Letter III, and this one is terminally brutal, so brace yourself.
You may need some toothpicks to prop your eyes open to get through
it all. Read it all, if you dare!
" Ithaca Nov 11th 1856
J.B. Anthony
Providence
Dear Sir
I do not
expect to make satisfactory apolegy for neglect
with respect to furnishing those models.
I have been trying to procure one of the bev-
eling planes but have failed. Hopeing however
that those sent you today by express saw gauge
and bench plane will be sufficient to satisfy
you that I have something with the attention
of manufacturers. I can only propose makeing
and sending the bevel plane at some future
time if desirable. The bench plane
is doubtless destined to a monopoly of the trade
of this class of tools of prosecuted with that
intent and that too at a huge advance on the
ordinary profit of the business. And in connec-
tion with the bench plane trade the balance of the
business may be conducted at pleasure.
Neither of the models sent are perfect by
any means and especially the saw gauge but
they will be sufficient to demonstrate to your good
mechanics their modus operandi. The board to which
the gauge is affixed is designed to represent a
section of the saw frame table to the right of the
saw. The teeth or near edge of the saw should
correspond in position with the end of the rule or cen-
ter of the gauge. This gauge you will understand
is a minature size the full size or ordinary prac-
ticle gauge being in every respect about twice as large
and consequently containing twice the length of rack
haveing thereby double the distance of carriage within
itself so that the thimbles in the table which
receive the dowels of the bed piece instead of being
2 1/2 inches apart as in the present case will be in
the full size twice that distance, 5". Also on
the full size the dowels will be correspondingly
further apart which provides better bracing and
consequently is more permanent upon the table.
The fase plate also which receives the guide or wood
part is much longer so that a very long piece
as guide may be attached. The greatest imper-
fection of the gauge you have is the miscon-
struction of the tongue and groove by which the
top piece is guided. The patentable feature
of which is that the groove contracts partially at the
bottom so that by a corresponding shape of the tongue
which should be a trifle larger than the groove so that
when acted upon by the nut and cam the tongue
enters the groove wedge like therefore by which the
top piece os bound to a fixed position. This is to ob-
viate any play of the fase plate or top piece
which might otherwise accrue from an imperfec-
tion of fit of tongue and groove.
The advantages of this gauge are 1st its
convenience of setting. 2nd its convenience of
being removed from the table as it is important
in many instances to unobstruct the surface of
the saw table. 3rd its portability for apply-
ing to different saw table by merely moving
the thimbles and rule affixed to each. And 4th
the convenience of removing the guide piece at
pleasure so that a temporary guide may be
applied of extra height or diagonal form
&c. I have had made of these gauges
1 Doz all of which but the one you rec. I sold
at once in our amediate vesinity at from
five to six dollars. Some who are operating
them are of Seneca Falls the Island Works
Cowing & D. Young of that place will doubt-
less represent its operation as satisfactorly favour-
able. Also C Cook of Havana or Wm Rutter
Carbuilder of Elmira. I have several
orders standing at $6.00 a piece.
Our machinists here will get them
up for $15.00 pr Doz. The pinion and stan-
dard should be malleable iron and cast together
with the nut and crank should also be
malleable iron and the form of the
crank should be simplified to that of
a handle but for convenience of casting
this gauge is not objectionable at $5.00 and
there is not the least probability but what
it will become generally in use at that
price. Nearly all persons to whom
I have exhibited it who use the article
have been in favour of possessing it and
in no instance have persons said on being
interugated thereupon but what of such a
convenience had been acceptable at the
time of their construction of their saws
they would not of thought of applying anything else.
Now the facts relative to the saw gauge are
it is important that there be a convenient
device for that purpose and it is equally impor-
tant that the article be accessable to consumers
hence that is should by all means be in the
trade. And the fact that there is nothing
for this purpose in the trade is quite sufficing
to warrant a good interest in the matter.
I propose your applying the gauge sent you
to practical use. It is appropriate in size to
an 8 or 10 in saw. I would suggest that as
it is fitted to the board the quickest and
best way to apply it as it is will be by
cutting a section from the saw table
corresponding with the form and thickness
of the board and inserting it as it is
being careful however for the preservation
of the true measurement to set the board
a trifle from the saw as there is a trifle taken
off of the end of the rule. The gauge is not
patented. I antisopated at the time of gett-
ing up the paterns which was in March
of its probably being patented in the
month of May but as it was not con-
venient for me to attend to it I filed
a covent 25th of April and so it stands.
As to the bench plane I am sanguin and
satisfied in the opinion that if prosecuted with
that intent it is destined to nothing short
of a monopoly of that part of the tool
business and you may know by informing
yourself that the manufactory of bench planes
comprises one half of the entire tool business
which is conducted to my knowledge to the extent
of $500,000.00 pr annum in this country.
My claims upon the label are all correct
but No 2 it does actully work easier than
common planes on account of the point of fase
which is subject to the most friction
being iron (that amediately before the bit) but
it does not work quite 100% easier. It
will actually wear ten times longer than
common planes for the reason that the
point of fase which is the only material part
subject to wear and to which point we
reduce the common fase of the plane by planeing
or as we term it fasing off being supplied
with iron.
The tool you receive involves more expence
than the common article should the object of
the mill head screw and its accompaniments is
only to adjust the throat case to the fase of
the plane as it wares for which purpose
there is little or no need of the screw for it
can be done just about as well without the screw
arrangement. The slots in the throat case you
will understand provide for its adjustment to
the fase as the plane wares which though
if my ideas are correct will not be more
than one tenth as fast as ordinary.
The two screws which secure the case to
stock entering an iron nut will
admit its security with great solidity
to the stock so that it is not liable
of being moved by knocking upon the
end of the plane for the starting of the iron
back though it is a more mechanicle
means of loosening the wedge by tapping with
a hammer on its sides. As in this
plane the opening in the stock is uniform
it may be worked completely by mach-
inery thus fasiletating the business to an
extent that if the ???? case be used I mean
with the adjusting screw the plane can actually
be made as cheap as common tools and
they will made in that way superceed common
planes at an advance price of 50%.
I have exhibited it to the extent that I have
been able and the expression is innumerous
as to its ultimate adoption.
For this tool I have also only filed
a covent being dated Sept. 8th.
The fact is I begin to think that
I am getting too many irons in the fire
at a half heat and I have deter-
mined to suspend to suspend further
inventive effort until I get my
present operations in motion.
I propose my connecting myself with
a company capable of manageing my
whole traps as thay are of one class.
Expect to rely upon their merits for
my own renumeration therefore have
no patent rights to sell. Am corresponding with
various establishments with whom I expect to find
an interest in this matter for I am anxious for the
makeing of amediate arrangements.
Please to inform me if you can as to the address
of the Union Tool Co.
If sir you can do me any assistence in this
matter I will endeavor to appreciate the same
to you satisfaction.
Yours &c,
M.B. Tidey
PS You may dispose of the gauge and plane at your
most convenient advantage and after deducting
expences credit me with balance."
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, etc...
Was this something, or what? Where do I begin to give the postgame
report on this one? I think I'll sit this one out. For the most part.
There is one interesting thing to come out of this pitiful letter
and that's Tidey's asking for the address of the Union Tool Co. almost
as if he's threatening to go to them with his ideas since he seems to
think he's getting nowhere with PTCo.
Now, Tidey is really showing his lack of business sense here since
the Union Tool Co. was a mom and pop planemaking firm located in the
one horse town of Goshen, MA. It's more likely that Tidey really wanted
the address of the Union Factory, the planemaking juggernaut run by
Hermon Chapin in Pine Meadow, CT. The Union Factory was the largest
planemaking firm in the country at the time, and it's probable Tidey
wanted to contract with that firm to make his planes, or at least make
the PTCo think that that was his intent.
It can also be seen that Tidey mentions the two styles of his bench
plane patent, where the adjusting screw can be removed with the idea
still sound.
Tidey seems to be humming the sound of a cash register with his be-
lief that his plane will monopolize the bench plane market. Someone
shoulda told him that the cash register was gonna read "NO SALE" and
spared him his misery.
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Patrick Leach
Just say Seems as though folks in Ithaca are given to some very
interesting twists and turns while writing.
etc.
Check IT out at http://www.intool.com
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