Drawbore - An Inside Look | Paul Sellers

[@daleskidmore1685]

Paul is one of those rare breed of carpenters on YT that doesn't leap on a floor mounted machine when he needs to sharpen his pencil. The way he uses hand tools is plain proof that we can achieve things with hand tools. Excellent demo too.

[@vintage910]

Watching Paul Sellers cut apart a drawbore tenon more accurately than I can do dovetails. That's what skill looks like.

[@AutotechWoodworking]

Your videos are the only ones that I don't skip through just to get to the main point or end result. They're always very interesting, informative, and I have yet not to learn something with each one I watch. I've been debating whether to say this or not for a long time, but I figured I would. You bear a remarkable resemblance to my dad, so much so that I asked my wife once "Who does he remind you of?", her reply was my father.

[@censusgary]

Autotech1 : Paul Sellers’ videos can be long, but there’s really no fat in them.

[@NPOAfterMidnight-ft9zj]

And if you skip through one, you will definitely miss a golden nugget of info or a tip that will change your woodworking for forever!

[@DullPoints]

It's so satisfying to see him draw a line on the far side of the wood and cut perfectly along it without looking!

[@censusgary]

Chase Perdue : Sixty or so years of practice pays off.

[@truebluekit]

I must say, that was one sexy joint, even after the autopsy. Mr Sellers has monumental skills, and that is no exaggeration. He builds monuments of wood.

[@haroldschultz5864]

Only Mister Sellers would have the resolve to slice apart an otherwise beautiful mortise for the purpose of this advanced tutorial . Bravo and may God bless you .

[@jkgkjgkijk]

I feel so fortunate to be able to learn from this man! God bless you Paul.

[@stephaneg.8142]

Super travail et quel plaisir d'entendre un bel accent anglais. Merci.

[@peterv1436]

Another consideration is to keep the timber you use for the pegs extra dry. In the past I have planed the stock square and left it near to my woodburner for a few days before rounding it off to it's final dimension and driving it into the joint. The peg will swell slightly relative to the rest of the joint. It will never come out after that.

[@deemdoubleu]

good tip

[@DrewDiaz]

I was also taught to compress the peg wood in a machine vise before driving it through the rounding die.

[@bighands69]

Not sure if I want to do that. I tend to want it to pull the joint as I am putting them to gether and I then want the expansion to be small over time so as to allow it to form an even tighter joint. Is this a traditional technique used by people?

[@dougscode]

Thank you Paul. This has got to be the most thorough explanation of the value of an offset pin I have come across.

[@WoodInn]

Hands down best video on drawboring on the internet.

[@Phyoomz]

Mr. Sellers is like the grandfather we never had. I'm hoping my young son has as much interesting in making as I do.

[@bighands69]

Get a workshop and have your son working in it with you from a young age. And get him working on projects that he is also involved in designing. I worked with my grandfather from a young age and it has stayed with me my whole life. If your son decides to study architecture or engineering it will stand good with him.

[@adglife]

I just love this technology. The fascination feels almost genetic.

[@MichaelBakowski]

There’s few things more satisfying than seeing Paul Sellers assemble a perfectly made, hand crafted Paul Sellers joint.

[@DanJoy07]

Draw bore is a wonderful joint stabilizer. I really appreciate how you formed your pin, using the washer technique. I really like this technique!! Thanks for sharing.

[@HunterJE]

"This is the only bore-ing bit" There are no boring bits in a Paul Sellers video.

[@jeremiedoiron8692]

This is why I love woodworking. Paul, you are the ultimate steward of this very important craft.

[@markbryan9989]

I grew up in a house that was built in the mid 1800's. Not nails were used in the framing. Only pegs. I am betting that this method was used. When my dad had removed some of the horse hair plaster and home made lath to do some renovations, the construction was really amazing to look at. Thanks for a great video Paul.

[@stevenmaduri917]

Simply amazed by the fact that you cut the waste wood off perfectly to your line. My wife’s gonna get side table number 2 out of this video. Thank you.

[@markrowland5393]

Great video. Very interesting. I didn't realise that the holes in the mortice and tenon should be deliberately misaligned to create the clamping effect. Very clever.

