Season 33 Episode 11 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
Christopher Schwarz shows Roy Underhill how to measure up with an English try square based on the examples in the famous Benjamin Seaton tool chest.
Aired: 09/10/13
Announcer: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY: [WIND BLOWING] [THUNDER ROARING] [CAR ALARM WAILING] Announcer: 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 HONKING] HEY!
HELLO AGAIN!
WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
I'M ROY UNDERHILL, AND I TELL YOU, I THOUGHT WE HAD EVERYTHING SQUARED AWAY.
BUT NO, JUST AFTER WE MAKE OUR WONDERFUL CARPENTER'S SQUARE, SUDDENLY WE LEARN FROM CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE STILL ANOTHER SQUARE.
WHAT'S WITH IT?
I THOUGHT WE HAD IT WITH THIS THING.
OH, THAT SQUARE IS GREAT FOR BUILDING A HOUSE, BUT FOR BUILDING FURNITURE YOU'RE GOING TO WANT SOMETHING A LITTLE SMALLER.
SO, THIS IS REALLY A FRAMING SQUARE OF THE TRADITIONAL CARPENTER.
WHAT'S MORE HANDY ARE THESE SMALLER WOODEN TRI-SQUARES, OH, OKAY!
WHICH WORK IN MANY, MANY TRADITIONAL SHOPS.
AND THIS HAS ACTUALLY MORE, LIKE, A TRI-SQUARE IN THAT YOU CAN REGISTER IT AGAINST THE EDGE, RATHER THAN JUST HAVE TO LINE IT UP WITH THE EDGE.
IT'S FAR MORE PRECISE, AND MADE FROM SCRAPS.
I CAN SEE THAT.
WELL, YET'S NICE, AND ANY LENGTH YOU WANT, AND THEY'RE VERY LIGHTWEIGHT, AND THEY'RE VERY EASY TO TRUE.
SO, WITH YOUR WOODWORKING TOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET OUT A FILE.
SO, I CAN IMAGINE, DRAW FILING A METAL BLADE, IT... ...WOULD BE A BIG PAIN.
YES, OKAY!
BUT THIS CAN BE TRUED VERY EASILY AND QUICKLY, SO, VERY MUCH A STAPLE OF THE TRADITIONAL TOOLKIT.
WOW.
AND SO, THE ONES YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE KIND OF INTERESTING, ACTUALLY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE I'VE BUILT 100 TIMES BEFORE.
SO, THIS IS THE FRENCH SQUARE.
THAT'S VERY NICE!
IT IS!
IT'S FROM L'ART DU MENUISIER, AND IT IS FLASHY!
[LAUGHING] YEAH!
SO, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, CURVES IN, CURVES OUT.
WE HAVE A LITTLE... AN OVOLO.
YEAH, A LITTLE OVOLO, AND A CAVETTO, YEAH.
CAVETTO, YEAH.
BUT, THE THING IS IT'S GOT IT IN THE FLASH, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE IT WHERE IT COUNTS, WHICH IS HERE, IN THE JOINT.
OH, OKAY.
SO, THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE BRIDLE JOINT, VERY EASY TO MAKE, VERY EASY TO BREAK.
JUST GLUED IN THERE.
IT'S JUST GLUED IN THERE.
AND SO, IT MAKES IT VERY COMPLEX WHEN TESTING THE SQUARE.
YOU HAVE TO GLUE IT UP AND TEST IT, AND THEN IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TRUE THIS UP.
TO TRUE THE INSIDE OF IT.
IT'S VERY HARD TO TRUE THE INSIDE, WHEREAS THE SQUARE I LIKE TO MAKE, THIS IS AN ENGLISH SQUARE.
AH, IT IS!
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE JOINERY IS QUITE DIFFERENT.
[LAUGHING] OUI OUI!
VERY DIFFERENT!
SO, WE HAVE A THROUGH MORTISE AND A BRIDLE HERE.
AND, SO, THIS IS GOING TO GIVE US A MORE ROBUST JOINT AND ALLOW US TO DO SOME TESTING OF THE SQUARE, EVEN BEFORE WE GET THE GLUE POT OUT.
SO, THIS STAYS RIGID EVEN WITHOUT THE GLUE.
EVEN WITHOUT THE GLUE.
THE FRENCH ONE WOULD NEED...
THIS'LL HOLD IN THE HUMID CLIMATE... YEAH.
WHEN IT COMES APART, BUT YOU COULD TAKE IT APART TO TRUE IT.
YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, AND THIS IS ONE...
HERE IS ONE IN PROGRESS.
YEAH.
CAN I TAKE THE JOINT APART?
YEAH, THAT'LL GIVE US A GOOD LOOK AT WHAT WE'LL BE DOING HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
I'LL PUT IT ON THE EDGE OF THE TABLE...
HERE, ALL RIGHT?
AND, SO, THIS IS THE JOINT WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW TO DO.
[GROANING] AND THERE IT GOES.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, WE GOT THE BLADE AND THE MORTISES.
