The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-01-30
TOPICS FOR THE FARM

The Farm Workshop.-The stormy
and inclement weather of winter gives
capital chance for the farmer to re-
pair many of his dilapidated tools, and
to make many new ones of simple con-
struction within the reach of small
means and a little ingenuity.
The boys, too, are always delighted
to help at any job of this kind; it gives
them a change they relish, and sets
them thinking about other trades than
their own. The writer is familiar with
several farmers who keep small forge,
and can set horseshoe when in hurry,
and even set tire on wagon wheel, if
need be, and who are always ready to
put new bolt in the wagon or the plow
whenever wanted. OF course the num-
Der of such ingenious farmers is few;
they generally drift into other trades;
but there are endless small jobs about
any large farm that require compare
lively little skill or ingenuity to dis
patch in a style as good for all practical
uses as if done by professional me-
chanic. r
The wood bench should be well pro-
vided with good tools of the more com
mon sorts, such as three or four saws, a
brace and set of bits, few files of diff
fereht sizes, three planes, jack, a
joiner apd smoothing plane, drawing
knife and spokeshave, two screw-driv-
ers, a dozen gimlets and half-dozen
avis, strong wooden wise and another
of iron, a dozen chisels and half a
dozen gouges.
With these tools, costing only few
dollars, the farmer can make many OF
the. simple wooden tools of the farm,
such as snow-shovels and scrapers,
beetles for splitting logs, drag or har-
row for leveling the land, and many
other things that will readily suggest
themselves to the careful husbandman
Then, if one has a saddler's wise and
few waxed ends, he can very easily
mend up broken harness, or, if he has
not the patience for this, he can al
least repair damages by few copper
rivets and a punch, which should al
ways be on hand for this purpose; il
) takes but moment to make a good
strong splice with a rivet, and fol
rough work it will answer every pur
pose. There is nothing handler than
few coils of copper and iron wire of diff
ferent sizes, and pair of pliers to US
) them with; for attaching labels t.
trees, eradicating borers from apple ant
peach trees, mending broken tool
handles and many other uses, a bit O
wire is invaluable, and if the boys hav
a key to the shop they will soon lear
how to make a rabbit snare out of fin
piece of copper wire that will alway
!, tell; in fact, the boys will appreciat
, the shop thoroughly, and evenlif the
: do leave things in disorder sometimes
y and often break tool, they will gai
|, in practical knowledge of mechanic
far more than they destroy, and wi
find useful occupation for many a
, hour which might be otherwise lost i
a idleness or mischief.
There are a few owners of larg
= farms who have natural gift for sue
: things who will find it worth while
build a forge and do considerabl
" smiths work on the farm. There
y great convenience in it to one who is {
n distance from any smithy, and thel
y is great fascination in working
IS metals for those who have patience an
i skill for such things, but it is a goo
r deal more of trade than many SUI
O pose, requiring considerable practice
q be proficient in it, and most farme
,s will only find it useful to have goe
: wise, small anvil, and few bolts al
" rivets of different sizes to do cold wol
o with, such as mending hoop on
4 washtub, etc., ......... s..-...