Viceless Devices

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [CAT MEOWS] [THUNDER] [HORN HONKING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

HEY.

HELLO AGAIN.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU CAN BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY.

IT WAS OLD DR. JOHNSON, HIS POCKETS STUFFED WITH ORANGE PEELS, WHO LIKED TO SAY THINGS LIKE, "MUSIC IS THE ONLY SENSUAL PLEASURE WITHOUT VICE."

WELL, I FIND WOODWORKING A SENSUAL PLEASURE.

BUT HOW FUN WOULD IT BE WITHOUT VISE?

I DON'T KNOW.

THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE USE THE VISE, THIS WONDERFUL APPLIANCE HERE, TO HOLD THE WOOD WHILE WE PLANE IT, WHILE WE CHISEL IT, WHILE WE WORK UPON IT, WHILE WE JUST DO ALL OUR OPERATIONS.

WE DEPEND ON OUR VISE.

DON'T TAKE MY VISE AWAY.

BUT YES, WHEN YOU'RE A KID, YOU CAN'T AFFORD A VISE.

YOU HAVE TO DO VISELESS WOODWORKING.

SO, OH, WHAT A TORMENT.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

WELL, THERE ARE WAYS.

THERE ARE OLD WAYS OF DOING IT, AND THERE'S WONDERFUL INVENTIVE WAYS OF HOLDING THE WOOD WITHOUT A VISE.

NOW, OF COURSE, WHEN WE ARE IN TROUBLE, WHO DO WE TURN TO?

WELL, OF COURSE, I ALWAYS TURN FIRST TO... WELL, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WOOD UTILIZATION COMMITTEE, THE "YOU CAN MAKE IT, VOLUME ONE."

OF COURSE, THIS IS A PRODUCTION OF THE "NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON WOOD UTILIZATION, "SUBCOMMITTEE ON USES FOR SECONDHAND BOXES AND ODD PIECES OF LUMBER."

YES, INDEED.

NOW YOU'RE THINKING, "GOSH!"

THIS WAS ACTUALLY UNDER COOLIDGE.

THIS WAS UNDER...

THIS WAS PRINTED IN 1929 UNDER HERBERT HOOVER, AND IT'S FOR REAL.

IT'S CONSERVATION.

THEY'RE SAYING THERE'S ENOUGH TIMBER WASTED WHEN THEY SHIPPED IN WOODEN BOXES THAT YOU COULD BUILD 400,000 WOODEN HOMES IF WE DIDN'T WASTE THIS WOOD.

SO IT'S SAYING DON'T WASTE WOOD, AND SO HERE'S A WAY THEY WAS WORKING ON IT, WAS HAVING WONDERFUL LITTLE BOOKLETS LIKE THIS OF THINGS THAT KIDS COULD MAKE, EVERYTHING... YOU KNOW, ROLLER SKATES, WONDERFUL SCOOTERS, AND PLANTING BOXES AND USEFUL THINGS FOR THE GARDEN AND THE FARM AND SO FORTH.

BUT IF I GET UP HERE, THERE'S A WHEELBARROW.

OH, IT'S GREAT.

ALL OF THIS MADE OUT OF ORANGE CRATES, PACKING CRATES.

BUT NOW WE GET INTO STUFF FOR THE SHOP.

HERE IS A TOOLBOX, AND ON THIS NEXT PAGE, I FIND THE ANSWER RIGHT DOWN HERE.

THIS IS A PACKING CRATE WORK BENCH.

YES, INDEED.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD.

THERE'S NO VISES IN THIS ONE.

NO, NOT FOR KIDS.

NO.

WHAT THEY DO HAVE IS, ON THE FRONT, WHAT'S CALLED A FROG RIGHT THERE, THAT LITTLE HOOK.

IN THE FRENCH, THAT WOULD BE CALLED A CROCHET.

THAT LITTLE HOOK ON THE FACE RIGHT THERE.

PUT MY FINGER OVER IT.

AND UP ON TOP, THAT V-SHAPED THING, THAT'S A BIRD'S MOUTH.