AND THIS IS NEAT WOOD.
WHAT KIND OF WOOD IS THIS?
WELL, THIS IS MAHOGANY.
SO, I'M MAKING SEVERAL OUT OF MAHOGANY.
THESE ARE BOTH MAHOGANY.
ACTUALLY, ALL THOSE ONES ARE MAHOGANY.
THESE ARE ALL THE SAME WOOD?
WELL, IT'S THE SAME WOOD, AND THE SAME NAME, BUT IT'S FROM VERY DIFFERENT TIMES.
AH.
SO, WHAT YOU'RE HOLDING, THIS IS REALLY OLD, AT LEAST 150-YEAR-OLD MAHOGANY FROM A SALVAGED TABLE THAT I GOT.
WOW.
AND THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY DYE, OR ANY COLORANT ON IT.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS!
IT'S REALLY DENSE, VERY HEAVY, BEAUTIFUL AND STABLE.
THIS IS THE KIND OF WOOD THAT OUR ANCESTORS USED TO MAKE SOME OF THAT BEAUTIFUL MAHOGANY FURNITURE.
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS MUCH MORE LIKE THIS, WHAT WE SEE.
WOW.
SO, THIS IS HONDURAN MAHOGANY.
IT'S PRETTY, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT LOOKS MORE WEEDY AND STRINGY.
OH, IT'S SO DIFFERENT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME COLOR.
YEAH, LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S STILL GOOD WOOD, AND IT STILL WORKS QUITE NICE, BUT IT'S JUST NOT EVEN IN THE SAME... WHERE DO YOU GET-- YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO OUT AND CUT DOWN 100, 200-YEAR-OLD TREES FOR FINE MAHOGANY LIKE THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.
NO, BUT YOU CAN FIND IT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THROW AWAY FURNITURE WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, JUST AN ABSOLUTE CRIME, BUT REALLY EVEN OLD FURNITURE OR THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME FROM.
IT WAS A TABLE THAT WAS GOING INTO THE TRASH.
SO, WOOD THAT'S TOO GOOD TO THROW AWAY IS A GREAT THING TO MAKE YOUR SQUARE.
GREAT THING FOR TRI-SQUARES.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
WELL, LET'S SEE.
LET'S TAKE THESE ON OVER HERE, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO WORK ON THE BENCH, AND TAKE US THROUGH THIS.
YEAH, LET'S MAKE ONE.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME SQUARES, ALL RIGHT.
[CHUCKLES] SO, WE'RE GOING TO SAY, YOU'VE GOT TO "BE THERE OR BE NOT SQUARE."
AM I RIGHT?
[CHUCKLES] BE NOT SQUARE?
BE OUT OF SQUARE!
BE OUT OF SQUARE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, THE FIRST PLACE WE'RE GOING TO START IS WE'RE GOING TO MARK OUT THE MORTISES, YEAH, AND THE BRIDLE JOINT.
THAT'S THIS PART RIGHT HERE.
SO, WE GOT THE STOCK IN.
WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THIS?
IT LOOKS...
IT IS ABOUT 3/4-INCH WIDE, TWO INCHES WIDE, AND ABOUT 12 INCHES LONG.
FOR THIS ONE, BUT YOU CAN MAKE THEM ANY SIZE.
YEAH, YOU CAN MAKE THEM ANY SIZE.
AND THEN YOU GOT THIS ONE HERE I WANT TO LOOK AT.
THIS IS A GIANT ONE OUT OF CHERRY, IT LOOKS LIKE.
MM-HMM.
WOW.
SO, IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO DO A HEAVY CABINET CONSTRUCTION, [CHUCKLES] MAKE THEM AS BIG OR AS SMALL AS YOU WANT.
AND IT DOESN'T WEIGH LIKE A METAL SQUARE.
IT WEIGHS ALMOST NOTHING.
NO, ALL RIGHT.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO, FIRST, I MAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SQUARES.
YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PARTS LAID OUT HERE.
SO, WHAT I DO IS I KEEP ALL MY GAUGES SET FOR DEDICATED MEASUREMENTS, SO THAT I CAN VERY QUICKLY JUST PICK UP A DIFFERENT GAUGE AND...
SO, YOU'RE COPYING THIS AFTER BENJAMIN SEATON'S SQUARE?
MM-HMM, THESE WERE SQUARES MADE BY BENJAMIN SEATON WHO'S A WOODWORKER, AND WHO'S FAMOUS FOR BUILDING NO FURNITURE.
[LAUGHS] HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?
WELL, LET ME SHOW YOU FIRST THIS MORTISE, AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT BEN.
YOU'VE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD ALL THESE GAUGES?
YEAH.
HE HAD 7 GAUGES... AT LEAST 7 GAUGES THAT HE MADE, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE ONE MEASUREMENT, AND LEAVE IT SET THROUGH THE WHOLE PROJECT, SO YOU CAN RETURN TO THAT MEASUREMENT AT ANY TIME.
