Tool Collecting in Western Australia by Frank Ham

The Handtool Preservation Society of Western Australia meets monthly on the first Thursday of the month. In May, I was fortunate to be in Perth on Thursday 4th May and, Des Miller, the President asked me to give a talk to the members. About 30 members were present and they brought along some of their favouritetools, in their original boxes and some Preston tools. Because 5 or 6 members were overseas, the proceedings were video-taped for them, including trying to identify a number of Whatsits. The whole evening was most enjoyable and I was able to encour­ age contributions of articles by our W.A. friends to the ToolChest and to sell 5 copies. Des Miller, the Foundation President, is a lecturer in furniture design at Leederville TAFE and is a very enthusiastic collector. He knows many of the older tradesmen ( often from the U.K.) around Perth and he was kind enough to take me around to see two of them. The first stop was a private maritime museum of Barry Hicks and his son Robin, who is a sailmaker by trade. Barry and Robin made over I 000 sheave blocks for the replica of the Endeavour. The museum is complete with shipwrights tools, boat rigging gear, hand crafted ships wheels, chests etc, etc. The craftsmanship was exceptional and the layout meticulous. Our next stop was to meet Alf Sturt aged 94 - a cabinet maker by trade - who has, Des MIiier since working as a - rigger in the RAAP, kept an interest in wooden framed aeroplanes. Since the 1970's Alf has been restor­ ing and rebuilding planes including an Avro Anson - a timber covered with and mercerised fabric. When we visited Alf he was out in his shed rebuilding the wooden frames of an aileron of a Percival Proctor. The next shed contained both wings. Because of failure of the animal glues used in the construc­ tion, and loosening of pins and screws, all the wooden frames and struts have to be replaced - a long and painstaking job. Despite a pacemaker Alf still works 4 days a week at this voluntary job. The day after the HPSWA meeting, the main Perth antique auctioneer Gregsons conducted an auction of tools, mainly moulding planes (over 100) including 18th

■26 THE CHEST AUGUST 1995 century planes scattered amongst the lots. I was successful in getting an E. Preston panel and a patented J. Donkin saw with nib but also fine teeth along the back. However my most extravagant purchase was a Slater of Clerkenwell filled iron smoother with wooden wedge. Some of you will remember Nigel Burgess who came to one of our meetings last year. Nigel visited Camberwell market during that visit and knew I would be inter­ ested in a trash and treasure market at Belmont. I picked up 3 good gouges with boxwood handles and a cast iron Silex . Fortunately, I had time to visit my old friend, Allan Bunn, who has not been well recently. He showed me more of his marvellous reproductions and renovations and his "shed" where he works. It is hoped Alan will soon be well again.■

Interesting Finds by Watson Cutter

Recently I got a tool chest with 36 "Mathieson" moulding planes, most of them being hollows and rounds. There was nothing of spectacular interest other than they all had the same owner's name. He was the father of the vendor. The vendor was 86 years of age so this probably dates the tools at the end of the 19th century or early 20th. There were other tools in the chest which confirms this. Two similar wooden moulding planes but of different size were of particular interest as I had not seen the likes of their profile before. A profile of one of them is traced below:

/"f:n.A MATHIESON & SON � GLASGOW

ON HEEL ½" No. 534½ ACTUAL SIZE PROFILE

One of them seems to be original and the other probably shaped from a little used plane whose dimensions allowed it to be reshaped.■

THE TOOL CHEST AUGUST 1995 127 -

Unusual by Frank Ham

A high quality but unmarked spokeshave turned up recently. It measured 11 inches long and was a steel frame with handles and a single 2" iron. Its interest­ ing feature was it had 4 interchangeable faces held in position by 2 thumb screws. The four faces are one flat, two oval or convex and one concave. With either face, a wide or narrow throat may be obtained.

Improved Four-Faced Spokeshave

Research revealed it was a Millers Falls No. 2 Four-Faced Spokeshave., Patent No. 508427 - Herbert D. Lanfair - Erving Mass. assigned to Millers Falls Co. Thomas Lamond of Lynbrook, New York, is an acknowledged expert on spoke­ shaves and has written in "The Gristmill" about this particular spokeshave designat­ ed by Millers Falls as No. 2. He found it illustrated in the 1896 Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co. "Tools for All Trades" catalogue and it was still illustrated in the 1932 catalogue. Tom Lamond described 2 basic versions with earlier one having no markings at all (as is the case of the one I collected). Apparently the later one had M.F. Co. Millers Falls Mass. USA on the chip breaker. In an illustration drawn by himself he shows the removable sole for the Lanfair patent.■

Sole for Lanfair Patent

References 1. Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co 1896 2. Reprint M-W TC; The Gristmill M-W TCA Sept 1987.

■28 THE TOOL CHEST AUGUST 1995 Australian Tools• Information Wanted One of our members, Theo. Lutgens, has found a parallel plane blade, I 3/4" wide, 1/8" thick and 5" long. It is marked with a small six pointed star above the words BARKER BROS. MELBOURNE Theo has donated this blade to the HTPAA's Australian Tool Collection. It is understood that made by Barker Bros. are known to exist. Does anyone know anything about this manufacturer? Was the blade likely to have been made for a wooden German made by Barker Bros. or for someone else's planes? Are there any other sightings of Barker plane blades or planes or planes fitted with such blades? Any relevant information would be of interest.■

Interesting Gauges Edwin Walker founded the Edwin Walker Tool Company in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1883 and had several patents to his credit. These patents included detachable han­ dled chisels, an adjustable plough plane and other varia­ tions of these planes. He also obtained patents for corkscrews and ice cream dishers (scoops). As an engineer he was a prolific inventor and while his marking was a masterpiece of pre­ cision engineering the patent Walker's Micrometer details are unknown. Only one has been sighted that remotely resembles it. The Walker Gauge is made from 5/16" diameter steel bar 7 3/4" long with a cast iron head. The head is fitted with a lock­ ing screw and the fine "micrometer" adjustment.■

