I was looking at some hi-res scans of L'Art du menuisier and found an interesting element just below the top to the right of the left leg. I've never noticed this before, and am curious as to its function. If anyone has any idea what this thing is, please comment below.
Follow up: I found another instance of this object hanging on the left wall with other layout tools and gauges. This one clearly has a round hole in it and is hanging on a nail on the wall. I'm wondering now if it might be a pattern. See the item to the right, it looks like pattern for an ogee shape. This wouldn't be a layout tool, since its shape and size specific. Hmmm...
Pure speculation, but I would use it in conjunction with the planing stop for face planing pieces with rounded or irregular shaped ends.
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDeleteTo add to what Caseman said,
a. I believe this part is just hanging there on some sort of hook.
b. That mortise inset you see (on top portion of this part) above has a double duty, it is the same width as the dog holes on top of the bench - for insertion or because it is rectangular in shape it could also be placed in the bench vise.
c. All of this is to catch irregular (or rounded) objects for planing purposes.
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ReplyDeleteUpdate thoughts,,,,
The part is actually hanging with the extended tenon into a wider mortise on the table leg. (as storage) And it is sitting flush to the leg, while hanging.
To repeat, when on the table that same extended tenon gets inserted into a dog hole or fixed into the table vise - (not in illustration.)
The REASON it appears to be sitting at an angle to the leg is the nature of the isometric type of perspective drawing they were using at the time. (Purely for visual emphasis only.)
If they had "You-tubed" it at the time, you would see the user placing his thumb and forefinger onto the part to remove it for use on the table top. ( the reason for the flat section on the lower right vertical is for ease of placement of one's fore-finger while removing and returning the part to it's place on the leg.)
(the reverse if left handed)
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Interesting. I'm not sure I follow though. If the tenon is meant to be inserted into a hole in the top, what happens next? It would just pivot around in the hole (they are not dog holes technically, since there is no tail vise on this bench). Any more ideas?
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just a simple square to check to see if the outside corners of a box are square when you're gluing it up.
ReplyDeleteHi Jameel, I don't want to clog up the comment section with questions that don't pertain to the post. Is there are more appropriate way for me to contact you? I have a few questions about the glide leg vise and the like.
ReplyDeleteNo problem Bud. Visit the Benchcrafted website (www.benchcrafted.com or link above right) and click on the email link.
ReplyDeleteA small square and a saddle square?
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ReplyDeleteActually, If you op over two pages,
to http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1081924&imageID=1601597&total=107&num=0&word=roubo&s=1¬word=&d=&c=&f=&k=0&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&imgs=20&pos=19&e=w You will see a similar object next to the square on the left. With a handle or a guide to be used on a shooting board.
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I think it is a mitre gauge. Check out this link to Peter Follansbee's blog. He has a metal version that fits that shape almost exactly.
ReplyDeletehttp://pfollansbee.wordpress.com/?s=mitre+gauge
Doug
I forgot to mention to scroll down to the bottom of the page.
ReplyDeleteDoug
Doug, I think you're right. Must be a layout tool. It makes sense since its grouped with other similar tools.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it's a jig to be placed in the crotchet when edge planing a board with an angled end, which otherwise would not be held by the crotchet. That's why it's stored where it is, to be handy.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you are familiar with David Finck's book "Making and Mastering Wood Planes", but in the book on page 159 he shows what he calls "bench pups".
ReplyDeleteThey are very similar in shape to what is shown in those drawings. They are used in conjunction with a tail vice to pinch a piece of stock in the same manner as bench dogs would, except instead of pinching the stock flat on the bench top, it pinches the stock in a way that lets the stock overhang the top for working the edges of boards.
If that is the case then it would make a good argument for it being stored in the place it is, right under the bench for easy access.
On the same page Roger links to, there's another similar piece on the top left labelled as a bracket for small pieces of wood. Envision placing that peg attached to the board into the top dog hole on the leg, then rotating it so the crotch faces the crochet and gets held by a holdfast for planing an edge for an odd-shaped piece of wood. Just a guess.
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