German Woodcraft in America
Season 27 Episode 10 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
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Aired: 11/02/07
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
Season 27 Episode 10 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
.......
Aired: 11/02/07
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
HI.
I'M ROY UNDERHILL.
BOY, CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA IS PROBABLY THE LAST PLACE YOU'D EXPECT TO FIND AN 18th-CENTURY GERMAN-STYLE TIMBER-FRAMED BUILDING, BUT IT'S HERE IN THE RESTORED MORAVIAN VILLAGE OF OLD SALEM, WHERE SOME OF THE EARLIEST TRADITIONS OF GERMANIC WOODCRAFT FIRST TOOK ROOT IN AMERICA.
SO JOIN ME AS WE LEARN THE SECRETS OF THE SLIDING DOVETAIL, THE TRADITION OF THE TUSK TENON, AND TRACE THE EVOLUTION OF THE CABINET MAKER'S WORKBENCH.
THAT'S ALL COMING UP RIGHT HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
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."
WELL, OF COURSE, THE GREAT THING ABOUT OLD SALEM IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST OLD BUILDINGS.
IT'S ALSO OLD CRAFTSMEN, OR AT LEAST CRAFTSMEN WHO STUDY OLD CRAFTS.
HI, ROY.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON HERE?
WORKING ON A TABLE LEG HERE.
THIS IS A QUEEN ANNE STYLE IN WALNUT.
LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE.
LIKE THIS ONE HERE.
IT'S GOT A PAD FOOT DOWN BELOW, AND THEN THE SHAFT IS OFFSET.
SO I'M TURNING THAT SECTION ON A LARGE SPRINGPOLE LATHE HERE.
THE CORD'S WRAPPED AROUND THE PIECE, AND WHEN I PUSH DOWN ON THE PEDAL, IT SPINS TOWARDS ME, AND I DO MY CUTTING WORK, AND THEN ON THE BACKSTROKE, THERE'S A SPRING BEHIND ME THAT PULLS IT BACK AROUND.
I LOVE TURNING ON A SPRINGPOLE LATHE.
WELL, COME AROUND HERE AND TRY THIS ONE OUT.
GET A FEEL FOR THIS GERMAN STYLE OF TOOL HERE.
THIS IS SO STURDY.
THAT'S WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS.
IT'S A LARGE SHOP LATHE.
THIS WAS OWNED BY A PROFESSIONAL TURNER THAT DID SPINNING WHEELS AND CHAIRS AND THAT SORT OF WORK.
SO HE WAS SPENDING MANY, MANY HOURS AT THIS LATHE., AND HE WAS A MORAVIAN?
HE WAS A MORAVIAN FROM THIS AREA, YES.
ALL RIGHT, TELL ME, WHO WERE THE MORAVIANS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THEM?
IT'S A PROTESTANT RELIGION.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO MODERN METHODISTS, PERHAPS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.
BUT IT CAME FROM AN AREA THAT TODAY WE THINK OF AS CZECHOSLOVAKIA, A EUROPEAN AREA.
AND SO WHEN THOSE MORAVIANS MOVED OVER TO ENGLISH-SPEAKING AREAS, THE ENGLISH REFERRED TO THEM NOT BY THEIR TRUE NAME, WHICH WAS UNITAS FRATRUM, OR UNITY OF THE BRETHREN, BUT INSTEAD THEY CALLED THEM MORAVIANS BECAUSE THEY CAME FROM MORAVIA, AN AREA-- THE ENGLISH TERM FOR IT.
I LOVE THIS.
BOY.
IT'S A COMMUNAL GROUP, AND VARIOUS CRAFTSMEN WORKING TOGETHER.
WHAT DID THIS GUY MAKE WHO DID THIS?
DID A LOT OF SPINNING WHEEL WORK, CHAIR WORK, ANYTHING TURNED.
REALLY?
ALL RIGHT.
HE'S A PROFESSIONAL TURNER.
AND THIS IS NEAT.
YOU CAN DO THIS ON THE LATHE.
YOU CAN DO THIS ON THE LATHE.
YOU CAN DO OTHER THINGS.
THIS ALSO HAS A SAW ATTACHMENT.
AROUND THERE?
DOWN HERE.
I WAS LOOKING AT THAT, YEAH.
A GATE SAW, OR A SLASH SAW SOMETIMES IT'S CALLED.
WONDERFUL.
IT SLIDES UP AND DOWN IN THERE.
AND YOU USE THIS?
AND WE HAVE USED THIS FOR CUTTING OUT THIN MATERIALS.
WHEN YOU PUSH DOWN, THE TREADLE WILL COME DOWN.
THE SPRING PULLS IT BACK UP.
SO IT CUTS ON THE DOWNSTROKE, THE POWER STROKE WITH YOUR FOOT.
THE SPRING DOESN'T HELP YOU OUT THAT MUCH.
BUT THIS ALSO HAS ANOTHER FUNCTION.
YOU CAN DO SOME BORING WORK ON IT, HOLE-BORING WORK.
BORING?
I LOVE BORING.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
SWITCH OUT FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HEADSTOCK.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL.
WE HAVE NOT COPIED THIS PIECE YET FOR THIS LATHE.
AND HERE'S ONE OF THE BITS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW IT FITS THROUGH THERE.
THIS IS KIND OF TAPERED.
SO IT WOULD FIT UP IN THERE, AND GREASED... A NICE BEARING SURFACE THERE.
WRAP YOUR CORD AROUND THERE, PUT IT IN THE CENTER POINT, AND WHEN I PRESS DOWN ON THE PEDAL, IT WILL-- SPIN THE CENTER BIT RIGHT THERE.
