Welsh Stick Chair I

ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [BIRD SQUAWKS] [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."

[CAR HORNS HONKING] [FIDDLE MUSIC PLAYING] HEY, WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU CAN BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME, THOUGH, I MUST ASK, A PIECE OF FURNITURE MADE YOU LAUGH?

WELL, THIS ONE DID.

HA HA!

THE ORIGINAL DID.

I JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN SHAKESPEARE COUNTRY, IN STRATFORD-ON-AVON.

WENT TO SHAKESPEARE'S DAUGHTER'S HOME.

IT'S CALLED HALL'S CROFT.

SUSANNA MARRIED DR. HALL-- SHAKESPEARE'S DAUGHTER-- AND IN THE CORNER WAS THIS WONDERFUL LITTLE CHAIR, AND IT MADE ME LAUGH.

LOOK AT THE COMB ON THIS THING.

IT'S JUST SUCH A WONDERFUL LITTLE PIECE THERE, AND IT HAS THIS HUMOR, THIS WONDERFUL KIND OF ROOSTER COMB TOP TO IT THERE.

HA HA HA!

IT'S FUNNY.

AND SUSANNA, SHAKESPEARE'S DAUGHTER, WAS RENOWNED AS A WIT, SO WHOEVER PUT THAT CHAIR IN THERE FOR HER, I THINK, KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

I WAS ALSO GLAD TO SEE THIS CHAIR BECAUSE IT WAS SMALL, AND IT ENABLED ME TO DO SOMETHING WITH A PIECE OF ELM THAT I PUT AWAY 40 YEARS AGO.

40 YEARS AGO.

THEY WERE CUTTING THIS DOWN.

I ASKED THE FELLA WITH HIS POWER SAW, "CUT ME A SLAB OF THIS STUFF."

HE CUT OUT A SLAB A GOOD BIT BIGGER THAN THAT.

I HAD TO TRIM IT DOWN.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SMALL FOR A REGULAR WINDSOR CHAIR, BUT FOR THIS ONE, IT WAS JUST PERFECT.

SO WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO DO THIS LOWER PART RIGHT HERE.

IN FACT, WELL, LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO DO.

I HAD TO BUILD THIS FROM A PHOTOGRAPH THAT I HAD, AND LOOKING AT JUST KIND OF KEYSTONE THINGS.

WE'RE GONNA DO THIS PART.

WE'RE GONNA DO THE SLAB PART AND GET THE LEGS IN, GET THE SLAB PREPARED, THE SEAT ITSELF, AND IN THE PHOT-- WELL, HERE.

LET ME SHOW YOU.

THIS IS THE PHOTOGRAPH I HAD TO WORK FROM THERE.

THAT PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE LEGS ARE ALMOST PLUMB BELOW THE CORNER.

DO YOU SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE LEG THERE?

THAT SITS PLUMB BELOW THE FRONT CORNER OF THE CHAIR.

SO WORKING FROM THIS PHOTOGRAPH, I JUST DEDUCED EACH OF THESE ANGLES.

I'LL MAKE SEVERAL OF THESE CHAIRS AND SEE IF I CAN'T REFINE IT.

BUT ANYWAY, I THINK I GOT IT PRETTY CLOSE.

YEAH.

SO WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO GET THE SPLAY ON THESE LEGS JUST RIGHT, HOW TO TRIM IT OUT, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE UPPER PART, DOING THE WONDERFUL ARMS THAT DON'T COME ALL THE WAY BACK.

I THINK THAT'S SO COOL.

THEY'RE INTERRUPTED RIGHT THERE.

IT'S LIKE--HA HA HA!-- A CAPTAIN'S CHAIR THAT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT, BUT THEN YOU COME UP TO THE COMB AND CARRY ACROSS, SO IT'S LIKE TOWER BRIDGE.

IT'S JUST A GREAT LITTLE PIECE.

I REALLY LIKE IT.

