French Work Bench, Part 2

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.

BONJOUR.

BIENVENUE ENCORE TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME AGAIN.

AND IT'S GREAT.

THINGS ARE WONDERFUL HERE IN THE SHOP BECAUSE OUR NEW WORKBENCH IS STILL IN PRISTINE CONDITION.

LET'S HAVE A TOAST TO OUR ROUBO WORKBENCH.

SALUT ET SANTE FOR OUR WONDERFUL NEW WORKBENCH, BASED ON THE WORK OF ANDRE ROUBO OF 1769.

HE WROTE "L'ART DE MENUISIER," THE ART OF THE JOINER, ART OF THE CABINETMAKER, JOINER.

THIS IS THE PICTURE OF THE BENCH THAT HE SHOWS, AND WE HAVE MADE A VERSION OF IT.

BUT WHAT'S REALLY COOL WITH THIS, ABOVE THIS PLATE WE HAVE RIGHT HERE, HE ALSO SHOWED US A SHOP.

SO LET'S LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON, ALL THE GUYS AT THEIR BENCHES THERE, STARTING WITH THE FELLOW OVER HERE.

HE IS WORKING AWAY CUTTING A MORTISE AT THE BENCH THERE.

YOU CAN SEE HIM WITH HIS MALLET UP IN THE AIR.

NOW, THIS GUY'S ON VACATION.

YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THE WHOLE MONTH OF AUGUST OFF.

SO THIS GUY'S GONE.

THIS FELLOW IS USING A RIPSAW, THAT BOW SAW, A RIPSAW THERE ON HIS BENCH.

AND THERE'S HOLDFASTS HOLDING THE WORK RIGHT THERE.

THIS GUY'S ALSO USING THE HOLDFAST, THE VALET AS IT'S CALLED, TO HOLD THE PIECE AS HE CROSSCUTS IT WITH HIS BOW SAW.

AND THIS FELLOW'S PROBABLY DOING MOLDING RIGHT HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HIM PLANING DOWN THE END THERE.

AGAIN THE VALET IN ACTION, THE HOLDFAST.

THIS GUY'S FACE-PLANING, WORKING DOWN A TIMBER.

AND THIS GUY'S OUT ON STRIKE, OF COURSE.

AND THIS GUY IN THE BACK, HE'S BRINGING IN THE SOUP.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT THIS WONDERFUL WORKBENCH, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THE JOINTS TOGETHER LAST TIME.

LET ME SHOW YOU HERE.

THE WAY THIS IS FRAMED UP-- A NEW WAY OF FRAMING THIS STYLE OF BENCH.

I HAVE DONE A SLOPED DOVETAIL ON IT BECAUSE OUR TOP IS SO NARROW AND OUR BACK LEG KICKS OUT, THAT I SLOPED THE BACK SIDE HERE.

LET ME GET THE TOP THAT I HAVE.

THIS IS ACTUALLY A CHILDREN'S SIZE.

"POUR LES ENFANTS" SIZE BENCH.

AND I'M GOING TO PUT THE TOP ON AND SEE IF I CAN GET IT ALIGNED A LITTLE BIT.

THERE WE GO.

AND THIS COMES DOWN, AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THAT SLIDES IN THERE.

AND THOSE 2 ANGLES CORRESPOND SO THAT IT SLIDES UP INTO PLACE.

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT.

I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS DOWN AND PUT IT ON MY FLOOR HERE AND SLAM IT, AND WE'LL WATCH THAT JOINT CLOSE UP THERE.

SEE THAT PIECE?, YOU JUST HAVE TO USE THE INERTIA OF THE PIECE TO JOIN IT UP.

THERE YOU GO.

SO WE'VE GOT OUR SLIDING DOVETAIL, THIS KIND OF ODD RISING DOVETAIL HOLDING THE TIMBER TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'VE GOT TO MOVE ALONG.

WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS TOOL WELL.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

WE HAVE A NARROWER PIECE.

AND SO WE'VE EXTENDED THE TABLE WITH A TOOL WELL OUT HERE ON THE BACK.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO PUT THAT ON.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE RIGHT NOW, ARE THE JOINTS THAT WE HAVE TO USE TO DO THIS PART OF THE JOB.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THE LITTLE DUST-LIFTER OUT.

I TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S LOOK DOWN AT THIS END RIGHT HERE.

YOU SEE A LITTLE TONGUE COMING OUT RIGHT HERE.

YOU SEE THAT?

THAT'S AN EXTENSION OF THIS BIG THING.

YOU HAVE TO CUT AWAY EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THAT LITTLE BIT RIGHT THERE TO GO INTO THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT HOLDS THIS BOARD THAT SUPPORTS THE BACK OF THE TOOL WELL.

SO LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THE DUST LIFTER OUT.

AND I'M GOING TO TAP APART THIS BOARD AND HOPE THAT MY TOOLS DON'T GO FALLING ON THE FLOOR, BECAUSE THERE'S A SPECIAL THING YOU HAVE TO DO.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU SEE AGAIN THAT GROOVE PLOWED ALL THE WAY DOWN THIS BOARD AND ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WHOLE PERIMETER TO GRAB.

THAT'S WHAT HOLDS THE BOTTOM HERE AND HOLDS IT TO THE RIM HERE.

YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN?

SO THAT GROOVE KIND OF TIES EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

THE PROBLEM IS, YOU CAN SEE DOWN AT THIS END-- IT TAKES AWAY PART OF YOUR DOVETAIL.

PART OF THE DOVETAIL IS MISSING.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

WELL, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A FILLET RIGHT THERE, A LITTLE FILLER TO ADD IN WHERE THAT SPACE WOULD BE.

OTHERWISE, THERE WOULD BE AN UGLY GAP.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO DO THAT.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, NOW LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE USING THIS BENCH AND POUNDING ON IT, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ALL MY TOOLS GO TUMBLING ON THE FLOOR.

SO CAN I GET IT BACK TOGETHER?

LET'S SEE.

LET ME GET EVERYTHING ALIGNED PROPERLY.

AND WE CAN GET THIS THING BACK IN PLACE.

ALMOST, ALMOST, ALMOST.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE WE GO.

AH.

MAGNIFIQUE.

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL PUT THE LITTLE DUST LIFTER BACK IN THERE, TOO.

THAT HELPS YOU WHEN YOU WANT TO SWEEP OUT, KEEP A CLEAN SHOP.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW WE DO THOSE TONGUES AND GROOVES.

WE'VE GOT DOVETAILS.

LET'S DO A GROOVE RIGHT QUICK.

AND THIS WONDERFUL WORKBENCH HAS THE... CALLED AN ABOUTE RIGHT HERE.

THIS SQUARE, AND IT'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A LITTLE SAWTOOTH ARRANGEMENT RIGHT ON THE TOP.

YOU TAP IT UP LIKE THAT, AND THAT SAWTOOTH ARRANGEMENT I DON'T HAVE IN THERE YET WILL GRAB IT.

I NEED THE BLACKSMITHS TO MAKE THAT FOR ME.

WHAT THEY HAVE MADE IS THIS VALET.

THIS IS THE HOLDFAST, WE CALL IT.

THE FRENCH CALL IT THE VALET.

AND IT JUST GRABS BY TAPPING ON THE BACK SIDE HERE.

AND IT GETS COCKED IN THE HOLE.

VERY, VERY TIGHT NOW.

WE LOOSEN IT, OF COURSE, BY JUST HITTING IT RIGHT THERE, AND NOW IT'S COMPLETELY FREE.

SO IT'S THIS GREAT DEVICE CALLED A HOLDFAST, OR THE FRENCH, A VALET.

SO WE WORK NOW-- I'M USING A VERY UN-18th-CENTURY PLANE TO DO THIS JOB RIGHT NOW.

BUT THIS IS ONE I USED A LOT ON THIS JOB.

YOU COULD USE A PLOW PLANE, OF COURSE.

YOU COULD EVEN CHISEL THIS IF YOU HAD TO.

THIS IS--I'M USING A STANLEY 45 PLANE, OLD ANTIQUE, BUT NOT QUITE AS OLD AS THIS BENCH, SIXTEEN-WHATEVER THERE.

