Jointer versus Carpenter

March 19, 2011 - Posted by Ryan Mayo

Before the Black Death, or plague, Europe was divided into rigid guilds of craftsman.  Because there were more people wanting to work than their was work for craftsman, territory was rigidly marked out.  There was no such thing as vertical product integration, where one shop did everything to produce a product.  This was true even for woodworkers.

You may wonder how a woodworker can be restricted in their work.  First, the lumber was felled and cut into planks by lumber jacks.  It was purchased from these men by the woodworker.  The lumber was rough, so it had to be planed to size and smoothed before use.

The glue needed to make things was hide glue.  Usually, fish hide glue was used for intarsia or inlay, while ox hide glue was used for general purposes.  The hides had to be purchased, and often the glue was made by a glue maker.  Any metal had to be made by a blacksmith, for only a blacksmith was allowed to do that.  Everything was made by certain people who held a monopoly on the right to make that item.

The other division was by the type of item being made.  Carpenters did buildings.  They were not permitted to make mortise and tenon joints.  Those joints were used in furniture, cabinets, and other inside things.  Only jointers could make them.

Thus you had the rough equivalent of framing carpenters and finish carpenters early on.  The Plague changed some of that, as there simply were not enough skilled craftsmen left to do all that was needed.  None the less, things remained rigidly divided for centuries afterward.

Fortunately for our customers, Good Millwork can do both the milling of lumber and the cutting of mortise and tenons for cabinets and other items.  You have only to call or email us and we will get right to work on providing you with all your wood needs.

Have Questions? Contact us or call (888) 209-9307

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