Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The term 'Banker' is a stonemason's term (Hill and David, 1995, 143):
The banker, on which the stone is worked, is traditionally a large block of stone.
It should be as heavy as possible, the better to resist any tendency to move as the
stone is worked.
The banker described by Moxon is today termed a 'cutting bench', and is rigid
to withstand vibration during brick cutting. A six-foot (1.8m) length accom-
modates up to three craftsmen, depending of course on what type of work they
were undertaking.
11. They work up a Pier of Brick-work, about the fame height to lay their
Rubbing-Stone upon, which muft be laid in Morter that it may lye faft.
The bench must not move, as the accuracy of any craftsman simultaneously
engaged at the bench in scribing, cutting, or moulding a brick would be
affected. A separate brick pier could thus be erected to the same working height
as the 'banker' solely for the rubbing stone. Moxon states the stone must be laid
in 'Morter that it may lye fast'. This secures the stone from slipping and rocking,
and ensures it is bedded level across its rubbing surface. The stone would also
be checked periodically to ensure it was not rubbing hollow, negatively effecting
the preparation of the rubber. If so, it would be 'dressed' flat and re-bedded on
mortar again.
12. A Grinding-ftone, to fharpen their Axes, Hammers, Trowels &c. upon.
The grinding-stone was an essential piece of equipment in the cutting-shed to
maintain sharp brick axes, chisels, saws and other cutting tools used in 'hew-
ing'. These tools when in constant use, would soon have dulled cutting-edges.
As mentioned earlier, a blacksmith only re-worked an edge once it began to
lose its temper, or hardness, as well as became unavoidably thickened due to
this constant re-sharpening.
There can be little doubt, however, though Moxon makes no mention of it,
that the grinding-stone would have been utilised, where appropriate, to abrade
shape on a rubber held against the spinning stone at the desired angle of con-
tact. Such a practice has been seen to be employed by Flemish craftsmen in Ellie
Degrande's workshop in Bruges, when preparing gauged brickwork for an ornate
'topstuck' to a seventeenth-century building in the town of Veurne. Moxon, for
the next eight points, then lists and describes a variety of tools and equipment
used for general brickwork. These are not germane to this work except for:
20. Compaffes, to defcribe the feveral Mouldings on Wainfcot or Paftboard.