OH, OKAY.
SO, THIS MORTISE GAUGE IS SET FOR A QUARTER-INCH MORTISE.
THAT'S A QUARTER INCH AWAY FROM THE FENCE.
SO, WE'RE JUST GOING TO COME IN HERE WITH ONE WAY.
WE JUST WALK AROUND.
YEAH.
SO, YOU'VE GOT A DOUBLE TOOTH GAUGE, WE'D SAY, OR DOUBLE WHEEL IN THIS ONE, THIS THAT...
IT'S A LATER GAUGE, YEAH.
WORKS IN THE SAME PRINCIPLE, INSTEAD OF A PIN, BUT, REALLY, NOT THAT MUCH DIFFERENT.
I LIKE THEM.
YEAH, VERY, VERY NICE.
AND, YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF THEM, TOO.
ALL RIGHT, SO, NOW WE'VE GOT A PLACE WHERE THAT MORTISE IS GOING TO GO IN THERE, AND HERE'S THE WOOD THAT WE'RE... WELL, HERE, YOU CAN JUST SEE IT RIGHT BESIDE.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT IS ALL LAID OUT.
YEP.
AND, GOSH, THE MEASUREMENTS ARE THE SAME.
YOU DO MAKE A LOT OF THESE, DON'T YOU?
YEAH, WELL, IT PAYS TO MAKE THEM IN MULTIPLES.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, BEN SEATON, YEAH.
WHAT'S THE STORY WITH THIS GUY?
SO, HE HAD THIS AMAZING CHEST THAT HE BUILT, ABOUT 1800 OR SO, 1799, 1800...
HE BUILT A CHEST?
HE BUILT A CHEST.
HIS DAD WAS A CABINETMAKER.
HIS DAD BOUGHT HIM ALL THE TOOLS HE WANTED FROM CHRISTOPHER GABRIEL OF LONDON.
"YES, THANK YOU, DADDY, THANK YOU, PAPPY."
[LAUGHING] AND THEN HE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
"I BUILT THIS CHEST, BUT I'M NOT FEELING IT."
AND HE DECIDED, "I'M NOT GOING TO BE A CABINETMAKER, "I'M GOING TO BE AN UNDERTAKER, OR AN AUCTIONEER."
AND, SO, HE PUT ALL HIS TOOLS INTO THE CHEST, LOCKED IT UP, AND LEFT IT.
SO, HE'S FAMOUS NOT FOR ANYTHING HE BUILT, BUT FOR THE FACT THAT HE DIDN'T BUILD.
ALL HIS TOOLS SURVIVED.
AND ALL HIS TOOLS ARE JUST IN THAT PRISTINE ORDER FROM WHAT YEAR?
THAT IS ABOUT 1800, AND THE CHEST IS IN ROCHESTER, ENGLAND.
YOU CAN VISIT IT AT THE ROCHESTER MUSEUM.
THERE YOU GO, FIELD TRIP!
FIELD TRIP!
SO, WE ARE GOING TO CHOP OUT THIS MORTISE.
SO, I HAVE A QUARTER-INCH MORTISE.
AND A PROPER ENGLISH MORTISING CHISEL.
AND A PROPER ENGLISH MALLET.
YEAH.
AND SO, WE'RE GOING TO USE THE "CENTRAL V" METHOD, WHICH IS WHERE YOU START IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MORTISE, YOU DRIVE IN, YOU TURN THE TOOL AROUND, AND THEN DRIVE IN AGAIN, AND PRY OUT THE WASTE IN THE MIDDLE, SO IT CREATES A V IN THE CENTER.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CALL IT "CENTRAL V." [LAUGHING] I'LL WORK ON THAT.
GOSH, THIS WAS... ALL RIGHT, NO, I DO THE "MARCH ALONG" METHOD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO IT DIFFERENT WAYS BUT THEY ALL GET YOU THERE.
WE'VE NOT DONE ANY SCIENTIFIC TESTING TO SEE WHICH METHOD IS THE MOST EFFICIENT HERE.
I DO LIKE THE WAY YOU'VE GOT THIS HELD HERE.
YEAH, THIS IS ANOTHER TRADITIONAL ENGLISH METHOD.
IT'S REALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MORTISE IN YOUR FACE VISE.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, DON'T PUT IT WHERE THIS WOOD IS, WHICH IS INSIDE THE VISE JAWS LIKE THAT.
AND THAT WILL DAMAGE YOUR FACE VISE, IT'LL SLIP IN THE JAWS...
IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD IDEA.
SO, THIS TRADITIONAL ENGLISH METHOD, YOU PUT A PIECE OF WOOD IN THE FACE VISE AND THEN YOU CLAMP, OR "CRAMP," AS THE ENGLISH WOULD SAY.
OH, CRAMP!
"CRAMP" YOUR WORK TO IT, LADDIE.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW YOU'VE STOPPED.
