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."

[horns beeping] [banjo twang] [upbeat old-time fiddle music] ♪ HELLO.

WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M SHOCKED!

YOU CAN'T BUY A GOOD MALLET ANYMORE-- I MEAN, A DECENT JOINER'S MALLET ANYMORE, SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

YOU CAN'T BUY IT.

YOU TRY AND BUY IT AND WHAT DO YOU GET?

YOU GET SOME KIND OF GLUED-TOGETHER--WHAT?

YOU KNOW, IT'S GLUED-TOGETHER WOOD!

AND I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN STUDENTS STARTING TO TURN TO CARVER'S MALLETS WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO DO TRADITIONAL JOINERY AND THEY DON'T HAVE A TRADITIONAL JOINER'S MALLET.

NOW, I WAS UPSET.

YOU CAN'T BUY THESE THINGS.

BUT I THINK THE FOLKS OUT THERE ARE ON OUR SIDE.

WHAT I THINK IS, THEY WANT US TO MAKE THESE OURSELVES.

BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T MAKE OUR OWN JOINER'S MALLET, WHAT THE HECK ARE WE GONNA MAKE IN JOINERY?

SO, BLESS THEM.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD.

WE HAVE TO MAKE OUR OWN MALLETS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT IT IS WE GET TO MAKE 'EM FROM UNUSUAL WOODS, WOODS THAT WE FIND AROUND US.

LOOK AT THIS MALLET HEAD.

THIS IS JUST THIS BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL LIVE OAK.

THIS IS LIVE OAK--VERY, VERY DENSE, HEAVY WOOD.

IT WAS GIVEN TO ME, A PIECE OF IT, WHEN I WAS DOWN ON THE GULF COAST, THE FLORIDA GULF COAST, ALABAMA.

AND LIVE OAK.

AND IT'S CALLED LIVE OAK BECAUSE IT IS AN EVERGREEN OAK, LIVE ALL YEAR LONG.

SO, WONDERFUL.

HERE'S A MALLET WITH A STORY.

2 PIECES OF WOOD.

IT'S GREAT.

LET ME SHOW YOU SOME OF THE OTHER WOODS THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

THIS ONE--CLASSIC, MAN.

THIS IS THE DENSEST AMERICAN WOOD, AND THIS HAS TURNED BLA-- ALMOST PURPLE.

IT LOOKS LIKE WALNUT, BUT MUCH, MUCH HEAVIER.

THIS IS A PIECE OF PERSIMMON.

BIG OLD PERSIMMON TREE WENT DOWN, AND IT LAY THERE AND GOT A LITTLE FUNKY.

BUT STILL, AS THIS PERSIMMON DRIES, IT IS GOING TO SHRINK TREMENDOUSLY AND BECOME VERY, VERY DENSE.

YOU'VE SEEN EBONY?

WELL, EBONY IS PERSIMMON, REALLY.

IT'S EBONY THAT'S SHRUNK SO MUCH IT'S BECOME A BLACK HOLE.

NO LIGHT CAN ESCAPE.

IT'S A VERY DENSE WOOD.

HERE'S ONE.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE MIDWEST.

MAKE YOUR MAL--'CAUSE I WANT A HEAVY MALLET HEAD.

I WANT A TOUGH MALLET HEAD.

HERE.

LOOK AT THAT.

THAT IS--YOU RECOGNIZE THAT?

YES, INDEED.

OUR OLD FRIEND OSAGE ORANGE, OR BOIS D'ARC.

THE WOOD FOR MAKING BOWS.

OSAGE ORANGE, A RELATIVE OF THE MULBERRIES.

NOW, HERE'S ONE--AAAH!

LOOK AT THAT., THIS IS APPLE.

APPLE WOOD.

NOW, IT'S SAD WHEN AN APPLE TREE GOES DOWN.

YOU GET AN ICE STORM, AND IT HAPPENS.

AND HERE'S A PIECE OF APPLE THAT I'VE CUT OUT, NOT FOR A MALLET HEAD, BUT FOR A SAW HANDLE.

THE BEST SAW HANDLES OUT OF APPLE WOOD.

SO, THESE WONDERFUL WOODS THAT YOU CAN-- HA HA!

YOU THINK, "OH, BUT WAIT.

THERE'S MORE."

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS REDBUD.

SO, JUST THIS CRAZY TREE-- CERCIS CANADENSIS.

THIS WONDERFUL WOOD-- VERY, VERY DENSE AND HEAVY.

