIMINARY TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.

WORKING IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS.

WE'RE GONNA USE JOINERS AND STUFF ON IT, AND THIS OF COURSE DOESN'T TRUE IT UP FOR WARPING.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY WARPING CONTROL YET, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.

AFTER WE'VE SMOOTHED IT ALL DOWN, WE USE OUR WINDING STICKS.

THESE ARE TWO PIECES OF EBONY, ONE WITH BOXWOOD GLUED ON TOP OF THE EBONY, AND THEY'RE VERY EASY TO TELL WHEN YOU SIGHT DOWN THEM.

YOU CAN SEE--IF YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE PEEKING UP RIGHT THERE-- SEE THAT WHITE PEEKING UP-- YOU CAN TELL IT'S--OOPS-- NOW IT'S TWISTED.

SO YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL.

WHAT YOU DO IS YOU JUST PUT THESE ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE TIMBER AND SIGHT DOWN THEM.

YOU SIGHT DOWN, YOU LOOK, AND YOU SEE "OH, DO I SEE THIS OCCLUDING?"

YOU LOOK AND YOU SEE "OH, IS THIS KIND OF TILTED LIKE THAT, "A LITTLE BIT OF WHITE SHOWING, OR HAVE I GOT IT OCCLUDING ALL AT THE SAME TIME?"

WELL, THAT WILL TELL YOU THEY'RE BOTH IN THE SAME PLANE.

SO YOU CAN THEN ESTABLISH-- JUST PLANE DOWN TILL THESE ARE BOTH IN THE SAME LINE ON BOTH ENDS.

THIS IS ANCIENT TECHNIQUE HERE, WONDERFUL TO DO.

AND THEN SNAP A STRING LINE DOWN THE SIDE, AND YOU CAN HAVE THAT END LEVEL, THAT END LEVEL, LEVEL THE SIDES, AND THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TAKE OUT THE WOOD IN BETWEEN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S GONNA GET YOU YOUR BENCH TOP, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT VERY SQUARE.

MUST BE RIGHT ANGLES, DEAD DOWN RIGHT ANGLES, IN ORDER TO CUT TO THIS NEXT JOINT, WHICH IS THAT RISING DOVETAIL JOINT IT'S CALLED, AND THAT IS NOT AGAIN USED IN THE FRENCH BENCH.

NOW YOU SEE THIS BENCH I'M WORKING ON HERE IS NOT ONLY WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE AFTER ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO.

IT'S ALSO A DIFFERENT KIND OF BENCH.

THIS IS THE KIND THAT'S ON A FRAME.

SO HERE WE HAVE A FRAME WITH A BENCH THAT DROPS DOWN ON TOP OF THE FRAME.

SEE THAT A LOT.

THIS, HOWEVER, THE BENCH WE'RE WORKING ON IS OF COURSE MORE LIKE THIS STOOL, JUST DIFFERENT KIND OF CONSTRUCTION.

YOU START WITH THE BASE PIECE AND THEN PUT THE LEGS INTO IT.

SO IT'S JUST LIKE THIS LITTLE STOOL MADE BY DAN FAIA.

THAT'S THE WAY THAT'S CONSTRUCTED.

A WHOLE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE OF CONSTRUCTION.

GONNA FIX MY GALLUSES HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S GET OUR PIECE HERE THAT WE'RE GONNA CUT THE DOVETAIL IN.

I'M GONNA DO--YEAH.

THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE SAMPLE PIECE WE'RE GONNA WORK WITH.

SEE HOW TO LAY OUT AND CUT THAT RISING DOVETAIL, AND THEN WHEN WE GET TOGETHER NEXT TIME, WE'LL SEE HOW TO DO SOME OF THE FINISHING UP PARTS OF THIS LITTLE FRENCH WORKBENCH HERE.

SO THE DOVETAIL JOINT THAT WE'RE GOING TO CUT HAS A VERY BOLD SPLAY.

NOW MOST DOVETAILS-- A PROPER FRENCH DOVETAIL IS GOING TO-- OR ENGLISH ONE-- IS GONNA COME OUT-- SAY, LIKE YOU COME OUT AT A RIGHT TRIANGLE, THE BEVEL ANGLE IS GOING OUT 5 INCHES.

THIS SHOULD RAISE UP ONE.

WELL, THIS IS MUCH BOLDER.

WE START WITH A MUCH BOLDER DOVETAIL.

THIS IS PROBABLY-- IN 2 1/2 INCHES, WE'RE UP 1 OFF OF A RIGHT ANGLE, SO THAT'S WHERE WE SET OUR GAUGE.

