Excerpt for Carpentry for Boys by GoatHollow, available in its entirety at Smashwords






The "How-to-do-it" Books

CARPENTRY FOR BOYS

Fig. 1. A Typical Work Bench.








THE "HOW-TO-DO-IT" BOOKS

CARPENTRY FOR BOYS

in simple language, including chapters on drawing, laying out work, designing and architecture

WITH 250 ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS

By J. S. ZERBE, M.E.

AUTHOR OF
ELECTRICITY FOR BOYS
PRACTICAL MECHANICS FOR BOYS
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
New York
Copyright, 1914, by

THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY




















© 2011 by Goat Hollow Press

All rights reserved.


ISBN 978-1466437289

LCCN 1466437286


Printed in the United States of America.








Foreword

The Prepper Archaeology collection is a joint venture between Ron Foster, Cheryl Chamilies, and Doug Carlsten to establish a collection of historic preparedness research and information books. We search the antique book stores, and archives for old tomes of forgotten knowledge contained in out of print or forgotten books and make arrangements to republish them as a resurrection into good quality modern books.


Meticulous care and detail in reproduction is undertaken to preserve and honor the author's original works, and preserve the old time secrets, and methods used by our Grand parents, and Great Grandparents.


The republishing process utilizes good quality low acid crème colored paper, and modernized high gloss book covers for durability. The books in the collection are hand selected by experts in their field for the “Prepper” community's enjoyment, so that this historical lore will not be lost, and may be used again to face the disasters of an uneasy world once more.


Carpentry for boys is an excellent book for “Preppers”, it's written in simple terms that a lay person that can understand. It contains everything that a “Prepper” needs to know, in order to build the kinds of structures that you may need to construct in an uncertain future. What's fantastic is that it teaches you how to do so, without an electrical outlet! You'll learn what the basic tools are, how to use them, and even how to do more complicated tasks, like figuring the angles of a roof.


I hope you enjoy reading Carpentry for boys as much as I did, and I'm sure that it will become a well used reference manual for your future SHTF use!


Doug Carlsten

Goat Hollow Press

















































CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

INTRODUCTORY

I. Tools and Their Uses

Page 1

Knowledge of Tools. A Full Kit of Tools. The Hatchet. The Claw Hammer. About Saws—Cross-cut, Rip Saw, Back Saw. Planes—Jack Plane, Smoothing Plane, Pore Plane. Gages. Chisels—Firmer Chisel. Trusses. Saw Clamps. The Grindstone. Oilstone. Miter Box. The Work Bench.

II. How to Grind and Sharpen Tools

Page 10

Care of Tools—-First Requisites. Saws—How to Set. Saw-set Errors. Saw Setting Block. Filing. The Angle of Filing. Filing Pitch. Saw Clamps. Filing Suggestions. The File. Using the File. The Grindstone. In the Use of Grindstones. Correct Way of Holding Tool in Grinding. Care of Stone. Incorrect Way to Hold Tool. Way to Revolve or Turn Grindstone. The Plane. The Gage. Chisels. General Observations.

III. How to Hold and Handle Tools

Page 21

On the Holding of Tools. The Saw. How to Start a Saw. Sawing on a Line. The First Stroke. The Starting Cut for Cross-cutting. Forcing a Saw. The Stroke. The Chinese Saw. Things to Avoid. The Plane. Angle for Holding Planes. Errors to be Avoided. The Gage. Holding the Gage. The Draw-knife.

IV. How to Design Articles

Page 29

Fundamentals of Designing. The Commercial Instinct. First Requirements of Designing. Conventional Styles. The Mission Style. Cabinets. Harmony of Parts. Harmony of Wood.

V. How work is Laid Out

Page 32

Concrete Examples of Work. Dimensions. Laying Out a Table. The Top. The Mortises. The Facing Boards. The Tenons. Tools Used. Chamfered Tenons. The Frame. The Drawer Support. The Table Frame. The Top. The Drawer. How Any Structure is Built Up. Observations About Making a Box. Points. Beveling and Mitering. Proper Terms. Picture Frames. Dovetail Points. Box Points. First Steps in Dovetailing. Cutting Out the Spaces. Tools Used in Laying Out Mortises and Tenons.

