MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [BIRD SQUAWKS] [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] 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 BEEPING] [BANJO TWANG] [UPBEAT OLD-TIME FIDDLE MUSIC] ♪ HEY, WELCOME BACK TO THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU COULD BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT SOMETHING MIRACULOUS IN WOODWORKING TO SEE.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE YOU COULD MAKE A FAN OUT OF WOOD?

HOW ABOUT A FAN LIKE THIS OUT OF ONE PIECE OF WOOD?

ONE PIECE OF WOOD TO MAKE ALL OF THESE SEEMINGLY SEPARATE PIECES.

NOW HOW ABOUT A BIRD OF MANY FEATHERS, YET THE BIRDS ARE ALL OUT OF ONE PIECE OF WOOD?

WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW TO DO THIS MARVELOUS CRAFT.

THIS IS CALLED LUMBERJACK FAN CARVING.

AND WE'RE GONNA LEARN FROM A MASTER OF THIS ANCIENT FOLK ART, MR. GLEN VAN ANTWERP.

HEY, GLEN.

HI, ROY.

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU DOWN HERE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE, 'CAUSE THIS IS A HARD THING TO LEARN HOW TO DO.

IT'S BEEN IN YOUR FAMILY A LONG TIME.

I LEARNED IT FROM MY GRANDFATHER.

WHEN HE WAS A BOY, HE LIVED IN THE LUMBER CAMPS.

HIS OWN DAD AND GRANDDAD WERE LUMBERJACKS, AND SOMEWHERE THERE, SOMEBODY, PROBABLY FROM SCANDINAVIA, BROUGHT OVER FAN CARVING.

MY GRANDPA LEARNED IT.

AND I LEARNED IT FROM HIM.

DO YOU REMEMBER SEEING HIM DO IT?

YEAH, YEAH.

SO YOU WERE AROUND WHEN HE WAS AROUND?

YUP, HE WOULD SIT BESIDE THE WOOD STOVE, CARVING INTO A-- WITH THE WOOD BOX, AND I WAS FASCINATED AND WATCHED HIM MAKE FANS.

OH, THAT'S GREAT.

SO HE'S GOT THE SHAVINGS, TOO, TO THROW INTO THE FIRE, SO HE WAS ACTUALLY BEING PRODUCTIVE AS WELL.

OF COURSE, OF COURSE.

AND THE BIRDS, TOO-- HE MAKES THESE BIRDS, BUT THIS IS THE SAME-- OR YOU MAKE THESE.

YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW US HOW TO DO THESE AS WELL.

I'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE THESE AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE BIRD IS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.

WELL, YES, BUT THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME BASIC STEPS.

ALL RIGHT, BUT I GUESS WE-- I THINK WE BETTER LEARN ON THIS SIMPLER THING HERE, THE FAN HERE, AND THIS IS AGAIN NORTHERN WHITE CEDAR.

IT'S NORTHERN WHITE CEDAR, AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE BASIC STEPS HERE.

I START OUT-- THE MOST IMPORTANT PART-- THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS TO GET THIS JUST RIGHT HERE; THIS IS THE HINGE POINT.

THAT'S WHERE WE SPLIT TO.

ALL RIGHT, SO EVERYTHING IS SPLIT UP TO THAT HINGE POINT.

EVERYTHING IS SPLIT UP TO THAT POINT.

NOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT-- WHAT DO YOU NEED, JUST TO HAVE IT EVEN RIGHT THERE?

IT HAS TO BE EVEN, IT HAS TO BE ABOUT 1/8 INCH THICK, IT HAS TO BE NOT OFFSET FROM EACH OTHER, LIKE A TREE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO CUT DOWN.

OH, OKAY, 'CAUSE THEN IT WOULD SPLINTER 'CAUSE THEN IT WOULD SPLINTER.

SO EVEN HINGE, AND THEN SPLIT DOWN HERE, AND YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER NOTCH UP HERE.

BEFORE WE SPLIT IT, WE PUT A NOTCH UP HERE.

THAT NOTCH IS GOING TO BE FOR INTERLOCKING.

AND YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY DECORATIVE NOTCHES AS YOU WANT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR INTERLOCKING HINGE.

SO THIS IS MORE SOPHISTICATED HERE, WITH THE HEARTS AND THE DOUBLE OVERLAP.

THIS THE BASIC-- THE UR FORM-- THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL FORM.

NOW, YOU CAN'T BEND THIS LIKE THIS.

THIS IS--AND AGAIN, I SEE THE GRAIN-- THE RINGS ARE GOING THIS WAY.

THAT'S RIGHT; WE SPLIT ACROSS THE RINGS SO THAT WE CAN CONTROL WHERE THEY GO.

BUT HOW DO YOU GET IT SO IT'S GONNA SPREAD OUT?