YOU'VE CHANGED YOUR METHOD YOU WERE DOING, YOU WERE CUTTING A V DOWN THE MIDDLE WITH YOUR CHISEL, AND NOW WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
NOW I TURN THE BEVEL OVER, AND FOLLOW THAT RAMP, AND TRY TO REMOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WASTE WITH EVERY CHOP DOWN UNTIL I GET TO VERTICAL... ON BOTH SIDES.
AND, THIS IS, AGAIN, YOURS JUST IS WHAT WE ALWAYS DO.
ERE YOU'RE DOING A THROUGH MORTISE, YOU'RE GOING TO GOHALFWAY THROUH FROM ONE WAY, AND THEN HALFWAY THROUGH FROM THE OTHER.
YEP, THAT DOESN'T CHANGE.
ALL RIGHT [LAUGHS] THERE YOU GO, NOW SQUARING UP YOUR CORNER THERE.
JUST SQUARING UP THE ENDS THERE.
AND THEN, THE OTHER THING WE'LL DO WHILE WE'RE HERE IS WE'RE GOING TO START THIS BRIDLE JOINT, AND THAT WILL MAKE IT EASY FOR US TO SAW IT OUT.
SO, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO... OH, REALLY?
OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO CHISEL THIS PART?
YEAH, WELL, IT HAD TO BE THE SAME WIDTH, AND SO, USING THE SAME CHISEL, FOR AT LEAST PART OF THE JOINT, GETS IT... THAT'S GRAND.
ALL RIGHT!
GETS IT MUCH EASIER TO MAKE.
WHEN YOUR SAW GOES INTO IT, IT FOLLOWS THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE, WHICH IS THE PATH MADE BY YOUR CHISEL.
OH, SO, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY WE GET THIS PRECISION, TO MAKE THESE EXACTLY PARALLEL SIDES IS TO CHISEL BOTH ELEMENTS... AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
YEAH, RATHER THAN... SEE, WHAT I WOULD DO IS CHISEL THIS ONE, AND THEN SAW DOWN, BUT THAT IS PRONE TO ERROR, AND THIS IS NOT.
NOT AS PRONE.
YOU CAN'T MAKE A NARROWER MORTISE THAN YOUR CHISEL.
[LAUGHING] NO, OKAY.
IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, WHAT WE DO, AFTER WE DO THAT, WE FLIP IT OVER AND WE... AND REPEAT.
YEAH, BANG OUT THE OTHER SIDE.
SO, HERE IS A PIECE THAT IS A LITTLE FURTHER ALONG.
OH, OKAY, SO, LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.
SO, THIS IS CHISELED ALL THE WAY THROUGH... MM-HMM.
BUT WE'VE STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT OF WEB LEFT RIGHT THERE.
MM-HMM.
WOW.
AND THAT IS EASY TO REMOVE WITH A DOVETAIL SAW.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO STICK THIS PUPPY IN HERE, MUCH LIKE WE WOULD SAW A TENON.
NOW, I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, THE 19th- CENTURY JOINER, 18th-CENTURY JOINER CABINETMAKER, HOW MUCH THEY WOULD HAVE TO WORK, IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS PAY, TO MAKE YOUR OWN TRI-SQUARE, INSTEAD OF MAKING FURNITURE, AND THEN BUYING IT.
YEAH.
AND...
THEY CERTAINLY THINK IN THOSE TERMS.
OH, LOOK, ALL RIGHT.
BOY, THAT WAS QUICK!
RIGHT ON THROUGH.
YEAH!
YOU GOT ANOTHER CUT TO DO?
YEAH, I GOT TO SAW THE OTHER WALL.
I'LL SHUT UP AND LET YOU DO IT.
NO, YOU KEEP TALKING WHILE I SAW!
[LAUGHING] THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE IN THE CALCULATION.
AND THAT'S IT, OKAY, SO, NOW WE'VE GOT THAT BRIDLE JOINT UP THERE, CUTTING DOWN INTO THE CHOPPED MORTISE.
YEP!
VERY COOL, VERY COOL.
SO, THAT PART IS ALL DONE.
SO, THIS, EXCEPT FOR A LITTLE DECORATION, IS ABOUT ALL WE NEED TO DO TO THE STOCK.
SO, NOW WE CAN TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE BLADE, OR THE "TONGUE," AS WE CALL IT.
SO, LET'S CALL THIS THE BODY AND THE TONGUE, YEAH, ALL RIGHT.
SO, HERE WE HAVE A FEW TONGUES.
SO, THAT'S ONE THAT'S DONE, AND SO, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE STARTING WITH.
AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY STRAIGHT-GRAIN QUARTER-SAWN WOOD, WHICH HELPS THE SQUARE REMAIN STABLE.
BUT WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "QUARTER-SAWN"?
WHEN WE CUT IT AT THE MILL, THAT THE GROWTH RINGS ARE VERTICAL, OR ALMOST VERTICAL, TO THIS FACE.
TO THE BROAD FACE.
TO THE BROAD FACE.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT MORE STABLE.
SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE...
HERE'S OUR MORTISE.
ALL RIGHT.
YEAH?
YEAH.
AND, HERE'S OUR BLADE, SO, WE ARE GOING TO SHOW THE TONGUE.
I LIKE THAT EXPRESSION, LET'S SAY, YOU DON'T JUST SAY, LOOK OVER HERE, DARLING.
YES, YES, SEE THIS?
AND YOU SHOW IT, ONE TO THE OTHER AND TRANSFER THE MARKS FROM THE OTHER, SO, WE'RE WORKING FROM... WHAT SHOULD I SAY?
SUPERIMPOSITION.
LIKE DOVETAILS, YEAH.
YEAH, SUPERIMPOSED, ONE ON THE OTHER, AND TRANSFER THE DIMENSIONS, THE LINES, RATHER THAN MEASURING ONE AND THEN TRYING TO MEASURE THE OTHER.
YEAH, THAT DOESN'T WORK.
WE'RE SHOWING THE FOX TO THE DOGS.
AH, EXCELLENT.
[LAUGHS] SO, WE'RE GOING TO TRANSFER THESE LINES ACROSS WITH THE SQUARE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THAT'S GOOD.
NOW, I SAW YOU DO THIS ONCE, AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN DO THAT PART.
YEAH, I KNOW, I KNOW, I GOT A LITTLE CRAZY THERE, BUT IT'S USUALLY BETTER TO TRANSFER IT, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO PULL THESE LINES DOWN ACROSS THE FACE.
NOW, I WOULD NORMALLY DO THIS WITH A KNIFE IF I HAD A WOOD THAT WAS VERY EASY TO SEE, LIKE, IF I WERE DOING THIS IN MAPLE OR SOMETHING.
HERE IN SUCH AN OPEN AND POROUS WOOD, IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE YOUR LINES, SO, I'M DOING TO DO THEM IN PENCIL.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE A SQUARE WHICH REPRESENTS THE WIDTH OF THE STOCK.
ON YET ANOTHER.
ON YET ANOTHER.
I STILL HAVE TWO MORE IF I WANT!
[LAUGHING] AND THEN I'M GOING TO...
SO, THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU THE SHOULDER, AS LONG AS WE KNOW THAT THIS IS TRUE HERE.
SO, WE'RE ASSUMING TRUTH IN THE END, RIGHT HERE.
YES, I SAWED, AND SHOT THAT TRUE.
AND SO, NOW WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO THE OTHER SIDE.
YEAH, ALL RIGHT.
AND SO, NOW, WE'RE JUST GOING TO SAW THIS GUY OUT.
OKAY, SO, THIS IS A RIPPING JOB.
YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THE GRAIN.
DOWN THE GRAIN AND KEEP IT CLOSE TO THE BENCH, BECAUSE THIS THIN STOCK REALLY WANTS TO VIBRATE.
I DID SEE YOU SQUARED A LITTLE LIGHT, YOU TOOK YOUR LITTLE TRI-SQUARE AND SQUARED ACROSS, BUT YOU HAD ANOTHER METHOD THAT WAS SO COOL OF GETTING THIS ALIGNED LEFT AND RIGHT.
YEAH, I DON'T ALWAYS DO THAT SQUARE LINE UNLESS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CAREFUL, AND SO, WHAT I WILL DO, IF I DON'T DO THE SQUARE LINE IS I WILL USE THE REFLECTION... YEAH, THAT'S SO NEAT!
OF THE WORK IN THE SAW PLATE TO FIND OUT WHEN I AM PLUMB AND SQUARE.
SO, WHEN THE REFLECTION MATCHES REAL LIFE... [LAUGHING] WHICH IT ALMOST NEVER DOES, BUT WHEN REFLECTION MATCHES REAL LIFE, THEN I AM READY TO SAW.
SO, THAT'S OUT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S KINK.
HERE IT'S KINKED THAT WAY, BUT WHEN THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST GOING THROUGH A PANE OF GLASS AND CONTINUING... THAT'S WHEN YOU GO FOR IT.
THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN SAW, AND YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHT ANGLES.
IT'S A DEAD-ON MIRROR.
THAT'S SO GREAT, AND, WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON FOR HAVING A POLISHED SAW.
ONCE THEY GET DARK AND BLACK, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK SO WELL.
IT DOES, IT WORKS.
YEAH, ACTUALLY I'M SURPRISED HOW WELL I CAN STILL SEE THAT REFLECTION.
IN AN OLD SAW.
IN AN OLD SAW, YEAH.
IT'S STILL THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
IT'S JUST NOT AS EASY TO SEE.
OF COURSE, I THINK THAT BY THE TIME YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH THAT YOUR SAW IS ALL PATINATED... [LAUGHING] LET'S CALL IT PATINATED, YOU PROBABLY DON'T NEED THAT TIP.
YOU CAN PROBABLY JUST SENSE VERTICAL.
I CAN SEE IT CARRYING RIGHT THROUGH THERE.