NOW WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ANGLE OF THE BACK SIDE-- LET'S SEE HERE--YEAH.

THERE WE GO.

THE ANGLE OF THE BACK SIDE AND THIS ANGLE HERE ARE CONSISTENT.

NOW WE KNOW THE DEPTH OF THE WOOD, SO BY KNOWING THAT-- AND WE KNOW WE WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE SHELF RIGHT HERE.

SO WE KNOW THE BACK ANGLE.

WE WANT TO MAKE THIS BACK ANGLE THE SAME.

WE KNOW WE WANT TO COME IN ON A LITTLE SHELF, SO WE FIND THAT POINT-- HERE'S THE THICKNESS OF THE TOP ON OUR TENON-- AND WE JUST FIND THE POINT THAT THIS WOULD BE COMING UP AT THE SAME ANGLE SO THERE'S OUR TOP ANGLE.

SO WE KNOW THIS DEPTH, WE KNOW THIS DEPTH.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT TOP ANGLE.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S NOT CLEAR, BUT WATCH ALONG.

I'LL DO IT--I COULD DO IT A COUPLE TIMES HERE.

AH.

I'VE GOT MY PENCIL, MY CRAYON.

AND SO NOW WE'VE GOT THE WIDTH OF THE TENON LAID OUT ON HERE.

NOW START WITH THE DEPTH.

SO I FOUND THIS POINT HERE, WHICH IS THE TOP OF THE JOINT.

WE KNOW THE DEPTH.

THERE'S THE CORNER.

SO WE START WITH THIS VERY BOLD DOVETAIL, COME IN LIKE THAT, AND COME IN FROM THE CORNER.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW ON THE UNDERSIDE--WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE FACE YET.

NOW ON THE UNDERSIDE, AGAIN, WE KNOW THE WIDTH OF THE TENON IN THIS DIRECTION, WE KNOW THAT FRONT-TO-BACK DISTANCE.

SO AGAIN, WE COME OUT FROM THAT CORNER AND OUT FROM THAT CORNER, AND NOW WE HAVE LINES THAT-- GOT THEM THERE AND THERE.

NOW WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS FACE IS YET.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT FACE ANGLE IS YET.

WE DETERMINE IT BY CONNECTING THIS POINT AND THIS POINT AND THIS POINT AND THIS POINT.

SO WE GO DOWN THE FACE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

WE JUST CONNECT THOSE LINES VERY CAREFULLY AND THEN MAKE OUR TENON TO MATCH IF I MAKE IT AS SIMPLE AS I CAN.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THESE ARE.

I HAVE NO IDEA.

THE BEVEL'S NOT SET TO THESE ANGLES., SO NOW WE'VE GOT IT.

WE'VE GOT THE TOP-- THIS TRUNCATED TRIANGLE.

WE'VE GOT THE BOTTOM, AND WE'VE GOT THE LINES THAT CONNECT THEM ON THE FACE.

NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS REMOVE THE WOOD IN THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO VERY SIMPLE BIT OF WORK.

A BIT OF SWEATY WORK HERE SO WE KEEP OURSELVES FORTIFIED ON THE [SPEAKS FRENCH].

SO WE START WITH THE ANGLE.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THIS ANGLE CUT A LITTLE BIT.

I'LL JUST DO A LITTLE BIT OF THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

I'M CUTTING FROM THE UNDERSIDE JUST BECAUSE IT'S A LONGER CUT, BUT OF COURSE, THE FACE SIDE IS THE ONE THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA SEE.

SO WORK THAT ON DOWN, CUTTING DOWN THE FACE SIDE OF BOTH SIDES, AND THEN YOU MOVE ON BACK HERE.

I'VE GOT ONE WHERE I'VE STARTED TO CUT THE INTERMEDIATE CUTS TO JUST MAKE IT EASIER TO GET THE WOOD OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE IF I'VE GOT THROUGH IT.

I'M ALMOST THROUGH ON THE FRONT.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN CUT FROM THAT FRONT SIDE.

YOU DON'T WANT TO COME THROUGH ON THE TOP SIDE BECAUSE THIS IS THE SIDE THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE, SO I'M GOING TO WORK RIGHT THERE.

YOU SEE I'M JUST SHORT OF THE LINE THERE.

I HAVEN'T CUT ALL THE WAY BACK EXCEPT IN THE CORNERS THERE.

SO WE CAN NOW TAKE THAT WOOD AND REMOVE IT BY HITTING DOWN WITH OUR CHISEL AND POP IT OUT WITHOUT EVEN TOUCHING OUR BENCH TOP.

YEAH.

HA HA HA!

SO TURN IT OVER, AND WE'LL WORK FROM THE UNDERSIDE NOW.