YOU CAN SEE IT MAKING THE GROOVE ON DOWN.

SO WE DO THIS, HAVE TO GROOVE ALL OUR PIECES ON DOWN.

CUT THE GROOVE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PERIMETER PIECES AND ALL AROUND EVEN DOWN IN THE TOOL WELL, WE HAVE OUR BOTTOM BOARDS ARE JOINED INTO THESE GROOVES.

THIS IS A CRITICAL BIT OF WORK.

BUT NOW WHAT SHALL WE DO?

LET'S GO ON... SHALL WE GO ON TO THE... NO, WE WANT TO CUT THE SHELF.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO CUT THAT LITTLE SHELF THERE.

BECAUSE REMEMBER I SAID WE HAD TO HAVE, DOWN AT THIS END OF THE BENCH, A TONGUE.

WE'VE GOT THIS TONGUE THAT EXTENDS OUT ON THE END OF OUR PLANK.

SO EVEN NO MATTER HOW BIG OUR PLANK IS, WE HAVE GOT TO EXTEND THAT TONGUE OUT AND CUT IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS.

SO I'M GOING TO LIFT THIS UP NOW AND PUT IT ACROSS THE BENCH.

AND AGAIN USE THE HOLDFAST, THE VALET.

AH...GET THAT RIGHT THERE.

AND WE'LL TRY CUTTING ON THIS END HERE, AGAIN USING A RATHER MODERN-- BUT I WILL SHOW YOU.

I DO HAVE SOME EARLY-- I'LL SHOW YOU HOW EARLY THE PROTOTYPES OF THESE-- PRECEDENT, RATHER, IS THE WORD.

HOW EARLY THE PRECEDENT FOR THESE TOOLS GOES BACK.

SO HERE I'M USING A RABBET PLANE ACROSS THE GRAIN, AND THAT'S THE WAY I WORK, JUST PLANING DOWN.

JUST CONTEMPLATE YOUR MISDEEDS.

PLANING DOWN TILL YOU HAVE LEFT A TONGUE 3/8 INCH THICK, ALSO 3/8 INCH UP FROM THE BOTTOM.

NOW, OF COURSE, YOU DON'T GAUGE FROM THE BOTTOM.

YOU'RE ALWAYS GAUGING DOWN FROM THE TOP.

I HAVEN'T EVEN PUT ANY LINES ON HERE BECAUSE I'VE STILL GOT ABOUT A HALF-INCH TO GO BEFORE I'M EVEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHERE I WANT TO BE.

SO WE GO AHEAD AND CUT THAT TONGUE WITH THE RABBET PLANE.

ALL RIGHT.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

WE'VE GOT A GROOVE.

WE'VE GOT A TONGUE.

WE NOW NEED TO DOVETAIL, OR AS THE FRENCH SAY, LA QUEUE D'HIRONDE, THE SWALLOW TAIL.

AND I HAVE MY WOOD RIGHT HERE.

YES, INDEED.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO LAY THAT OUT IN THE PROPER MANNER.

NOW, THERE'S USUALLY AN ANGLE INVOLVED.

IN MOST AMERICAN-ENGLISH WORK, YOU'LL FIND IT SOMEWHERE AROUND 1 IN 6 OR SAY.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, SET THE SQUARE, OR OUR BEVEL--THIS IS OUR ADJUSTABLE BEVEL-- SET IT SO THAT WE'RE BACK ONE INCH FROM A CORNER THERE, FROM 90 DEGREES.

HOWEVER YOU DO IT.

DO IT ON A SQUARE.

AND THEN UP TO 6.

NOW, THE FRENCH PROPER WAY IS TO DO 1 IN 5-- A LITTLE STRONGER.

BUT...LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT.

I'M GOING TO SET THAT RIGHT THERE., NOW, I HAVE THAT ACCORDING TO MY AMI, PATRICK EDWARDS, WHO STUDIED A LOT IN PARIS.

THERE WE GO.

SO WE NOW HAVE HAVE ONE, AND THEN IT CROSSES UP HERE AT 5.

SO THAT'S THE PROPER ANGLE FOR A DOVETAIL WHEN I DO THAT.

SO WE'VE DONE THAT.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO SET THE DEPTH OF OUR DOVETAIL.

