Timber framing a medieval capstan

Timber framing a medieval capstan

This video captures the making of a medieval style capstan we will use for the raising of our cabin. The basic design came from timber framer Jim Rogers, who was kind enough to share his plans.

We made our frame of 6×6 White Oak, the braces and stretchers are also white oak, and a bit of yellow pine was used for the yolk. The axle was made from Black Gum, a very tough and split resistant wood. The axle pin is a bit of antique wrought iron bar, about 1 1/4 ” thick, which had flats filled on one end and the other left round to spin freely in its housing.

In combination with a block and tackle this device is capable of huge feats of strength. As the axle is about 8inches in diameter and the handles are 8 feet long, the capstan alone give a 12 to 1 mechanical advantage to any force applied.

50 Comments

  1. Warmahan on June 21, 2023 at 1:01 pm

    And now for ship jk.



  2. L DuranC on June 21, 2023 at 1:01 pm

    Mil gracias for your generosity sharing your talents and fantastic ancient or traditional tools and skills with us. Can you please indicate for me where you are using this capstan to further learn. Again, mil gracias, from Colombia million blessings.



  3. Mark Standen on June 21, 2023 at 1:01 pm

    What I love about this, is that once it’s been used to making all the things that are used for building all the other things, it can be used as a kids’s chair swing.. All you need to add are a couple of roped seats each side and let the fun begin!



  4. Evan Kees on June 21, 2023 at 1:02 pm

    It’s time some new jungle boots my friend



  5. Tall Timbers Wood Shop on June 21, 2023 at 1:04 pm

    At 11:00: "No, Doc. I wasn’t trying to kill myself, just showing off my sharpening skills when my hand slipped."



  6. Weekend Stuff on June 21, 2023 at 1:09 pm

    NIce video. Just found it and loved it. Thanks for sharing.

    Weekend Stuff



  7. Uncle JD on June 21, 2023 at 1:10 pm

    Nice!



  8. Grucha on June 21, 2023 at 1:10 pm

    1:40 upsie



  9. Kevin Baker on June 21, 2023 at 1:11 pm

    While the basic design dates back to the middle ages it’s use lasted for several centuries. Without it the discovery of other continents and the development of trade and migration would not have been possible. Simple machines like this are what increased the technology of mankind.



  10. M0hawk99 on June 21, 2023 at 1:15 pm

    wow



  11. Jack Antwon on June 21, 2023 at 1:16 pm

    "What is best in life?"



  12. TheThirdMan on June 21, 2023 at 1:16 pm

    Doesn’t it need a ratchet?



  13. Ruairidh McMillan on June 21, 2023 at 1:17 pm

    Release the kraken!!!….sorry.



  14. Mickey on June 21, 2023 at 1:18 pm

    Do you shave your face with that axe 🪓



  15. codybroken on June 21, 2023 at 1:21 pm

    4:23 – now THAT’S A CHISEL!!!



  16. reality is real on June 21, 2023 at 1:22 pm

    What’s wrong with bolts and nails? Beautiful work!



  17. Paulo De Oliveira on June 21, 2023 at 1:25 pm

    20:07 my grandfather used to make joinery like that back in the early seventies when I was still young..



  18. Gasterino on June 21, 2023 at 1:25 pm

    1:45 estwing axe so goood



  19. Allen Dean on June 21, 2023 at 1:28 pm

    I was so impressed, until you brought out that tiny, baby man hammer…. hahahaha! I was thinking a Rigging Axe would work well for you, hatchet one side, framing hammer the other…
    Mesmerizing video!



  20. Fred Bryn on June 21, 2023 at 1:31 pm

    You do such beautiful work with only tools powered by sweat, Good on ya,,,



  21. Nagy László on June 21, 2023 at 1:32 pm

    I really like his job because he does traditional crafts! I respectfully ask where I live there, the felling of trees is subject to very serious permits. Is the forest you are thinning perhaps your property?



  22. КРУТОВА АРТЕЛЬ on June 21, 2023 at 1:32 pm

    Молодчина. Используешь ее по назначению?