SO WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO GET STARTED ON THIS, AND I'M GONNA START WITH NOT A PIECE THAT I PUT AWAY 40 YEARS AGO LIKE THIS ELM, BUT A PIECE I PUT AWAY ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO.

THIS IS SOME SYCAMORE, AND AGAIN FELLAS WERE CUTTING IT UP.

SYCAMORE IS ANOTHER GOOD WOOD FOR THIS, AND YOU'LL SEE THE POWER SAW MARKS ON IT.

NOW, THIS IS AN ADZE, A LITTLE ADZE HERE.

YOU USE THIS WHILE THE WOOD IS STILL PRETTY FRESH AND GREEN AND TRIM DOWN THE BIG HUMPTY BUMPS AND WORK AROUND WITH THE GRAIN.

NOW, ELM--THE REASON WE USE IT FOR A CHAIR SEAT IS THAT THE GRAIN TURNS-- OR IT DOESN'T TURN SO MUCH AS IT'S INTERLOCKED-- LET ME SEE IF I CAN'T GET THIS THING GOING THERE A LITTLE BETTER.

THERE WE GO.

BUT I CAN'T FOOL AROUND WITH AN ADZE.

YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU'RE SWINGING, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE PERFECT CONTROL OVER THE DEPTH, AND TRY AND KEEP IT FROM DIGGING IN LIKE I'M LETTING IT DO RIGHT HERE.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET US A PIECE AND SMOOTH IT.

IF I WOULD SHUT UP, IT MIGHT HELP.

LET'S SEE.

HERE WE GO.

UH.

WELL, ANYWAY, YOU SEE THE TOUGHNESS OF ELM.

HA HA HA!

THERE WE GO.

OK.

I HAD TO SNEAK UP ALL THE WAY AROUND IT.

SO, SEE, GETTING THIS SMOOTHER AND SMOOTHER.

SO AS THIS DRIES, WE CHANGE FROM ONE TOOL TO ANOTHER, ADZING IT DOWN ACROSS THERE-- WHOO!

MAY HAVE WAITED TOO LONG FOR THAT-- AND THEN WE'LL WORK ON WITH THE PLANE.

SO I'VE CUT DOWN A PIECE OF THAT SYCAMORE TO 18 INCHES WIDE AND 14 INCHES DEEP WITH THE GRAIN RUNNING IN THE LONG DIRECTION.

AND NOW LET'S SEE.

YOU CAN SEE THE SAW MARKS ARE STILL ON HERE.

SOME OF THE ADZE MARKS ARE STILL ON THIS PIECE.

AND--HA HA HA!--I'LL CLAMP IT UP, AND I'M GONNA START IN WITH A SCRUB PLANE AND START BRINGING IT DOWN.

NOW, AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE THE TOOL THAT FOLLOWS THE ADZE HERE, AND YOU'LL SEE THE IRON THERE, THE CUTTER, THE BLADE, AS YOU VULGARLY CALL IT, THE BLADE THERE IS CAMBERED.

THE IRON IS CAMBERED.

IT'S ROUNDED, SO THIS THING TAKES SCOOPS AS IT GOES ACROSS THE WOOD THERE.

YOU SEE THAT IRON STICKING OUT IN A SCOOP, SO IT TAKES A NICE BITE OUT OF THE WOOD.

NOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S GOUGING DEEP, YOU HAVE TO EVEN IT OUT BY WORKING THE ENTIRE SURFACE ALL THE WAY ACROSS.

ALL RIGHT.

IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE I WAS...

DOING VERY MUCH, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS START WITH THE IRON OFF THE WOOD, BRING IT ON THE WOOD, AND TAKE IT ALL THE WAY OFF THE WOOD WITH EVERY PASS.

AND AS YOU GET MORE LEVEL, YOU HEAR THAT... THAT SOUND BE MORE CONTINUOUS ACROSS.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, IN THIS CASE-- HA HA!--WE WANT TO-- THIS IS, AGAIN, A SYCAMORE-- I WANT TO WORK IT DOWN JUST TO WHERE I CAN TELL WHERE THE FLAWS ARE.