AND I HAVE GOT A KNOTTY PIECE OF WOOD HERE.

THAT'LL MAKE IT FUN.

THAT'S CALLED LEARY'S LAW-- A KNOT WILL FALL WHEREVER IT WILL DO THE MOST ANNOYANCE TO WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE MAKING.

OK.

SO THERE'S THAT.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO JOIN THIS ONE HERE TO IT.

SO AGAIN WE NEED TO MARK OUR DEPTH ON IT.

AND THIS IS JUST SET TO THE THICKNESS OF THE WOOD.

THESE ARE 2 EQUALLY THICKNESSED PIECES.

AND LET ME SEE IF I GAVE A LITTLE... JUST A MICRO-HAIR, YEAH.

USUALLY YOU WANT TO SET THIS LINE A LITTLE DEEPER THAN THE THICKNESS OF THE 2 OF THEM AND THEN PLANE OFF THE EXCESS.

BUT...WELL, WE'LL SEE.

JUST CUT ME SOME SLACK IF I HAVEN'T CUT ENOUGH.

NOW HERE'S THAT GROOVE, AND WE KNOW WE WANT, TO HAVE THIS GROOVE COVERED.

THIS IS THE PIECE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE TAILS ON IT.

WE'RE GOING TO DO A TAILS-FIRST METHOD.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY OF THIS GROOVE EXPOSED HERE.

SO THIS BECOMES OUR ROOT POINT RIGHT THERE, AND WE HAVE TO GO INTO THAT GROOVE.

THERE'S THE DEPTH WE WANT THE TAIL, AND THERE'S THE GROOVE.

SO THAT'S IT.

NOW WE HAVE TO LAY THAT FIRST LINE.

AGAIN, 1 IN 5.

AND WE DO IT ON THE BACK SIDE.

AND JUST DO THAT ONE ON THE BACK SIDE.

NOW BRING IT AROUND FRONT.

HOW CAN WE DO THAT?

LET'S SEE.

HOW DO WE DO THAT CONVENIENTLY?

I'LL BRING IT AROUND FRONT LIKE THIS.

AND I'LL SET IT RIGHT THERE AND... ZUT, ZUT...ALORS.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'VE GOT THAT, AND WE HAD THAT POINT HERE.

SO NOW WE'VE FOUND IT ON THE FRONT SIDE.

AND I'LL SET THE BEVEL AGAIN.

DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'LL DO EQUAL-SIZED RIGHT HERE.

THERE WE ARE.

WE'LL FIND ALSO THE MIDDLE.

ALL RIGHT.

RIGHT THERE.

AND BRING IT ON DOWN.

AND YOU SEE, ALL THAT MATTERS-- YOU'VE JUST GOT TO GET THIS SO IT'S GOING TO LOOK NICE FOR YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE'S-- I'M GOING TO DO-- HOW FAR DO I WANT THESE TAILS?

THESE ARE THE TAILS.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY SPLAY OUT.

SO THEY ARE THE DOVETAILS, OR THE SWALLOW TAILS, THE QUEUE D'HIRONDE.

SO A QUEUE, A TAIL.

LA QUEUE D'HIRONDE.

I THOUGHT LEARNING ALL THIS FRENCH WOULD GET ME IN GOOD WITH THE BLUESTOCKINGS, THE LADIES.

I COULD QUOTE BAUDELAIRE, BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A LOT MORE USEFUL FOR DOING THIS KIND OF TECHNICAL WORK.

NOW SQUARE ACROSS THE TOP AND SQUARE ACROSS THE TOP.

AND THIS ONE HERE--WE'RE ALREADY SQUARE ACROSS THERE.

WE NEED ONE MORE LINE RIGHT THERE.

SQUARE ACROSS THE TOP GRAIN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S OUR DOVETAILS.

NOW, WE WANT TO CUT OUT THAT WOOD AND THAT WOOD AND THAT WOOD AFTER WE'RE DONE SAWING THIS OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE'S OUR TAILS.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND SAW THEM.

AND WE PUT THAT IN THE VERTICAL VISE NOW.

THIS IS GREAT.

