Announce 1: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [CAR ALARM] Announce 2: WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE.
PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
[CAR HORNS] [CHOPPING WOOD] HEY, HELLO AGAIN!
WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
I'M ROY UNDERHILL.
NOW, WHAT IS THE SOUND OF ONE HAND CHOPPING?
OF COURSE, IT'S THE SOUND OF PETER FOLLANSBEE, HERE.
PETER, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
ROY, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
YES, INDEED.
PETER IS, OF COURSE, THE JOINER AT PLIMOTH PLANTATION, EXPERT IN WHAT I LIKE TO CALL "PILGRIM"-- EVERYBODY LIKES TO CALL "PILGRIM FURNITURE."
I KNOW, DOESN'T LIKE THAT, BUT NEVERTHELESS, HERE IT IS, AN EARLY OAK CHEST THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO MAKE HERE.
SURE, THIS ONE IS A SMALL ONE I'VE BEEN BUILDING LATELY, A COUPLE OF THESE.
I LOVE IT.
AND IT WOULD BE CALLED A CHEST, A COFFER?
A JOINED CHEST, WAINSCOT CHEST, COFFER, PANELED CHEST, LOTS OF NAMES.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
NOW, BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE OF IT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO DO THE FRAME, I THINK, TODAY, AND THEN NEXT TIME SEE HOW TO DO THE PANELS-- JUST TELL YOU, LOOK AT THE WOOD ON THIS THING!
IT IS JUST WONDERFUL.
THIS IS, UH... YOU SEE THE BIG, FLAT PLATES ON THERE.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF WHAT?
QUARTERING?
OF QUARTERING, OF SPLITTING THE LOG APART ALONG THE RADIAL PLANE, AND THAT'S THE MOST STABLE SURFACE, SO THERE'S VERY LITTLE SHRINKAGE IN THAT DIRECTION, AND THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT TO GO.
AND SO THE BROADEST PIECE IS MADE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LEAST SHRINKAGE, BUT IT ALSO GIVES THESE BIG COLORFUL PLATES.
IT'S A VERY FLAMBOYANT QUARTERED OAK THERE.
WONDERFUL.
THIS IS JUST NATURAL, NATURAL FIGURE IN THE OAK.
ALL RIGHT, SO AGAIN, HERE'S THE FRAME, AND THEN THE PANELS FLOATING IN BETWEEN.
YEAH.
LET'S OPEN HER UP!
YEAH, THIS ONE IS STILL IN PIECES, SO WE CAN EVEN-- WE CAN TAKE IT APART!
WE CAN TAKE IT TO PIECES.
OKAY.
AND THIS LITTLE THING RIGHT HERE, THIS, WHAT'S THIS CALLED?
THAT'S A SMALL COMPARTMENT ON THE INSIDE CALLED A TILL, WHICH IS REALLY THE MOTHER OF ALL HEADACHES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SCRIBE FIT THAT TILL INSIDE THIS IRREGULAR INTERIOR... OH, NO.
AND THEN BUILD THE CHEST AROUND IT.
OH, MY GOSH.
THAT'S FOR LATER.
CAN I TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT OUT RIGHT HERE?
OKAY.
AND THANK GOODNESS IT'S NOT PEGGED.
YEAH.
ALL RIGHT.
BUT THIS IS TENONED IN HERE, AND SO THAT WE HAVE TO KNOCK THE WHOLE THING APART.
THAT'S RIGHT.
BEFORE WE DO KNOCK IT APART...
OKAY.
I WANT TO LOOK DOWN HERE.
I WANTED TO REALLY JUST CLEAR THE STAGE SO WE CAN SEE THIS INTERESTING BOTTOM THAT YOU'VE GOT IN HERE.
YEAH.
THIS IS PRETTY NEAT.
IT'S NOT OAK.
THAT'S MILL-SAWN WHITE PINE FOR THAT SECONDARY WOOD.
I SEE.
VERY FREQUENTLY FOUND ON NEW ENGLAND STUFF.
SO THEY COMBINE THE RIVEN, AND MEANING SPLIT OAK AND SAWN BOARDS FOR THE BOTTOM.
SURE.
AND THIS IS THE BACK, AM I LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE?
THAT'S THE BACK, AND SO, HERE I'VE GOT A PINE PANEL IN THE BACK, BUT THE FLOORBOARDS, YOU WANTED TO SEE THOSE?
UH-HUH.
HERE, THEY'RE TONGUE AND GROOVED ON THEIR EDGES.
AH!
AND THIS ONE IS--THERE YOU SEE THAT TONGUE AND GROOVE, AND THIS ONE IS TAPERED IN ITS WIDTH.
UH-HUH.
BEVELED AT THE FORWARD END-- [LAUGHS] SO THAT IT'LL FIT IN A GROOVE ON THE INSIDE OF THE CHEST.