THERE'S A FLAW RIGHT THERE, OBVIOUSLY, SO I KNOW I'M GONNA CUT THAT OFF.

SO I USE THIS FOR LAYOUT, STUDYING NOT ONLY THE FLAWS BUT THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD.

SO HERE IS THE GRAIN OF SYCAMORE.

LOOK AT THIS, THOUGH.

IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL RIGHT THERE.

YOU SEE THAT WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL GRAIN THAT SYCAMORE HAS, AND I HAVE--ACTUALLY, I'LL SHOW YOU A PIECE OF ELM, SHOW YOU WHY I'M SO FOND OF WORKING WITH IT.

SO THAT'S SYCAMORE.

THIS IS ELM GRAIN.

AND AGAIN, LOOK AT THAT--JUST THAT WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL GRAIN OF ELM IS JUST--JUST BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S SO DEEP AND WONDERFUL.

WELL, SYCAMORE IS NICE, TOO, AND AGAIN, IT'S INTERLOCKED GRAIN, AND IT DOESN'T SPLIT AS BADLY AS SOME OTHER WOODS.

SO YOU WOULDN'T TRY THIS WITH A WEAKER WOOD OR A WOOD WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE A RED OAK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT BE PLENTY STRONG, BUT IT WOULD STILL SPLIT, PERHAPS.

SO.

SO HERE WE ARE.

WE'RE DOWN A BIT NOW.

I'M GONNA DO THE LAYOUT.

I KNOCKED OVER A PIECE HERE.

NOW, I WANT TO SAY WHY THIS PIECE HERE IS HERE.

IT'S A PIECE OF PANEL.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAKING A WINDSOR CHAIR OR A WELSH STICK CHAIR, AS THEY'RE CALLED SOMETIMES.

BUT THIS IS SHAKESPEARE'S WOODWORKING, AND IN ONE OF THE PLAYS, HE SAYS--BECAUSE THERE WAS GONNA BE A FOREST WEDDING-- HE SAYS, "AH.

THIS FELLOW WILL JOIN YOU AS THEY JOIN WAINSCOT; "THEN ONE OF YOU SHALL PROVE A SHRUNK PANEL, AND, LIKE GREEN TIMBER, WARP."

WARP.

WELL, HERE IS A SHRUNK PANEL THAT HAS WARPED, AND YOU SEE HOW THE FLAT GRAIN HAS WARPED THIS BOARD.

SHAKESPEARE KNEW HIS WOODWORKING THERE.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

I HAVE A LOT--I'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE WANT THESE--THIS SEAT TO BE THE GREENER OF THE WOOD, NOT THE LEGS TO BE SO GREEN SO THAT AS THIS DRIES, IT'LL SHRINK UP ON IT.

BUT LET'S GET ON WITH THE LAYOUT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'M GONNA USE TRAMMEL POINTS.

HERE.

SO I'VE GOT THIS 14 INCHES FROM FRONT TO BACK.

I'VE GOT 18 INCHES AROUND, SO THAT MEANS TO LAY OUT THAT CIRCLE, I WANT TO LAY OUT A 9-INCH ARC, RIGHT?

TO DO THAT CIRCLE BECAUSE IT'S JUST CIRCULAR TO THE BACK IS WHAT I SAW.

SO A VERY SIMPLE DESIGN, AND SO WE CAN LAY OUT THAT ARC RIGHT THERE ON IT.

ALL RIGHT, AND THAT TELLS US WHAT WE'RE GONNA SAW TO.

I'M GOING TO PUT A MARK HERE AND HERE THAT WILL HELP ME DO THE LEGS AS WELL, I THINK, AS LONG AS THAT BACK IS SQUARE.

I HOPE THAT'S RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

THEN LET'S JUST CARRY ON WITH THAT.

SO, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS NOW SAW OFF THE ROUNDOSITY, JUST ONE OF THESE ROUNDOSITIES HERE WITH THIS.