[@bryandavies6074]

Thank you. A well thought through and excellent demonstration of how this ancient technique works - and how to utilize it properly.

[@pierluigiugolotti]

I've seen dozens of your video (I have to admit that I've skipped the plywood series), but every time I learn something. Thank you, Paul.

[@klystron1]

brilliant paul, thanks for insight. probably why so much antique furniture is still around today.

[@tabhorian]

I read something in an archaeological magazine yesterday I think, that talked about glue. Resin actually. And it was found on the fastenings our ancestors used on the wooden handles for the stone tools they used. So, yeah, you man\y not need to use glue, but we've used it for a long, long time! That was a fine joint man. I always wondered how it worked, exactly. Thanks for sawing it apart and showing us the finer points

[@bighands69]

Dry and glue joints both have their strengths. Humans have been using the whole animal for hundreds of thousands of years. I remember reading about dental floss markings being found in the teeth of a Paleolithic Era women teeth. They were using string to clean between the teeth. Truly fascinating.

[@stephenturp2836]

An ocean of knowledge. 😊

[@jasonamoscomedy]

Really enjoy the history of woodworking; hope to try this joinery if I ever get caught up.

[@neilsparks.4447]

Fantastic video, thank you for bringing this to us, not a power tool in sight! A truly skilled chap!

[@allanh4803]

Fantastic example of a truly engineered joint.Terrific lesson Paul, thanks for sharing.

[@jamesosullivan6722]

The usual high standard of video from Paul, i used this method on a timber framing course and we used a tool called an offset pricker to mark the hole, brilliant idea.

[@navret1707]

Amazing what 1/16 inch can do. Thank you, Paul. 👍👏

[@MrKenhaigh]

A picture paints a thousand words springs to mind here Paul. Excellent little video. I wonder how many viewers were surprised by the bend. Not had time to read all so sorry if its been mentioned, dryer wood for the pegs is a good thing, they will swell as they eventually equalise moisture content with the parts. Thanks for sharing another little gem Paul.

[@Timshowtomake]

Paul Sellers is the Quincy of woodworking ;-) BTW also the best woodworking teacher ever

[@MichaelSHartman]

These old methods are fascinating. Even modern woodworkers can benefit, if only as a method when nails, screws, and glue are not available.

[@tommccurnin524]

Thank you for your time, endless energy, and dedication to teaching students about woodworking.

[@amezcuaist]

A very beautiful demonstration Paul .

[@djscotty06]

Wow great vid Paul. What a beautiful joint you made so you could cut it apart for us. Thank you.

[@thomasarussellsr]

Very nice display. Looks exactly how I thought it would inside. This gives the picture that those who couldn't visualize the action of this technique might have needed to understand how it works. Thanks, Mr. Sellers.

[@akulm1829]

I knew about the concept with the peg hole joinery but I had it all wrong. Thanks for showing how that offset works. That surely was an eye opener for me. What a great way to pass on this knowledge!

[@bighands69]

It will still hold with a straight through dowel joint. I have made lap joints and used dowels to hold them in place and they still are working 20 years later on barn doors and gates which surprised me.

[@RobertFay]

*Thank you.* The sound of your work is what i remember learning on my own in dad's work shop as a 9 year old and 13 year old... the correct sound of balance that the wood and tools required to fit and fair will together to get the chore done appropriately and well.

[@rogercarroll1663]

Thank you very much. Wonderful explanation.

[@nestormaccagno1655]

Paul, thank you for sharing this ancient knowledge that many of the new age woodworkers (like me) do not know. You are a truly Master in woodworking.

[@UBO58]

Excellent explanation and demonstration video - as allways! Thanks a lot to Paul and the whole Team!

[@ivansemanco6976]

Very educational, informative and beautiful video. Thanks Mr. Sellers.

[@nicodemus7784]

from what I read there are examples of chairs over 2000 years old that used draw bore pins. the animal glues were lost to time but the items are still solid because of how they were made.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you Paul for this informative and excellent demonstration of the draw bore technique. I have never tried it but now I have to find a project to use it on. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.

[@rickolson9011]

Clear as a bell! Very nicely executed instruction!

[@richardmoss9188]

New to woodworking and been watching a lot of your videos. Your a true master of your trade Paul

[@gordoneckler4537]

Thank You for the very clear illustration of the draw-bore method.

