Frank Klausz' Water-tight Joint

Learn the family secret of Frank Klausz's wood water pond - the bottom is held on by nails, yet it doesn't leak! For more expert joinery instruction from Frank, get his "Joinery Master Class" video, with more than 7 hours of instruction: store.popularw...

[@JeremyMcMahan]

Genius! Thank you for leaking this info!

[@popularwoodworking]

I see what you did there ;-)

[@dedos-pima]

This really brings back memories of Frank in Austin at a class he gave on November 14, 1987. He showed us the exact same method for the water pond. I didn't score the water pond, but did score a small sandpaper block he made for the work he demonstrated - probably because I helped him buy a cowboy hat and a pair of boots to take home. He is a great conversationalist and I had a great time listening to his life story. The reason I remember the exact date is because I wrote it on the sanding block.

[@user-tc1lt9eu8x]

Frank this is great Im a retired carpenter& cabinet maker 93 years oid and you show soo much good advice, I still have and use the marking gauge that you featued in Fine Woodworking years ago Thank you

[@jameshay884]

I’m now 73, I apprenticed for four years with very clever German-speaking cabinetmakers when I was young, and have been woodworking all my life...and I learned something new from Frank Klausz today. Pretty good, eh? Thank you, Frank.

[@ScottOrd]

I'm about to make my first project, a wooden box for beer bottles (the bottles are from Germany, at least haha), and this is the 2nd video I saw - quite the difference in timing, cheers!

[@themountainraven]

Such an amazing person, I cant seem to get enough of his teachings. one of the few old world masters that I'd absolutely love to meet. My questions would probably be overbearing.

[@Weinertobbagan]

Will Frank hurry up and make his own youtube channel, he makes my favorite woodworking videos.

[@betraistrick7731]

Google

[@catey62]

thank you for that. when I first saw you doing it I remembered something a teacher did in a plastics class at school back in the 70's along the same lines.heated a small sheet of acrylic plastic in the oven. then sat a house key on it, and while it was still soft clamped it tightly between 2 boards in a vice to leave an impression of the key in the plastic. after it cooled he then proceeded to sand the plastic till the impression of the key disappeared completely. after that he put the plastic back in the oven to heat it up again.lo and behold like magic a perfect reproduction of the key rose up like magic out of the flat sheet of plastic after a few minutes.all of the students in my class were amazed. this is along the exact same lines. thank you for sharing. and I'm sure your Grandfather wouldnt mind you sharing it with us. :-)

[@lbhunter6341]

Mr Klausz, I never cut a dovetail until I saw your video about making drawers. Every video I've seen that you've done takes me to a very special place...my grandfather's workshop...memories well up inside and I can smell the wood and hear his voice giving sage and learned advice to a very young woodworker...thank you a thousand times for your videos and your teaching...God Bless you, Mr Klausz...

[@Tinkering4Time]

Thank you, Frank, for the secret of that gasket! Planning on some woodworking to create a trough for soaking dried branches/vines for panniers and baskets, so this is PERFECT. You have my gratitude 3 years later.

[@thewalnutwoodworker6136]

How did it go?

[@flatratewoodworks8634]

Was Frank just showing off how sharp his plane is or what? You can hear the sharpness! They don't make them like Frank no more

[@danielgeng2306]

Watched this 2 years ago, and just watched it again, Don’t worry Frank this is between you, your Grandpa and me ! I won’t tell anyone! You’re the best !

[@davidhull2060]

Pure genius.

[@philiptecza7096]

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely am enthralled with what you do Frank. Id like to take a moment to thank whoever was kind enough to introduce this man to the internet and helped create these videos. They'll serve on for years and inspire so many people

[@eyehear10]

Don’t get you wrong on what?

[@baidreamer]

The music in the beginning is from: Franz Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-sharp minor. I couldn't remember so I searched a lot and hope to be in some one eases help :) Excellent water proofing method!

