Historical Treatises: No Mention of Clamps?

[Mike Lemon]

Look for 'cramps'. I think Moxon mentions them (it was somone in the weird long s era, 85% sure it was Moxon).

[Jason Lester]

In "The Joiner and Cabinet Maker", originally printed in 1839, it mentions using a screw clamp during one of the glue ups.

[Warren Mickley]

Look for 'cramps'. I think Moxon mentions them (it was somone in the weird long s era, 85% sure it was Moxon).

Moxon does not use the word cramp at all. He uses the word clamp to mean a board fixed cross grain to a wide board or panel to prevent warping, like what we would call a breadboard end.

Cramp is a British term for clamp. Nicholson (1812) says that if the glue is quite stiff it may be necessary to us a cramp to pull a mortise and tenon joint together. I can't recall an earlier reference. I think the use of "cramp" is waning today.

[Jeff Bartley]

What an elegant cabinet makers triangle!

Here is Roubo's pair of etreignoirs. The spelling changed more in a century than did the clamps.

Attachment 392356

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Moxon does not use the word cramp at all. He uses the word clamp to mean a board fixed cross grain to a wide board or panel to prevent warping, like what we would call a breadboard end.

Cramp is a British term for clamp. Nicholson (1812) says that if the glue is quite stiff it may be necessary to us a cramp to pull a mortise and tenon joint together. I can't recall an earlier reference. I think the use of "cramp" is waning today.

The complete Woodworker (Jones) uses both cramp and clamp according to the index. I will have to read it again one day and see if he uses the terms interchangeably, or if there is some distinction I have not noticed before.

[Mike Lemon]

Moxon does not use the word cramp at all...

Thanks for the correction. I didn't have my Kindle and was going from memory. Apparently I was mixing up my old guys.

[Stew Denton]

Hi All,

In the Workbench book, by Landis, the first section or two has drawings and paintings of vintage work shops, to show the workbenches, but some of them show walls with clamps on them. Those that do include: turn of the century Swedish shop, the 18th century Roubo drawing shows 6 or 7 clamps on the wall, the shaker shop shows handscrew clamps, and a 16th century guild chest drawing shows a C clamp.

Regards,

Stew

[Dave Anderson NH]

One additional nugget to think about. Edge gluing was done less often because wide boards were more readily available. Even a 36" wide table top might have one or no joints and carcass sides were almost always a single piece.