Cooper's jointers

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Have you any pics or links to articles on cooper's jointers? I am in the process of finishing building one, and my own efforts at research have turned up precious little, just a few blurry pics and a couple of passing paragraphs.

What is the minimum length for a true cooper's jointer? (Mine is 37")

What is the minimum width of the blade? (mine is 3")

Are they single- or double iron? (I've gone for single as the blade is 1/4" thick)

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Klaus Kretschmar]

Hi Derek,

couldn't find an article but a pic of a heavy one of cooper's jointer.

Regards
Klaus

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Good Grief, Klaus .... That is the thickest and widest cooper's jointer I have seen to date. There is no way you'd want to use it in the traditional way on your bench! :shock:

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Alf]

That is a bench! :shock:

Derek, both Salaman in the Dictionary of Woodworking Tools and Whelan in The Wooden Plane have quite a bit of information - I assume you have both, but if not holler again and I'll see what I can do.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Alf

Believe or not, but I have neither of those books (I have "Making Traditional Wooden Planes", but that has nil on Cooper's Jointers).

A few images from my beginnings ..

Comparison with Stanley #4, LN #4 1/2 (or #7) ...

I will post pictures once completed (hopefully tomorrow).

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[xy mosian]

One of the museums here in West Yorkshire has a Cooper's jointer. I cannot remember the blade width. However I do remember that it was used propped against the bench, blade uppermost. It must have been about five feet in length. Its use suggests that the blade to floor distance must have been at least equal to the length of a barrel stave.
xy

 

[Harbo]

I saw an enormous one mounted on a wall at one of the places I visited last year.
Been racking the brain but cannot remember where?

Rod

 

[Alf]

Derek, well that explains your productivity - not enough time spent with your nose in a book. We'd better draw you up a reading list and that'll slow you up!

 

[Harbo]

Derek what are you planning to do with it when it's finished - taken up coopering?

Rod

 

[Argus]

That is a bench! :shock:

Derek, both Salaman in the Dictionary of Woodworking Tools and Whelan in The Wooden Plane have quite a bit of information - I assume you have both, but if not holler again and I'll see what I can do.

As a matter of interest and a possible heads-up, there's a copy of Salaman's Dictionary on offer on the UK EBay finishing today (Sunday April 10th), presently as I post, at a respectable 20 quid.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Book-Dictionary-W ... 41581c0f96

The same vendor has some other interesting titles on offer

Hope it helps.




.

 

[eoinsgaff]

Try this beast for size:

Saw this in a museum in the Czech Republic.

Eoin

 

[Henry Disston]

Here is Jr. Strasil's cooper's jointer

The blade is about 3 1/2" IIRC. It is higher than old ones I have seen and I haven't seen an integral fence like this one.