SPIN IT BACK AND FORTH.
AND YOU CAN HAVE BOTH YOUR HANDS FREE TO WORK WITH YOUR TOOLS AND YOUR MATERIAL TO BORE YOUR HOLES, AND IF YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF ROUND HOLES FOR TURNED WORK, THEN WHY NOT USE THE SAME TOOL FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE TRADE?
WHAT IS THIS HERE?
THIS IS NEAT.
THE FERRULE IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE IT'S A PIECE OF HORN, COW HORN, THAT'S BEEN TURNED ON THE LATHE AND TURNED DOWN TO BECOME PART OF THAT TOOL.
SO YOU CAN TURN NOT JUST WOOD AND METAL ON LATHES, BUT HORN AND IVORY AND BONE AND ALL KINDS OF MATERIALS.
AND A SPINNING WHEEL MAKER?
A SPINNING WHEEL MAKER, YES.
WONDERFUL.
YOU KNOW, WORKING AT THE LATHE IS GREAT, AS MUCH AS I AND EVERYBODY ENJOYS IT, BUT IT'S AT THE BENCH WHERE THE JOINER IS TO BE KNOWN, AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU-- LET ME PUT THIS DOWN.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR BIG WORK BENCH HERE.
BUT ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT REALLY THAT BIG.
NOT THAT BIG.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A SMALL WORK BENCH FOR US.
WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL THAT THIS IS COPIED AFTER IN OUR MUSEUM.
IT'S THE SMALLEST ONE WE OWN.
THIS WAS A SMALL HOBELBANK, OR PLANING BENCH.
HOBELBANK?
HOBELBANK.
AND THIS ONE YOU COULD TAKE INTO A HOUSE TO DO THE FINAL FINISHING WORK-- FITTING OUT THE DOORS AND THE WINDOWS AND TRIMWORK.
IT HAS A FACE VISE FOR CLAMPING YOUR BOARDS, ANGLED LEGS TO RESIST THE RACKING PRESSURE FROM PLANING, AND IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THAT JOINT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, YOU'VE GOT AN INTERESTING MORTISE AND TENON JOINT THERE, A TUSK TENON.
THAT CHARACTERISTIC THING WITH THE KEY THROUGH IT, YEAH.
SO IT STICKS THROUGH, AND THAT'S REAL CHARACTERISTIC OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN WORK.
VERY EUROPEAN, VERY CONTINENTAL EUROPE.
AND IT HOLDS IT NICE AND TIGHT, BUT IT'S EASY TO KNOCK IT APART.
2 MEN CAN TAKE THIS BENCH APART AND CARRY IT AROUND VERY EASILY.
SO A WHITE OAK TOP AND THEN A LIGHTER WOOD FOR THE FRAME DOWN BELOW BECAUSE IT'S UNDER COMPRESSION THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW HERE I RECOGNIZE A PLANE.
IF I WAS AN ENGLISH JOINER, I'D BE USING THIS PLANE HERE.
AND HERE'S A CONTINENTAL VERSION, A GERMAN VERSION.
IT DOES THE SAME JOB, BUT IT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT.
IT'S COMING FROM A DIFFERENT TRADITION--CONTINENTAL EUROPEAN.
IT'S GOT SOME PUNCHED DECORATIONS, SOME CARVED DECORATIONS, A LITTLE BIT OF INLAY DECORATIONS, AND VERY DIFFERENT HANDHOLDS.
YEAH.
SO YOU HOLD IT LIKE THAT.
AND MY THUMB FELL RIGHT INTO THAT LITTLE THUMB SPOT RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN A HORN HANDLE UP IN THE FRONT.
SO A VERY DIFFERENT TYPE OF GRIPPING MECHANISM.
BUT THE BUSINESS END, THE CUTTING END DOES THE SAME JOB.
SO TRY THIS ONE OUT ON A PIECE OF WOOD.
IT'S EVEN DECORATED ON THE BOTTOM THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
SHOULD I JUST PUT THIS...
PUT THAT PIECE OF POPLAR IN THERE AGAIN.
A PIECE OF TULIP POPLAR.
ALL RIGHT.
GOOD, VERY USEFUL SECONDARY WOOD HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA-- BOTTOMS OF DRAWERS, SIDES OF DRAWERS, THE BACKS.
I'M FASCINATED-- THESE FOLKS COMING FROM EUROPE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE NEAR THE VARIETY OF TIMBER THAT WAS IN WHAT WE CALL "THE NEW WORLD."
OH, YEAH.
WE HAVE A GREAT NUMBER OF SOFT WOODS, HARD WOODS-- WALNUT, CHERRY, OAKS, MAPLES.
AND THAT LOWER HANDLE IN THE BACK ALLOWS YOU TO STEER THAT PLANE VERY, VERY CAREFULLY.
A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
BOY, IT'S LIKE GOING BACK TO THE MIDDLE AGES, BUT IT'S WONDERFUL.
BUT AGAIN, THESE FOLKS WERE-- ACTUALLY, I SAY MIDDLE AGES.
THESE GUYS WERE ADVANCED TECHNICALLY AND VERY INDUSTRIOUS.
MM-HMM.
VERY INDUSTRIOUS.
THE STORY APPARENTLY WAS--AM I RIGHT?-- THE GOVERNOR BROUGHT THESE FOLKS IN BECAUSE MY ANCESTORS, THE ENGLISH, WERE SO GOOD-FOR-NOTHING.
IN A WAY.
