One of my dream stops in our country is Colonial Williamsburg. I have been following the organization for some time now and I love the joiners shop.

Lately the Joiners made a really nice mallet from Lignum Vitae, and I found a few remarks they made about our colonists making their own tools very interesting.

Here is a quote

 

Quote

We get asked quite frequently if we would have made our own tools in the 18th century. Actually, we (as well as other tradespeople) would get most of their tools from a specialized tool maker, more than likely ordering them from London. One exception to this is the mallet. A simple hammer-like tool used in carving, plane adjustment, and many other tasks at the bench, the mallet utilizes a mortise to hold the handle in place and would be something a joiner could absolutely make for himself.

_{Colonial Williamsburg Facebook}

 

What caught my eye was where they stated our colonists would have ordered their tools from a specialized maker in London. I would have guessed they would have made all their own tools by now. Hand planes, saws, drill bits and brace etc. But I guess they were just not up to the task?

 

Here are some links of interest on the subject.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg Facebook Page

 

And here is that beautiful mallet they just fabricated at the Joiners Shop.

WOW!!!

thanks...

Pretty Neat!

3 hours ago, John Morris said:

One of my dream stops in our country is Colonial Williamsburg. I have been following the organization for some time now and I love the joiners shop.

Lately the Joiners made a really nice mallet from Lignum Vitae, and I found a few remarks they made about our colonists making their own tools very interesting.

Here is a quote

 

 

What caught my eye was where they stated our colonists would have ordered their tools from a specialized maker in London. I would have guessed they would have made all their own tools by now. Hand planes, saws, drill bits and brace etc. But I guess they were just not up to the task?

 

Here are some links of interest on the subject.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg Facebook Page

 

And here is that beautiful mallet they just fabricated at the Joiners Shop.

 

 

John it is an awesome shop. I will dig out some pictures I made when we were there last year. I got to spend some time talking to them and watch them cut some veneer with a hand saw. Pretty awesome. All the furniture in Colonial Williamsburg is made in the joiners shop. If you get a chance to go, it is well worth the visit. We are planning on going back next year. 

 

There is a Moody house in Colonial Williamsburg and my relatives came from that area.

I'd love your pics John, thanks. When we are ready it'll be the destination vacation for sure. Not sure when it will happen though, oldest heading off to college, along with our check book, slim pickins in the ol Morris home for another 12 years till all my kids graduate from college. I got three kids, and all are college bound, they were born three years apart, so we'll have two overlapping college educations two times! We got big plans, the misses and I, but not for awhile yet. My kids have bigger plans!

But we will see Colonial Williamsburg for sure. Boy, what a great place that would be to work right!

As to ordering tools from England.....it was the law back then.  That was what the Colonies were for, a secure market for all things made in England.   To do otherwise, was sometimes an act of treason.   Case in point?   The simple iron shovel.     Illegal in the colonies, to make an iron shovel here was against the law.    You could make a wooden shovel, but you were required to buy an English made iron shovel. 

 

 

BTW:  My Junior high class trip was to that area...Washington, DC    And Colonial Williamsburg, with all the stops in-between.  

One of many reason it was a giod idea to declare our independance 

41 minutes ago, steven newman said:

As to ordering tools from England.....it was the law back then.  That was what the Colonies were for, a secure market for all things made in England.   To do otherwise, was sometimes an act of treason.   Case in point?   The simple iron shovel.     Illegal in the colonies, to make an iron shovel here was against the law.    You could make a wooden shovel, but you were required to buy an English made iron shovel. 

That makes complete sense Steve, great input!

On a side note:   all those plane irons, chisels and saws were shipped UN sharpened.   Even those  high priced iron shovels.    Chisels were also shipped without  a handle.   Meaning the craftsman had to not only sharpen his edges, he was also required to make his own chisel handles, and sometimes, even the wood bodies for his planes.     Later, Blacksmiths more or less did the same thing, and let the customer sharpen and handle tools the Blacksmith would make, unless they paid extra for a more "finished" item.   

 

When you ship a gross or two of plane iron in a keg, or a burlap bag,  why bother to sharpen them up....they would just get banged around inside, anyway. 

Also any Joiner who moved to the colonies would bring his own tools and they would pack everything into a tool chest about the size of a trunk. As a note to tools John Hemmings a slave and one of Jefferson's grandchildren did most of the fine woodwork joinery at Monticello and the full set of planes (rounds and hollows and others) he used is still there.

1 hour ago, Gerald said:

Also any Joiner who moved to the colonies would bring his own tools and they would pack everything into a tool chest about the size of a trunk. As a note to tools John Hemmings a slave and one of Jefferson's grandchildren did most of the fine woodwork joinery at Monticello and the full set of planes (rounds and hollows and others) he used is still there.

Now that is completely cool Gerald, thanks for adding to this topic! See, this is what it's all about, collaboration and sharing of knowledge!

That is a great tid bit there Gerald. Thanks

Maybe a chest like one of these?

Oh Steve! Oh Steve, oh Steve, did I say OH STEVE!!! That is absolutely awesome man, I remember when you did this one, I just don't remember seeing it in its full glory, spilling envy out of every pore of my body right now.

On August 21, 2016 at 9:53 PM, steven newman said:

Maybe a chest like one of these?

 

 

That's pretty close to the one in the joiners shop Steve.

 

This one is a replica of a 200 year old tool chest but was made in the joiners shop.

 

 

 

 

in old times, your tool chest not only held all your tools, but was your business card, in that it showed off the type of work you could do.  joinery, inlays....

Okay John, Here are pictures of your Dream Shop Beth took while we were there visiting last year. I was busy talking woodworking with them so she took all the pictures. It was raining outside and there are no electric lights inside, only the light from the windows so the pictures are a bit dark. They work with the tools and conditions just as they did in the 1700's.

 

Working in the shop by the light that comes in the windows

The lady is an apprentice and they are working on a piano like this one.

 

Some legs they were working on laying on the table

They were working on the Walnut cabinet behind the Master Joiner when we went in.

hand cut Dovetails for the Walnut Cabinet drawers.

 

The following pictures are of furniture they have build to be used in Colonial Williamsburg.

 

 

And this is some of the hand carving detail they do. 

 

It is an awesome visit if you ever get the chance. Everything they build there is made by hand the way it would have been made in 1776. There is a full blacksmith shop, coopers shop and every other trade you can think of.

 

Hope you enjoy your picture visit to the Joiners Shop in Colonial Williamsburg @John Morris.

 

 

This is one cool thread!

I wonder how I'd fit in with that shop?