Old and Ancient Wood Working Techniques Still in Use

In a world where we are obsessed with the “New” or latest invention or the newest gadget, we still use much of what has been around for centuries. We can still find remains of ancient buildings, in Britain, from their stone foundations: but along with that, we see the post holes where timber structures stood.

Many of the significant Tudor buildings that remain in England are of wooden construction. The methods for putting them together, vary very little, from the same techniques we use today to construct furniture. The same mortice and tenon joints, they used, can be seen in the construction of houses and today in everything from bespoke tables, cabinets, and chairs.
One can learn from these old arts and techniques. In a world where few, if any, glues existed, your construction methods needed to hold the structure or furniture together. Hence we see so many pegged and jointed items in old buildings. Next time you do look at an old building, especially if you travel to England, look for the Roman numerals on the large timber joints. They marked them, on the male and female side, to ensure each went in the correct place and fitted precisely.

In a time before all the labor-saving machines we have now, hand tools and their mastery was an essential skill. Our planes, chisels, saws, levels, squares, and a myriad of other tools, have gone virtually unchanged for millennia.

Over hundreds of years, the role of a Master Carpenter has diminished a lot. Once a prized and respected skill, it is now replaced with machine-made items and alternate construction materials. I think every carpenter or furniture maker should have a strong basis in hand tools and their utilization. Virtually every time I watch one of our Wood Shop patrons construct something, at some point, they have to rely on these old techniques and tools.

A couple of historical points: Before the Great Fire of London in 1666, virtually the whole city was constructed of wooden houses, and you can imagine the pressing need for Master Carpenter skills. Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose, which sank in Portsmouth harbor: when raised from the depths, researchers found that of the very few single cabins, was one for the ship’s carpenter; showing his importance to the vessel. One last example can be seen from many wedding dowries, in the previous 3 to 4 hundred years, which included furniture, as it was regarded as such an expensive item and would quite often take several years to complete a household requirement.

The below-curated video (which has links to other related videos), though not long, does show how even today( in this Japanese construction) how the tools and methods of the past are still so relevant to today.