The Woodwright's Shop Season 30, Episode 8: The Case for Books

Case of the Corner Cupboard

Long splined miters anyone? That’s how you join the coffin-like case of this 18th-century corner cupboard. See how to make the special jigs to hand plane this crucial joint with precision and dignity.

26 min

Making Marvelous Moldings

You can make any complex molding you want with simple hand planes—just take it one curve at a time. Bill Anderson and Roy show how to flute your pilasters and carve your cornice for this comely corner cupboard.

Mind Over Miter

This butt joint of distinction joins everything from picture frames to crown moldings. Learn all the angles and see how to carefully cut corners as we master the miter box for fitting frames and fine furniture.

The Till in the Tool Chest

We’ll delve into the drawers in search of the secret of an old tool chest. The quality of the tools shows that it belonged to a first class joiner back in the early 1800s, but the dovetail joints break all the rules.

Continuous Arm Rocking Chair (1)

Chairmaker Elia Bizzarri joins us to make this elegant and comfortable rocking chair. We’ll turn the legs and frame the seat in part one of this American classic.

Continuous Arm Rocking Chair (2)

We’ll finish our rocking chair as we steam and bend the continuous arm's one-piece back. With its compound bend, this challenging chair is truly an American design innovation.

Who Wrote the Book of Sloyd

Sloyd, the late 19th-century Swedish system of learning woodworking was intended to develop skilled, industrious and morally upstanding citizens. We’ll give it a try, and hope it’s not too late for us!

Sawing Secrets

Chris Schwarz, editor of Popular Woodworking Magazine, joins Roy to explore the three classes of English sawcuts. Chris reveals the devious French tenon cheat, and even shows us how to saw without a saw!

The Tiny Tool Kit

How can you stretch a basic kit of tools to build impressive casework? Chris Schwarz, editor of Popular Woodworking Magazine, shows how with the toolkit of young Thomas, hero of the 1839 book The Joiner and Cabinet Maker.

Thomas Day, Cabinetmaker

In the days of slavery, Thomas Day, a free black cabinetmaker in North Carolina, was one of the most respected artisans in the South. We’ll look beneath the veneer on his furniture and discover his intriguing architectural work.

Oak Field Gate

Mortise and tenon joints frame this classic feature of the English countryside. It’s a rustic woodworking challenge as we balance both beauty and strength to make a gate that will keep swinging for decades.

Field Gate Hinges

Hinges Master blacksmith Peter Ross turns his hammer to forging iron hinges for our oak field gate. We’ll see how to shape and weld wrought iron for straps and pintles to make our gate swing true.