VI. The Uses of the Compass and the Square

Page 45

The Compass. Determining Angles. Definition of Degrees. Degrees Without a Compass. How Degrees are Calculated by the Dividers.

VII. How the Different Structural Parts are Designated

Page 50

Importance of Proper Designation. How to Explain Mechanical Forms. Defining Segment and Sector. Arcade, Arch, Buttress, Flying Buttress, Chamfer, Cotter, Crenelated, Crosses, Curb Roof, Cupola, Crown Post, Corbels, Dormer, Dowel, Drip, Detent, Extrados, Engrailed, Facet, Fret, Fretwork, Frontal, Frustrums, Fylfot, Gambrel Roof, Gargoyle, Gudgeon, Guilloche. Half Timbered, Hammer Beam, Header, Hip Roof, Hood Molding, Inclave, Interlacing Arch, Inverted, Inverted Arch, Key Stone, King Post, Label, Louver, Lintel, Lug, M-Roof, Mansard Roof, Newel, Parquetry, Peen, Pendant, Pendastyle, Pedestal, Plinth, Portico, Plate, Queen Post, Quirk Molding, Re-entering Angle, Rafter, Scarfing, Scotia Molding, Sill, Skewback, Spandrel, Strut, Stud, Stile, Tie Beam, Timber, Trammel, Turret, Transom, Valley Roof.

VIII. Drawing and Its Utility

Page 61

Fundamentals in Drawing. Representing Objects. Forming Lines and Shadows. Analysis of Lines and Shadings. How to Show Plain Surfaces. Concave Surfaces. Convex Surfaces. Shadows from a Beam. Flat Effects. The Direction of Light. Raised Surfaces. Depressed Surfaces. Full Shading. Illustrating Cube Shading. Shading Effect. Heavy Lines. Perspectives. True Perspective of a Cube. Isometric Cube. Flattened Perspective. Technical Designations. Sector and Segment. Terms of Angles. Circles and Curves. Irregular Curves. Ellipses and Ovals. Focal Points. Produced Line. Spirals, Perpendicular and Vertical. Signs to Indicate Measurement. Definitions. Abscissa. Angle. Apothegm. Apsides or Apsis. Chord. Cycloid. Conoid. Conic Section. Ellipsoid. Epicycloid. Evolute. Flying Buttress. Focus. Gnomes. Hexagon. Hyperbola. Hypothenuse. Incidental. Isosceles. Triangle. Parabola. Parallelogram. Pelecoid. Polygons. Pyramid. Rhomb. Sector. Segment. Sinusoid. Tangent. Tetrahedron. Vertex.

IX. Moldings, with Practical Illustrations in Embellishing Work

Page 79

Moldings. The Basis of Moldings. The Simplest Moldings. The Astragal. The Cavetto. The Ovolo. The Torus. The Apothegm. The Cymatium. The Ogee. Ogee Recta. Ogee Reversa. The Reedy. The Casement. The Roman-Doric Column. Lesson from the Doric Column. Applying Molding. Base. Embellishments. Straight-faced Molding. Plain Molding. Base. Diversified Uses. Shadows Cast by Moldings.

X. An Analysis of Tenoning, Mortising, Rabbeting and Beading

Page 90

Where Mortises Should be Used. Depth of Mortises. Rule for Mortises. True Mortise Work. Steps in Cutting Mortises. Things to Avoid in Mortising. Lap-and-Butt Joints. Scarfing. The Tongue and Groove. Beading. Ornamental Bead Finish. The Bead and Rabbet. Shading with Beads and Rabbets.