I MEAN, IT IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD JUST SNAP IF YOU BENT THESE OVER.

WELL, WE SOAK IT IN WATER.

LET'S PUT IT IN A POT OF HOT WATER AND LET'S SOAK IT THERE AND LET THAT BE SOAKING.

THAT'LL LIMBER IT UP, AND THIS IS READY TO GO.

YEP, YOU BET.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I'LL STICK IT IN.

HOW LONG'S IT NEED TO STAY IN THE WATER?

OH, WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE A FEW MINUTES.

OH, REALLY?

OKAY.

NOT QUITE BOILING, IS THAT OKAY?

OH, THAT'S FINE.

YUP.

WE'RE GONNA BE GOOD.

DO WE WANT GREEN WOOD OR DRY WOOD FOR THIS?

WELL, I USUALLY USE-- IT'S KIND OF MOIST, BUT IT'S A DEAD TREE.

I DON'T CUT ANY LIVE TREES.

THEY TAKE TOO LONG TO GROW.

I TAKE IT FROM MY OWN LAND.

I WANT TO LEAVE SOME FOR MY OWN GRANDKIDS.

OKAY, WELL, I THINK-- IS THAT THE STUFF RIGHT THERE?

THAT LOOKS LIKE, UH-- THIS IS A PIECE OF WHITE CEDAR.

I WAS GONNA SAY THERE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A PROBLEM THERE.

IT'S A HOLLOW-- BUT THIS'D BE OKAY FOR YOU, EVEN THOUGH-- OH, IT'S JUST FINE, JUST FINE.

BECAUSE I'M USING THE OUTSIDE OF THE WOOD, I WANT THE RINGS TO NOT BE TOO TIGHT BECAUSE I'M SPLITTING ACROSS THEM, SO I USE THE OUTSIDE OF THE WOOD.

RIGHT ACROSS THAT WAY, ALL RIGHT?

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO SPLIT A CHUNK OFF, [laughing] ALL RIGHT, HERE'S YOUR CHUNK.

THAT'S THE CHUNK.

AND AFTER I SPLIT IT OFF, THEN I TAKE THE DRAWKNIFE AND I START SHAPING IT.

NOW I DON'T MEASURE ANYTHING.

WELL, THAT'S 'CAUSE YOU'VE MADE A MILLION OF THESE THINGS.

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S ABOUT 10 INCHES LONG THERE, AND AN INCH OR SO WIDE.

UH-HUH.

AND TO SPEED THE PROCESS UP, OVER WHAT MY GRANDFATHER DID-- MY GRANDFATHER DID THIS ALL WITH A JACKKNIFE.

OH, OKAY.

BUT I'VE DEVELOPED SOME OTHER TECHNIQUES TO SPEED IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

OH, SEE, YOU'RE GONNA-- YOU'RE CHEATING.

YOU'RE USING A HANDSAW.

YOU BET.

OKAY, I SEE WHAT THE TWO NAILS ARE FOR.

THAT'S YOUR STOP FOR SAWING.

THAT'S THE STOP FOR SAWING.

AND I'M GOING TO SAW DOWN AS FAR AS I WANT FOR THAT HINGE POINT.

I'LL SAW THAT EVENLY FROM ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER.

AND AS I'M SAWING, I USUALLY SWITCH BACK AND FORTH A LITTLE BIT.

SAW A LITTLE BIT FROM ONE AND THEN A LITTLE FROM THE OTHER.

AND I MARK--HERE I AM, CAREFULLY MEASURING WITH MY NICKEL-PLATED EYE MEASURER.

EYEBALL.

I LIKE IT.

SO YOU CUT DOWN-- SO THIS HAS GOT TO GO DOWN TO WHERE THESE TWO CUTS ARE PARALLEL, BUT NOT QUITE 1/8 INCH-- A LITTLE MORE THAN 1/8 INCH APART.

ABOUT 1/8 INCH APART.

I'LL LEAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT I CAN TAKE DOWN WITH THE KNIFE TO MAKE SURE I HAVE IT NICE AND EVEN.

THE EASIEST WAY TO MESS THIS UP IS TO TAKE IT TOO FAR.

CUT TWO FOR THAT ONE-- OKAY, SO YOU WANT TO STOP THAT ONE SAW CUT FORTH BEFORE YOU GET TO THE--THERE.

I SEE THERE-- ALL RIGHT.

AND I WANT IT EVEN ALL THE WAY ACROSS.

SO THIS IS THE HINGE WE'RE MAKING RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS THE HINGE.

THIS IS GONNA BE THE HANDLE, ALL RIGHT.

AND LET'S SEE.

HOW ARE WE THERE?

WE'RE AT ABOUT 1/4 INCH, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE.

I'LL TAKE IT A HAIR MORE.

