From Horse To Bench

I wonder if James Blackaby may not have moved a little too fast from the shaving horse to the workbench in “How the Workbench Changed the Nature of Work” (Fall 1986). Yes, the joiner practices at a workbench, and some of the tools he uses have had adjustable stops and depth gauges for close to a century now. But has Mr. Blackaby ever tried to join a couple of one-by-sixes with only a joiner plane, perhaps using hardwood with an unfinished edge and a handsaw as a start? This certainly requires skill and judgment and a lot of patience.

With the advent of the power joiner, the tool operator definitely became a manager, but the transition period with the arrival of the workbench in the shop was certainly a gradual and subtle one.

D. A. Lammers Fullerton, Calif.