XI. House Building

Page 97

House Building. The Home and Embellishments. Beauty Not Ornamentation. Plain Structures. Colonial Type. The Roof the Keynote. Bungalow Types. General House Building. Building Plans. The Plain Square-Floor Plan. The Rectangular Plan. Room Measurements. Front and Side Lines. The Roof. Roof Pitch. The Foundation. The Sills. The Flooring Joist. The Studding. Setting Up. The Plate. Intermediate Studding. Wall Headers. Ceiling Joist. Braces. The Rafters. The Gutter. Setting Door and Window Frames. Plastering and Finish Work.

XII. Bridges, Trussed Work and Like Structures

Page 112

Bridges. Self-supporting Roofs. Common Trusses. The Vertical Upright Truss. The Warren Girder. The Bowstring Girder. Fundamental Truss Forms.

XIII. The Best Woods for the Beginner

Page 115

The Best Woods. Soft Woods. Hard Woods. The Most Difficult Woods. The Hard-ribbed Grain in Wood. The Easiest Working Woods. Differences in the Working of Woods. Forcing Saws in Wood.

XIV. Wood Turning

Page 118

Advantages of Wood Turning. Simple Turning Lathe. The Rails. The Legs. Centering Blocks. The Tail-stock. The Tool Rest. Materials. The Mandrel. Fly-wheel. The Tools Required.

XV. On the Use of Stains

Page 125

Soft Wood. Use of Stains. Stains as Imitations. Good Taste in Staining. Great Contrasts Bad. Staining Contrasting Woods. Hard Wood Imitations. Natural Effects. Natural Wood Stains. Polishing Stained Surfaces.

XVI. The Carpenter and the Architect

Page 128

XVII. Useful Articles to Make

Page 130

Common Bench. Its Proportions. Square Top Stool. Folding Blacking Box. Convenient Easel. Hanging Book-rack. Sad Iron Holder. Bookcase. Wood-box. Parallel Bars for Boys' Use. Mission Writing Desk. Screen Frame. Mission Chair. Grandfather's Clock. Knockdown and Adjustable Bookcase. Coal Scuttle Frame or Case. Mission Arm Chair. Dog-house. Settle, With Convenient Shelves. Towel Rack. Sofa Framework.

XVIII. Special Tools and Their Uses

Page 144

Bit and Level Adjuster. Miter Boxes. Swivel Arm Uprights. Movable Stops. Angle Dividers. "Odd Job" Tool. Bit Braces. Ratchet Mechanism. Interlocking Jaws. Steel Frame Breast Drills. Horizontal Boring. 3-Jaw Chuck. Planes. Rabbeting, Beading and Matching. Cutter Adjustment. Depth Gage. Slitting Gage. Dovetail Tongue and Groove Plane. Router Planes. Bottom Surfacing. Door Trim Plane.

XIX. Roofing Trusses

Page 155

Characteristics of Trusses. Tie Beams. Ornamentation. Objects of Beams, Struts and Braces. Utilizing Space. Types of Structures. Gambrel Roof. Purlin Roof. The Princess Truss. Arched, or Cambered, Tie Beam Truss. The Mansard. Scissors Beam. Braced Collar Beam. Rib and Collar Truss. Hammer-beam Truss. Flying Buttress.

XX. On the Construction of Joints

Page 165

Definition and Uses. Different Types. Bridle Joint. Spur Tenon. Saddle Joints. Joggle Joint. Heel Joints. Stub Tenon. Tusk Tenon. Double Tusk Tenon. Cogged Joints. Anchor Joints. Deep Anchor Joints.

XXI. Some Mistakes and a Little Advice in Carpentry

Page 171

Lessons From Mistakes. Planing the Edge of a Board Straight. Planing it Square. Planing to Dimensions. Holding the Plane. How it Should be Run on the Edge of the Board. Truing With the Weight of the Plane. A Steady Grasp. In Smoothing Boards. Correct Sand-papering. Gluing. Removing Surplus Glue. Work Edge and Work Side. The Scribing and Marking Line. Finishing Surfaces. Sawing a Board Square. The Stroke of the Saw. Sawing Out of True.

GLOSSARY OF WORDS

Page

174



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG.

