Thread: Seeking help with history

Alan Lacers ( Wisconsin, US ) instructional woodturning video "Getting Started Right"
has footage of working vintage treadle lathes. I think one is Japanese and maybe the other is British or Euro in origin. I'm finishing something on a faceplate tonight. When I'm done I'll run through it and see.
Of course if you want the true and irrefutable history you should simply read the thread here in this forum started by keith53 titled " woodwork history chips and fries chapter one". Perhaps Keith could be persuaded to be a guest speaker at the next
Arts & Crafts Society meeting :eek: You might consider offering payment in the form of fuel and a gunny sackful of spuds.
How far is it driving from Qld to NSW?
When is your deadline?
tm

Originally Posted by ticklingmedusa

How far is it driving from Qld to NSW?

About 2 seconds if you are on the border..

Al

Sorry, I couldnt help it

no worries al.
i probably should have checked my atlas...
my world geography instructor is already spinning in her grave.
are you really 99?
my wife says i'm spry for an octogenarian.

Thanks TM

I guess the deadline was last week but we can probably steal a few more days. Those early lathes sound interesting so I would appreciate any info if you get the chance. Appreciate your help. I also appreciated the chips and fries lead. A good read...

Again, many thanks

http://www.woodturninglearn.net/articles/viking.html

I tried to cut & paste this article by Alan Lacer but it was too long.
Have a look... great photos of historic lathes.
Apparently vikings were early turners.
Norsemen plundered England & Ireland in search of decent fish and chips & founded Dublin in 831 AD, and much later of course the convicts were deported in ships to Australia.
You might find some references to the development of skilled crafts
in The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/australia/
Its a great historical account of the convict transports and colonization in my humble opinion. I dont remember
if it discusses the subject of crafts or trades in depth...
Its not hard to imagine once people were settled (no easy feat)
that craftsmen began to ply their trades using the native materials at hand.
It might be a good place to begin further research.

Lacers video has outstanding but brief footage of bow lathes reconstructed from archaeological evidence of the 9th thru 11th century York, England, springpole lathes, a greatwheel (hand cranked by an assistant ) lathe, sidewinders, treadle lathe, Barnes lathe (peddled backward by the operator) as well as the Japanese lathes mentioned above. All of them are moving and operational.

You can get the video from his website or
go to http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cg...n&key=386-0600

You might try emailing Lacer at [email protected]

Keith Rowleys Book Woodturning A Foundation Course offers a very brief history of the "chair bodgers" in the UK

This site offers some photos of UK pole lathes in action and
there was mention of a pole lathe carved on a tomb.
http://www.fencible.org.nz/avillagel...ts_bodger2.htm


More history & mention of an turner emigrating to Australia in the 1920s
http://www.stuartking.co.uk/articles/lathe.htm


maybe some useful contacts given here
http://www.anbg.gov.au/anbg/media-re...4-bodgers.html

I spent hours searching the internet far and wide,
unfortunately I did not find an image of a Pole lathe with a potato between centres.
I hope this helps,
tm

Originally Posted by ticklingmedusa

are you really 99?
.

Nah sorry.
I change my age to go with the mood.

Al

ozwinner, have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?
that low carb diet you're on has worked wonders!
tm

Originally Posted by ticklingmedusa

ozwinner, have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?
that low carb diet you're on has worked wonders!
tm

Nah, why?
I have launched a green slime ball in your direction.

Al

Originally Posted by ozwinner

Nah sorry.
I change my age to go with the mood.

Al

Al, Mate, you may not have noticed, but your body fat count has slipped a little bit. From what I can see, you'd need a bandaid over your top lip just to use a drinking straw

Originally Posted by keith53

Al, Mate, you may not have noticed, but your body fat count has slipped a little bit. From what I can see, you'd need a bandaid over your top lip just to use a drinking straw

Im on a low fat diet.

Al

Originally Posted by ozwinner

Nah sorry.
I change my age to go with the mood.

Al

and the look...:eek::eek::eek::eek: