Toolemera Blog

Woodies, British Adverts & Leather

No, this title is not a reference to 19th Century British 'gentleman's' literature. It's been a while since last I updated The Toolemera Press website. I've been busy with The Chronicle project, busy with house chores and busy doing a whole lot of fixing of numerous CSS problems within the website. If you don't know what CSS is, don't worry. You are not missing out on anything. Plus the site is getting so large that I have to start thinking about splitting it in order to shorten the load time.

Along the way I decided that I didn't like the looks of the Gateway page, so I started to redesign that too. Then I decided that I didn't like the navigation system, so I started to play around with that. I've also been watching the site stats to see where and when and how people traverse the various  pages and items. That has lead to further ruminations on the practicalities of website indexing. Well, all I did was do a minor redesign of the Gateway page. There is still lots to do, all which 'lots' will roll out here and there when I am either satisfied with things or when too long has passed and it's time to try it out live.

All that aside, there are some new items up on The Toolemera Press website now. Paul Womack, Stephen Shephard and Richard Dickerson were kind enough to send along a variety of items for posting. I say 'were' because this stuff was sent to me months ago. I still have to get Bret Rochette's Millers Falls catalog scanned and returned to him. I am woefully behind the eight ball on that one.

From Paul Womack comes a set of British adverts from 1890. Us Colonials rarely get to see what the folks on the other side of the Atlantic bought when it came to patented and pecullar woodworking tools. Paul digs up examples of what is familiar to him, yet not so familiar to some of us. Stephen sent along a fascinating little catalog for leather tooling stamps for saddlers, c1880, from Dallas, Texas. If you thought Dallas of the 19th Century was dusty and boring, wait until you see the cover of this little gem. Richard Dickerson, a very long time ago, was kind enough to sent to me the makings of what is now a pdf of an Arrowmammett Tool Works catalog from 1858. Let me tell you, that is something you won't often see.

Now that you have finished reading this post, feel free to jump over to The Toolemera Press website and peruse what is new of what is old.

Till next, Gary

Why you should be reading eShavings.

With abject apologies to Chris Schwarz, whose recent post Why you should be reading The Chronicle so aptly points out what you have been missing if you are not a member of The Early American Industries Association, which would mean that you are not reading The Chronicle because you have to be a member to receive The Chronicle in order to read it.

Single sentence paragraphs aside, there is yet another perk of membership that you will be unaware of if you are not already a member of the Early American Industries Association and if you are already a member of the EAIA, you may be unaware of the recent changes to the quarterly newsletter of the Association, namely, Shavings. If you are aware of the recent changes to the newsletter of the Association, Shavings, and you have not yet taken action to opt-out of the hard copy version in favor of the electronic version (drat, I spilled the secret ahead of time), then you really should re-consider your preferred mode of Shavings deliver in light of Global Warming, the Green Planet and full color images.

That was a two sentence paragraph, for those who have not been counting. Let's get to the nitty-gritty. Shavings has gone digital. The original print version is still in production, however we are encouraging people to move to the digital version, eShavings in order to save the planet and to save the Association money in printing and shipping costs.

eShavings is now produced with beautiful full color images. No longer do you have to moan at the half-tone greyscale images of bygone Shavings days. Active links to relevant topics are included for good measure. As a resource, eShavings is not to be missed. Current events in the world of early industries and trades are offered in each issue. Upcoming EAIA events are featured to whet your appetite or to encourage you to join the Association. Wanted and Sales ads by EAIA membership are present as are advertisements from the major domestic and international tool auction houses.

And FULL COLOR if I hadn't mentioned that before, as you can see here...

Each quarter, an announcement goes out to EAIA members who have registered their email address. This announcement is available only to the membership. However, if you have taken the time to actually visit the EAIA home page, you will see that the current and back issues of eShavings are available there for all to see. It really is in your best interest to join the Early American Industries Association and partake of The Chronicle, Shavings or eShavings as well as the regular meetings and events the always feature fascinating presentations, friendly people and good food.

Here's a thought... if you are an EAIA member and want to publicize the Association, add a link on your website or blog to eShavings. It's good advertising for what the EAIA has to offer and it's a good read.

Till next, Gary

PS: This is the direct link to the issue 206 pdf file;

http://eaiainfo.org/Shavings/e_Shavings206.pdf

DELTA Bandsaw Prototype

On occasion, protoypes of particularly famous tools show up. Sometimes we know for sure that this is a prototype because it's labeled so. Sometimes it's wish fulfillment on the part of the collector. By prototype we mean it's truly one of a kind and of the earliest manufacture. Sometimes we have photographic evidence that is proof positive of the accuracy of the claim to "prototype" for a well known tool or piece of machinery.

This is one of those instances. I came across this photograph on an online auction. It looked interesting and was certainly a good buy, so I bought it. Although there are no brand name marks on the print, my guess is somewhere in the 1940's. If anyone is an expert in dating the fedora, please chime in. On close examination, it became clear to me that this was one of those rare instances of documentary evidence of the development of what has become the most recognizable design for a bandsaw, the Delta Bandsaw.

My guess is that this is a photograph of the inventor of the Delta Bandsaw, I. B. Delta (known to his friends as Mr. OSHA, witness his use of blade guards, eye & hearing protection as well as the classic nine fingered hold). Clearly proud of his work, you can see he has dressed for his portrait, complete with his favorite fedora, pipe, three-piece suit and tie. No overalls or sweaty workshirts for this photograph. I am also guessing that the tools hanging on the wall behind Mr. Delta are the very same tools used to make this prototype. Keyhole saws of various toothing, clamps, a brace and a level. What more could he have needed to produce this prototype? It's the answer to that age old quandry: How do you build a piece of machinery if you don't have machinery? The answer is here before us in this important piece of Tool History.

If anyone, and I do mean anyone, has further information regarding this photograph, please contact Delta directly. They are anxious to learn of any first-person accounts of the taking of this image.

 

Till next, Gary

................................................>>>>

News Flash! Raymond McInnis of WoodworkingHistory.com fame, sent this item from a new post at his site. We know now that this was a Popular Mechanics "Forty Tools You Can Make' feature from 1941. At least I got the year right. Once again, what was thought to be a prototype ended up being anything but one. Please don't send any emails to Delta concerning this bandsaw. Send them to Populat Mechanics instead.

 

Gary

Inscribed On The Doors Of My Bookshelves

Inscribed on the Doors of my Bookshelves
Yang Hsun-chi, c900 AD, Ming Dynasty, China

Mine was a trading family
Living in Nan-Hao district for a hundred years.
I was the first to become a scholar,
Our house being without a single book.
Applying myself for a full decade,
I set my heart on bullding a collection.
Though not fully stocked with minor writings,
Of major works, I have nearly everything:
Classics, history, philosophy, belles-lettres--
Nothing lacking from the heritage of the past.
Binding up the volumes one by one in red covers,
I painstakingly sew them by hand.
When angry, I read and become happy;
When sick, I read and am cured.
Piled helter-skelter in front of me,
Books have become my life.
The people of the past who wrote these tomes,
If not sages, were certainly men of great wisdom.
Even without opening their pages,
Joy comes to me just fondling them.
As for my foolish family, they can't be helped;
Their hearts are set on money alone.
If a book falls on the floor, they don't pick it up;
What do they care if they get dirty or tattered?
I'll do my best by these books all my days,
And die not leaving a single one behind.
There are some readers among my friends --
To them I'll give them all away.
Better that than have my unworthy sons
Haul them off to turn into cash.

Till next, Gary