THIS IS CALLED THE PRESS.

THE PRESS, BECAUSE THE FRENCH WORD FOR "SCREW" IS VIS, V-I-S. A LITTLE CONFUSING OR ENLIGHTENING, DEPENDING UPON THE WAY YOU LOOK AT IT.

SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND START CUTTING THESE TAILS NOW WITH A BACKSAW.

AND KIND OF CORRECTING.

SO YOU'LL SEE ME NOT EXACTLY FOLLOW THESE LINES SOMETIMES IF ONE'S OFF.

WHAT'S MAINLY IMPORTANT IS GETTING THE SQUARE FRONT TO BACK.

IF YOU'RE GOOD AND SQUARE FRONT TO BACK, YOU SHOULD BE ALL RIGHT.

NOW HERE I GOT TOO MUCH ANGLE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK GOOD, BUT WHAT THE HECK.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD.

ALL RIGHT.

AGAIN, SQUARE FRONT TO BACK IS KEY.

THIS ANGLE CAN VARY ON THE FRONT.

IT JUST LOOKS BAD.

BUT THAT ANGLE FRONT TO BACK, THE SQUARENESS ACROSS DOES AFFECT THE STRENGTH OF THE JOINT.

SO HERE WE GO, FINAL ONE.

AGAIN, CUTTING THE SIDES OF THE TAILS FIRST.

YOU CAN SEE, I STILL HAVE THE PENCIL LINE LEFT IN THAT ONE.

THAT'S OK.

IT LOOKS ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE WANT TO TRANSFER THESE LINES TO THE OTHER PIECE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE OTHER PIECE AND PUT IT HERE.

ALL RIGHT?

THAT'S RIGHT.

NOW LEVEL IT UP THERE, ABOUT LIKE THAT.

AND I NEED MY LITTLE CHOPPING BLOCK RIGHT THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW PUT THIS ON TOP HERE, AND SQUARE THIS UP JUST RIGHT.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE LINE ON THE INSIDE, THE INSIDE LINE LINING UP WITH THE INSIDE OF THE BOARD THERE SO THAT THIS HANGS OVER JUST A LITTLE BIT.

YOU CAN FEEL THAT.

THAT HANGS OVER JUST A HAIR.

NOW HOLD IT DOWN.

LINE IT UP THIS WAY.

THAT WOULD HELP, TOO.

ALL RIGHT, AND THOSE 2-- THE GROOVES ARE ALIGNED.

EVERYTHING'S RIGHT.

MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT TWISTED AND COCKEYED OR ANYTHING.

AND THEN, VERY IMPORTANT, DO NOT LET IT MOVE DURING THIS PROCESS.

I WISH I HAD THAT BORE A LITTLE FARTHER BACK TO SUPPORT ME A LITTLE BETTER.

ALL RIGHT.

PUT YOUR SAW IN AND PULL BACK.

SO THIS IS THE TAILS FIRST, SAW IN, PULL BACK METHOD OF TRANSFERRING THESE TO THE LOWER PIECE THERE.

NOW YOU CAN SEE THOSE LINES.

LET ME JUST MARK THEM WITH A PENCIL SO YOU CAN SEE THEM A LITTLE BETTER.

OOP.

THE PROBLEM IS NOW, THESE ARE GROOVES, AND GOSH, YOU KNOW, YOUR SAW IS GOING TO WANT TO TRACK IN THOSE GROOVES.

BUT YOU CAN'T LET THEM.

YOU'VE GOT TO CUT ON THE SIDE OF THOSE GROOVES NOW.

I'M GOING TO PUT THIS UP A LITTLE HIGH NOW AND WORK THOSE DOWN WITH THE SQUARE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO BRING THEM DOWN WITH THE SQUARE.

SO, AGAIN, I HAVE THE 90-DEGREE ANGLE TO THE FRONT, AND THESE, IF THEY'RE OFF A LITTLE BIT, THEY'RE OK. YOU WILL SAW PARALLEL TO THEM.

AND SOME PEOPLE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT HAVING ANY VERTICAL LINES AT ALL.

AND THAT'S FINE.

IT JUST DEPENDS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE KNOW WE WANT TO GET RID OF THIS PIECE.

