: any SN Os SX TY PB THE AUTHOR “GZ dome in the Lathe : : SRS hissing UI ee ee tae Ses ee, OC HANDBOOK OF TURNING. “ Centurer seniorum agitant expertia frugis : Celsi preetereunt austera poemata rhamnes. | Omne tulit punctum gui miscuit utile dulci, Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo.” Hor. Ars Port. THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING: CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS IN CONCENTRIC, ELLIPTIC, AND ECCENTRIC TURNING; ALSO VARIOUS {plates of Chucks, Tools, & Tnstruments ; AND DIRECTIONS FOR USING THE ECCENTRIC CUTTER, DRILL, VERTICAL CUTTER, AND CIRCULAR REST; WITH PATTERNS, AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKING THEM. LONDON: SAUNDERS & OTLEY, CONDUIT STREET. 1852. TO THE EARL OF CRAVEN. My Lorp, In offering this little Work to your Lordship, I beg to acknowledge with gratitude the kind manner in which you consented to my wish of dedicating it to you; and I feel confident that it cannot be presented to the notice of the Public more favourably than under the sanction of your name. Allow me to subscribe myself, Your Lordship’s Obliged and humble servant, THE AUTHOR. March, 1842. | CONTENTS. Preface . ee. History of the Lathe Arc patterns described . . . . » how worked . -——-———, observations upon . PmbeeinesG G6 1 kl Balls, how turned cans Balls and hollow spheres . Black dye for ivory . Bleaching ivory . Boring collars Boring tools . ; -, how to use properly . ete ys kk v1 CONTENTS. Brass wheel Box, how made . , how polished . —— lined with orange-peel . — tortoiseshell Catgut, advantage of Cement for ivory for turners . Circular rest . Baye ott ae Circles, how to begin . with Eccentric chuck Chain Chisels . Chucks . pee: , to make in wood . — , choice of wood for ——, centering wood for ... . ——— for work . ——-—,, traversing . , how to use Copper tools . Drill , shape and uses bmn , description of tools Meyers to “3 Eccentric turning ‘ cutter described , its uses . , its tonks yeas CONTENTS. Eccentric cutter patterns . ———————— . chuck —_——————., how to use , patterns cutter and chuck united . patterns worked with them . pillars . Elliptic machine . Flowers turned in ivory Glue, to make , touse . Goneometer Gouge . Hand saw tS ae Handles oftools. . ... . Holly used for ivory Hook and eye, how to use Impressions of turning patterns . Ivory preferable to wood . , how to polish ——, proper tools for turning ——,, to cleanse from grease , to dye red , to dye black . Lathes... eae at ; metallic and wooden . , construction of , proper situation for . PmOMGer CAE 5. st. tee vil PAGE . 108 Vlil CONTENTS. Lining patterns . . . o . stp bye pate eae Lines in ivory filled with ie Me ce ee Mandrel descrihed. . . . cso wb jae a Mastic, for turning ivory. thin) 25 3 san een , to cleanse the ivory from. . . .. . »« . 185 Milling tools... 01:6 0 <0 eager Moulding tools... .. 00) (> cw Ue ie ee Needle cases ... «2s 10. + © yo, 6 e eet ne Overhead frame... 2 is (2 6 j« Qe ee Ornamented stoppers... .2 1. J. is -« ¢n nese aes Parallel rest... 2 16... Ye OS ae a —, how to use .. .. 6 is 1+ 76s 40 nr , to move for side work .. .. .. . .. ..) en Pen-holder .. .. .. a: .8 co ula ee, a estate nee Point tools... 1+ 1. .« le = ce luo Seen eile nea Polishing soft wood _. ...)4 i+ [> Jn) Sue eiann nee hard wood .... ,. .<) i (ysl alno sienna tortoiseshell — .... /.::) julie) =e een Printing in the lathe .. .. .. «|: Payige gene Puppet...) ip is le ye) ce as) ele elena Rest eb. i. » align Dele een Regulating the stink a ge @. esi Gla ee Right-side tools. .. .. «2 2 j= yl ge sn Rings, tomake. . . . ~ sigh g eee gid Snuff box, lined with kavtatentvatie + cat be cee ae eer SAWS ss ee ce oe cp am eg ete ps Seraping tool. . + ue js @ [eae een eh rr , tools for cutting. . |. |. S06 Gs CONTENTS. 1X REO ct ek ke ws wg ALD BERT CtRE eo fe lt lt ew ww OD INTE gc. l,l k lt lw lw ww AL MCR tee a ht es 8 ee) gl lw el OO BOB eG , Me es ts 6 ie ey Le , proper ened to es St ioe ee ed PAN ok IE MGs ese kt kw lw we Pee he ek tl ww ww AOS Bewersromereemgral 6. 5 a ww lk lw tl ge OD CNC ie es gk welt ww OL PIMORMTIT OURO SG Ore ge kw a fy LOT Turning patterns . . Gee ces «OO; DURE AT Twisted pillar, support for LSS ae Pgs. See Ee, RARER as Sk te le ete ce FD I i ee auf Warnish usedinthe lathe. . ........ .. 186 ECE SI 0 Re Se er (Miele 5 ey pe A S| ————, toimitatemahogany ......... 89 CIO 3 tk tt kt | fe ——___———- yellow... ........ 44 eee lack www le tl tl el ll 44 SLES oy ey A Se a 2 BARU MN a st el tt te ae PREFACE. THE primary object of the author in offering the HANDBOOK OF TURNING to the notice of the public, is the hope of explaining, in a clear, concise, and intelligible manner, the rudiments of this beautiful art; an art immortalized by the pen of Virgil, practised by the Greeks and Romans, and, as we are told, still existing in those exquisite chef d’ceuvres of former years, so much admired and sought after in our century. A short treatise on this subject is much wanted, and the author has endeavoured to give Xi PREFACE. such correct and comprehensive information as will, he hopes, render the following pages use- ful as a book of practical instruction to the beginner, and of reference to those already advanced in the: study of this beautiful science. The activity of mind requisite for the attain- ment of perfect success in all the various branches of Turning, by exercising the inventive and reflective powers, cannot fail of producing a beneficial effect on the character of youth, which must prove a lasting advantage; and the minute accuracy necessary for handling the tools, serves to confirm a steadiness of sight and hand that must, in after years, and in other branches of science, be highly appreciated. From a long experience in the endless sources | of interest and occupation, derivable from this pleasing and salutary employment, the author feels assured that whoever has once patience PREFACE. Xi. and perseverance to overcome -the first difficul- ties, will speedily, like himself, become an enthusiast in the art. And why should not our fair countrywomen. participate in this amuse- ment? Do they fear it is too masculine and laborions for a female hand? If so, that anxiety is easily removed; the rough work can be executed by any carpenter, and when once pre- pared, what occupation can be more interesting and elegant than ornamenting wood or ivory in delicate and intricate patterns, and imitating, with the aid of the lathe, the beautiful Chinese carving, so much and so justly admired ; besides, the taper: fingers of the fair sex are far better suited than a man’s heavier hand, to produce the requisite lightness: and clearness of effect. To our charitable countrywomen, who employ so much of their time in raising funds for the diffusion of Christianity in far distant lands, for X1V PREFACE. freeing those wretched captives who linger in the bonds of slavery so abhorrent to the British mind, and for augmenting the comforts of the poor in our own happy land, the lathe will prove a most useful auxiliary, as well as to those who are anxious to bestow beautiful and cherished remembrances on absent friends. Another very forcible argument in favour of the amusement of Turning being cultivated by the ladies and gentlemen of our free and inde- pendent country, and one which will, I am sure, plead most strongly with all parents and guar- dians, is, that all occupations within doors being — usually of a sedentary nature, the exercise at- tendant upon the use of the lathe must prove highly beneficial to health; and one moment’s reflection will point out the incalculable advan- tage to be derived from instilling the love of useful employment in every youthful mind; or, PREFACE. XV when freed from the irksomeness of graver study, may they not seek companions and pur- suits to whom they would ever have remained strangers, had their idle hours not hung heavy on their hands? Should this little work prevail upon any of my readers to commence the study of this truly beautiful science, and should the occupation, as no doubt it must, prove a source of pleasure by adding to their amusement, it will amply repay the labour it has required, and bestow sincere gratification on the Author. HISTORY OF THE LATHE. “The pride of arts from fair Ambition springs, And blooms secure beneath her fostering wings.” {, MONG all the many descriptions . of the varied, beautiful, and useful inventions that owe their discovery and_perfec- tion to’the genius and hand of man, inventions that in so wonderful a degree assist and facilitate the operations of the me- chanic, no one has ever written the history of the Lathe. It seems strange that, in a land where mechanism is carried to its greatest extent, where science of every kind is fostered and encouraged, the beautiful machinery, the easy management and wonderful precision obtained by the aid of the Lathe, have never yet, in our language, found a pen willing to describe them. And yet, to the HISTORY OF THE LATHE. XVil architect, the mathematician, the astronomer, and the natural philosopher, Turning is as use- - ful, nay, indispensable, as to the watchmaker, the goldsmith, the joiner, and the smith. And it is not by these alone that its powers are appre- ciated; many of those who, by birth, station, and riches, are not in a situation to require its aid in their scientific and mechanical operations, still find this art, from its great simplicity, from the perfect ease and accuracy with which the most delicate and intricate workmanship is per- formed, the agreeable occupation it gives to the mind, and the beauty, elegance, and utility of its products, one of the most interesting and healthful that can be followed. The treasures of all lands are converted into various and beautiful articles by the aid of the Lathe. Gold and silver, brass, iron, and copper, —the magnificent trees that grow in the deep B XVill HISTORY OF THE LATHE. forests of the West, and those that flourish on the burning plains of Africa—the ivory obtained from the tusks of the elephant and hippopota- mus,—the coal, jet, alabaster, and marble, dug from the bowels of the earth—are all of the greatest value to the turner. A kind of cocoa nut has also lately been brought from the West Indies, which, being hard, white, and tough, renders it excellent for working in the Lathe; when polished, it has the appearance of a sub- stance between ivory and mother-of-pearl. To the Greeks and Romans (for the exact place of its origin is not known) the invention of this ingenious machine is ascribed; and — though, doubtless, in our time it has been greatly improved and _ perfected, still the ancients, to whom we owe so much, first dis- covered and used it; and by them its powers were so well appreciated, that we are told it HISTORY OF THE LATHE. Xix became a proverb among them, to say anything was formed in the Lathe, to express its justness and accuracy. The Greek and Latin authors frequently mention it in ee writings, but they have not clearly handed down to posterity the name of the first inventor; indeed, on this point there are many and varied opinions. The Sicilian historian, Diodorus Siculus, informs us, that the first person who made use of the Lathe was a nephew of Deedalus, by some authors named Talus, by others Perdix. This youth, we are told, invented the saw, compasses, and other - mechanical instruments; and to him we possibly are