LORD GRANVILLE, THE PROPRIETOR OF THE COLONY OF NORTH CAROLINA, WANTED TO GET SOME ECONOMIC BUSINESS GOING ON HIS LAND HERE, AND THE ENGLISH HERE WEREN'T DOING VERY MUCH, SO THE MORAVIANS WERE HUNTING FOR A PLACE TO START A TOWN, SO HE SOLD THEM A LARGE, 100,000-ACRE TRACT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND THEY SETTLED THE TOWN OF SALEM AND STARTED A TRADES TOWN HERE., THAT'S GREAT, AND THIS KIND OF ROOT OF GERMAN WOODCRAFT FLOWED INTO AMERICAN WOODCRAFT.
SOME OF THE MORAVIANS CAME DIRECTLY OVER FROM EUROPE.
SOME OF THEM CAME DOWN THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA FROM SOME OF THE MORAVIAN SETTLEMENTS THERE.
AND SOME OF THEIR TOOLS THEY MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM.
SO THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD GERMAN TOOLS THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM OR CERTAINLY IDEAS OF WHAT THEY SHOULD LOOK LIKE AFTER THEY GOT HERE AND MADE THEM HERE IN TOWN.
SO EVEN MADE THINGS LIKE THIS HERE.
SO THEY MIGHT HAVE MADE SOME OF THEIR OWN PLANES.
THIS ONE'S A SCHLITZEL, OR A SMOOTHING PLANE.
THERE'S THE ENGLISH VERSION THAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.
THAT'S THE KIND MY FOLKS WOULD HAVE LOST BY THE TIME THEY GOT HERE, BUT THE GERMAN WORKERS-- THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
AND EVEN THE DECORATED ONES SHOW LARGE AMOUNTS OF WEAR.
SO THEY WERE NOT TOOLS JUST TO LOOK AT.
THEY WERE TOOLS TO USE.
VERY MUCH SO.
I KNOW THEY EVEN HAD RELIGIOUS THINGS ON THEM.
NOW, THIS--I SEE THIS SITTING ON A PANEL.
IS THAT A PANEL PLANE?
THIS IS A PANEL RAISING PLANE, AGAIN IN THAT GERMAN CONTINENTAL STYLE, WITH A HORN HANDLE ON THE FRONT, BUT A MUCH SIMPLER DESIGN.
THIS ONE'S A LITTLE LATER, AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT AN UNADORNED VERSION OF THE PLANE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
VERY BLOCKY-LOOKING.
VERY BLOCKY, SQUARISH.
HUH.
BUT WITH A SKEWED IRON AGAIN TO MAKE SMOOTH WORK OF THIS BIRD'S-EYE MAPLE I GUESS IT IS THERE.
BIRD'S EYE MAPLE.
VERY DIFFICULT TO PLANE BUT VERY PRETTY.
CUT THAT PANEL.
PLOW PLANES LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT AS WELL.
AND I'VE GOT SOME GERMAN-STYLE PLOW PLANES HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
I SEE AN ENGLISH ONE.
LET'S COMPARE THOSE.
THERE'S A CLASSIC AMERICAN PLOW PLANE FROM THE 1840's OR 50's WITH THE THREADED SCREW ARMS AND WHAT WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
HERE ARE 2 GERMAN EXAMPLES.
OOH.
YEAH.
AGAIN, THIS TYPE WITH 3 THREADED ARMS DATES BACK AS FAR AS 1500.
THERE ARE EXAMPLES THAT HAVE SURVIVED.
AND THAT'S THE CUTTER RIGHT THERE.
SO IT SLIDES ALONG THE WOOD AND PLOWS A GROOVE.
PLOWS A GROOVE FOR A DRAWER BOTTOM OR FOR A PANEL.
HERE'S ANOTHER VERSION, AGAIN WITH THREADED ARMS, BUT WITH A THROAT LIKE A BENCH PLANE, INSTEAD OF AN ENGLISH STYLE.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
I SEE MOLDING PLANES HERE.
NOW, THESE, THOUGH, YOU'VE HAD SOME ORIGINALS AND SOME REPRODUCTIONS.
I KNOW YOU REALLY TRY AND WORK WITH REPRODUCTIONS.
TRY TO WORK WITH REPRODUCTIONS IN THE SHOP.
SO THESE ARE A GERMAN PAIR OF HOLLOWS AND ROUNDS.
UNLIKE THE BENCH PLANES, SOMETIMES THE MOLDING PLANES MIGHT NOT BE AS DECORATED.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE VERY SIMPLE, VERY CRUDE-LOOKING IN A WAY.
THEY'RE VERY MUCH MORE OF THE STRAIGHTFORWARD, "DO THE WORK AND DO IT WELL" TYPE OF TOOL, IT SEEMS LIKE.
AND HERE'S...
I JUST SAW IT.
I MUST HAVE KICKED IT OVER HERE.
ONE OF THE THINGS, THE KIND OF WORK THAT FOLKS WOULD DO.
AND I KNOW THIS HAS THE NAME-- THIS IS THE FENSTERMACHER, IS IT NOT?
THE GUY WHO MAKES THE WINDOW SASH.
I LOVE THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THESE MOLDING PLANES AND SUCH SHOULD BE USED ON.
AND IN BEAUTIFUL SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE.
MM-HMM.
VERY TOUGH, VERY WEATHER RESISTANT.
THAT'S GREAT.
SO YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE DIFFERENT CULTURES COMING IN-- THE AFRICAN, THE GERMAN, THE ENGLISH, THE NATIVE AMERICAN, ALL THESE DIFFERENT KIND OF WOODS.
