Spofford braces; Jennie Alexander's favorite

Toward the end of the day today I worked up a piece of pine for a Windsor chair seat. Planed it to thickness, scribed the pattern on it & began cutting out the shape with a bowsaw. Then laid out some of the mortises and started boring them with my Stanley version of the Spofford brace.

yes, I do it like that…

My obsession with my Craft Genealogy project is directly connected to chairmaking, including Windsor chairs. I wrote some of that background here recently. I learned to make them from Curtis Buchanan. I’ve written some of the sections of the book that involve Curtis, but there’s more to come. Long after I stopped making Windsors, I’d still keep an eye or ear out for Curtis’s doings. I recall a Fine Woodworking photo by Jon Binzen that really captured my attention - just a shot of Curtis involved in assembling one of his continuous arm chairs. Recently I re-watched a FWW video about him and his work - mostly a slideshow with him doing voice-over. In that video he tells a story I’ve heard many times - about his Spofford brace, given to him by Jennie Alexander. He talks about how much pleasure he derives from using that brace “..I’ve drilled almost every single hole in my chairs with that bitbrace...” Curtis goes on to admit to now and then using a cordless drill, but makes it clear that using it adds no joy to his day. Unlike JA’s Spofford.

Well, it turns out JA gave away several Spofford braces. Dave Sawyer wrote a letter to JA about a surprise package he received:

“I had just settled down for a long Winter’s nap when what to my wondering eyes did appear but Fred Melvin, our friendly local UPS man, riding a J.S. Fray No. 8. THANK YOU!!”

Sawyer’s was about 1976 or early 1977. Curtis said he got his from JA in 1986. Jennie didn’t stop there - I got mine after Curtis did, probably in the early 1990s - I know I had it before 1994 because that’s when I started working at the old Plimoth Plantation...and I took my brace & bits with me - (took all my tools of course). But my brace had those pewter rings in the handle, busted. I showed it to my then-new, now-old friend Pret who lashed the handle for me with waxed linen cord. It’s held up tight as can be now for going on 31 years.

waxed linen repair to Spofford brace handle

Somewhere along the line, I bought a 2nd smaller one. Then when JA died, I brought home her remaining Spofford brace. I don’t need it, but it doesn’t take up that much room...and I just can’t get rid of it.

mine on the left, JA’s on the right

UPDATE: Drew Langsner wrote to me & kindly pointed out that I neglected to discuss why Spofford braces are so prized…I was too busy concentrating on telling stories…

It’s simple. That’s really it - a split “chuck” in which you fasten the bits, tightened by a wingnut. No wobbly parts, no springs inside, none of the complications many other braces have…light weight.

Spofford chuck

Here’s a page from an A.J. Wilkinson & Co. catalog - probably 1867 (this is a reprint) - I have an original catalog from the 19th c - but found this one first just now…

Fray & Pigg brace w Spofford chuck

Fray manufactured them in Bridgeport Connecticut. After his death in 1916 Stanley Toolworks purchased his company (in 1920) and they produced Spofford braces for a long time. I saw another site just now that says Stanley bought the company in 1909 - I’m done researching that subject - some are marked Fray, some Stanley. Some are old, some are older. Mine with the linen cord repair is a Stanley brace…I didn’t check the other two.