History question: use of screws

Sun, Sep 24, 2006, 7:38am (EDT+4) [email protected] (Peter=A0Lynch) doth
queryeth:
We were having a discussion about woodworking and the use of nails vs.
screws.
Do people know when woodscrews started to be used in mainstream
furniture making? <snip>

Dunno. However, my grandfather - who was what a lot of people
today would call a "master" carpenter - taught me that if you put
something together, and expected to take it apart at some time in the
future, you used screws. But, if you never expected to take it apart,
you used nails.



JOAT
You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you
"know"?.
- Granny Weatherwax

"Nova" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:g5FRg.271$Dq3.146@trndny06...
> Peter Lynch wrote:
>
>>
>> Yes, this is the sort of thing I was thinking about. I'm not so
>> concerned with the date of the invention ... more with when the
>> price of screws came down to the point where "normal" furniture
>> makers were using them as first choice instead of nails.
>> My grandfather was woodworking (as a hobby) in the 50's and early 60's
>> though he didn't pass on tips to me as I was only about 4 when I
>> knew him. So I guess we're talking about early to mid 20th-century
>>
>> Pete
>>
>
> See:
> http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/screwdriver.htm

Thought folks might be interested to see some wood screws that I made...
with files! See ABPW/

I made these screws for use in an 18th century style flint lock rifle. I
originally learned how to do this while working at Colonial Williamsburg,
VA.

John

Peter Lynch wrote:

>
> Yes, this is the sort of thing I was thinking about. I'm not so
> concerned with the date of the invention ... more with when the
> price of screws came down to the point where "normal" furniture
> makers were using them as first choice instead of nails.
> My grandfather was woodworking (as a hobby) in the 50's and early 60's
> though he didn't pass on tips to me as I was only about 4 when I
> knew him. So I guess we're talking about early to mid 20th-century
>
> Pete
>

See:
http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/screwdriver.htm

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA
[email protected]

On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 22:14:11 GMT, Peter Lynch <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 15:41:47 -0400, J T wrote:
>> Sun, Sep 24, 2006, 7:38am (EDT+4) [email protected] (Peter Lynch) doth
>> queryeth:
>> We were having a discussion about woodworking and the use of nails vs.
>> screws.
>> Do people know when woodscrews started to be used in mainstream
>> furniture making? <snip>
>>
>> Dunno. However, my grandfather - who was what a lot of people
>> today would call a "master" carpenter - taught me that if you put
>> something together, and expected to take it apart at some time in the
>> future, you used screws. But, if you never expected to take it apart,
>> you used nails.
>>
>Yes, this is the sort of thing I was thinking about. I'm not so
>concerned with the date of the invention ... more with when the
>price of screws came down to the point where "normal" furniture
>makers were using them as first choice instead of nails.
>My grandfather was woodworking (as a hobby) in the 50's and early 60's
>though he didn't pass on tips to me as I was only about 4 when I
>knew him. So I guess we're talking about early to mid 20th-century
>
>Pete

At one time in my checkered career, I did restoration work on reed organs. In
the 1870s, flat head wood screws were the norm. Some older pieces, rough guess,
from the 1860s, some sub-structures were nailed.

The screws used were usually odd numbered flat head steel, although there were
occasional round head screws used, especially in small assemblies that would
easily split with the beveled head of a flat head screw.

They also used small stamped washers that matched the contour of flat head
screws in just about all applications where dismantling might be required in
the future.

Screw sizes could range from #3 to #13.

Just my experience.

Peter Lynch wrote:
> We were having a discussion about woodworking and the use of nails
> vs. screws.
>
> Do people know when woodscrews started to be used in mainstream
> furniture making?

First metal ones = 14th century; wood, long before that...a screw is
just a spiral inclined plane. Commonly = post ability to mass produce
them which was a couple of years before 1800.


--

dadiOH
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On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 15:41:47 -0400, J T wrote:
> Sun, Sep 24, 2006, 7:38am (EDT+4) [email protected] (Peter Lynch) doth
> queryeth:
> We were having a discussion about woodworking and the use of nails vs.
> screws.
> Do people know when woodscrews started to be used in mainstream
> furniture making? <snip>
>
> Dunno. However, my grandfather - who was what a lot of people
> today would call a "master" carpenter - taught me that if you put
> something together, and expected to take it apart at some time in the
> future, you used screws. But, if you never expected to take it apart,
> you used nails.
>
Yes, this is the sort of thing I was thinking about. I'm not so
concerned with the date of the invention ... more with when the
price of screws came down to the point where "normal" furniture
makers were using them as first choice instead of nails.
My grandfather was woodworking (as a hobby) in the 50's and early 60's
though he didn't pass on tips to me as I was only about 4 when I
knew him. So I guess we're talking about early to mid 20th-century

Pete

--
..........................................................................
. never trust a man who, when left alone ...... Pete Lynch .
. in a room with a tea cosy ...... Marlow, England .
. doesn't try it on (Billy Connolly) .....................................

According to my research, screws (even ones made of metal) existed, but
weren't very widely used, as far back as the Roman Empire but didn't start
to become widespread until the late 15th or early 16th century when German
clock makers began to make and use them. It wasn't until the late 18th
century that screws were made by machines rather than exclusively by hand.

Lee

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_________________________________
Lee Gordon
http://www.leegordonproductions.com