animal Planet

[Jim Baldwin]

I was making some custom handrail parts the other day and used a term which the installer was unfamiliar with. ("swan neck"). "Goose neck I know" he replied "but what exactly is a swan neck?"

After explaining that a swan neck has an over easing at the top where it connects with the level rail (as apposed to the mitered joint of a goose neck) it occurred to me that as far as stairs are concerned, we do have a bit of a menagerie…

Here are a few common and obsolete terms and tools used in connection with stairs.(in no particular order):

Goose Neck
Swan Neck
Bull Nose
Nosing
Bench Dog
Dog's Leg
Lamb's Tongue
Toad's Back
Knee
Pig Tail
Swallows Tail
Dove Tail
Squirrel Tail
Monkey Tail
Rat Tail
Ram’s Horn
Nautilus
Snail
Thumb Nail
Bull’s Eye Level
Fish Tail Gouge
Serpentine
Bird’s Mouth
Herring-Bone Bracing
Spider-web framing
Elephant Molder
Grasshopper Gauge
Cockle Stairs

Have I forgotten any? I was going to add “rabbit plane” but I think it’s “Rabbet?”

[gburnet]

Here are a few common and obsolete terms and tools used in connection with stairs.(in no particular order):

Have I forgotten any? I was going to add “rabbit plane” but I think it’s “Rabbet?”

I'm guessing you've never had the need for a cat's paw, huh, Jim? ;o)

[Jim Baldwin]

Hey cool...

Cat's Paw, how could I forget that? Also known as a Crow's Foot? I certainly forgot the Crow Bar.

[gburnet]

How about duck bill snips?
Sawhorse?
Gull wing tool box?
Lion miter trimmer?
Sawcat circular saw?
Pony clamp?
Alligator clip?

[Bob Kovacs]

Lets not forget one we all deal with frequently in this business- bull sh!t......lol

[Andrew R.]

And there are ass#$%^& too!

[M Smith]

Jim,

just happened to be installing some custom white oak "fittings" just this last week and one of the other tradesman commented that the "swan neck" i was working with at the time looked like a "cobra" - from a profile angle i had to agree, but did correct him with the proper name as you"ve mentioned.

Just to clarify, as this seems to be morphing into non stair related work, these "animal names" are all related to either "tools" or "term"(onology) specific to stairbuilding.

thanx for the history lesson Jim-

I eagerly lap it up each and every time ! ! !

Lon said you liked my "cord holding jig" to protect the wall cap i just put in ??? Funny thing is that that big fat cord you saw in the picture was coming from a "Spider Box" ! ! ! (Electrician's can now jump in as i've done exactly what i was trying to avoid !!! )

M Smith

[Jim Baldwin]

Gee gburnet,
I'm actually embarrassed to have missed sawhorse and pony clamp. Both could have jumped up and bit me on the butt-joint like some serpentine. The prize however, must be shared by Andrew and Bob who have pretty much summed it all up.

Matt, I think you should post a picture of your patent-pending "Cord Keeper" which is very Malibu "kuwell"'

[S.Joisey]

You can tell the differences in the trades by the terminology they use.

Stair builders work with animal parts.

Framers use studs and bang nails.

Plumbers, of course, work with male and female ends, cocks, (ballcocks, petcocks, gas cocks) ball valves, and nipples. No wonder you'll usually find a plumber in the sewer.