PAGE

1. A typical work bench

Frontispiece

2. Hatchet

3

3. Hammer

3

4. Common saw

4

5. Plane

5

6. Jack plane bit

5

6a. Fore plane bit

6

7a. Firmer chisel

7

Mortising chisel

7

8. Trestle

7

9. Miter box

8

10. Incorrect saw setting

11

10a. Correct saw setting

11

11. Saw setting device

12

12. Filing angle

12

13. Rip saw

13

14. Cross cut

14

15. Filing clamp

15

16. Grindstone

16

17. Correct manner of holding tool

17

18. Incorrect way of holding tool

17

19. Gage

18

20. Starting a saw

23

21. Wrong sawing angle

24

22. Correct sawing angle

25

23. Thrust cut

25

24. Chinese saw

25

25. Moving angle for plane

26

26. Holding gage

27

27. Laying out table leg

32

28. The first marking line

33

29. Scribing mortise line

33

30. The corner mortises

35

31. The side rail

35

32. Scribing the tenons

35

33. Cross scoring

35

34. The tenon

36

35. Finishing the tenon

36

36. The tenon and mortise

36

37. The drawer support

36

38. Drawer cleats

37

39. Assembled table frame

38

40. The top

39

41. The drawer

40

42. Bevel joint

40

43. Miter joint

40

44. Picture frame joint

41

45. Initial marks for dovetails

42

46. End marks for dovetails

42

47. Angles for dovetails

42

48. Cutting out recesses for dovetails

43

49. Tongues for dovetails

43

50. Recess for dovetails

43

51. Determining angles

47

52. Marking degrees

48

53. Angles from base lines

49

54. Stepping off spaces

49

55. Arcade

58

56. Arch

58

57. Buttress

58

58. Chamfer

58

59. Cooter

58

60. Crenelated

58

61. Crosses

58

62. Curb roof

58

63. Cupola

58

64. Console

58

65. Corbels

58

66. Dormer

58

67. Dowel

58

68. Drips

58

69. Detail

58

70. Extrados

58

71. Engrailed

58

72. Facet

58

73. Fret

58

74. Frontal

58

75. Frustrums

58

76. Fylfat

58

77. Gambrel

58

78. Gargoyle

58

79. Gudgeon

58

80. Guilloche

59

81. Half timbered

59

82. Hammer beam

59

83. Haunches

59

84. Header

59

85. Hip roof

59

86. Hood molding

59

87. Inclave

59

88. Interlacing arch

59

89. Invected

59

90. Inverted arch

59

91. Keystone

59

92. King post

59

93. Label

59

94. Louver

59

95. Lintel

59

96. Lug

59

97. M-roof

59

98. Mansard roof

59

99. Newel post

59

100. Parquetry

59

101. Peen, or pein

59

102. Pendant

59

103. Pentastyle

59

104. Pedestal

59

105. Pintle

60

106. Portico

60

107. Plate

60

108. Queen post

60

109. Quirk molding

60

110. Re-entering

60

111. Rafter

60

112. Scarfing

60

113. Scotia molding

60

114. Sill

60

115. Skew back

60

116. Spandrel

60

117. Strut

60

118. Stud, studding

60

119. Stile

60

120. Trammel

60

121. Turret

60

122. Transom

60

123. Valley roof (124 missing from original

60

125. Plain line book)

62

126. Concave shading

62

127. Convex shading

62

128. Wave shading

62

129. Light past concave surface

62

130. Light past convex surface

63

131. Plain surface

63

132. Outlines

64

133. Raised surface

65

134. Depressed surface

65

135. Shading raised surfaces

65

136. Shading depressed surfaces

65

137. Plain cubical outline

65

138. Indicating cube

66

139. Confused lines

66

140. Heavy horizontal lines

66

141. Heavy vertical lines

66

142. Isometric cube

67

143. Cube and circle

67

144. Flattened perspective

68

145. Angles in isometric cube

69

146. Plain circle

70

147. Sphere shading

70

148. Drawing regular ellipse

71

149. Drawing irregular ellipse

73

150. Drawing spiral

74

151. Abscissa

78

152. Angle

78

153. Apothegm

78

154. Apsides, or apsis

78

155. Chord

78

156. Convolute

78

157. Conic sections

78

158. Conoid

78

159. Cycloid

78

160. Ellipsoid

78

161. Epicycloid

78

162. Evolute

78

163. Focus

78

164. Gnome

78

165. Hyperbola

78

167. Hypothenuse

78