AND SPLIT OUT.

YOU SEE HOW THESE LITTLE PIECES MAKE IT POSSIBLE.

THOSE SAW CUTS, THOSE INTERMEDIATE SAW CUTS MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE WOOD A BIT EASIER THAN IF IT WERE ALL TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

COME ON.

HE SAID.

YEAH.

AND BY DOING THE TOP FIRST, WE MAKE SURE WE DON'T BREAK THROUGH AND UGLIFY IT, BUT I DO WANT THOSE PIECES TO COME OUT.

HA HA HA!

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA GET IT HERE.

THEN WE'LL START TRUING IT UP.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE WE GO.

SO NOW THAT'S ROUGHING IT IN IF YOU DON'T MIND ROUGHING IT IN.

LET'S LOOK AT A SMOOTHER ONE.

THERE IT IS!

IT'S FARTHER ALONG.

SO NOW WE CAN JUST PARE THAT JOINT FROM THE INSIDE., VERY CAREFULLY PLANING ALONG.

AGAIN, I WORK FROM BOTH SIDES INTO THE MIDDLE AND JUST PARE IT ALONG WITH THE CHISEL.

VERY NICE.

WE GET THAT NICE, SMOOTH ANGLE.

ON THE TOP NOW, WE GOT THE OTHER MORTISE.

SO WE GOT THIS MORTISE DONE.

WE'VE ALSO GOT TO DO THE ANGLED-BACK MORTISE FOR THE BACK LEG.

I'VE GOT THAT BACK THERE, AND WHEN WE CUT THE STRETCHER, WE CUT IT WITH THE ANGLE THAT THAT BACK LEG'S GONNA SPLAY OUT, AND THAT FORMS THE GUIDE FOR THE 3/4-INCH TENON-- IN THIS SMALL CASE.

I MAKING A SMALL BENCH, TOO.

THAT GOES LIKE THIS.

SO WE JUST WORK THAT DOWN AND KEEP CHECKING.

CHECK THAT AND THEN HOLD IT, WORK IT ON DOWN.

BORE ALL THE WAY ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE WITH A SERIES OF HOLES SUCH AS I HAVE DONE BACK HERE.

SO I'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE WHERE ALL THE HOLES ARE BORED, AND THEN WE CAN TRIM IT OUT AT THAT ANGLE.

SO WE START FROM THE TOP, COME OUT ON THE BOTTOM, AND IF WE HAVE ONE, WHAT MAKES IT VERY CONVENIENT IS A CORNER CHISEL.

YOU CAN SEE THIS CHISEL IS AT ANGLE, AND THIS IS 3/4-INCH CORNER CHISEL, VERY HANDY IN THIS WORKING ON DOWN TO TRUE UP THE HOLES AND MAKE THE MORTISE.

SO THAT'S--OBVIOUSLY, THE MORTISE AND THE TENON-- THE MORTISES FOR THE FRONT AND THE BACK.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO PUT THAT TENON IN SHAPE IN THAT SPOT, AND I'VE GOT--AH!

RIGHT HERE.

WE TRANSFER THOSE MEASUREMENTS FROM THE FRONT TO THIS TENON ON THESE LEGS.

I'M GOING SO FAST WITH THIS HERE.

YOU SEE, THIS IS EVEN IN SOFT MAPLE.

YOU TRY THIS IN HARD MAPLE, AND IT IS A BEAR.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE WE GO.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SAW THIS DOWN NOW.

SO I'VE LAID OUT--AGAIN, JUST COPIED THAT JOINT ONTO THIS PIECE.

SAW THE SIDES DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN DOWNS SIDE HERE AND SO FORTH AND THEN JUST CUT IT, JUST SAW IT OFF, JUST SAW OFF THOSE CHEEKS.

AND THEN AGAIN, A LOT OF PARING, A WHOLE LOT OF PARING TO GET THIS JOINT TO WHERE IT'S READY TO GO TOGETHER.

NOW I HAVE ONE THAT I'VE ALREADY PREPARED DOWN HERE FOR A LITTLE BENCH.

NT TO SHOW YOU HOW TO GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE STRETCHERS IN PLACE.

WE'LL GET TO SEE HOW THOSE JOINTS GO TOGETHER.

SO HERE WE ARE.

LET'S LOOK AT THAT JOINT AGAIN THE VERY BOLD DOVETAIL.

HERE'S THE BEVEL.

WE'LL PUT IN THE BACK ONE FIRST.

YOU SEE AGAIN, HERE'S THE TENON FOR THE BACK MORTISE, AND THIS GOES ANGLING WAY ON BACK.

GOSH.

