by Daniel Diehl
Looking like primitive safes, lockboxes like this were once hauled from village to village on the estates of great lords, and from town to town by government tax collectors as they made their rounds to collect tax money from peasants and merchants. When a tax collector, frequently known as a factor, arrived in a town or village, he set up temporary headquarters at a convenient public meeting place, usually an inn or tavern that also offered him accommodations. Over the next several days local inhabitants were required to come and pay their taxes. As they paid, the factor checked off their names on the tax roll. Anyone who failed to make the required appearance without valid reason found his name on another list, that of the local sheriff.
The small capacity of this box reveals the limited scope of the medieval cash economy. Tax collectors did not have keys to open the box, and it is unlikely that a factor had more than one tax box because multiple boxes increased the chances of robbery. This meant that all the coins collected during the days, or weeks, the tax man traveled his circuit had to fit in an area 5¾ inches square and 7¾ inches deep. Neatly filled with modern English pennies, which are slightly smaller than the American penny, the box holds about 61 pounds sterling, almost $100 at the time of this writing. Certainly it is reasonable to assume that even as late as 1600, a penny was the largest coin a peasant or simple laborer was ever likely to see. They probably paid with halfpennies or farthings, which would have made the final tally even less.
Construction Notes
The numerous irregularities in this tax box make it fairly obvious that it was cobbled together by the local blacksmith, probably on short notice. Although asymmetrical, the finished product looks strong and imposing.
Materials
The oak block from which this box was hewn obviously came from a large tree. The grain pattern tells us that this box was cut from no more than a quarter of the area of the trunk, possibly less. Although the box could be replicated from a number of oak planks glued together and worked down, it should really be made from a single block. The best place to find a piece of wood of suitable size is a sawmill or slab mill; the owner may cut a piece to your specifications. Alternatively, find someone who is cutting down a large oak tree and buy a section of trunk slightly over 2 feet in diameter. If you are lucky, whoever is cutting down the tree might agree to cut the chunk to 17 inches in length; this will save later work. Try not to get a section too near the root—the grain becomes irregular near the ground, making the wood difficult, if not impossible, to work.
If the tree is dead, the wood may already have begun to dry. If it is completely green, allow it to dry for a few months, or even a year, before splitting it into sections. To split the trunk into quarter sections, you need a sledgehammer and two splitting wedges. Set the section of log on end, with the most even surface facing down. Be sure it is on a solid surface—thick concrete is best. With a marking pen and straightedge, divide the face of the log roughly into quarters. Place one of the splitting wedges on one of the lines, 3 or 4 inches from the outer edge of the log. Tap it into the surface of the log with the sledgehammer. When it is far enough into the surface to stand without being held, drive it into the log with the sledgehammer. After it has sunk to about half its depth, the log should begin to split (with luck, along a nearly straight line). Place the second wedge in the split, slightly nearer the center of the log than the first, tap it into place, and repeat the process. As the crevice in the log opens, the first wedge can be easily removed. When the log is split in half, split one of the halves in half again. You should have at least one section of wood of an appropriate size to make your tax box. If the wood seems fairly dry, begin to make the box immediately; if not, decide whether to prolong the cure for a few more months or attempt to work the wood green. Either can be done, but green wood is harder on modern tools than well-cured wood. Whichever approach you take, the exterior of the box needs to be shaped immediately with an adze or hatchet, as detailed below.
Shaping the Exterior
Placing the rough-hewn block on a sturdy work surface, chip away at the exterior to give it a roughly square shape that tapers slightly inward at the bottom, as shown in the drawings. Use of a hand planer will cut the time involved in this job by 90 percent; otherwise, there are few choices but to do it the traditional way. If you elect to plane the block, give the box an authentic look by putting a few shallow hatchet marks in the surface and eliminating the plane marks with a sharp chisel.
