Figure 27. — Tyler's lathe. 1828. 

 Built for the trade by Rufus Tyler, 

 of Philadelphia. From Journal of The 

 Franklin Institute (January 1828). new 

 ser., vol 1 . 



apprentice; he called him his pupil, and he did honor 

 to his preceptor. I refer to Joseph Saxton, who has 

 left his mark in his scales for the U.S. Mint, in instru- 

 ments for the coast survey during his long connection 

 with Prof. Alexander D. Bache, and as head of the 

 Department of Weights and Measures of the United 

 States. From the time of Saxton's coming to Phila- 

 delphia we were intimate and warm friends until his 

 death. 



The first summer vacation of Lukens' after Saxton 

 commenced to work with him, his shop was not closed 

 as usual, but Saxton was left in charge, to "tinker," 

 as Lukens said, with anything he liked. He planned, 

 and was making for himself a cane gun. My elder 

 brother and myself each concluded to make one; and, 

 although we had every facility of the time to do the 

 work in the shop our father had fitted up for us, there 

 was a small portion of the work could be better done 

 with Lukens' slide-rest. 



I was in his shop beside Saxton doing that little job, 

 when Lukens, who had unexpectedly returned from 

 his summer trip, came in. He looked at, and asked 

 what I was doing. On examining the plan he sug- 



emery and oil. This was driven by a crossed catgut belt from 

 a groove in the rim of a face wheel with a handle for crank . . . 

 he turned the wheel with his left hand while he held his work 

 to be ground in his right hand." (Letter in Peale-Sellers papers, 

 American Philosophical Society.) 



gested some slight alterations. Saxton showed his gun 

 that was completed. He had worked out the plan 

 himself, and Lukens was greatly pleased with its 

 simplicity. 



Lukens had returned in improved health and spirits, 

 and asked why I did not make a slide-rest for myself. 

 He then produced the forging of my rest, and said he 

 had rough-chipped it, had turned the stand stem, and 

 it would fit my father's rest-carrier, and was about 

 the right height for his lathe. He therefore told me 

 to take it, and trv my hand on flat-filing. We had no 

 planers or shapers in those days. The hammer and 

 cold-chisel had to do the rough work on forgings, 

 often far from perfect and with plenty of stock left to 

 remove. In this case the rough work had already 

 been done by Lukens. He loaned me his patterns, 

 from which I had the brass castings made. I cut the 

 screws on his lathe, and did most of the work in his 

 shop, occasionally helped by himself or Saxton. The 

 pleasant associations connected with this slide-rest 

 have no doubt, been the cause of my preserving it, 

 and using it as a favorite tool during these long years. 

 I have related the circumstance to illustrate the con- 

 siderate kindness of Lukens to earnest beginners. 



After Saxton closed his term with Lukens. to perfect 

 himself as a machinist and to enlarge his views, he 

 went to England and spent several years there .... 

 [2.] 



57 