indebted for the Lathe also, for we are told, in ancient mythological history, so great were his ingenuity and talent for invention, that his genius soon surpassed even that of his uncle, who, enraged at his celebrity, and jealous of his xX HISTORY OF THE LATHE. rising fame, scrupled not to sacrifice him to his feelings of rage and hatred; some say he was poisoned; others, that he was precipitated from a high tower in the citadel of Athens; and the same authors assure us he was changed into a partridge. Pliny, however, (and his words are great authority,) ascribes the invention of the Lathe to Theodore, of Samos, an artist who discovered the method of melting iron, of which he made statues. ‘The same author also mentions a man of the name of Thericles, who was celebrated for his dexterity in Turning; and Virgil says— ‘‘Lenta quibus torno facili superaddita vitis.” These testimonies of ancient poets and his- torians conjoined, prove it to be an art of the greatest antiquity. Cicero also mentions it; and it is affirmed that, with this machine, the HISTORY OF THE LATHE. Xxi Greeks and Romans turned all kinds of urns and vases, and adorned them with ornaments in basso relievo. If to Turning we really owe those treasures of other days which are found buried among the ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii —treasures so valued by the antiquary as a memorial of former ages; by the lover of the fine arts as beautiful and graceful additions to his cabinet of curiosities; and by the rich and opulent as ornaments superior to any that modern hands can produce;—surely we must confess the workmanship of the lathes of our times is not to be compared with that performed by the more simple machinery of centuries ago. It seems, indeed, almost miraculous, that the beautiful figures and elegant and graceful de- signs here spoken of should be produced by a potter’s wheel,—so was the Lathe anciently denominated; but the testimonies of so many XXil1 HISTORY OF THE LATHE. learned historians agree in declaring that to its aid we owe those exquisite productions, that it is impossible for even the most sceptical to deny it. Before we quit what may not unaptly be denominated the romance of the history of the Lathe, we will add, that the saw, which we have already said was invented by Talus, is supposed to have been first made by him in imitation of either the jaw-bone of a snake, or else the back- bone of a fish; and in a painting still preserved among the antiquities of Herculaneum, is a saw exactly resembling our frame saw, with which two genii are dividing a piece of wood. It is, however, certain, that could these Roman and Grecian artificers see a modern Lathe, examine its complex yet beautiful me- ’ chanism, and the almost endless additions and improvements it has undergone since the days ~ of Virgil and Pliny, they would hardly recognise ~ HISTORY OF THE LATHE, XXlil it in its more finished state, and would be much puzzled to discover in what manner to manage its machinery. Among the numerous apparatus adjusted to it is a machine, by the aid of which medallions have been executed; and in the British Museum is a profile in basso relievo of Sir Isaac Newton, wholly worked in the Lathe; but how different from the Turning of the ancients! The medallion machine requires much labour and very expensive apparatus, while the potter’s wheel cannot have possessed much mechanism or great quantities of tools, most of those now in use being unknown in former days. Having now established the great antiquity of the Lathe as a useful and classical employment, we will briefly mention a few of the improve- ments it has undergone in latter years. The potter’s wheel is, of all Lathes, the most simple ; XXIV HISTORY OF THE LATHE. it merely consists of an iron beam, or axis, ae small wooden wheel placed on the beam, and a 4 larger one fastened to the end of the same beam, which turns by a pivot on an iron stand. With this simple contrivance the workman still forms the body of the vessel of clay, but never attempts to turn the handles, feet, mouldings, or ornaments. In latter years, various and important tools and improvements have been made; chucks have been invented, which enable the turner to accomplish with speed and | facility an almost innumerable variety of circles, lines, ellipses, and arcs, all so delicate and true in their form and design, that they cannot fail exciting the admiration and wonder of all who contemplate them. The screw, also, once a formidable difficulty to the uninitiated, is now rendered perfectly easy of execution by means of the traversing mandrel; those, too, who are : | | 4 | HISTORY OF THE LATHE. XXV very learned in this art, can, out of a piece of ivory or mother-of-pearl, produce in the Lathe _ beautiful brooches, ear-rings, and studs, worked in raised flowers; chess-men in imitation of carving, and ornamented vases full of detached flowers; while fluted and spiral columns, delicate mouldings, and fanciful beadings, are of com- paratively easy execution. To form patterns upon wood or ivory, various descriptions of chucks are employed; one Lathe serves for all, as they are made to screw on to the nose of the mandrel. By the aid of the concentric or common chuck, every article you turn is circular; the lines forming the circle are enlarged or decreased as the tool approaches or recedes from the axis. The oval chuck, as its name signifies, works designs of an oval or spherical shape; the eccentric turns patterns of a circular form, but its peculiar properties XXV1 HISTORY OF THE LATHE. enable the workman to alter the centre of his” work at pleasure; the geometric and compound eccentric produce beautiful geometric and carved designs; the oblique and the epicycloidal also turn curious and intricate patterns, and the straight line chuck performs all its work in | direct lines. These are the chucks most in use, but many of them are expensive and compli- cated, and they only execute the ornamental work; the shape and size of the object are accomplished by the Lathe, without any aid but that of a common chuck and common tools. The curious and varied mechanism of the above-mentioned chucks are truly wonderful, and the patterns they perform very beautiful; one of peculiar form, and exceedingly intricate, has been invented for bankers’ cheques, to pre- vent forgery. ‘There are also two rests, which are necessary appendages to them; the sliding HISTORY OF THE LATHE. XXVil rest, that moves in a direct line at any angle, and the circular rest, which enables the turner to ornament balls, spheres, and round objects. We must not omit, too, to mention the eccen- tric cutter, the drill, and the universal cutter, all exceedingly useful, and enabling the turner to execute a great variety of designs and pat- terns. The rose engine, also, is much admired for all kinds of ornamental work, but it is very expensive; and new inventions are daily adding to the machinery of the Lathe, and rendering its powers more extensive. The wonderful discovery of voltaic electri- city, by which copper plates, plaster casts, wood engravings, and medals may be copied, can also be applied in various ways to Turning, either in wood or ivory. For instance, by its aid a wooden thimble may be changed into the re- semblance of gold, or a box take the appearance XXVIIl HISTORY OF THE LATHE. of silver; thus, while your work retains its first beauty and delicacy, the material is apparently of much value. It would be going beyond the bounds of a work on Turning to give any directions for this transmutation, particularly as there are so many already published on the subject. We must also add, that by a careful and steady management, the drill may be made almost to take the place of the graver; by hold- ing a plate of copper steadily against it, and using various tools, (not letting the Lathe go too -quick,) portraits and landscapes can be executed for printing. Having now finished this short sketch, which we hope will not be unacceptable to our readers, and will, perhaps, induce them to follow this interesting and healthful occupation, we must beg that those who peruse “The Handbook of Turning,” and follow the directions it contains, HISTORY OF THE LATHE. XXIX will not be daunted by the first difficulties that assail them, but will patiently persevere till ex- perience enables them to overcome and vanquish them, remembering that— ‘‘ The wise and active conquer difficulties, By daring to attempt them. Sloth and folly Shiver and shrink at sight of toil and hazard, And make th’ impossibility they fear.” LIST OF TOOLS NECESSARY Gouges. Chisels, Scrapers. Side tools. Point tools. Moulding tools. Inside tools. Planes. Drills. Hatchet. Mallet. Hammer. Files. Vice. Hand Vice. Gimlets. Saws. FOR TURNING. Screw-driver. Pincers. Compasses. Rule. Callipers. T square. Brace and Bits. Screw tools. Milling tools. Oil-can. Glue-pot. Sand Paper. Chalk. Glue. Isinglass. Pumice Stone. Nails. THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. Tue Machines used for Turning, whether round or oval objects, are called Lathes; they are of various shapes and sizes; some very small, as those generally used by watchmakers; others very large and powerful, for turning iron; and others, the kind I am going to de- scribe, of a middling size, for fashioning wood and ivory. The large Lathes being too heavy to be worked with the foot, are usually turned by a steam-engine, but the foot-Lathe is the oe THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. most convenient for the turner in wood; it may be made of iron or wood: if of the latter, it should be constructed entirely of very hard, well-seasoned oak, or of mahogany. ‘There are various opinions respecting the advantages and disadvantages of metallic and wooden Lathes; in the former it is impossible to obviate an elastic tremor, which is unpleasant and inju- rious; but then, on the other hand, they are so much more durable and compact; and they enable you to perform your work with so much more accuracy and exactitude, that they are, on the whole, perhaps, to be preferred. The drawing given in Plate 1 will serve as a pattern for either an iron or a wooden Lathe; but as the workman could construct the latter for himself, we will suppose the description we are about to give relates to a wooden one. The bed of the Lathe, BB, may be of any ig Bae THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 3 length required, and is firmly fastened with bolts to the uprights o 0, which form the legs of ie Lathe, and to which the bed is strongly attached by bolts passing through both; while the nuts that draw them tight, being what is called countersunk, are of no inconvenience to the workman. The feet and the two uprights must also be firmly fastened to the legs 00, and to prevent the least unsteadiness or motion, they must be screwed strongly to the floor, and must be of a sufficient size to form a solid sup- port to the Lathe. The left hand puppets, cD, or, as they are sometimes called, the headstock, should be of iron, and cast in one piece. The under part ~ fits tightly into the open space in the bed of the Lathe, and is fixed there with screws; while the two cheeks of the puppets rest on the bed itself. ‘The mandrel 5, to prevent, as much as C 4 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. you can, any vibration, should be as long as possible ; it runs