“Rewlestone” plumb level

[Philip Davies]

This is a modern copy (just done) of a very ancient levelling device and in the medieval carpenter’s toolbag, it was called a “rewlestone” viz. “rule” & “stone”.

The local arts group was going to hold a medieval education programme about 4 years ago to celebrate the “restoration” of the Abbey ruins. Not so much a restoration as a stabilisation, since all that left of the celebrated Reading Abbey after the Dissolution is the rubble core of the walls, almost every last block of stone carted away. Personally, I wouldn’t have minded if they’d used the flints for the roads back then, but it’s quite a nice bit of park and every summer, there’s an open air production of one of Shakespeare’s plays.

As I had all the framing tools, apart from this and a “grypyngiren” I offered to do a presentation, but that fell through.

The grypingiren will appear, in due course.

[mklotz]

...
This is a modern copy (just done) of a very ancient levelling device and in the medieval carpenter’s toolbag, it was called a “rewlestone” viz. “rule” & “stone”.
...

"very ancient" indeed. Egyptians building the pyramids 5000 years ago used something very similar. They referred to the cord position on the cross bar rather than the bob pointer. This allowed them to scribe other lines on the crossbar for frequently needed inclinations. (They had learned the hard way that if the pyramid slope was too large, very bad things would happen.)

[NeiljohnUK]

"Level with me" comes to mind.

[DIYer]

Thanks Philip Davies! We've added your Rewlestone Plumb Level to our Measuring and Marking category,
as well as to your builder page: Philip Davies's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Rewlestone Plumb Level by Philip Davies

tags: level, plumb bob

[thehomeengineer]

Hi Philip
Nice job. Sort of thing you can have on display. Really like it, another item added to the tools I want to make.

Sorry to appear stupid but what is a "grypingiren"?

The Home Engineer

[Philip Davies]

Thanks, I have it on a shelf above the dining table. Temporarily.
A gryping iren is a hooked tool used as a draw shave for running grooves, for eg shutters.

It amused me to read in a novel set in tudor times of carpenters busily sawing, on a construction site, since only joinersmwere allowed saws. The carpenters used axes, adzes, chisels, etc. And grooving irons. I’m glad you asked.

[thehomeengineer]

Looking forward to seeing your post ongryping iren, as I can’t find any information about them.