SO WE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE.

BUT THEN I WANT TO TAKE YOU INTO THE DIMENSIONS OF WEIRDNESS WITH ANOTHER BOOK.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE FIRST NOW.

NOW, ACTUALLY I HAVE SOMETHING ALREADY ON THIS BENCH TO DO WITHOUT A VISE.

IT'S THIS RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS A STOP.

AND THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF VARIANTS ON THAT.

SO REMEMBER, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THINGS YOU CAN... HOW YOU CAN HOLD THE WOOD WITHOUT A VISE.

AND THIS IS A SURFACE-MOUNTED SPRING-LOADED DEVICE.

IT COMES UP, GOES OUT OF THE WAY IF YOU WANT IT.

AND THEN YOU CAN PUT YOUR WOOD RIGHT UP TO IT.

THIS IS AN OLD DEVICE, AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN WOOD.

IT CAN JUST BE A SCREW STUCK IN THE BENCH TOP, AND THEN YOU CAN PLANE.

SO THIS IS GREAT FOR SURFACE PLANING.

IF YOU HAVE IT BIG ENOUGH, YOU CAN STAND SOMETHING UP ON END.

BUT IT'S NOT REALLY GOOD FOR THAT.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

FOR THE FRONT, WHAT WE NEED IS THAT DEVICE I TALKED ABOUT CALLED A FROG.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE IT IS.

THIS IS GONNA GO... LET ME GET MY SCREWDRIVER.

AH, HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS IS SO FUNNY.

IT...IT'S...

IT'S CALLED A FROG.

IT'S PUT ON WITH SCREWS.

YOU'D THINK BEING CALLED A FROG, YOU'D PUT IT ON WITH RIVETS.

BUT NO.

HA HA HA!

LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THESE SCREWS STARTED.

UH...AND THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND SO GET THESE STARTED, AND I'LL USE MY BRACE AND BIT TO PUT IT ON.

SO IT'S JUST A LITTLE "V" CATCH RIGHT THERE MOUNTED TO THE FRONT OF THE VISE-- FRONT OF THE BENCH.

THERE'S NO VISE.

WE HAVE NO VISE.

AND THERE WE ARE, A LITTLE SCREW THERE.

AND A SCREW THERE.

I'LL JUST DO THAT.

AND THIS IS GOING TO GIVE ME SOMETHING TO JAM IN THERE.

I NEED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF A SUPPORT UNDER THE FRONT.

THERE WE ARE.

ALL RIGHT.

CROCHET.

A FROG.

THAT GOES THERE.

SO I'VE GOT A LITTLE PEG RIGHT AT THE FRONT THAT'S GONNA SUPPORT THE WOOD FROM FALLING DOWN.

YOU'D HAVE THESE ALL DOWN THE BENCH, HAVE HOLES FOR THE PEGS.

ON THIS BENCH, I COULD ACTUALLY OPEN A DRAWER...

IF I HAVE A BIG-ENOUGH BOARD AND LET THE DRAWER DO THE SUPPORT.

HERE, THOUGH, I'VE GOT A PIECE.

THE DRAWER DOESN'T COME UP.

SO I'VE GOT A HOLE BORED IN THE END DOWN HERE, AND THAT IS GONNA TAKE A PEG.

BUT ACTUALLY, IN THIS CASE, IT'S GONNA TAKE WHAT'S CALLED A BOARD HOOK.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS MADE TO SIT THROUGH AND HOOK ON THE INSIDE, DROP DOWN IN THERE, AND THEN IT'S GOT LITTLE STEPS HERE SO YOU CAN STEP IT FORWARD AND JUST LIKE A CLAMP, CLAMP YOUR BOARD TO THE FACE OF THE BENCH.

SO NOW WE'RE SET UP FOR THIS LONG-GRAINED PIECE.

AND WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

I NEED TO EDGE-PLANE.

THERE WE GO.

SO AGAIN WITHOUT A VISE.