in a metal collar, through the puppets cp, and is of steel, turned perfectly cylindrical; it is kept constantly oiled, by pour- ing a few drops of oil upon it through holes made in each of the puppets. The screw, 8, at the end, is called the nose of the spindle, and upon it the chucks intended to receive the work are screwed. The back puppet, G, is used to support long pieces of wood; it is moved backwards and forwards on the bed of the Lathe, so as to suit the work upon which you are occupied, by loosening the screw, L; within the upper part of @ is a steel spindle, 3, which screws in and out of the headstock, by turning the screw, K. Care must be taken that the point of this spindle be exactly on a line with the nose of the mandrel, x. The point, J, takes out, and another nose, L, can be inserted in its a a THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING, 5 place, to receive the pointed end of any small work, should it be more convenient. Upon the spindle is a brass or a mahogany wheel, F; it has three grooves in it, and the great wheel, x, has three similar grooves turned in a V, so as more effectually to take hold of the band which moves them round. ‘The three different grooves in this wheel, and in the small one, give different velocities to them. The band which turns them is made of strong cat- gut, and passes under the lower and over the upper wheel, working in the corresponding grooves of each; it is joined with a hook and eye of iron, that have ascrewin them. Slightly taper off with a sharp penknife a little of each end of the catgut, so that it will just enter the hook and eye; then hold the band firmly in a vice with your left hand, and with your right take up the hook or eye in a pair of 6 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. pincers, and screw it upon the catgut till quite frm. This is a far better means of joining the band than any other that can be employed, as the hooks and eyes seldom give way, and obviate the necessity of knots or joins, which are always clumsy and inconvenient. Cord, too, gives way with the variations of the atmosphere, so that it constantly requires shortening in dry, and lengthening in rainy weather; catgut is so slightly influenced by these changes, that its use is far preferable. The treadle, n, when moved up and down with the foot, gives motion to the two wheels, and thus the spindle, with the wood to be worked screwed upon it, is turned round with a quick or slow movement. The axle of the great wheel, s, works in two screws, a; the crank, m, is connected at one end with the axle, s, and at the other hooks into the treadle frame, N. Plenty of oil should be given : : THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. “§ to the axle at Q, to enable it to work easily. The rest which supports thé tools is represented at Fig. 1, and mM; it is made of iron, and con- sists of three parts; the lower has a forked foot, T, which rests upon the bed of the Lathe, and enables it to be drawn backwards and forwards, so as to accommodate the workman; this foot is held in its place by a bolt, o, which, passing through the bed of the Lathe, is sufficiently broad to rest upon each side of the foot, T, and is tightened by a screw that passes underneath the Lathe, p, through which it passes; the upper part of the rest is a cross piece of iron, with a cylindrical stem, that fits into the socket, u, and is moved up and down, to the right or the left, by loosening the screw, H. ‘The workman should have rests of different sizes, to suit various kinds of work, but they must all fit into the same socket. 8 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. Having now given a clear description of a Lathe, I need only add, that it should be placed opposite a window, so as to have the benefit of as much light as possible; a skylight above the head is also a great advantage. As it is indis- pensably necessaiy for the learner to exercise himself in plain turning, that is, in the formation of different articles, so as to be able to turn them perfectly round, oval, or hollow, as re- quired, before attempting more difficult and complicated work, we will now give a list of the most useful tools for this purpose. For wood, the gouge, Fig. 1, plate 1, is first to be employed, to reduce the unevenness of your work; its edge is rounded. To use it, place the rest on a level with the axis of the work, and hold the handle of the tool downwards, so that its cutting edge is above the axis. ‘These tools are useful for making concave mouldings, Ee THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 9 In using them, do not push them roughly against the wood till it becomes tolerably even, or you will spoil their edge, and chip the work: and hold your hands very steady. The chisel, Fig. 2, is next used, to give a smooth and polished appearance to the wocd. Its cutting edge is oblique. Elevate the rest considerably above the axis of the work, so that, though held with a less inclination than the gouge, the edge of the chisel operates on a higher part of the surface. Use this tool at first with great caution, for it is much more difficult to manage than the gouge; with an in- experienced hand the point is apt to dig into the wood, quite spoiling its surface, or else by pressing it too firmly upon the work, it cuts off great pleces in an uneven manner, When skilfully used, it should feel almost to work by itself, merely running steadily along the 10 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. wood, shaving off all its inaccuracies, and making it look quite bright, smooth, and polished. All soft woods are entirely turned with the gouge and chisel, of both of which you must have several sizes. Fig. 3 is called a right-side tool, and has two cutting edges, a side edge, and an end edge: so as at the same time to cut the bottom and side of a cavity. The left-side tool cuts with the opposite side. In using them, hold the bevel which forms the edge downwards. Fig. 4 is a point tool, useful for making small mouldings, and much employed in finishing the shoulders and flat ends of work. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, are inside tools, used to turn out hollows; also to make cups, and various other articles. Fig. 10 is a parting tool, used to cut off work, and to make incisions. THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. ll Fig. 11 is used exclusively for very hard woods, as cocoas and ebony, which chip if attempted to be smoothed with a chisel; also for turning ivory, bone, or jet; one side and the end are sharp. This tool is very strong, and requires some practice to use it well. Be very careful in sharpening it to keep the front edge quite straight, or else, in hollowing out boxes, the inner sides will not be turned out evenly; that is, one part will be thinner than another. This tool is held flat upon the rest, which must be on a level with the axis of the work, or some- times the tool, by raising the handle, may be lowered so as just to scrape the wood. It is frequently called a graver; in turning metals, it is the tool first used. Copper and brass are easy to turn, and in case of necessity, it is useful to have the proper tools, and to know how to manage them. 12 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING, These tools are all indispensably necessary to the turner, and he should exercise himself con- stantly in their use; for until he becomes quite master of them, he will injure, spoil, chip, and destroy whatever he attempts to turn. Figs. 12 and 13 are very useful to make mouldings of various kinds. The handles of the tools must be made of very hard wood, and it is a great convenience to have them all of nearly the same size; for the hand, getting accustomed to them, manages them with more facility. Drive the tool firmly into the handle, and hold it there by a broad brass ring, as in No. 1. 7 To keep the tools in good order, that is, pro- — perly ground and sharp, demands great atten- tion. If they become chipped, grind them even on a grindstone, taking care that the BEVELS retain their proper angles. To avoid spoiling THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. ies their edges, and to enable you to have them always near at hand, a rack perforated with holes, into which they can slip, is very useful. This rack may be fastened against the wall, near the lathe. A screw-driver, two or three different-sized gimlets, and nails of various kinds, must always form part of the turner’s tool-box; also some files, and a hand-vice. Before we leave the description of turning tools, we will mention the saw, which is an in- dispensable addition to the tool-box. There are many kinds, but the most useful are the hand- saw, the tenon saw, and the circular saw. The first is about twenty-six inches long, and is generally made with four teeth to an inch. It is used for cutting wood across, and in the direction of its fibres. The teeth at the lower end are smaller than the upper ones, by which means the wood is not so much torn as if the 14 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. teeth were all of an equal size. The tenon saw is used for cutting across the fibres of wood; the smallest saw of this kind is about fourteen inches long, the largest about twenty inches. Circular saws are of all sizes; they are easily fitted up with a spindle, which, being screwed on to the nose of the mandrel, and supported at the other end by the back puppet, enables the workman to turn them by the wheel of the Lathe, while at the same time he holds the wood or ivory firmly against them. Should a larger circular saw be required, it is more ad- visable to fit it up separately from the Lathe, with a frame-work and wheel to itself. Glue, which is very necessary for turners, requires some little care in preparing; it must first be steeped for several hours in cold water to soften it; if it swells without melting, it is good, and must then be dissolved in water; the THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 15 proper quantities are, a quart of water to half a pound of glue. The heat should be just enough to melt it, and the pan in which it is contained must be placed in a larger copper vessel, filled with water; by this means, when the water in the outer pan boils, the glue will be dissolved without any fear of its burning, which would immediately spoil it. When you are going to glue a piece of wood to a chuck, put very little glue thinly and evenly over the surface of the latter, then press the wood upon it firmly, and place a lead weight upon them to unite them perfectly. CHUCKS. The chucks, upon which the material to be turned, whether of wood, ivory, or metal, is always fixed, next demand our attention. They are of every variety of size and form, and 16 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING, are all screwed upon the mandrel of the Lathe. Many are made of brass; others—the most nu- merous, because the turner can make them for himself—are of wood; but these latter should be used soon after they are made; for if not constructed of very dry hard wood, any great variation in the weather will cause them to shrink, and thus the screw becomes slightly _ altered, and will not fit tightly to the neck of | the mandrel. To avoid the expense of having many brass chucks, which would be very great, if we procured them of the size and shape re- quisite