[@akquicksilver]

Great thorough demonstration! Thanks

[@rusterkat1188]

Thanks , Paul!

[@derekw40]

Thank you Paul

[@bigm383]

I don't think I've ever seen a woodworker do forensic analysis of his work.

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

Paul Sellers : WWI (Wood Working Investigator) Coming in the Fall of 2019. Check your local Listings.

[@bighands69]

@@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164 He will give Philip Marlowe a run for his money.

[@mikegunnellsministriesinc5384]

Nice demonstration of how it works! May God Bless you and your family Greatly

[@Munisk52]

You're like a Bob Ross of woodworking

[@chinlesshippo4187]

Thanks Paul, this is just amazing! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@andyburns]

Nicely demonstrated as ever ... Who spotted the continuity error where the grey/white soft faces of the mallet reversed mid-shot?

[@dale2257]

Awesome video

[@mandyleeson1]

Joy to watch and I learned a lot. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@joeduffy9764]

Great wood work & information as ever mr Sellers!

[@kennybo-iy2ed]

nicely done piece of woodwork a+.

[@robinalexander5772]

Really good video

[@ulyssesfurniture3996]

Very very very helpful! Thank you very much!

[@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors]

excellent demonstration, thank you for sharing, have a blessed week. dale

[@TheCHRISCaPWN]

Wow, this is a very, very cool and informative video. Thank you so much!

[@hernancoronel]

Awesome as usual! Thank you Paul, keep up the excellent work!

[@mikedeman5351]

Very interesting video. You are a fountain of knowledge and skill. Thanks for sharing.

[@SpawnofHastur]

This method was used more than two millenia ago by the Phoenicians for shipbuilding, although they used smaller seperate tenons to lock the boards for the hull together.

[@roy.mclean]

Should you make any consideration of the direction of the grain of the peg? Should the endgrain of the peg be parallel or perpendicular to the grain direction of the timber with the mortise? Does it matter one way or the other or is it a matter of aesthetics? Thank you for another fine video. I'm rediscovering working by hand.

[@filouzagames8452]

Thanks again Paul for a great video--curious if anyone knows how the holes were drilled before clamping existed. I have no concept of the timeline here, but I can't help but imagine that the drill is more complex than the clamp. Curious if there's some historical way to drill.

[@peckelhaze6934]

A great example.

[@jasonbarile2014]

Great video! I'm just curious... why not use pre-made dowels?

[@johnproctor5292]

Great video.

[@ShaneWhiteStudios]

Is there a PHOTO LIBRARY of your workbench that you've just made with all the tools and everything on it? I watched the videos of you making it, was completely inspired, but I'm not sure what all the aspects and uses of the bench are (like the 'well' for instance...is that just for tools?) I'm about to embark on building a different kind of bench for tools and wood storage but I'd like to circle back around once I understand the uses of this bench outside of just the vice. Thanks again for the videos, Paul. Always a pleasure.

[@Aaron-nj4ou]

Without the glue is it realistic to be expect to be able to disassemble this if absolutely necessary? I am building a bench and I don’t want to use bolts but I would like the option of being able to separate the leg assembly in half in case I absolutely had to move it. I realize this is not something that could be done repeatedly but could it be taken apart once without doing any real damage to the tenon?

[@JoseAlvarez-vv5dz]

Thank you very much Paul, really top notch stuff!

[@leonvandenberg9051]

I really enjoy your videos very good tipps .And my dream is to be a carpenter I like working with wood

[@tanyeewei]

Beautiful! This would make a fantastic feature piece if you used different woods and sanded the cut to a high polish. It would be a section drawing in real life.

[@richardvinzant4103]

This is why I watch

[@arkansas1336]

Well taught!

[@robertupshaw8986]

Your videos are utterly fantastic! Is there any reason one could not use a commercially produced dowel?

[@tommccurnin524]

Because some dowels are not exactly sized to the drill bit.

[@robertupshaw8986]

@@tommccurnin524 isn't that why they make different size bits and dowels? Still I think it's cool as all getout that Paul shows all the great details that he does!