When block has attained the basic shape, the next step is to chamfer the edges with either a router or chisel. If you use a chisel, cut the chamfer in the direction of the grain so that the chisel does not bite too far into the wood and cause a large chunk to split off. In this instance, the chisel is the better tool for the job; with it you can give the chamfer an irregular wavy quality to make it look like the original.
Note the shallow indentations at the bottom edge of two sides of the box, which serve no apparent function. Possibly the man who made the original intended to put them on all four sides as decoration but gave up on the idea; we will never know. These can be easily cut into the block with chisels. The inner surfaces of the indentations are not rounded; they are fairly straight—as though bites had been taken out of the base. We suggest that the hollows be roughed out with a chisel and finished with a rasp and files of decreasing coarseness.
The final step on the exterior is the narrow offset around the top, intended to receive a metal band. In the drawing of the front of the box, this offset is clearly visible because the band has rusted away. In the rear view, you can see that the band has survived, giving the top of the box a smooth, clean line. The simplest way to cut this recess is to first mark along the bottom edge with a pencil and straightedge, and then, laying the box on its side, cut the line to the appropriate 3/16-inch depth with a sharp chisel. Repeat the process on all four sides so that a narrow line is cut into the surface of the wood all the way around the box, 11/8 inches below the top edge. With a pencil, mark the 3/16 inch depth of the cut around the top surface of the box, then gently and carefully chisel away the necessary wood.
Hollowing Out the Interior
With a marker and straightedge, lay out the 5¾-inch-square coin receptacle. Most of the wood in this hole can be removed with a drill. A large commercial drill press will ease the job, but a hand drill or even a brace with a spade bit (closest to the tool used originally) will work well. No matter which type of drill you use, be sure the block is securely braced before you begin drilling. If the drill bit catches in the grain of the oak, the block may begin to spin. If you are using a drill press, the block will have to be clamped; if you are using an electric hand drill or a brace and bit, a good, strong friend should do nicely. Begin with a small bit to get as far into the corners as possible, then move to large spade bits to remove the bulk of the wood. The hole is 7¾ inches deep, so do not drill any deeper than 7½ inches, or there will be drill marks on the bottom of the interior.
When as much of the wood has been drilled away as possible, remove the remaining pieces with a chisel. If your chisel is sharp, the walls and corners of the box should smooth out with relatively little effort. Don’t worry about chisel marks on the walls; they appear on the original. Cleaning up the bottom of the box will be a miserable job, but once the drill marks are gone, don’t worry about getting the bottom smooth; again, the original is not.
Finally, the top view with the lid removed shows a shallow recessed area around the coin box. This recess is just large enough and deep enough to receive the lid so that it lies flush with the surface of the box. If you choose to cut it now, you will have to cut the lid to fit the hole; if you make the lid first, then the recess can be cut to match the lid shape. We feel the latter is the best approach. When the time comes, position the lid, with the hinges and hasps attached, on the box. Mark around the outer line of the lid, then remove the hardware. You could use a router or Dremel tool with a router attachment to remove the ¼ inch of excess wood, or you can remove it
with a chisel in the same manner as in the recess around the outer edge of the top. If you use a chisel, be careful; you are now working into end grain, which is far more likely to split or tear. Without a router, this may prove to be a miserable little job.
Ironwork
Most of the ironwork on this piece is 1/8 inch thick. The hinges and hasps can be cut from strap iron, and the lid from a piece of flat stock. Those pieces that are made of different stock, such as the coin slot and hasp catches, are dealt with individually below.
Lid
Cut the basic shape of the lid plate from a sheet of 1/8-inch flat stock. Mark the hole for the coin slot and drill away as much of the excess stock as possible. File away the remaining metal to the shape of the coin slot.