NOW, THIS ONE TENDS TO CHECK A LOT, MEANING IT'LL CRACK A LOT, BUT NEVERTHELESS ALL THESE GREAT WOODS FOR MAKING MALLET HEADS.

NOW, FOR THE HANDLES--WHAT?

ASH?

HICKORY?

WELL, I'VE USED WALNUT.

LET'S SEE, I'VE GOT ONE HERE.

LOOK AT THIS ONE.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA WORK ON WITH AN ASH HEAD.

SADLY, ASH ISN'T AVAILABLE NOW 'CAUSE OF THE BORERS THAT HAVE GOTTEN INTO 'EM, KILLING ALL THE ASH TREES.

VERY SAD, BUT HERE'S A WALNUT HANDLE.

SO, WALNUT AND ASH MAKES A FINE JOINER'S MALLET.

AND IF WE LOOK AT IT, IT'S JUST 2 PIECES OF WOOD-- LOOK AT THAT-- HELD BY THIS TAPERED MORTISE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

SO, IT'S A BIG MORTISE AT THIS END AND A SMALL MORTISE AT THAT END.

SO WHEN THIS HANDLE GOES THROUGH THAT IS BIG AT ONE END AND SMALL AT THE OTHER END, IT LOCKS IT ALL TOGETHER AND IT DOESN'T FLY OFF THE HANDLE.

SO, THIS WOULD GO RIGHT IN THERE.

SO, IT'S GOTTA FIT THROUGH THAT SMALLEST END, THE HANDLE.

SO, THIS SMALL END HAS TO BE BIG ENOUGH FOR THE HANDLE TO GO THROUGH-- DON'T FORGET THAT-- AND THEN IT CATCHES IN THERE AND WEDGES, AND IT'S A WONDERFUL JOINER'S MALLET.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, LET'S START WITH THE WOOD.

I'M GONNA ST--WELL.

JUST REAL QUICK.

SO, YOU GET A SMALL PIECE OF WOOD.

HERE'S A BIT OF OSAGE ORANGE.

WHAT I WOULD DO IS START SPLITTING IT DOWN, BECAUSE IT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO REDUCE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE STOCK.

HA HA!

"EASIEST WAY," HE SAID.

"EASIEST WAY."

YOU CAN SEE WHY OSAGE WOULD MAKE A GOOD MALLET HEAD RIGHT HERE.

JUST WORK IT WITH THE FROE AND SPLIT OFF THESE CHUNKS.

SO, IF YOU CAN SPLIT IT RELATIVELY SQUARE, UHH!

I THINK I'LL STOP AT THAT.

YOU CAN THEN TAKE AN AXE, A HATCHET, AND SCORE IT LIKE THAT.

NOW, I'M WORKING WITH WOOD THAT'S STILL GREEN AND THEN CHOPPED DOWN.

AND ROUGH THESE PIECES IN.

LET THEM DRY A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN THEY'LL BE READY FOR GOING ON TO THE NEXT STEP.

NOW, LET'S GO ON.

NEXT STEP.

I'VE GOT SOME PERSIMMON OVER HERE.

WE'VE LET IT DRY A LITTLE BIT, TRY AND GET THE... LET IT DRY OVERSIZED SOMEWHAT.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD GREEN.

IT'S FINE.

BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT A DRY HANDLE INTO A WET HEAD, 'CAUSE THAT WET HEAD WILL SHRINK UP ON IT AND IT WON'T COME OFF, BUT IT MIGHT ALSO CRACK THE HEAD.

SO WE PLANE IT DOWN.

PLANE IT DOWN AND DIMENSION THE STOCK AFTER WE'VE HEWN IT, AND WE'RE JUST TAKING OFF THESE THIN SHAVINGS.

AGAIN, PERSIMMON-- VERY, VERY STRONG WOOD!

HA HA!

I KNOW I'M BREAKING IT UP NOW.

BUT THAT'S 'CAUSE IT'S STILL GREEN A LITTLE BIT HERE.

SO WE DIMENSION IT SQUARE, AND THEN WE CAN START LAYING OUT OUR MALLET HEAD ON THERE.

SO, LET'S LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE MALLET HEAD.

AND IT DEPENDS.

AH, HERE'S MY LIVE OAK!

AH, VERY HEAVY PIECE OF LIVE OAK.

I'VE SEEN A DEAD LIVE OAK, TOO.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

ANYWAY...