ONE THING I REALLY WANT YOU TO DO IS MARK THESE WITH X's.

IT'S ALWAYS A DRAG WHEN YOU CUT OUT THE WRONG PIECE.

AND YOU CAN SEE, WHAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT HERE IS THE LITTLE GROOVE RIGHT THERE NOW.

THAT'S THE GROOVE THAT'S PLOWED ALL THE WAY AROUND.

SO WE WANT TO ALSO BRING UP A LITTLE PIECE HERE AND OVER--I'M JUST EYEBALLING RIGHT NOW-- THAT'S GOING TO FILL IN THAT EQUIVALENT ON THE OTHER PIECE.

NOW LET'S GO AHEAD AND SAW.

NOW, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS TRICKY.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET DOWN LOW, LOW AND SEE IF I CAN CUT JUST...

I CAN BARELY SEE IT.

CUT JUST ON THE INSIDE-- HERE'S WHERE YOUR THUMB GUIDING THE SAW DOES ITS WORK.

AND YOU CAN ALWAYS TAKE MORE WOOD OFF LATER ON.

TOUGH TO PUT BACK ON.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S DOWN.

I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD THAT'S GOING TO BE.

LET'S TRY THIS ONE HERE.

YOU WANT TO CUT RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THAT SAW LINE.

AND LIKE I SAY, IT WANTS TO TRACK IN THAT GROOVE, BUT YOU CAN'T LET IT.

NOW, I'M CUTTING THESE TOO TIGHT.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO FIT ON THE FIRST GO.

THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BETTER.

AGAIN, CUTTING PARALLEL TO THAT LINE.

ALL RIGHT.

I GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW DOWN HERE.

NOW WE WANT TO CUT THIS VERTICAL ONE, TO REMIND US THAT WE HAVE TO ADD THAT LITTLE FILLET IN THERE.

AND THEN THIS ONE JUST DOWN... AH.

AND OF COURSE, DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID?

I WENT RIGHT IN THE GROOVE.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE TOO TIGHT.

I'M GETTING CARRIED AWAY WITH MYSELF.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, LET'S SEE.

NOW WE'VE GOT TO JUST REMOVE THE WOOD IN BETWEEN.

SO COPING SAW TIME.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THAT SAW AND TAKE THIS OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

CUT THAT REAL CLOSE.

SEE, I'M TRYING TO GET REAL CLOSE TO THE LINE.

YOU DO THIS WITH YOUR BOW SAW THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO ON DOWN.

GET REAL CLOSE TO THE LINE.

TURNING, ANGLING.

AND NOW LET'S JUST CUT BACK THIS WAY SOME.

I'M AFRAID THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY LOOSE ON THIS END BECAUSE, AS YOU SAW, I TRACKED...WELL, WE'LL SEE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE'VE GOT TO TRIM IT A LITTLE BIT.

SO I'M GOING TO LAY IT DOWN ON THE BENCH TOP.

NOW HERE WE GO.

WE'RE GOING FROM IT SITTING-- SO UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN.

BUT HERE.

TAKE OUR GOOD PARING CHISELS.

THESE ARE THE CHISELS THAT WE USE TO PUSH, NOT TO HIT WITH A MALLET, AND PARE DOWN... UNTIL WE WORK OUR WAY BACK, TAKING OFF A SMALL SHAVING EACH TIME.

THAT'S THE TRICK WITH A PARING CHISEL, IS YOU WORK YOUR WAY BACK UNTIL WE'RE FINALLY TO THAT LINE.

AND THERE WE GO.

SO I'VE GOT ONE THAT WAS CUT TOO FAR AWAY FROM MY LINE AND ONE THAT WAS CUT RIGHT ON THE LINE.

SO I HAVE ONE THAT'S TOO TIGHT AND ONE THAT'S TOO LOOSE, AND YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY TO AMUSE YOURSELVES WITH WHEN I PUT THESE TOGETHER.

YEAH, BUT WE'LL SEE.

WE'LL SEE.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

DEEP AS A WELL AND AS WIDE AS A CHURCH DOOR, OUR ERROR.

YEAH.