AND THERE'S THAT GROOVE ON THE EDGE OF THIS ONE.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S KEYSTONE-SHAPED, YOU CAN PUSH ITP IN FROM THE BACK TILL IT TIGHTENS THE BUCKLE.
SO EVEN I CAN MAKE A TIGHT FLOOR AT ONE POINT.
YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, AND THEN THIS GETS NAILED ON AND SAWN OFF.
IN THE END, IT GETS NAILED A THE BACK, YEAH.
SO, [INDISTINCT] PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED BY THESE THINGS, THE MIX OF SAWN WOOD AND RIVEN WOOD AND THE FACT THAT YOU USE NAILS IN THIS EARLY-- IT'S FULL OF SURPRISES!
YEAH, IT IS.
[LAUGHS] THEY HAVE TO GET OVER IT.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE STUFF.
WELL, IT'S GREAT, AND AGAIN, ALL THE UNEVEN THICKNESSES ARE THROWN TO THE MIDDLE.
YOU HAVE THIS ONE REFERENCE FACE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE OUTSIDE.
THE PART YOU PUT THE EFFORT ON IS THE PART OUT FRONT THAT SHOWS.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH OF A MYSTERY, NOW, THIS IS WHAT DRIVES-- I CAN'T FIGURE RIGHT HERE.
IF I LOOK AT THE TOP OF THIS STILE, HERE, WE CALL THAT, THERE'S A GROOVE IN THE TOP OF THAT STILE.
ALL RIGHT.
BUT, IF I TAKE MY-- [LAUGHS] EYES UP HERE TO THIS ONE, THERE'S A GROOVE IN THE NARROW FACE, AND IF I CARRY ON OVER, HERE'S A GROOVE IN THE BROAD FACE.
MM-HMM.
ALL RIGHT?, AND THEN DOWN HERE, HERE'S A GROOVE IN THE NARROW FACE.
NOW, I GUESS THAT'S AN EXTENSION OF THE GROOVE THAT HOLDS THIS PANEL DOWN HERE.
SURE.
WELL, WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM WITH THIS?
IT'S RIGHT AND LEFT.
IT'S ALL BIZARRE.
WHY IS THAT?
WHAT'S BIZARRE ABOUT IT?
YOU MEAN BECAUSE THERE'S A GROOVE HERE AND NOT THERE?
YES.
WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S ONE HERE AND NOT THERE.
[LAUGHS] OKAY.
I'LL SHOW YOU.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING I MEAN.
I'LL SHOW YOU THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE BENCH.
ALL RIGHT.
BUT THESE ARE ALL THINGS YOU SEE IN EARLY FURNITURE.
OH, YEAH, ALL MY IDEAS ARE STOLEN.
LIKE WOODY GUTHRIE.
YEAH, ALL RIGHT.
HIT THAT GOOD, I'LL HOLD THAT DOWN.
GOOD.
THERE WE GO!
OKAY.
GOSH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL!
AND IT'S SO WONDERFULLY LIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THIS RED OAK IS SO POROUS, IT'S ALMOST ALL AIR.
YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF AIR IN IT.
DIFFERENT THAN WHITE OAK.
AH, AND HERE'S THE TILL AGAIN, THERE'S THAT TILL TENON.
SURE.
HERE WE'VE GOT A TENON, THAT WENT INTO THE MORTISE IN THAT UPRIGHT, AND YOU SEE HOW THE PANEL FIT INTO THE GROOVE.
IN THE GROOVES, YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, AND IS THIS A RED OAK OR A WHITE OAK PANEL HERE?
WELL, YOU CAN TELL, YOU LOOK AT IT AND THE COLOR OF THAT WOOD LOOKS WHITE, RIGHT?
RIGHT.
OKAY, IT'S WHITE.
SO, IT'S RED.
OKAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT THIS ONE HERE?
THIS LOOKS KIND OF BROWN.
THOSE ARE BROWN, SO THEY'RE WHITE.
SO IF IT LOOKS BROWN, IT'S WHITE OAK.
IF IT LOOKS WHITE, IT'S RED OAK.
SO IF IT'S WHITE, IT'S RED, AND IF IT'S BROWN, IT'S WHITE.
[LAUGHS] OKAY.
AND WE USE THEM WHEN THEY'RE GREEN.
YOU WORK IT WHEN IT'S GREEN.
SURE, YEAH.
SO THAT'S THE WHOLE COLOR KEY TO IDENTIFYING OAK.
OKAY.
WELL, THAT LEADS US ON TO THE NEXT STEP, THEN.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO ROD THIS OUT.
YEAH, LET'S GET A PIECE OUT OF IT.
ALL RIGHT.
AND AGAIN, HERE'S SOMETHING WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO LET THE TREE DO MOST OF THE WORK.