[@musicbymark]

Frank, I miss you! It was so wonderful spending time together in Novi Michigan years ago (and playing "Leader of the Band" for you!)

[@danielbeights6587]

That is the coolest woodworking trick I think I have ever seen!

[@pedrocavaleiro3688]

Absolutely astonished! Never saw that coming and yet, so logically simple! Thank you for sharing!

[@kennethbailey2616]

Dankeschön Herr Klausz!

[@shreyas.kulkarni]

Stunning! Human ingenuity at its best! Many thanks for sharing the techniques. Opens the mind up.

[@63DegreesNorth]

It's an absolute pleasure to watch Frank work and to hear his stories about how these skills were passed through generations in his family. It's a real inspiration to do the same in mine. Thank you, Frank.

[@anthonypascuzzi2720]

Great low tech solution! Never would have thought of it, but it makes perfect sense.

[@738polarbear]

WHY does it make PERFECT sense?

[@TyyDaymon]

Your a master woodworker and from what I can tell an even better person. I could not get an Apprenticeship I’m self taught except for what I read and u-tube every time I watch you I learn and gain a story or two...tnx so very much

[@donalfredisaac]

Just before watching this video I saw the sharpening one and I thought you had a metal pond inside the wooden one, never imagined it was just wood, I think your grandpa is very proud of you and he is happy about you sharing his knowlege, thank you for the video (although I will never even try to make a wooden pond, it´s way out of my reach)

[@bradsmith2386]

The water pond trick is absolute brilliance

[@thehumbleapprentice9250]

I like the picture in your tool cabinet. The floor scrapers. Beautiful painting. Your work is outstanding.

[@danielgeng2306]

Frank, I love ya buddy ! What a outstanding craftsman and teacher. Funny too !

[@dc5723]

Ingenious, both your grandfather and you.

[@abettermousetrap]

I just discovered the channel. Oak barrels are expensive and hard to come. I've been putting toasted white oak chunks into bottles and jars for my homemade hooch, but this seems like it might be a solution to my problem. I will make a couple small boxes out of oak this way and toast them so I can try using them to age my moonshine whiskey. Crossing my fingers. Thanks. Great video.

[@ecrusch]

Frank is the best ! And thank you Grandpa.

[@yochai1987]

Uhhh the sound of that plane just gliding through the wood :))))

[@GIGI-MOM]

Awesome video!

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

Grand Pa was a genius! Thank you for teaching us.

[@timtucker2746]

Thanks Frank! You are a gem for sharing such an interesting and clever technique.

[@imortaldeadead]

Thank for the short and to the point video on this, fantastic work. I was told a long time ago about this, I think I was told it's called a sailors joint or a boat makers joint 😇

[@captcharlescross8240]

It's a planking joint. It's been used for hundreds of years in boat building.

[@Bloxygen]

MOST excellent. Thank you Mr. Klausz.

[@jimsmith3971]

England loves you Frank!

[@charlesfazio2015]

Frank.... I thank you and especially your Grandpa....

[@gizanked]

I'm so glad they made a video for just this trick. I recall seeing it on an older hour+ long video for beginning hand tool projects.

[@nunyabisnass1141]

As soon as you said to plane the surface you just bruised, I knew exactly what you were doing. I've never heard of that technique (nor most for that matter) but its a good one none the less.

[@MatthewBuntyn]

That's flipping brilliant

[@twisted556]

that is so cool thank u wery much its a joy to see u work.

[@user-eg4yq2qw7x]

beautiful wisdom

[@Silentaudits7]

That's got to be worth a beer ! What are you drinking Frank ? Thanks from an old dog that has just learnt a new trick !

[@andreicharpentierquesada4530]

Thank you so much to you and your granpa

[@mdoering]

Yes! Thank you! I saw an excerpt from a previous video and he said he'd get back to it but I never did see a follow up.