AND THAT'S WHAT FORMED AMERICAN WOODWORKING.
AND LET'S SEE, OF COURSE, THE CARPENTER'S A ZIMMERMAN AND A SHRINER... A SHRINER OR JOINER, A TISCHLER--TABLE MAKER-- OR ANOTHER TYPE OF CABINET-MAKER PERHAPS.
AND THIS WOULD BE THE WORK OF A...
THIS MIGHT BE THE WORK OF A CABINET MAKER.
THIS IS A LITTLE VALUABLES CHEST THAT CHET TOMLINSON, ONE OF OUR CABINET MAKERS HERE IN SALEM, HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
THIS IS A COPY OF A BACKCOUNTRY NORTH CAROLINA PIECE, NOT SPECIFICALLY MORAVIAN BUT VERY INDICATIVE OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE HERE IN THIS AREA AT THE TIME.
DOVETAILED TOGETHER IN WALNUT.
POPLAR, SECONDARY PINE.
BUT HE'S ALSO GOT A PIECE BACK HERE THAT I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THAT IS VERY DEFINITELY GERMAN-- A PLANK CHAIR, A GERMAN-STYLE PLANK CHAIR.
I CALL THESE ALPINE THINGS WE LOOK AT.
BUT THIS IS IN THE MORAVIAN GERMAN TRADITION AS WELL.
AND IF YOU'LL LOOK ON THE BOTTOM HERE, YOU'LL SEE A VERY INTERESTING DOVETAIL JOINT HOLDING THIS PIECE TOGETHER.
THESE LONG-GRAINED BATTENS SLIDE THROUGH THE THIN TOP, AND THE LEGS COME ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH PIECES AND WEDGE TOGETHER TO LOCK THIS PIECE TOGETHER.
BUT THE DOVETAIL JOINT HELPS KEEP EVERYTHING FLAT AND PROVIDES THE STRENGTH.
NOW, THAT'S SMART.
IN THE ENGLISH TRADITION,, WE'D HAVE A VERY THICK PLANK, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN A WINDSOR, AND PUT THOSE LEGS IN, BUT HERE YOU'VE GOT 2 CROSSGRAINS.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY PIERCING THROUGH AND LOCKING IT IN PLACE.
SO A SLIDING DOVETAIL.
DO THEY DO THAT WITH PLANES?
DO THAT WITH PLANES AND SAWS.
IT'S A VERY GERMANIC STYLE JOINT, AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW THOSE ARE DONE.
YOU CAN CUT THEM IN ENGLISH WORK, AND YOU'LL SEE THEM, BUT NOT NEARLY SO MUCH AS YOU DO IN SOME OF THE GERMAN WORK.
I SEE ONE RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S THE EXAMPLE OF THAT BATTEN STYLE-- A VERY WIDE DADO THAT'S DOVETAILED, SLIDES IN, AND ONE THAT'S A LITTLE NARROWER.
WE CAN TRY SHOWING HOW THAT WOULD BE CUT.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
CAN I TRY IT?
CERTAINLY.
LET ME SEE.
WHAT YOU GOT HERE?
LET'S SEE.
THERE'S A PIECE WITH SEVERAL OF THEM STARTED ON IT THERE.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO GET A LESSON HERE.
SHOULD I PUT IT DOWN HERE?
THAT WILL BE FINE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FIRST STEP, OF COURSE, IS TO LAY OUT YOUR JOINT WITH YOUR SCRIBE LINES.
YOU WANT THE DEPTH AND WIDTH OF THE DOVETAIL, THE ANGLE THAT YOU NEED, AND TO SAW THAT ANGLE, THE FIRST CUT THAT YOU MAKE, YOU USE A GRATSAEGE, OR A DOVETAIL SAW.
HERE'S AN OLD ONE.
HERE'S A REPRODUCTION THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE TODAY.
AGAIN, A HORN HANDLE ON THE PIECE.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WHAT WE CALL A STAIRCASE SAW.
IT'S SIMILAR TO A STAIRCASE SAW.
IT'S DIFFERENT, THOUGH, IN THAT THE BASE HAS A BEVEL TO IT SO THAT YOU CAN TURN IT ON ITS SIDE TO CUT THAT ANGLE FOR THE DOVETAIL.
OH, OK. A STAIRCASE SAW WILL BOTTOM-OUT TOO QUICKLY.
IT WON'T LET YOU DO THIS WORK.
IT HAS THAT SHOULDER TO IT.
SO WOULD I CUT THIS LINE RIGHT HERE?
CUT IT THERE, AND IF YOU WANT TO GET STARTED, IT'S EASIER TO USE A LITTLE GUIDE BAR SOMETIMES.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE NAILS ARE PLACED INTO THE PART THAT WE'RE GOING TO CUT AWAY.
OK.
INTO THE WASTE.
INTO THE WASTE, SO THEY WILL NOT SHOW UP ON YOUR BOOKCASE OR YOUR DESK OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE THAT YOU'RE BUILDING.
I'LL NEED YOU TO HOLD THIS STEADY.
AND I'LL HOLD THIS SIDE.
SO I CAN'T USE 2 HANDS ON THIS.
BUT AGAIN, JUST KIND OF FACE IT RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT... AND THAT'LL SET YOUR ANGLE FOR YOU AND ALLOW YOU TO START SAWING DOWN.
OH, IT'S SHARP.
NICE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'D USE THIS 2-HANDED, I GUESS.
TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER CONTROL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WORKS PRETTY GOOD JUST WITH ONE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I'M GOING TO BOTTOM-OUT.