THESE GUYS COMING INTO THIS EARLY AMERICAN FOREST WERE GETTING JUST THIS INCREDIBLE GRAIN, THIS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL WOOD.
YEAH, AND YOU CAN STILL GET IT IN A LOT OF PLACES TODAY.
HERE'S A CHUNK OF THIS WHITE OAK THAT WE HAVE SPLIT.
[LAUGHS] BECAUSE IT'S BROWN!, I CAN TELL BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF BROWN IN COLOR.
OKAY.
AND THERE'S THAT PIE-SHAPED SECTION.
SO HERE WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE TREE, AND HERE WAS THE BARK.
UH-HUH.
AND THIS HAS BEEN RADIALLY SPLIT WITH WEDGES AND A FROE TO THIS POINT, BUT I'LL BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER.
ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE THE SAP WOOD, HERE THE BARK IS GONE, BUT THIS SECTION, WHICH IS WHAT, ABOUT AN INCH OR SO, THAT'S ALL SAPWOOD AND THAT'S PRONE TO DECAY, SO WE'LL BUST THAT OFF, TOO.
I DON'T WANT THAT IN THE FURNITURE.
OKAY.
SO WE'LL USE THIS-- YOU'VE GOT A FROE-- AND A CLUB HERE.
LOOKS LIKE YOUR HANDLE'S ABOUT TO COME OFF THE FROE.
OH, WELL, WE DON'T WANT THAT.
THERE YOU GO.
I'LL HOLD THE FROE WHILE YOU HIT.
[LAUGHS] YOU'RE A BRAVER MAN THAN I AM.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'RE DOING A STRIKING OFF, CLEAVING OFF.
RIGHT LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL GIVE IT A TWIST.
ALL RIGHT, YES.
I'D TRY TO PULL IT WITH MY HANDS-- THE WHOLE PURPOSE FOR THE FROE IS JUST TO LEVER THAT APART, JUST TO TWIST IT RIGHT LIKE THAT.
YOU SEE HOW STRAIGHT THAT SPLITS?
THAT'S JUST PERFECT, OH, GOSH.
THIS MUST HAVE BEEN HEAVEN, FOR THESE FOLKS COMING FROM ENGLAND, BECAUSE THEY'D USED UP ALL THEIR TREES TO BUILD THE-- WELL, THAT'S A LEGEND, BUT LIKE MANY THINGS, IT'S MUCH MORE COMPLEX THAN, "WELL, ALL THE TREES ARE GONE."
BUT THERE'S LOTS OF WOOD HERE IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES, FOR SURE, LOTS OF IT, SO.
THE NEXT STAGE...
THIS, SOMETIMES IT'S TO HEW IT AS I WAS BEFORE WITH THE HATET, BUT HERE, THAT SPLIT SO FLAT-- HOW ARE YOU GOING TO IMPROVE THAT?
WE CAN JUST PLANE IT AS IS.
OKAY, SO NOW IT'S ALL READY.
TO THE BENCH!
xSURE, YEAH.
SO, THE LEGEND HE WAS SAYING, WAS THAT HENRY VIII NEEDED TO BUILD HIS NAVY, AND SO ALL THE OAKS OF ENGLAND WERE USED UP TO BUILD THE SHIPS.
YEAH.
AND THAT'S MAYBE NOT-- NO, THEY USED OAK FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN IN ENGLAND, AND THERE'S STILL SOME OF IT THERE TODAY THAT ARE VERY, VERY OLD TREES, STILL.
BUT CERTAINLY, WHEN EUROPEANS FIRST CAME TO THE NEW WORLD, THEY FOUND TREMENDOUS SUPPLY.
OH, THIS IS A CANDY LAND.
TREMENDOUS SUPPLY OF OAK.
NOW, TELL ME ABOUT THIS LITTLE PLANE, HERE.
I LIKE THIS THING.
THIS IS USUALLY THE FIRST ONE I GRAB.
IT'S A COPY I MADE OF A DUTCH PLANE, AND WITH THE CAMBER OR CURVED IRON FOR THAT INITIAL STOCK REMOVAL, TO START TO GET THE ROUGH SURFACE DRESSED, AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW IT WITH A STRAIGHTER IRON AND A FINER SETTING.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU MEAN, THAT IRON SCOOPS, KIND OF, A LITTLE?
YEAH, IT'LL TAKE OFF A BIG, THICK SHAVING TO REALLY STARTV TO GET THE WOOD ON THE FLOOR WHERE IT BELONGS.
AND IT'S NOT OFF-BOOK TO HAVE A DUTCH PLANE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE PILGRIMS WERE COMING FROM.
YES, AND EVEN FIND THEM IN ENGLAND.
I'VE SEEN 17h-CENTURY ILLUSTRATIONS OF THIS PLANE IN ENGLAND.
