Ask This Old House

Kevin

Today on "Ask This Old House"...

Jenn

I'm headed to Washington, D.C., where all the cherry trees are in bloom. So, you wrote to us about having a cherry tree planted.

Derek

That's right. We have a spot we think will be great, right in the backyard.

Mark

I'll show you some of the tools and techniques for cutting stone.

Kevin

That is perfectly straight.

Mark

That's perfectly straight.

Kevin

And then you have some irregularities here, and that's just the stone expressing itself.

Nathan

And I'll head to Springfield, Illinois, to upgrade some old door hardware. I can go to a salvage yard and try and find the parts and pieces to make this work. What I was able to do was find a solid brass kit. It actually has a really nice look.

Good morning. Jenn

Hi, Kevin.

Cordt

Hi, Jenn. Nice to meet you.

Jenn

Nice to meet you, too. So, you worked with Roger Cook 15 years ago on the D.C. project for "This Old House."

Cordt

Yes. It was great fun to work with him.

Jenn

So, now I get to come, this time a year, for the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Cordt

Yes,

yes. Jenn

I mean, I am blown away.

Cordt

Over 3,000 trees were sent as a gift to the United States from Japan and planted all over D.C., especially around the Tidal Basin. And the majority of the trees around the Tidal Basin are Yoshino cherries, but there are about 12 different varieties they sent.

Jenn

That is one of the greatest gifts of all -- the reciprocation and the friendship

between the two countries. Cordt

Isn't it? Sharing plants is one of my favorite things.

That's what they're for. Cordt

Yes, absolutely.

Jenn

This is a really cool neighborhood.

Cordt

Isn't it beautiful? It's called Edgewood.

Jenn

Ah, interesting. And you must be Derek.

Derek

Hi, Jenn. Nice to meet you.

Jenn

Nice to meet you, too. I'd like to introduce my friend Kevin Court.

Derek

Hi,

Kevin. Kevin

Nice to meet you, Derek.

Derek

You as well.

Jenn

You have a really beautiful house here.

Cordt

It is, and it's so nice to have a detached house in D.C.

Derek

Definitely. My wife and I have lived here for about 4 1/2 years. Built in 1925 and really love it.

Jenn

Excellent. So, you wrote to us about having a cherry tree planted.

Derek

That's right. We have a spot we think will be great, right in the backyard.

I can show you. Jenn

Excellent. Should we go check it out?

Cordt

Yeah.

Jenn

Okay. Wow. This is a great backyard. You already have things blooming. You've got some quince, some forsythia, and I love how this maple anchors this side of the yard. And the deck is great, too.

Derek

Well, thanks so much. So, this is the spot we were thinking for the tree.

Jenn

Okay.

Derek

Be a nice screen to the power lines and a good pop of color in the yard.

Jenn

Absolutely. And then you got to think of focal points. What are your views going to be? So if you're sitting on the deck and looking this way, you're going to have this beautiful view of the tree. Or, if you're inside the kitchen, looking out, it's going to help you screen, like you talked about. And I think it's really going to fill out this area just perfectly.

Cordt

It will, because it will be about 20 feet wide, about 25 feet high, and as we saw at the Tidal Basin, this time of year, it's going to be this giant cloud of pink. And when the summer comes, it'll be a nice canopy to provide shade back here. In the fall, you'll get some nice fall color, and in the winter, the bark is interesting.

Derek

Oh,

that sounds great. Cordt

Yeah.

Jenn

Should we go check it out?

Cordt

Let's do, yeah. So, here is your new cherry tree.

Derek

This looks great.

Cordt

Yes. It's a Yoshino cherry, just like the majority of the ones around the Tidal Basin.

Jenn

And this is a plant that exists in Zone 5 to Zone 8. And so, in Boston, it's a Zone 5. I actually have one of these in my own yard, so you could plant them from there all the way down to Georgia, which is a Zone 8.

Cordt

Yes, and here in Zone 7 in Washington, D.C., they do wonderfully. And they love a spot with full sun, which you've got here. And we just picked this up at the local garden center.

Derek

Great, I can't wait.

