Thanks for touching on a subject that’s currently near and dear to my heart. I’ve recently agreed to demonstrate period woodworking at our local state park’s 1812 reenactment, and I’m embarking on building the "correct" bench for this time and place. One thing that’s frustrated me with Roubo, Moxon, and Nicholson is; why always the joiners and no cabinetmakers? Of course, it could simply be that there was no difference, but working much smaller pieces as cabinetmakers do tells me otherwise. On the other hand, as you indicated the artwork of the period shows at least one cabinet shop using the "Nicholson bench".

Right now my current plan is to build a 6′ bench with some 4" oak planks I’ve had for a few years. I might put a twin-screw vise on the front, or else a leg vice (my preference), but no tail or wagon vise. More Dominy than Nicholson. I’ve stopped using the tail vise in my current bench just to make sure it’s feasible (i.e. I don’t make a fool of myself). I’ve been pleased so far with the results.

By the way, I also heartily recommend the "Working Wood in 18th C America" book. Definitely one of my go-to texts. And yes, that chest lid is owned by Jane Rees.

Now if I just had a workshop big enough to make the bench longer…..

Al R.

Thanks for the information.

Yeah, I’m with you. Yes I can’t answer your question, but a few small facts may help: We know that Moxon’s engraver borrowed many images Felibien’s prints from 1676. They appear in Moxon as reverse images and were touched up, seemingly intentionally. Several tools were added to the image including what I believe is a coffin smoother and an open handled saw. Most notably, the image of the "French" bench was modified to include a twin screw vise. I really think that bench, the twin screw vised "French" bench was the ubiquitous cabinetmakers’ bench from the 18th c. This is the sort of bench Wmsburg ditched in favor of the Nicholson benches they now use. I think this was a mistake.

I don’t know that Nicholson borrowed any images. We just don’t know whether the grouping of tools shown have any thematic or contextual message (BTW They certainly would in one of my articles and I definitely do seek to control the images and their apparent messages, which in some cases have been subtle.) We can say that the tool depicted in the opening of Nicholson were all very expensive tools, very likely the most expensive tools in the shop at that time. So that may have been the reason they were depicted.

Adam

Thanks for the excellent blog
Gary

By the way, I picked up a copy of Hand Tool Essentials about three weeks ago and feel it has helped my understanding of hand tool work by and order of magnitude. I’ll be trying to make a striking knife out of an old 1 1/8 spade bit this afternoon. A couple of weeks of ago, I was laying out some cuts for a project and found myself alternating between my marking knife and my scratch awl almost every other cut. It seemed that I always needed the one I didn’t have at hand. Maybe this will solve that problem.

Thanks, again.

Doug

When I checked online, Google showed three publishing dates – 1831, 1832 and 1842. I could not find the 1845 version that you mentioned. So I downloaded all three.

Thanks for the info and keep up the fine work. I subscribed to Popular Woodworking just so I could get your articles.

I check your blog daily in hopes that you’ve put something new online.

Thanks again

Ed K……………….