Bob Cleek, Dave Fleming: Caulking.

[Hughman]

Would you two gentlemen consider posting an annotated photo discussion of a complete caulking outfit?


The full caulker's set of irons runs to some twenty irons, hooks and so on at a minimum and up to thirty or more if its a really good collection. You'll only find one in a museum these days (or in my shop, heh, heh, heh! Most of which I've never had occasion to use since I've never corked four inch plank!) I think this would go into the B&R FAQ archives quite nicely.

This (http://www.numismalink.com/drew.ency.34.59a.html) is a good start, but no pictures, and little useful information on the intended use.

Cheers, Hugh

[Bob Cleek]

The Drew Catalog on line (posted above) is about as good as it gets. Rememeber that a lot of old irons were also made one-off by blacksmiths to the caulker's specifications. Generally, however, the Drew Catalog has all the basic types. Multiply those by three or four to account for the different sizes and you pretty much have pictures of them all. Someday, I suppose I'll unpack the box where the digital camera is hidden and figure out how to post pics. Right now, I'm happy just to find a clean pair of underpants! (Just moved!)

[Hughman]

Originally posted by Bob Cleek:
Right now, I'm happy just to find a clean pair of underpants! (Just moved!)That's not a pretty picture, Bob. tongue.gif

As for the topic, I believe any craft that can spawn 3 dozen nearly identical tools ought to be described with some nuance.

Someone tongue.gif pointed out that such a project is a lot of work. That is so.

However, I like Smalser's idea that we ought to teach what we know. A hundred years from now, our children might have to make a living out of wooden hulls and hemp sails....

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Some of the irons are of very little practical use. I've gotten along with seven for twenty years and I swear that two of them have never been out of the roll in earnest.

[Magwitch]

Patiences caulking irons came from Traditional Boat Supplies of Beccles in Suffolk www.tradboats.com (http://www.tradboats.com) tradboats@ic24.net.
Six irons plus a reefing iron seem (!) to be enough, I use a wood carvers mallet but will buy a 'proper' caulking mallet when I need to do more than the odd seam.
Oh, and they are of polished bronze, very pretty,,,,, ;)

IanW

[ 04-11-2005, 06:14 AM: Message edited by: Magwitch ]