NOW YOU SEE THAT GUMMING UP, SO THIS IS PRETTY FRESH-- STILL VERY FRESH WOOD.

IT'S STILL A LITTLE WET-- THE TREE HAS BEEN DEAD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT DOWN.

MM-HMM.

WHITE CEDAR ARE SHALLOW ROOTED AND-- OKAY, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.

OKAY, GOOD.

NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST THIS ONE OTHER PLACE, AND THAT'S THE INTERLOCKING.

THAT'S THE INTERLOCK POINT UP AT THE TOP, BECAUSE YOU CAN SPREAD THE FINGERS, BUT UNLESS THEY HOOK OVER EACH OTHER AT THE TOP, THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.

AND THAT, IT'S NOT AS CRUCIAL.

WE DON'T GO AS DEEP.

IT'S NOT QUITE AS CRUCIAL THAT THAT MATCHES UP, BUT I USUALLY TRY TO MATCH IT UP ANYWAY.

YOU SAID THAT WHITE CEDAR IS ENDANGERED OR SOMETHI, OR IT'S JUST NOT GROWING WELL.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH WHITE CEDAR IN THE SWAMPS UP YOUR WAY?

WELL, IN THE OLDEN, OLDEN DAYS, WE HAD WOLVES AND COUGARS AND SO ON, AND THEY'RE ALL GONE NOW, AND THE POPULATION OF DEER IS SUCH THAT THEY EAT A LOT OF WHITE CEDAR.

THEY REALLY LIKE IT FOR WINTER BROWSE.

OH.

AND SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE CEDAR GOI UP.

ALL OF THE CEDAR THAT I'M USING IS 80 YEARS OR MORE OLD.

AND THERE'S NO CEDAR THAT'S LESS THAN 60 YEARS OLD THAT'S MORE THAN KNEE HIGH, BECAUSE THE DEER EAT IT IN THE WINTER.

OF COURSE, THE SNOW IS AT LEAST KNEE HIGH, AND SO SOME OF THAT GETS PROTECTED UNDER THE SNOW.

I LIKE YOUR HORSE HERE.

THIS IS--SPEAKING OF ANIMALS HERE, YOU GOT AN INTERESTING HORSE, JUST A PLANK ON SOME STUMPS.

YEAH, I'M JUST USING THIS TO MAKE IT EASY TO DRAWKNIFE DOWN TO THOSE POINTS THAT I CUT.

AND A LITTLE RAIL ON EITHER SIDE TO KEEP IT FROM SLIPPING OFF TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT.

YUP, AND I CAN MOVE IT OVER AND-- UH-HUH.

I LIKE THIS--REAL SIMPLE.

CARVE AGAINST THE OTHER SIDE.

A SIMPLE THING, AND THIS IS YOUR OWN IDEA THAT YOU COME UP WITH HERE?

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND HAVE NICE, STURDY LEGS.

[laughing] THE BIG STUMPS.

WELL, THIS IS, AGAIN, OFF OF YOUR OWN FAMILY LAND.

HOW DID THAT COME INTO THE FAMILY?

THIS IS NORTHERN MINNESOTA, AGAIN.

NORTHERN-- MICHIGAN, NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

YUP.

YOU COULD DO IT IN MINNESOTA, BUT YOUR LAND IN MICHIGAN.

MY LAND IS IN MICHIGAN.

ALL RIGHT AND MY GRANDFATHER BOUGHT SOME PROPERTY IN 1934, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DEPRESSION.

HE WANTED TO HAVE SOME CEDAR FOR FENCE POSTS FOR THE FARM.

'CAUSE THIS WON'T ROT.

IT'S GOOD AT NOT ROTTING.

UH-HUH.

AND HE LOOKED AROUND AT DIFFERENT PROPERTIES AND VERY CAREFULLY CALCULATED HOW MUCH CEDAR THEY HAD.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN HE BORROWED-- LET'S SEE.

THAT LOOKS ABOUT RIGHT.

OKAY.

DRESS THAT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE.

HE BORROWED A HUNDRED BUCKS.

NOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY IN THE DEPRESSION.

HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE DEPRESSION.

BUT HOW MUCH LAND COULD YOU GET WITH THAT IN-- 40 ACRES OF CEDAR.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

SO HE HAD HIS POSTS THERE, AND HE KNEW THERE WAS-- HOW MUCH TIMBER WAS ON THERE.

HE KNEW HOW MUCH TIMBER.

HE HAD LOOKED AT IT VERY CAREFULLY, CALCULATED HOW MUCH TIMBER IT WOULD BE, AND HE HAD HEARD THAT THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO BE BUYING GUARDRAIL POSTS.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

AND THEY WANTED CEDAR FOR GUARDRAIL POSTS.