HA HA HA!

AND THE REASON FOR SAWING IT OFF NOW EVEN BEFORE IT'S FINISHED IS YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE PLANING WOOD THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LATER CUT AWAY.

SO IF YOU CAN SAW IT OFF, THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD THING TO DO BEFORE YOU DO TOO MUCH FINISHING ON THE SURFACE.

SO HERE I'VE GOT A TURNING SAW AND GET IT GOING.

THERE WE ARE.

THEN I'LL BRING THIS... WHOO.

THERE WE GO.

YEAH.

SHAKESPEARE WAS A HECK OF A WOODWORKER.

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THE CARPENTER'S PLAY "MEASURE FOR MEASURE."

HE JUST CUT ONCE IN THAT.

UH, HA HA!

YOU KNOW THE FAMOUS CRY, "A HORSE, A HORSE!

MY KINGDOM FOR A SHAVING HORSE."

HA HA HA!

UH, THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG SAW-CUT HERE.

AH, "THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR."

UH, THEY YELL, "LET THEM FROM FORTH A SAW-PIT RUSH AT ONCE," AND THEY'RE GOING TO SURPRISE FALSTAFF AND SCARE HIM.

WELL, A PIT SAW IS... HOW YOU WOULD SAW OUT THESE ELM PLANKS AT THE TIME.

THERE HAVE BEEN SAWMILLS AROUND SINCE THE 1300s.

UH.

BUT ELM, YOU CAN PIT-SAW AS WELL...

USING A TWO-MAN ALCOHOL-POWERED SAW.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN SHAKESPEARE THERE IS THE GREAT QUESTION ABOUT DECORATIVE WOODWORKING, HOW TO TREAT AN EDGE: "TO BEAD OR NOT TO BEAD, THAT IS THE QUESTION."

AND THERE WE GO.

OK.

SO WE'LL BRING THAT ALL THE WAY AROUND.

I'M JUSTONNA DO ONE THESE ROUNDOSITIES BECAUSE VERY OFTEN THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL DO... LAY OUT--LEAVE THIS THING FULL, RATHER.

INSTEAD OF SAWING THAT BACK OFF, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LEG IT UP.

BUT FOR ME IT'S WORKING WELL TO DO IT LIKE THIS.

SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND LAY THE BASELINE HERE FOR OUR NEXT STEP.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M JUST GONNA DO THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT THE LEGS ON HERE.

SO IF I MOVE THE LEG-- SO I'M GONNA PUT LEGS UP HERE ABOUT TWO INCHES IN FROM THE CORNERS, AND THEN BACK HERE, THIS ROUNDNESS GIVES ME A PROBLEM.

AS I COME AROUND THE CORNERS, WHERE I PUT THOSE LAST TWO LEGS, THEY CONVERGED.

YOU SEE IF I GET CLOSER TO THE BACK, I'M MORE STABLE FOR FRONT TO BACK ROCKING.

ACTUALLY, IT WOULD BE LIKE THAT--FRONT TO BACK ROCKING BECAUSE I'M UPSIDE DOWN NOW-- MY LEGS ARE SPLAYING OUT-- FRONT TO BACK ROCKING, BUT IF I COME FORWARD THIS WAY, I'M MORE STABLE SIDE TO SIDE, BUT THE FRONT TO BACK GETS WORSE.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

THIS IS MORE STABLE FRONT TO BACK.

THIS IS MORE STABLE SIDE TO SIDE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT IT?

WELL, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS FIND A BISECTION OF THAT CIRCLE.

SO I'M GONNA RUN A LINE RIGHT HERE RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE, AND THERE'S A BISECTION.

WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS ACTUALLY FIND THE QUARTER.

SO WE'LL BISECT THAT WITH THE DIVIDERS HERE, SO TAKE A DIVIDER, RUN AN ARC LIKE THAT.

SO, SEE, NOW I'VE FOUND EQUAL BASELINES ON THIS ONE.