BOTTOM-OUT ON YOUR STOCK.
THEN YOU CAN JUST POP THAT OFF AND FINISH YOUR CUT TO THE FINAL DEPTH.
OOPS.
A CLAW HAMMER.
SO YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE THERE DIDN'T USED TO BE CLAW HAMMERS WHEN PEOPLE STARTED.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I JUST WORK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM?
JUST WORK DOWN UNTIL YOU HIT THAT SCRIBE LINE ON THE BOTTOM, AND YOUR PLANE WILL ACTUALLY BOTTOM-OUT.
YOU CAN CHANGE THE DEPTH ON THIS PLANE SO THAT IT CUTS ONLY SO FAR.
JUST ABOUT THERE.
SAW DOWN, AND THEN THERE'S THE BOTTOM.
THERE YOU GO.
ALL RIGHT.
SO ONCE YOU GET BOTH SIDES OF THE DOVETAIL SET OUT, LIKE WE'VE DONE HERE AND HERE, THEN YOU NEED TO CHISEL OUT THE WASTE IN BETWEEN.
USING JUST A REGULAR OLD BENCH CHISEL, YOU START CHOPPING THAT WASTE AWAY.
I'M GOING TO TRY AND DO IT PROPER HERE.
I'LL DO SOME FROM THIS SIDE AND THEN TURN IT AROUND.
RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BREAK OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE TOO QUICKLY.
AND THAT WILL GET YOU DOWN VERY CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR GROOVE.
LET'S SEE.
NOW I'M GOING TO TURN THE BEVEL UP AND WORK OUT.
AND IT'S NICE.
THE SAW... THAT BROAD SAW ACTUALLY LEAVES ENOUGH GROOVE THAT I CAN CLEAR IT.
I WONDER IF THEY THOUGHT THAT OUT THERE.
BUT IT'S INTERESTING THAT THERE ARE GRATSAEGE AND DOVETAILING TOOLS THAT AGAIN DATE FROM THE 1500's IN THE CONTINENTAL TRADITION.
SO IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
I NEED TO SMOOTH THE BOTTOM HERE.
THERE'S ANOTHER TOOL THAT YOU COULD USE TO DO THAT EVEN MORE EFFECTIVELY-- A GRANDHOBEL, A GROUND PLANE, A ROUTER PLANE, AN OLD WOMAN'S TOOTH IN THE ENGLISH TRADITION.
RATHER UNKINDLY CALLED THAT, I THINK.
BUT I SEE THAT THE IRON HOOKS DOWN BELOW.
AND IF WE TURN THAT AROUND, LET'S SEE, I CAN COME FROM THE OTHER SIDE SO I WON'T BREAK IT.
AND THAT ALLOWS YOU TO UNDERCUT THAT DOVETAILED ANGLE AND GET THE BOTTOM OF THE GROOVE SMOOTH ALL THE WAY ACROSS VERY QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW, THERE'S THE DOVETAIL SOCKET.
NOW I'VE GOT TO CUT THE PIECE THAT GOES IN THERE.
NOW YOU'D NEED TO CUT THE OTHER HALF, AND TO DO THAT, YOU'LL USE THE BATTEN THERE THAT WERE GOING TO PUT IN, AND YOU'LL USE A GRATHOBEL, OR A DOVETAILING PLANE.
IT HAS AN ANGLED SOLE AND AN ANGLED BLADE.
THE FENCE IS ADJUSTABLE TO CUT DIFFERENT SIZES.
IT EVEN HAS A NICKER.
YOU CAN CUT THESE ACROSS THE GRAIN.
IF YOU'RE BUILDING A BOOKCASE OR SLOTTING THE SHELVES IN WITH A DOVETAIL JOINT, YOU CAN CUT THIS TYPE OF JOINT.
SO THIS IS REALLY VERY VERSATILE, MORE THAN I WOULD SUSPECT.
IT IS.
YOU CAN USE IT FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES.
AND THE GERMANS HERE CERTAINLY DID.
SO THIS IS ANGLED DOWN IN THERE?
IT'S NOT A SQUARE CUT LIKE A RABBET PLANE.
IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CREATURE.
NOW, I'M GOING TO CUT THIS A LITTLE HEAVY, I GUESS, SO WE CAN BE SURE THAT-- WE'LL SEE IF IT'LL FIT IN ON THE FIRST TRY.
IF I GIVE IT THE HEAVIER CUT-- YOU CAN SEE THERE YOU'VE COMPLETED THE FULL DOVETAIL.
THAT'S IT.
I CAN'T GO ANY DEEPER.
AND YOU'VE GOT YOUR SHARP CORNER.
AND WE'RE WORKING IN-- OH, HERE'S SOME SAP OF THE WALNUT.
A LITTLE BIT OF SAP.
SEE IT A LITTLE BETTER, WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO GOSH, WHAT A THING.
AND YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY THE VARIETY OF WOODS, BUT THIS OLD-GROWTH TIMBER.
YOU KNOW, ABLE TO CUT BOARDS 25 INCHES BROAD, YOU KNOW.
JUST...WHAT A TIME.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES THAT THESE DOVETAILED BATTENS ARE USED A LOT BY THE MORAVIANS.
TO HOLD ONE OF THOSE WIDE BOARD TABLETOPS FLAT, YOU DOVETAIL YOUR BATTENS IN AND HOLD THAT PIECE FLAT.
NOW, LET'S SEE.
SO THAT SHOULD, IN THEORY, SLIDE INTO THERE, AND IT'S... OH, LOOK AT THAT.