THAT'S SO NEAT.
YEAH, ALL RIGHT.
A GOOD TRICK THERE FOR RIGHT ANGLES.
YES, IT IS A GOOD TRICK, AND YOU CAN DO IT FOR MITERS, TOO, BUT WE'LL JUST SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER TIME.
OH, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
SO, NOW I'M GOING TO SAW THE SHOULDER.
OH, OKAY, SO, THIS CUT RIGHT HERE.
YEP.
OKAY, THAT CUT.
MM-HMM.
YEAH, ALL RIGHT.
SO, I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A LITTLE CUT THERE.
AGAIN, SQUARING USING THE REFLECTION.
YEAH.
PAND THAT'S WHERE THESE COME OFF.
ALWAYS, AND THEN WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE THE CHISEL, AND WE'RE GOING TO CHISEL OUT THE LITTLE SPACE BETWEEN THE TONGUE.
THANK YOU, SIR.
OH, ALL RIGHT.
[LAUGHING] SO, THAT'S IT.
WE'RE CLOSING IN ON IT.
YOU GOT THE MORTISE DONE.
YEP, SO, JUST TAKE THE CHISEL, POP IT, NOT QUITE TO THE BASE LINE.
TRY TO GET HALFWAY THROUGH THE WORK, FLIP IT OVER... WE TURN IT AROUND.
DO THE SAME THING.
AND IT SHOULD...
POP OUT!
POP OUT.
THERE YOU GO.
THEN WE CAN MARCH TOWARDS THE BASELINE, LIKE "SHERMAN TO THE SEA."
HEY, THANK YOU, I BEG YOUR PARDON, COMRADE.
[LAUGHING] [LAUGHING] LET ME TURN THAT OVER.
YEAH, THAT DOESN'T... THAT DIDN'T WORK, DID IT?
NO, THAT DOESN'T WORK.
IT DOESN'T WORK AROUND HERE?
[LAUGHING] NO, OKAY.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO, THERE WE ARE FINISHING THAT UP.
VERY GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, SO, THERE'S OUR TONGUE ALL CUT.
SO, WE'VE GOT DOUBLE TENON, AND THAT'S ALWAYS STRONGER.
EVEN THOUGH WE LOSE PART OF THE TENON, WE GAIN A LITTLE BIT IN THE MORTISE.
WE GOT SOME MEAT IN THERE AND MORE SHOULDERS TO HOLD IT SQUARE.
SO, THIS KIND OF DOUBLE TENON IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A LOT STRONGER.
ALWAYS SUPERIOR.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS SUPERIOR.
OKAY.
SO, WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO GET IN A BETTER SPOT.
OH, REALLY?
YEAH.
YEAH, IT'S NOT PERFECT, SO, HERE WE GO.
ARE YOU READY TO SHOVE IT IN THERE?
I MEAN... WELL, OKAY, YEAH, YOU CAN SHOVE IT IN BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE IT.
NO, IT'S NOT.
ALL RIGHT, THERE WE GO.
SO, WHEN I MAKE THESE, I USUALLY LEAVE THE TONGUES A LITTLE THICK.
SO, A THICKISH TONGUE IS PREFERRED, SO THAT WE CAN JUST GO LITTLE BY LITTLE UNTIL IT SLIDES RIGHT INTO THE MORTISE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A LOOSE FIT.
WE WANT A VERY NICE, CLOSE FIT ON THIS, BECAUSE...
BUT YOU DON'T WANT IT TO SPLIT THAT END.
BUT YOU DON'T WANT IT TO SPLIT, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.
SO, IT'S A PROCESS WHERE WE JUST TAKE IT, SHAVING BY SHAVING.
SO, THE FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO START REDUCING THIS IN THICKNESS, AND I'M USING A SMOOTHING PLANE HERE, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SMALL CHANGES.
BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS OTHER PROCESS I'M DEALING WITH IS THAT THIS IS MAHOGANY, AND MAHOGANY REALLY, REALLY WANTS TO TEAR OUT ON ME.
AND SO, I HAVE THIS SMOOTHING PLANE SET UP SO, IT WON'T TEAR OUT, AND YOU CAN SEE... LOOK AT IT.
BEAUTIFUL, YEAH.
LOOK AT THE SHAVINGS.
YEAH, THAT WE ARE MAKING BACON, MAKING BACON HERE.
THEY ARE ALL CRINKLY IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE.
AND IT LOOKS GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT.
IT DOES, INDEED.
MMM, I DO SMELL BACON!
YEAH.
AND SO, THAT'S CAUSED BY THE CHIP BREAKER BEING UP SO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE BLADE...
THERE'S A SECONDARY IRON ON TOP OF THE CUTTING IRON.
ON THE BACK.
MM-HMM.
YEAH.
AND, THAT'S WHAT CAUSES THAT CRINKLING, AND MAKES THE TOOL HARD TO PUSH.
AND THIS IS ALSO A MUCH STEEPER ANGLE.
