Hi Joe,

It is generally preached in the business management world that Springfield Armoury, Mass. is accorded the honour of being the first factory in the world where a standard limit and fit approach was developed to permit the mass manufacture of musketts and ammunition where interchangeability of parts was a pre requisite. This manufacturing technique commenced development following the american war of independance and certainly by 1795 muskett manufacture had commeced at Springfield. By 1819 it had become so well established that machinery being developed that could achieve this aim.

Since square rule is a technique that promotes interchangeability of parts (mainly braces) then it is unlikely that this would be evident in timber frames before the early 1800's but if this is found to be the case then we might just be about to rewrite the manufacturing history book and accreditation for the development of this important manufacturing technique.

This is quite a profound question.

Regards

Ken Hume