Replies

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Mar 03, 2002 10:30pm | #1

   *
   Carpenters are commonly known as joiners in Scotland and parts of the north of England. Simplistically, there are bench joiners, that make frames, and site joiners that install them. There are shuttering joiners that set out the shuttering for founds or foundations, first fix joiners that put things up like the roof, install frameworks, etc., and second fix joiners that come along and install the doors, cabinetry and such like. Then there are groups such as cabinetmakers, of which I count myself one. In 1902 George Ellis published Modern Practical Joinery- a veritable font of knowledge quite possibly even more comprehensive than that other old oracle, Ernest Joyce's The Technique of Furniture Making, and explains why I own a pitifully small library; ownership of just these two books seems to cover a vast range of woodworkers techniques. Ellis also wrote Modern Practical Carpentry.

   So in answer to your question, my guess is that jointer is a corruption of joiner, or vice-versa. Slainte, RJ.

1. 
   Ken_Winningham | Mar 04, 2002 01:40am | #2

   *Mike, I was always led to belive that a jointer was the american version of the english word joiner, which was a house carpenter. Much like the word rabbit which is the american word for the english word rebate. Whats more interesting to me is it sounds as is your wife is into genealogy. Dont know if I should send my congrats or condolences. This being from someone who's wife has been bitten by the genealogy bug!

1. 
   IanDGilham_ | Mar 04, 2002 01:52am | #3

   *Sgian,Perhaps a regional thing -- there is a clear division in Southern England (and Oz) between Carpenter and Joiner, this even extends to agreed wage rates which are higher for Joiners.A Joiner is someone who works in a Joinery Works, a Carpenter works on site.

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Mar 04, 2002 02:02am | #4

   *Agreed Ian. It's a regional thing. I found those distinctions too when I worked in one or two places in England. But in Scotland, or at least the central belt where I lived, they are/were all joiners divided basically into bench and site. However, I'd hazard a guess that the term is universal in Scotland because friends and contacts in such geographically diverse locations as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ayr, Dumfries, Aberdeen, Inverness, Hawick, Perth, Thurso, Lochcarron, and Oban all seem to know exactly what the term means. ;-) Slainte, RJ.

1. 
   Mike_Taylor1 | Mar 04, 2002 03:48am | #5

   *Well, I went back and checked the census page and it is "Joiner", not "Jointer". Guess I was reading it my way the first time.FYI - They, plus all their neighbors, were listed as being born in NY. Guess there were lotta people migrating to find the cheap land. Prime opportunity for a "Joiner"!