A number of successful Facebook groups have recently been established for people interested in antique tools in general and in specific tools and their uses, like axes and hammers. The Facebook groups that I have seen have members from the US, UK, France, French-speaking Canada, Italy, Australia, and Sweden. To give you an opportunity to exchange with other masonry tool and trowel collectors and post photos of your tools, I have created a Facebook group for you:
Trowel & Masonry Tool Collector
You must already be a Facebook member. Go to the group page and request to join the group. I will approve you as soon as possible. Please start posting your pictures.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Thursday, May 21, 2015
History of Hubbard Jointer Co.
Hubbard Jointer Company (Hubbard Jointers, Inc.) makes barrel-style brick jointers and sled runners which have replaceable tubular steel blades. Hubbard is located in Cheney, Washington, southwest of Spokane. The company founder was Richard Thomas Hubbard, born 25 Feb., 1907, in Owatonna, Minnesota. His father was from England and his mother from Canada. Mr. Hubbard died at age 100 on 10 Dec., 2007, in Spokane, Washington. Mr. Hubbard was a bricklayer and contractor who invented masonry tools and related items.
His son tells his father's story on the company website:
My father, Dick Hubbard, started laying brick in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1924. He continued as a bricklayer and masonry contractor until 1965. During the latter years of his bricklaying career Dick began to develop tools for his own use that were better than anything then commercially available. His friends began asking for them. Then people from further and further away asked for them. In 1960 Dick began commercial production of the Hubbard Jointer. In 1965 he quit laying brick to devote all of his time to the Hubbard Jointer Company. I bought the company from my father in 1986. Dad was 79 years old and thought he might like to do something else for a while. Dad passed away in 2007, just short of one hundred and one years of age. In keeping with the conduct of his entire life his last words to me were “It is good.”
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| Hubbard brick jointer |
My father, Dick Hubbard, started laying brick in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1924. He continued as a bricklayer and masonry contractor until 1965. During the latter years of his bricklaying career Dick began to develop tools for his own use that were better than anything then commercially available. His friends began asking for them. Then people from further and further away asked for them. In 1960 Dick began commercial production of the Hubbard Jointer. In 1965 he quit laying brick to devote all of his time to the Hubbard Jointer Company. I bought the company from my father in 1986. Dad was 79 years old and thought he might like to do something else for a while. Dad passed away in 2007, just short of one hundred and one years of age. In keeping with the conduct of his entire life his last words to me were “It is good.”
Mr. Hubbard's US patents include these, but I have been unable to locate any jointer patents:
Level, US 2487245 A, issued 8 Nov., 1949
Spirit level holder, US 2557291 A, issued 19 June, 1951
Illuminated spirit level, US 3003054 A, issued 3 Oct., 1961
Spirit level, US 3110115 A, issued 12 Nov., 1963
Level, US 2487245 A, issued 8 Nov., 1949
Spirit level holder, US 2557291 A, issued 19 June, 1951
Illuminated spirit level, US 3003054 A, issued 3 Oct., 1961
Spirit level, US 3110115 A, issued 12 Nov., 1963
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| Hubbard sled runner |