The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1873-07-10
TAKE CARE OF aYoUR 1oo, 9

,equiie Ihe man 10 pretOrm som
hight job where he could watch tn
operation. If at the completion q
his task the workman carefully clean
ed and put away his tolls, he wa
given situation /; but if on the otbe
hand he carelessly threw his imple
ments to one side, he was informe ec
that his services were not wanted
The employer very Justly argued
that no matter how good an opera
tive careless man might be, tn,
amount gained from his labor as com
pared with that of less skillful bu
prudent workman, would be NOR,
than balanced by the loss aceruna
from damaged or ruined tools. w,
have been told by large firms tha
the yearly expenditure to re
place injured implements or thos,
lost 10y carelessness reached amounts
that were incredible. And that i
was a fact that more tools were spoil
ed through simple want of care
than was worn out by constant use.
Al few hammers, sgimlets, or au
gers more or less, it may be said
make very little difference to a grea
establishment which count it's work
men by hundreds and its profits by
hundreds Of thousands True, al
though in time the aggregate cost o.
all make no small item !; but the loss
of a single Eammer or a single GIN
let will aften make very great diff
ference to an artisan who depends
upon his individual efforts and if he
incurs habits of thoughtlessness du
ring his apprenticeship or while work.
ing for others, he Is very likely to
continue in the same course, to his
no small loss when working for him
self. The carpenter who leaves his
auger in the timber or his saw in the
plank to be broken by the first OBJ
ject that roughly strikes against them,
or threws his small articles down
where they can be swept off into the
shavings, and thus lost, will find his
carelessness serious detriment to
Linn in his trade. The same is true
of farmer who al, lows his plow to
rust in the furrow, his reapers to re.
main out doors all winter, and his
wagons to break down for the want
of few nails of the blacksmith who
forgets his iIon in the forge, or drops
his coldchisel anywhere, SO that it
maybe readily thrown into the scrap
heap of the machinist who leaves
his drills, reamers, taps or other
tools wherever he last used them,
and then expect them to turn up
whenever they are needed. ..
GA place for everything and every.
thing i'll its place." is an aphorism
which has been SO often quoted, that
its repetition seems very trite, and
yet, so far as regards tools, 1t should
be rigidly followed and not only
this, but the implements them
selves should be looked after.
"A saw or chisel which has been used
in unseasoned wood should be care
fully wiped and oiled, otherwise it
contracts rust and wears away fast.
A new file should not be put upon
.he scale of cast-iron or of unanneal-
ed steel, and a file kept for brass or
bronze should not be used ON hard
er metal. Turning tools, after be-
ing tempered and ground, are fire.
quently left wet from the stone until
ready Tor use. In this state the keen
edge is acted upon by rust and re.
grinding is necessary. If not at once
put to the oil-stone, they should be
wiped with oily waste. Bucksaws
for cutting, if drawn forward and
back too rapidly, heat and lose their
temper and become almost useless.
Nothing is worse economy than
poor oil, whether for lubricating, tap
ping, drilling, or to whatever use it
may be put. Oil that contains grit
or earthly marter is nothing but liquid
grindstones, as it cuts or abrades the
edges of a tool precisely as does a
grndstone or emery. wheel. Gummy
oil is nearly as bad, for it adds to the
friction of the tap and so wastes
power. A "gummed up'' tap or file
is almost useless. If warm soap
suds or benzine will not clean it, COW
er it with turpentine or oil, then
ignite the latter, and when it is burn
ed out, wipe the implement-it will
be found in good order. Do this
out of doors. For finishing files,
this process is said to be very effic-
lent. In filing wrought iron tough
particles of metal often stick in the
fle-teeth producing ugly scratches..on
the work. They can be goa out by
bit of soft iron wire-abOut No. 8,
one end fattened to a chisel-point
and the other placed in handle.
Draw this across this across the face
of the file in the direction of the first
cut teeth. 1t thoroughly dislodges
all snags, and the to d is again ready
for work.
Now, one word about lending
tools, and that is-dont. We know
of nothing more aggravating than to
work nearly whole rainy Saturday
putting tools in order and then be
required to lend one to some shiftless
mortal whom we are sure wilt turn
the edge, knock the handle off, and
probably throw it down wherever he
happens to have used it. Every
machlne-shop contains some good
for-nothing who makes it a business
to pounce on his comrades sharp
tools. AS for his own, every center
drill that can be found in his posses
sion is broken short off; his center
punches are blunt, his files withOu
handles, and his tongs are bent; his
hammers are loose, and his cblsels 6
quarter of an inch thick at the end
There is a filthy mass of greasy
waste, old washers of different size
a lot of old bolts, and piece o
yellow soap daubing everything il
his drawer red lead litters up one
corner, and reversed oil-can drip
ping its contents over everything
aptly represents the character Of th'
man and his ideas-all upside down
To such people tools should neve
be lent, for no man should be obliged
to suffer for another's carelessness.
These are all small things, bu
they are well worthy of attention
The time, trouble, expense and an
noyance saved by having tool
always at hand and ready for u.s.
cannot be lightly estimated = Work
ingnaaR.
SELFISHNESS REBUKED.