[@thomasklink3766]

Grandpa's are great. Now I need to know how the do the tapered dovetail.

[@WelshRabbit]

I use a lot of sliding dovetails. I use a 25-yr old "Joint-Matic" vertical router table, or my JDS Multi-Router, which makes cutting them even easier and faster. A much less expensive, but very good alternative, is Matthias Wandel's PantoRouter. Using any of these tools makes cutting sliding dovetails a piece o' cake. I can't imagine how I could accurately cut sliding dovetails by hand, but if anyone could do it, it would be Frank Klausz.

[@TheHomeMaker1]

The difference in a boat building joint like that is when building a boat they make the scar on the wood then fill it when glueing you or joining the boards together with a cotton strand that swells when wet boat builder don’t just leave it scared then join the boards or any I have seen so it that way have not at least but very cool no the less Frank look forward to seeing you again some day old freind

[@MyDabblings]

Thank you for sharing Grandpa's secret! I'm sure that will come in quite handy.

[@haroldschultz5864]

There goes the family secret grandpa sorry .... priceless .

[@sawdust58]

Thanks Frank, most interesting.

[@zhookeeper]

Absolute genius.

[@toodle171]

Oh how funny! So glad I finished this one!

[@joelfildes5544]

That is genius ! And..made my day.

[@WhatsupWayneLWC]

Awesome idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@elcinylmaz2200]

I really love this master

[@driesvanoosten4417]

That is a phenomenal trick!

[@balbino108]

Very good! Thanks for sharing!

[@Phyoomz]

Danke Frank!

[@dominiqueberger2119]

merci pour ce truc de charpentier de marine c'est super. Et relativement facile à mettre en œuvre. Cordialement DB

[@mdavidf]

That is phenomenal!

[@AndreiIR000]

Ingenious indeed!

[@robertbrunston5406]

Very good! Thank you.

[@andYz00m]

Damnit, Frank.

[@ikust007]

I am naturally impressed by the technique and skills. But I must say that I am more astonished by the fact somebody somewhere discovered that fact and applied it . I am extremely sometimes by the human intelligence. A brief moment :)

[@StavrosGakos]

Brilliant!

[@Supramonk]

Would be amazing to see your workshop setup

[@walterrider9600]

thank you

[@TaylerMade]

very interesting and though i may never use it i will store it in my mind lol

[@oldsteamguy]

wonderful

[@mirkwoodking2432]

I wish i had a grampa like him

[@Brandywine6969]

Thank you for leaking your grandpa's secret. Great work!

[@johnbhumphrey]

That's slicker than snot on a doorknob!

[@JeremyB8419]

I wonder if this would work planing a groove and then putting a specific different kind of wood strip in the groove.

[@GarageWoodworks]

Very smart!

[@Akula1963]

Amazing.

[@rigorhead01]

Awesome!

[@randybaylor2217]

Amazing

[@nicolecrystal6765]

TAK, sir !!

[@alaskankare]

there goes the secret...sorry. awesome!

[@PedroScherz]

Wait this ain't the joint I was looking for

[@tomallen8527]

Here’s to Gramps. Thank you.

[@nicholelee9147]

Can someone explain how this works exactly? He never explained what the reasoning was for the technique......no doubt in my mind that it works just curious as to what's going on.

[@g.v.harvey7425]

When he hammers on the wire, it compresses the wood and forms a semicircular channel in the wood's surface. He then planes off some of the undisturbed wood. He fixes the sides to the bottom with nails. When he puts water in the box, some of it seeps between the sides and the bottom. When the water is absorbed by the compressed wood fibers, they swell up and form a "gasket" under the sides. It's really quite ingenious. When I was a kid we used a similar technique to get dents out of gun stocks. We would put a wet rag over the dent and place a hot clothes iron on the rag. Steam would be driven down into the dented wood and would expand the wood to near-original condition. Even knowing that, I didn't see this waterproof joint coming until he had completely explained it. Someone somewhere had an ingenious insight many, many years ago.