It's going to look great here. Jenn

Alright. Well, let's all grab some shovels and get this in the ground.

Cordt

Yes. Alright, so, what we need to do is go ahead and trace the shape of the pot so we can locate the hole properly, and we're going to want it to be about twice as wide as the pot and about the same depth because we want this to be right at soil level when we get it planted.

Jenn

Alright.

Cordt

Let's go ahead and move that out of the way. Alright. And as we dig up the grass, let's throw that aside so that doesn't go back into the backfill. Alright, great. Looking good. I'll get the wheelbarrow.

Jenn

Alright. It's going to go like this.

Cordt

I think we're looking pretty good.

Jenn

Mm-hmm. Just going to break this up so there's not clumps of heavy clay, and then that's going to help the roots begin their new home.

Cordt

Alright. So, before we put the tree in, let's get a little compost in the bottom there. That will help encourage the roots.

Alright. Jenn

Alright, so, I'm going to pull the tree out of the pot, if you could pull the pot down.

Alright. Jenn

Good.

Cordt

Great. Alright, loosen up those roots...

Alright. Cordt

... so they'll know to grow into their new home. Oh, yeah,

this is great. Jenn

Oh, it's awesome. Going to put it in the hole. So, Derek, I want you to stand back and to see if it looks good from both viewpoints.

Derek

Yeah, it looks good there.

Cordt

Alright.

Over a little bit here... Jenn

Towards the fence?

Derek

...towards the fence, yeah.

Alright. Derek

That's perfect.

Great. Jenn

Alright, I'll hold it right here, and you guys can backfill.

Alright. Derek

Great.

Cordt

So, what we'll do, Derek, is I'll throw compost on top of the existing soil, mix that together,

and throw it in the hole. Derek

Alright.

Jenn

Okay, and we're being mindful of keeping the soil at this level. We don't want to bury the flare of the tree. Definitely want to keep that exposed. Alright, so you're just going to keep watering and let it pool up and then soak back into the ground a couple times, just so the water gets deep into the roots.

Cordt

And the finishing touch -- some cedar mulch to keep in the moisture and to match the cedar mulch you already have down.

Jenn

Perfect. And this is gonna help retain the moisture of the soil below.

Derek

Alright. Just like this?

Jenn

Yep, exactly. And follow it all the way around. Okay, so, your tree is in and watered.

Derek

Looks great.

Cordt

And remember, you need to keep it watered so it will get established, so the roots will grow out, and that means watering it every day. Soak it so it goes all the way down to the bottom of the root ball. After that, check it every few days, and you can put your finger into the soil to check for moisture.

Jenn

That is a great test. And then next spring, it will bloom prolifically and start to create that nice canopy that's going to help with that screening.

Derek

I can't wait. Perfect tree, perfect place. I really appreciate, you know, you guys coming out. Thank you,

Jenn. Jenn

Thanks for having me.

A pleasure. Jenn

And thank you, Kevin,

for hooking it all up. Cordt

Great to be a part of it.

Kevin

Hey,

Mark. Mark

Hey, Kevin.

Kevin

What are you working on?

Mark

Actually, I'm looking up some stuff on Mount Rushmore.

Check this out. Kevin

Oh, yeah, wow.

Yeah. Kevin

I guess that's kind of like, well, your Mount Rushmore.

Mark

Hey,

exactly. Kevin

For a mason,

that's unbelievable. Mark

Yeah. No, a lot of the same techniques, but, obviously, 600 feet in the air so...

Kevin

Yeah, so, how did they do that? I mean, it seems almost inconceivable.

Mark

Right. Well, it's not easy. What they do is they climb up the mountainside, they put on a harness, and then they're lowered down into position on a winch. After that, they have to blast. So, they'll blast off the face of that mountain. They'll get to about 6 inches of where they want to be.

Kevin

"Blast" as in, like, dynamite?

Mark

"Blast" as in, like, dynamite, so... And then, after that, it's just a series of small holes that they'll drill, and then they'll get some carving tools out, and they'll get down to the face.

Unbelievable. Mark

Yeah, it was crazy.