for all kinds of work, it is a good plan to have several brass plates made about the size of half-a-crown, plate 2, a, with a screw in them, to fit upon the mandrel, and four screw nails with which to fasten them to wooden chucks of any form. ‘Thus when these chucks are worn out, unscrew the brass plates and screw them on U | sa / d))\ THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 17 £ toothers. In plate 2 are the drawings of several chucks, which are useful for various purposes; they are all made of brass, with a screw that fits upon the mandrel. B is a brass plate, about two inches in diameter; from the middle projects a tapering screw, about half an inch long. This is used to hold anything that is flat, as a stand, or candlestick base, or, with the aid of the back puppet, to support a long piece of wood, while turning down to fit a stronger chuck. For this purpose bore a hole in the wood, and screw it on to the chuck. c is the same shape, but has five iron points projecting from its surface; upon them the wood must be firmly fixed by hammering it on. — It is better to use the back puppet, as the wood is apt to become loosened by a sudden jar, or any un- evenness in the surface. | p is universally useful either for large or 18 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. small pieces of work. The wood or ivory may be turned to the proper size to fit, on the chuck p, and then driven firmly into the hollow cup with a wooden mallet; or a piece of common wood may be made to fit it tightly, and a hole turned in it to hold the object you intend to turn. E is called a ring chuck, and is made of box wood. Drill a hole through the centre, and — then saw it across in six parts. By its being turned smaller at one end than at the other, this . chuck opens at the sawogates ; you then drive on to it with a hammer, a ring of metal, and the — wood inserted in the hole will remain immove- able. F is called a square hole chuck, the hole in — the middle having several drills and bits to use with it, as in 3,4,5,6. is called a die chuck; it is the same in shape as the cup chuck, only — THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 19 not so deep, and it has several screws passing through its sides at equal distances, and meeting in the centre, by which the work is held, so that it serves equally for a large or a small object. H is exactly the same in shape as G; with the addition of an arm, No. 1, the use of which is as follows. If this chuck does not turn the wood round properly, fasten to the latter what is called a carrier, No. 2; the end of which, projecting further than the chuck, rests upon the arm, 1, and causes all to turn together. These appear to us to be the chucks most universally in use for concentric turning; the ordinary ones the turner may make in wood, and those for ornamental work we shall men- tion hereafter. It may, however, be as well to describe the method of making the wood chucks:—Select a D 20 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. piece of close-grained dry wood—box is the best; having taken off the corners and made it tolerably round with a chisel, or a small hatchet, you must then find the centre of the two ends. To do this, lay the piece of wood on a bench; open a pair of compasses to nearly half the diameter of the piece; fix one point of the com- passes firmly in the middle, and with the other draw a circle as near the edge of the wood as you can. If you find the circle is not exact, but further from the edge on one side than the other, alter the position of the compasses, till they become right. Bore a hole in the centre, when found, and screw the wood on to the chuck, B. Place your rest JSacing the work, and cut in the centre of it a hole, the depth and NEARLY the size of the screw on the nose of the mandrel, This done, take the piece of wood off the brass chuck, and fasten it firmly in a a ae ae THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. vA vice; then screw into the hole a rap, which has been made on purpose to fit the screw of the mandrel. This tap cuts a thread as you turn it round in the hole, so that when you unscrew it, you have only to screw the wood to the nose of the mandrel, taking care to make it fit quite close to the shoulder; it must then be turned quite round and smooth with the gouge and chisel, and the face of it also perfectly flat, which is seen by holding against it the flat part of the T square, plate 1, rn. If the square touches all the face of the chuck, it is ready to receive the wood; but if you can in any part see the light between them, take the chisel and smoothe it over again. The chuck being ready, cut a piece of wood, we will say for a box, round it with a chisel, take some thin glue, and fasten the wood to the chuck with it. When quite hard and dry, begin to turn the sides even, pe THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. then cut down the groove to receive the lid, which should be glued on to another chuck. To hollow out the box, turn the rest to the face of the work, and use the gouge. When of a sufficient depth, take the callipers, plate 1, x, push the small ends down the box to the bottom, stretch them out as far as they will, and set the screw, then pull them slowly out, so as to mea- sure the size of the top of the inside of the box; if not exactly the same, turn out a little more of the bottom. Now begin to smoothe the ontside, and hollow out the lid, taking great care to make it fit exactly the groove made in the bottom of the box; for this purpose the callipers must be set, so that the forked end stretches to the width of the circumference of the groove; you ~ will then find that the other end will be exactly the same width, and keep trying them to the inside of the lid, till they enter it very tightly, THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 23 then try the lid on the bottom, and it will fit. By thus using the callipers, you are saved much trouble in taking the work on and off the lathe, to fit the parts together. You must now cut the lid off the chuck, either with the parting tool, or with a saw, and having it firmly placed on the bottom, smoothe and finish off the sides so that they look quite even, and as if there was no separation between them. This done, move the rest to the front of the lid, and finish it up the same, taking care not to leave the slightest scratch, or unevenness, on the surface; then rub the whole of the work well with sand-paper, making the lathe turn very rapidly, first one way, then the other, and finish by rubbing it over with a drop of olive oil on a piece of rag, and the shavings of the wood. ‘The great beauty of turning consists in all the parts being exact, shining, well finished 24 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. off, and not too thick; to attain this latter per- fection, experience is necessary, and I should advise constant practice in turning box-wood and holly, till the learner is able to make his boxes fit properly, and also look neat and light. The lid being finished, lay it aside, and saw off the bottom; then turn its own chuck to a proper size to receive it, while you smoothe and polish the outer part. It is requisite to be very particular in the manner of chucking work, such as boxes, thimbles, or anything that has been hollowed out; and remember always to make a chuck to fit Into THEM, instead of putting THEM into one; it is also better to leave a shoulder that the work can rest against,—you are then sure that it is supported evenly; if not, you may find that the slightest inclination to one side or the other will cause you to turn one side much thinner than the other; and if » a a ey THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 95 you are working, we will say the top of a box, it will always look crooked, and if the bottom, it will never stand steady. Should the box feel loose and fall off the chuck before it is finished, a little chalk may be rubbed upon the former, which will give it a firmer hold, and prevent the slipperiness consequent on the friction of two pieces of wood; and sometimes a thin piece of paper inserted between them is useful in the same way; for although the work should fit close and firm on the chuck, if the chuck be too large, so that you have to use force to make them unite, you will most probably split your work all to pieces. Great care also is requisite to get it off the chuck; insert one of the small chisels between it and the shoulder of the chuck, and move it slightly, first on one side, then on the other. Many neat ornaments may be made on boxes with the smaller chisels, such as lines 26 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. and mouldings; and there are several useful ornamental tools, called milling tools, (see plate 5, Nos, 1, 2, 3,) which are not expensive, and give much effect to the work. They consist of small wheels, upon which the pattern is cut. Place the rest so that there is space for the wheel to turn between it and the work, push it close up to the wood, hold the handle very firmly with both hands, so that the tool cannot slip, and with a few quick turns of the wheel of the lathe, the pattern will be clearly impressed upon the wood. With these simple tools innumerable beautiful articles may be finished; and though they require neither the application nor talent that can be displayed in performing other orna- mental work with the eccentric chuck, cutter, and drill, still they possess two great advantages —cheapness, and facility of management, and are easily procured. THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 27 By a little attention and ingenuity, a great variety of elegant and useful articles may be made on the lathe, with the assistance of but a limited collection of tools,—such as thimbles, boxes, cups, rings, stands, small vases, stilettos, pen-handles, pin-cushions, needle-cases, and ~ vinaigrettes. THE SCREW. We now come to the most difficult operation in turning, that of cutting a screw; to perform it well and easily is a proof of the workman’s skill and proficiency in the art. There are many ways of doing it; we shall therefore give the best and least expensive. The screw tools, figures 14 and 15, plate 1, must fit exactly one into the other. Fig. 15 is an outside, fig. 14 an inside tool. As the threads may be required to be cut coarse or fine, according to the work 28 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. you are engaged upon, the small grooves in the | tools are made to suit. Having turned your : box quite round, and hollowed it out, cut the groove upon which the lid is to fit; place the rest at a convenient distance, turn the wheel not too fast, and move the outside screw tool along — the rest with a regular horizontal motion, and it | will cut a screw, the threads of which will fill up the space between the teeth of the tool. But care must be taken to jerk the tool off when at the — end of the space intended for the screw; or if } it be allowed to remain stationary, cutting the j wood, the threads will be destroyed, and become — useless. When this is well done, turn out the lid of the box till it nearly fits the bottom, and _ in the same manner press the inside screw tool j against the side of the cavity, draw it out hori- ; zontally as the work moves round, and if care- fully managed, it will soon be made to fit