NOW, IF I HAD A BIG, BIG MALLET--, LET ME TRY IT IN THIS ONE HERE.
IF I HAD A BIG, BIG MALLET, IT WOULD FIT IN THERE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I NEED THE GROUNDING PLANE A LITTLE BIT MORE?
MAYBE THE GROUNDING PLANE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO CLEAN OUT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR GROOVE JUST A HAIR.
BUT YOU HAVE ONE.
LET ME GET THAT ONE THERE.
THERE'S ONE HERE THAT SHOWS A NICELY FITTED JOINT WHEN IT'S FINISHED.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT WILL FIT IN WITH JUST... WITH MORE CUTTING AND GET THAT, AGAIN, THAT SLIDING DOVETAIL.
SO, AGAIN, CHARACTERISTIC OF THE-- AND THEY EVEN USE THIS ON PATCH BOX ON RIFLES.
PATCH BOX ON RIFLES.
THOSE COME FROM GERMAN IMMIGRANTS MAKING THE PENNSYLVANIA STYLE RIFLE.
THE WOODEN SLIDING PATCH BOX SHOWS UP ON SOME MORAVIAN RIFLES ACTUALLY IN CHRISTIAN SPRINGS.
THEY WEREN'T AVERSE TO HUNTING AND SHOOTING.
ALL RIGHT.
OK. WELL, LISTEN.
I KNOW YOU TOLD ME THAT THIS SLIDING DOVETAIL ACTUALLY WAS KIND OF A KEYSTONE FOR SOME OF THE WORK YOU WERE DOING ON WORK BENCHES.
THAT'S TRUE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL MORE ORIGINAL WORK BENCHES THAT I THINK YOU'D REALLY LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
ABSOLUTELY.
THEY SHOW THE GERMAN CONTINENTAL TRADITIONS.
ABSOLUTELY.
LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK.
ALL RIGHT.
EXCELLENT.
THANKS SO MUCH.
ROY, HERE IN THIS ROOM,, WE HAVE THOSE BENCHES I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THIS IS GREAT.
THIS IS, AGAIN, IN THE GERMAN STYLE?
VERY MUCH IN THE GERMAN CONTINENTAL STYLE.
IT HAS A SHOULDER VISE UP ON THE FRONT EDGE HERE, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THAT FACE VISE WE HAD UPSTAIRS, WITH A PAD HERE FOR YOU TO CLAMP THINGS IN.
SO, I'M NOT USED TO THIS, BUT YOU COULD SCREW THINGS IN.
THAT WOULD BE REAL CLEAR FOR DOVETAILING.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THAT SCREW DOWN BELOW.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE TOOLS TO MAKE THAT VISE.
HERE'S THE TAP FOR TAPPING OUT THE MAIN PORTION OF THE-- THAT'S A BIG ONE.
AND THERE'S THE DIE FOR CUTTING THE THREAD ON THE SCREW.
AND THIS HAS THAT V-SHAPED CUTTER.
V-SHAPED CUTTER ON THE INSIDE.
AND THAT WOULD CUT THAT THREAD RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW, I'VE GOT TO SAY-- YOU'VE GOT A PICTURE OF MOXON'S BENCH HERE.
THAT'S IN THE ENGLISH STYLE.
YEAH.
NOW, THIS IS NOT A FAIR COMPARISON, BECAUSE THIS BENCH GOES BACK TO, WHAT, LATE 1600's?
LATE 1600's, YES.
BUT HE DOES HAVE INDEED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON THE FUNNY END OF THE BENCH, SCREWS THERE WITH A KIND OF A SCREW VISE.
BE CUTTING WITH THE SAME TYPE OF TOOLING.
BUT AGAIN, A LOT EARLIER THAN THIS ONE.
THIS IS A MUCH LATER ONE.
A BIG OLD TOOL WELL HERE.
BIG TOOL TRAY FOR STORING TOOLS.
SO YOU CAN WORK THE TOOLS DOWN HERE AND NOT HIT THEM WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON THE BENCH TOP.
RAMP TO GET YOUR SHAVINGS OUT OF THE WAY WHEN YOU'RE READY TO CLEAN.
AND A BIG TAIL VISE FOR CLAMPING.
VERY MUCH A GERMANIC CONTINENTAL DESIGN.
AND THAT HOLDS A PIECE UP TO...WHAT?
THIS ONE WILL HOLD UP TO 10 FEET LONG ON THE BENCH.
HOLDING THEM BETWEEN THE DOGS THERE.
EXACTLY.
OH, IT'S NEAT THE WAY IT'S HELD TOGETHER DOWN THERE.
WE'VE GOT THE ANGLED AND SPLAYED LEGS LIKE THE OTHER BENCH WE WERE WORKING WITH.
AND BIG WIDE DOVETAILS TO STURDY IT UP, MAKE IT NICE AND STRONG DOWN THERE.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
AGAIN, STILL ANGLED AGAIN AGAINST THE THRUST.
AND CAN I TAKE THIS OUT HERE?
SURE.
BECAUSE THAT'S THE CLASSIC BENCH DOG THERE, THE WAY IT'S SPRUNG ON THE SIDE.
IT HAS A LARGE RIVET DOWN AT THE BOTTOM TO HOLD IT TOGETHER, A HAND-FORGED DOG AND HAND-FILED CROSSHATCHING TO GRIP THE WOOD.
OH, RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND AGAIN, THE SPRING GOES TO THE SIDE, NOT TO THE BACK, SO IT'S SOLID THERE, BUT IT STILL KEEPS IT AT THE APPROPRIATE HEIGHT.
