Category: The Academy of Armory

CXXXVIII. The first Tool in this square is termed a Miter square, of a contrary form to the following, mentioned chap. 9. numb. 17. It hath an Handle (or top part) an Inch thick, and three broad, with a Tongue of the same breadth, and for length 5, 6, or more inches, according to the breadt of the Work: it is to be Glewed into the Handle by a Mortess and Pinned. V. 3 such O. is born by Mitterall.

The second Instrument is a Gage, or square Gage, from the square piece that runs upon the Staff; but of this see more chap. 9 numb. 18. The parts of it are these, the Staff, the hinder end of it; the fore-end in which the Tooth is, the Tooth, and the square or oval, which is that as slips up and down upon the Staff. B. 3 such O. a Chief A. is born by Gagger.

The third is termed a Miter Bar, it is composed of pieces of Wood, of an inch thick each, then nailed together,the one an upright piece, and the other a bottom piece, and on the upright piece, on its upper side are the Miter Lines strucken with the Miter square, from the middle to the right hand, and on the left, which are sawed down to the bottom of the said upright piece. This is a way used by Joyners that make many Frames, to save themselves the Labour of drawing out of Squares, Miters, and several Bevils upon their Stuff.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2.

CXXXVII. The first Instrument or Tool in this square, is called an Inch Gouge, without any Handle or Helve, with these sorts and sizes of Chissels Joyners are accommodated to do all kinds of Works both big and little. S. 3 such A. Handles O. is born by Gouge.

The second Tool is termed an Auger Bit, sans Handle; it is an half round Tool in the working or cutting part of it, with the bottom edge turned inwards, one corner thereof being set a little above the other, which occasions the sinking or cutting deep into the Wood, and so by degrees cuts a hole through.

The third Tool is the Saw Wrest; it is an Instrument of Iron either set in a handle or not, for it may be used as well without; in the edge of it are made three or four, or more Nicks; with this (the Joyner having Filed the Teeth of his Saw) he sets the said Teeth; that is, he puts one of the Nicks or Notches of the Wrest between the first two Teeth of the Blade of the Saw, and then turns the Wrest, and it will turn one Tooth to you, and the other from you; and so do all along the Saw: This setting of the Teeth of the Saw (as Work-men call it) is to make the Kerfe wide enough for the Back to follow the edge; and is set ranker (that is, more bending outward) for soft and course cheap Stuff, than for hard and costly Wood.

A. 3 such B. the Handle erected O. is born by Shawrest.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2.

CXXXVI. In this quarter in the first place, is a Skew Former, having the edge deeper down in one part than another: It is seldom used by Joyners, but for the cleansing of acute Angles, with its acute angles on its edges, where other angled Chissels will not so well come, and also for making of long and narrow Mortesses in Rails, Stiles and Muntons, &c.

The second in this quarter, is termed a Gouge, which is a Chissel having a round edge, and is for the cutting of such Wood as is to be rounded or hollowed: Of these there are several sorts from a quarter of an Inch Gouge, to an Inch and half, some being almost half round, others more open, as in the next Figure. G. 3 such A. Hafts O. by the name of Gouger.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2.

CXXXV. These are three sorts of Chissels, the first is the Paring Chissel, this hath a very fine smooth edge; its office is to follow the Former, and to pare off the Irregularities the Former doth make; but of this see more chap. 9. numb. 1.

The second is termed a Former, it is a Chissel used before the Paring Chissel in all works, even as the Fore Plain is used before the Smoothing Plain, when it is used the Helve of it is knockt upon with the Mallet, to drive the edge of it into the Stuff: There are several Sizes of these kind of Chissels, from a quarter of an Inch, to an Inch and half broad.

The third is another kind of Chissel of the nature of a Former, only it is broad at the Basil or edge part, and groweth taper all along after till it comes to the shouldering; of these there are diverse Sizes, from half or quarter of an Inch, to an Inch and half, and have their terms according to their breadth, as an half Inch Former, an Inch Former, &c.

The proper posture for these kind of Tools are to have their edges or cutting part downwards, if otherwise then to be mentioned.

S. a Fess between 2 such the Basils erected, and a third A. Hasts· O. born by the name of Former.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2.

CXXXIV. In this quarter is set three other Instruments necessary in Joyners Work. The first is a Joyners square of another form than what is mentioned chap. 9. numb. 15. It is made of two adjunct sides of a Geometrical square; that is two pieces of Wood, the one about an Inch thick, the other a quarter of an Inch, the one is fastned into the other with a Mortess with Glew and Wooden Pins, so as the two out-sides and the two inner sides stand at Right Angles one with another.

B. a Cheveron between 3 such O. is born by Richten.

The second in the Sinister chief, is called the Joyners Bench Hook, or the Work-Bench Hook, which is an Iron with a long Tang to go through a hole in the Bench, and a flat half round head, with Teeth on the streight side, to hold any thing that should be be set against it: So that in it there is the foresaid parts, Viz. the Tang or tail, the Head or flat, and the Teeth, and all but one Bench Hook.

The third thing that is placed in the Base, is termed a Smoothing Plain, one of a contrary fashion to that following in chap 9. numb. 21. this having a more flatter bottom and turned down in the ends, each Workman using his own fancy in the fashion of the Stocks.

— From Randle Holme’s “The Academy of Armory, or, A Storehouse of Armory and Blazon” Book III, Chapter VIII, Plate 2.