[@jonikuhn2441]

Also most commercial dowels aren't great because the grain doesn't run exactly parallel to it which makes it less strong. But if you can get a nice straight grained dowel that fits one of your drillbits there's nothing wrong with using that.

[@robertupshaw8986]

I was just musing on the use of this method and wondered... this might be also used to keep corner joints tightly together as well. As in like a frame for a tabletop or a door, if they were of sufficient size. I was thinking as if I were to make a tabletop using a floating middle sort of like making a floor without nails as in Korean joinery. Any thoughts?

[@peteward6478]

Thankyou.

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

Would it be okay to use a pre made wood dowel instead of making drawbore pins? If not, what would be acceptable wood species to make drawbore pins?

[@bighands69]

Yes it would be fine to start out that way but there is a pleasure you will gain from using your own made pins.

[@rwind656]

That was amazing! Ty!

[@BenButler1]

Great info!

[@NickLuker]

This reminds me of The Modernist Cuisine with the cutaways of kitchen equipment and explanations of how they work. However, the best is Paul, having made thousands of cuts, saying "And, hopefully, I get this right."

[@frittandy]

Thanks Paul.

[@CleaveMountaineering]

Incredible, I'll have to keep that trick in mind. The cutaway view is great. I wonder if someone discovered this by mistake or did it on purpose the first time. Also how did the ancients drill holes in wood? Did they have some means to make a spade drill?

[@bighands69]

I suspect they were making tenon joints and just wanted a method to keep it in place so that it could not be pulled out. And that is what somebody arrived at. It is possible that they did this with lap joints as well or bridle and maybe even dovetails.

[@samehfahmy1813]

Dear Paul we loved to see you how you billed Adirondack chair please

[@738polarbear]

Paul Sellers gives out more free information than any woodworker I have seen . It started to change a bit when the company who promotes him took over . i suppose that's fair though .

[@bighands69]

All the information is still out there and you can learn a lot from his free stuff and then use the paid material as it will add to your skills.

[@tombaker3794]

I believe I noticed that the hole through the mortised component is not square to the side, but at a slight angle. Was this intentional and does it have a purpose?

[@bighands69]

Just the way he hand drilled it. The real strength is in the off set holes that force the pressure on the drawbore joint. Remember he is doing it for a demonstration as well and talking to us if he was doing it on his own he may have it straighter.

[@bertkutoob]

I was a little surprised to see a washer being used as the die. In my experience the hole in a washer tends to be quite a bit bigger than its nominal size and with repeated use either bends or becomes dull quite quickly. . Probably does not matter as long as it the dowel or pin not too big? I once needed to make dowels for some reason which I forget now, and found that drilling out a ½“ nut with a ½" drill made a very effective die for the purpose. I found great pleasure in seeing that your awl is exactly the one I have. And then that brass backed tenon saw! Darn, but I am sure I have got one just like that... What make is yours, if I might ask?

[@engineer-iv1oq]

would there be any advantage to wedge the dowl pin?

[@Paul.Sellers]

Totally unnecessary. Ask yourself the questions by going back several hundred years to the time when they were first developed. To a time when men worked the wood to live by their work. No waste.

[@ThePetiokos]

Is it possible to make removable drawbore pegs? To make make knock-down furniture for example.

[@bighands69]

Have a look at tusked tenon joints.

[@Jeremy_810]

Is it recommended or any more forgiving of hole offset to use a softer wood for the pin since it has to bend or does it not make a difference? Draw bored and keyed for takedown mortise and tenon are the 2 joinery techniques that I can't wait to use for some projects

[@curtisheller7242]

Paul, when assembling, do you make any effort to orient the peg grain in one direction or the other? Or is it irrelevant?

[@peterv1436]

I don't think it matters all that much, but if you wanted to be fussy you would orient the growth rings in the peg with the grain of the stile so most of force from any swelling of the peg will not be trying to split the stile.

[@bighands69]

@curtis Heller There maybe a difference but experiment to see if there is. I once did such a joint with a bolt, washers and wooden tenon joint. So I used the bolt for the drawbore and it is still working 20 years later with no real structure problems as my worry was it may draw too much tension on the wood. And it still works as a farm gate and has take lots of abuse.

[@dragonwaterforge]

If only we learned from history cool vid

[@afsharisohrab]

Hi.! -- thanks.

