FARM CAN ANYONE IDENTIFY THIS ANTIQUE TOOL?

F

foreverkeeps

Veteran Member
Visited the Settlers Museum near Rural Retreat, VA and they have this tool they cannot identify. Most of the history is from German, Scottish, Irish settlers in 1800's. The lady is showing that the 'T's separate. And also the right side has a place for the 'T' peg to be repositioned closer to the left end. Both 'T's have places for peg like stakes.

She said many people visit and vow to learn what this tool was for, but they never hear back from anyone. Hubby thinks it was related to working with animal hides, or leather. I have no idea.

Does anyone here?
 

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timbo

timbo

Deceased
I'm going to guess some kind of stretcher (leather?) Looks like slits in the cross members and then the pegs are pounded down to hold the ends in place. Then you pound a wood peg down into the bench to hold it taut. Now maybe not for stretch but just for doing something to the leather or cloth too, like writing on it or maybe cutting it into strips? How about a belt maker?
How about I have no idea?
 
timbo

timbo

Deceased
Hognutz said:
Thats a thingamajig! You use it to straighten out watchamacallits!
Click to expand...

GAWD! You sound like my dear departed FIL! We built a shed in our back yard. He knew what he was doing and we got it done BUT I can't tell you the thousands of times he wanted me to hand him a watchamacallit!

I drank more then. But then I needed to.
 
Melodi

Melodi

Disaster Cat
I can say it is probably NOT a textile too - a hackling board (for flax) would look similar but have a grove down the middle with a piece that slammed down on the flax to "hackle" or break it - a tape loom would have rollers rather than the T edge pieces. I know what a lot of the old things are but not that one - which suggest it isn't for the kitchen or the weaving room; most likely something for the workshop.
 
P

Publius

TB Fanatic
Hard to say I've never seen one and it was likely made by someone that needed a tool for a job and this was their idea of how to do it but what?

It could have been used for making archery bows for all we know.
 
Hacker

Hacker

Computer Hacking Pirate
My first impression (without really analyzing it) is that it could be used as part of a lathe. But as I look at it more, I'm with Timbo on the leather/frabric stretching 'watchamacallit" :lol:
 
Countrymouse

Countrymouse

Country exile in the city
I have seen something just like that in a museum of ancient Appalachia---I do not remember what it is for but you might try such a museum and they can probably tell you. The one I saw was in Oak Ridge, TN.
 
T

tm1439m

Veteran Member
My grandpa was a jack of all trades. I grew up helping him doing just bout anything and everything. We made/built lots of odd projects. He always said to design your projects in such a way that you can build a "jig" to help assemble and or process the parts. He was all about efficiency and speed but mostly quality.

It is most likely, as suggested earlier, something a person designed to help them complete a task more efficiently. If that is the case you may never know what it was. It could be a one of a kind tool used by this one person and long since forgotten.

Last winter my son and I were hired to photograph an original 20 foot by 8 foot painting of the battle of Gettysburg. We designed and built a contraption that enabled us to do this project. We had to take photos in 75 locations on the painting then edit them into one giant photo that could be put on display at a museum. We had to maintain a constant level of light and a constant distance from the painting in order to have an accurate copy of the original and have the color remain consistent as well. It turned out great. If you saw this rig you would most likely never guess in a million years what it was for.
 
Countrymouse

Countrymouse

Country exile in the city
foreverkeeps said:
Visited the Settlers Museum near Rural Retreat, VA and they have this tool they cannot identify. Most of the history is from German, Scottish, Irish settlers in 1800's. The lady is showing that the 'T's separate. And also the right side has a place for the 'T' peg to be repositioned closer to the left end. Both 'T's have places for peg like stakes.

She said many people visit and vow to learn what this tool was for, but they never hear back from anyone. Hubby thinks it was related to working with animal hides, or leather. I have no idea.