[@justinsane332]

He does explain. First, he compresses fibers with paint can handle, then when water soaks in the fibers decompress pushing against the bottom panel. It's the same concept as using an iron to swell dents out of wood.

[@justinsane332]

@@g.v.harvey7425 exactly. Should have read your response first, you explain it very well.

[@GaryThomsonJoinery]

Now you are the grandpa 😄👍

[@738polarbear]

I believe him but I cannot see how it differs from a plain plank..I wish somebody would explain it to me . I can see in the comments how it makes perfect sense ,but it does NOT to me .Unless the bottom swells and fills the little trough.Is THAT it?

[@diowk]

i dont get this at all..... how does an indentation create a gasket and why would you plane it off after you make it? makes no sense to me.....

[@StCreed]

The indentation creates a dense layer of wood below it (you basically compress the wood under the indentation). Now you plane it off, so you are left with no indentation, just a flat plane of wood with a denser part in the middle where it has been compressed. Once water hits that area, the area decompresses and expands a bit. This will seal off the joint between the flat bottom and the sides.

[@TreeOfLifeWoodworking]

im not quite sure i understand. can someone elaborate what happens there? im sure its genius but its over my head

[@jasonjohnston5373]

When he hammers the metal into the wood to create a channel, it compresses the fibers in the center of the wood. He then cuts the wood down to that level leaving the board smooth and even. When the wood gets exposed to water, the compressed fiber that was in the center expands again and creates a raised center bead acting as a gasket.

[@joeldwolf]

Six shoulders or five ?

[@AteuCu]

Six.

[@kimchee94112]

Why not make two lines of indentation?

[@StCreed]

Two will never be of the same height at the same place, causing leaks.

[@ItadakiTontaro]

Internet strikes again on the ol' family secret.

[@raymondkowal8379]

i was watching EXPERT JOINTS LIVE... make me a wooden bong. lol

[@SD-yb5fx]

Why not make sure that you are truly saved by Jesus Christ and practice this way. Remorsefully confess with your heart your sins to Jesus Christ who is God and tell Him that you right now are repenting of your sins and you want to be born again of the Spirit from above. Tell Jesus that you are remorsefully sorry for breaking His commandments and that you are begging for forgiveness from Him. Allow His blood from the cross to wash away your sins. After this is done with your heart successfully the Holy Spirit will come to live within you and He will rebuild you from the inside out. Look for signs that you are saved. Things like spreading the good news from Jesus, getting other people saved, a craving for the word of God, reading the Bible, etc… These things are known as a calling and fruit bearing. If you're not bearing fruit then keep doing it. Sometimes it takes time to get saved. Read Matthew chapter 13 from the King James Bible. God bless!!!!!!!

[@stevenlengyel9701]

Sorry Grandpa 🤓

[@dj3114]

As much as I like and respect Frank, this one is tough to justify, even though educational. He said at first, it would leak for awhile, then seal up. What's the point of the work to do it? This is one of those rare times for plastic, even for a woodworker.

[@AndreaArzensek]

because you can't find plastic in nature.

[@ozzy85Mpower]

Donald Dorn because he can

[@schechter01]

If his grandfather was doing it, then that joint is from a place & time where plastic was not available. Most likely no one in his native country was manufacturing it... probably no electricity, either.

[@andrewvanoverbeke5164]

it only leaks for about an hour. after that, you keep your water and stones in it and it doesn't leak anymore. thats the point.

[@laius6047]

because back then they didn't have plastic :D why do you think the barells were made of wood? cus it was easier? thats all they had that would do the job.

[@joepalooka2145]

??? I'm not impressed, this is just plain silly. The part where he uses 20 coated nails to nail on the bottom is hilarious and ridiculous. Only people who haven't done a lot of woodworking would take this seriously.

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

Brilliant!