WE DON'T NEED A VISE TO DO THE EDGE-PLANING.

WE DON'T NEED A VISE TO DO THE FACE-PLANING.

WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.

NOW, IN FACT, IN THE BOOK THERE THAT OUR COMMITTEE ON UTILIZATION OF SCRAP BOXES AND ODD PIECES OF LUMBER SHOW THIS RIGHT HERE.

AND YOU'LL SEE THIS VERY COMMONLY USED.

THIS LITTLE "V" IS A BIRD'S MOUTH RIGHT THERE.

THAT'S A BIRD'S MOUTH, AND THIS WILL COME RIGHT LIKE THAT AND HOLD IT.

AND OF COURSE, THIS WOULD BE SCREWED TO THE BENCH.

I'M NOT GONNA TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.

BUT THEN WITH THE BIRD'S MOUTH HOLDING THE PIECE, YOU CAN PLANE THE EDGE, BECAUSE IT'S HELD DOWN THERE IN THAT "V." NOW, THAT'S GREAT, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?

ARE YOU SATISFIED?

IS THAT A SENSUAL PLEASURE?

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET ME GET YOU SOME SENSUAL PLEASURE DEPARTMENT IF WEIRDNESS IS YOUR IDEA OF SENSUAL PLEASURE.

THIS IS A BOOK CALLED "THE YOUNG MECHANIC."

AND I BET I HAVE LOST THE PLACE IN HERE.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, THIS IS 1872.

AND HE TALKS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE--AH, HERE IT IS.

A VISE.

NOW, THIS IS A KIDS BOOK, AND I SAW THIS THING IN HERE, AND I SAID, "OK. "THESE ARE JUST TERRIBLE PLATES IN HERE.

AND THE GUY IS TALKING--" HE TALKS ABOUT FLOGGING MACHINES.

HE'S JUST REALLY A NUTTY WRITER FROM BRITISH 1870's AGAIN.

BUT HE SHOWED THIS THING.

I SAID, "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?"

WELL, IT'S A... DO YOU SEE HOW IT WORKS?

YOU PUT THE BOARD IN THE END, AND IT PUSHES AGAINST THESE TWO FAR ENDS THERE AND MAKES IT PINCH TIGHT, BECAUSE IT PIVOTS ON THOSE TWO SCREWS.

SO THIS HAD TO BE-- WELL, I HAD TO TRY IT.

WHAT AM I GONNA DO?

SO, JUST REMEMBERING THAT PLATE...

I MADE ONE OUT OF ELM.

HE SAYS USE ASH.

"ASH WILL BE BETTER THAN PINE."

AND, HA HA, THIS IS IT.

YOU COULD TAKE A PIECE IF IT'S-- THERE YOU GO.

FIT IT IN THERE, AND DO YOU SEE HOW, WHATEVER SIZE THE PIECE IS, IT'LL REACH IN DEEPER AND PINCH THAT TIGHTER.

SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU WOULD CALL THIS THING.

I MADE THIS OUT OF ELM HERE, 3/4 OF AN INCH THICK, AND DARN IF IT DOESN'T JUST WORK GREAT.

SO I'M THINKING WHAT A NEAT THING.

HE'S SAYING, "HERE'S SOMETHING A KID COULD MAKE, TO DO."

AND THEN I WENT BACK AND READ IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND HE DESCRIBES THE SIZE ON THIS THING.

THIS ONE THAT I'VE GOT HERE, THIS IS ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG, OUT OF ELM, AND 3/4 OF AN INCH THICK.

BIG DEAL.

YOU KNOW, NOTHING.

ALL RIGHT.

HE SAYS THE WAY THEY MAKE THESE, THOUGH, IS THAT THEY ARE THIS BIG, THIS BIG, FOLKS.

WE'RE TALKING GIANT HERE, FOLKS-- 9 INCHES LONG, 2 INCHES THICK, HUGE PIECES OUT OF ASH.

NOW TELL ME, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT A VISE-- AND THIS WORKS.

