[Regia-NA] Shave Horses

[Carolyn Priest-Dorman]

Bill wrote:

>I might be repeating a link, but...
>
>http://www.historicgames.com/lathes/ancientlathes.html

The attributions here are a little weird; I think the secondary source he 
got them from (which I've never heard of and haven't been able to track 
down yet) might have been a little off.  It's interesting the web page 
owner doesn't include the other two early medieval depictions noted in 
Morris's book on the woodworking from Jorvik; maybe they aren't in his 
secondary source.

The one marked "circa 1400" is unusual for including a tool rest.  My 
husband says that's usually a feature of bow lathe types rather than 
springpole lathe types.  Does anyone recognize this particular lathe as a 
redrawing of a medieval depiction?  I don't.  I'm especially wondering why 
the chuck (or is it a mounted spindle?) extends the whole length of the 
bed, and why there appear to be handles on each end of it.  Further, how 
does that treadle work?

The lathe marked "circa 1390" seems to be a line drawing of the one in the 
Mendel brothers book, although the viewing angle is somewhat different than 
in the original, and several of the details are changed a bit (such as the 
method for securing the treadle).  The original manuscript illumination, a 
portrait of "Lienhard Drechssel," the 42nd brother, at his work, is dated 
to about 1425.  There's a repro of Lenny's portrait (misdated to "c. 1436") 
on this web page.

http://www.his.com/~tom/sca/lathes.html


Carolyn Priest-Dorman              Þóra Sharptooth
  http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/thora.html