upon — THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 29 the outside screw. As, however, to accomplish this well, and with precision, great practice is requisite, an invention, called a traversing man- drel, is frequently used, particularly by begin- ners; we will endeavour to give a description of its form and use. At the end of the mandrel, 4, pl. 4, is a brass cylinder, 1, which fits upon the end, and is kept in its place by a nut, 2, which screws firmly into it. Below this, fixed to a brass plate that rises and lowers at pleasure, by turning the screw- key, B, is attached the screw guide; (a brass plate cut into grooves of various sizes to suit the thread you wish to cut, fig. 3;) this guide moves round on a pin. To use this machine, unscrew the nut, B, pull off the brass cylinder, and in its place put on the guide, c, and screw the nut in again; turn the other guide, 3, to the groove which corresponds with it, and which is 30 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. usually numbered, to avoid mistakes; turn the key B till the lower guide meets the one you have just put on the mandrel, and slips easily into it. You will now find that by only allow- | ing the fly-wheel to move half round and back _ again, the mandrel will run backwards and for- wards, and thus have the exact motion requisite for cutting a screw. Fix your rest, and hold your tool (which must have the same sized thread as the guide then on the mandrel) quite steady upon the rest, against the revolving wood, and in a few minutes the screw will be produced. The inside screw is made in the same manner, with the inside tool, by turning q the rest in front of the ape Do not press the — tool too hard to the wood at first, till the threads are slightly cut, so that the teeth may enter 1 always in the same place. About six different- 1 sized screw guides and tools to fit will be quite THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. ot sufficient for an amateur turner. There is also another way of cutting screws, by means of a traversing chuck. On the mandrel, Rr, pl. 4, is screwed the chuck B, to which are screwed the chucks of the lathe, r. On the outside of B is turned a screw, fitted to an inside screw worked in the block c, from which extends an arm, D, sufficiently long to allow the arm E to slide up and down it; a piece of iron should be screwed to the circular block, c, of such.a length as to be capable of moving in a groove that may be cut in the collar; it is intended to prevent the block c from turning quite round. The rest, G, must not stand, as usual, parallel to the work, in cutting the outside screw, but at right angles, as when an inside screw is to be cut, in order that the further arm of the rest, F, may be joined to the end of the second arm, a. It is necessary that the second arm, £, shall be capable 32 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. of fastening firmly the first arm, D, to any part — of the rest, G, F, as also to have a joint at each © end, to admit in a horizontal plane its free i action. Thus, as the lathe turns to or from us, the arms must traverse forwards or backwardal : which gives a similar motion to the tool, u, that — is screwed firm to the further arm, F, of the . rest, and thus you can cut a screw with a single — point tool. Of course any unsteadiness would spoil the screw. If you draw the centre of the — rest nearer to you, and thus bring the tool nearer } to the arm, E, a screw of a much larger-sized © thread will be cut; for as the rest, turning in its socket, moves on a centre, the further the tool is from the centre, the greater will be the © radius of the circle described, and vice versd. — It may, perhaps, be feared that a piece of J wood so far from the collar, K, may be apt to spring; but this is easily avoided, by not making — THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 33 use of the chuck, s, till the screw is to be turned. Another disadvantage would seem to arise from the impossibility of cutting screws when the puppet head is made use of. But this may also be obviated by lengthening the arm, x, to the part where the screw is to be cut, and thus we have the same screw as the traversing one. ‘The socket, s, slides on the rest, and may be fastened to it by ascrew; the upper part that turns on a pivot admits the arm, £, to slide through it, which arm is held firm with a screw. At the commencement of the work the rest stands at right angles with the wood on which the screw must be cut; then by bringing it back to its original angle, and sliding forwards the tool to the last thread of the screw that was just cut, we proceed to any length required. When two or three threads are cut, the most unskilful 34 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. turner will be able to continue the screw with a common screw tool. : BORING COLLAR. Fig. pD, plate 4, is a boring collar, used to sup- ; : to be turned hollow. Without a support of - port any long slender body which is required this kind it would be impossible to keep the wood in its place; and it would either incline from the centre, thus causing the hollow to be drilled out quite crooked, or it would spring ; from the chuck. To obviate these two incon- veniences, the two collars, figs. c and D, plate 4, are employed. In the former one, which is made of iron or brass, the holes are conical, and their centres are all precisely at the same dis- tance from the axis of the collar. In using it, remove the right hand puppet, and provide a much lower one. Through it drill a hole, the THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. ao same size as that in the centre of the boring collar. The centre of this hole must be in the same line with the centre of the mandrel. The collar, when attached to it, faces the mandrel, and is held firm by a screw. When fixed, the centre hole is opposite the axis of the mandrel; and when the largest hole is used, it clears the top of the headstock to which it is affixed. The end of the work to be bored being placed in the hole which fits it, the tool is held upon the rest against its centre, and the boring is easily and accurately performed. The collar, p, is perhaps a simpler apparatus for supporting long pieces of slender wood or ivory, and has this advantage, that the workman can easily make it for himself. It should be constructed of very hard, well-seasoned wood. The foot, E, must be in breadth exactly the size of the aperture in the bed of the lathe, and is E 36 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING, kept quite steady by a bit of wood thrust through it underneath the lathe. Into this collar fit many pieces of wood with different-sized holes bored through them, (all exactly in a line with the axis of the mandrel,) so as to admit large or small pieces of work, the sides being grooved, and the supports sawn to correspond; they all slide in with great ease, and are kept quite steady by an iron pin which runs through the top. ‘The fig. @, shows the collar, with one of the supports slipped in, the other sliding upon it; H is the collar, showing the groove, and LL are two supports that fit into it. The middle of the apertures of these supports, whether large or small, must always be exactly on a line with the axis of the mandrel, therefore, after they are bored quite true on the lathe, they are sawn exactly across the hole. This is a very useful addition to the lathe, not only as a sup- THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 37 port when boring holes, but also to be used with the right hand puppet, to give strength to any long slender piece of work, as a screen handle or a pen holder; for being of great length, the stress necessary to the proper ma- nagement of the tools would be apt to break the wood or ivory, and it is easy to make one of the ornamental mouldings of a proper size, to enable it to run smoothly in one of the sup- ports; if too tight, the wheel will not turn, and if too loose, the work will jerk up and down. For boring, there are many shaped tools of various sizes; 16, 17, pl. 1, are drawings of the most useful. ‘They have no handles, but at the smaller end a hole is drilled, to admit the point, J, of the puppet, eG, pl. 1. Having, with one of the turning tools, made an aperture in the work sufficiently large to allow the boring tool to enter, screw the puppet, G, firmly to the bed of 38 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. the lathe, then turn the small wheel, x, till the point enters the hole in the tool, which must be steadied by holding it straight and firm with a pair of pincers. Make the wheel turn rather quickly, and with the left hand keep moving the small wheel, K, very gently, so as to force the tool into the wood. After a few turns, stop the lathe, and take out the boring tool, to get rid of the shavings and dust; move the puppet nearer and begin again. A little difficulty will be found in making the tool enter the wood, or bite, as it is called, but by humouring it gently, it will soon take hold; care must be taken to keep it quite straight, and not to go too fast, or it will be liable to break.. This method ot boring is only used for small hollow tubes, needle-cases, crochet needles, handles, and small work. THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 39 OF WOODS. There are many beautiful English woods which are excellent for turning ; beech is very universally used, and it should be cut into moderate sized pieces and boiled, to render it more durable, and to make it work smoothly. Elm and chesnut are also much admired; if the latter be dipped in alum water, then brushed over with a hot decoction of logwood, after- wards with one of Brazil wood, it will be made to imitate mahogany. Green wood should never be used, as it is apt to split; it should be kept for at least a year before attempting to turn it. Some persons, if they fear the wood has not been sufficiently seasoned, cut it up and put it in a vessel filled with a ley made of wood ashes. In this it must be boiled for an hour, and allowed to remain in the liquor till 40 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. quite cold, afterwards it must be dried in the shade. Old walnut wood is very beautiful; to im- prove its colour it may be put in the oven, and when worked, polish it with its own oil, very hot. Sycamore, when grown in favourable situa- tions, is as white, and nearly as hard, as holly; the cherry, yew, laburnum, and pear tree woods are also very beautiful; but though invaluable for plain turning, they are not hard enough, or of a sufficiently close and fine grain, to admit of ornamenting them in delicate and minute patterns. The milling tools are generally em- ployed for them, Of all English woods the holly is the whitest, and is rendered still more so by boiling; it is, when very good, used for in- laying, in imitation of ivory. Box is the hardest and toughest of our woods; when cut plank- THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 41 wise it is apt to warp, if not well seasoned; but its yellow colour, if highly polished, is much admired, and it will receive the most delicate patterns; it is also used as a substitute for ivory. The foreign woods are those most prized by the ornamental turner, on account of their hard- ness, and the beautiful polish which can be given to them. Cocoas, or the wood of the