THE DIMENSIONS ON THIS THING-- THIS HEAD IS ABOUT 6, 6.5 INCHES LONG.

SO YOU SAY 6.5 INCHES RIGHT THERE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, AND IT TAPERS DOWN ABOUT 2 OR 3 DEGREES.

NOW, THAT'S A MYSTERY THERE, BUT IT GETS SMALLER AT THE BOTTOM.

SO, HERE WE'VE GOT, WHAT, 5 3/8.

UP HERE, IT'S 5.5.

SO, IT TAPERS.

HERE, IT'S ABOUT 3.25.

AND IN THICKNESS, THIS IS THE SAME THICKNESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

THEY CAN ACTUALLY FLARE OUT THAT WAY VERY NICELY.

THIS IS 2.5 INCHES.

AND A HANDLE 14 INCHES LONG, AND THEN AN INCH THICK.

NOW, ALL OF THAT MATTERS.

THAT INCH THICK MATTERS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE CHISEL WE'RE GONNA USE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LAY IT OUT.

NOW, LAY IT OUT QUICKLY.

I'M JUST GONNA TRY AND GO RIGHT THROUGH THIS HERE.

I'VE GOT ONE ALREADY LAID OUT OVER HERE.

AH!

IT'S IN THE MITER BOX, AND I WAS CUTTING IT DOWN TO SIZE.

SO, HERE'S HOW I GET THAT ANGLE.

THAT--WHATEVER--JUST-UNDER- 5-DEGREE ANGLE.

ON THE MITER BOX, SET IT AND SAW THAT ANGLE.

NOW, YOU KNOW, MALLETS, YOU KNOW THEY ALWAYS HAVE THAT ANGLE.

BUT MAYBE YOU NEVER THINK ABOUT WHY ONE END IS BEVELED, IT'S TAPERED IN LIKE THAT.

LET'S LOOK AT THAT SOME MORE UP HERE.

THIS, UH...

IF I WERE TO LAY THIS FLAT ON THE BENCH TOP-- I'M GONNA LAY THIS DOWN HERE.

YOU CAN SEE, THERE I AM IN LINE WITH THE FACE OF IT.

LOOK AT HOW MY KNUCKLES ARE JUST CLEARING THE BENCH TOP.

IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS ANGLED TO THE HANDLE.

IT'S NOT IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE HANDLE.

AND YOU KNOW THAT.

YOU ALWAYS SEE THAT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A HAMMER, A HAMMER IS AT 90 DEGREES TO THE HANDLE.

A MALLET IS ALWAYS AT AN ANGLE TO THE HANDLE.

WHY IS THAT?

I THINK WHAT HAPPENS WITH A HAMMER-- YOU'RE DOWN HERE WORKING ON A NAIL, SO BY THE TIME YOU HIT IT, YOU'RE IN FLAT COUNTRY.

WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH A JOINER'S MALLET, HOWEVER, YOU'RE WORKING WITH A CHISEL UP HERE LIKE THAT, SO YOU'RE WORKING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

IN FACT, YOU TRY AND REDUCE IT-- I'M USING A LOW BENCH HERE FOR DOING MY JOINER'S WORK-- THAT BEVEL THERE KEEPS THAT A FLAT CONTACT SO IT'S LEVEL WHEN IT MAKES CONTACT.

IF WE WERE WORKING DOWN LOW, THIS WOULD BE AN ODD ANGLE.

AH...SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S COPY.

NOW, I'M GONNA PUT THIS ON HERE.

I'VE GOT THIS NICE SECTION OF ASH THAT SADLY HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE BY THE INVADING INSECTS THAT ARE KILLING IT.

SO WE'LL RUN LINES ACROSS THERE.

I'M GONNA TURN THIS AROUND NOW AND DO THE BOTTOM.

I'VE ALREADY GOT MY TAPER ON HERE, AND THAT'S JUST SO WE CAN GET THIS DONE HERE.

I'LL MARK THAT BOTTOM.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, I'LL DO THESE IN A GANG SO I CAN SHARE THAT ANGLE.

HERE'S MY BEVEL SET TO SOMEWHERE UNDER 5 DEGREES.

OOP!

ABOUT LIKE THAT.

SO, HERE THIS IS COMING IN.

THEY ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS IN THIS PIECE.

I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT I'M DOING HERE IN A SECOND.

ALL RIGHT, SO HERE'S ANOTHER LINE ACROSS.

