One of the important parts of my book on Roman workbenches concerns holdfasts. Likely a Roman invention, the origin of the holdfast and its early form remains a bit of a mystery.
Modern sources, such as Roger Ulrich’s “Roman Woodworking,” don’t shed much light on the tool. Instead these sources focus on what the Romans built more than the tools and processes used.
So Suzanne Ellison and I have turned to looking at Roman gravestones and monuments – hundreds and hundreds of them – to find clues about the Roman workbench and its workholding equipment.
We’d both dug up some drawings from this source – which is about 1,700 pages all told. Including one that looked like a holdfast. Probably.
But you have to be a little skeptical when you are looking at an old drawing of an even older monument that had been decaying for 1,500 years.
Then Suzanne found it. A photo (above) of the monument that clearly shows the holdfast with a curled-under proboscis – Suzanne calls it “the curlyfast.” (Shown is An altar to Minerva in the Capitoline Museum in Rome, erected by a ‘College of Fabri’ and dated 31 BC.)
Would this device work on the bench? If I were on an Internet discussion forum, on pain pills and in a particularly crotchety mood, I’d say: No way. And I’d make up some claptrap about the spring action of the curled-under front would resist the tensioning forces exerted by the shaft vis-a-vis. The point is moot. Lorum ipsum dolor.
But the truth is we don’t know. No, Gary, not even you know.
So I sent an email to blacksmith Peter Ross today….
The following topics of discussion are generating a lot of discussion over at the Lost Art Press forum. Remember, if you have a question about our products, procedures in our books or anything related to Lost Art Press, the fastest way to get an answer is our forum. Check it out here.
Wooden Layout Square – Looking for Info Steve Swantee had a photo of a large square he was curious to identify. Turns out it is the large square from “Book of Plates.” Want to see what it looks like finished?
Waterstone Recommendation? Martin Jones is looking to switch from oil stones to water stones and asked for some feedback. He has had a lot of info thrown back his way regarding products and technique. If you want to add to the mix or just see what others are doing, here’s the thread.
Staked Coffee Table Joshua Krieger’s coffee table met its match in a three year old and he is now building a staked one. After putting up his original plans he is keeping us posted on his progress. See his journey and his solution for exposed tenons. (photo at top)
Knockdown Nicholson Bench Ouida Vincent built this bench from Popular Woodworking Magazine in the fall and it turns out a few others did and still are. Questions are still being asked about the process. Thinking of building one?
Drawbored AND Wedged Brian Clites is asked about the advantages and disadvantages of drawboring and wedging a joint. Was it done historically? Readers dug up a trestle table where Christopher Schwarz did just that. (see above) Other participants are looking for specific instructions on how to wedge a joint. Got any suggestions?
The mallet is one of those tools whose shape and form we accept without question until an alternative is brought to our attention. In the opinion of many who have used both types, the German pattern is preferable to the generally accepted British mallet.
The designers of the latter went to great pains to make the tapered shaft in order that centrifugal force should tighten the head in use. The continental designers decided that what is good enough for a hammer head is good enough for a mallet head. Possibly in England in earlier days the general carpenter or cabinet maker had no access to a lathe and so evolved this type of mallet. The German pattern, however, relies upon a bored hole, a turned handle, glue, and wedge.
As most readers already possess a mallet, two alternative sizes are given. The first figures produce an average sized mallet suitable for general work. The figures in brackets are for a lighter model. Mallet shafts are invariably too long. Many workers will prefer a shaft as short as 7-1∕2 in. (compare with the carver’s mallet, handle length about 5 in.). Though beech is the traditional wood for the head, other hardwoods, both British and imported, will give many years of wear. Oak and ash are both suitable. The handle on the other hand ought to be of straight-grained ash, or better still, hickory.
The head is made first, the angles sawn and the hole bored. Preferably a pilot hole of about 1∕8 in. diameter is put through first, boring from both sides. The twist bit will then follow through easily. Bore a similar hole in a piece of thin ply and thread this on the tail centre of the lathe.
Elevations With Alternate Sizes – A. 5 in. (4-3/8 in.) B. 3-1/2 in. (3-3/16 in.) C. 2-5/8 in. (2-1/4 in.) D. 5/16 in. (1/4 in.) E. 1-3/8 in. (1-3/16 in.) F. 8-3/4 in. (8-3/8 in.) G. 1 in. (7/8 in.) H. 15/16 in. dia. (7/8 in. dia.)
Centre the handle, still rectangular in section, and turn down the end nearest the tail stock to fit the plywood gauge tightly. An extra length of 1∕8 in. should be allowed to project beyond the head. The remainder of the handle is then turned to shape with gouge followed by chisel, a rather bumpy operation, but a good finish can be obtained with no great difficulty. The smallest shoulder should be turned on the shaft to fit against the head. Before cutting off a little individual embellishment may be added. This is particularly useful in a communal workshop where several such mallets may be used.
Slot the handle for the wedge or wedges which are made from the waste at the driving centre end. Open out the mortise either for two wedges with a tapered auger such as ladder makers use, or for one wedge with a suitable gouge or a small rasp to give an oval hole on top. Glue preferably with synthetic resin glue. Cramp up with a sash cramp. The plywood gauge is a useful cramping block to allow pressure to be exerted on the head after the shaft has poked through it. Now hold the shaft upright in the vice and check that the head is parallel to the vice jaw. This must be corrected quickly if required. Drive in the wedge or wedges and recramp until dry.
Plane off the projecting wedges and the handle. The top may be left square as it now is,or it can be curved as the drawing shows. The shaper tool produces this shape easily and quickly with a good surface.
A small bevel on all the edges prevents splitting and a coat of clear cellulose or french polish keeps grubbiness at bay.
I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, so listen up.
Q: Do you want a Vesper Double Square?
A: Yes, unless you are a mouth-breather.
Thanks to the vagaries of the currency market, Australian goods are dirt cheap. Last time I bought Aussie tools the U.S. dollar was about the same value as the Aussie dollar. Now our dollar buys about $1.37 over there.
So you should dump a lot of money on Vesper’s incredible tools. There are none finer. And you are unlike to be able to ever buy the tools any cheaper (without stealing them).
Buy them from Vesper directly here. Really, go nuts. Make your credit card hurt.
If you aren’t that adventurous, buy the double square from Highland Woodworking for the ridiculous price of $140. If that seems like a lot of money then you haven’t used one of Vesper’s tools. That is a steal.
The more I use soap finish, the happier I am with it. But many woodworkers are skeptical. And I applaud that. For too long companies have tried to sell us this, that or the other as the “miracle” finish that is easy to apply and will leave furniture looking like glass.
Well I don’t want my furniture looking like glass. I want it to be subtle and understated.
That’s where soap comes in. It leaves a flat-sheen surface that is soft to the touch. And it’s easily maintained. Today I noticed the top of this 48” x 48” worktable was getting a little scruffy. I whipped out the jar of soap and rubbed some on. Five minutes later I wiped off the excess and the top looked like new again.
Plus my hands were cleaner than when I started.
All the details on a soap finish are in “The Anarchist’s Design Book,” or you can find plenty of recipes online.