Kevin

And so remind me. When is this all going down, in, like, the '20s or '30s?

Mark

Yeah, like, October of 1927 was the start.

14 years later... Kevin

Wow.

Mark

...in 1941, was the finish. So it didn't happen overnight. That's for sure.

Kevin

No. So, 14 years hanging off the side of a mountain, blowing stuff up. How many guys didn't make it back?

Mark

To be honest with you, everybody made it.

Kevin

Really?

Mark

Yeah, nobody got killed, which is crazy for that day and age.

Kevin

Yeah, I mean, and the finished product is absolutely remarkable, right?

Mark

Mind-blowing, right.

Kevin

Alright. Well, so, no dynamite for you,

at least not today. Mark

Not today, no.

Kevin

But you do a lot of shaping and cutting of stone.

Right. Kevin

How do you pull that off?

Mark

So, a couple different methods. The one that I've always used, and the one I still enjoy today, is called the feather-and-wedge system.

Mm-hmm. Mark

Yep, you've got it. So, these two pieces make up the feather part, and that is the wedge.

Kevin

Goes in between the two right there.

Mark

Yeah, exactly. So, I always put one in. Then, I put my wedge in. And then I'll sneak in...

Kevin

And you're putting it into holes that you've already drilled.

Mark

I've already drilled these holes.

Kevin

Presumably along the line where you want to...

And we're talking cutting now. Mark

That's right. Now, see how my spacing is fairly even?

Kevin

Yeah.

Mark

So that's gonna change with each stone. The size of the stone is gonna dictate

what my spacing is gonna be. Kevin

Okay.

Mark

So I have fairly close spacing for this particular one. And, again, all we're gonna do is tap, tap, tap. But you have to remember that patience is your virtue. If you use too much strength in your hammer or not enough, it's gonna break not where you want it to. So, we're gonna start off with a very light tap on each one.

Kevin

Sort of sets it in there.

Mark

Yeah. And, again, you want to listen. You hear this one?

Dull tap

Higher-pitch tap

Mark

So, this one is already tight, and it's around a hard piece of stone. So, I'm gonna try to concentrate on these two a little more. And, again, everything is a tap.

Tapping becoming slightly duller

Kevin

I didn't hear the different -- Oh,

look at that. Mark

So, you heard -- You heard it right at the end, correct?

Kevin

Yeah. Are you kidding me?

Mark

Now,

that broke perfectly. Kevin

Wow.

Mark

And you can see our feather-and-wedge system

right there. Kevin

And you see a lot of these residual drill holes, or half of them,

and that's what they're from. Mark

Exactly. You've been looking at them, basically, your whole life, and you never really knew what they were,

but that's what they are. Kevin

Gotcha.

Yeah. Kevin

Okay. So that's one way to cut a stone.

Mark

That's one way. Now, we do have another method. Again, we were talking about the tools earlier. This is my chisel. It's called just a stone-cutting chisel. This one, in particular, is called a tracer, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm gonna pick up my hammer. I'm gonna find my line right here, but I'm gonna find it with my tracer.

Kevin

Alright.

Mark

So, just tap, move down... tap, move down... tap, move down.

Kevin

Again, doesn't seem so precise, but, in fact, that's a pretty darn good line right there.

Mark

So, that line, I'm gonna do again because I want this wedge -- That's the carbide right there. That's the strongest part of my chisel. And it's stronger than the stone. So I want to make a nice trough for it to fit.

Yep. Mark

So, again, I'm just gonna run another trace line.

Kevin

With each subsequent whack...

Mark

Yep, I'm weakening the stone, and I'm getting deeper. And, again, I'm gonna...make a trough so my chisel can sit nicely.

Kevin

So, the feather and wedge went a lot faster, but, of course, we didn't have to drill the holes, so...

Mark

That's right, so take that part out of it. And, again, it goes as fast as the stone itself

wants you to go. Kevin

Right.

Mark

So that's why patience is a virtue.

Kevin

Straight line right there.

Mark

Yep, and I'm gonna just stay the course.

It's actually a pretty good cut. Kevin

Look at that.

Alright. Kevin

Yep.