Does anyone here?
Click to expand...

this looks very like some of the pictures on this page of antique woodworking lathes:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Pic...post-interesting-old-lathe-223687%2F;1024;768
 
It'sJustMe

It'sJustMe

Deceased
I agree with the idea that it looks like some kind of stretcher tool. Did she say if they knew what area the tool came from? That might help to figure out the mystery.
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
I would guess that its for winding presized lengths of yarn.

You need a bunch of them for loading a loom.
 
RB Martin

RB Martin

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
When I saw the tread title, I immediately flashed to John McCain....
Click to expand...

TREAD title? What a shock from a wordsmith such as you is!

t_20120220.mmihh1.ang.jpg
 
Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
Bad Hand said:
My guess is it is a type of vice for holding a wood stave.
Click to expand...


it's a special shaving horse for long length work .... staves are just one possibility ....

just another example is t & g wainscoting .... they would work the edges with a shaping plane ....
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Illini Warrior said:
it's a special shaving horse for long length work .... staves are just one possibility ....

just another example is t & g wainscoting .... they would work the edges with a shaping plane ....
Click to expand...

I though that initially, but that type of horse only needs a stop at one end and the work needs to lay flat on the surface.

I'm baffled & befuddled...
 
W

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
It could be a lot of things. Basically, just a homemade double-clamp set up, which could be useful for woodworking/shaving, yarn handling, quilting, stretching, drying - you name it.
 
J

JW

Member
Raines stay for stretching and sewing the sides of leather reins; center slide block used for sewing is missing. sewing the reins was a major employment trade, with a 10 year apprentice ship. Manufacturing reins was very high skill, producing strait leather strips then sewing strips together, then tongue oiled that did not brake loose, that could be trusted in daily use was a skill and rated great income. Each trades man made his hallmark on them. A second tool used in conjunction was a four legged bench you sat on one end that had a large pinches clamp that was operated by a strap that went through the side of on jaw down to a pivot bar operated by the makes feet. Their is a name for the trade but it escapes me at this time. My G Grandfather produced a product which was known throughout the Midwest, and in Utah. They also were known for beautiful colored horse hair ropes used with herding cattle which was very stiff, strong, would outlast standard hemp, or waxed cotton ropes. My cousin has one made by my G Grandfather and to this day is just as nice as when it was made in the 1840's. He also has the original bench clamp.
 
RCSAR

RCSAR

Veteran Member
I was going to say it was for wrapping cordage on to dry but it looks too complicates for that.
Could have been for wool yard after dying. Bit I'm at a loss.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
From Urban Ditionary:

1. tool

One who lacks the mental capacity to know he is being used. A fool. A cretin. Characterized by low intelligence and/or self-steem.

"That tool dosen't even know she's just using him."


2. a tool

an offensive comment, mainly aimed towards the male of the species, when one is being particularly nasty, stupid, or facetious.

"God, Evan is such a tool!"


3. Tool: (noun)

A guy with a hugely over-inflated ego, who in an attempt to get undue attention for himself, will act like a jackass, because, in his deluded state, he will think it's going to make him look cool, or make others want to be like him. The person may even insincerely apologize later on, but only in an attempt to get more attention, or to excuse his blatantly intentional, and unrepentantly tool-ish behavior.


4. Someone whose ego FAR exceeds his talent, intelligence, and likeability. But, of course, he is clueless regarding that fact. He erroneously thinks he is THE MAN!
 
Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
From Urban Ditionary:

1. tool

One who lacks the mental capacity to know he is being used. A fool. A cretin. Characterized by low intelligence and/or self-steem.

"That tool dosen't even know she's just using him."


2. a tool

an offensive comment, mainly aimed towards the male of the species, when one is being particularly nasty, stupid, or facetious.

"God, Evan is such a tool!"


3. Tool: (noun)

A guy with a hugely over-inflated ego, who in an attempt to get undue attention for himself, will act like a jackass, because, in his deluded state, he will think it's going to make him look cool, or make others want to be like him. The person may even insincerely apologize later on, but only in an attempt to get more attention, or to excuse his blatantly intentional, and unrepentantly tool-ish behavior.