LET'S DO THIS ONE FIRST AND THEN COME OUT FROM THAT WITH A SWING, COME OUT FROM THAT WITH--OOP-- COME OUT FROM THAT WITH A SWING AND THE SAME THING HERE.

THE SAME STUFF SHAKESPEARE WOULD HAVE LEARNED AT HIS LITTLE GRAMMAR SCHOOL THERE IN STRATFORD.

AND THEN OUT THIS WAY.

SO HERE NOW WE HAVE A BISECTION OF THE CIRCLE THAT WE HAD.

SO WE HAD A QUADRANT; NOW WE HAVE AN EIGHTH.

ALL RIGHT, AND IT'S ON THAT LINE THAT I'M GOING TO PUT THE LEGS.

I'LL MEASURE THAT TWO INCHES IN, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I GET MORE MILEAGE OUT OF THIS TOOL, THIS DIVIDER WITH THE PENCIL IN IT, THAN JUST ABOUT ANY TOOL THAT I HAVE.

SO THERE WE GO.

THIS IS THE UNDERSIDE NOW.

I'M TWO INCHES IN.

I'M GONNA COME IN TWO INCHES RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN DOWN IN THE CORNERS, DOWN HERE, I'M GOING TO COME IN WITH THE DIVIDERS TWO INCHES FROM THE FRONT, TWO INCHES FROM THE SIDE.

THAT INTERSECTION IS WHERE THE LEG GOES-- TWO INCHES, TWO INCHES, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT LEG GOES.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO BORE THOSE LEGS.

NOW, THEY'VE GOT TO SPLAY OUT FROM--TO THE SIDES AND TO THE BACK, AND I'M GONNA PUT SIGHTLINES ON HERE, ACTUALLY-- THEY'RE CALLED SIGHTLINES-- THAT RUN FROM LEG TO LEG.

AND THAT'S JUST A VERY SIMPLE WAY OF DOING THIS.

MUCH MORE COMPLEX WHEN YOU GET INTO NICE WINDSOR CHAIRS.

AND WHAT THAT IS IS THAT TELLS YOU THE LINE ON WHICH THE LEG--IF YOU SIGHT DOWN IT, IT LOOKS VERTICAL BECAUSE THE SLOPE IS BEING INTERRUPTED.

SO HERE, IF I HAVE THIS PENCIL, IT LOOKS LIKE-- ABOUT LOOKING DOWN THE SIGHTLINE THERE-- YOU LOOK DOWN THE SIGHTLINE AND SEE HOW IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN?

BUT IF YOU LOOK FROM THE SIDE, YOU WOULD SEE THAT IT'S REALLY, REALLY SLOPED.

SO ALONG THAT SIGHTLINE, THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK TO SEE THIS LEG SO THAT IT'S BOTH SPLAYED OUT AND SPLAYED TO THE SIDE, TO THE FRONT AND THE BACK.

WE FIND THAT VERTICAL POINT, THAT ONE POINT, AND WE CAN DO THAT WITH A PAIR OF DIVIDERS-- I'M SORRY, A BEVEL GAUGE LIKE THIS.

THIS BEVEL GAUGE I HAVE SET TO ABOUT 1 IN 4, AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE THAT LEG, WHEN IT COMES OUT, THE CENTER OF THAT LEG, DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CORNER OF THESE.

REMEMBER WE'RE WORKING UPSIDE DOWN.

ALL RIGHT, SO DID ALL THAT MAKE SENSE?

ALL RIGHT.

PLENTY MORE TO FIND OUT ON THIS.

I'M GONNA PUT THIS IN A LITTLE CLAMP THAT I HAVE HERE, MY, UH, DRILL-PRESS CLAMP, AND THAT'S GOING TO HOLD THIS VERY NICELY SO THAT I CAN SWIVEL IT AROUND AND USE IT AS A GUIDE FOR THE AUGER, SO LET'S UNDO THAT AND TAKE IT DOWN HERE TO THE BENCH, AND WE'LL GET TO THE BORING PART.

THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO SEE SOMETHING REALLY WONDERFUL.

I WANT YOU TO--SHALL I DO-- YEAH, WHAT THE HECK?

I'M GONNA DO IT.

I'LL--IT'S GONNA CAUSE ME A LITTLE BIT OF-- MAYBE I CAN DO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT A SPOON BIT DOES.

THIS IS THE CLASSIC CHAIR-BUILDER'S BIT HERE.

SO HERE IS A SPOON BIT.

YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S SHAPED LIKE A SPOON.

YOU COULD DRINK SOUP OUT OF THAT.

IT LOOKS LIKE A MARROW SPOON.

MARROW WAS BIG STUFF AT THE TIME.

NEVERTHELESS, THIS SPOON BIT-- LET ME JUST SHOW YOU HOW NICE IT IS FOR CHAIR-BUILDING.

NOTICE HOW IT DOESN'T HAVE A SPUR POINT.

NOW, I CAN START IT-- LET ME MOVE MY-- I CAN START IT VERTICALLY AND THEN, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE A BALL AND SOCKET, EASE IT OVER ALONG THE SIGHTLINE AND BRING IT DOWN--I'M GONNA GO AHEAD--OH, WHAT THE HECK?

HA HA HA!

THE MORE I DO, THE HARDER IT'S GONNA BE BECAUSE THIS SPOON BIT IS NOT BIG ENOUGH-- WELL, I'M IN ALL THE WAY RIGHT NOW.

LOOK AT THAT WONDERFUL LITTLE SHAVING THAT THAT TAKES OUT THERE.

THAT IS DIAGNOSTIC OF A SPOON BIT, AND THESE END UP IN RATS' NESTS, AND YOU CAN KIND OF TELL WHEN-- WHAT KIND OF BIT WAS BEING USED.

NEVERTHELESS, THIS IS THE WONDERFUL SPOON BIT.

WHAT I'M GONNA ACTUALLY USE ON THE OTHER ONE, THOUGH, IS THIS KIND OF BIT.

THIS IS A JENNINGS BIT.

THIS WAS INVENTED ABOUT 1810, AND YOU CAN SEE IT HAS THAT SCREW POINT THERE THAT POKES THROUGH ON THE END, SO IT'S NOT AS GOOD FOR CHAIR-BUILDING AS THE SPOON BIT, BUT I'LL TAKE IT DOWN TO THE OTHER END HERE.

WE'LL REPOSITION OUR GUIDE.

I'VE GOT THIS THING HELD REASONABLY WELL... ALL RIGHT...

IN THE HOLD FAST.

AND I'LL AIM RIGHT ON-- I GOT THIS-- MY BEVEL SET RIGHT ON THE SIGHTLINE, AND I'LL AIM RIGHT ON DOWN.

SO HERE WE GO.

NICE SYCAMORE IN THIS CASE.

IT'LL WORK WITH ELM AND BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL STUFF THERE.

YEAH.

HA HA HA!

GET MY CHAIR OUT OF THE WAY HERE.

AND I'VE GOT A VERY LONG SWEEP AUGER HERE, THIS AUGER IS-- THIS BRACE, RATHER, HAS GOT THIS LONG ARM ON IT, SO I'M REALLY GETTING SOME POWER.

IT'S VERY EASY TO BORE.

IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE SHORT-THROW BRACE, IT TAKES A LOT OF TORQUE, SPEAKING OF WHICH, I'VE GOT BRACES THAT CAME FROM WARWICKSHIRE.

AH.

HA HA HA!

ALL RIGHT, NOW.

THERE WE GO.

SEE THAT WONDERFUL-- HOW THAT CHARACTERISTIC GRAIN THAT HANGS TOGETHER TO MAKE A GOOD SEAT STILL HANGS TOGETHER IN THE AUGER HOLE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, THAT'S A CYLINDRICAL HOLE, BUT I THINK WHAT WE WANT-- I'M GONNA DO, ANYWAY-- IS A TAPERED, REAMED OUT HOLE BECAUSE IT'S MORE IN THE TRADITION OF THE-- THE CONTEMPORARY WINDSOR-MAKERS.

SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF REAMERS.

WE'VE GOT A CYLINDER.

NOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT A CONICAL SECTION, AND HERE'S TWO--HA HA HA!-- REAMERS HERE.

THIS ONE IS A COOPER'S BUNG-HOLE REAMER, USED TO MAKE THE HOLE FOR THE CORK THAT YOU HAVE IN THE SIDE OF A WINE CASK, AND YOU SEE IT'S GOT A CUTTER RIGHT THERE.

THIS ONE IS USED BY INSTRUMENT-MAKERS AS WELL AS CHAIR-MAKERS.

THIS WE HAVE THE TURNED WOODEN SHAFT TO THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE TAPER THAT WE WANT, AND THEN VERY PRECISELY TO THAT TAPER IS THIS PIECE OF SAW-BLADE- THICKNESS CUTTER RIGHT HERE-- SHARP ON THAT FACE THERE AND SHARP ON THAT FACE-- SET LOOSELY IN THE SLOT--OOPS-- LOOSELY IN THE--LOOSE--UH-- IT'S SO SHARP, I CAN'T EVEN GET IT IN THERE-- THERE IT IS--LOOSELY IN THE SLOT SO IT BECOMES SELF-CENTERING BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HERE.

SO THIS IS JUST GREAT.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA TRY THAT NOW, TO GET THAT IN, AND WE'LL START CUTTING DOWN, AND IT JAMS REALLY QUICKLY.

YOU CAN SEE IT GET IN THERE-- YOU CAN STEER IT TO THE-- I'M STEERING OVER TO THE SIDE THERE A LITTLE BIT-- YOU CAN SEE IT ALREADY IS JAMMED.

LET ME GET SOMETHING TO TAKE IT OUT, BECAUSE THESE ARE SHARP, SHARP CUTTERS, AND YOU WILL CUT YOURSELF, SO WORK THIS DOWN, MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE INDEED CENTERED AND STILL ACTUALLY MAINTAINING THAT SAME ANGLE BECAUSE YOU CAN CHANGE IT, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY CORRECT IT.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, TO CORRECT IT, THOUGH, WE'RE GONNA NEED THE LEG TO HAVE--PUT IN HERE, SO LET'S DO THAT RIGHT NOW.

LET'S DO THE LEGS.

I THINK THERE WAS MORE WALNUT IN THE ORIGINAL ONE.

I'M GONNA USE SOME ASH.

ONE THING YOU CAN BE SURE OF IS IT'S NOT ELM BECAUSE WE CHOOSE ELM FOR THE SEATS BECAUSE ELM WILL NOT CLEAVE.

IT WILL NOT RIVE.

AND I'M GOING TO RIVE THIS ASH HERE--HA HA HA!-- VERY CLEANLY, SO YOU CAN SEE A STRAIGHT GRAIN PLANE OF CLEAVAGE ALL THE WAY DOWN.

A LITTLE BIT OF BEND THERE AT THE END.

NOW, IF I WANTED TO MAKE A FANCY CHAIR, THAT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT.

I COULD CARVE A BALL-AND-CLAW FOOT IN THERE.

WELL, I'VE GOT SOME OTHER PIECES I'VE PUT OUT.

HERE.

MOVE THIS--MOVE OUR CHAIR OUT OF THE WAY.

AH.

AND I HAVE SOME PIECES READY.

LET ME SEE IF I HAVE ONE HERE THAT I-- WELL, LET'S JUST USE THIS ONE HERE.

I GOT MY DRAWKNIFE AND THIS SHAVING HORSE, AND I'VE WORKED STEP BY STEP FOR THE DRYING, JUST AS YOU WOULD ALWAYS DO.

