NUMBER 187 MARCH 2017 A Journal of Tool Collecting published by CRAFTS of New Jersey Windsor is an historic W I N D S O R B E A D E R S largest collection of early ma- town in Vermont. It lies on chine tools in America. See the Connecticut River (which By Hank Allen Photo 1. If you visit don’t belongs to New Hampshire) overlook the Harpoon Brewery! about one-third up the eastern border. In Vermont the Before manu- towns of early settlers held charters from either New factured beaders Hampshire or New York, but in 1777 with help from were available fur- the Green Mountain Boys, Vermont declared its inde- niture craftsmen pendence and the Republic of Vermont was founded. used shop-made Windsor, where the new constitution was signed, be- scratch stocks to came Vermont’s capital until 1805 when the capital was form small mold- moved to Montpelier. Vermont became the 14th state in ings. Photo 2 is of 1791. several scratch By 1820 Windsor was Vermont’s largest town and stocks taken with a center of manufacturing. The Robbins and Lawrence permission from Armory was built in 1846 when a contract was award- Garrett Hack’s ed to the partnership of Lawrence, Robbins and Kendall book, Classic Hand Photo 2 - Scratch Beaders to manufacture 10,000 Model 1841 Mississippi rifles Tools., a favorite of Courtesy Garrett Hack for the US Army. In 1851 the British Army placed an mine. You can see order for 25,000 rifles for the Crimean War. Machinists they would be handy tools for simple moldings on the working there pioneered the manufacture of firearms edges of straight or curved surfaces. with interchangeable parts. Lemuel Hedge, Frederic Lawrence V. Poole and Orlando E. Williams of Howe and Daniel Windsor patented two hand beaders which they sold as Wesson worked there Windsor Beaders. Today they are called Type 1 and before their well- Photo 1 Type 2 Windsor Beaders. The patentees’ names were known careers at E.A. not prominent in any history of Windsor that I have Stearns, Providence read. However, their beaders seem to be popular Tool and Smith & with today’s collectors and are commonly found in Wesson. The Armory tool auctions. now houses the Amer- ican Precision Muse- American Precision Museum (Continued on pg. 3) um, which features the March Issue Contents April 2, 2017 CRAFTS Meeting Windsor Beaders - By Hank Allen ………….…………..…..…...1, 3-5 President’s Corner. ...…….…………………….…….……….……....2 Masonic Lodge, Highbridge, NJ Piano Makers Bow Drills - By Martin Shepherd …..……...…..…...6-7 A Collector's Journey - John & Julie Kesterson ………....….8-9 April 8, 2017 CRAFTS Auction CRAFTS Winter Events - Bob Garay …………………………...….10 Oldwick Fire Dept. Oldwick, NJ Want Ads..…….……….…………….…………...….….….….…….11 Tool Events ……………………………………………...…….…….12 Auction sparklers ……………………………………..…….…….12 THE TOOLSHED - MARCH 2017 President’s Corner Collectors of Rare and Familiar Tools Society Hello to all CRAFTS of N.J. members! We value your of New Jersey membership and participation in the club! It is February 23rd as I write this message but it seems like it is sometime in May. It President…………………..…..…IVAN RAUPP, Bloomsbury, NJ was 70 degrees F today in New Jersey as I scrambled to stack email, [email protected] two chords of firewood for next year’s use. I am trying to stay Vice President…………..…JOHN CZEKAJ, Neshanic Station, NJ ahead of the tics which will soon be initiating their crawling, Secretary………………….…ANNETTE VLIET, Danielsville, PA Lyme infested ways before long at these temperatures. Treasurer…………………..……..HANK ALLEN, Glen Rock, NJ So be it! Time moves on and so does CRAFTS. As you know our strategic plan focuses on the tool collector, the tool dealer, and the tool historian. I am pleased to report that we are The purpose of CRAFTS of New Jersey is to encourage in- moving steadily forward on all three fronts! terest in early trades and industries, and in the identification, This past weekend we completed a very successful N.J. study, preservation and exhibition of tools and implements Woodworkers Show at The Expo Center in Somerset N.J. The used and made in New Jersey as an integral part of our herit- show was tremendous and there was a huge flow of wood work- age. ers over all three days. Our CRAFTS booth enjoyed a steady stream of visitors. We handed out many membership applica- Membership in CRAFTS is open to anyone who shares the tions, CRAFTS auction flyers, and answered questions of every above interests. Annual dues per person or couple are fifteen sort. On Friday, Stew May entertained and informed the passers- dollars for the membership year of July 1 through June 30. by with his exquisite collection of rules. Blacksmith, Lenny