richarnold
Established Member
A fellow forum user (known to you and me as toolsntat) wanted to know why I hadn't posted anything about an early wooden brace I found some time last year. Well just for you Andy, and anyone else who's mad enough to fall in love with wormeaten old bits of beech, here it is.
This is a very early button chuck brace which possibly dates to around 1750-60. Rather than being made of brass, the chuck is made of iron, and bares the makers mark "Ryley". This is reputedly by the maker John Ryley of Birmingham.. the rest of the brace is made of beech with a boxwood turned plug which holds the head in place. The only other braces by Ryley that i can find any record of are in the Colonial Williamsburg collection, and it is interesting to note that all three braces are made of different materials. The two at Williamsburg are made of Oak, and walnut. This has led me to think that John Ryley was perhaps just a supplier of iron goods, rather than an actual brace maker. One other reason for me thinking along these lines is that I had a feeling I had seen the Ryley stamp somewhere before. A few weeks ago I remembered where.
It was on the depth stop adjuster of an 18th century plough by William Wheeler of Thatcham.
The depth stop itself is interesting in that it is made from two pieces of iron dovetailed together. Nearly all depth stop posts are made of brass fitted to a steel shoe.
All in all it looks as though Mr Ryley was at the forefront of tool design in the 18th century. If anyone spots his stamp on anything I would love to hear from them.
Cheers Richard
This is a very early button chuck brace which possibly dates to around 1750-60. Rather than being made of brass, the chuck is made of iron, and bares the makers mark "Ryley". This is reputedly by the maker John Ryley of Birmingham.. the rest of the brace is made of beech with a boxwood turned plug which holds the head in place. The only other braces by Ryley that i can find any record of are in the Colonial Williamsburg collection, and it is interesting to note that all three braces are made of different materials. The two at Williamsburg are made of Oak, and walnut. This has led me to think that John Ryley was perhaps just a supplier of iron goods, rather than an actual brace maker. One other reason for me thinking along these lines is that I had a feeling I had seen the Ryley stamp somewhere before. A few weeks ago I remembered where.
It was on the depth stop adjuster of an 18th century plough by William Wheeler of Thatcham.
The depth stop itself is interesting in that it is made from two pieces of iron dovetailed together. Nearly all depth stop posts are made of brass fitted to a steel shoe.
All in all it looks as though Mr Ryley was at the forefront of tool design in the 18th century. If anyone spots his stamp on anything I would love to hear from them.
Cheers Richard