THAT'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THAT RIGHT THERE-- I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE-- NO, I DON'T HAVE MY RASP.

USUALLY I WANT TO HAVE A RASP.

WHAT I'LL DO IS JUST KIND OF WIGGLE THIS DOWN AND DO IT, BECAUSE SEE HOW IT'S NOT SUPPORTED UNDERNEATH THERE?

MIGHT EASILY SPLINTER.

THAT'S NOT IN A PLACE THAT WILL SHOW, BUT... [BLOWING] ALL RIGHT.

SO THOSE ARE OUR SOCKETS THERE.

AND WE HAVE THAT LITTLE FILLET THERE, AS CRUDE AS THAT IS.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND THEN TRIM THAT, ONCE WE GET READY TO FIT THE TWO TOGETHER.

SO I'VE GOT NOW TO SAW THE ENDS OFF.

AND HERE WE ARE.

UH... OOP.

AND OVER.

OOP.

AND OVER.

ALL RIGHT.

AND NOW WE TAKE OUT THAT MIDDLE PART.

THAT GOES RIGHT UP HERE ON THE BENCH TOP AGAIN.

SO IT'S UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN.

AND WE'RE READY.

LET ME SEE.

I WANT TO GET THIS ONE.

I'VE GOT THIS LITTLE...

I'LL JUST DO THE CHISEL AND SEE IF I CAN DO THIS ONE A LITTLE BETTER.

YOU CAN SEE HOW I'VE REALLY GOT SOME OLD KNOTS IN THE WOOD, SOME GNARLY GRAIN THERE.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPLINTER OUT LIKE THE OTHERS.

WE MIGHT HAVE SOME WILDNESS HERE.

WE CAN'T RELY ON STRAIGHT GRAIN TO GET US WHERE WE WANT TO GO ON THIS LITTLE PIECE.

NOW WE'LL TURN IT OVER, CUT FROM THE BACK SIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN DOWN.

AND OUT.

OOP.

AND OUT.

SEE HOW THIS BEVEL-EDGED CHISEL ALLOWS US TO GET DOWN IN THERE IN THE SIDES A LITTLE BIT?

IN THAT UNDERCUT AREA.

[BLOWS] AND THERE WE ARE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE WANT TO GET RID OF THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S THAT LITTLE PIECE LEFT OVER.

BONK.

BREAKS RIGHT OFF.

ALL RIGHT.

AND NOW THAT'S READY TO GO INTO... REST ON THAT SHOULDER WE LEFT ON THE OTHER PIECE.

NOW, GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY FUNKY FIT HERE.

HA HA!

YOU SAW HOW WE JUST WHALED THROUGH THIS THING.

HERE WE GO.

THIS IS READY TO DROP DOWN IN.

WE'VE SAID IT'S GOING TO BE TOO TIGHT ON ONE SIDE AND LOOSE ON THE OTHER.

WHY DON'T I JUST GIVE IT A TAP AND SEE WHAT WE GET?

NOW, OF COURSE, IF IT'S WAY TOO TIGHT, WE CAN EASILY SPLIT THE PIECE.

BUT SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

NOW I'M GETTING EVEN A LITTLE SHEARING ON THE INSIDE.

I'M JUST GOING TO TAP IT DOWN, AND WE'LL GIVE IT A SHOT HERE.

AND YOU SEE HOW THAT IS FILLING IN RIGHT THERE.

AND THERE WE GO.

THERE'S OUR DOVETAIL JOINT.

AND I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO MOVE MY FINGER AND SHOW YOU THE CRACKS AND FLAWS.

BUT YOU WILL SEE IT FROM THE END THERE.

THERE IT IS.

AND THERE IS, OF COURSE, THE GROOVE ON THE INSIDE THAT HOLDS OUR SKIRT THAT GOES ALL THE WAY AROUND.

WELL, WHAT HAVE WE GOT?

A FEW MINUTES LEFT TO SEE-- GOSH.

THERE'S SO MANY COOL THINGS WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT.

THE TONGUE AND GROOVE.

NOW, THESE GO WAY BACK.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CUT A LITTLE BIT WITH MY TONGUE-AND-GROOVE PLANES.

