The Warrington Chest. Patternmakers Tool Chest and Tools 1888.

[Inspector]

I've got a copy coming.

Pete

 

[workshopted]

That chest is amazing. You must have had an interesting time compiling all the facts. What was the hardest part of the research to complete?

That's a good question - but for the life of me, I can't think of an answer to it.

 

[workshopted]

Ive ordered my copy, looking forward to it - two of my favourite subjects woodworking and history

I hope you like it when it arrives, my friend.

 

[workshopted]

I've got a copy coming.

Pete

I hope you like it when it arrives, my friend.

 

[loftyhermes]

My copy arrived this morning, looking forward to reading it.

 

[MCTWoodwork]

I think that you may be pleasantly surprised by the extensive provenance re the chest within the book - but sadly, the young man who made it died of consumption at the age of 28.

What an tragic story. That's no age is it? The parquetry and marquetry are amazing, no power scroll saws around then!

 

[workshopted]

My copy arrived this morning, looking forward to reading it.

Enjoy!

 

[workshopted]

What an tragic story. That's no age is it? The parquetry and marquetry are amazing, no power scroll saws around then!

Too true.

 

[dannyr]

Wonderful -- look forward to reading -- I often go back to the Seaton book.

View attachment 112786

Here's a pattern-maker's chest, owned by me, which I believe to be mid 20th century -- unfortunately doesn't have the provenance of yours or Seaton, but certainly a very carefully fitted chest of traditional style (which apprentices made up to at least mid-1970s - I briefly had one from a Tech Coll/Clay Cross foundry apprentice of 1976, who unfortunately switched trades - not a masterpiece, but same style - made at college).

This one I bought at low price from a seller who 'believed it to be from a Sheffield worker', didn't know about trade. But it has all the marks of a patternmakers, with several layers of carefully fitted trays. As confirmation it has an owner-made pattern-makers style interchangeable sole plane with a set of blades of different radii and soles to match. Unfortunately this was the only tool left, apart from a fine square and a couple of other items.

I have your book now -- part way through it - great joint effort.

now -- CORRECTION (to my post, not your book) -- my memory failed me (mixed up two items) - after reading some of the description yours I went back to my pattern- makers chest and found a note to self -- this was a Kingston-upon-Hull pattern-maker and I have his name. Interestingly in the 80s I gave a talk to the E Riding Foundry Assn in Hull - especially alu and brass/bronze foundries (some cast iron) for the marine and agri/food industries.

Although it has none of the marquetry, the 5 sliding drawers are fully 'French fitted' for the individual tools and include within them lidded fitted boxes for bits etc. The alu-bodied filled round bottomed plane you see has several bases and blades of different diameters and you can just see a second of half the width of the same type also with a number of bases and blades - I found a labelled bag in my store with a few other pieces from this chest, including a third wider round bottomed plane (all wood this time) very like that in your chest also a user-made cast iron plane which I hoped might be a small core box, but is a skew rebate, also an infill smoother and a few other pieces useful in the foundry pattern shop. These round bottomed planes also have the dual-slot arrangement for bases that yours does, but engaging with a protruding wood-screw, not the nice brass inverted pyramid (the screws are cruder but have the advantage of adjustability). Like your drawers - these are glued and pinned not dovetailed and even have some similar internal fillets. What I sadly don't have is the extensive set of chisels that must have filled much of the fitted space.

 

[Inspector]

dannyr with your case being French fitted you have a pretty good idea of the shapes and sizes of the chisels that were in the spots. Would they have been bought or do you think he made all of them too?

Pete

 

[dannyr]

dannyr with your case being French fitted you have a pretty good idea of the shapes and sizes of the chisels that were in the spots. Would they have been bought or do you think he made all of them too?

Pete

thanks for your reply, Pete -- well it's kind of French-fitted (I couldn't think of another phrase -- there's a slot for each tool of chisel/driver/bradawl size or over, of a specific length, width and position - just wood, with no plush) but it doesn't quite do the full outline so I'll have to figure an appropriate chisel handle shape etc - as a 'chisel nut' I have plenty to try out including some from another pattern-maker -- I just wish I had at least one of each type from the original but I guess these were kept for use in another trade or sold separately. I hope to report on these pages at some point with more pix, but life's a bit busy at pres.

I know Canada is big and Saskatoon's far East of Vancouver, but are you expecting any of that crazy heat they're getting? My brother's home there (not too far from the sea) has never needed aircon before but just reached 41C in the shade - and still rising.

 

[workshopted]

I have your book now -- part way through it - great joint effort.

now -- CORRECTION (to my post, not your book) -- my memory failed me (mixed up two items) - after reading some of the description yours I went back to my pattern- makers chest and found a note to self -- this was a Kingston-upon-Hull pattern-maker and I have his name. Interestingly in the 80s I gave a talk to the E Riding Foundry Assn in Hull - especially alu and brass/bronze foundries (some cast iron) for the marine and agri/food industries.