BELIEVE ME, IT WORKS-- BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT A VISE, HOW THE HECK ARE YOU GONNA MAKE THESE BIG PIECES?

WHAT'S GONNA HOLD THIS?

SO THAT'S GONNA BE OUR CHALLENGE NOW, IS TO SEE HOW WE HOLD THE WOOD WHILE WE MAKE THESE THINGS.

AND THEY ACTUALLY ARE KIND OF USEFUL, PARTICULARLY FOR THINGS LIKE THIS.

UH...IF YOU HAVE A CURVED PIECE...

SO THIS IS THE BACK SPLAT OF A CHAIR.

YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S CURVED, AND THAT MIGHT GIVE YOU DIFFICULTY HOLDING IT PROPERLY.

BUT WITH THIS PUSHED IN HERE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT HOLDS IT JUST FINE.

IT'LL HOLD A CURVED PIECE BECAUSE IT'S PINCHING IT AT-- JUST HOLDING IT AT TWO POINTS ONLY.

AND THE HARDER YOU PUSH, THE BETTER IT HOLDS IT.

AND SO HERE'S A WAY TO HOLD WOOD WHILE YOU SHAVE IT DOWN-- A CURVED PIECE, A BIG PIECE, IT ADJUSTS AUTOMATICALLY THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT TWO INCHES THICK OUT OF ASH OR OAK, OY.

WELL, ONE THING TO REMEMBER, THOUGH, IS THE OLD, OLD WOOD, THIS SLOW-GROWN STUFF IS MUCH SOFTER, MUCH MELLOWER TO WORK.

THAN FAST-GROWN OAK.

IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE WOOD.

SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, "OH, THIS IS SOLID OAK," AND THEY TRY AND DO IT OUT OF OAK NOW WITH BIG OLD RINGS.

IT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD.

WELL, LET'S SEE.

I'VE GOT SOME STUFF...

I WANT TO TAKE THAT APART.

HAVE I GOT THAT SCREWDRIVER?

YES.

OK.

SO I'LL JUST TAKE ONE OF THESE APART, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

SO THERE'S JUST A SCREW DOWN IN THERE.

AND GETTING THOSE SCREWS POSITIONED, THAT'S JUST TRIAL AND ERROR.

AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE TAKEN AWAY JUST ABOUT A THIRD IN THE MIDDLE THERE, USED THE SAME RULE THAT WE USE FOR MORTISE AND TENON, THAT THIS OPENING SHOULD BE MORE THAN A THIRD BUT LESS THAN A HALF OF THE THICKNESS THERE.

SO THIS SHOULD BE JUST UNDER AN INCH.

I DID ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS HERE ON THIS ONE.

SO THERE IT IS.

WE'RE GONNA DO IT NOW.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THERE'S A LOT OF STRAIN ON THIS TAIL HERE.

THIS THINNER PART IS TAKING A LOT OF STRAIN.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE WANT THE STRAIGHT GRAIN.

SO WHEN WE PUT IT ON THE WOOD, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT SO THAT THE GRAIN IS GOING DIAGONALLY THROUGH THIS PART.

YOU REALLY WANT THE LONG TAIL TO BE STRAIGHT-GRAINED.

SO HERE, IF I PUSH THAT DOWN SO THE SCREW COMES OUT...

THERE WE GO.

I'VE TRACED IT ON THIS ONE.

AND YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT THE STRAIGHT GRAIN OF THIS LOWER PIECE DEFINED BY THAT SHOULDER.

I'M GOING TO NOW TURN IT OVER AND TRACE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN DO THAT SOMEWHAT ACCURATELY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND...WE'LL JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THE WAYS YOU'D HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO GET THIS THING OUT WITHOUT A VISE, BECAUSE LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S AN INSIDE CURVE.

NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?

YOU CAN CUT THIS WITH A BOW SAW.

OH.

THAT'S A THICK, THICK CUT FOR EVEN AN EXPERIENCED PERSON WITH A TURNING SAW THERE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, STRAIGHT-GRAINED THROUGH THERE, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA CUT THE REST OF THIS SHAPE OUT.

