Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-1, страница 22

S1UMPERS

What's

This?

Richard Smith from Rock Hill, South Carolina, sent in the tool below. He paid $9 at an antique shop for the 13"-long thingamajig. Know what it is? Send in

your answer for a chance to win a prize!

If you have your own woodworking mystery tool (or the answer to this issue's entry), send it to Stumpers, c/o Woodworker's Journal, P.O. Box 261, Medina, Minnesota 55340. Or send us an e-mail:

stumpers@ woodworkersjoumal.com

▼

Spelling It All Out

Letters from the Past

I recognized [the October 2007] issue's Stumper as soon as I saw its picture in the table of contents. When my cousin, a designer by trade, died, my brother (a draftsperson) inherited a number of his drafting tools [including] the size 3 version of this tool.

My brother didn't know what it was, either, and he had asked various coworkers about it over the years without any luck. I found it in the drafting cabinet (where all the other obsolete tools reside), then searched the patent office's records for June 24, 1919 (clearly stamped on the item). It took a while to find the patent (there were 692 issued that day), but I did.

Thinking about this old tool brought back memories of my cousin, Bobby Lee.

Randall Fisher Grand Haven, Michigan

Signs of Character

We're glad Floyd Hershberger of Ocala, Florida, and his mystery tool brought good memories to Randall — and to others.

Paul Burrell of Cragford, Alabama, also "had to dig through the U.S. Patent records for it. It was patent number 01307736." Joel R. Havens of Orchard Park, New York, knew it was "a

Our mystery tools "aided in making letters and numbers," said William J. Haas of Fishers, Indiana.

Letter Drafting Instrument. [The patent] was issued to William Hepfinger of Birmingham, Michigan."

Tom Thompson of Breckinridge County, Kentucky, told us that "Hepfinger invented it in an effort to help the average person create lettering quickly and accurately."

Randall Fisher explained further "The number in the center of the 'head' indicates the height of the characters the particular guide helps you make. The head is marked to show where the curved arcs of characters should begin and end. The straight 'blade' is used to draw the straight parts. The equidistant 'cross branches' are used to lay out £"s and Fs. (Note that if you hold the guide up by the blade, you can clearly make out a capital B.)"

Bill Banch of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, noted that the "1-2-3" on the tools "indicate the size of the letters."

Dearl Gaskill of Utopia, Texas, meanwhile, had a childhood memory of "an old sign painter. He had these things up to three feet, I'd guess. He used them to lay out the

These "letter aids" came in a handy leather carrying case

letters on the signs, after which he hand-painted them."

And Ernie SIuss of Orleans, Indiana, who sent us a copy of the brochure and instructions for his set of Master Lettering keys, summed up the philosophy of Stumpers in his letter: "I will sometimes buy an old tool without knowing what it is or what it was used for, which is a large part of the enjoyment. Sometimes I am lucky enough to find someone that has used a specialized tool and tells me its use. It often makes the person as happy to share their knowledge as I am to receive it."

—Joanna Werch Takes

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&

WINNER'. Paul Burrell of Cragford, Alabama, wins a Delta DP300L Drill Press. We toss all the Stumpers letters into a hat to select a winner.

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February 2008 Woodworker's Journal