Robert Mouseman Thompson adze finished table tops

[dedee]

I've been browsing around the Robert Thompson web site today http://www.robertthompsons.co.uk (I have a set of napkin rings bought by my parents from his workshop 30 odd years ago) and noticed that their dining tables are finished by hand with an adze.

Has anyone here ever tried this? I imagine it is a skill that take ages to master. In several years of browsing various woodworking newsgroups I do not recall anyone talking about this technique which I imagine requires standing on top of the piece and swinging the adze between the legs.

I have no intention of trying this, just curious.


Andy

 

[Dewy]

Before the introduction of machinery for sawing planks all wood was cut by splitting trunks with an axe.
This made it similar to quarter saw timber.
Because this left each plank wider at the outside edge than the middle an adze was used to flatten the boards.
The medieval furniture still existing shows how boards were always thicker on one end than the other.
I used to use a hollow ground and honed hand axe to plane tongues & grooves off floorboards the builder left behind when he moved on down the road
I used these boards for a number of things and still have fitted darkroom benches in the attic made from these boards.

 

[Alf]

Andy,

Try The Porch archive - I'm sure there's been adze discussion there on more than one occasion. Including what happens if you miss I dare say... :shock:

Cheers, Alf