NOW, THE GUARDRAIL POSTS ARE MADE FROM THE BIG-DIAMETER BOTTOM END OF THE TREES.

UH-HUH.

WHAT HE WANTED FOR HIS OWN FARM WOULD BE FENCE POSTS.

THOSE ARE MADE FROM THE SMALLER-DIAMETER TOPS OF THE TREES.

MM-HMM.

SO WHEN HE SAW THAT THIS LAND WAS GOOD, HE WENT OUT, BORROWED $100, HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY... MM-HMM.

AND BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.

AND THEN THERE WASN'T ANY OTHER WORK AT THAT TIME ANYWAY, MM-HMM.

SO HE AND MY UNCLE WORKED ALL WINTER.

MY GRANDPA WORKED DOWN IN THE SWAMP.

MM-HMM.

HE WAS CUTTING TREES; HE WAS CUTTING OFF THE BRANCHES.

HE WOULD HOOK THE TREES BEHIND THE HORSE.

HIS WORKHORSE WAS A STRONG, SMART WORKHORSE NAMED TED.

TED.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN HE WOULD SEND THE-- SEND TED UP TO MY UNCLE, HIS OLDEST SON, WHO WAS UP IN A CLEARING, TAKING THE BARK OFF THE TREES WITH A DRAWKNIFE, CUTTING THEM TO LENGTH, STACKING THEM.

SO MY GRANDFATHER WORKED DOWN IN THE SWAMP ALL DAY AND MY UNCLE WORKED UP OUT OF THE SWAMP ALL DAY.

AND ALL DAY LONG, THEY SENT TED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM.

TED KNEW WHERE TO GO?

YEAH.

[laughing] SO HE'D DRAG THE LOG UP, UNHOOK IT, AND THEN COME ON BACK DOWN FOR ANOTHER LOG.

AND WHEN MY UNCLE TOLD ME THAT STORY, HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE, AND HE SAID, "NOW THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO WITH A TRACTOR."

[laughter] THAT'S TRUE.

SO TED, YOUR GRANDFATHER, AND YOUR UNCLE-- AND SO HE PAID FOR THE LAND, I GUESS, WITH THAT SALE.

SO HE PAID FOR THE LAND THAT FIRST WINTER THAT HE BOUGHT IT.

AND WE HAVE HAD THAT PROPERTY EVER SINCE.

AND WE'RE STILL HARVESTING CEDAR.

JUST A LITTLE CEDAR OUT OF THERE.

AND HE USED GUARDRAIL POSTS AND FENCE POSTS AND LITTLE CEDAR FANS.

AND A LITTLE BIT FOR FANS, ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, AND TAUGHT YOU.

NOW, SO THERE WE GO.

WE'VE GOT THE HINGE POINT NOW, SEE.

AND LET ME JUST RELATE THIS TO THIS PIECE RIGHT HERE.

SO THAT IS-- WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR IS THAT, AND YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE NOTCH FOR THE INTERLOCK.

YUP, YUP.

AND THAT HINGE POINT, I'M GOING TO NEED TO DRESS THAT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO I'M GOING TO SWITCH TO A PUSH KNIFE THAT I'M MISUSING AS A DRAW KNIFE.

OH, WELL THIS-- BUT IT WORKS.

YEAH, WELL SOME PEOPLE USE-- MISUSE A DRAWKNIFE AS A PUSH KNIFE, SO YOU'RE-- YOU'RE ALL EVEN THERE.

AGAIN, IT MAKES IT VERY CLEAR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THAT STRAIGHT-ACROSS BLADE.

YUP.

AND TO MAKE IT-- IF I NEED TO, I'LL DRESS THAT UP A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH THIS CARVING KNIFE.

WOW.

WELL, I LIKE YOUR TECHNIQUE THERE, THE WAY YOU PUSH THAT-- PUSH IT FORWARD.

YOU PUSH THE ROUND OF THE KNIFE INTO THE--FORWARD ACROSS THE GRAIN THERE.

YUP.

YEAH.

AND I'M TRYING TO GET THIS LINED UP JUST RIGHT, JUST THE RIGHT DEPTH, JUST T RIGHT ANGLE.

THAT IS WONDERFUL, THE WAY THAT WORKS.

OKAY.

IT'S ALMOST THERE.

YEAH, HOW'S THAT LOOK, ROY?

NOW THAT--WELL, I SEE IT.

IT'S EVEN THROUGH AND EVEN THICKNESS, AND THEY'RE ALIGNED, SO THAT'S GOOD TO GO.

SO WE'VE GOT ONE NOTCH THERE.

A LITTLE BIT MORE NOTCH-- AND I'M GETTING THE NOTCH ON TOP.

LET'S PUT THOSE NOTCHES ON TOP.

YOU'RE ASKING ME WHETHER I THINK IT'S GOOD.

YOU'RE ASKING THE WRONG GUY.

