Page 28 - Giv'er Miramichi magazine - Spring 2017

This Old Thing What is this

Old Thing?
In our last issue Bernie Colepaugh of attaches to a brace and bit tool and
the Miramichi Folklore Park in Renous allows one to make dowels or spindles
sent a photo of an old thing and asked our of different sizes. And Linda
readers if they could identify it. Bremner's husband, David concurred
that this was a furniture makers tool
for making dowel rods for chair backs.
Graham Mclaughlin said it was a
carpenter's tool that makes a design in
wood perhaps on a piece of crown
moulding. Bill Walker suggested it
was a Hollow Auger. June Gallant
suggested the item was an old lathe used turn it with a brace used for boring holes
for either wood or metal. Jim Travis with different size bits. It was also used
called it a Wheelwrights' Hollow Auger to bevel wooden chair rungs.”
and said it was used to shape tenons on Thanks for all the responses! Bernie
wheel spokes but was also used by says, “This is a tool used in a brace (as in
chairmakers and ladder makers etc. for brace and bits) for turning down the ends
tenon shaping. of wooden dowels for chair rungs, wagon
A tool used when making wooden dowels.
Jimmie Crawford wrote: “68 years wheels, etc.”
We received quite a few responses. ago I saw a tool like this at work by a You knew it! This month Bernie sent
Esma Brennan thought it was an item Blacksmith named Jack Colford in another photo ... Do you know what this
used for making dowels and said there Blackville. He called it a spoke beveler. It is? Email your ideas to
would also be a crank of some kind was used to make spokes for wooden submit@mightymiramichi.com. Include
attached. Ken St.Germain agreed that it wagon wheels, different size holes. He “This Old Thing” in the subject line. Next
was a carpenter's dowelling tool that would pat the spoke in a wooden vice and issue we'll publish the correct answer
from Bernie!

28 www.GiverMiramichi.com Spring 2017