Theophilus H. Wright Cobweb Scavenger
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This innovative machine is designed to tackle one of those particularly awkward requirements in the Edwardian household: that of removing all those dratted cobwebs that develop in the most inaccessible places right near the top of those high ceilings, especially in the most difficult-to-reach corners. This task usually involves ladders, furniture-moving, difficult-to-source specialist tools (long-reach cobweb brushes), and a large number of servants (at least three: one to wield the cobweb brush; one to steady the ladder; and one to call for an ambulance when one of the others falls off the ladder), not to mention awkward visits to hospital to see servants who are recovering from a broken leg, and the expense of hiring and training additional temporary staff while the others recover.
This new device completes the whole task controlled from the ground without risk: it requires only one person to operate, and its design uses the new-fangled airship invention to fly up around the ceiling and snatch all those annoying cobwebs using its multiple rotating collectors, with no danger to servants limbs (although it might make a mess if it falls down onto somebody's head....). Another servant-saving appliance which is a must for any ambitious Edwardian household!
The name
Whilst researching the history of airships as part of the background to development for this piece, I encountered a UK aviation pioneer, almost a
contemporary of the US Wright Brothers (just a few years afterwards), but with the same name: Howard T. Wright. Then I discovered his middle initial stood
for Theophilus - well, I just had to have that, didn't I? Couldn't resist!
Later in the twentieth century, there was another Howard T. (Thomas) Wright, who was involved in the Apollo 13 trip to the moon. Perhaps my next piece should
be a device to help the Edwardians reach the moon before NASA? Possibly involving cheese..... ? (Cheese is my favourite food, Gromit.....).
The twiddly bits
One of the most time-consuming parts of the development of this piece was the design of the internal rigging to derive the back & forth shuttle motion of the cobweb collectors on the top, from the vertical rotation of the propellor handle, within the very restricted internal dimensions of the main hull. It eventually involved a central cam and not one, but *two* rocker mechanisms (one horizontal, one vertical, one driving the other), in order to achieve the required 90-degree partial rotations alternately front & back (i.e. front turns left while the back turns right, and vice versa). Please see the photographs of the disassembled piece, the internal components, and the scanned drawings, to get a feel for what was required. Sadly, this mechanism will never be seen again now the piece has reached final assembly (and I'm not about to volunteer to take it all to bits again!).
The polishing
The photograph of the piece in pieces was made after the first stage of polishing was mostly complete. With these pieces, there are often three
or even four stages of polishing to achieve the final level of presentation. The first is carried out on the machine with a sisal mop and coarse polishing
compound; the second is with a less agressive 'colour stitch' mop and finer compound; the third is with a loose-fold cotton mop with fine compound. There can
also be a machine 'buffing' stage with a clean loose-fold mop and no compound, and sometimes even a liquid hand polish (Brasso, of course!) with three different
levels of cloth (application; cleaning off; buffing), to clean off any lasting obstinate marks. There is sometimes also an application of Vienna Lime, to remove
any obstinate remaining particles of polishing compound (commonly required on any surface with a texture to trap the compound). Are you bored with this yet???
The picture does not include all the hundreds of brass fasteners which will hold it all together - which also require polishing!
One of the trickiest aspects of polishing is handling - in other words, keeping hold of some of the smaller components when they're under the polisher
(which is always ready and waiting to whip the part out of your hands and hurl it across the workshop....). I use all sorts of clamps to preserve the parts
(not to mention my fingers and eyes), and often resort to fabricating small wooden jigs to which the part can be bolted, in order to ensure every surface
is treated.
All the individual components are marked with their identity/location/orientation before the piece is dismantled for finishing: all parts are hand-made
and will only fit one way round, so they all have to go back in exactly the place they were originally made for. The marks have to be scratched on (and deep)
in a hidden location, because markings with pen or similar would not survive the first-stage polishing, which is very aggressive, and contributes majorly to the
desired soft, rounded (cast?) look on the brass.
And you wonder why it takes me so long to make these things!! All part of the fun!
Materials: brass, copper, tea-urn, jug, shell cases, bells, etc
Dimensions: 28.5" long x 8.5" wide x 19.5" high (73cm x 22cm x 50cm)
Maximum width across stand: 16" (41cm)
Weight: 11lb (5kg)
Watch the video below to see an demonstration of how this splendiferous machine operates:
This piece will be shown for the first time in the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen 'Crafts Alive' exhibition at Rodmarton Manor in September 2025.
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New sculptures are being created all the time, and pieces can be sold or go off to exhibitions at any time, so please check back here regularly for updates.
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