Object number
52/293
Creator
Description
Rounding plane or 'witchert', from a wheelwright shop in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. 'Aaron Hildick - Warranted Cast Steel'.
This rounding plane, also called a 'witchert', is a tool used by a woodworker to round, shave or smooth out sticks such as rake handles and ladder rungs. It came from the donor's wheelwright shop in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. The top stock has a steel blade with the name and trade mark of the maker 'Aaron Hildick - Warranted Cast Steel'.
Physical description
1 rounder plane: wood; metal; good condition
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …‘ The tool consists of two plane soles, both notched in the centre, but only one of them possessing a blade which projects at the central hole formed by the pair of notches. At the bottom of the blade-less stock are a pair of iron hand screws, by which the plane is adjusted. Turning these screws in a clockwise direction would adjust the plane by making the central hole smaller and conversely turning them anti-clockwise would make the plane fit larger pieces of wood. The rough stick which is to be planed is placed in a vice and is then thrust through the central orifice of the plane. By twisting the plane round by means of the two handles at the side in a clockwise direction the stick is round shaved and made smooth. //
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