AND DOING SOME OF THE THINGS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A VISE.

WELL, THE MAIN THING IS YOU DON'T NEED A VISE IF YOU HAVE A SAWING BENCH, SOMETHING YOU CAN KNEEL ON.

SO JUST PUT YOUR KNEE ON IT AND START THE CUT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THERE'S THE BOTTOM END.

NOW, I'VE GOT SOME OTHER CUTS HERE.

SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY WISE TO LEAVE THIS WHOLE THING AS LONG AS YOU CAN, BECAUSE, DO YOU SEE, HERE I'M HOLDING IT BY PUTTING MY KNEE ON IT, AND SO I CAN DO CUTS LIKE THIS.

SAY I WANT TO DO A CUT TO THE FULL DEPTH RIGHT THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

DOWN TO INTERSECT MY LINE.

THEY SOMETIMES CALL THESE STOPPING CUTS.

MUCH EASIER IF I HAVE THIS LONG PIECE.

THERE WE GO.

I'M SAWING TOTALLY BACKWARDS.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, EVEN THERE IT WAS RELATIVELY EASY BECAUSE I HAD LEFT ALL THIS LENGTH ON IT.

THAT'S WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE THERE.

LET ME GO AHEAD AND CUT THIS OFF NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT WAS A CROSS CUT, AND I'VE ALREADY DONE A LONG RIP THAT WAY.

AND YOU CAN REMOVE A LOT OF THIS WOOD JUST BLOCKING IT IN.

USING...

THESE STRAIGHT SAWS, YOU'RE JUST GONNA CUT A LOT FASTER.

NOW THIS I'M GONNA DO WITH AN AX.

SO, "USE AN AX?"

YOU SAY.

OH, YES.

OH, YES.

SO WE'RE GONNA USE AN AX, ACTUALLY, A LITTLE SCULPTOR'S ADZE, TO TRIM THIS DOWN.

SO HERE WE ARE.

YOU CAN SEE I'VE GOT ONE INTERNAL CUT RIGHT THERE AND THEN THESE OUTSIDE CUTS.

AND THIS IS THE TOOL I'M GONNA WORK WITH.

IT'S A SCULPTOR'S ADZE, AND IT HAS A HATCHET ON ONE END, AND ON THE OTHER END, A LITTLE SCOOPY ADZE BLADE THERE.

YOU CAN SEE.

SO YOU CAN WORK BOTH DIRECTIONS.

WE'RE GONNA DEFINITELY USE BOTH OF THEM.

SO WORKING AWAY FROM ME.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THAT STARTED RIGHT.

THERE WE GO.

AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MELLOW.

ISN'T THAT GREAT?

HOW MELLOW THE OAK IS.

BECAUSE IT'S SLOW-GROWING.

VERY SOFT, NICE, MELLOW WOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE WE GO.

SO VERY DIFFERENT OAK THAN WHAT YOU'D NORMALLY SEE.

SO THAT WAS FINE.

THAT WAS EASY.

I WAS ABLE TO TRIM THAT BACK SIDE OFF.

BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TO DO THE HOLLOW.

OH, BOY.

BUT WE DO HAVE A STOPPING CUT IN THERE.

SO LET'S SEE IF I CAN DO A LITTLE BIT.

I MAY WANT TO CUT SOME MORE.

I KNOW I WILL, BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW YOU OTHER WAYS OF HOLDING THE WOOD.

BUT SEE HOW WE CAN WORK OUR WAY DOWN WITH A "V"?

AND HERE.

AND BECAUSE WE'VE FOLLOWED THE GRAIN, WE'RE PRETTY SAFE ON THIS LEG HERE ALL THE WAY DOWN.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO WOULD SAY, "OH, KID, YOU DON'T HAVE A VISE.

"I'M GONNA BUY YOU AN ADZE, A LITTLE HATCHET LIKE THIS "SO THAT YOU CAN WORK EITHER THAT WAY OR THIS WAY, WORKING WITH THE ADZE PART ACROSS THE GRAIN."

