george wilson
04-05-2009, 12:38 PM
This is a fairly small screw compared to the cider press. It is 5" in diameter,I think about 1 thread per inch. This is in the big book press at the back wall of the Book Bindery in Col.Wmsbg.
The chief problem in making this screw was that no dry oak was available,since oak is not kiln dried above certain sizes (4"X4"?). We found a 6"X6" under a lean to roof in the maintenance area.We turned the screw roughly to shape,and just waited some years for it to dry inside the shop.Then,the warped and oval oak was trued up and brought down to size.
Then,we cut it with the same router technique as on the cider mill.A router was applied at a 45 degree angle to make the 90 degree threads.Rough iron bands were hammered snugly onto the screw where the tommy bar is used to tighten it.They prevent splitting. The screw was stained to match the old press.We have no idea when the old press was made.Williamsburg's restoration was started in 1927.
That is me on the left,and Jon,my journeyman on your right,looking into bright sun. We did not have to make the nut. The old screw had just lost a lot of threads over the many years as it was tightened on a daily basis.
The chief problem in making this screw was that no dry oak was available,since oak is not kiln dried above certain sizes (4"X4"?). We found a 6"X6" under a lean to roof in the maintenance area.We turned the screw roughly to shape,and just waited some years for it to dry inside the shop.Then,the warped and oval oak was trued up and brought down to size.
Then,we cut it with the same router technique as on the cider mill.A router was applied at a 45 degree angle to make the 90 degree threads.Rough iron bands were hammered snugly onto the screw where the tommy bar is used to tighten it.They prevent splitting. The screw was stained to match the old press.We have no idea when the old press was made.Williamsburg's restoration was started in 1927.
That is me on the left,and Jon,my journeyman on your right,looking into bright sun. We did not have to make the nut. The old screw had just lost a lot of threads over the many years as it was tightened on a daily basis.