THIS IS A WHITE CEDAR, NOW, WE TRIED THIS THE OTHER DAY WITH SOME SOUTHERN WOODS, AND IT'S AMAZING THAT-- IT CAN BE-- IT WILL WORK.

WE USE WHITE CEDAR.

IT HAS NICE, STRAIGHT GRAIN FOR SPLITTING, IT HAS GOOD FLEXIBLE WOOD FOR BENDING.

BUT YOU CAN FIND ANY WOOD THAT WILL WILL BE STRAIGHT FOR SPLITTING AND FLEXIBLE FOR BENDING AND TRY IT.

YEAH, WELL, WE WERE TO TRY THIS IN ELM, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD WOOD FOR THIS, OR-- YEAH, ELM WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR SPLITTING, BUT IT WOULD BEND IF YOU COULD SPLIT IT.

AH, WELL, IT IS A GOOD BENDING WOOD.

ALL RIGHT, SO A LITTLE MORE KNIFE WORK.

A LITTLE BIT MORE KNIFE WORK HERE.

AND THAT'S THE INTERLOCK.

SO DRESS THAT UP.

AND-- NOW, IF YOU WERE DOING A FANCY ONE, YOU'D BE CARVING HEARTS AND MORE NOTCHES AND OTHER INTERLOCKS.

YEAH, MORE NOTCHES, OTHER INTERLOCKS, HEARTS ON THE END, MAYBE CARVING A HANDLE.

I'VE HAD SOME WHERE INSTEAD OF THIS SOLID PART DOWN HERE BEING THE BASE OF THE FAN, I'VE HAD IT BE A PEACOCK.

OH, NO KIDDING?

AND THE TAIL IS THIS.

SO YOU COULD JUST MAKE THESE REAL BIG.

YOU CAN MAKE A PEACOCK, YOU'VE DONE.

THAT'S, LIKE, TWO FEET IN DIAMETER.

OH, MAN.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY, SO NOW WE HAVE THE BASIC CARVING DONE, AND WE NEED TO DO THE SPLITTING.

[laughs] I USUALLY SPLIT WITH A FOLDING KNIFE.

YOU'VE GOT ONE OF THOSE FRENCH CHEESE-CUTTING KNIFE THERE.

THAT'S A LITTLE OPINEL.

WHY DO YOU CHANGE KNIVES?

I WANT THE WEDGE SHAPE FOR SPLITTING.

I GOT YOU, ALL RIGHT.

'CAUSE I'M NOT CUTTING IT AS I GO DOWN HERE.

LOOK AT THAT.

CAN YOU SEE IT?

UH-HUH, YEAH.

THE SPLIT IS AHEAD OF THE BLADE.

WHOOPS.

A LITTLE TOO FAR.

[laughing] LET'S TRY AGAIN.

WE'LL JUST MAKE A LITTLE NARROWER FAN.

LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE CHOOSING ABOUT-- I TRY TO GET, USUALLY, OH, 20 TO THE INCH.

THERE YOU CAN SEE IT.

OKAY, THERE IT IS, SPLITTING AHEAD.

AND THIS KNIFE HERE, SOME OF MY FRIENDS CALL THESE TWO-BUCK KNIVES.

[laughing] SO, IF THEY GO--UH.

THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

SO I JUST LINE THIS UP, TRY TO GET THE RIGHT THICKNESS ON TOP HERE-- ABOUT THREE PLAYING CARDS THICK OR SO, TWO OR THREE.

PROBABLY 2 1/2 PLAYING CARDS THICK.

AND THEN I FORCE IT ON DOWN.

AND IT'S GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE HINGE POINT.

ALL THE WAY TO THE HINGE POINT, BUT NOT PAST.

IT'S GOING TO TEND TO WANT TO STOP THERE.

NOW, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE IT A TRY?

LET'S SWITCH TO THE PUSH KNIFE FOR SPLITTING.

SOMETIMES THAT'S A LITTLE EASIER IF YOU'RE GETTING STARTED.

PUT IN IT IN THE VISE.

OH, OKAY.

YEAH.

GOOD ADVICE, I GUESS.

I'LL DO THAT.

SO JUST CLAMP IT, AND I'M JUST GONNA PUSH DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

YUP.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'LL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO HOLD.

NOW YOU'LL WANT IT UP A LITTLE SO THAT YOU CAN GET AT THE HINGE POINT.

YOU NEED TOP PUSH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE HINGE POINT.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

OKAY, SO JUST LINE IT UP ON THERE.

LINE IT UP ON THERE.

MAYBE ROCK IT A LITTLE TO GET IT STARTED.

ALL RIGHT.

DID YOU LIKE THAT?

GOT IT?

ALL RIGHT.

NOW YOU JUST PUSH IT ON DOWN.

OH.