THE TOOL CHEST AUGUST 1995 129 Plane Facts - No. 2 by Auld Smoothie

Modern Plane Design is a blessing because generally it produces a tool which is robust and resists wear, (if it is looked after properly). It is a curse if you happen to drop it on the ground; repairs can be expensive if possible to achieve. On the other hand old wooden planes might bounce, loosen the blades and wedges, but other than a slight bruising they were easily put back into service. How many metal planes have you seen at your local T & T markets that were only suitable for spare parts, whereas some old wooden planes are still serviceable even if you have to repair their throats. It was this longevity that led me to search out the following information on really old planes way back in Roman and Saxon times in England.

The Sllchester Plane The sole has turned up ends and the side plates appear to have been fastened to the sole by welding. They extend along the whole length of the wooden core. The whole thing was fas­ tened with rivets one of which ran across the throat or mouth. This served to secure the iron/wedge in the usual way, the others serving to hold the sides together. The sole appears to have been fastened to the core by substantial vertical rivets which must have been welded to it. This plane appears to have had only one hollow hand grip at the rear unlike other Roman planes found on the Continent. Iron was used for the sole and side plates.

The Sarre Plane - Kent This plane was found at Sarre in Kent and it is similar to a modem . It is 15 cm, long with a Bronze bottom plate, and has a hol­ low in the antler stock for the user's fingers. It is about 31 mms, wide and 31 mms, high. Apparently there was a through rivet across the throat to hold the iron and the wedge but this is subject to some conjecture. When found it was thought to have been some sort of lock. The Bronze sole is about 3mms, thick and projects at each

■30 THE TOOL CHEST AUGUST 1995 end, It is turned up slightly at both ends. Thi· 1;!0-Saxon origin and although the exact date of making is unknO\ : ,etween 5th and 8th centuries. Surviving tools of this period are g l-1.; ., _ ____ i ,, making than the pre- ceding Roman tools. This may be a reflection of a lower standard of life which pre­ vailed in what is called the iJail, Ai,�1,. The reader will notice many similarities in design to some modern planes. One wonders whether Norris, Speirs, Mathieson and Preston actually tried to revive some aspects of these methods of construction. So much for the old woodworkers who were said to have favoured wood on wood. Perhaps the design that we are wit­ nessing now is a revised cycle of "transitionalism" .■

References 1. The History of Tools - W.L. Goodman. 2. The anglo-Saxons - How They Lived and Worked - G.A. Lester.

What is its Use? by Watson Cutter

My latest find is a "moulding" plane made by C. Nurse & Co., 181-183 Walworth Road, London S.E. An outline of its profile is made below.

There are no 'spring' markings and no boxing. The blade is sharpened to match the flat of its sole, around the 'protrusion' and up the bevelled side for approximately 1 ". The blade is set at an angle and it appears to be original in form. I do not know whether the plane was used in an upright position or at an angle to the work. What would you use this plane for?■

THE TOOL CHEST AUGUST 1995 I 31 Books and Catalogues for Sale

Booksand CatalogueReprints about collectlng and usingold tools- free11st Please contact: John McDonald "Tools of Trade", P.O. Box 13, Duffy ACT 2611. CunntSpeclals on ExcellentReftnnce ud PllceGulde 'The Ultimate Brace" by Reg Eaton, $55. "1994 International Auction Catalogue" by T. Murland and G. Parker, The Tool Shop, UK, $20. The July 1995 Tool Shop International Auction catalogue is available soon at $35 per copy.

INFORMATION WANTED ON BRITISH METAL PLANES OF THE SPIERS AND NORRIS TYPE I am currently following up my interest in named British metal planes and seeking copies of any catalogue or printed material which includes illustrations or information about them. Information about unusual planes and ones which can be definitely dated is also sought. Additional information such as tales and folklore concerning these planes, their use or production, and reports of planes by other makers is also keenly required. Kindly contact: Nigel Lampert PO Box 658, Pascoe Vale 3044. Victoria Australia or telephone

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Hand Tool Preservation Line advertisements per word 50t Blockadvertisements per page $50 Association of Australia Inc. Half Page $25 PO Box 1163, Horizontal Quarter Page $14 Carlton VIC 3053, Members line advertisements are currently free Australla. provided they are private interest only.

■ 32 THE TOOL CHEST AUGUST 1995 PRESIDENT Colin Goldberg

V1cE-PRESIDENT Gabe Bognar

SECRETARY Frank Ham

TREASURER Laurie Lewis

LIBRARIAN Rod Thomas

PROGRAM DIRECTOR To be appointed

MEETING DIRECTOR To be appointed

DISPLAY Co-ORDINATOR Roy Fuller

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Gabe Bognar Watson Cutter Roy Fuller Frank Ham Doug Mciver

Assoc1ATION ToOL CURATOR Keith Sutherland

AUSTRALIAN TOOL CURATORS Gil Rogers

NATIONAL TRUST CAINE TooL SUB-COMMITTEE Doug Mciver {Chairman) Kees Klep Frank Ham Nigel Lampert

Responsibility for statements made in the articles printed in this Journal rests solely with the contributors. Design/Production: Designex Tel: (03) 9 483-7873 Fax: (03) 9 818-8585. Email: [email protected] © 1995 Hand Tool Preservation Association of Australia Inc. .;l F ;l=. I =l rl n =lttt I Id :l=l u, ol oro ol-.1 t r-l-t

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