THAT'S AWFULLY LOOSE.

IS THAT THE RIGHT ONE?

NO, IT'S NOT.

OK.

I SAY, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE.

I'M GONNA MOVE THIS ON DOWN AND PUT IT IN THIS MORTISE, WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER FIT.

OK.

SO IT SHOULD BE A LITTLE LOOSE AT THE START AND THEN DO THE TIGHTEN UP AS IT GETS DOWN THERE.

NOW HERE WE SEE THE FRONT MORTISE THERE.

I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PUT THE TENON IN THERE.

YEAH, YEAH.

DRIVE THAT ON IN.

YOU MAKE IT SO IT'S LOOSE AT THE START, BUT THEN AT THE END, YOU WANT TO REALLY HAVE TO DRIVE IT IN.

LOOK AT THAT NICE JOINT, AND YOU SEE HOW IT LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE, LIKE IT CAN'T PULL OUT ON THE TOP FROM ANY DIRECTION.

THIS IS CALLED AN IMPOSSITAIL.

NOW WE NOW HAVE TO DO THE STRETCHERS, AND I HAVE THAT LITTLE STRETCHER PIECE I WAS USING TO GUIDE THE BORING.

IT ALREADY HAS THE TENON CUT ON IT AND THE ANGLE CUT ON THE BACK JUST TO SAVE WOOD BECAUSE I CAN CUT THAT OFF AT AN ANGLE.

SO WE LAY THIS ON HERE, AND AGAIN, MEASURE THE RESULTANT ANGLE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS ANGLE IS GONNA REALLY COME OUT TO UNTIL WE'VE DONE IT, SO WE KIND OF HEDGE OUR BETS BY MAKING ONE SQUARE.

WE KNOW WE WANT THAT SQUARE, AND THEN WE MARK DOWN THE BACK SIDE, AND THAT GIVES US THE LINE TO CUT TO MAKE THE TENON.

SO THAT WILL GIVE US THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SOP NOW WE HAVE--HA HA HA-- A LITTLE BENCH.

LET ME SSE IF I CAN GET THIS ONE OVER.

BOY, THEY ARE CUSTOM-FIT.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO FIT THESE KIND OF JOINTS.

WATCH HOW THIS WILL-- I'M GONNA SWING THIS AROUND EVEN A LITTLE MORE SO YOU CAN SEE IT GO IN AS THE WAY IT DROPS IN AT AN ANGLE.

IT'S PRETTY NEAT.

NOW YOU HAVE TO REALLY ASSEMBLE THIS VERY CAREFULLY WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE BIG BENCH, BUT THERE IT IS.

THESE GO IN, AND THEY COME IN AT THE SAME ANGLE.

ONE WILL GO FORWARD AS THE OTHER GOES FORWARD.

YEAH.

NOW THE EASIEST WAY TO GET THIS ALL TOGETHER IS TO DROP IT AND LET THE INERTIA TAKE THAT DOWN.

THAT'S HOW TO CUT THAT FRENCH--ACTUALLY NOT FRENCH BUT ONE OF THE DOVETAIL JOINTS ON OUR FRENCH BENCH.

SO I CAN DROP THIS DOWN, AND THAT PUTS THOSE DOVETAILS BACK FLUSH AGAIN.

AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT TIME IS WORK ON THE TOOL CABINET DOWN BELOW, AND WE'LL SEE HOW TO DOVETAIL TOGETHER THE TOOL WELL AND MAYBE A FEW OTHER DETAILS OF HOW THIS FRENCH BENCH GOES TOGETHER NOW.

YOUR CHANCE AGAIN-- THE AUTHOR IS ANDRÉ ROUBO FROM 1769, "L'ART DU MENUISIER."

HE TALKS ABOUT HOW THE ÉTABLI, THE FRENCH WORD FOR BENCH, IS THE PREMIER-- PLUS NÉCESSAIRE TOOL IN THE CABINETMAKER'S WORKSHOP., NOW.

LET'S SEE HERE.

WE GOT OUR DRAWER AGAIN WITH OUR VALET IS IN THE DRAWER RIGHT THERE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE RING-PULL, AND THE VALET GOES RIGHT THERE, AND THEN WE JUST HAVE TO PUT ON OUR VICE OR A PRESS, AS IT IS CALLED, AND WE WILL HAVE OUR BENCH TOGETHER.

SO DO GET BACK WITH ME AGAIN NEXT TIME, AND WE WILL FINISH THIS GUY UP, AND WE'LL ALL BE CAPABLE OF DOING OUR MENUISIER HERE IN OUR ATELIER DE BOIS.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

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

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT PBS.ORG.

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

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.