Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-17
Boys Tools and How to Use Them.

The first thing is to have good tools, even
if you DOM have 80 many of them. Sd Tar
as | know, these boys tOole," so-called,
are poor things Get one or two things at a
time, and you will have quite stock before
long. Ii you can afford it, or your father
can give it, have good bench. suited to your
height. A cabinet-maker's bench is most
convenient for an amateurs work, but it Is
more expensive than a common bench.
Having your tools, take good care OF them
IF you do this, most of them will last you a
lifetime. If you keep your tools in a box,
be sure to put them away when done using
them. If you have no box, have some place
Tor each tool, and keep it in its place. Hang
up your saws, put chisels and gouges and
avis in their respective racks, and let your
planes rest on little ledge to keep the iron
from touching.
Get into the good graces of some carpenter,
and watch him at his work. If you manage
1t right, most likely he will give you good
many hints, and even, perhaps, help you
little. He can tell you about the different
kinds of wood best suited to various purposes
" hen your tools need grinding you had bet
ter hire him to do 1t Tor you-there Is more
in right grinding than perhaps you imagine.
but, alter all, you will learn the most by
practice Remeu, Der to work slowly. You
cannot dash of good work If you get IN a
hurry you will be almost sure to mar or even
spoil what you are making. Many time
nave forgotten myself and sawed too wide,
1T cut too deep, and my work was injured OF
spoiled Aud remember, too, to think what
YOU are about. l used to have the run OF a
sash aud blind factory once Tor any work |
wanted to do. There was man there whose
business was to do the saving; he would
nave sometimes hundreds OF pieces OF gwen
length to get out. Ii he had not taken care
ne would have wasted great deal OF mate
rial. But his rule was, Measure twice
eiore YOU cut once.'' This is a good rule
for you.
1 should advise you to attempt only simple
| things at first; in that way you can work
up to more elaborate things afterward. But
simple things don't mean little things. You
Will tind 1t much easier to work on things o
tar s,ze than on little bothersome nothings.
But whatever you begin, little or big, com-
plete It, Don't have hall a dozen untin shed
things about your stop. As rule, don t
b GIN something new while you have another
piece OF work ON your hands. And finish
hat you make in the other sense OF the
word, !. e.. let IL be smooth, the joints close,
he corners true. A little paint, sand-paper,
oil, sheilas, and varnish, are great btautiters
Perhaps, now, you would like me to give
you list OF necessary tools before close
ny let ct You will want two planes, a
ok and smoothing plane cut-of, rip.
aud a tendon saw; chlsels and gonges of va
rious sizes; brace and a set OF bits glm-
ct or two; two or three avis; hammer
and mallet, screw-drlver, square, d try
quare (you will netd to use this constantly
II you wait to make good work } a foot-rule,
i pair OF pliers, and an oii-stone. 1t is well
TO have a jolntlng plane TOO, but not abso-
utely necessary, except Tor large work. You
can work with lever tools than | have men-
Ioned here, but not very conveniently.
There are other things it will be handy to
have as you can get them, but this will make
d very fair working stock.-Christian Week
Ly.