palm, is much used for all kinds of ornamental work. It is of a beautiful brown, streaked with darker veins, and is found in the West Indies. Ring wood is extremely hard, of a chocolate brown, with black veins; it is a good wood for turning, and comes from Brazil. Partridge and leopard woods, tulip and snake woods, are also frequently used; the latter is of a very deep red, and very hard. Calamander wood, a tree growing in the 42 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. island of Ceylon, is very hard and heavy, and the veins in it most beautifully shaded. The — ; principal colours are a fine chocolate, sometimes deepening almost into black, then gradually shading into cream colour. It is a very hard wood, and takes a high polish. - African thorn is of a beautiful dark colour, and much prized when it can be obtained good, which is rarely the case. Ebony, an exceedingly hard, smooth, foreign wood, is much admired by turners. The best is a jet black, free from any veins, and receiving a very high polish. There is some difficulty in keeping woods to prevent them from warping or cracking. The foreign woods, particularly, being usually very dry, often open in fissures while working. The best method of preserving them is to place them in a cool and rather damp place, and to rub a little oil now and then over | : THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 43 the outsides, to keep them moist. If the wood is sufficiently large to allow of its being quar- tered, the danger of its splitting is much less; but the foreign woods are rarely large, as the trees are generally very high, but small in cir- cumference. If foreign woods cannot easily be obtained, box wood and holly may be stained so as greatly to resemble them. ‘The dying woods to be used must be in small chips or raspings. When the wood is ordered to be brushed over several times with the fluid, it should be dried between each time. If the stain is wished to be very deep, the wood should be boiled in the stain. TO STAIN WOOD RED. Mix two ounces of Brazil wood, and two of potash, in a quart of water, let them remain in a warm place for some days, stirring them occa- sionally. With this boiling liquid brush over 44 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. the wood till it becomes of the requisite colour, then dissolve two ounces of alum in a quart of — water, and while the wood is wet brush it over with it. For a pink or a rose red, use double the quantity of potash. A YELLOW STAIN. Steep one ounce of turmeric in a pint of spirits of wine, let it stand for several days. Brush the wood over with it. A red yellow is made by adding to the above a little gum tragacanth. A BLACK STAIN. Brush the wood with a hot decoction of log- wood, then with common ink. A PURPLE STAIN, Boil one ounce of logwood and two drachms of Brazil wood in a quart of water, over a moderate fire. When one half is evaporated, " THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 45 strain it, and brush the wood over with it. When dry, brush it over with a solution com- posed of a drachm of pearlash in a pint of water. A MAHOGANY STAIN, For a light stain, mix two ounces of madder and one of fustic in a quart of water, and boil them all together; a darker stain is made by using half an ounce of logwood in the place of the madder, and then brushing the wood with a weak solution of potash. All hard woods are easily polished; first, they are made perfectly smooth and even, with the turning tools, after which rub them with sand paper, then with Dutch rushes, which, to pre- vent their breaking into small pieces, should be steeped in water. While using these, make the lathe turn quickly round, sometimes one way, sometimes the other, to prevent any unevenness, 46 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. and keep moving the sand paper, &c. &c., or the edges are apt to cut lines. When this is done, and the work looks smooth, rub over it a drop or two of olive oil, wipe it clean with its own shavings, take it off the lathe, and brush it with a very hard brush, the same as those used for blacking leather. As it is impossible to turn well unless your tools are in good order, great care must be taken to keep them very sharp. If a bit of the steel splits away, as is frequently the case in turning hard woods, grind it down till it be- comes even again, then rub it on the Turkey stone, with a little olive oil, till the edge is so sharp that you cannot see it; for the gouges and hollow tools, thick Turkey stones, rounded at the edges, are sold, which enter into the groove, and the outer edges are rubbed on the flat stone. As soon as the turner becomes quite master ee ae ee a THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 47 of his tools, he will find ivory much pleasanter to work than wood; it is not so liable to split, it turns smoother, polishes with less trouble, and shows any ornamental work much better than wood. But then it is very expensive, and very difficult to obtain good and white. New ivory may be bleached by exposing it in the sunshine, and wetting it constantly, or it will crack; but till the ivory is cut up, you cannot tell whether it will be good or not. Pieces may be bought cheaper that have a hollow in the middle, they serve very well for pedestals of vases, by screw- ing another bit into the hole, or for boxes, by glueing in a piece of ebony to fit the hollow. Ivory is polished before ornamenting, with putty powder, ground very fine, rubbed on with a piece of linen dipped in water; dry it, and rub very hard with a bit of felt, and the polish will be beautiful. But after it is ornamented, polish 48 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. only with a brush dipped in water and chalk, or even in plain water. . For dyeing ivory, it is first necessary to cleanse it from the grease which it always contains, more or less, and which would prevent its receiving the stain or dye. For this purpose, mix half a pound of nitre in an equal quantity of water, tie a string round the pieces of ivory, and dip them in while the liquor is hot, then plunge them into cold water. TO DYE IVORY RED. Fake half a pound of pieces of scarlet cloth, put them into a clean earthen pot; add one ounce of soft soap, after which pour in three quarts of soft water. Boil all together for half an hour, stirring it frequently, and squeeze the cloth several times, to extract the colour. When this is done, have ready an earthen vessel, put THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 49 into it as much pulverized alum as will lie upon a sixpence, pour the scarlet liquid over it, and extract all the colour from the cloth by pressing it In a canvas bag. Steep the ivory in this liquor till it becomes of the proper scarlet. : BLACK DYE. Boil a quarter of a pound of logwood shavings in a quart of water in an earthen vessel for halt an hour. Steep the ivory in it. On taking the ivory out of these boiling © liquors, immerse it instantly in cold water, to prevent its cracking. ELLIPTIC TURNING. This machine is frequently called, by those who do not understand the ellipse, an oval chuck; but it is not oval, for an oval expresses an object that is smaller at one end than at the 50 _ THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. other. Fig. 1, plate 3, is a front view of the machine. 1 XK is the iron plate to which all the parts (except the ring, hereafter described) are fastened. A screw, similar to that on the nose of the mandrel, is riveted to this plate, fig. w, and upon it whatever you wish to turn is fixed. Fig. 2 exhibits a back view of this machine; at _ each of the four corners there is a short square pillar, marked p. Within these are two narrow ribs of steel, reaching the whole length of the platerx. Each of them, being bevelled, forms an angular groove, reaching all its length. By means of these grooves the slider, Fr, moves up and down. When the slider is in its place, two pieces of steel, m M, bear upon the side pieces, to which, and to the plate 1x, they are firmly attached by four screws, x xxx. The plate, r, being cast in the same piece as the slide, cannot be thrown cS he: ; c THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 51 » ue + # out of its place, but moves in a longitudinal direction only, the nut, L, acting as a stop to pre- vent its going too far. The space between the end pieces, M M, is just equal to the diameter of the ring, 0, fig. 3, upon the outside of which they revolve when the nut is screwed upon the mandrel. ‘Two arms, R R, are connected with it, and in each there is a groove extending nearly their whole length. This machine is con- nected with the lathe, and its motion obtained as follows:—« 8, fig. 4, represents a headstock, through which two holes are drilled, the centres of which are precisely in a line with the centre of the mandrel, m; the ring is fastened to the headstock by two screws, 1 1, the shanks of which pass through the grooves and through the holes in the headstock. When the ring is in this position, it will be perceived that it can only move from side to side, and its centre must . "t a 52 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. always be in the same horizontal line with that of the mandrel. Now screw upon the mandrel the nut L, fig. 2. The plate, 1 , if set exactly opposite the mandrel, will revolve in a circle, but if the centre of the ring Be the least in the world on one side of the mandrel, it will revolve in an ellipse. When, therefore, the work is fastened to the screw, W, it is quite as easy to turn an ellipse as on the ordinary lathe to turn a cylinder. Of course the slider must move with great steadiness and freedom, to effect which, very great accuracy in the workmanship must be observed. Figs. 5 and 6 are two different views of the machine,—5 is the side, 6 the end view. To turn a hollow sphere, the convex surface is first turned, and perfectly smoothed and finished; it must then be bored with a centrebit, to make an aperture sufficiently large to admit the tool, fig. 7, plate 1, with which the interior THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 53 must be worked away. As, however, it would require a large aperture to enable you to hollow out the whole sphere, it is preferable to make Six openings with the centrebit, each in a line with the centre; they must also be made at - equal distances from each other, and every hole must be at right angles with all the rest, except one, which is exactly opposite to it. Place the sphere in a chuck, with the middle of any two of the holes in a line with the axis of the man- drel; turn out as much as you can of the first hole, then bring the other holes forward and do likewise; at last the excavations will be cut through. To turn the Chinese balls, which are so much admired for their beauty and curious workman- ship, we are told to proceed as follows:— 2 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 117 PATTERN 1, PLATE 14. This pattern is formed of four groups of circles, containing seven in each. Your wood being perfectly smoothed and lined, set the cutter tool (a double angular one) at its lowest degree, exactly in the centre of the work, so that if moved it would only cut a dot. Unscrew it eight or ten turns to make a large circle, then by impelling the cutter box: forwards with the slide rest screw, fix it so that the tool cuts