HA!
ALL RIGHT.
IT BECOMES SORT OF ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE THINGS, WHERE REALITY IS MORE COMPLEX THAN...
IT ALWAYS IS, PIT ALWAYS IS.
IT IS.
WHAT A PAIN!
[LAUGHS] SO AFTER DRESSING IT, LIKE, TO THAT DEGREE, THEN I JUST SWITCH OVER TO A PLANE THAT WILL GET US A FINER SHAVING AND A FLATTER FINISH.
ALL RIGHT, NOW IS THIS ONE-- YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HENRY VIII'S SHIPS, IS THIS ONE FROM THE MARY ROSE?
YEAH, THIS I COPIED BASED ON SOME ARCHAEOLOGICAL DRAWINGS FROM THE FINDINGS OF THAT SHIP FROM 1545.
I'VE MADE A COUPLE VISITS TO THE MUSEUM THERE.
AH, THAT'S GREAT.
THEN I MADE A VISIT TO MY FIREWOOD PILE, AND FOUND THIS HORRIBLE PIECE OF WOOD, AND MADE THIS PLANE OUT OF IT.
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS HERE, WHAT KIND OF WOOD.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE.
I SUPPOSE IT'S SOME TYPE OF BIRCH.
ALL RIGHT, DID IT HAVE A NAIL IN IT ALREADY?
NO, NO, I WAS ABLE TO PUT THAT NAIL IN THERE WHEN IT ALL CRACKED APART, AND I JUST NAILED IT BACK TOGETHER.
I'VE BEEN MEANING TO REMAKE IT, BUT IT STILL WORKS.
SO YOU REALLY WORK WITH THOSE TWO PLANES, THERE, THESE SINGLE-IRON PLANES.
YEP, THE IRON'S MADE BY A FRIEND OF MINE, MARK ATCHISON, A BLACKSMITH I WORK WITH.
[LAUGHS] SO THEY ARE IRON AND STEEL.
OH, THEY'RE LAMINATED?
OKAY.
SO, JUST--WELL, I GOT TO SAY.
THERE YOU CAN SEE THE SHAVINGS.
JOKING A LOT, BUT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ENDEAVOR YOU DO.
THIS IS ARCHAEOLOGY BY EXPERIMENT, UNDERSTANDING THE PAST BY TRYING TO REPLICATE THE TOOLS AND THE PROCESS.
AND IT'S GREAT FUN, TO BE ABLE TO WORK THAT WOOD, RIGHT FROM THE LOG LIKE THAT, TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THIS PREMIUM QUALITY OAK IS JUST A JOY.
YEAH, YEAH, IT SURE IS.
A REAL PLEASURE.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE GETTING THIS STUFF ROUGHED DOWN.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO START CUTTING JOINTS, IS THAT RIGHT?
YEAH, ALL YOU NEED TO DO TO BUILT A CHEST IS DO THIS TO ABOUT 30 PIECES OF WOOD, AND THEN STICK THEM TOGETHER.
[LAUGHS] STICK THEM TOGETHER.
THAT'S MORTISE AND TENON CUTTING, SO.
THAT'S MORTISE AND TENON WORK.
SO I HAVE A PIECE HERE-- THAT LOOKS WHITISH, SO IT'S RED, OKAY.
THAT LOOKS WHITISH, SO IT'S RED.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE STILES FOR ONE OF THESE CHESTS.
MM-HMM.
AND YOU CAN SEE I DID A LITTLE BIT OF MEASURING ON ONE PIECE.
OH, OKAY!
AND MARKED THE JOINTS RIGHT ACROSS THE FACE.
AND, AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE IT GOES WITH-- YOU SEE THIS ON THE OLD STOCK.
I HAVE SEEN MANY OLD PIECES WHERE THE JOINTS ARE SCRIBED RIGHT ACROSS THE OUTSIDE FACES.
YOUR LINES DON'T BELONG THERE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CUT YOUR JOINTS THERE.
YEAH, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CUT-- THE ONLY REASON I CAN THINK OF FOR THAT IS YOU GANG THE PIECES UP AND STRIKE THEM TOGETHER, AND THAT WAY YOU KNOW THAT "A" AND "B" AGREE.
AH, OKAY.
SO THAT'S ALL I'VE COME UP WITH.
OH, IT'S A DIFFERENT-- YOU KNOW, WE TRY AND REMOVE ALL THOSE MARKS TODAY.
OH, YEAH.
I LIKE TO HAVE THEM THERE.
THAT'S TERRIBLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
SO HERE I'VE STRUCK THE LIMITS OF THAT MORTISE, AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I DO FOR SETTING THE GAGE.
ALL RIGHT.
MORTISE CHISEL RIGHT HERE.