OKAY.

KEEP PUSHING.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO.

OH, MAN.

EXCELLENT.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY, ROCK IT A LITTLE.

AND THAT'S NOT TOO THIN?

NOPE.

THAT'S JUST RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT I'M KIND OF-- YOU KNOW WHAT I DID?

I TRIED TO DIG IN.

I WAS AFRAID IT WAS GOING TO RUN OUT, SO YOU REALLY GOT TO JUST THINK, "LET THE TREE DO IT."

LET THE TREE DO IT.

ALL RIGHT, 'CAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE-- WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MANY RAYS IN THIS KIND OF WOOD, BUT THE GRAIN, THE LONG-- WHAT ARE THEY, TRACHEAS OR WHATEVER-- THE CELLS ARE LONG AND STRAIGHT IN THIS KIND OF WOOD, AND WE'RE JUST FLOWING RIGHT DOWN 'EM.

YUP.

AM I DOING OKAY?

WELL, SOME OF THESE ARE KIND OF THICK.

OH, OKAY.

SO THIN IT UP MORE.

THIN IT UP MORE.

WE WANT ALL OF THESE TO BE EVEN WITH EACH OTHER, AND WE WANT THEM TO BE EVEN FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

WE DON'T WANT THICK ONES AND THIN ONES, WE DON'T WANT ONES THAT ARE THICK ON ONE SIDE, THIN ON THE OTHER.

NOW YOU'RE DOING GREAT NOW.

[laughing] I GOT THICK AS SOON AS YOU SAID THAT.

AND IT FEELS LIKE I DIDN'T GO QUITE ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM.

OKAY.

WELL, LOOK HERE.

THIS ONE--BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER.

THIS GOT TOO THIN.

WE JUST TOSS IT ASIDE, AND YOU'LL NEVER SEE IT.

YOU'LL NEVER SEE IT.

NO ONE'LL EVER KNOW.

YOU DON'T WANT A LOT OF THIN ONES IN A ROW, THOUGH.

I TELL YOU WHAT, YOU KNOW, I'M--YOU'RE-- I WANT TO SEE A PRO DO THIS HERE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND.

I'M GONNA LET YOU DO THIS, AND I'M GONNA SCOOT AROUND AND WATCH YOU DO IT FOR A LITTLE BIT NOW.

BUT AGAIN, YOU USUALLY DO IT WITH YOUR KNIFE IN YOUR LAP.

I USUALLY DO IT WITH MY KNIFE ON THE WORKBENCH.

BRILLIANT.

AND WE JUST KEEP GOING BACK AND FORTH LIKE THIS TILL WE GET IT ALL SPLIT.

AND WHEN IT'S ALL SPLIT, WE SOAK IT IN WATER LIKE THAT ONE THAT WE HAVE GOING.

SHALL WE TRY THAT, AND SEE IF THAT ONE'S READY?

I THINK I GOT THE IDEA.

SO YOU JUST BRING THIS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THERE, JUST THAT SAME PROCESS-- THE SAME PROCESS AGAIN AND AGAIN TILL YOU'RE DONE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I'M GONNA GO GET THAT OUT OF THE WATER, THEN.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE WILL SEE HOW IT GOES.

I'LL JUST BRING THE WHOLE KETTLE OVER.

HOW ABOUT THAT?

GOOD IDEA.

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD CEDAR STEW HERE HAPPENING.

I SEE YOU ALSO HAVE-- WHOO!

LET ME GET IT OUT.

SO WE HAVE CEDAR BIRD STEW TOO.

THERE'S A BIRD IN THERE AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

I CAN'T TEAR YOU AWAY FROM THAT, CAN I?

ONCE YOU GET TO SPLITTING, YOU WANT TSEE THE WHOLE THING.

YEAH, YEAH.

YOU WANT TO FINISH IT.

IT'S THE SAME IDEA.

I GOT TO TEAR YOU AWAY... AND GET YOU TO WORK ON THIS HERE, BECAUSE I GOT TO SEE HOW THIS SPREADING WORKS.

THIS IS REALLY--SEEMS TO ME THE MAGICAL PART OF THIS.

THIS IS MAGIC.

LET'S TAKE THAT LADLE-- WE'RE GOING TO SOAK-- POUR A LITTLE WATER OVER THIS A LITTLE BIT.

SMELLS GOOD.

IT'S A NICE AROMA TO THIS STUFF.

CEDAR SMELL.

YUP.

A LITTLE ACRID.

NOW, WITH THE FAN, WE'RE GOING TO START IN THE MIDDLE.

THESE ARE NICE AND FLEXIBLE NOW.

WE'RE GONNA START IN THE MIDDLE, SO LET'S SEE WHERE IT IS.

I USUALLY COUNT IN FIVES.

5, 10, AND 15.