THIS'LL COME THIS WAY.

ALL RIGHT, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE MORTISE ON THE INSIDE.

NOW WE GOTTA BRING THOSE LINES ACROSS WITH THE TRI-SQUARE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND--WHOOP!

AND THAT'S THE OTHER LINE WE'LL BE CUTTING ON.

AND UP HERE, WE'LL DO THE SAME THING.

NOW, I'M NOT OBEYING A FACE SIDE RULE ON THIS ONE, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA COME IN FROM BOTH SIDES TO DO THE WIDTH.

NOW, LET ME EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS SUCH A LONG PIECE OF WOOD HERE.

WHEN I MAKE A MALLET, I DON'T MAKE JUST ONE.

I'VE GOTTA MAKE A BUNCH OF THEM.

SO I'VE GOT MALLETS THAT LOOK LIKE THIS FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL I SAW THEM APART.

SO, HERE'S 3 MALLETS READY TO GO.

SO, 3 SPEED MALLET IF YOU NEED TO.

THERE YOU GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'VE GOT OUR LINES ON HERE THAT SHOW THE POSITIONING OF THAT MORTISE, AND THE ENDS THAT WE'RE GONNA SAW OFF IT ALTERNATES WITH THIS ONE.

SO THAT WAY, WE ONLY NEED ONE CUT TO GET THAT BEVEL.

SO IT DOES MAKE SENSE TO MAKE THESE IN GROUPS.

NOW I'VE GOTTA LAY OUT THE HANDLE WIDTHS.

SO I KNOW THE HANDLE'S GONNA BE THAT DEEP, BUT I'VE GOTTA GET THE WIDTH ON IT.

AND I HAVE SET THIS GAUGE HERE, THIS COMMON GAUGE, SO THAT I THINK IT'S GONNA COME OUT TO 1 INCH, THE WIDTH OF--THERE WE GO-- BECAUSE I WANT IT CENTERED.

SO, INSTEAD OF USING THE FACE SIDE RULE WHERE WE ALWAYS GAUGE FROM ONE FACE, COME IN FROM BOTH SIDES, AND BY TRIAL AND ERROR, GET IT TO WHERE IT'S GONNA BE AN INCH.

AND THAT'LL GIVE ME A CENTERED HEAD ON HERE, 'CAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND THEN THIS END HERE ON THE BOTTOM... DO THE SAME THING AND JUST CHECK AGAIN TO SEE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABOUT RIGHT.

GOOD!

ALL RIGHT.

SO, NOW WE'RE READY TO PUT THE HOLE THROUGH.

WE'RE GONNA DO THAT WITH AN AUGER.

AND THIS IS GONNA BE FINE, 'CAUSE I'M WORKING IN ASH, AND THAT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO WORK.

WHEN I DID THIS IN THE LIVE OAK, IT WAS A BEAR, AND I-- ALL RIGHT, LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING.

THIS IS AN ORDINARY BRACE HERE.

SEE, HERE'S AN ORDINARY BRACE AND YOU CAN SEE THE THROW.

THE THROW IS HOW FAR THE BRACE GOES OFF TO THE SIDES HERE.

SO THIS IS MAKING A CIRCLE WITH MY FIST MAYBE 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

BUT TO DO THIS, TO DO THE LIVE OAK, I HAD TO GO TO THIS GUY.

THIS HAS A THROW OF ABOUT 20 INCHES.

SO THIS, OF COURSE, GIVES ME MUCH MORE LEVERAGE, FOR BORING THIS HOLE.

I'M NOT GONNA BORE IT YET.

YOU'D THINK YOU'D GET GOING ON THAT NOW.

THE ASH IS GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO WORK WITH.

HERE WE ARE.

ONE THING TO MAKE IT EASIER STILL IS I HAVE A HANDLE THICKNESS THAT MATCHES MY CHISEL.

SO THERE'S A 1-INCH CHISEL STRIKING IN, AND WE ONLY HAVE TO MAKE ONE CUT ACROSS.

SO, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DO THIS WITH A 7/8-INCH CHISEL AND 2 CUTS,, WE'RE DOING IT THE FULL WIDTH.

NOW, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT ALL WITH THE CHISEL, THOUGH.

I ALREADY SHOWED YOU THAT AUGER.

WE'RE GOING TO JUST SET A LITTLE HOUSING, REALLY.