SO AGAIN, A SCULPTOR'S ADZE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, I'M GONNA DO ALL THIS WITH A HATCHET.

IF I DON'T STOP, I'M NOT GONNA SHOW YOU THOSE OTHER STEPS HERE, BECAUSE WE CAN HOLD THE WOOD WITH OTHER DEVICES.

ALL RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S DO THAT.

I'VE GOT...OF COURSE, THE CLASSIC DEVICES THAT WE USE.

UM...BENCH HOOKS.

IF YOU THINK OF BENCH HOOKS, MAINLY YOU'RE THINKING OF HOLDFASTS, BUT BENCH HOOKS... DON'T LOOK LIKE HOOKS.

HA HA.

THEY'RE THESE WOODEN DEVICES LIKE THAT.

THERE'S ANOTHER STYLE OF BENCH HOOK AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

THE MORE COMMON CABINET MAKERS ONE.

THAT ONE'S GOOD.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THESE TWO HOOKS HERE ALLOW ME TO PUSH, LEAN AGAINST THE BENCH WITH... AND PUT MY HAND PRESSURE ON IT, AND I CAN THEN DO MY CUTS AWAY FROM ME WITH THIS STOP HOLDING THE WOOD VERY NICELY AND SECURELY.

SO ANY TIME YOU HAVE TO DO AN INTERNAL CUT LIKE THIS, START MAKING THESE...

I FEEL SILLY DOING THIS, BECAUSE I COULD CHOP THIS OUT.

BUT THIS IS THE PRINCIPLE.

MAKE THESE CROSS-GRAIN CUTS DOWN TO THE DEPTH.

I NEED A LITTLE PARAFFIN ON MY SAW THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

ENOUGH OF THAT.

I'M GONNA DO THE REST WITH A HATCHET.

SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, THESE RIGHT HERE, THAT'S WHAT YOU DO-- YOUR CROSS-GRAIN CUTTING WITHOUT A VISE.

WE'RE VISELESS WOODWORKING.

ALL RIGHT.

SO LET'S GO BACK TO THE HATCHET, AND THEN I'LL PROBABLY WORK WITH A HOLDFAST, A CHISEL.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF GREAT WAYS TO WORK.

SO NOW WE CAN DO A LITTLE CROSS-GRAIN CUT THERE, BECAUSE AGAIN WE HAVE THOSE STOPPING CUTS, AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT, WE HAVE THE WOOD SUPPORTED UNDERNEATH.

THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THIS WOOD UNDERNEATH.

SO THE BLADE HAS TO COME ALL THE WAY DOWN IN ORDER TO CUT IT.

SO LET ME SEE.

I'M GONNA STAND IT UP ON END NOW AND TRY THAT INSIDE CORNER.

SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IF MY STUMP HAD A STEP IN IT, THIS UPPER PART COULD BE SUPPORTED BY THAT STEP WALL IN THE STUMP INSTEAD OF THE BACK OF MY HAND.

SO JUST BACKING UP FOR THE HATCHET.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO TO THE ADZE NOW... AND TURN THAT CORNER.

YEAH.

SO LITTLE CUTS REPEATED AS YOU MOVE THE WOOD.

OH, MY HEAD IS COMING OFF.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, SO MUCH FOR THAT.

SEE WHAT HAPPENED?

MY HEAD STARTED TO COME OFF OF THE ADZE.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO ANOTHER TECHNIQUE.

NOT THAT THIS IS A LIKELY ONE THAT A KID WOULD BE ABLE TO USE.

SO AGAIN, STOPPING CUTS ACROSS THE GRAIN, JUST AS IN ANY HEWING, AND THEN MAYBE SOME CUTS DOWN THE GRAIN, ACROSS THE GRAIN, AND THERE WE GO, SMOOTHING IT UP.

SO WE'RE STARTING TO GET THAT SHAPE THAT WE'RE AFTER.

BUT LET'S DO A LITTLE BIT MORE REFINEMENT NOW.