ALL RIGHT.

[together] 5, 10, AND 15.

AND YOU'VE GOT-- THREE LEFT.

UH-HUH.

SO I'M GONNA--HELP ME SPREAD THIS, IF YOU WILL.

DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE CENTER ONE-- CENTER ONE WILL BE RIGHT WHERE IT IS.

SPREAD YOURS THIS WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'LL SPREAD THIS THIS WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WE TUCK IT IN BEHIND THE OTHER-- INTERLOCK.

AND INTERLOCK.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT'S IT.

NOW WE JUST KEEP GOING?

JUST KEEP GOING.

YOU GO THAT WAY.

ALL RIGHT.

[laughing] ALL RIGHT.

IT'S SCARY.

BUT I--STARTING IN THE MIDDLE MAKES THE PRESSURE EVEN.

YEAH.

WHEN YOU GET DONE, THE FAN WILL HAVE A SYMMETRICAL SWING TO IT.

AH, THIS IS AMAZING THERE.

I'D SEEN THIS IN TANGERMAN'S BOOK, YOU KNOW, BUT IT NEVER-- I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND IT.

TANGERMAN WROTE THAT KIND OF CLASSIC ON WHITTLING AND WOOD CARVING.

RIGHT.

AND IT NEVER MADE SENSE TO ME UNTIL SEEING THIS DONE.

THIS IS GREAT.

I WAS AMAZED-- I WAS IN MY MID-20s WHEN I FIRST SAW TANGERMAN'S BOOK, AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE-- I HAD NO IDEA THAT ANYBODY OTHER THAN MYSELF WAS MAKING-- THERE'S A SECRET TO THIS THING.

YEAH, THIS IS GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS-- WELL, YOU SAY, MAYBE SCANDINAVIAN.

I KNOW THERE'S A NATIVE AMERICAN THING TO THIS, 'CAUSE THE PACIFIC NORTHWOODS INDIANS ALSO DO A LOT OF SPLITTING-- AND I JUST KEEP ON LIKE THIS.

YEAH.

LET'S BEND ALL OF THEM TOGETHER NOW.

OH, THAT'S--THAT'S--UH... 'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING TO WHERE WE CAN'T DIP IT IN THE WATER ANYMORE, SO WE'LL LADLE A LITTLE OVER IT.

OKAY.

WELL, THIS IS FULL OF VITAMINS THERE, IN THAT WATER, TOO, I GUESS.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO BEND THIS WHOLE BUNCH SIDEWAYS.

OH, MY GOSH.

OKAY.

AND JUST KEEP TUCKING THEM IN.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT SO I CAN SEE IT HERE.

SO THIS GOES UNDER THERE?

RIGHT.

AND UNDER THERE.

RIGHT.

WHOOPS, I LOST ONE.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH, AND JOHN MCPHEE, WHEN HE WROTE ABOUT THE SURVIVAL OF THE BARK CANOE, AND HENRI VAILLANCOURT, AND WHEN HE WAS SPLITTING-- AGAIN IT WAS WHITE CEDAR-- HE WAS MAKING THE PROW OF A CANOE, BUT HE SAID HE WAS SPLITTING WITH THE GROWTH-- PARALLEL TO THE GROWTH RINGS, I THINK, TO MAKE THAT FLEXIBLE LAMINATED-- GOSH, WE'RE DOWN TO THE END.

THAT'S AMAZING.

YUP.

AND NOW WE'LL DO THE SAME THING ON THE OTHER SIDE.

[both talking at once] YOU'RE GONNA LADLE-- WE'LL LADLE A LITTLE WATER OVER IT.

ALL RIGHT.

MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IT NICE-- WELL, SEE, NOW I'M INTO IT.

SEE, I'M VERY ANXIOUS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

BUT AGAIN, THE WHOLE-- CAN I DO IT?

SURE.

NOW HERE, JUST DO THE WHOLE BUNDLE.

THE WHOLE BUNDLE.

AND I KIND OF PULL ON IT-- THAT'S HOW I DO IT?

JUST PULL ON IT AS YOU DO IT.

PULL IT FORWARD TOO.

LET'S TWIST THIS-- TWIST--UH, TWIST THE--OKAY, THANK YOU.

AND SO YOU KIND OF BRING THEM ALL TO THE--TO THE CLOSEST.

BRING THEM ALL TO THE CLOSEST, AND THEN START TUCKING THEM IN.

AND HOLD IT FROM THE END-- THUMB-- WHEN YOU'RE TUCKING THEM IN.

OH, OKAY.

AND THAT WAY, YOU'RE NOT BREAKING OFF ANY OF THE TABS.

AH, THANK YOU-- LIKE I DID ON THAT LAST ONE.