I'M JUST WALKING ALONG, CHOPPING, GOING ABOUT ALMOST 1/4-INCH DEEP... AND OUTLINING A SPOT.

NOW, HERE'S WHAT'S COOL.

WHEN YOU GET ALL THESE THINGS WORKED UP HERE LIKE THAT, YOU TAKE YOUR CHISEL, LAY IT FLAT ON THERE, AND WORK IT ACROSS, AND IT TAKES OUT THE FRASS OUT OF THAT SOCKET THERE.

SO, THIS IS A LITTLE SOCKET INTO WHICH WE'RE GONNA BORE.

AND SO THAT KEEPS THE AUGER FROM WANDERING AND ALSO KEEPS THE END FROM TEARING.

SO, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT.

HERE'S OUR BIT READY TO GO.

AND SET THAT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE... AND BORE ON DOWN.

SO I'M NOT GONNA BORE ALL THE WAY.

I'M GONNA BORE HALFWAY.

AND I GOT THAT BIG THROW!

HA HA HA!

IT'S A BIG THROW ON THIS.

AND YOU DON'T REALLY NEED IT FOR THE ASH.

BUT AGAIN FOR THE LIVE OAK, THIS IS WHAT I TRIED.

BUT WHEN IT GOT DOWN TO IT, I COULDN'T EVEN DO THE LIVE OAK WITH A BRACE.

THERE'S JUST NO AUGER BIT THAT WAS GONNA MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH, AND I HAD TO USE DRILLS-- I MEAN METAL DRILLS.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, THERE'S HALFWAY DOWN.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT IN OUR LITTLE HOUSED...

STARTED 'EM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID, ACTUALLY.

YOU SEE, I GOT OFF A LITTLE BIT RIGHT THERE WITH THE BORING.

IT KIND OF WENT OVER THE LINE, BUT NOT TOO BAD, NEVERTHELESS.

SO, THAT'S HALFWAY THROUGH.

LET'S DO THE OTHER WAY.

SET IT AGAIN WITH THE HOLD FAST AND TACK IT IN HERE.

SO, I'VE GOT-- MATCHING THE ANGLE.

MATCH THAT ANGLE... DOWN THE FACE.

AND BORE SQUARE THROUGH.

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT TO TRY AND DO WHEN YOU'RE HAVING TO MEET 2 HOLES.

UH... OF COURSE, A BORE IS SQUARE, BUT WHY DO YOU WANT TO BORE 2 HOLES?

WHY NOT GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH WITH ONE AUGER?

WELL, IT'S JUST MUCH EASIER TO STAY STRAIGHT FOR 1 1/2 INCHES THROUGH A 3-INCH PIECE AND THEN MEET IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEN ANY ERROR IS HIDDEN DOWN INSIDE, TOO.

THAT'S THE OTHER THING.

SO, THERE WE GO.

THERE'S OUR END OF OUR HOUSING.

SO, AGAIN, THIS IS ASH RIGHT NOW.

COULD BE PERSIMMON, COULD BE...OH, GOSH... WHY, REDBUD.

COULD BE SOME VERY DENSE WOOD LIKE OSAGE ORANGE.

COULD BE HICKORY.

GOOD OLD HICKORY.

SO, WHEN WE BORE OUR SQUARE THROUGH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M LOOKING FOR IS TO LEAN OVER TO THE SIDE AND SEE THAT I'M ALIGNED, AND NOT DEVIATING TOO MUCH, CONSTANTLY CHECKING.

BUT ONCE YOU'RE STARTED DOWN AN INCH OR SO, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CORRECT THIS BRACE, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST KEEP BORING.

SO, THERE WE ARE.

I CAN FEEL I'M CONNECTED WITH THE OTHER HOLE.

AND, REALLY, THIS IS GONNA TAKE VERY LITTLE TIME TO MAKE A FINE MALLET HERE.

SO THERE WE ARE.

SO YOU CAN SEE, I'M ALL THE WAY THROUGH THERE-- HI THERE-- AND NOW WE'RE READY TO CHOP THE REST OF THAT OUT.

NOW, DON'T GET CAUGHT, HE SAYS.

GOOD ADVICE IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT HERE, VERY IMPORTANT, 'CAUSE YOU CAN RUIN YOUR CHISEL.

BY CAUGHT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JUST DON'T TRY-- "DON'T TRY TO SPLIT OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN HEW," AS THE SAYING GOES.

SO, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS START REAL CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE.