SO, I HAVE A MODERN MORTISE CHISEL, BUT THERE'S OF A TRADITIONAL STYLE, AND I JUST SET THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHISEL WITH THE FACE OF THE STOCK, AND I LEAN ON IT LIKE THAT, AND THAT MAKES THAT MARK.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN I MOVE OVER ONCE AND LEAN AGAIN, AND I GIVE IT xA LITTLE WIGGLE SO THAT SECOND MARK IS THE POSITION FOR MY MORTISE.
OKAY!
SO I DON'T SET THE GAGE BY A RULER.
UH-HUH.
I SET IT FROM THAT.
AND THIS-- I LOVE THIS GAGE, TOO.
THIS HAS GOT TWO BEAMS THERE ON IT AND TWO CUTTERS SET BY THE SINGLE WEDGE RIGHT THERE.
SO THOSE TEETH GET MARKED ON THAT INNER POINT.
ACCORDING TO THAT SECOND CHISEL STRIKE.
AND THEN AS WE RUN IT LIKE THAT, AND I STRIKE THOSE LINES BEYOND THE LIMITS SO THAT IF I DROP THE GAGE, I CAN RESET IT, AND THE MORTISE IS ALL CUT, I'LL RESET IT TO THOSE MARKS.
AND I FIND THOSE OVERSTRUCK MARKS ON OLD PIECES.
THAT'S HOW I KNEW HOW TO DO IT.
EVIDENCE-BASED WOODWORKING.
ALL RIGHT!
SO YOU'RE GOING TO-- I NEEDED SOMEONE TO HOLD MY HAND ALL THE WAY.
[LAUGHS] I'M GOING TO MOVE IT DOWN AND I'LL SHOW YOU, HOW I STRIKE THAT MORTISE.
WELL, I DO LIKE THAT TECHNIQUE YOU'RE USING, THAT LAYOUT PROPORTION, BECAUSE NOW THE CHEEK OF YOUR MORTISE IS THE SAME, AS THE WIDTH OF THE TENONS, SO IT'S ALMOST EQUALLY STRONG THERE, I THINK.
ALMOST, EXCEPT OTHER TIMES WHEN IT ISN'T, AND THEN IT'S FINE.
YEAH.
YEAH.
BUT THIS OAK FURNITURE IS SO OVERBUILT.
FOR ME TO CUT THE MORTISE-- EVERYBODY'S GOT A METHOD THAT THEY LIKE.
I HAVE HIT ON THIS ONE THAT WAS SHOWN TO ME BY A FRIEND MANY YEARS AGO, AND I'VE CUT MANY, MANYR HUNDREDS OF MORTISES THIS WAY.
I'LL START IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LENGTH OF THE MORTISE WITH THE BEVEL JUST ABOUT PLUM.
[BANGS WOOD] LIKE THAT.
AND THEN I FLIP AROUND, [BANGS WOOD] AND START TO BREAK OUT A CHIP SO THAT MY GOAL, IS TO MAKE THIS V-NOTCH IN THE MIDDLE.
[BANGS WOOD] SO YOU'LL HAVE A CLEARANCE PLACE FOR THE CHIPS TO GO?
FOR THE CHIPS VTO COME OUT.
OKAY.
AND THIS IS GREEN WOOD, SO THIS CUTS VERY EASILY, AND PRETTY QUICKLY I CAN APPROACH THE DEPTH I NEED, AND NOW I'M JUST BREAKING DOWN THAT END GRAIN.
AND THOSE ONES COME RIGHT OUT.
AND IT'S GOING FAST.
I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD-SIZED CHIP COMING OUT.
WOW, ALL RIGHT.
VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY I GO ON AND TEACH PEOPLE TO DO IT, BUT I KNOW... FROM 20 YEARS OF WORK.
IT HAS WORKED FOR ME, SO I'M GOING TO STICK WITH IT.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS WHAT YOU SAY-- THIS IS WHERE GOOD JUDGMENT COMES IN.
WELL, GOOD JUDGMENT... [LAUGHS] DO YOU KNOW GOOD JUDGMENT?
IT'S THE RESULT OF EXPERIENCE.
YES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHERE EXPERIENCE COMES FROM?
UH... TTHE RESULT OF POOR JUDGMENT.
OH, I SEE.
[LAUGHS] THAT'S LIKE PHILOSOPHY OR SOMETHING.
WE DO OAK JOINERY AND PHILOSOPHY TOGETHER, IT'S GREAT.
I LIKE THAT.
THE THING IS, EVEN IF YOU LIKE THIS METHOD, YOU CAN'T BE MAKING IT UP BECAUSE OF YOUR PROFESSION, WHICH IS TO REALLY TRY AND UNDERSTAND AND REPLICATE WHAT THE OLD GUYS DID.
SURE, AND I WANT A METHOD THAT'S EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, AND I CAN USUALLY CUT THOSE MORTISES IN ABOUT 4 MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT.