BUT AGAIN, THE KIND OF PULLING OUT AS YOU DO IT TO KEEP THE-- 'CAUSE WOOD IS VERY STRONG UNDER TENSION, SO IF I'M PULLING, I'M KEEPING THAT BEND WHERE IT WANTS TO GO.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE WE GO; THAT'S AMAZING.

YEAH, I KNOW THE NORTHWEST NATIVES WOULD BUILD HOUSES OUT OF SPLIT PLANKS-- LOOK AT THAT.

[laughing] THAT IS ASTOUNDING.

THAT IS ASTOUNDING.

OKAY.

ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I USUALLY DO IS MAYBE POUR A LITTLE MORE WATER OUT OF IT--OVER IT-- AND SHAPE IT A LITTLE.

IF THERE'S--IF I WANT TO CHANGE THE SHAPE ANY, OR MOVE ANY CLOSER TOGETHER AND SO ON...

BUT BASICALLY, THERE YOU ARE.

OH, MY GOSH.

STILL ONE PIECE OF WOOD.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

NOW, THIS IS--ALL RIGHT, THIS IS THE FAN-- NOW, YOU'VE GOT A BIRD IN THERE, SOAKED, AND WE'VE JUST GOT A MINUTE OR SO TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS THING HERE, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE HOW YOU DO THAT DIFFERENTLY, TO GET THAT SPREAD ON IT.

NOW, HERE'S--I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIRD RIGHT HERE.

SO I WANT TO GO FROM THAT TO THIS.

WELL, WITH THE FAN, REMEMBER, WE STARTED IN THE MIDDLE, MM-HMM.

AND BENT EACH WAY.

BUT WITH THE BIRD, I START AT THE TOP AND BEND FIRST ONE WAY AND THEN THE OTHER, BACK AND FORTH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WHEN I DO THAT, I CAN TUCK THESE IN AND THEY START TO FORM THE WINGS.

SO THEY'RE PUSHING EACH OTHER OUT EVEN MORE AND MORE-- IT'S ASTOUNDINGLY STRONG.

YEAH.

YUP.

YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT, BUT YOU CAN TAKE THESE AND TURN 'EM AROUND SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THEY BREAK OFF.

SO I THINK IF SOMEBODY HAD TRIED-- OR TRIED TO DO THIS WITH KILN-DRIED WOOD THAT HAD LOST IT'S ELASTICITY, THEY'D HAVE A HECK OF A TIME WITH IT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU WANT WOOD THAT HASN'T BEEN KILN-DRIED.

THAT COLLAPSES THE CELLS, I GUESS, AND MAKES THEM VERY, VERY BRITTLE.

AND I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE USING WILLOW AND SPRUCE AND PINE AND BASSWOOD.

WE'VE TRIED SOME OTHER WOODS.

ANY WOOD YOU WANT THAT--THAT... THAT'S AMAZING.

ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S ALMOST THE WINGS THERE.

YUP.

AND THEN YOU GOT TO-- OH, OKAY, SO YOU START ANOTHER ONE FOR THE TAIL.

I START ANOTHER ONE FOR THE TAIL WHEN I GET TO THAT POINT.

[laughing] I LOVE IT.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT IS ASTOUNDING HERE.

OKAY, SO THE TAIL, I LEAVE IN PLACE, AND THEN I GO BACK AND FORTH FROM THAT.

OH, MAN.

OH, MAN.

THAT IS GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, YOU'VE GOT SOME EXAMPLES-- DO YOU HAVE THAT EXAMPLE OF THE WESTERN CEDAR?

LET'S SEE THAT BIRD.

THIS WAS MADE BY CAL SWAN IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

THAT'S MADE FROM GIANT WESTERN CEDAR.

OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

HERE'S SOME LITTLE TEENSIE ONES... OH, GOOD HEAVENS.

THAT WERE MADE FROM SOME SORT OF TROPICAL WOOD IN THE PHILIPPINES.

AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING HERE-- I LOVE IT.

SO YOU'RE GETTING THE WOODS THAT MAYBE ARE A LITTLE MORE WIDESPREAD HERE.

LITTLE MORE WIDESPREAD.

EASTERN RED CEDAR, BALD CYPRUS.

BALD CYPRUS.

BUT THE MAIN THING IS, GIVE IT A TRY.

PICK A WOOD THAT'S GONNA BE STRAIGHT GRAINED FOR SPLITTING, FLEXIBLE FOR BENDING.

GIVE IT A TRY.

AND BIRDS AND FANS: THIS IS WONDERFUL, BOY.

GLEN VAN ANTWERP, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US DOWN HERE, &AND I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL AND MIRACULOUS THING.

HEY, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.

THIS HAS BEEN ROY UNDERHILL, HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

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

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT pbs.org.

[UPBEAT OLD-TIME FIDDLE MUSIC] ♪ MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [BIRD SQUAWKS] [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] 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.