This video is for anyone who loves woodworking, storytelling, or turning doubt into legacy. If you’re into traditional joinery, medieval-style craftsmanship, or just watching a stubborn man refuse to make firewood, you’re in the right place. I built a 500-year old door. No glue, no screws, just old-school mortise and tenon, charred by flame and held together with even more wood. Inspired by my father’s skepticism and a pile of forgotten lumber, this is a build that blends history, emotion, and a touch of fantasy.
I turned a forgotten fir log into a 500-year-old gate. And then set it on fire. Stick around to see if it holds… and what it taught me about letting go.
Playlist with all the music from the video: https://share.epidemicsound.com/45z08g/?playlist=ns83kzhej4hijrksete0qhz29kbdkdmt
Jesper Makes 2nd channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jespermakes2
Editor: @BearAtSki
Big thanks to
@TomsTimmervan @ Northmen: my emergency angle-hotline
@FestoolDanmark & @RubioMonocoatRMC for backing the madness
And to Dad. Turns out it wasn’t firewood after all.
Other videos to watch
✅ https://youtu.be/1Vl7WQqodFc
✅https://youtu.be/McK0kbPZNoU
✅ https://youtu.be/iInL3a2rWiQ
Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqEcM-ZrWoC7AgGDoxi2X-w?sub_confirmation=1
If you’re here because you love traditional woodworking, medieval carpentry techniques, or just want to see what happens when someone refuses to accept that “it’s just firewood,” welcome. This is a deep dive into hand-crafted joinery, mortise and tenon construction, and the kind of slow, intentional building that honors both the past and the materials we use.
This gate...this door...is more than just a DIY woodworking project. It’s built using old-world methods: no screws, no glue, just wood and willpower. The project includes cutting timber on a small sawmill, shaping rough boards into usable stock, and fire-hardening the final structure using the ancient Japanese technique of shou sugi ban (yakisugi), all while wrestling with crooked angles, dense wood, and emotional weight.
I talk a lot about legacy in this video, what we inherit, what we carry, and what we eventually have to let go of. My dad always said this log would become firewood. He wasn't wrong. But he wasn’t right either. Because what started as a pile of potential waste has become a 500-year gate, built to withstand time, weather, and the ghosts of skepticism.
If you’re looking for DIY inspiration, traditional joinery tutorials, tips for using reclaimed wood, or just some calm long-form woodworking content with story and soul, I think you’ll enjoy this build. This is part craftsmanship, part catharsis, part quiet rebellion against fast, disposable culture. It’s about building something that lasts.
This project uses a mix of traditional hand tools and modern power tools, because while I admire the old ways, I also admire my spine. For the hand tool lovers out there, you’ll find plenty of chisel work, axe shaping, handsaw joinery, auger bits, and even a few questionable choices involving mallets and hope. The mortise and tenon joints are all cut with as much historical reverence as I could muster without quitting halfway through and becoming a blacksmith.
But I’m also a huge fan of Festool gear when precision and time-saving matter. The Festool HK 85 makes an appearance (yes, I know it’s not medieval, but the Romans would’ve used one if they had the budget). I also used a Festool track saw, router, and sander at key moments where modern engineering really helps bring old-world designs to life.
If you're curious about how hand tools and Festool systems can complement each other in a hybrid woodworking setup, this build is a perfect example. It’s not purist. It’s practical. And it’s proof that legacy builds don’t have to be allergic to electricity.