EVEN THOUGH THIS ROUNDEDNESS MEANS I'M TAKING ONLY A LITTLE TINY BIT OF WOOD OFF, BELIEVE ME, IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH, SO WORK YOUR WAY BACK.

DON'T BE GREEDY.

TAKE OFF MAYBE NOT MORE THAN 1/16 AT A TIME.

YOU DO... 1/16 OF AN INCH 16 TIMES, YOU'VE GONE DOWN AN INCH.

YOU'VE GONE BACK AN INCH, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT FAR TO GO.

BUT IF YOU DRIVE THIS CHISEL IN-- AND SEE?

SO, NOW I'M DOWN ON ONE SIDE THERE JUST FINE.

NOW I'LL TURN AROUND AND DO THE OTHER SIDE.

[BLOWS HARD] IF YOU GET GREEDY AND TRY AND TAKE OFF TOO MUCH, AND GET THAT CHISEL STUCK IN THERE, YOU CAN BEND IT, YOU CAN DELAMINATE IT IF YOU HAVE AN OLD IRON AND STEEL CHISEL.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON I'M ALWAYS, ALWAYS-- WELL, I DID IT RIGHT THERE, DIDN'T I?

I STUCK THAT IN THERE.

SO I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO WHAT I WAS SAYING.

ALWAYS WORKING IN TO THE MORTISE, SO WE DON'T LEVER AGAINST THAT OUTER WALL, AND WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING AWAY PREVIOUSLY CUT WOOD.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, THIS IS COMING DOWN JUST FINE.

WE'LL GO FROM THE OTHER SIDE IN A MINUTE AND TAKE OUT THE REST OF IT, BUT THERE YOU GO-- ALMOST STUCK AGAIN.

NOW, THE TRICK WITH THIS, OF COURSE, ASIDE FROM GETTING IT DONE, IS GETTING IT DONE...

ACCURATELY.

SO WE WANT A VERY SHARP WALL DOWN THAT SIDE.

LET'S LOOK AT THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, YOU CAN SEE WHAT I'VE DONE FROM ONE SIDE, JUST CHOPPING.

WE'VE GOT THAT PRETTY WELL LINED UP.

I'M GONNA GO FROM THE OTHER SIDE IN A BIT AND TAKE THIS OUT THE REST OF THE WAY.

NOW, WHAT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUMPS DOWN IN THAT PASSAGEWAY.

LET'S JUST MOVE TO THIS GUY HERE.

SO TAKE THAT SAME BEVEL THAT WE USED TO LAY OUT.

HERE'S THE BEVEL THAT WE USE TO LAY OUT THE LINE ON THAT FACE THERE.

WELL, SET THAT DOWN INSIDE AND SEE THAT IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP THERE, TOUCHING THE LINE ON THE TOP AND ON THE BOTTOM.

AND THAT TELLS YOU THAT THAT WALL IS CLEAN AND CLEAR.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, I THINK THAT'S THE HEAD.

YOU GET THE SENSE OF WHAT WE DO WITH MAKING THIS MORTISE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, NICELY TAPERED, CLEAN AND EVEN, SO THAT NOW THE HANDLE CAN GO IN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, LET'S GO TO THE HANDLE.

AND I'VE GOT SOME ASH FOR THAT, SOME 1-INCH ASH.

IT'S GONNA FIT RIGHT INSIDE THAT SLOT, AND I'VE GOT THE HANDLE LAID OUT.

NOW, THE HANDLE'S ABOUT 14 INCHES LONG.

I'M GONNA SET IT IN THE VISE AND COME AROUND AND CUT FROM THE FAR SIDE, AND WE'LL CUT THIS OUT WITH A BOW SAW.

SO, WAYS WE COULD DO IT ARE, OF COURSE, CUTTING NOTCHES INTO THE WOOD.

AND, UH... OOP!

I GOTTA TIGHTEN UP A LITTLE BIT.

TIGHTEN YOUR BOW SAW.

ALL RIGHT.

AH.

ALL RIGHT, THERE'S THAT CURVE.

I'M GONNA SEE IF I CAN GET DOWN THIS SIDE.

LET ME SHOW YOU HOW YOU START ON THE SIDE OF A PIECE LIKE THIS.

YOU GOTTA REALLY HOLD YOUR THUMB ON IT IF YOU'RE USING A HAND BOW SAW.

I WOULD NOT DO THIS IF YOU HAD ANOTHER TYPE OF SAW, PERHAPS RUNNING ON OTHER THAN YOUR OWN POWER.

