Hi I have just acquired an old 2-foot, 2-fold carpenter's rule. It has some really odd tables punched in it - with headings like 'sqr scantlins to a load',' treenils' and 'ash load'. The 'ash load' table mentions things like plow beams and car fells. I have put a bunch of pictures of the rule up at
Scantlin = size
Treenils = trunnels = tree nails = wooden pegs.
Plow beam = Laser based soil disruptor
Ash Load = Quantity resulting when one gets one's ashes hauled.
at
A scantlin is a small kid. Treenil is a sports score - probably hockey or soccer.
R
A scantling is a length of small square-edged timber.
The limits are - width 2in to 4-1/2in thickness 2in to 4in
Woodworker's Dictionary - Vic Taylor
Jeff
Thank you Jeff. But I think that is modern usage. The table lists 'square scantlins' up to 12 inchs width. I believe my rule to date back to about 1850. Some one else has brought a rule with similar tables to my attantion, possible date 1775. So this is pretty old English usage.
Regards David
Scantling: give or take the same meaning as a stud, a vertical framing member. Often references shipbuilding.
This on plow beam: Plow is a term for a type of anchor:
Etymology: alteration of Middle English scantilon, mason's or carpenter's measure, from Anglo-French escauntiloun, eschantillon Date: 1555 ____________ Shipping In shipbuilding, the scantling refers to the collective dimensions of the various parts, particularly the framing and structural supports. The word is most often used in the plural to describe how much structural strength in the form of girders, I-beams, etc. is in a given section. The Scantling length refers to the structural length of a ship.
In shipping, a "full scantling vessel" is understood to be a geared ship, that can reach all parts of its own cargo spaces with its own gear.
Timber and stone In regard to timber the scantling is the thickness and breadth, the sectional dimensions; in the case of stone the dimensions of thickness, breadth and length.
The word is a variation of scantillon, a carpenter's or stonemason's measuring tool, also used of the measurements taken by it, and of a piece of timber of small size cut as a sample. The Old French escantillon, mod. chantillon, is usually taken to be related to Italian scandaglio, sounding-line (Latin scandere, to climb; cf. scansio, the metrical scansion). It was probably influenced by cantel, cantle, a small piece, a corner piece.
Hello Dan
Thank you for the rem>Scantling: give or take the same meaning as a stud, a vertical
Hello dadiOH
Thank you for this info about scantings. It does not seem to tie in with the usage on the rule though, where the cross section of the "scantlins" in the table varies from 3.5x3.5 to 12x12 inches.
Regards David Green
David Green wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
It is my belief that a plow beam is the central frame of an agricultural plow, to which the handles, landside, mouldboard, shank, coulter, and tree are attached (the share is attached to the mouldboard, and the share is attached to the shank). Dictionary.com says that a plow beam is the part of the frame of the plow to which the draft is applied - so the yoke of oxen are hitched to the beam of the plow. There is no part of a nautical anchor called a beam as far as I know. I strongly suspect that, given the items in the 'ash load' table, that 'ash load' refers to loads of wooden bits made of ash wood - plow beams, spokes, etc. Now, I thought ;car fells' referred to a specific part of a wagon frame, but more or less diligent search (looked at the OED) fails to support that idea - unless it actually means felloes, which are the parts of the 'rim' of a wooden wheel and were often made of ash, I believe.
Thank you Jim. As chance would have it I came across the following page last night which has a (13th century) sketch of a heavy plow and shows the plow beam and the other parts you mention.
Was ash commonly used for these sorts of items?
With regard to the utility of ash I can answer my own question. To quote one source -
' As a timber tree, the Ash is exceedingly valuable, ... for the toughness and elasticity of its wood, in which quality it surpasses every European tree. The wood is heavy strong, stiff and hard and takes a high polish; it shrinks only moderately in seasoning and bends well when seasoned. It is the toughest and most elastic of our timbers (for which purpose it was used in olden days for spears and bows).
It is known that Ash timber is so elastic that a joist of it will bear more before it breaks than one of any other tree. Ash timber is in endless demand in railway and other waggon works for carriage building. From axe-handles and spade-trees to hop-poles, ladders and carts, Ash wood is probably in constant handling on every countryside
- for agricultural plenishings it cannot be excelled. It makes the best of oars and the toughest of shafts for carriages. In its younger stages, when it is called Ground Ash, it ... matures its wood at so early an age that an Ash-pole 3 inches in diameter is as valuable and durable for any purpose to which it can be applied as the timber of the largest tree.'
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