AND YOU DON'T NEED JUST ONE, YOU NEED 30 OR 40 OR THEM, SO YOU REALLY WANT TO FIND WHATEVER IS COMFORTABLE FOR YOU TO JUST KEEP ON MOVING WITH, WELL, I SEE HOW THAT'S DONE.
NOW, HOW ABOUT THE MORTISING?
THE GROOVING, NOW, GOES THROUGH THESE-- ON A STILE LIKE THIS, I CUT THE MORTISES AND THEN I PLOW THE GROOVES.
SOME PEOPLE PLOW THE GROOVE FIRST, BUT I LIKE TO HAVE THE MORTISES CUT.
I DON'T WANT THE GROOVE IN THE WAY OF MY CHISEL WHEN I'M MORTISING.
RIGHT, RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT COULD SPLIT IT, FOR ONE, I GUESS.
YEAH, IT JUST GETS CLUNKY.
I PROBABLY HAVE TRIED IT BASED ON SOME POOR JUDGMENT.
BUT THAT'S POOR JUDGMENT AT WORK THERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW, THIS ALREADY HAS A GROOVE COMING OUT THE BOTTOM END ON THIS BACK SIDE, HERE.
THERE'S A GROOVE BACK HERE THROUGH THE MORTISES.
AND THEN IT STOPPED UP THERE.
SO THIS IS WHERE YOUR MYSTERY IS GOING TO GO AWA, BECAUSE HERE'S THE TOOL.
OKAY.
THIS IS JUST A GARDEN-VARIETY BRITISH PLOW PLANE.
UH-HUH.
AND WE SEE THEM ILLUSTRATED IN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME FORM IN THE 17h CENTURY.
YEAH, THIS IS AN OLD, OLD TOOL HERE.
AGAIN, A PLOW, AND THERE'S THE CUTTER RIGHT THERE, AND THE SKATE, OR WHAT DO WE CALL IT?
RUNNER.
SKATE OR RUNNER, SURE, ON THE FENCE.
AND WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF SKATE IN FRONT OF THE CUTTING IRON RIGHT THERE, AND THEN A LOT OF SKATE ALL THE WAY BACK HERE.
AND THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENS.
BECAUSE I START MY PLOW UP HERE, AND I FALL INTO THAT MORTISE, SO I'LL GET TO MY HALF-INCH DEPTH VERY EASILY RIGHT HERE.
OKAY.
BUT WHEN I EXTEND THIS BACK HERE-- UH-HUH.
I HIT THIS AND MY SKATE IS RIDING ON THAT PIECE OF WOOD BACK THERE.
SO I CAN'T HIT THAT DEPTH.
UH-HUH.
SO, THE SOLUTION IS TO COME BACK HERE AND RELIEVE THAT.
AND THAT'S THE ORIGIN POF THE GROOVE THAT WE SAW AT THE TOP.
AND THE REASON WHY, AND YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND GET IN THERE, FINISH THAT ALL OFF.
I USUALLY CUT THEM TO ABOUT HALF AN INCH OR EVEN A SHADE OVER.
BUT THE REASON IT'S EXTENDED DOWN HERE AND EXTENDED UP THERE IS BECAUSE THE TOOL IS RIGHT-HANDED, SO WE'RE GOING TO FLIP IT END FOR END.
UH-HUH.
NOW I'M HEADING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION ON THE LEG.
OH, OKAY.
I'M STILL HEADING IN THE SAME DIRECTION ON THE BENCH.
AND THE PLOW WOULD COME IN AND STOP HERE, SO WE DON'T HAVE A GROOVE OUT THE TOP.
BUT YOU SAW THIS!
THAT SEEMS AMAZING THAT THEY WOULD-- IT'S SURPRISING, LET ME SAY, THAT THE GROOVE JUST STICKS OUT.
BUT NOW YOU SEE IT, AND IT'S, "OH, NOW WE KNOW WHY THAT'S HAPPENING."
I ALWAYS SAY, IT'S UP ONE SIDE AND DOWN THE OTHER.
OKAY, VERY GOOD!
AND THEN YOU JUST CHASE THAT AROUND THE CHEST.
ALL RIGHT, SO, NOW-- BUT YOU'VE LEFT OUT SOMETHING.
YOU HAVEN'T MADE THE TENONS.
HAVEN'T MAD THE TENONS, AND THERE'S DIFFERENT PIECES.
I HAVE A-- THE TENONS ARE VERY SIMPLE.
MM-HMM.
I HAVE A SHORT RAIL FOR THE SIDE OF ONE OF THE CHESTS.
AH, AGAIN, BEAUTIFUL RAYS IN THERE.
A NICE PIECE OF RED OAK.
I HAVE CUT THE GROOVE ALREADY.