I'M GONNA GET ME SOME CHISELS AND A HOLDFAST.

WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THIS LOWER BENCH, BECAUSE THIS HIGH BENCH IS GREAT IF YOU'RE...

DOING PLANING AND FINER JOINERY.

FOR MORTISING, TENONING, FOR HEAVY WORK, YOU WANT TO WORK ON A BENCH LIKE THIS ONE, THIS LOW BENCH HERE.

AGAIN, A VISELESS BENCH.

THERE WE ARE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, ALL THIS IS...HA HA HA!

I'M DOING THE EASY PART FIRST.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REAL CHALLENGE WHEN WE GET TO SAWING THAT GAP DOWN THE MIDDLE.

BUT I DO WANT TO GET YOU TO SEE THIS PART.

NOW, HERE'S THE HOLDFAST.

SO THIS IS, AGAIN, AN UNLIKELY THING FOR, IF YOU'RE A KID, TO HAVE.

IT'S UNLIKELY FOR JUST ABOUT ANYBODY TO HAVE.

THIS IRON HOOK GOES INTO AN OVERSIZED HOLE DOWN HERE.

WE GIVE IT A HIT, AND IT GETS COCKED IN THAT HOLE.

IT'S VERY, VERY TIGHT IN THERE.

NOW, I COULD PICK THE WHOLE BENCH UP BEFORE THAT WOULD COME OUT.

TO RELEASE IT, HIT IT RIGHT HERE.

SEE?

SO IT RELIES ON ITS SPRINGINESS TO HOLD THIS DOWN.

I CAN NOW START WORKING WITH A MALLET AND GOUGE BECAUSE I'VE GOT BOTH HANDS FREE.

[HAMMERING] AND USE AN IN-CANTLE OR A SCRIBING GOUGE.

SO THIS IS A GOUGE WITH THE...OOH.

THAT CUT WAS A LITTLE TOO HUNGRY THERE.

UH...UH...

THE BEVEL IS ON THE INSIDE OF THE CURVE.

AND I'VE JUST ABOUT DONE ALL OF THE...YEAH.

NICE.

OK. SEE HOW WE'RE ENSMOOTHENING THAT CURVE?

NOW I CAN TAKE, AGAIN, A SOCKET CHISEL AND DO THIS ONE.

HERE I'VE GOT TO START AT THE TOP OF THE CURVE AND WORK MY WAY DOWN.

OTHERWISE, I TRAP THE GRAIN.

SEE?

I'M WORKING FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION.

DOWN THE HILL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU ALWAYS WORK IT.

AND HERE I'M GONNA WORK OFF THE TOP OF THE HILL ON THIS BACKSIDE.

THESE ARE SOCKETED CHISELS, AND SO THEY CAN BE HIT WITH A MALLET.

ALL RIGHT.

ENOUGH OF THAT.

THESE CAN BE HIT WITH A MALLET ALL THE WAY DOWN.

AS YOU CAN SEE, HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE.

SO THERE'S THE CHISEL I WAS USING.

IT'S A FIRMER CHISEL WITH A SOCKET.

THIS ONE, LOOK HOW THIN THIS ONE IS WITH THE TENON TOWARD YOU.

SEE HOW THIN THIS IS?

AND IT HAS ACTUALLY A TANG AND A BOLSTER THERE.

SO THIS ONE CAN ONLY BE PUSHED.

SO TO WORK THIS SURFACE HERE, WE WOULD NEVER HIT THIS WITH A MALLET.

JUST SLIDE IT DOWN, TAKING A FINER CUT.

SO THIS IS THE REFINING VERSION OF THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOT SO BAD.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

I'M GONNA KNOCK THIS APART.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO BEING PUT TOGETHER.

I'M GOING TO GO BACK AGAIN TO THE BENCH HOOKS, WHICH WE ALL LOVE AND RELY UPON.

AND NOW I'M GONNA TRADE THAT ONE OUT.

AND HERE I'VE GOT A BLOCK PLANE.