4. Someone whose ego FAR exceeds his talent, intelligence, and likeability. But, of course, he is clueless regarding that fact. He erroneously thinks he is THE MAN!
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd looked it up......thanks. Maybe only used in certain parts of the country?.....I don't travel much. The only prior slang for 'tool' I'd heard
before was a man's <ahem!> sexual appendage! :lol:
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
This term tends to be unknown among older/elderly people. If you're over about 45, there's a good chance you never heard the term used in that fashion. This is particularly true if you lead a, well, "sheltered life." And it's used nationwide.
 
Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
This term tends to be unknown among older/elderly people. If you're over about 45, there's a good chance you never heard the term used in that fashion. This is particularly true if you lead a, well, "sheltered life." And it's used nationwide.
Click to expand...

Guilty as charged.....to all of the above! Thanks Dennis.

I do know that certain areas of the country have slang that's fairly unique to that region. Many years ago, my aunt from 'way up north' in Maine
came down to visit....and a couple of my siblings took her out to a nightclub. While there, she kept hearing the term 'coon-a**' being used......
(no offense to our Louisiana members) had never heard it before - so she asked a guy about it. Trouble was....the fellow she asked - probably
was born in the back of a pirogue canoe!

You know what he told her, don't you?? (Hint: little round hole......) :rofl:
 
G

GunGirl

Contributing Member
Illini Warrior said:
it's a special shaving horse for long length work .... staves are just one possibility ....

just another example is t & g wainscoting .... they would work the edges with a shaping plane ....
Click to expand...

My woodworking-the-old-way obsessed husband also says it looks like a special shaving horse. I only showed him the pictures without any commentary.
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
It's an vice like device someone mentioned shave horse, used back in the olden days for woodworking. The guy on that PBS show for the old timey woodworking has one in his shop that he uses regularly. Sorry but for lack of a better word that's a thingamajig that holds wooden doohickies for planing, etc., :D Gotta love menopause brain!

K-
 
Wise Owl

Wise Owl

Deceased
JW said:
Raines stay for stretching and sewing the sides of leather reins; center slide block used for sewing is missing. sewing the reins was a major employment trade, with a 10 year apprentice ship. Manufacturing reins was very high skill, producing strait leather strips then sewing strips together, then tongue oiled that did not brake loose, that could be trusted in daily use was a skill and rated great income. Each trades man made his hallmark on them. A second tool used in conjunction was a four legged bench you sat on one end that had a large pinches clamp that was operated by a strap that went through the side of on jaw down to a pivot bar operated by the makes feet. Their is a name for the trade but it escapes me at this time. My G Grandfather produced a product which was known throughout the Midwest, and in Utah. They also were known for beautiful colored horse hair ropes used with herding cattle which was very stiff, strong, would outlast standard hemp, or waxed cotton ropes. My cousin has one made by my G Grandfather and to this day is just as nice as when it was made in the 1840's. He also has the original bench clamp.
Click to expand...

Thank you for actually telling us what it is. Instead of guessing.
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
JW said:
Raines stay for stretching and sewing the sides of leather reins; center slide block used for sewing is missing. sewing the reins was a major employment trade, with a 10 year apprentice ship. Manufacturing reins was very high skill, producing strait leather strips then sewing strips together, then tongue oiled that did not brake loose, that could be trusted in daily use was a skill and rated great income. Each trades man made his hallmark on them. A second tool used in conjunction was a four legged bench you sat on one end that had a large pinches clamp that was operated by a strap that went through the side of on jaw down to a pivot bar operated by the makes feet. Their is a name for the trade but it escapes me at this time. My G Grandfather produced a product which was known throughout the Midwest, and in Utah. They also were known for beautiful colored horse hair ropes used with herding cattle which was very stiff, strong, would outlast standard hemp, or waxed cotton ropes. My cousin has one made by my G Grandfather and to this day is just as nice as when it was made in the 1840's. He also has the original bench clamp.
Click to expand...

All of the stitching benches for reins I've ever seen have looked like this older model here.

stitching-horse.jpg
 
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