Hasps and Hinges
Following the instructions on page 10, cut the basic shapes of the hasps and hinges from strap metal or flat stock. The ends of the hinges that lie on top of the box have to be shaped to fit across the top of the hasp brace; cut them about ½ inch longer than they appear on the diagram. The ironwork on the original box, seemingly forged by a smith of limited talent, is very irregular in thickness as well as shape. You can file or grind away the edges of the metal pieces and sand them smooth to give them a handforged look. Alternatively, heat the metal and hammer the edges slightly round and irregular.
Forge the spines on the hinges and hasps as instructed on page 10 and then fit them together, but do not permanently attach the hinge pins. Mark and cut the coin slot in the cross brace that attaches to the hasps so that it is the same size as the coin slot in the lid. Weld the hasp brace to the lid so that the coin slots align. Limit the welds to the areas that will be covered by the ends of the hinge straps to prevent their showing on the finished product.
Position the lid and hinges on the box so that you can locate the places where the ends of the hinges have to be bent to fit across the top of the hasp brace. Heat and shape the same as you would any bend. Make the first curve at the lid’s rear in the right place for the spines of the hinges to align properly with the box’s back. If the front ends of the hinges are slightly longer or shorter than they appear on the diagram, it will not matter, but the hinges must align properly on the box. Because the bends that go across the hasp brace are so close together, this will be tricky—it is best to practice on a scrap of metal before working on the actual hinges. After the hinges have been bent to fit, weld them onto the hasp brace. The least conspicuous place to put the welds is on the inside edges nearest the coin slot.
Coin Slot
The coin slot is made from metal hardly half the thickness of the rest of the lid. A strip of strap metal 1/16 inch thick and 1¼ inches wide is the best choice. Heat and form the metal into a rectangle that fits snugly through the coin slot hole in the lid. It will be easiest if the ends of the rectangle join at one corner, rather than in the middle of one side of the slot. Weld the ends together and file away the excess weld. If done well, the junction will remain invisible. Place the rectangular coin slot in a vise with an open end facing upward, leaving about 1/8 inch of metal sticking above the vise’s surface. Heat the metal and gently hammer it outward and downward against the surface of the vise to form the curled lip around the top of the coin slot. Insert the coin slot into the hole in the lid and weld it to the underside of the lid. File any rough edges from the weld.
Box Top Band
Bend a strip of 11/8-inch-wide strap metal to fit snugly in the recess around the top of the tax box. Position the loose ends so that they come together underneath one of the hinges. If the joint in the band falls at the center of the hinge, the two nails securing the top edge of the hinge will hold the entire band in place.
Lid Attachment
Position the lid on the box. If you have not already done so, cut the recess in the top of the box to allow the lid to rest flush against the surface. Drill holes in the long ends of the hinges in the appropriate places, and put the hinge pins in the hinges and hasps so that the entire lid assembly is joined together. Place the assembly into position on the box, and nail the hinges to the box with hand-forged nails.
Hasp Catches
The hasp catch shown in the diagram is taken from the left side of the box. Although the two catches are the same size, the one on the left side is made from round stock, while the one on the right is made from square stock. It may be best, especially for the beginner, to fashion the catches into their horseshoe shape before working the ends to a point. Form the catches around a mandrel, as described on page 9, or around a 7/8-inch iron pipe. Once they are bent, cut them to length and file the ends to dull points with a file or grinding wheel.
To insert them into the box, drill pilot holes, just slightly smaller than the diameter of the hasp catch, through the sides of the box at the appropriate locations. Tap the hasp catches to an appropriate depth. The ends of the catches will protrude into the interior of the tax box. To prevent them from pulling out, bend the interior ends to the side with a metal bar and a hammer.
Finish
It is doubtful that this box ever had a finish, although time has enhanced it with a lovely dark patina. A coat of dark wood stain followed by a coat of boiled linseed oil is all the finish it needs.
PROJECT 23
Tax Box
Hewn Timber Chest, English, fifteenth century. Pine and iron, 27¼ x 52½ x 24 inches. Collection of Hereford Cathedral. Photo by Daniel Diehl.
