Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
checked on the bedding slate against its templet. Here also would be per-
formed any final fine shaping, using the reverse profile running moulds, as
described earlier. This would be in conjunction with any bevelling, fine cut-
ting, and trimming with the tin saw. Within certain arches, such as a straight or
Venetian etc, where each voussoir had its unique position, the prepared brick
would then be scribed with its positional number, for example LH VI, denot-
ing the header voussoir in the sixth position from the left skewback. Roman
numerals being straight lines were preferred, as they were easier to scribe on
to the brick. This would be followed by final dry bonding of the feature (or
part of it) to test accuracy before sending out on to site for setting.
…the Camber-slip (fig 12,) is a piece of board of any length or breadth, made
convex on one or both edges, and generally something less than an inch in thick-
ness: it is made use of as a rule. When only one side or edge is cambered, it rises
about one inch in six feet, and is employed for drawing the soffit lines of straight
arches: when the other edge is curved, it rises only about one half of the other,
viz. about half an inch in six feet, and is used for drawing the upper side of the
arch, so as to prevent its becoming hollow by the settling of the arch. But some
persons prefer having the upper side of the arches straight; and, in this case, the
upper edge of the arch is not cambered. When the bricklayer has drawn his arch,
he gives the camber-slip to the carpenter, who by it forms the centre to the curve
of the soffit. The bricklayer, in order to prevent the necessity of having many cam-
ber-slips, should always be provided with one which is sufficiently large for the
widest aperture likely to be arched.
The knowledge and use of the 'Camber-slip' is all but lost to modern crafts-
man, yet was, and remains, ideal to set out the camber and establish the soffit
bevels on a camber arch. It is also needed by a carpenter to set out the solid
timber former, or 'turning piece', over which the arch is constructed. It is
explained, in detail, later in this Chapter, pages 217-8.
The Mould is used for forming the face and back of the brick to its proper taper;
and, to this end, one edge of the mould is brought close to the bed of the brick
previously squared. The mould has a notch for every course of the arch.
This is describing what later becomes termed a cutting, or reducing, box. The
'squared' bricks are placed into this box, made up of a front and rear templet,
and then scribed or 'tinned', removed for axing to shape, and replaced into
it for abrading flat between these two opposing edges; far easier to use than
the standard free templet. Here Nicholson (1823, 389) is describing one for
voussoirs.
The Templet is an instrument for taking the length of the stretcher and the width
of the header, in building walls, &c
