# When a Woodworker Goes on Vacation........



## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

*...You never really get away!* The LOML and I spent a day at Fort William Historical Park, a re-creation of a circa 1815 settlement of the NorthWest Company, a British company specializing in the harvest of furs for the British market. Within the fort are several artisan shops, staffed with people who dress in period costume and engage in activities and craft as it would have been in 1815. I'd heard of the coopers who made barrels there, and other related craftspeople. Here's a view of the Cooper's shop: 
And another: 
And now, the tinsmith shop:  
I'll add some more pix once I post this, and make sure I've got it right, pic size, etc. More soon!
And now, the joiner's shop, I was just salivating over the planes, about 75-80 in this room alone! 
The current project, a beam to keep the gate closed, from a pit-sawn timber hand-planed to size: 

A treadle lathe with a spindle in progress:


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks for posting. It looks like a very accurate representation. Interesting to compare the shave horse to the Danish versions in Mads's blog.

http://lumberjocks.com/mafe/blog/24840


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## Roger Clark aka Rex (Dec 30, 2008)

Hey Poopie, Very interesting.

I used to travel by train (many moons ago when I was a teenager in England) with 2 boys who went to Coopers Company School in London. Yes the Coopers Guild actually had a school - not for barrel making, that was really good - almost private/public school where science and languages were the taught. Their sports included Fencing and we used to have "sword fights" on the train when going home - the Rapiers had their tips on, so no chance of hurting - but great fun.

Here's a link for the school history: http://www.cooperscoborn.org.uk/schoolhistory.html
Hope you enjoy it.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Here's some more pix:   an 1815 TorMek?  a 1815 woodwright's shop,  fire engine, built in the shop:  another shop view  and… a birch-bark canoe, built in the boatwright shop, sorry the shop pics of the boats-in-progress came out too dark to post here 
Hope you enjoy the pics, please ask questions!! Fort William Historical Park is just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario, not all that far from the Minnesota border.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks, *Wayne*! There had to be at least 20 shave-horses in various configurations. * Roger*: Now I know where your *Rapier wit *comes from! The next tool I wish for is a British bow-saw, 12-14 inches… I saw at least 10 of 'em there, I gotta have one! The blacksmith's shop:

Sorry if some pics got posted twice!


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## olddutchman (Aug 17, 2007)

Thankyou for the pictures! I look around the shop in You picture, and it looks like a place I could spend a lot of time. I am spoiled, however, I would need electric tools! at least a few.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Very interesting, great photos!


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## GlenGuarino (Feb 23, 2010)

Thank you for taking the time posting all the great pictures. I studied each one and seeing myself in the space using all the great old tools. I have done some blacksmithing, coopering and bending like the craftsmen who once worked in the space. Those guys were so important to the community in the area. Their talents and hard work helpd make it all work for the company and all the trappers. I would love to spend a couple of weeks there making new designs.

Thanks for the post


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

With the mention of fur trapping and the shot of the birchbark canoe, I'm reminded of the Kids in the Hall's French Canadian fur trappers sketch (they even have the same red belts):


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

thank´s poopiekat for sharing 
realy a place to be on the list of places to visit if you are in the neighbourhood of 50 miles

Dennis


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## bernwood (Aug 19, 2010)

Very nice post. My wife and I are traveling home now after a cross country American road trip, but I did not post any pictures. We did visit the Woodcarving National Museum in the Black Hills of SD near Mt. Rushmore. Can't get away from our interests - WOOD. As we were visiting National Forests and Historical sites, I always took notice of tree species and period furniture etc. Thanks for the good post from a fellow traveler.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

great post. It inspires the imagination. thanks


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## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

great pics of yester year. some of the tools are not so different now, than a 100 years ago.
i did like that hefty bench, with the wooden vise leg, nice.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks, everyone, for posting! I am so drawn to this type of place, like as if I too was a woodworker in a former life as well! The benches were incredible; some with tops 6 inches thick! I just didn't see all that much for lumber, was hoping to see more of it. Not mentioned earlier, but there were also a working farm, sewing room, wool-spinning, and a really kool gun shop where they hammered out a few period flintlocks. A totally self-sufficient enclave, and they bartered for provisions like textiles, sugar and spices. Simply stunning!


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