This massive hewn chest is among the most striking pieces in Hereford Cathedral’s distinguished collection. The pine planks from which it was constructed appear to have been riven, or split, with wedges rather than sawn from the tree trunk. The separated slabs of wood were then smoothed and finished into thick planks using only rudimentary hand tools. The lid of the chest was hewn from an entire section of tree trunk, the exterior curve of the lid following the natural shape of the tree. The tree’s diameter determined not only the lid’s curve, but also the front-to-back depth of the chest. Unlike the simplistic design of the chest’s woodwork and strapping, the lock plate is a work of true craft. The elongated square plate is adorned with a lifelike representation of a grape cluster carefully executed with considerable skill.
This chest has been at Hereford Cathedral, Hereford, England, for undetermined centuries, but it may not have originally been designed to be church property. Although the chest has been dated from the mid-fifteenth century, its sheer bulk, unsophisticated design, and lack of ornamentation may indicate that it is actually a century or more older. Whatever its age, it was almost certainly the property of a minor noble or member of the rising merchant class, individuals who could not afford the quality of furniture associated with the baronage. If it belonged to a petit nobleman or merchant, the chest may have come to the cathedral as a part of an endowment or the property of a novitiate who joined one of the monastic orders associated with the church.
Construction Notes
Although the chest is massive, its construction is actually quite simple and straightforward. The only challenges you will face are making the lid and some intricate metal sculpting on the lock plate decorations. With time and patience, you will duplicate one of the handsomest chests we have discovered.
Materials
The heavy pine planks used in the sides, ends, and bottom of the chest were split from massive logs. Assuming you do not have access to timbers of the size necessary to split the boards, have them specially milled to thickness and width. The chest’s rather crude look can be best reproduced if you use rough-cut lumber and sand it with a hand sander until nearly smooth. If you choose to use several narrow boards and glue them to the proper width, follow the instructions on page 2. To peg together rough-cut lumber, it will be necessary to plane the edges to ensure a good fit. Although this can be done with a hand plane, using a commercial grade joiner will ensure the best fit. Any good lumber mill will accommodate you.
Lid
Making the lid offers more limited possibilities. Since it was hewn from a 5-foo
t-long section of tree trunk that must have been between 28 and 30 inches in diameter, the only practical way to reproduce it is to follow the example of the original. The best way to obtain a log of an appropriate size is to visit a sawmill or slab mill, where the owner may provide you with a section of tree trunk cut to your needs. He might consent to cut away one side of the log (slightly less than half of its total mass), leaving you with less wood to remove. If you are working with an entire log, you will need either a chain saw or a sledgehammer, splitting wedges, and a good deal of patience. Alternatively, you might find a tree that is about to be cut down and offer to purchase a section of the trunk. Fortunately, a large pine tree is easier to find than an oak of similar size. If you cannot find a log from which to make the lid, have a slab glued up at a lumber mill to the appropriate thickness and width. The lid can then be shaped with the methods described below, a task made easier with the help of an electric hand plane.
The first step when working with a section of tree trunk is to remove the bark. Starting at one end of the log, use a hatchet to chip away a strip of bark the entire length of the log. Using a chisel or wide putty knife, loosen the bark on both sides of the stripped area, then peel away the remaining bark. Next, use a chain saw to cut away one side of the log, leaving a slab slightly over a foot thick. If you are handy with a chain saw, use it to hollow out the lid’s interior curve. When most of the excess wood has been removed, begin to smooth and shape the interior of the lid with an adze. With a blade shaped like a garden mattock, but sharp like an ax or hatchet, the adze is the only practical tool for tackling such a project. Mastering this implement takes practice, but if you start where there is a fair amount of wood to remove, you should be fairly adept by the time you get to the more precise work. The more wood you can remove at this stage, the quicker the remaining wood will dry and the easier the final steps will be. You should be able to work the lid to within 90 percent of its finished shape with the adze.
