The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-01-05
HOW TO BECOME A MECHANIC.


range of mechanics is asked with so
much earnestness and usually receives
30 meagre a reply, as that from the
Young man who asks: How can be
come a good mechanic?' In nearly every
case the young man asking this ques
ton feels that the circumstances sur
rounding him absolutely prohibit the
idea of his attendance at any OF the
technical schools, and in his despair OF
finding any way himself, he turns to the
editor of some mechanical journal. Too
often he is told to read such and such
book, regardless of the fact that the
reading of no one, or a dozen books or
hundred books will make mechanic of
him,
As one who has been compelled to get
all OF his mechanical information with
out personal assistance from any one, 1t
may not be out of place for us to outline
such plans as have been of the most
help to us. The best of all mechanical
educators of today is the mechanical
journal.
Let the young man who wishes to
become mechanic subscribe and pay
for one or two of such journals as have
special bearing upon what he wishes
to learn. We say pay for 1t, because
there is moral influence of having
paid for what he is getting that Will
cause him to obtain more real informa
ton from one journal so obtained than
from dozen which may be given him.
Each number should Oe read carefully
and every article studied 80 thoroughly
as to be certain that there are no points
| Nnr 10 chic oil. naph
statement made should be carefully
compared with everyday experience,
and when items of information are con-
veyed that have no direct relationship
to his present surroundings, he should
enter upon experiments or carefully re
tain the remarks until he can find such
an opportunity. IL is by the careful
comparison of Others statements with
ones own practical experience that the
best and truest knowledge Of mechanics
comes.
Books on various subjects are also OF
great advantage TO the young mechanic,
10 fact, they become a necessity II he
wishes to develop far in mechanical
science. but as great number OF MINDS
are wiser than any one mind, so Is the
technical journal, which is the reflex OF
many minds, better than the book
which is the reflex of only one mind.
On the practical side Of the question
the young mechanic should carefully
study the machine with which he comes
in daily contact. A long time spent in
study of single machine may seem
like a waste of time to the beginner, but
if he thoroughly understands but one
machine he has travelled a long road to-
ward the comprehension of al! ma
chimes.
By the understanding of machine is
meant, not only understanding how II
operates but how it is made, the thick
ness and kind of metal, the size OF bolts
the proportions and general arrange
ment of parts. The best way to &c
about the study of machine is 70 care
fully make a set of drawings of it, let
ting everything in the drawing be ol
the exact size and proportion that 1t Ii
in the actual machine,
Having made this drawing, the nex'
study, and one that will give the test tC
native ability,is to locate in the machine
the amount, kind and direction of the
strains that come upon it when in ope-
ration, and see if the proportions are ir
true relationship to these strains. II he
finds in his work what are apparent
weaknesses in the machine, let him
then carefully watch the machine in
operation with every nerve on the alert
and see if he can detect these as actua
weaknesses.
II this work is made and studied out
faithfully without the assistance OF any
one, it will be of vastly more benefit &c
him than anything he could possibly
learn in a college. Having extracted
all the Information possible from the
first machine. let him take another of 9
somewhat different class and go through
it in the same way.
A comparison of the strains and pro
portions in one machine to the straln'
and proportions in the other will give
him some idea of the latitude exercised
by designers. If the young man ha'
the true mechanical instinct this inves-
tigatIon will have an absorbing Interest
to him and he will see wide vista OIL
thought opening up before his mind
which in after years will bring fortf
good fruit.
Such work in not impossible nor ever
hard for the young man who has L
work ten hours a day for his living. Il
he mas any real desire, real ambition tC
become a good mechanic, his spare mo
ments, morning, noon and night, will b'
turned upon his investigations, anc
even in 30 short a time as few month";
he will find that he has made wonderful
progress.
The watchword of advance is think
Think in all times and places. Remem
Der that on9 hours earnest though
upon a subject on which you have beer
reading is worth ten extra hours o
reading upon it. The mechanic witt
will persistently study and think on HI
business will not down. He will GER
tainly come to the front, even thougl
he were confined within the walls Of
prison. Wood and Iron.