WE'D HAVE A 45-DEGREE ANGLE ON A REGULAR JACK PLANE.
THIS IS WAY ON UP THERE, SO, THAT HELPS, TOO?
YES, A HIGHER ANGLE AND A CLOSED SET CHIP BREAKER AND A LIGHT CUT MAKES THE TOOL TEAR OUT MUCH, MUCH LESS.
ALL RIGHT, GOOD.
A COUPLE MORE STROKES, AND THEN WE'RE READY TO SHOW, ONCE AGAIN, SHOW THE FOX TO THE DOGS.
ALL RIGHT, SO, I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT ONE, ALL RIGHT.
OKAY, AND SO, WE KEEP GOING UNTIL WE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GO ON THIS ONE.
SO, IT'S STILL FIGHTING US A LITTLE BIT.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, I'M GOING TO....
BUT I'M VERY CLOSE, SO, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS NOW I'M GOING TO SWITCH TACTICS A LITTLE BIT, AND I'M GOING TO NOT ONLY TRY TO TAKE THE BLADE DOWN IN THICKNESS BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO TAPER IT, SO IT'S THINNER AT THE TOE.
AND WHY DO YOU DO THAT?
YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW WHY EITHER, AND THEN WHEN BEN SEATON DID IT TO ALL HIS SQUARES IN HIS CHEST, AND WHEN I READ THE FAMOUS BOOK ABOUT HIS CHEST AND YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE OLDER SQUARES, IS THEY TAPER QUITE DRAMATICALLY.
WELL, THIS ONE IS REALLY TAPERED.
YEAH, THAT ONE IS REALLY SQUARE.
SO, IT'S THICK HERE AND THIN DOWN HERE.
AND I DID THIS ACCIDENTALLY AT FIRST.
REALLY?
YEAH, I MISREAD THE INSTRUCTIONS OR THE INVENTORY, AND I MADE A MUCH BIGGER TAPER THAN REQUIRED, BUT IT POINTED OUT SOMETHING VERY-- WELL, NOT VERY COOL, BUT PRETTY COOL THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU.
MODERATELY COOL?
MODERATELY COOL, SOMEWHAT, YEAH, NOT HOT BUT NOT... YEAH.
YEAH, SO, WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU HAVE A TAPERED BLADE, AND YOU PUT THE STOCK UP AGAINST THE WORK, AND YOU PUT THE TAPERED BLADE FLAT AGAINST THE WORK IS IT TIPS THE STOCK.
SO, IF OUR STOCK, IT'S NOT FLAT UP AGAINST THE WORK, INSTEAD IT'S TILTED UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, SO THAT... BY THE TAPER AND THE BLADE.
EXACTLY, AND WHY DO WE CARE?
WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE NOW THE SQUARE IS ONLY READING OFF OF THIS CORNER.
THE TOP EDGE.
THE TOP EDGE.
SO, IF THERE'S ANY FUR, OR BUMPS OR DIRT, OR HAIR, OR WHATEVER, ON THIS EDGE, IT'S NOT GOING TO READ IT.
IT'S JUST GOING TO READ IT RIGHT OFF THAT TOP EDGE.
NOT A HUGE DEAL... AND NOT DOWN HERE, BUT YEAH, IT ADDS UP.
A LITTLE BIT HERE AND THERE.
SO, WE NEED TO TAPER THIS BLADE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THE WAY WE DO THAT... WE GOT TO DO IT.
[LAUGHS] YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BUMPY, EITHER.
IT'S GOT TO LIE FLAT.
IT'S GOT TO LIE FLAT, AND SO, YOU NEED TO DO IT IN A GRADUAL PROCESS, SO, WE MAKE WHAT ARE CALLED STOP CUTS.
SO, I'M GOING TO GO 1/4 OF THE WAY UP THE BLADE, MARCH ACROSS, THEN HALFWAY UP THE BLADE, MAR 3/4 OF THE WAY UP THE BLADE, MARCH ACROSS THE BLADE.
IN EVEN INCREMENTS, AND THEN A THEN ALL THE WAY, AND SO, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT REMOVES MUCH MORE MATERIAL AT THE TIP.
FOUR TIMES.
FOUR TIMES.
FOUR STROKES IN THIS AREA... AND ONE... THREE IN THERE, TWO, AND ONE... AND ONE.
MATH, IT WORKS!
[CHUCKLING] YES, IT DOES.
AND THEN SAME ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THEN WE REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
I LIKE IT.
AND WE KEEP DOING THIS.
I'LL DO THIS ABOUT 5 TIMES TO EACH FACE OF THE BLADE, AND THAT GIVES US THE TAPER THAT LITTLE BEN HAD.
AW, MAN!
ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT'S IT!
SO, A REALLY SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IS THE KEY TO GETTING THIS TO WORK.
IT REALLY IS, AND THEN AFTER ALL THAT IS TOGETHER, THEN WE CAN START.
