Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-20
PINT AND sKIFF.

for the physical benefit derived from ii, but
still more because of the practical values of the
exercise Of inventive, creative and formative
talent, especially among people like ours, to
whom ii is impossible to make anything with
out at least endeavoring to improve upon their
models.
USE OF TOOLS.
Nine men out Of ten have an innate conf
dence that they can use carpenters tools,
whethey Their have ever tried to do so or not
II is not until one has made the attempt that
he realizes the almost unconquerable tendency
OF a saw to squirm away from a straight line
through board; of plane to make surfaces
rougher instead Of smoother; of an auger to
bore crooked holes. Let us suppose that he
has gone well beyond that documentary knowl-
edge; that he has a good stock of tools and is
disposed to make worthy use of them as a mat
ter of recrea ton. What shall he construct?
MAKING A PUNT.
Why, II he has any water to float it in when
it is done, there is nothing in the making of
which he will be likely to have a deeper in
terest and from which, when it is made, he will
derive more pleasure-proportionate to the
effort for Its attainment-than a boat. What
sort of a boat? The punt" is the thing to
commence on It will not be difficult to build,
viii cost very little in either materials, time
labor and you will almost love it If you are
fond of fishing. Obtain two sound and clear
pine boards, smoothly planed, sixteen feet long,
hfteen inches wide and three-quarters of an
nch thick Lay one on your bench and mark
1t like diagram T.
! The distance between and will be 16 feet;
between A and b, inches; from c to C, feet
Saw your board out to the shape indicated by
black lines, round the angles at G to gentle,
easy curve, and smooth the edge accurately
with the plane. Now lay the board so finished
upon the other, scribe off its exact shape and
finish up the second board SO as to be precisely
like the first. From inch plank, sixteen
wide, cut outs piece shaped like the diagramX.
ITS LENGTH
must be feet on the upper edge and feet
inches at the bottom of the bevel. The small
projections at the ends of the lower edge are
to aid in setting it correctly in the middle of
the long planks, across them, where the dotted
line ID ID appears in the 7 diagram. Nail it in
place there, not for permanency, however.
Now the long planks and the short one, looked
upon from above, will resemble lanky letter
T. Cut two pieces of oak or ash 8 feet long
and inches wide and an inch thick and give
TO their ends the same bevel that you have
given to the piece of plank temporarily nailed
In the middle. These are the end pieces. Put
them IN position and by means of ropes draw
In the euds of the side planks, springing them
exactly together, SO that they will fit perfectly.
Now fasten the end pieces permanently by
means Of long screws and the frame of your
punt" will look Like diagram z.
FITTING THE END PIECES
II You have bored the holes for your screws
in advance, and done SO correctly, the work of
fitting the end pieces will be easier. The flare
of your side boards will have made bevel on
their edges, which you must plane away cor
recting them by straight edge" until their
edge surfaces are parallel and smoothly level
Cut smooth and join your bottom boards so
chat they will ut very closely. If you will take