168. Incidence

78

169. Isosceles triangle

78

170. Parabola

78

171. Parallelogram

78

172. Pelecoid

78

173. Polygons

78

174. Pyramid

78

175. Quadrant

78

176. Quadrilaterale

78

177. Rhomb

78

178. Sector

78

179. Segment

78

180. Sinusoid

78

181. Tangent

78

182. Tetrahedron

78

183. Vertex

78

184. Volute

78

185. Band (molding)e

80

186. Astragal (molding)

80

187. Cavetto (molding)

80

188. Ovolo (molding)

80

189. Torus (molding)

81

190. Apophyges (molding)

81

191. Cymatium (molding)

81

192. Ogee-recta (molding)

81

193. Ogee-reversa (molding)

82

194. Bead (molding)

82

195. Casement (molding)

83

196. The Doric column

84

197. Front of cabinet

86

198. Facia board

86

199. Molding on facia board

86

200. Ogee-recta on facia

87

201. Trim below facia

87

202. Trim below ogee

87

203. Trim above base

88

204. Trim above base molding

88

205. Shadows cast by plain moldings

89

206. Mortise and tenon joint

91

207. Incorrect mortising

91

208. Steps in mortising

92

209. The shoulders of tenons

93

210. Lap-and-butt joint

93

211. Panel joint

94

212. Scarfing

94

213. Tongue and groove

95

214. Beading

95

215. Outside beading finish

95

216. Edge beading

95

217. Corner beading

95

218. Point beading

95

219. Round edge beading

96

220. Beading and molding

96

221. First square house plan

100

222. First rectangular house plan

102

223. Square house to scale

102

224. Rectangular house to scale

103

225. Front elevation of square house

103

226. Elevation of rectangular house

104

227. Illustrating one-third pitch

104

228. Illustrating half pitch

104

229. The sills at the corner

105

230. The joist and sills

106

231. The plate splice

106

232. The rafters

107

233. The gutter

108

234. The cornice

109

234a. The finish without gutter

110

235. Common truss

112

236. Upright truss

113

237. Vertical upright truss

113

238. Warren girder

113

239. Extended Warren girder

113

240. Bowstring girder

114

241. Frame details of wood turning lathe

119

242. Tail stock details

119

243. Tool rest details

121

244. Section of mandrel

122

245. View of turning lathe

123

246. Turning tools

124

247. Bench

130

248. Stool

131

249. Blacking box

131

250. Easel

132

251. Hanging book rack

133

252. Book shelf

134

253. Wood box

135

254. Horizontal bars

135

255. Mission desk

136

256. Screen frame

137

257. Mission chair

137

258. Grandfather's clock

138

259. Frame for bookcase

139

260. Coal scuttle case

139

261. Mission arm chair

140

262. Dog house

141

263. Settle

142

264. Towel rack

142

265. Mission sofa frame

143

266. Bit and square level

144

267. Metal miter box

145

268. Parts of metal miter box

145

269. Angle dividers

146

270. An "odd job" tool

147

271. Universal-jaw brace

148

272. Taper-shank bit brace

148

273. Alligator-jaw brace

148

274. Steel frame breast drill

149

275. Steel frame breast drill

149

276. Steel frame breast drill

149

277. Details of metal plane

150

278. Rabbet, matching and dado plane

151

279. Molding and beading plane

152

280. Dovetail tongue and groove plane

152

281. Router planes

153

282. Router planes

153

283. Door trim plane

154

284. Gambrel roof

156

285. Purlin roof

157

286. Princess truss

158

287. Arched, or cambered, tie beam

159

288. The mansard

159

289. Scissors beam

160

290. Braced collar beam

161

291. Rib and collar truss

162

291½. Hammer-beam truss

163

292. Bridle joints

164

293. Spur tenons

165

294. Saddle joints

165

295. Joggle joints

166

296. Framing joints

166

297. Heel joints

166

298. Stub tenon

167

299. Tusk tenon

167

300. Double tusk tenon

168

301. Cogged joints

168

302. Anchor joint

169

303. Deep anchor joint

169















1