AFTER IT FITS, THEN, LET'S FIND ONE THAT FITS, AND WE CAN GET TO THE POINT THAT'S REALLY QUITE SMART ABOUT THESE SQUARES, WHICH IS THAT YOU CAN TRUE THEM...
HERE'S ONE, HERE'S ONE.
THERE IT IS.
NOW, YOU CAN TRUE IT BEFORE YOU GLUE IT.
OKAY!
AND IT GOES LIKE THIS WITH THE SHOULDER TO THE BOTTOM.
MM-HMM.
AND THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF MEAT TO TRUE WITHOUT OPENING UP THE JOINT.
OKAY, BECAUSE IF THAT WENT FLUSH, THE JOINT WOULD GET TIGHT IF WE HAD TO CUT PART OF THAT AWAY.
NOW THE JOINT WOULD GET LOOSE.
AND SAME WITH THIS, YEAH, AND SAME WITH THIS RIGHT HERE.
WE HAVE IT STICKING OUT SO THAT WE CAN TRUE IT.
YEP, ABSOLUTELY.
I LIKE IT.
ALL RIGHT, SO, THIS GOES ON DOWN HERE.
YEP, WENT RIGHT IN.
AND YOU HAD A WAY OF TRUEING THIS THAT'S PRETTY COOL.
YEAH, WELL, LET'S GO OVER HERE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE THAT.
AND THIS IS ALL DONE WITH A PENCIL ON A JOINTED BOARD.
YOU GET A STRAIGHT EDGE.
ANYWAY, I'LL LET CHRIS SHOW IT TO YOU HERE.
SO, YOU'RE GOING TO TRUE THIS THING... MM-HMM.
AND, SO WE PUT THE STOCK AGAINST A SHOT EDGE... ALL RIGHT, NOW, SO, THIS IS DEAD STRAIGHT.
DEAD STRAIGHT WITH A LONG PLANE.
NO CURVE IN THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
AND WE TRACE A THIN LINE AGAINST IT, THEN WE FLIP IT OVER, AND WE SHOW IT TO THE WORK.
OOH, OKAY, I SEE A LITTLE BIT OF DISPARITY UP HERE.
SO, IF IT WAS A DEAD RIGHT ANGLE, THESE TWO LINES SHOULD COINCIDE EXACTLY.
BUT IF I LOOK UP HERE, I SEE...WHAT?
ABOUT A 16h, MAYBE?
A 16h OF AN INCH BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE BLADE HERE, OR THE TONGUE, AND THE PENCIL LINE FROM BEFORE.
AND SO, HOW MUCH IS YOUR ERROR?
IT'S HALF THAT, SO, IT'S A 32nd.
SO, WE NEED TO REMOVE A 32nd FROM BACK HERE.
BACK OF THE BACK END OF THIS.
YEAH, AND WE DO THAT WITH TAPER CUTS, JUST LIKE WE MADE THE TAPER ON THE BLADE.
AND, AGAIN, TO DO THE INSIDE HERE, YOU WOULD DO WHAT?
MM-HMM, WE WOULD PUT IT UP AGAINST HERE, ACTUALLY LIKE THIS.
OKAY.
OH, OKAY, YEAH!
AND SHOW IT HERE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE... OH, MAN, THE INSIDE IS PRETTY STRAIGHT.
NO, NO, I'M GLAD IT'S NOT BECAUSE THESE ARE PARALLEL.
AH, OKAY.
SO, ONCE WE REMOVE MATERIAL FROM HERE WITH TAPER CUTS, THEN, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THIS INSIDE SURFACE IS SQUARE TO THESE TWO SURFACES.
NOW, WHAT IF YOU WANT TO MEASURE AN INSIDE CORNER?
YOU'D HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT IT'S GOT THESE BUMPS COMING OUT HERE.
YEAH, YEAH, WELL, I DEVELOPED A SPECIAL TRICK FOR THIS.
YEAH?
YEAH.
AND SO, WHAT WE DO IS, YOU SEE, WE HAVE THESE BUMPS THAT ARE STICKING OUT BEFORE WE GLUE THIS AND REMOVE THE MATERIAL.
SO, WHAT I DO IS, IT'S JUST ABOUT THE THICKNESS OF A NICKEL, SO, I'LL TAKE A NICKEL, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT WILL REMOVE, SORT OF, THE BUMPS FROM THE EQUATION.
OH, THAT'S GOING TO PRIME IT UP LEVEL.
YES, IT IS, BUT BECAUSE WE NEED IT TO SIT COMPLETELY STRAIGHT UP, WE NEED A PAIR OF NICKELS.
AND THEN YOU CAN TEST IT.
YEP, AND THEN YOU CAN TEST IT.
AND WHAT DO YOU CALL THESE?
THOSE ARE MY TEST NICKELS.
WOW, THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, THANKS, CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ, YOU HAVE JUST FINALLY GOT US SQUARED AWAY, AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
THANKS, ROY!
AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME, HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."
SO LONG!
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Announcer: ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE: WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE," AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.
