Mark’s Spring Pole Lathe and Its Magic

I conquered the Spring Pole Lathe! I love it! This is one of the coolest tools I have ever used. No kidding!

If you read my posting yesterday you will know that I was about to try the Lathe. A great man by the name of Mark Brelsford assembled this amazing tool a number of years ago. Mark passed away in 2003 – and I believe the Spring Pole Lathe has sat there without being used since that time.

Don, one of the volunteers, told me that he thought the pole had lost its spring and was pretty brittle as it was old.

Actually what had happened was that the Pole had been left under tension for a season or two and it had eventually stayed in the bent down position.

But even in the bent over mode it was still more than usable. It worked fine. There was just enough bounce for this “beginner” to get it working super.

For the people that should be scratching their heads about now – asking – “What is a Spring Pole Lathe?” I offer the following…

First you need to know that a Lathe is a tool that rapidly turns a piece of wood counter clockwise (top towards you). The wood is fastened snuggly between two secure points – left and right. In the normal lathe the left side secure point usually provides the power from an electric motor/power supply. When the switch is turned on the piece of wood to be turned begins to spin rapidly in front of the Wood Turner.

The Wood Turner then applies pressure to his wood turning tools on the turning piece of wood and a design begins to appear as he works it left and right while pushing the tool into the spinning wood.

BUT – what happened before electricity was channeled through the wires and into the work shop? What happened before the turn of the century when 1900 came along with all its new inventions?

Actually to be correct what happened before the years of the 1850s when some rather new ideas started to appear with iron and wood creating new and better machines… and the treadle lathe…where the wood could be turned very quickly into something of value?

The idea of the Spring Pole Lathe dates back perhaps to 900 years before now – into the 1200s – and 1300s… believe it or not! Wow! This idea is old.

Yet as old as it is – it works fine.

The Spring Pole Lathe involves using a cord or leather strip that is fastened somewhere between the long sapling pole pointing skyward above the Wood Turner, then downward to the peddle that the Wood Turner has at his foot. While proceeding downward/or upward – it is wound around the piece of wood being turned. This wrap around cord then turns the wood rapidly counter clockwise on the down stroke of the Wood Turner’s foot… then the turning wood reverses rapidly clockwise as the pole springs back up to its starting position… where the Wood Turner then steps on the peddle again.

The constant and regular rhythm of the Wood Turner’s leg and foot on the peddle, makes the piece of wood almost hum between the holders. The applied wood turning gouges remove the wood as easy as butter!

Yesterday as I tried the first push downward of the peddle it was like magic… the piece of wood leapt to life and flew rapidly around… then proceeded to change directions as I lifted my leg.

Within in moments it was whirring in the old lathe that Mark made. Amazing – simply amazing.

When Mark made this Lathe to be used at the Kinmount Fair he knew more than the rest of the volunteers at the Fair as to possibilities that the Spring Pole Lathe would be a huge hit and a delight to everyone that would look on.

Mark had arrived from Britain in 1968 and brought with him his ability and knowledge of things that many Canadians had never heard about. Mark loved wood and knew that with the talent that he possessed and the wood that was so readily available – something good could happen.

But Mark also knew in the modern fast moving world of wood working that bigger is better… or that seems to be the perception that many have … is what rules the world of most wood workers.

If we can just buy something that has more horse power, uses more amperage, and has a more powerful but smaller motors we can make it better and bigger and FASTER!

Mark and I both knew that by putting more horsepower and more amperage between us and the wood piece we are working on – that we lost the beauty of our own muscle and sweat that was so much part of the original craftsman ship.

Sadly the only hint of craftsmanship today is in the name of the tool – not in the product that the person makes.

So often the things that are made are simply a fast reproduction of something that is whipped out with a very noisy, expensive, complicated tool that will burn out or breakdown in a short period of time.

The beauty of the Spring Pole Lathe that Mark made was that it may have cost about $15 to make… and a cost to Mark of some time to build it. And it is still working fine… just the same as it did for Mark for about 15 years at the Fair. (I am not absolutely sure of that date – but that was a suggested answer to my question of one of the men that knew Mark and what he used to do at the Fair).

My demonstration yesterday…
Every time I started the whirring action of the leg pumping - my leg going up and down… it drew a crowd. It was amazing the power that the Lathe has to mesmerize the biggest and toughest men. It stops them dead and their wives stand beside them grinning as the “man show” starts.

Now you have to know that about 90% of the men that I met in the Pioneer Display area were following their wives… the other 10% were with their kids. Men generally want “real man stuff” when they give their time to a thing like a Fair… looking at someone carding wool is okay… or someone with a loom in operation… or someone doing lace making of some sort… well it just doesn’t cut it…

BUT tools on display… or tools working will stop a man every time… men and tools are like a natural fit. Now bigger and more powerful tools will make “him” drool… and a Spring Pole Lathe will stop him dead… and he will stand with a puzzled look… dumbfounded and speechless… JUST TOO FUNNY!

