Threads!

[AndyT]

After Jim's recent thread about his "special French vice" ("Say no more... say no more!") I thought another thread about threads might go down well.

I just happened to have to go into a rather nice old tool shop today, where I was persuaded to take away a pair of old wooden cramps. I don't really need them; I will struggle to find somewhere to put them, but they were so nice that they came home with me.

So if I share a few photos with the therapy group, you will all tell me I did the right thing, won't you?

There is a maker's name on the larger one -

C MILLER
3, HIGH BRIDGE.

That sounds like a Newcastle address and indeed BPM III lists Charles Miller as a planemaker at that address in 1847 and as a "Cutler, surgical instrument maker and ironmonger" in 1855.

There's another name there too, which is a bit faint but I think reads TS TYNEMOUTH.

Could that be the name of a Training Ship perhaps? Is it too fanciful to imagine a naval apprentice popping down to the nearest ironmonger for a cramp or two? Whatever the story, I like them, and thought that anyone who liked Jim's vice would agree.

 

[wizard]

i have a few

 

[Self Taught]

Andy,

Fear not for your kind and noble deed shall not go unpunished. They are quite stunning, Sir, and I am envious. Living in the U.S., it is very hard to find many of the old tools, as with progress they were thrown out. I do enjoy looking at all the pics of the tools, shown here, they are a look at the life of talented craftsmen, and as such should be saved and admired. Jamey

 

[xy mosian]

Wonderful, wonderful!
xy

 

[jimi43]

HA! BINGO!

Source of thread clamps for my soon to be made carving vise reproduction!

Thanks Prof! :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[Scouse]

I don't really need them; I will struggle to find somewhere to put them, but they were so nice that they came home with me.

So if I share a few photos with the therapy group, you will all tell me I did the right thing, won't you?

You did the right thing. It's ok. If you are not on the wagon, you can't fall off.

But, as my wife says, 'you worry about where it's going to go after you get it home'. She has since regretted this statement.

In any case, sounds like Jimi has an idea or two where they could go if you fail to find a permanent home... :lol:

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Something that might be of interest is some sort of comparison of usefulness and performance between the wooden-screwed cramps and 'modern' metal or metal-screwed clamps of similar size. I suspect that the woodies may be quicker to adjust, being of a coarse-pitched thread, but the metal-screwed ones may give a tighter hold. It would be interesting to see if my supposition is well-founded or not. Mind you, that depends on somebody being able to get similar sized cramps in different designs into the same workshop at the same time, so it may be something that, for logistical reasons, can't easily be done!

A snippet I found when googling is that the 'best' timbers for threads are regarded as box or hornbeam. Neither are exactly easy to track down, though I suspect hornbeam could be found in longer, straighter lengths than box. I also suspect that beech would make quite acceptable threads, especially in the larger sizes.