[@stephenshipley1066]

Very interesting. Do you have any idea how far back this technique goes?

[@stevebosun7410]

Hi Paul, how did you find a washer with a 1/2" hole? It certainly won't be a 1/2" washer.

[@dpsjs]

Hi Paul, big fan and new to the beautiful craft. When should i use what kind of wood ? And are some types better than others ? Big fan from Denmark 😊

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Up front... I'm not Mr. Sellers. I do welcome you to the craft, though... AND I suspect some of the substance he'd have to tell you. I know at the surface level, it doesn't seem like it... but that's a really complicated question. There's tons of advice and wit about it, too... Starting off, find wood that looks nice to you. Do it to pick up the skills and make neat stuff that doesn't have to stand a test of time and generations... because it was cool while it lasted. The truth is, softer woods tend to be great for low impact but medium to high stress duties... like putting pine into framing a house. It's not designed to take a meteor hit, but against a fairly constant strain of wind, rain, snow, it's plenty strong enough. Hardwoods are tougher to work and a bit harder on tools, but they're pretty great in "high traffic" surfaces... like the seats of chairs and stool steps... It's durable enough to take a pretty rough use, but does chip... handles strain okay if you're not TOO enthusiastic, but doesn't tend to bend so much before it snaps or splinters... There are a few "oily" woods. Cedars, Teak, etc... where you can buy finishing oils made directly by extracting from the wood itself... AND these tend to last a bit longer outdoors, in the wet and weather, even without finishing (at least for a while). Make no mistakes, here... unfinished wood will not last as long in most conditions as finished wood. Even paste or wax is better than completely bare... just that oily woods tend to take a bit longer before deterioration sets in. There are books and publications about the various material science based studies of wood by species, by straight or irregular grains, by hard and soft varieties... and other than a short list of notable exceptions one way or another, most wood will perform about the same as any other over the lifespan you can expect of a product. At some point, of course, there's the earnest effort to make something "heirloom worthy". AND just for the record, it's my experience that there are a few exceptional woods for just about every job, but not a particular "best wood ever" for everything. Experiment, pioneer, and don't be afraid to watch something catastrophically fail under its first test. Through all the advice you're GOING to find, you'll develop a personal taste and discrimination about which wood species just feel better for working into certain things... but it's a quality of craftsmanship and skill that gets heirloom qualities in a product, far more than a species of tree. Hope this helps... and Greetings back from Tennessee (USA)! ;o)

[@dpsjs]

@@gnarthdarkanen7464 hello :-) and thank you for the verry nice answer. I have a question though. While making a chair, would you make it entirely out og hardwood or a combination of the two ? Like hardwood for the back support and the seat you sit on, and softwood for the legs and the fraim of the chair ? Best regards from Denmark :-)

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@dpsjs It's generally just as well done either way there. Important notes on "wear" with chairs, particularly lightweight chairs, is that they tend to get moved by dragging... Dining chairs (for instance) will tend to wear more on the feet when pulled out and pushed back under the table for every meal. This can be remedied with plastic or rubber cups (sliders) attached to them, but some might worry it ruins the rest of the "rustic aesthetic". (frankly, it doesn't) In heavier chairs, like a lounge, fainting couch, or love-seat, this isn't as much of an issue. At least in normal use. At the risk of being repetitious, experimenting while you don't worry about "standing the test of time" is probably more important. There are traditions both ways about chairs... AND I've even carved out hardwood "runners" for a softwood framed chair to spread the weight out on the floor as much as to lower wear on it being dragged all over the room. ;o)

[@dpsjs]

@@gnarthdarkanen7464 well thank you, this does clear up some questions. Guess this is as good a place to start as any. Won't get much better only asking questions. :-p i still do hope to see Mr. Sellers make a video about this, as i belive this could be a good topic.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@dpsjs It is certainly a good topic, and you may find more about it on Mr. Sellers' Channel page, under "videos" (provided you can get there on your device of course). I'm glad to be of some help to you, and yeah... "You gotta start somewhere." It's worth saying, that a lot of the questions you have now are likely to change a bit as you get started doing. You'll refine better questions, and the experience will help you understand the answers you get a little easier. Good luck with your projects, and welcome to the craft! ;o)