Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Calling Adam Cherubini...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I'm sure he can help you out. I have a link somewhere that shows how colonial wood workers looked; I'll try to dig it up...

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb? *LINK*

Paul in NJ

>David,

Stanley era clothes makes me think of denim aprons and coveralls. If you are looking for 18th or 19th century period clothing you might try Jas Townsend. They have a wide selection of ready made clothing.

Paul Dzioba


http://jas-townsend.com/index.php

Cool Link, Sent a copy to our Drama Dept.

A.J. Byrd

>

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

tom in tipp

>Contact Colonial Williamsburg. I'd like to think that if anyone knows, it would be them (and Adam--sorry). There should be pictures of the shop or housewrights at work. Roy Underhill may be another contact--either through CW or his site. Early American Life magazine used to have ads for 'colonial wear'. I haven't seen an issue of that for some time but that would be another source along with any shop dealing with reenactments.

Tom

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Todd Hughes

>I used to go to a good many 1700's reinactments and have put together a pretty good outfit.Lots of guys at these events used to dress up pretty fancy but then it became somewhat popular to dress down.My outfit could be best described as "1750 Homeless" and I put a lot of thought and efert to get it to look so grungy, even dragging my coat behind my truck [hey it worked!]I used to demostrate blacksmithing at a local town that celebrated throwing English Tea in the river and I dressed as pirate.Always popular, for some reason now forgotton I got to wearing wooden shoes as I worked. I have a 1700s "Workmans Cap" which I used to wear all the time while working, very comfortable.Also would make a small newspaper cap to which was kind of neat and people always got a kick out of it when i burned it up on "accident"

I know guys that want to be "Right" and use only hand sewn clothes made out of hand woven linen and dyed in Walnut hulls.Others are not so picky and use clothing that is sort of right, in my opinon most of what J. Townsends sells is like this.Lots of living history groups and books out there and traders that should be able to help you with an outfit .....Todd

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb? *LINK*

Greg B�tit, Crown Point NY

>Colonial Williamsburg has a site that is devoted to trades: http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/trades/tradehdr.cfm. Lots of good pictures of tradesmen doing their thing.

Do a Google search on "18th century reenacting". The below cited link is just one that will pop up. Reenacting is a world in and of itself, with slippery slopes and devotees much like woodworking with hand tools. You have to ask yourself: "Can I handle *two* hobbies like this?"

Greg


The Costumer's Manifesto

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Adam Cherubini

>For me the funny clothes are important props, useful for the dissemination of a broad spectrum of information. The question is what are they to you? Answer that question and you'll know better what to do. Are you interested in demonstrations? Clothes convey unspoken messages about social rank, life styles, etc. that can help or hinder a demonstration. Naturally you'd want to target some time period, but you needn't be too specific. There just isn't that much information available.

At Pennsbury where Paul and I volunteer (c. 1700), few period appropriate resources are available. But later in the 18th c and into the early 19th, several "smoking gun" sources are available. Landis reprinted a painting or two depicting turn of the century shops in his seminal text "The Workbench Book". These paintings provide a glimpse into the lives and shops of pre-industrial craftsmen and are an excellent source of info on period clothing.

E-mail me directly if I can help,

Adam

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Dan Clermont in Burnaby

>Adam,

Do you where traditional garb only when volunteering or do you where it in your home shop as well?

I ask because you mentioned the "hat" was to soak up the sweat.

Dan Clermont

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

David Charters (Durham, NC)

>Thanks everyone for the good sources, and fair warnings. No, I am not looking for another obsession. I will take heed and keep this simple. I just want some comfortable classic galootish duds to slip into my backyard shop in, and befuddle my neighbors. I don't really want to get nailed down to a particular period, but what I was thinking was a collarless, or short collar white shirt, without billowy sleeves that might get in the way of things. Maybe a vest with a lot of buttons, and some pants that go down to the knees, socks and, well, let's leave it at that, I think my bunny slippers can stay... Just something that I can put together over time. I may get into giving presentations, but the audience I tend to have is preschool children, magic marker and construction paper is usually enough to convince them you just got off a time machine and are no longer "Mr. David". I'll poke around with your leads, and maybe I will hook myself up for christmas. Thanks!