YOU'VE GOT A LOOSE SCREW, MY FRIEND.
GOT A LOOSE SCREW.
YES.
THAT'S INTENTIONAL.
THIS BENCH ONLY HAS 4 WOOD SCREWS IN IT.
AND THAT'S ONE THAT WE COULD ACCESS TO PULL OUT TO HELP US DATE THIS BENCH, LOOKING AT THE FLAT-HEADED SCREW, THE FORGED TAPERED SHANK, AND IT GIVES US A CLUE THAT HELPS US TO DATE THIS BENCH PRIOR TO 1840.
SO BECAUSE THERE'S NO POINT ON THAT, THAT'S A PRE-1840's KIND OF SCREW.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THAT HELPS YOU IN DATING YOUR BENCH.
IT HELPS IN DATING THE BENCH.
NOW, THIS IS NOT THE OLDEST ONE YOU HAVE, THOUGH.
NO, NO.
THE ONE BACK HERE IS PROBABLY THE OLDEST ONE WE HAVE, AS YOU CAN TELL BY THE USE THAT IT'S SEEN OVER THE DECADES AND CENTURIES.
IT'S HAD SOME MILES IN IT.
LOOK AT HOW MUCH THAT'S USED.
ALL THE AUGER HOLES AND STUFF IN IT.
AND IT HAS BEEN CUT OFF AND MODIFIED AT SOME POINT IN ITS HISTORY, BUT THERE'S STILL THE REMNANTS THAT SHOW WHERE THE SHOULDER VISE WAS ON THIS BENCH, WHERE THE ARM CAME OUT, A PLACE WHERE THE SCREW CAME AND TAPPED ONTO THE FACE.
THE BASE IS REALLY NICE, THOUGH, TO SHOW THE MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BENCH, HOW STURDY IT WAS, AND DECORATIVE MOLDINGS YET, THOUGH, TO LIGHTEN IT UP AND TO MAKE IT LOOK NICE.
IT HAS THAT KEYED TENON AND EVERYTHING.
WOW.
THAT IS SPLENDID.
WELL, WONDERFUL.
AND YOU JUST REALLY HAVE THEM THROUGH TIME HERE.
YES, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN TIME A LITTLE BIT NOW TO KARSTEN PETERSEN, WHO WAS A DANISH CABINET MAKER HERE IN SALEM.
THIS IS VERY MUCH A SCANDINAVIAN BENCH IN ITS DESIGN.
AGAIN WITH A SHOULDER VISE.
GREAT FOR THAT DOVETAILING WORK.
GOT AN ANGLED BRACE HELPING TO SUPPORT THAT VISE.
OH, LOOK AT THAT.
YEAH.
OK. COMING UP OFF THE FEET.
AND THEN AGAIN, THAT SHOULDER VISE.
AND A DRAWER.
UH-HUH.
A DRAWER FOR STORING YOUR TOOLS.
AND THERE IN THE DRAWER CONSTRUCTION, YOU'LL SEE THAT DOVETAILED BRACKET THERE THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE.
IS THIS THE PLANE I SEE BEFORE ME?
THAT IS THE PLANE.
IT IS STAMPED WITH KARSTEN PETERSEN'S NAME.
IT WAS USED IN HIS SHOP, AND IT MATCHES THAT PROFILE EXACTLY.
SO GO ALONG NOW, I GUESS-- I BET WHEN HE DID IT, HIS SLIDING DOVETAIL FIT THE FIRST TIME.
MIGHT HAVE FIT THE FIRST TIME.
HE HAD A LOT OF PRACTICE WITH THEM.
WELL, THIS IS INTERESTING.
IT'S GOT THE BOXING IN THERE, TOO.
SO NOT ONLY THE...I GUESS BEECH FOR THE BODY, BUT BOXWOOD-- BOXWOOD TO HELP IT WEAR.
BECAUSE THAT SHARP POINT OF THE DOVETAIL GIVES US A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CUTTING WEAR.
YOU ALMOST HAVE TO HAVE BOXWOOD ON IT.
AND HERE NOW, THIS IS INTERESTING.
YOU'VE GOT A... GOT ANOTHER TAIL VISE DOWN HERE BUT ANOTHER SET OF DOG HOLES ON THE FRONT OF THE BENCH.
I'VE NEVER SEEN HOLES ON THE FRONT.
IT'S VERY RARE.
I'VE ONLY SEEN A VERY FEW BENCHES THAT HAVE THAT.
IF YOU'LL GRAB THAT BOARD FROM BACK THERE, I CAN SHOW YOU HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO CLAMP BOARDS ON EDGE IN THIS VISE.
SO THIS GOES... NOT JUST UP ON THE TOP OF THE BENCH, BUT ALSO ON EDGE FOR PLANING.
EDGE PLANING.
YOU COULD WORK DOWN THERE.
BOY, WAS THIS A VERY GOOD IDEA?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WELL, THOSE DOG HOLES DON'T SHOW A WHOLE LOT OF USE.
WE'VE COPIED THIS BENCH AND HAVE ONE THAT WE USE IN OUR SHOP, AND WE FIND, AFTER 10 YEARS, THAT WE HAVEN'T USED THEM VERY MUCH EITHER.
IT'S A NICE IDEA AND MAKES A LOT OF VERSATILE OPTIONS, BUT IT'S NOT ONE YOU TEND TO USE DAILY.
NOW, THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, NOW HERE, MOVING-- NOW THIS IS A BEAUTY.
YES.
THIS ONE DATES PRIOR TO 1830.