So... Kevin

I mean, along this edge,

that is perfectly straight. Mark

That's perfectly straight.

Kevin

And then you have some irregularities here, and that's just the stone expressing itself.

Mark

That's the stone expressing itself. Again, the veins -- we can't control any of the veins in a stone, so that's why we want to stay patient and concentrate on that one line. And then, again, now you're starting to show clean edges.

Kevin

Right, and depending on what you're gonna use this for, these imperfections could stay, or you might go further and clean them up.

Mark

That's right. So, the next chisel I have is called a point chisel. Again, carbide tip, so it's harder than the stone, and, again, this little nub is what I want out. I'm looking at a vein right here, so I know I'm -- I got to be careful with it. I'll take my 3-pound sledge, and I'll just attack underneath the lip as many times as I have to. And, again,

I'm listening. Kevin

Yeah.

Mark

And I just heard something I didn't like.

Kevin

Uh-oh, meaning it's potentially going to a place you don't want it to go.

Mark

Potentially, but I might be able to save it. And we'll see. Alright, I think it's starting to pop.

Kevin

Oh,

there it is. Mark

There we go. So, now I can take this stone, and I have options. I can lay this flat, which, again, is important in a wall because you need everything flat, sitting well. If I wanted to take this stone and use it in a walkway, I've now made the bottom flat, right? That's important in a walkway.

Kevin

Yeah. I mean, that's awesome. I had idea. Obviously, the tools help, but definitely the touch and the sound, all the senses kind of going in.

Mark

Definitely, so that's why you want to zone in to your work and be aware of what you're doing.

Yep. Mark

Any wrong move, now you have to use a new stone so...

Kevin

Very cool, Mark. Thank you.

Mark

Yep, you got it. Can you imagine doing this in the -- 600 feet in the air?

Kevin

For 14 years?

Mark

For 14 years?

No. Mark

So...

Chuckles

Kevin

No, I can't.

Nathan

Springfield, Illinois, has a lot to see. Of course, it's the capital of the state. Historic Route 66 runs right through it. But Springfield, perhaps, is most associated with President Abraham Lincoln, and at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, you can get a taste for how they lived back in the day. Inside, the home has been restored to what it would've looked like in 1860. With the modern innovation of the railroad, it allowed goods to be shipped in from all over the world including carpet from New York, furniture from North Carolina, and even wallpaper from France. But, compared to today, living was very primitive. Stoves would've been used for heating and cooking and candles, primary source for lighting. As a carpenter, my eye is drawn to Abraham Lincoln's desk. He was a lawyer and a politician, so he wouldn't have constructed this himself. It's actually pretty simple, probably made by a local carpenter. Hi, Joe.

Joe

Nathan, welcome to Springfield.

Nathan

Thanks for having me.

Joe

I heard you were able to visit the home of one of our more famous residents.

Nathan

I did. It was quite the experience.

Joe

Well, this neighborhood is a little bit newer than his. It was built around the 1950s.

Okay. Joe

So, let's go on in. I'll show you what we got going on.

Nathan

Sounds good.

Joe

Welcome to our home, Nathan. I live here with my wife and two kids.

Nathan

Mm-hmm.

Joe

And we've got two bedrooms down here.

Let me show you what we' got. Nathan

Alright.

Joe

We've got these old doors. This is the issue we're running into. Look like they're original to the home,

as well as the hardware. Nathan

Nice.

Joe

We really love them, and we want to keep them that way, but we've run into an issue with being able to lock them, because we've lost the skeleton key.

Nathan

Okay.

Joe

We'd really like to add a thumb latch. Is that even something that's possible?

Nathan

Oh, it's definitely possible. I can do that for you. I actually really like these doors -- solid doors, full mortise lockset. You didn't really see this kind of quality in a lot of the post-World War II boom houses. They got a little cheaper, with hollow-core doors and cylindrical locks. These are great. I'd love to save that look. Let me take it apart and show you what the parts and pieces are, and we'll go from there.

Joe

Alright,

sounds good. Nathan

Alright. Alright, the first thing we want to get started with is by pulling the knobs off. For that, just a little set screw.