SO NOW AGAIN WE'VE GOT ONE HAND ON THE TOOL.

WE NEED ONE HAND TO HOLD THE WORK IN THIS CASE.

SO THE BLOCK PLANE IS IDEAL FOR THAT.

NOW, ANOTHER GOOD TOOL IS, OF COURSE, THE SPOKESHAVE, BUT THE SPOKESHAVE TAKES TWO HANDS TO HOLD IT.

SO I CAN'T REALLY DO IT.

I NEED ONE TO HOLD THE WOOD IN THIS CASE, AND SO THAT'S WHY THE BLOCK PLANE IS IDEAL, JUST AS THE HOLDFAST WAS NECESSARY WHEN I WANTED TO USE THE MALLET AND THE CHISEL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE WORK OUR WAY DOWN, ENSMOOTHENING THIS ALL THE WAY.

HERE IS THAT FINAL SHAPE WE'RE GONNA GO FOR.

IT'S GOT TO HAVE A "V," AND THE OTHER ONE HAS A TONGUE.

I HAVE THE GAUGE ALREADY SET.

THIS HAS TWO TEETH IN IT.

AND SO WE JUST SET THESE SO IT'S GONNA CROSS LIKE THAT, AND WITH TRIAL AND ERROR, YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT CROSSING POINT WOULD BE.

HERE I'M GONNA RUN THAT DOWN, AND DOWN THIS WAY.

AND SO NOW I HAVE MY LINES.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS WE'RE NOT GONNA FINISH.

I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND PUT THE OTHER TWO TOGETHER, BECAUSE I'M GONNA HAVE TO BORE A HOLE THROUGH HERE NOW.

HOW COULD I DO IT?

I COULD DO IT... LET ME JUST DO IT...WELL, I'M GONNA PUT MY KNEE ON IT.

LET'S DO THAT.

AND I'LL WORK WITH THE FLAT SIDE DOWN.

SO WE'LL SET THIS RIGHT ABOUT HERE.

ALL RIGHT?

NOW, WHAT I'M DOING IS, AGAIN, ESSENTIALLY A STOPPING CUT.

I'M GONNA RIP THESE TWO LINES DOWN.

THIS I'M MAKING THE SOCKET.

AND BY BORING THE HOLE DOWN HERE, I END, I MAKE A STOP AT THE END OF THE LONG MORTISE, THE TWO SLOTS THERE.

SO NOW I CAN JUST SAW AND CHISEL THOSE THINGS OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE WE GO.

ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS RIP DOWN THOSE LINES THAT WE MADE, MAKING THAT SLOT, AND THEN WE END UP WITH A PIECE JUST LIKE THIS RIGHT HERE.

THE OTHER ONE THAT MATCHES IS THE ONE THAT JUST GETS CUT DOWN EITHER SIDE TO MAKE THAT TONGUE.

THOSE TWO INTERLOCK, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO POSITION THESE.

NOW, GETTING THOSE HOLES IN THE RIGHT POSITION IS JUST A MATTER OF EXPERIMENTATION.

YOU CAN GET THE AMOUNT OF LEVERAGE AND OPENING QUITE VARIABLE.

AND LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE.

SO THIS IS COUNTERSUNK, AND THE SCREW IS LEFT LOOSE ENOUGH THAT THESE THINGS CAN MOVE-- AND SEE, JUST LIKE THAT-- SO THAT WHEN WE PUT THE PIECE, NO MATTER HOW WIDE IT IS, GOES IN THERE, LOCKS ITSELF IN PLACE, AND NOW IT'S HELD FOR EDGE-PLANING ALL THE WAY DOWN AS NICE AS YOU PLEASE.

SO THERE YOU GO.

THAT'S IT.

A FEW SENSUAL PLEASURES IN THERE, WEREN'T THERE?

THANKS FOR JOINING ME.

THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

SO LONG.

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

YOU CAN FIND US ON LINE AT pbs.org.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [CAT MEOWS] [THUNDER] [HORN HONKING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

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.