SO WE'VE GOT FRESH, GREEN WOOD THAT CLEAVES VERY EASILY, BUT IF WE BRING IT DOWN TO THE FINAL SHAPE, REMEMBER IT'S GONNA SHRINK, SO WE WANT TO KEEP-- WE DON'T WANT THE WOOD TO SHRINK TOO MUCH ON US, NOR DO WE WANT IT TO CRACK.

SO SLOW DRYING IS THE KEY.

SO START WITH THAT CLEFT WOOD AND BRING IT DOWN IN THE HORSE TO, SAY, TWO INCHES SQUARE AND PUT THAT ASIDE.

I'M TRYING TO GO AS STRAIGHT WITH THE GRAIN AS I CAN.

TAKE THIS TWO-INCH-SIZED PIECE, PUT IT ASIDE, AND THEN COME BACK AT IT AND BRING IT DOWN TO THE NEXT STEP, MAYBE AN INCH AND A HALF.

AND AGAIN TRY AND STAY RIGHT WITH THE GRAIN.

KEEP EYEBALLING IT AND DRAWING IT DOWN.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT, SO VERY, VERY STRONG.

THE GRAIN IS RUNNING ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE, SO IT'S REAL, REAL STRONG.

WE'VE LET IT DRY ANOTHER... HA HA!--ACTUALLY, IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU PUT IT, BUT NEVERTHELESS, YOU WANT THESE REAL DRY.

YOU WANT THE LEGS REAL, REAL DRY SO THAT THE CHAIR SEAT WILL SHRINK UP AROUND IT.

THAT HELPS IT STAY TIGHT A LOT.

SO HERE IN THIS NEXT STEP, WE'RE GOING OCTAGONAL.

WE WENT FROM SQUARE TO OCTAGONAL, AND THEN WE CAN START GOING ROUND.

JUST START WORKING AROUND, AND WE'VE GOT THAT TAPER IN THE SEAT, WHICH SHOULD BE A LITTLE, PERHAPS, LESS SEASONED THAN THIS.

I DON'T WANT TO SAY GREEN.

THEN WE CAN START BRINGING IT DOWN.

NOW, I HAVE--I DO THIS BY HAND, USUALLY, BUT LET ME SEE IF I HAVE-- OOP, I KNOCKED IT WAY BACK OVER HERE BEHIND MY CHAIR.

AH.

HA!

OUR ROUNDER PLANE, AND THIS IS THE RECIPROCAL-- IN FACT, YOU'D USE THE REAMER TO MAKE THIS TOOL HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S LIKE AN ENDLESS PENCIL SHARPENER.

YOU PUT THIS ON THE END AND BRING IT DOWN.

NOW, I GENERALLY DO THIS BY EYE AND BY HAND, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT'S SUCH A NEAT--HA HA!

UH, THIS KIND OF PENCIL SHARPENER END HERE.

HERE'S ONE THAT'S A LITTLE CLOSER TO SIZE.

BRING IT DOWN AND ROUND IT UP.

NOW, WHAT I DO IS TUNE IT UP WITH SCRAPERS AND SUCH BUT BRING IT DOWN JUST RIGHT, NICELY ROUNDED, AND THEN WE CAN START TO DRIVE OUR--UH!--LEG INTO THE SEAT AND MAYBE DO A LITTLE TUNING UP AT THIS STAGE, BUT THERE IT IS.

SO THAT'S A NICE FIT THERE INTO THAT TAPERED HOLE.

IT SHOULD COME OUT ON THE TOP, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT TIME WHEN WE GET TOGETHER-- WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THE TOP.

WE'LL DO THE ARMS, WE'LL DO THE SPINDLES, WE'LL DO THE COMBS, AND WE'LL TUNE IT UP AS WE MAKE SUSANNA SHAKESPEARE'S LITTLE CHAIR.

TILL THEN, MAY THE GRAIN BE WITH YOU.

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

SO LONG.

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

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT PBS.ORG.

ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [BIRD SQUAWKS] [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."

BE MORE.

PBS.

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 IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.