A Host of Angels....

[jimi43]

Cheers for the kind words guys....I was at one point thinking about the "Kentish Spring".....and in the end opted for straight down as if there are spring lines in this one, they are long faded away.

I'm not sure I am into building anything with it though...it's just the restoration and associated research that interests me.....(good Lord! That's bordering on collector speak! :mrgreen: )

Your point about joined boxing was mentioned before...by your good self if I recall correctly and indeed, if you look closely at the thin band of box at the top of the above picture you will just see a join on the far left. It is skewed too and nicely so.

Jim

 

[bugbear]

Quite large and well seasoned pieces of boxwood can be had cheaply at car boots, even at sociabal hours of the day - they're called lead dressers.

BugBear

 

[jimi43]

Quite large and well seasoned pieces of boxwood can be had cheaply at car boots, even at sociabal hours of the day - they're called lead dressers.

BugBear

AH! Indeed...though I've yet to see a lead dresser that is 5" across the grain!....

The ones I have are only a couple of inches at most....must keep my eyes open next time!

Jim

 

[ac445ab]

Nice plane and restoring job! =D>

Ciao,
Giuliano

 

[AndyT]

Ok, I just found some more reassurance for anyone wanting to cut angled pieces of boxwood from small logs.

This plane:

has four little pieces behind the iron

and three in front:

with unusually clear joins between them.

Nevertheless, it's lasted ok for a century or more!

(Btw, the maker isn't in BPM II - anyone got the third edition handy?)

 

[Racers]

Hi Andy

It's something I have come across rehabbing moulding planes.
I guess they cut it at an angle from long stock to minimise waste.

Pete

 

[toolsntat]

Hi Andy, that R.HARRIS is not in BPM3 either.
Perhaps you could send the picture to Jane Rees :?:
Would be nice to think she has an e-mail folder marked " BPM unlisted" :wink:

Cheers
Andy

 

[jimi43]

I hope we find Mr Harris....something I will assist with in my free time which is somewhat short at present.

The combination of pieces to make a whole on the boxing is interesting. Maybe a sign of quality to have few sections as is common with Gabriel and perhaps his investment in such a large quantity of wide stock may well have been, at least in part, an element in his huge success at the time.

Tiny nuances like this are what intrigue me about these old woodies.

The latest member of the host...a simple ovolo from Fleabay....

...acquired for the princely sum of £8...was certainly easier to fettle.

One exactly like this is present in the Seaton Chest inventory (PL42 Fig 10.14) of the new book...an iron also by R.Hildick of Birmingham.

I flattened the back creating a fine edge to the bevel then carefully honed the flat and round parts of the bevel using a slip stone of the correct shape (used for gouges).

The test cut on "that horrible pine" was much easier to achieve than on the complex ovolo:

...all the way along this time...so clearly the simpler the shape...the easier it is to fettle...which I expected.

Even my boss approved!

I probably need some tips with these things Richard.... :wink: ....but I did notice and use the spring lines on this simpler version mate....quite easy and helpful really but keeping the "fence" upright was an equally helpful guide.

A complete set of hollows and rounds has just popped up on FleaBay...but only some are Gabriels so I have no intention of taking a short cut to this collection...but it is tempting with some Green and Mutters amongst the beautiful selection!

Cheers...

Jimi

 

[adidat]

can you tell what it is yet?

:lol:

adidat

 

[AndyT]

Not quite what this thread started as, but definitely inspired by the title, I recently came across this rather nice engraving by Albrecht Durer.

The hardworking carpenter toils on some important woodwork with his axe, while his wife sits and spins. Three adult angels keep her company, while a host of tiny ones gather up the chippings and clear them away in baskets. With all those angelic helpers he might even find time to patch up the house walls a bit before bedtime!

 

[jimi43]

Wonderful Andy!

Durer is one of my favourite artists....

Those hands...

Using these tools...

(British Museum)

Wonderful stuff!

Jim

 

[AndyT]

Agreed again - how could any woodworker not like Durer!

One website I looked at said that his family name derived from "Thurer" meaning a maker of doors or carpenter. That's a nice coincidence, but as Peter Follansbee has pointed out, he not only shows you a plane, in enough detail to make one

he also observes some bold dovetail joints, back in the sixteenth century:

 

[jimi43]

Just to carry on with this slight hijack of my thread (I'm sure I won't mind! :wink: ) a bit more.

Do you happen to have a photo of the Durer work that shows the studio and in particular the floor with the carpenters working on it?

I can't find it anywhere!

Jim

 

[Harbo]

Lovely plane - I like the triangular wedge?

Those DTs could be artistic licence?

Rod

 

[AndyT]

Just to carry on with this slight hijack of my thread (I'm sure I won't mind! :wink: ) a bit more.

Do you happen to have a photo of the Durer work that shows the studio and in particular the floor with the carpenters working on it?

I can't find it anywhere!

Jim

You've lost me now, Jim. Could you be thinking of any of these?

This is Durer's picture of St Jerome in his study (note the wedged through tenons on his table!)

Or maybe you are thinking of something from Jost Amman's Book of trades (from WK Fine tools)

or for someone working on a floor I can only think of this one - much later by Caillebotte:

- probably miles off!

 

[jimi43]

Yes Andy...that was the one...the Caillebotte....now why did I link that to Durer....mmmmm

Methinks it might have a link...there was a BBC Four (or similar) documentary with that picture...

I could have sworn there was a link...or a similar picture study of flooring workers....

Must be going mad! It's the wax fumes! :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[AndyT]

Happy to help!

It's quite a familiar picture - a copy of it hangs in our dining room!

 

[adidat]

thats a great picture, i seem to remember it being in the axminster or dick tools catalogue by the scraping tools.

adidat