Although it has none of the marquetry, the 5 sliding drawers are fully 'French fitted' for the individual tools and include within them lidded fitted boxes for bits etc. The alu-bodied filled round bottomed plane you see has several bases and blades of different diameters and you can just see a second of half the width of the same type also with a number of bases and blades - I found a labelled bag in my store with a few other pieces from this chest, including a third wider round bottomed plane (all wood this time) very like that in your chest also a user-made cast iron plane which I hoped might be a small core box, but is a skew rebate, also an infill smoother and a few other pieces useful in the foundry pattern shop. These round bottomed planes also have the dual-slot arrangement for bases that yours does, but engaging with a protruding wood-screw, not the nice brass inverted pyramid (the screws are cruder but have the advantage of adjustability). Like your drawers - these are glued and pinned not dovetailed and even have some similar internal fillets. What I sadly don't have is the extensive set of chisels that must have filled much of the fitted space.

thanks for your reply, Pete -- well it's kind of French-fitted (I couldn't think of another phrase -- there's a slot for each tool of chisel/driver/bradawl size or over, of a specific length, width and position - just wood, with no plush) but it doesn't quite do the full outline so I'll have to figure an appropriate chisel handle shape etc - as a 'chisel nut' I have plenty to try out including some from another pattern-maker -- I just wish I had at least one of each type from the original but I guess these were kept for use in another trade or sold separately. I hope to report on these pages at some point with more pix, but life's a bit busy at pres.

I know Canada is big and Saskatoon's far East of Vancouver, but are you expecting any of that crazy heat they're getting? My brother's home there (not too far from the sea) has never needed aircon before but just reached 41C in the shade - and still rising.

Good morning, Danny and Pete, I've just had to Google 'French fitted' to educate myself as to what it meant... Never heard of it before - but then rather a lot has slipped past my baby brain over the years. Grin!

 

[workshopted]

I have your book now -- part way through it - great joint effort.

now -- CORRECTION (to my post, not your book) -- my memory failed me (mixed up two items) - after reading some of the description yours I went back to my pattern- makers chest and found a note to self -- this was a Kingston-upon-Hull pattern-maker and I have his name. Interestingly in the 80s I gave a talk to the E Riding Foundry Assn in Hull - especially alu and brass/bronze foundries (some cast iron) for the marine and agri/food industries.

Although it has none of the marquetry, the 5 sliding drawers are fully 'French fitted' for the individual tools and include within them lidded fitted boxes for bits etc. The alu-bodied filled round bottomed plane you see has several bases and blades of different diameters and you can just see a second of half the width of the same type also with a number of bases and blades - I found a labelled bag in my store with a few other pieces from this chest, including a third wider round bottomed plane (all wood this time) very like that in your chest also a user-made cast iron plane which I hoped might be a small core box, but is a skew rebate, also an infill smoother and a few other pieces useful in the foundry pattern shop. These round bottomed planes also have the dual-slot arrangement for bases that yours does, but engaging with a protruding wood-screw, not the nice brass inverted pyramid (the screws are cruder but have the advantage of adjustability). Like your drawers - these are glued and pinned not dovetailed and even have some similar internal fillets. What I sadly don't have is the extensive set of chisels that must have filled much of the fitted space.

It's a shame that the chisels/gouges are missing from that lovely old tool chest of yours, Danny. I suspect that the patternmakers long and thin bevel edge paring chisels would have been plundered from it... I love chisels.

 

[Inspector]

I know Canada is big and Saskatoon's far East of Vancouver, but are you expecting any of that crazy heat they're getting? My brother's home there (not too far from the sea) has never needed aircon before but just reached 41C in the shade - and still rising.

A little warm here but not the mid 40s or more in BC. It is the low 30s now ramping up to 38 on Friday and falling after that to the low 30s high 20s, at least according to my weather app. We haven't had much rain so it is pretty dry. Farmers need some for the crops. I have a drum in the bucket of the tractor to water the trees we planted but the garden is close enough for the hose.

I thought if the case was French fitted like a fine old shotgun case there would be a full outline, therefore relatively easy to get similar tools. I suppose you'll have to make educated guesses.

Pete

 

[jcassidy]

Received my copy, read cover to cover, excellent job, well done.

 

[workshopted]

Received my copy, read cover to cover, excellent job, well done.

I'm glad you enjoyed the book, my friend.

 

[Adam W.]

Well, it has arrived in Jutland.......Not too bad, I suppose.

 

[Adam W.]

I liked it so much, I joined TATHS today.

I may even get the Seaton book too.

 

[workshopted]

I liked it so much, I joined TATHS today.

I may even get the Seaton book too.

I'm pleased that you like the book, and I'm glad you joined TATHS. Lots of free downloads on our site.

 

[Adam W.]

I'm pleased that you like the book, and I'm glad you joined TATHS. Lots of free downloads on our site.

Browsing the site, I seem to already appear in your newsletter No.138 in the article about nails by Chris How....What a small world.