THAT SHOULD GET ME A LITTLE SHELF STARTED THERE THAT I CAN BRING IN.

THERE WE GO.

AND THAT'S THAT.

NOW, I'M GONNA LEAVE THIS ON HERE, JUST THAT LAST LITTLE BIT, 'CAUSE HERE'S ANOTHER TRICK.

THE BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS WOOD IS HOLDING IT IN THE VISE.

AND IF I END UP WITH A TAPERED PIECE, I'M GONNA HAVE A HECK OF A TIME HOLDING IT.

SO, HERE'S OUR HANDLE CLOSING IN.

I'M GONNA FINISH THIS SAWING WITH THE WASTE STILL HELD ON IT.

THERE'S A LOT OF LEVERAGE AT THIS DISTANCE.

THERE WE GO.

YEAH!

ALL RIGHT.

SO, NOW, YOU SEE, IT DIDN'T MOVE AROUND A LOT, BECAUSE I HAD MY HAND UP THERE ON THE BACK END HOLDING IT AND ALSO BECAUSE WE LEFT THE WASTE ON, WHICH WE WILL NOW BREAK OFF.

SO, THERE'S OUR HANDLE OUT OF ASH.

WE'RE GONNA SMOOTH IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

I'M GONNA COME AROUND AND WORK ON IT THIS WAY.

NOW, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

LET'S SEE IF THIS'LL WORK HERE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL, BUT I'M GONNA TRY.

I'M JUST GONNA BRING THIS UPPER PART DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE IT FIT IN THIS HEAD.

'CAUSE, AGAIN, HOLDING THE WOOD IS A BIG NUISANCE.

SO, THERE'S ONE SIDE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS, INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH IT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, I'M GONNA ACTUALLY FIT IT IN THE HEAD AND THEN WORK WITH IT.

AND THAT WILL GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT BETTER GRIP, I THINK.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S SEE.

NOW, WE KNOW WE WANT IT TO GO THROUGH HERE.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT HEAD TAPERED DOWN.

WE WANT THAT TO GO THROUGH THAT MORTISE AND COME OUT THE OTHER END.

WILL IT DO IT?

WILL IT FIT IS THE GAME WE'RE PLAYING?

[HAMMER TAPPING] AND IT SEEMS TO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THE HANDLE END WAS SMALL ENOUGH TO GO THROUGH THE SMALL END, AND THE HEAD END IS BIG ENOUGH TO LOCK IN THE HEAD END.

THERE WE GO!

ALL RIGHT, SO, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE MALLET.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT THAT'S WHY WE PUT IT THROUGH THIS END HERE SO I CAN GET A BETTER GRIP ON IT NOW FOR THE SPOKE SHAVE.

SO, AGAIN, I'LL WORK THE SPOKE SHAVE DOWN, PUSHING IT AWAY FROM ME, TO SMOOTH OUT THOSE SAW CUTS, AND THEN I'VE GOT TO BEVEL IT.

I'M GONNA MAKE OCTAGONAL HANDLES ON THIS THING.

AND I COULD EITHER RUN A PENCIL LINE AND USE THIS SAME SPOKE SHAVE, OR I HAVE A SPECIAL SPOKE SHAVE THAT'S MADE JUST FOR CHAMFERING.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, CHAMFER ON THESE CORNERS IS GONNA MAKE IT OCTAGONAL, AND HERE IT IS.

IT'S GOT THESE LITTLE WINGS.

WE'LL WORK IT DOWN LIKE THAT.

AND THAT WILL SMOOTHEN THAT HANDLE DOWN INTO AN OCTAGON.

AND THERE WE GO.

THAT'LL MAKE A NICE MALLET.

WELL, THIS ONE STILL NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO, BUT IT'S READY TO GO.

AND BEST OF ALL, WE MADE IT OURSELF.

AND A WONDERFUL THING, WHEN THAT MALLET HITS YOUR CHISEL, IT HOLDS A LITTLE BIT OF THE ENERGY AND THEN SLOWLY RELEASES IT INTO THAT OTHER WOODEN HANDLE, AND THAT BLADE IS DRIVEN IN WITH THE FULL FORCE.

THERE'S NOTHING WASTED.

NO BOUNCE.

OH, IT'S WONDERFUL, BECAUSE IT'S A MALLET YOU MADE YOURSELF.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME.

THIS IS 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.