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Adam Cherubini

>Ben Franklin called philly's tradesmen the "lether apron junta". Two interesting things here:

1) Leather shop aprons were apparently ubquitous and worn (as Watson says) abroad (out in the streets). An excellant start for any would be traditional outfit would be a leather apron, waist high.

2) The other portion of this is the junta reference. Though British society was still quite class segregated, Philly's tradesmen were becoming an important political force. By the time of Franklin's death, this merchant class achieved political power and a competitive social rank. Men like John Head (joiner) or Caspar Wistar (german button maker/importer, and customer of Head's) were among the richest men in North America when they died in the 1750's. Caspar's legacy remains influential lo these 250 years later. (www.wistar.org)

& & & &

Watson recalls that before the WFI, most tradesmen wore madder red waistcoats (like mine perhaps tho possibly with sleeves) and cloth caps. Cloth caps were used to restrain the hair, and absorb sweat. Men either had long hair that was styled, or shaved heads to make wig wearing more convenient.

So if we were to assemble a general woodworker's outfit, I would think we would have to include the cloth cap, red waist, and leather apron. I personally find the puffy sleeves uncomfortable without the tight fitting waist over top. The puffy sleeves were considered underwear and not to be seen in general public. Workmen today may remove their tee shirts while working, but when they go into 7-11 for a hoagie, they put on their tee shirts. Same thing with the waist coat (aka weskit).

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Adam Cherubini

>Are you asking me what I'm wearing big guy?

I use the clothes to disseminate information as I said. So in my axe article , I tried to wear modern clothes to make the axe seem less foreign to modern wwkr's. I purposely choose my Bosch power tools tee shirt (only to have the words cropped out).

Otherwise I tend to wear the funny clothes to reinforce my brand or style of woodwork. The reality is, as a woodworker, that's who I am. I have virtually no experience with modern tools. I think I used a table saw twice- it scared me and I screwed up my project. I've never used a router etc, etc. I do have a few power tools, but I tend not to use them for "fine" work.

I like to think that this level of immersion serves our community with a diverse voice. I'm always enthused to see more and more folks giving this a try. I'm not a huge fan of counter culture movements, but I'm proud to associate myself with you guys who actually work by hand.

Sorry for the detour there (got the flu). To answwer your question directly, no i don't wear the funny clothes in my shop. I work in the nude.

Adam

P.S. Now there's a mental picture you didn't need!

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Dan Clermont in Burnaby

>I should have kept my mouth shut :) and while in the shop this afternoon realized what I may have said could be taken the wrong way.

I have two young children and work shift work. Some times when I wake up the house is free of children and wife. I get out of bed. put the coffee on and head straight out to the shop where I spend the whole day without eating a bite. I will come in the house shortly before my shift and quickly clean the house, take a shower and drive quickly to work so I am not too late. I live for days like that and cherish the days I get to spend with my kids as well.

I am married Adam so keep your clothes on! ;)

Dan Clermont

Colonial Willamsburg

Steve Schoene

>You can go to the Cabinetmakers shop in Colonial Willamburg and see woodworkers in the correct garb every day of the week.

Colonial Willamsburg has a clothing shop which makes clothes for their employees who wear historical dress. They do even use some hand sewing, but they also have a full size plotter to generate patterns in multiple sizes from the CAD system.

As a sidebar, in addition to modern employees being larger, apparently in the 18th. century people stood more erect, so that patterns taken from originals have to be adjusted for modern posture.

Re: Who dresses up in period woodworker garb?

Tom Ryan

>For something real simple, and more-or-less appropriate for the Stanley plane era, is the Artisan Shirt sold by Duluth Trading Post (duluthtrading.com). Would go well with plain blue suspenders (button attached).