TOOLS AND THEIR USES



Knowledge of Tools.—A knowledge of tools and their uses is the first and most important requirement. The saw, the plane, the hatchet and the hammer are well known to all boys; but how to use them, and where to use the different varieties of each kind of tool, must be learned, because each tool grew out of some particular requirement in the art. These uses will now be explained.

A Full Kit of Tools.—A kit of tools necessary for doing any plain work should embrace the following:

1. A Hatchet.
2. A Claw Hammer—two sizes preferred.
3. Cross-cut Saw, 20 inches long.
4. Rip Saw, 24 inches long.
5. Wooden Mallet.
6. Jack Plane.
7. Smoothing Plane.
8. Compass Saw.
9. Brace.
10. Bits for Brace, ranging from ¼ inch to 1 inch diameter.
11. Several small Gimlets.
12. Square.
13. Compass.
14. Draw-knife.
15. Rule.
16. Two Gages.
17. Set of Firmer Chisels.
18. Two Mortising Chisels.
19. Small Back Saw.
20. Saw Clamps.
21. Miter Box.
22. Bevel Square.
23. Small Hand Square.
24. Pliers.
25. Pair of Awls.
26. Hand Clamps.
27. Set Files.
28. Glue Pot.
29. Oil Stone.
30. Grindstone.
31. Trusses.
32. Work Bench.
33. Plumb Bob.
34. Spirit Level.



The Hatchet.—The hatchet should be ground with a bevel on each side, and not on one side only, as is customary with a plasterer's lathing hatchet, because the blade of the hatchet is used for trimming off the edges of boards. Unless ground off with a bevel on both sides it cannot be controlled to cut accurately. A light hatchet is preferable to a heavy one. It should never be used for nailing purposes, except in emergencies. The pole of the hammer—that part which is generally used to strike the nail with—is required in order to properly balance the hatchet when used for trimming material.

Fig. 2.

The Claw Hammer.—This is the proper tool for driving nails and for drawing them out. Habits should be formed with the beginner, which will be of great service as the education proceeds. One of these habits is to persist in using the tool for the purpose for which it was made. The expert workman (and he becomes expert because of it) makes the hammer do its proper work; and so with every other tool.

Fig. 3.



Fig. 4.

About Saws.—There are four well-defined kinds. First, a long, flat saw, for cross-cutting. Second, a slightly larger saw for ripping purposes. Third, a back saw, with a rib on the rear edge to hold the blade rigid, used for making tenons; and, fourth, a compass or keyhole saw.



Cross-cuts.—The difference between a cross-cut and a rip saw is, that in the latter the teeth have less pitch and are usually larger than in the cross-cut saw. The illustrations (Figs. 13 and 14) will distinctly show the difference in the teeth. When a cross-cut saw is used for ripping along the grain of the wood, the teeth, if disposed at an angle, will ride over the grain or fiber of the wood, and refuse to take hold or bite into the wood. On the other hand, if the rip saw is used for cross-cutting purposes, the saw kerf will be rough and jagged.



The back saw is used almost exclusively for making tenons, and has uniformly fine teeth so as to give a smooth finish to the wood.

Fig. 5.



Planes.—The plane may be called the æsthetic tool in the carpenter's kit. It is the most difficult tool to handle and the most satisfactory when thoroughly mastered. How to care for and handle it will be referred to in a subsequent chapter. We are now concerned with its uses only. Each complete kit must have three distinct planes, namely, the jack plane, which is for taking off the rough saw print surface of the board. The short smoothing plane, which is designed to even up the inequalities made by the jack plane; and the long finishing plane, or fore plane, which is intended to straighten the edges of boards or of finished surfaces.