AND AGAIN, VERY GERMANIC-- TOOL TRAY, HEAVY OAK THICK TOP, BUT A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VISE SHOWING UP ON THE FRONT EDGE NOW OF THIS BENCH.
LOOK AT THIS.
NOW THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL A FACE VISE.
A FACE VISE, LIKE THE ONE WE WERE WORKING WITH EARLIER.
AND THIS...I RECOGNIZE THIS PRINT, BRIAN.
THIS IS THE ANDRE ROUBO, AND HE'S A FRENCH WRITER FROM THE LATE 1700's.
AND HE CALLS THIS THE ET TABLE A LA ALLEMANDE.
SO THIS IS THE GERMAN BENCH WITH FACE VISES.
BUT IT HAS THE TAIL VISE, WHICH IS DEFINITELY WHAT DISTINGUISHES IT AS A GERMAN BENCH, AND UNDERNEATH, THIS MAN BUILT A NICE SET OF DRAWERS INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE BENCH FOR STORING HIS TOOLS.
YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A MAN BY LOOKING AT HIS DRAWERS HERE.
LOOK AT THE TULIP POPLAR.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT SECONDARY WOOD.
THAT MARKS THIS AS AMERICAN.
YES.
AND USED THROUGHOUT THE BASE OF THIS BENCH.
EVEN THE LARGE FRAME MEMBERS ARE POPLAR ON THIS BENCH, AND THE DRAWERS.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, A SPLENDID BENCH.
NOW, THIS LOOKS LIKE-- IS THIS THE ONE YOU LEARNED ON?
YES, THAT ACTUALLY IS.
THIS BENCH WAS IN THE SHOP WHEN I FIRST STARTED TRAINING AS A CABINET MAKER.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
AND WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?
LOOK AT THIS THING.
ANOTHER LARGE BENCH.
THIS ONE, NOW YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE.
YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THE AMERICANIZATION OF THESE GERMAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION.
THEY'VE DROPPED THE TOOL TRAY.
WE'VE DEFINITELY GONE TO THE FACE VISE INSTEAD OF THE SHOULDER VISE, BUT WE'VE MAINTAINED THE DOG HOLES, THE TAIL VISE.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YEAR THIS IS FROM?
HOW DO YOU DATE THIS?
WELL, LET'S TAKE THIS DRAWER OUT, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU.
GOOD HEAVENS.
WHAT A DRAWER.
LOOK AT THIS.
HE BUILT A TOOL CHEST INTO THE BOTTOM OF HIS BENCH.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK INSIDE THE BENCH, YOU'LL SEE THE DATE THAT IT WAS BUILT.
ALL RIGHT.
THAT MAKES IT EASY.
1860.
YES.
THIS BENCH WAS BUILT BY A.J.
DOUTHAT, WHO WAS A CARPENTER HERE IN THIS AREA.
IN NORTH CAROLINA?
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
WOW.
AND THIS IS ASTOUNDING.
LOOK AT THE DOVETAILS.
LOOK AT THE ANGLE ON THOSE DOVETAILS.
I MEAN, THAT'S ALMOST LIKE AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE, WHICH YOU NEVER SEE.
AND HERE'S A DRAWER FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE BENCH, WHICH HAS MORE OF THE TYPICAL ANGLES.
SO THIS IS THE SAME GUY PROBABLY.
SAME GUY.
THIS IS A SMALLER DRAWER FROM INSIDE THE BENCH.
THAT'S A MUCH MORE REASONABLE ANGLE THAN YOU SEE DOWN HERE.
BUT THEY'VE HELD UP WELL.
OH, IT'S WONDERFUL.
THERE'S SO MUCH YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT THESE THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, HERE WE'VE GONE TO THE AMERICAN BENCH, BUT AGAIN WITH AN IDEA THAT MAYBE NOT SO GOOD, THE GIGANTIC DRAWER.
WELL, LISTEN, BRIAN, WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT GERMAN WOODCRAFT WITHOUT DEALING WITH THIS DEVICE RIGHT HERE, OF COURSE.
EXACTLY.
A SCHNITZELBANK.
A SCHNITZELBANK.
THE SHAVING BENCH.
A SHAVING BENCH.
THIS IS THE FOOT-OPERATED VISE HERE.
YES.
AND IS THIS A REPLICA HERE?
THIS IS A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL THAT WE HAVE AGAIN.
THE ORIGINAL BELONGED TO SIMON LEICHT, THE TURNER, WHOSE LATHE THAT WE WERE PLAYING WITH UPSTAIRS.
HE ALSO MADE THIS SHAVING HORSE FOR HIS SHOP.
IT HAS A LOT OF TURNED PARTS ON IT FOR THE LEGS AND THE PIECES.
SO AGAIN USING THAT LATHE TO MAKE THE OTHER TOOLS IN HIS SHOP.
OH, THIS IS GREAT.
NOW, WE SEE THIS-- PROBABLY THE EARLIEST SHAVING HORSE IS IN THAT BOOK "DE RE METALLICA," A GERMAN MINING BOOK.
AND THE GUY'S SITTING HERE WORKING ON HIS SHAVING HORSE.
AND SIMON LEICHT CAME TO TOWN ABOUT 1816.
SO THIS ONE ABOUT DATES FROM THAT PERIOD.
WELL, THIS IS WONDERFUL.
BRIAN COE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE AT OLD SALEM.
I SURE APPRECIATE IT.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
WE ENJOYED HAVING YOU.
WELL, THANKS SO MUCH.
AND THANKS FOR JOINING ME.
THIS HAS BEEN ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
WE'LL 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... 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 IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.