the circle a little over the centre: arrange your screw guides: having cut one circle, count 30 on the eccentric chuck wheel, and the same for the other two. It will be observed that these four groups go in straight lines, each to- wards the edge of the work; to perform this, in the six following rows of circles, move the slide rest forward half a turn, and the small 118 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. wheel of the eccentric chuck half a turn upwards for each row of four circles, counting 30, as before, till the twenty-eight are all done. PATTERN 2. * Arrange the circle a little smaller than for pattern 1, and on a level with the centre point of the work. Set the chuck wheel at 120, cut a circle; then one at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, when you will find the eight outer circles of the pattern are formed. Then move the slide rest screw forwards four numbers, and to No. 1 on the eccentric chuck wheel; then to Nos. 14— 31, 44—61, 7491, 104. By following the same rule in the other circles you will find the pat- tern is not difficult, though at first it may appear very intricate. As all depends upon properly counting the numbers on the eccentric chuck wheel, to make the calculation more easy, I give Ginny = Sox : : g aa 4, ii Wy » : z ID y 5 —a, = — f : Bie) awe eee ERY eS EO) t- D : RV ee eee ws See a ly te ; "a- THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 119 the proper numbers for the sixteen circles com- posing one cluster, and you will then see that the others can readily be done the same, always remembering to move the slide rest screw for- wards four numbers for every row; 1, 15—2, eet 419-5, 11—6, 10—7, 9—8; the latter single number forms the centre or outer circle near the edge. PATTERN 3, This pattern requires great attention and care to work it properly. Having arranged the cutter tool, screw it out four turns to make the > circle the proper size, then move the cutter to the edge of the work, cut a circle at Nos. 120, 40, and 80, on the eccentric chuck wheel, then set the wheel at 20, and leave it fixed. Your next operation must be to screw down the eccentric chuck, and alter the position of the 120 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. tool on the slide rest, till, by laying your hand on the fly-wheel and moving it gently, the tool of the cutter appears to describe a half circle across the wood, in the same way as for the arc patterns. Having arranged the first arc, move 40, as before, and see whether the second will. exactly meet it, then the third; they should each diverge from the centre of the first circles which were cut round the edge; if they do not exactly fit, move the chuck up and down, and the slide rest screw backwards or forwards, till you find the exact position; as, however, the arc is difficult to settle, the line being of course an imaginary one, as the tool must not touch the wood, it is a good way to cut a piece of pencil to fit like the tool into a box, and with it mark the arcs, they will easily rub out, and thus you will be able to be more certain of your proper distance and position. The next thing THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 121 is, to see on the fly-wheel of the lathe how many numbers are required to form the arc; thus, if it begins, as the one I have worked did, at 360 of the brass wheel, and ended at 85, stop the wheel at the former number, cut a circle, then 1 at every fifth number on the same wheel, till you arrive at 85; then move forty numbers on the eccentric chuck wheel, and do the other arc the same; then the third one. PATTERN 4. The arc pattern is first worked; arrange it as directed for pattern 3, and mark the outline with a pencil; in this, the arc began at 280 of the fly-wheel, and ended at 168, making in all 116 ~ numbers; to divide 58 for each half of the arc, divide them thus—4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 3, 43 then count back 4, 3, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,4. You will see that the numbers increase 1 every time 122 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. or for every circle, which also is enlarged one notch for each. Having made the three arcs fit by marking their position with the pencil in the cutter box, cut a very small circle at 280, enlarge one notch, count 5, cut another, enlarge a notch, count 6, and so on till you have counted, in all, 49 numbers; do not enlarge the circle, but cut one, counting three numbers, then 4, which will be the middle, then 4 again, then 3, then 10; after 10 decrease the circle one notch for every cut, and count backwards 9, 8, 7,6, 5,4. The other three arcs are done the same, by counting 40 for each on the eccentric chuck wheel; for each of the crowns cut five circles just above the arc, by counting one num- ber for each circle on the eccentric chuck wheel, then lower the chuck one number, and cut the same circles again through the others; lower it half a turn more, and cut two circles; then half THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 123 a turn again, and cut one circle above and between the last two. PATTERN 5. Set the cutter to the middle, enlarge the circle four turns; then turn the slide rest screw two numbers to the right, cut one circle, and for each of the other eleven, screw the chuck down one turn, then return to the middle and cut eleven the other way. When 23 are finished, screw the slide rest to the left four numbers, and cut 23 more exactly in the same manner. To work the side patterns begin by that on the right, set the cutter to the middle of the work, unscrew it two turns, move the cutter slide twelve turns to the right on the slide rest, cut the middle circle, enlarge one number of the cutter, lower the eccentric chuck one turn, and to keep the outside of the circles in a straight 124 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. line move the screw of the slide rest inwards half anumber: proceed the same till the nine circles are cut, then return to the middle circle by counting back nine turns of the eccentric chuck, nine numbers of the cutter, and four and a half numbers on the slide rest; proceed exactly in the same way to cut the other eight circles, only raising instead of lowering the eccentric chuck one turn for each circle. The opposite pattern is worked the same, only taking care to turn the slide rest screw outwards the half turn for every circle, or the straight pattern will come contrary. In all these straight patterns take great care that the fly-wheel is stopped in such a manner that the eccentric chuck stands perfectly up- right; to do this, hold the T square against one side, and make a mark on the brass wheel for the stop to enter. When you are quite sure THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 125 that the chuck inclines neither to the right nor the left, drill a small hole in the wheel suffi- ciently deep for the stop to hold it quite firm. You will then find your patterns will always come straight. PATTERN 6. Set the cutter to the centre, enlarge the circle six turns, cut one, diminish one number on the cutter for each of the other eight circles, and move the eccentric chuck downwards one turn for each. Count back to the middle circle, and work the other eight the same. ‘The side pat- terns are done much like those in pattern 5, only the large circle is in the middle, and the straight lines incline inwards. PATTERN 7. Set the cutter to the middle of the circle, enlarge it two turns and a half, cut a circle in 126 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. the middle, turn the chuck down two turns, so as to cut another a little into the former ones; continue the same till the seven are done; re- turn to the middle circle, and cut the other six in the same line, by screwing the eccentric chuck upwards instead of downwards. When the thirteen are completed, lower the chuck one turn, and screw the slide rest outwards (if doing the lines to the right) two turns, cut a circle, then move the eccentric chuck downwards as before, till the second line of circles is cut, each line diminishing one turn of the eccentric chuck at the top and bottom. PATTERN 8, Set the cutter to the middle, enlarge it two turns, turn the slide rest outwards twelve turns, cut acircle near the edge; count 20 on the eccentric chuck wheel, cut another, then 5 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 127 more, each distant twenty numbers from each other. ‘To make the circles join in straight lines, screw the eccentric chuck downwards two turns for every one; when the outside pattern is done, return to the middle circle, and cut the other lines the same. PATTERN 9Q. Square patterns require great care in work- ing them. First saw the wood perfectly square; then, when on the lathe, take the T square; hold the flat edge firm on the bed of the lathe, and the handle against one side of the wood, till both are even, then fix the wheel of the eccentric chuck to that number. Having with the cutter worked one row of patterns, move the chuck 30 numbers, which, if the wood is quite square, will enable you to do the second row; then 30 more for the third side, and 30 for the last. 128 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. We are told that French and Italian turners often line boxes with the peel of the Bergamot orange; they cut a circle through the peel, and carefully strip it off in two quarters, turning the inside out, and drying them; the scent is very powerful; of course they can only line globular boxes the size of themselves. TO LINE wooDEN BOXES WITH TORTOISE-SHELL. As many of my readers may wish to line their snuff-boxes with tortoise-shell, I think it needful to give some instructions on the best method of doing it. Cut the shell into very thin leaves with a sharp fine saw, then divide these into the size you wish for the inside of the snufi-box, leaving a very little extra for the joint. Take a new rough file, and scrape away a little of the THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 129 two ends of the narrow strip of shell, so that they can lay one upon another, and fit so closely that the aperture is hardly perceptible. Plunge the tortoise-shell into warm water for a few minutes, and it will become quite soft. Have ready on the lathe a piece of wood a little Jess in circum- ference than the inside of the box, and perfectly round and smooth. While the shell is soft, place the joints together, wrap a wet piece of linen tightly over them to hold them fast, and press them firmly together with the finger and thumb. Then heat a pair of tongs to a proper heat (which is known by trying them on writing paper; if they brown it, they are too hot; if they only turn it yellow, they are right), and with them compress the joint of the tortoise-shell. The water, the heat, and the pressure united, will make the two parts join firmly. When finished thus far, file away any roughness that L 130 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. may remain, and steep the shell in hot water till quite soft, then slip it upon the piece of wood before mentioned, and see-if it fits it per- fectly, if not, try with pressure to give it the requisite shape, and if this does not succeed, take the wood out of the lathe, leaving the tortoise-shell upon it, and hold them over a brazier, turning them frequently and