I'VE MARKED OUT THE JOINTS AND CUT THE GROOVE, AND I CUT THE GROOVE FIRST BECAUSE IF I CHOPPED THE TENON, THEN I HAVE NO CHEEK HERE AND THE PLANE CAN JUST WIGGLE OFF A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE FINISHING THAT GROOVE A LITTLE BIT DISRUPTED.
I GOT YOU.
SO I STRUCK THE HABIT, AGAIN, THROUGH JUST PRACTICE AND TRIAL AND ERROR OF- THE SEQUENCE OF MY WORK, IS TO CUT THAT GROOVE FIRST AND THEN CUT THE TENON.
YOU DON'T WANT ONE ELEMENT TO INTERFERE WITH THE EXECUTION OF THE NEXT ELEMENT.
SURE, YEAH, WE WANT THINGS TO GO SMOOTHLY.
[LAUGHS] AND, SO HERE, XJUST A LITTLE BENCH HOOK.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW, THIS TENON IS A VERY SIMPLE CONFIGURATION.
UH-HUH.
I LOOKED AT THIS STUFF, AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, I COULD MAKE FURNITURE LIKE THIS."
REALLY?
YEAH.
YEAH.
YEAH, THIS IS EASY.
THIS IS THE FRONT FACE OF THIS PIECE.
THIS ONE'S PLANED PRETTY NICELY ON BOTH FACES, BUT YOU CAN FEEL THAT.
YEAH.
WHERE IT DROPS OFF THERE, I KNOW THAT'S THE INSIDE.
OKAY.
AND THIS IS THE SIDE THAT SHOWS.
SO, ON THIS SHOULDER...
THE SHOWING FACE.
I WANT THAT SHOULDER TO BE THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF MY TENON, AND I COME DOWN THAT LINE, BUT I'VE GOT THE SAW TILTED.
YOU'RE UNDERCUTTING, IT LOOKS LIKE.
I'M UNDERCUTTING THAT SHOULDER, SO THE ONLY POINT OF CONTACT WILL BE THE ONE YOU SEE.
I SEE, OKAY.
WHICH MAKES IT LOOK BETTER.
ALSO HELPS IN ASSEMBLY.
THERE'S FEWER THINGS TO TROUBLESHOOT.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE POINT OF CONTACT.
THE MEETING SURFACE IS JUST THAT LITTLE EDGE RIGHT THERE.
YEAH, THAT LITTLE KNIFE EDGE RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW, ON THE BACK SIDE, WHAT DO YOU DO?
I COME THIS WAY INTO THIS SURFACE HERE.
GET THAT BACK SHOULDER SO IT WILL NOT GET IN THE WAY.
AND YOU'RE OFF NOT EVEN A 116 INCH.
IT'S JUST A HAIR, BUT IT DEPENDS WHAT DAY IT IS.
[LAUGHS] I CAN MAKE THEM REALLY UGLY-- DO A BIG OLD GAP.
OR PRETTY GOOD.
YEAH.
AND THEN YOU CHECK THAT YOU'VE-- IF YOU'VE HIT TYOUR LINE, THAT YOU'VE NOT HIT IT TOO FAR.
I'LL BE DARNED.
SO THERE YOU SEE THOSE SHOULDERS.
SO THIS IS THE FACE LINE, AND IT'S CUT--UNDERCUT TO THE BACK THERE.
YOU SEE THAT THAT'S ANGLING UNDERNEATH THERE, AND THEN THIS ONE'S OFFSET.
SO, UNDERCUT AND OFFSET.
AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW IS TAKE OFF THE WOOD ON THE OUTSIDE.
YEAH, AND THIS CONFIGURATION COMES FROM STUDYING THE ARTIFACTS.
IT'S NOT--I DID NOT THINK THIS UP.
YOU SAID, "HOW CAN I MAKE THIS EASIER FOR MYSELF?"
YEAH, YEAH.
BUT, WHEN YOU DID WHAT THEY DID, I BET YOU DID FIND IT EASIER FOR YOURSELF.
OH, IT'S A BREEZE, IT'S A BREEZE.
[LAUGHS] SO, I'M NOT GOING TO SAW THOSE.
IF I HAD SAWN STOCK, I'VE GOT TO CUT THOSE WITH A SAW.
BUT I KNOW THIS BOARD FROM WHEN IT WAS IN A LOG.
RIGHT.
AND I KNOW THAT IT SPLITS BEAUTIFULLY, SO I'M GOING TO SPLIT IT.
AND I JUST LAY THAT CHISEL JUST IN FRONT OF THAT LINE, AND BREAK THAT OFF.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT STUCK THERE, SO I'LL BREAK IT AGAIN IN THE FRONT.
IT RAN UNDER JUST A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH, IT MUST HAVE BEEN MY SAWING.