I'LL GET IN TROUBLE FOR SAYING THAT.

HERE WE GO.

HERE'S OUR WOOD.

NOW, I HAVE SOME TULIP POPLAR.

WE'RE DOING THIS IN MAPLE TO MAKE THE BENCH-- MUCH, MUCH HARDER.

AND I'VE GOT A TONGUE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

SO I WANT TO PUT THE GROOVE ON THIS SIDE.

AND HERE I'VE GOT ONE OF THE GROOVING PLANES.

NOW, THESE ARE CALLED MATCH PLANES.

THERE'S 2 OF THEM MATCHED UP TO... WELL, JUST TO GO WITH ONE TO THE OTHER.

THIS ONE CUTS THE GROOVE...

RIGHT DOWN THE LENGTH UNTIL IT STOPS.

YOU KNOW, IT JUST CUTS-- THE DEPTH STOP IS IN THERE.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT GOING TO CUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE WIDTH OF THIS TIMBER.

IT'S GOING TO GO DOWN UNTIL IT BOTTOMS OUT.

YOU CAN HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF PROBLEM WITH THIS.

YOU'LL HEAR ACTUALLY THE... A LITTLE BIT OF CHATTER DOWN IN THE GROOVE.

SO IT'S NOT CUTTING RIGHT.

NOT QUITE FULLY SUPPORTED UNDER THERE.

SO THIS NEEDS A LITTLE TUNING.

I'VE GOT THE OTHER END HERE.

THIS IS GOING TO GET THE TONGUE.

AND WE, OF COURSE, HAVE A PLANE THAT LEAVES THE TONGUE.

IT DOESN'T REALLY CUT THE TONGUE.

IT CUTS THE SHOULDERS AWAY AND LEAVES THE TONGUE ON THE WOOD.

AND SEE, IT'S CUTTING DOWN BOTH SIDES THERE AND ACTUALLY CUTS ONE SHOULDER A LITTLE DEEPER THAN THE OTHER SO THAT ONE FACE IS ALWAYS VERY, VERY TIGHT, AND THE OTHER ONE IS LOOSE.

SO WE HAVE THAT FINAL LITTLE BIT.

WE TONGUE-AND-GROOVE OUR PIECES TOGETHER.

AND WHEN WE DO, TRY AND MATCH THE GRAIN IN A WAY THAT WILL BE HARMONIOUS.

LET ME SEE.

IF I PUT IT TOGETHER THIS WAY... LET'S LOOK AT IT THIS WAY.

IF I PUT OUR TONGUE-AND-GROOVE PIECES TOGETHER THIS WAY, WELL, THEY LOOK FINE, BUT BECAUSE, AS I PENCIL-DARKENED THE GRAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY'RE BOTH CUPPED ON THE SAME THING.

YOU TEND TO GET SHARPER POINTS ON THAT.

SO YOU WANT TO REALLY ALTERNATE THEM.

AND THIS IS RECOMMENDED IN ALL THE OLD BOOKS, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT ALTERNATING.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

SOMETIMES THERE'S OTHER FACTORS THAT GATHER IN.

BUT YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS KIND OF UNDULATING "S" SHAPE.

SO YOU HAVE ONE GOING UP, ONE GOING DOWN.

AND YOU'LL HAVE A MUCH SMOOTHER SURFACE THAT WILL UNDULATE RATHER THAN CUP, CUP, CUP, CREST, CREST, CREST.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S GETTING US REALLY TOWARD THE END OF IT.

WE'VE GOT TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO MAKE OUR TOOL WELL DOWN HERE.

I'VE GOT THE BOARDS TONGUE-AND-GROOVED TOGETHER, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A CLAMP JOINT ON THE END.

AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST A VARIATION ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING BEFORE TO PUT GROOVES, PUT TONGUES THROUGH THERE.

AND THAT MAKES THE LID FOR OUR TOOL CHEST THAT'S DOWN IN THE BOTTOM OF OUR WONDERFUL LITTLE FRENCH WORKBENCH.

SO WE CAN LOCK UP THE TOOLS THERE, LOCK THEM UP IN THE DRAWER AND BE READY TO WORK ENCORE.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL.

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... 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.