quickly between the hands, that the heat may equally penetrate all the parts; then strike the side that bulged out with a mallet, and with a little care it will soon assume the required form. You may finish it on the lathe, observing only to place it so that the tool does not catch the lap of the joint, which might cause it to open; and when you take it off, plunge it in cold water to make it retain its form. THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 131 TO FINISH THE SNUFF BOX. Make your box and lid of hard, well-seasoned wood; hollow them out, and polish the insides, only omitting to cut the lip upon which the lid fits, and which will be formed by the tortoise- shell. As you hollow out the box and lid, keep fitting in the shell, that you may not make them too large; when it slips in rather tight, take a point tool and cut some circles on the inside of each, (this is done to enable the glue to hold firmly.) Now, take the tortoise-shell and file that part that is to be cemented to the box, so as to makeit rough. ‘Take a pair of compasses, in one end of which is a sharp knife, set them to the exact size of the inside of the bottom and lid, then place them on a piece of tortoise-shell, and cut out the two round pieces. Melt some glue till rather liquid, thicken it with vermilion, 132 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. lay a coat on the inside of the top and bottom of the box, and press in the two circles of tor- toise-shell; in the same manner glue in the sides, leaving the lip (upon which the lid is to fit) standing up above the bottom part of the box. Leave the glue to harden for a day, then replace the work on the lathe, turn the inside quite even, and polish it with pounce powder and oil, then with tripoli powder and water. Should the lid, when finished, become too small for the box, dip it for a minute in boiling water, fit it on to a piece of wood the exact size, and leave it there to harden. HORN TO IMITATE TORTOISE-SHELL. Dissolve three ounces of potass in a pint of boiling water. Let it boil for a quarter of an hour, then pour it into a basin capable of hold- THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 133 ing about as much again, and in which you have put half a pound of quick lime, stir it well, and when the latter is slacked, add three ounces of red lead and one ounce of vermilion. When the whole is of the consistency of thick soup, dip a thin pointed stick into it, and lay the drops it will take up upon a piece of horn in those parts required to be coloured, leaving those that are to be transparent. When quite dry, clean the whole with a wet sponge, and you will find it will greatly resemble tortoise-shell. MASTIC USED IN TURNING IVORY VERY. THIN. To turn ivory as thin as writing paper, so as to render it quite transparent, is very difficult to accomplish, but is much admired when done, and shows the skill of the artist. To enable the ivory to bear the action of the tool without 134 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. splitting, the following mastic has been found very useful, both for strengthening it and for giving a deep colouring, by which means the thinness is more perceptible. Some turners wet the ivory for the latter purpose, but as when wet it is quite transparent, and thickens again when dry, the mastic will be found much pre- ferable. Take some lamp or ivory black in powder, and strain it through a ‘fine sieve, so as only to retain the finest parts. Steep these in water to free them from any impurities. After laying in it for a few minutes, pour off the water, and make some glue very hot, mix it with the lamp black till of the consistency of oil paint. ‘This mastic must be kept warm near the fire, and when you have sufficiently hollowed out the vase, or whatever you wish to turn, very thin, — shape the outside a little: then dip a large THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 135 camel’s-hair brush in the warm varnish and lay a thick coat all over the inside; let this dry, put on another, and repeat the process till sufficient streneth is obtained. You may now, without fear or danger, work your ivory as thin as pos- sible, and ornament it with the cutters and drill. Without this mastic it would not, when trans- parent, bear the force of these tools. When the work is all finished and carefully polished, take it off the lathe, and put it in a basin filled with warm water. After a few minutes’ immersion, take it out, and plunge it in clean water, shaking it gently. This will make the mastic dissolve and leave the ivory. Renew the warm water frequently, as leaving it in the blackened liquid might injure the colour of the work. 136 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. BEAUTIFUL VARNISH FOR WOOD, TO BE USED WHILE THE WORK IS ON THE LATHE. To one quart of spirits of wine add four ounces of lacker, three ounces of gum benzoin, one _drachm of camphor, half a drachm of sandarac, half a drachm of dragon’s blood, one drachm of | turpentine. Put these ingredients in a long- necked bottle capable of holding two quarts, and tie a piece of wet parchment over the neck; when dry, pierce it with holes with a large pin. Place the bottle in the dain marée till the con- tents are perfectly dissolved, shaking it fre- quently. When cold, strain the liquid through a piece of coarse muslin, and keep it well corked for future use. Having finished and polished your work with tripoli powder and sand-paper, wipe the wood quite clean with a piece of fine linen. This THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. Ney done, put a few drops of the varnish on a bit of cotton wool, and one drop of olive oil, to pre- vent its drying too quickly; while applying this varnish, make the lathe wheel go very quick, and hold the cotton close to the work. To polish the above, when the varnish is perfectly dry, take some finely-powdered whiting or chalk, and with it polish the work in every direction, but be careful not to press too strongly on the varnish, or it will be marked; and do not rub it for more than a few minutes at a time, as the friction and excessive speed and heat will ‘spoil the polish, When done, take a sponge dipped in water, wash the work well, and then rub it with a piece of fine linen, and a drop or two of olive oil; lastly, clean it with a bit of soft old rag or leather. 138 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. TURNERS CEMENT. ie Sometimes the workman is too much baie If to wait till the work can be glued upon the chuck; the following cement will be found useful. Take two pounds of Burgundy pitch, one pound of rosin, one pound of colophonium, two ounces of yellow wax, and one ball of whiting. Melt all, except the latter, in an earthen pot, over a slow fire. When it begins to bubble, stir it well with a stick to prevent its passing the edge of the pot, and when all is quite melted take it off the fire. Add the whiting, finely powdered, little by little, stir- ring it in well till the contents are perfectly mixed. Replace the pot on the fire, still stirring it; and after a few minutes, pour all the cement quickly into a tub or basin of cold water for about a minute. Then take it out, and knead THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 139 it well with the hands. Roll it into sticks upon -asmooth stone, and plunge them into cold water to harden. The strength and goodness of this cement depends greatly upon its being made as rapidly as possible. ‘To use it, melt the end of one of the sticks by putting it near the fire; rub it on the chuck; when you think there is suffi- cient cement laid upon it, heat the bit of wood or ivory you wish to unite to it, and the warmth will make it adhere firmly. Another cement, that is preferable for using in cold weather, is made by adding two pounds of Burgundy pitch, two ounces of yellow wax, and two pounds of Spanish white. These are melted together, rolled into sticks, and used as above; one stroke of a mallet will detach the work from the chuck when joined with this cement. 140 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. NEW AND VALUABLE RECIPE FOR TAKING BEAUTIFUL IMPRESSIONS FROM ‘TURNING PATTERNS. Take a sheet of rice-paper, paste it upon letter-paper with flour paste, which must be mixed as smocth as possible, and laid on very thin. Leave it till quite dry, then lay the rice- paper thus backed upon the piece of Turning, and with the thumb nail or a piece of cloth rub the back of the paper, pressing it gently so as to make it enter into all the deep, fine cuts of the Turning. The impression will be beautiful, and have the appearance of a raised medallion. It is invaluable for taking off patterns from ivory, as it can in no way injure the colour or delicacy of the work; and from the facility of bending the paper, impressions can as easily be taken from round articles (as the sides of a box or THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 141 pillar) as from flat ones. The medallions may be left white, or the pattern coloured with water colours, leaving the ground white; and they can, besides their utility as patterns to which to refer, be employed in ornamenting various use- ful articles. In turning the pillars in the temple, plate 13, great inconvenience and trouble has been found in working them, for want of the support of the puppet G, plate 1; for as in each step the eccentric chuck has to be slightly altered, the point, J, of the puppet, when the work is moved, is apt to slide back into the hole it first formed, thus making the steps quite crooked. To ob- viate this difficulty, I should advise my readers to use the following simple contrivance. Take out the point, J, and replace it by a piece ot 142 THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. wood turned to fit exactly into the tube, and on the end of which is left a circular piece the size of a half-crown. Take another bit of wood, of the diameter of your pillar; fix a short nail into the middle of it; glue the other side to the pillar, put it on the lathe, screw up the puppet @, and you will find the nail will always, when- ever you move the chuck, firmly fix itself into the wooden end which replaces the point J. And now, having, I trust with sufficient clearness, explained the practical and orna- mental parts of concentric and eccentric Turn- ing, I will take leave of my readers, only adding that, if they wish to attain perfection in this interesting art, they must patiently continue their exertions, for experience and industry will a # THE HANDBOOK OF TURNING. 143 alone enable them to avoid many faults, and discover the real cause of many failures; and to those who may feel disheartened with repeated disappointments, I will say — _ Courage! try thy chance once more.” Let me also observe to those who cannot afford to purchase much expensive machinery, that with care, patience, and perseverance, the common tools may be made to work a great variety of very beautiful articles; and if they will also keep in mind the old-fashioned but true saying, “that whatever is worth learning at all, is worth learning well,” they will, I have | no doubt, soon become proficients in an art that has been admired and practised for centuries. x Savill and Edwards, Printers, 4, Chandos Street, Covent Garden. x, ¥ »* wast ENN A's \ NN 7 PY ry ' : GETTY CENTER LIB TU will ee <= paged 22 Sass Be f mes ret