Now there were three basic kinds of men circulating yesterday at the Fair…

FIRST – there were the locals that work in tough stuff all the time… work on the farm… work in the bush and with saw mills… the down to earth kind of guys.

SECOND – there were the guys from the BIG WORLD out there… the GUYS FROM THE CITY! They are staying at cottages on the lakes nearby. Whoah… these dudes are so much better educated than the locals are. They have HOME DEPOT where they buy the best… tools and the biggest whatever. These guys have almost all been to UNIVERSITY and COLLEGE – they work at really important downtown – in the city every day kind of jobs… mega bucks!

THIRD – the TEACHERS/IMPRESSERS of all things for kids and girl friends… As they guide their dates through the pioneer maze they talk as if they know everything… they are impressing her with their wit and wonderful brains. Too funny.

In the THIRD Group – also is “daddy knows everything”… and with genuine interest he tries to guide his kids to what he knows and wants them to see to broaden their life knowledge…

FIRST, SECOND and THIRD stop dead when they see the Spring Pole Lathe… NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN ONE WORK BEFORE… and only one in the entire day had every heard or read about it in their entire life time.

The craftsmen that have Lathes at home… know wood turning were fascinated with the machine. The house builders with all the horsepower and amperage tools – loved it… but couldn’t figure how they could get it from job to job… and how the hourly rate they charge would ever cover the costs or making one turned piece at a time.

There actually was another kind of Group that looked on… they are the women… genuinely interested… and very knowledgeable.

Two ladies stood talking to each other and were amazed at the machine. They remarked that “Don would have loved to see this…!” I asked where Don was. Together they replied, “He went fishing…” with some contempt in their voices.

I cannot tell you how many times I had my photo taken. It was as if I was the celebrity of the day. Too funny. I was answering questions left – right and center… I had read over the information sheets that Mark or someone had left behind for people like me to read.

I was the “expert” at that moment… with about 15 minutes experience.

I stopped my wood turning at the end of each time of explanation and told the listeners of a man that had a vision to make the Spring Pole Lathe… and his name was Mark… and that Mark had passed away in 2003 after many years of doing active volunteer work in the Fair… I told them that I was simply operating the Lathe now after at least 6 years of not being used…

An unusual thing happened about an hour after I began. A lady approached when no one was there… and said softly… I want to thank you for making this Lathe work again… it means so much to me – and all of us… We miss Mark so much.” She was the first one of many other volunteers that came by to day much the same kind of thing. Mark was a friend of many people… a good friend.

At one point a beautiful young lady… and actually two beautiful young ladies came to talk to me separately…. One had tears in her eyes as she spoke to me… “My grandpa made this Lathe… thank you for making it work again.” She missed her grandpa dearly… I kind of choked up when she stood in front of me after she said her words.

Earlier I had given Roni, Mark’s wife, a printed copy of what I posted yesterday. She went to a private place and read it by herself… I came over from the Lathe to see Roni giving Alida a big hug and she was crying. (Sorry Roni - I had to tell that part) then she turned and gave me a big hug as well with her eyes filled with tears… “If Mark was here you two would be talking tools all day… thank you for doing this…”

One Spring Pole Lathe has brought two families together… and has helped to fill some deep feelings for a lot of volunteers that do some excellent work.

Not every one loved me for what I did… nor did they love the Spring Pole Lathe… One Dear Old, Bossy Lady was adamant that, “There is no room for that thing! It sticks out too far and we have way too many people coming through here! There is enough to see as it is!”

I almost walked back to my vehicle last Friday just after I arrived… this “wonderful lady” was my welcoming committee of one. She wanted me there about as much as nasty bug!

To her I kindly say(now)… “Please Mam.. I didn’t do anything wrong… don’t beat me Missus… I is just a poor lil wood worker that loves that silly old Spring Pole Lathe… please don’t beat me Missus… please – I is jus a poor lil boy…”

In reality this “Dear Old, Bossy Lady” reminds me of some dear old Church Ladies that nearly drove me nuts for 35 years as a Minister. YIKES! Makes you shudder… yikes!

As I worked the Lathe and talked with the dozens upon dozens of people… she walked by and looked on… with a somewhat puzzled face.

I just bet Mark was grinning about then … and even laughing out loud… he likely remembers the Dear Old, Bossy Lady too… too funny!

Sorry I digressed… the story is about the Spring Pole Lathe… but as you can see it still works its magic…

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

Source:
http://historicgames.com/lathes/springpole.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/A-modern-build-of-a-medieval-spring-pole-lathe/
http://www.bloodandsawdust.com/sca/lathes4.html
http://www.manytracks.com/lathe/lathe.pdf