Fig. 6. Jack plane bit

The Jack Plane.—This plane has the cutting edge of its blade ground so it is slightly curved (Fig. 6), because, as the bit must be driven out so it will take a deep bite into the rough surface of the wood, the curved cutting edge prevents the corner edges of the bit from digging into the planed surface.

On the other hand, the bits of the smoothing and finishing planes are ground straight across their cutting edges. In the foregoing we have not enumerated the different special planes, designed to make beads, rabbets, tongues and grooves, but each type is fully illustrated, so that an idea may be obtained of their characteristics. (Fig. 6a).

Gages.—One of the most valuable tools in the whole set is the gage, but it is, in fact, the least known. This is simply a straight bar, with a sharpened point projecting out on one side near its end, and having an adjustable sliding head or cheekpiece. This tool is indispensable in making mortises or tenons, because the sharpened steel point which projects from the side of the bar, serves to outline and define the edges of the mortises or tenons, so that the cutting line may readily be followed.

Fig. 6a. Fore-plane bit

This is the most difficult tool to hold when in use, but that will be fully explained under its proper head. Each kit should have two, as in making mortises and tenons one gage is required for each side of the mortise or tenon.

Chisels.—Two kinds are found in every kit—one called the firmer (Fig. 7) and the mortising chisel. The firmer has a flat body or blade, and a full set ranges in width from three-eighths of an inch to two inches. The sizes most desirable and useful are the one-half inch, the inch and the inch-and-a-half widths. These are used for trimming out cross grains or rebates for setting door locks and hinges and for numerous other uses where sharp-end tools are required.

Fig. 7.

The Mortising Chisel.—The mortising chisel (Fig. 7a), on the other hand, is very narrow and thick, with a long taper down to the cutting edge. They are usually in such widths as to make them stock sizes for mortises. Never, under any circumstances, use a hammer or hatchet for driving chisels. The mallet should be used invariably.

Fig. 7a.

Fig. 8.

Trusses.—There should be at least two, each three feet in length and twenty inches in height.

Saw Clamps.—These are necessary adjuncts, and should be made of hard wood, perfectly straight and just wide enough to take in the narrow back saw. The illustration shows their shape and form.

The Grindstones.—It is better to get a first-class stone, which may be small and rigged up with a foot treadle. A soft, fine-grained stone is most serviceable, and it should have a water tray, and never be used excepting with plenty of water.

An Oil Stone is as essential as a grindstone. For giving a good edge to tools it is superior to a water stone. It should be provided with a top, and covered when not in use, to keep out dust and grit. These are the little things that contribute to success and should be carefully observed.

The Miter Box.—This should be 14 inches long and 3" by 3" inside, made of hard wood ¾" thick. The sides should be nailed to the bottom, as shown.

Fig. 9.

The Work Bench.—In its proper place we show in detail the most approved form of work bench, fitted with a tool rack to hold all the tools, conveniently arranged. In this chapter we are more particularly concerned with the uses of tools than their construction; and we impress on boys the necessity of having a place for everything, and that every tool should be kept in its proper place. A carpenter's shop filled with chips, shavings and other refuse is not a desirable place for the indiscriminate placing of tools. If correct habits are formed at the outset, by carefully putting each tool in its place after using, it will save many an hour of useless hunting and annoyance.

One of the most important things in laying off work, for instance, on trusses, is the disposition of the saw and square. Our illustration shows each truss with side cleats, which will permit the user temporarily to deposit the saw or the square so that it will be handy, and at the same time be out of the way of the work and prevent either of the tools from being thrown to the floor.

In the same way, and for the same purpose, the work bench has temporary holding cleats at the end and a shelf in front, which are particularly desirable, because either a saw or a square is an encumbrance on a work bench while the work is being assembled, and tools of this kind should not be laid flat on a working surface, nor should they be stood in a leaning position against a truss or work bench.