  23. Susan Gutman on June 21, 2023 at 1:32 pm

    Can you do a segment on your tools and how you sharpen them?



  24. Bennie Chadwick on June 21, 2023 at 1:35 pm

    I have always wondered how I might one day afford one of those kawasaki mules!
    Now I know! LMAO 🤣🤣



  25. Tibor Fekete on June 21, 2023 at 1:35 pm

    I love your YouTube channel and your workmanship! It really is truly amazing how you only use hand tools! Love it! As a fellow colleague I would like to ask you about that special auger bit you use for boring end grain. I can’t seem to find any info on the net. What is it’s true name?
    Keep up the amazing work!
    Cheers from Budapest!
    Tibor Fekete



  26. Auguste88 on June 21, 2023 at 1:36 pm

    What is the fat/wax you are using on these kind of projects?



  27. PervySage on June 21, 2023 at 1:39 pm

    What boots are you wearing here?



  28. Sebastiao Prudencio on June 21, 2023 at 1:39 pm

    Trabalho 100: manual parabéns 👏



  29. Lasombradelangel on June 21, 2023 at 1:39 pm

    De mayor quiero ser como este hombre.



  30. Phil Copeland on June 21, 2023 at 1:40 pm

    Splitting those timbers would be much like young Abe Lincoln’s methods two centuries ago?



  31. Fon Hollohan on June 21, 2023 at 1:41 pm

    Very kind of Jim Rogers to share his plans with you for this Capstan.



  32. Johannes on June 21, 2023 at 1:41 pm

    I am doing a small thesis on classical era crane technology and this is just beautiful to see in this day and age.



  33. jacek Michno on June 21, 2023 at 1:42 pm

    ciao,your expiriens ist fantastic,Thx you.



  34. act.13.41 on June 21, 2023 at 1:44 pm

    After watching many of these videos, I can’t decide which I like more. Mr. Chickadee’s work is so impressive, but Mrs. Chickadee’s cinematography is equally impressive. She does not get in the way, yet she manages to get great angles and sounds. We don’t miss a thing. Well done indeed.



  35. Will T on June 21, 2023 at 1:44 pm

    Do you have a special day of the week or month that you spend sharpening everything?



  36. turniok siegfried on June 21, 2023 at 1:46 pm

    !!! TOP



  37. Andrew Schneider on June 21, 2023 at 1:46 pm

    Gotta love the jungle boots.



  38. MaRu NoNaMaE on June 21, 2023 at 1:47 pm

    mi sembra strano vedere una persona che non va di fretta, è anacronistico



  39. Daniel Wylie-Eggert on June 21, 2023 at 1:49 pm

    3:48 I blew at the screen to get the debris off 🙁



  40. Krzysztof Wilk on June 21, 2023 at 1:50 pm

    Master!!!



  41. Hanging with Epstein on June 21, 2023 at 1:51 pm

    This guy’s kids are gonna come out looking like Paul Bunyan. Except with a baby face



  42. Valentin Kamolov on June 21, 2023 at 1:51 pm

    1:35
    Поучи топором махать возле ступней !



  43. Nadie Durán on June 21, 2023 at 1:54 pm

    What the hell is a capstan and why would anybody like to have one?



  44. Valyn Andorfer on June 21, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    You remind me of someone I saw in a movie



  45. Vaughn Rychlick on June 21, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    I just tried to blow the saw dust of the wood from the auger through my phone



  46. TheDeathOfPassion on June 21, 2023 at 1:57 pm

    Nice video, what is the thing you use to sharpen the axe?



  47. mike linderman on June 21, 2023 at 1:57 pm

    I see the patience and focus in your work as must have been demonstrated by Noah in the building of the ark. Good work. We need more craftsmen like you in this world. Thank you for the inspiration.



  48. Dave Salzer on June 21, 2023 at 1:59 pm

    Ash tree?



  49. Mini Golf Mobile mini-putt on June 21, 2023 at 2:00 pm

    Nice!



  50. Daly Jolly on June 21, 2023 at 2:00 pm

    This is so cool!