Membership fees may be sent to: Hank Allen, 524 Harris- Piergiorgi answered questions and handed out CRAFTS mem- town Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07452 (write check payable to bership applications. Demonstrating the froe and drawknife, I CRAFTS of New Jersey). rived, hewed and carved a handle for a goosewing axe from freshly cut hickory logs. On Saturday, Anton Pecha answered CRAFTS of NJ meetings are held at the HOST Masonic woodworker questions. He was joined by our vice president Lodge in High Bridge, NJ. Take I-78 to Route 31 exit at John Czekaj who also helped on Sunday. Clinton. Go north on Rte. 31 two miles to second traffic light During the show the CRAFTS team had the opportunity to at the High Bridge exit. Turn right and go about half a mile listen to the ideas and desires of many wood workers. We were to Dennis Ave. Turn left, then straight to the Masonic Lodge able to refer those wood workers looking for old user tools to (on the left). Tailgate sales in the parking lot begin at 10 the booth ably manned by Bob Garay and Steve Zlucky and A.M., meeting starts at 1 P.M. their helpers. The presence of our tool dealers underscores the The TOOL SHED value that CRAFTS provides. We are your one stop shop for Published four times a year for members of CRAFTS of New tool knowledge. Jersey. Editor: Bob Garay 15 N. River Styx Rd. Hopatcong, Please remember our CRAFTS auction is coming up very NJ 07843—(973)398-5875 - Articles, especially about early th soon on April 8 at the firehouse in Oldwick N.J. It is truly a tools and trades, are encouraged and may be sent to the Edi- “Tool Extravaganza”! We expect over 50 dealers, many arriving tor. Email—[email protected] th before dawn on the morning of April 8 . Tail gating is free for all but please get there early to make sure you have a place. CRAFTS WEBSITE Saturday at 9:30 our annual CRAFTS Auction kicks off! This www.craftsofnj.org year Steve Zlucky and his auction team have corralled some very special sparklers! Pictures of some of these have been pub- Containing general information about CRAFTS and its activ- lished in the Tool Shed. Pictures are being added to the ities including: meeting schedules, Tool Shed articles, etc. CRAFTSofNJ.org web site. Joe Hauck has promoted our auc- tion to local news media so expect some lively competition. All NEW MEMBERS funds raised support CRAFTS. Behind the scenes James Travis and Hank Allen have pur- chased and tested “state of the art” auction software. This soft- ware is fast, secure, and capable of generating detailed financial reporting. Last but not least, the CRAFTS Team has contracted with Paul Wilmott to auction our tools. Paul is a world renowned auctioneer for Martin Donnelly auctions. Come to the auction ready to roll! Paul has been clocked to auction 200 lots per hour. He is fun and will keep things rolling! It is a busy time of year but gang busters for all toolies! Don’t forget to check out Patina, Brown’s Auction, and Horst’s tool auction. Continued on pg. 11 THE TOOLSHED - MARCH 2017 2 (Cont. from pg. 1) The Type 1 Windsor Beader Edge beads are formed by holding the fence The Type 1 Windsor Beader was patented March against the stock and moving the tool back and forth at 10, 1885, but the patent suggests that it was available a slight angle until the desired depth is reached. Pine before that date. It was described in the patent docu- and mahogany are easy to work, but cherry and proba- ment as a tool for making bly other hardwoods are not. beadings or moldings. The category assigned by the The Type 2 Windsor Beader Patent Office was Scratch The Type 2 Windsor Beader was patented June 2, Stocks, which is exactly 1885, and subsequently in Canada on 23July1885 (The what the Type 1 beader is. way dates were recorded on English and Canadian pa- Unlike a scratch stock the tents.) The object of the invention was to introduce an Type 1 beader has a cutter adjustable fence so the tool may be adapted to suit the disk with six profiles. The grain of the wood and make beads away from the edge disk is 1/16” thick and 1½” of the stock as well as on the edge. Patent dates for in diameter. The six pro- both types appear on the Type 2 beader, possibly be- files are bevel ground, but cause the cutter disks it’s still a scraper. The Type and the method of se- 1 beader was claimed to be curing them is the an advantage over having same. The Type 2 im- six individual tools, but it’s provement is achieved an edge beader only and the via a longitudinal slot absence of an adjustable Above photo 3 - Type 1 in the stock that allows fence is a significant limita- Patent Drawing a cutter to be posi- tion.