Strictly observe these fundamentals—Never place a tool with the cutting edge toward you. Always have the racks or receptacles so made that the handle may be seized. Don't put a tool with an exposed cutting edge above or below another tool in such a manner that the hand or the tool you are handling can come into contact with the edge. Never keep the nail or screw boxes above the work bench. They should always be kept to one side, to prevent, as much as possible, the bench from becoming a depository for nails. Keep the top of the bench free from tools. Always keep the planes on a narrow sub-shelf at the rear of the bench.

If order was Heaven's first law, it is a good principle to apply it in a workman's shop, and its observance will form a habit that will soon become a pleasure to follow.





2


HOW TO GRIND AND SHARPEN

TOOLS



Care of Tools.—Dull tools indicate the character of the workman. In an experience of over forty years, I have never known a good workman to keep poorly sharpened tools. While it is true that the capacity to sharpen tools can be acquired only by practice, correct habits at the start will materially assist. In doing this part of the artisan's work, it should be understood that there is a right as well as a wrong way.

There is a principle involved in the sharpening of every tool, which should be observed. A skilled artisan knows that there is a particular way to grind the bits of each plane; that the manner of setting a saw not only contributes to its usefulness, but will materially add to the life of the saw; that a chisel cannot be made to do good work unless its cutting edge is square and at the right working angle.

First Requisite.—A beginner should never attempt a piece of work until he learns how the different tools should be sharpened, or at least learn the principle involved. Practice will make perfect.

Saws.—As the saw is such an important part of the kit, I shall devote some space to the subject. First, as to setting the saw. The object of this is to make the teeth cut a wider kerf than the thickness of the blade, and thereby cause the saw to travel freely. A great many so-called "saw sets" are found in the market, many of them built on wrong principles, as will be shown, and these are incapable of setting accurately.

Fig. 10. Fig.10a.

How to Set.—To set a saw accurately, that is, to drive out each tooth the same distance, is the first requirement, and the second is to bend out the whole tooth, and not the point only.

In the illustration (Fig. 10), the point is merely bent out. This is wrong. The right way is shown in Fig. 10a. The whole tooth is bent, showing the correct way of setting. The reasons for avoiding one way and following the other are: First, that if the point projects to one side, each point or tooth will dig into the wood, and produce tooth prints in the wood, which make a roughened surface. Second, that if there are inequalities in setting the teeth (as is sure to be the case when only the points are bent out), the most exposed points will first wear out, and thereby cause saw deterioration. Third, a saw with the points sticking out causes a heavy, dragging cut, and means additional labor. Where the whole body of the tooth is bent, the saw will run smoothly and easily through the kerf and produce a smooth-cut surface.

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

Our illustration (Fig. 11) shows a very simple setting block, the principal merit of which is that any boy can make it, and in the use of which he cannot go wrong in setting a tooth.

Simple Saw Setter.—Take a block of wood, a 4 by 4 inch studding, four inches long. Get a piece of metal one-half inch thick and two inches square. Have a blacksmith or machinist bore a quarter-inch hole through it in the center and countersink the upper side so it may be securely fastened in a mortise in the block, with its upper side flush with the upper surface of the block. Now, with a file, finish off one edge, going back for a quarter of an inch, the angle at A to be about 12 degrees.

Fig. 13. Rip-Saw

Filing Angles.—In its proper place will be shown how you may easily calculate and measure degrees in work of this kind. Fig. 12 shows an approximation to the right angle. B, B (Fig. 11) should be a pair of wooden pegs, driven into the wooden block on each side of the metal piece. The teeth of the saw rest against the pegs so that they serve as a guide or a gage, and the teeth of the saw, therefore, project over the inclined part (B) of the metal block. Now, with an ordinary punch and a hammer, each alternate tooth may be driven down until it rests flat on the inclined face (A), so that it is impossible to set the teeth wrongly. When you glance down the end of a properly set saw, you will see a V-shaped channel, and if you will place a needle in the groove and hold the saw at an angle, the needle will travel down without falling out.


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