[LAUGHS] SO, I DIDN'T WANT TO RISK BREAKING SOMETHING.
NOW I'M GOING TO THROW THE CHISEL RIGHT IN THE MARKING GAGE LINE, THE MORTISE GAGE LINE, AND JUST KNOCK THAT STUFF DOWN.
YEAH.
NICE THING ABOUT OAK IS THAT IT SPLITS REALLY WELL.
ONE OF THE DANGEROUS THINGS ABOUT OAK IS IT SPLITS REALLY WELL.
[LAUGHS] BUT HERE WE'LL JUST USE THAT TO OUR ADVANTAGE, BECAUSE LIKE I KEEP SAYING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO CUT ONE JOINT.
YOU CAN'T BUILD A THING WITH ONE JOINT.
[LAUGHS] YOU CAN BUILD A MALLET.
YEAH, I GUESS.
THOSE CAN BE DANGEROUS.
MALLETS CAN BE DANGEROUS.
THAT'S A THING RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO LOOK AT THAT.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
SO THERE'S YOUR TENON.
AND WE'VE GOT OUR MORTISES ALL CUT OUT.
NOW I GUESS ALL THAT REMAINS, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT IT TOGETHER.
YEAH, YOU JUST NEED TO PARE THAT A BIT AND THEN... THAT'S IT!
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, LET'S PUT IT TOGETHER.
I'M GOING TO SEE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THE PANELS AND THOSE OTHER THINGS.
NO.
BUT LET'S SEE HOW IT ASSEMBLES.
SURE THING.
AND GET A LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT TIME... SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS THING BACK.
[LAUGHS] WHERE'D THAT PANEL GO?
I'VE GOT THE PANEL HID RIGHT THERE.
I COULD SEE IT BECAUSE IT WAS WHITE.
OH, OF COURSE.
YEAH.
WELL, THAT GOES IN HERE.
YEAH, I HOPE SO.
ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S GOOD.
LET ME GET THAT IN.
AND HERE'S THE TILL THAT'S READY.
ALL RIGHT, SO, AND THIS HAS A LITTLE RECIPROCAL HOLD.
I'LL TRY AND LINE IT UP.
YEAH, EVERYTHING HAS TO PRETTY MUCH HAPPEN AT ONCE.
I'M ALL RIGHT OVER HERE.
ALL RIGHT, I THINK MIGHT-- YOU HAVE ALL THE FUN.
YOU HAVE A WOODEN SHOE I CAN HIT WITH?
[LAUGHS] WHAT DO WE HAVE?
YEAH.
YEAH.
OH, THANK YOU.
I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THAT [INDISTINCT].
[LAUGHS] ALL RIGHT, VERY NICE.
HOW'S THAT?
YEAH, AND THEN THIS GOES UP HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT THE TILL IN PLACE, AND I GUESS WE CAN SEE HOW THE-- NOW, YOU SAY THIS IS REALLY FIDDLY, TO DO THIS THING.
OH, MAN, YEAH.
NOT YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE GIG.
WELL, IT'S JUST, EVERYTHING IS IRREGULAR IN HERE, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO TEST IT AND FIT IT AND TRIAL AND ERROR.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THIS [INDISTINCT] THAT ONE AND TILT THIS OVER A LITTLE BIT.
I CAN SEE THAT GOING UP INTO ITS-- WHERE IT'S STOPPED.
NOTCHES.
YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY STOPPED DADOS, BUT NOTCHES IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE GOT RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT, AND THIS GOES IN LIKE THIS?
YEAH, THAT SHOULD SLIDE INTO THEM THERE.
AND AT THE FINAL ASSEMBLY, I'LL OFTEN PUT A SMALL IRON NAIL THROUGH THAT BOTTOM INTO THAT SIDE.
AND SO THAT'S FOR VALUABLES.
AND THEN, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN SLIP IN THAT BOTTOM HERE.
I'VE GOT A BOTTOM BOARD HERE, THE TWO BIG ONES.
AND THIS GOES TO THE-- THIS ONE GOES TO MY SIDE.
OKAY.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW WE DO THIS BOTTOM AS WELL NEXT TIME.
SO THEY'RE FEATHERED JUST AT THEIR FRONT AND SIDES, AND, YEAH, AND THEN YOU CAN HIT THEM A LITTLE.
OKAY.
AND THEN THIS ONE IS THE KEYSTONE.
JUST SLIP RIGHT IN THE KEYSTONE.
IF ALL GOES WELL, THAT'LL DRIVE THOSE SIDE TO SIDE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND WE'LL SEE MORE ABOUT THAT AND THE LID WHEN WE GET BACK TOGETHER AND FINISH UP OUR [INDISTINCT] ERA OAK CHEST, JOINED WITH PETER FOLLANSBEE.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ROY.
THANK YOU, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.
THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
SO LONG.
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