1800's Archaeology Tour of Adam Kersh's Cabinet Shop

[@rollingstone3017]

Gives me goosebumps seeing Kersh's tools, knowing he worked with them 100+ years ago.

[@garybalcom715]

I’ve seen u shaped pieces like that used as clamps, in conjunction with a wedge. I would imagine he has some in his inventory for typical glue ups for his stock pieces that he would make over and over.

[@ACOUSTIC_4LOVE]

Wow. How cool to have been able to be the first to discover this old shop back in 1986’. Big shout out to George Lott’ 👍Great job because-It appears George realized the Historical importance-thus a archeological approach was taken to uncover the array of artifacts and Document it all.

[@markharris5771]

What an amazing man that "volunteer" is, passion, time, skill and bloody hard work all given freely. I’m a Brit and I know much of our history would have been lost but for people like this gentleman. I’m sorry Sir, I didn’t catch your name, but I caught your passion.

[@DavidKirtley]

At 17:08 is likely a handle for a spanish windlass for clamping. The wood with notches out of them are probably cauls to work with it. They can be placed with the notch facing up to keep line from moving and the wood spreads the load to prevent marring the work.

[@WoodAndShop]

David Kirtley Thanks for the input David. I'll pass it along to George.

[@rogerscottcathey]

What a dream it would be to find an old shop untouched by time, reeking of the past and standing forth as a three-dimensional picture of it. Something like that occured to me as I wandered through the back yard of local barterer-trader who was discussing renting out a house in exchange for carpentry. I was amazed to see in the bed of an old utility truck a paneled and drawered carpenter's bench. The rental never happened but after helping level a patch of ground and trading two Ford Pinto's, that bench was mine. There were even tools and relics in the drawers. Sadly neglected though it was --- even had been target practice for some plinker --- it has given me years of joy to work at. Front vise, end vice, dog holes and even a 1/4" dust barrier under the 400 lb beachwood top protecting the drawers from wayward saw dust.

[@rogerscottcathey]

Pity that old shop couldnt have been preserved in toto.

[@michaelmeans4684]

At 16:30 he asks for our help in identifying a block of wood. Here is the modern day equivalent. www.woodcraft.com/Product/150664/KREG-Precision-Router-Table-Setup-Bars-Kreg-PRS3400.aspx The block of wood is simply a gauge to speed up setting either the height of a blade or the depth of cut.

[@WoodAndShop]

Hmm, that's an interesting take. Do you have any historical evidence? I'm not sure Adam Kersh used mechanical saws at all, but maybe it's a gauge for the lathe? Thanks for your input?

[@michaelmeans4684]

Unfortunately I can not back up my information with historical evidence. But even in a hand tool only shop, they had to make gauges and templates for speed and accuracy. I think you might be spot on with your idea of them being used in combination with the lathe. Good luck and keep up the good work! I really enjoy your channel Josh.

[@MrAnimal1971]

Interesting to see how as craftsman how our workmanship can be looked upon by others in the future. it's Inspirational that it is the truly is the details that really trun wood working into crafting. Thanks for sharing this.

[@WoodAndShop]

MrAnimal1971 Yeah, I really hope that my furniture will be appreciated in 100 years! Glad you liked the video Mr. Animal!

[@tnwoodworks8882]

I just came across this. The history and story behind this is amazing. Having family members that were cabinet makers from Virginia and going off to fight in the war as well. In the same time frame just makes me wonder if they may have known each other. Thank you for posting this.

[@WoodAndShop]

+T&N Woodworks Then you should go visit the exhibit in Staunton.

[@charlesmay8251]

He was

[@stephenstrohacker7863]

Has the item been ID'd at the 13:41 point of the video? It looks to me as if the piece in his right hand would be placed over the "swinging" clamp at the top of the picture using one of the two holes in the right hand piece. Then the wedge would slide thru the slot and into the frame securing everything. The two holes would allow for a variety of sizes of material to be clamped into the frame.

[@bmandrakeeee8378]

forget what the other guy in the comments section said, those at 16:45 are old instrument clamps. look at this brazilian fiddle maker using clamps exactly like that in a 30 year old video kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5-omq2edqdpqbs

[@theboyfat2]

No doubt about it. You nailed it!

[@alansimpson596]

As an enthusiastic hobby wood worker I found this video very interesting. It's a real treasure trove of items. One of the things I liked best about it is that his workshop was almost untidy as mine.

[@soulstealeractual8493]

I know this video is nearing four years old but I came across a reference to those U-shaped pieces in a book on building wooden boats, it seems they are known as a squaring bridge. Its used to transfer lines across a piece by bridging a frame member.

[@andreasm249]

I really love this old tools! They had good fantasy long time before

[@jeffreymuckey2205]

would that piece of the lathe be for a scroll saw? I know they had scroll saw attatchments for treadle lathes? or did you figure out what it was?

[@EngineeringVignettes]

Interesting video. My guess on the lathe accessory is some sort of pattern follower (bit of a wild guess). The bridge shaped pieces could be for clamping boards together for glue-ups.. just use 2 wedges at one end to compress the boards between the two legs.

[@bec_r_r]

I very much enjoyed this video. My thoughts on those 'U' shaped pieces of wood that were found in abundance of differing sizes, could be cut outs that left the desired shape for further work in creating designs. No ideas on other items.

[@WoodAndShop]

Bec R Thanks for your input Bec!

[@brentdhedrick]

Could the the small pieces of wood be for checking the milling on stock? A kind of gauge to run over lumber that he milled to ensure consistency? He could have slid them on the boards and ran it down end to end, if it rocked or would bind up he knew it would need a little more plane work. Just an idea but it seems like it would be a very smart and quick method to measure consistency.

[@WoodAndShop]

Brent Hedrick Great thinking Brent! I'll add it the list of possible ideas.

[@bestbuilder1st]

This may seem too obvious, but my first take on the "U" shaped pieces is that they were templates for cabinet pulls? Maybe we are looking for some obscure usage item when in actuality it is a common mundane thing.

[@chrisneal66]

I have a friend who teaches the violin. I will try to get her to play the music on that wood.

[@aspincelaframboise9936]

Very very interesting, thanks eh.... Ü