#Spindle July 18

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As part of the 30-Day Curiosity Coach4aday Challenge in July, I’ve dedicated today’s focus on the craftmanship in making a SPINDLE.

The mechanics of this challenge involve presenting a question and subsequently uncovering the optimal response.

July 18th Curiosity Question

How were wooden porch SPINDLES manufactured in 1910?

My home in North Carolina was built in 1910. It has a fabulous wrap around porch that covers about 1,400 square feet.

Last week we were having some touch up painting done on the exterior and I started thinking about the craftsmanship to make the spindles beneath each handrail. All in total our front porch has 214 of them in 14 sections.

July 18th Answer on Early 20th Century Spindles

In 1910 there would have been 6 major steps involved. Probably no different today but mechanization and automation didn’t exist a hundred years ago to the scale they do today.

6 Steps

1. Material Selection: Wood was the primary material used for porch spindles.
2. Rough Shaping: The process began with rough-cutting the wooden planks into appropriately sized pieces. These pieces were usually rectangular or square in shape and were larger than the final dimensions of the spindles.
3. Turning: The rough-cut pieces were then placed on a lathe. A lathe is a machine that rotates the wood while a craftsman uses tools to shape it. The woodworker would carefully shape the spinning wood into the desired spindle profile, using gouges, chisels, and other cutting tools. This process required skilled craftsmanship and precision. THIS IS THE STEP that impresses me.
4. Sanding and Smoothing: Once the rough shape of the spindle was achieved, the woodworker would use sandpaper to refine the surface, making it smooth and removing any rough spots or tool marks. This step was crucial for achieving a polished and finished appearance.
5. Finishing: To protect the wood and enhance its appearance, various finishing techniques were applied. Over the past 110 + years our spindles have seen lots of white paint.
6. Installation: Once the spindles were finished, they were typically installed vertically between the porch railing and the bottom support rail. This provided structural support and created an appealing visual design for the porch.

Looking at the video below to turn one spindle makes me appreciate what craftsmanship existed in building my home and others.