Joe

Mm-hmm.

Nathan

Nice. Alright, now I'm gonna switch to these baseplates. Here you go. Alright, next, I need to go after the lockset. Just a couple of screws holding that on. There it is. Alright, now that we have your lockset pulled apart, I can show you what we're working with. This is your older lock body here, set up for the skeleton key, but we want to add a thumb latch to it.

Right. Nathan

And it has a square part that goes through the lock to actuate it. You can see, it's not gonna work with the old skeleton key.

Mm-hmm. Nathan

We need to find a lock body that will receive that thumb latch and turn the lock. And since I'm swapping out your lock body, and I'm adding your thumb latch, I need front and rear plates, I might as well as add a new knob, as well,

so it all matches. Joe

Okay.

Nathan

I could go to a salvage yard and try and find the parts and pieces to make this work, but it's much easier to buy a replica kit. And what I was able to do is find a solid brass kit that was already distressed chemically. It actually has a really nice look, compared to your set that's 60 years old, and it's been antiqued, so it'll blend right into your home.

Great. Nathan

What do you think?

I like it. Nathan

Alright.

Let's do it. Nathan

Sounds good. Alright, we want to start off by fitting this lockset into the mortise. It's a pretty tight fit. I might open it up just a little bit on either side so it slides in nice and easy. We don't run the risk of spreading this out at all. So want to start with that step.

Chisel scraping wood

Let's do it. Nathan

Alright, so, sliding this in, looks like I can reuse my top screw hole, but we'll probably have to drill out a new one for the bottom. But what this kit comes with also is a decorative faceplate that covers the lock body. You can see, it's gonna make it as... So we need to mortise this deeper to recess it in. What I'm gonna do is put a screw in the top hole, lock it out, trace it with my razor knife, and I'll chisel that 3/16".

Joe

Okay.

Nathan

Now that we have that opened up, let's see how this fits. I like to put the screws in it... make sure I'm bringing it back all the way. Alright, we'll put the faceplate on. Nice fit. The only thing is, recessing this in, we actually moved our holes back a little bit, so what I'm gonna do is take a pencil and I'll do just a little shadow line of the material I want to take away.

File scraping wood

Nathan

Perfect fit.

Tool whirring

Nathan

Joe,

give it a try. Joe

Let's do it. Alright. It closes. Let's check the lock. Hey, look at that. It locks.

Chuckles

Joe

Alright,

we got a locking door. Nathan

Awesome.

Joe

Thanks for coming to Springfield.

Nathan

Thanks for having me.

Kevin

Nice job,

Nathan. Nathan

Thanks, Kevin.

Kevin

So, no way to work with what he had there to save it?

Nathan

You know, we could have hunted around and probably found a skeleton key that worked, but the homeowner really wanted the form and function of a thumb lunch. You know, they had some kids, so they didn't want to lose another key.

Kevin

So, you're into new hardware

in that situation anyway. Nathan

Today, with all the reproduction, there's a ton of choices.

Kevin

Yeah, I mean, this is just three samples

of different backplates. Nathan

You're not just stuck with the off-the-shelf one anymore.

Kevin

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

Feel how heavy that is. Nathan

Yeah, it's solid. They really do a great job doing the reproduction stuff. Honestly, it's probably nicer than some of the old stuff they made.

Kevin

It's not surprising, right? I mean, a lot of that stuff was mass-produced, and it's old, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's super high-quality.

Nathan

If you upgrade, you can also change your style.

Cool. Nathan

Yeah.

Kevin

Alright, well, like I said, good information. Thank you. So if you've got a question about your house, we have the experts. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time,

I'm Kevin O'Connor... Nathan

I'm Nathan Gilbert.

Kevin

...for "Ask This Old House." Next time on "Ask This Old House"...

Tom

A stock screen door won't fit this opening. I'll show you how to build a custom one that will fit.

Richard

I'll walk you through the care and feeding of your washing machine. So, people don't realize that there are leveling legs right here. And it works way better than a shingle or a piece of carpet.

Mauro

And I'll show you the correct way to paint wood trim that has been varnished.