278 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



May 1 



feature — the well in the center. Th's is the style 

 of.bench that is in general use here, and at first I 

 rather hesitated about adopting it; but now that 

 I have had experience I have no further use for 

 the old-fashioned flat-topped type. In my case 

 the well is 1^4 inches deep and A]4. wide. It 

 never interferes with ordinary work in the least, 

 but rather helps, as one can sweep into it with 

 one shove of the hand any tools that happen to 

 be in the way. Again, I usually have lying in 

 it a few of each size of nail in use, and can, there- 

 fore, get one at once without taking from the 

 wall one of the cigar-boxes recommended by Dr. 

 Miller. Then think of its convenience when one 

 wants to shorten by sawing an already short piece 

 of wood. Lay it flat on the bench and it will 

 wriggle worse than an eel; but place it in the well, 

 and it can be pressed firmly against the side, or, 

 if necessary, readily wedged in position. Last of 

 all, it is the firm foundation for most of my other 

 jigs, as each is dropped into the well and jammed 

 tight by strips of wood of suitable thickness. 



My bench is made of fir, the cost of the lum- 

 ber here being $2 00. The iron screw for the 

 clamp cost 75 cts. ; the piping and caps for the 

 handle cost 15 cts. Total cost, $2.90. The wood 

 handle supplied with the screw breaks, as a rule, 

 the first day, so do not bother with it for even 

 an instant. 



My bench is 23>^ inches wide, 72 inches long, 

 and 3L^4 inches in height. This is, I think, 

 standard height: but as I am close on to six feet 

 in length I think possibly an inch higher would 

 suit me better. 



Here are the lumber specifications: 



Top, 2 pieces, 1 Y^x^Yzxl^ 

 Top, 1 piece, Kx5>4x72 

 Sides, 2 pieces, Kx 11 54x72 

 Back, 1 piece. % x754 x72 

 Legs, 4 pieces, l-%x3fix3054 

 Crosspieces for leg;, 2 pieces. 



Kx 11^2X22 

 Clamp, 1 piece, I'j x 8x30 

 Clamp-guide, 1 piece, '4 x 3 xl8 

 Tool-rack, 1 piece, '4 x 1^4 x 60 

 Tool-rack, 1 piece, ^x'/sx 60 

 Lumber is dressed on four sides. 



Start by making a half-check on the end of 

 each leg as shown at A. This is to be '2 inch 

 deep and half the width ' f the lumber — that is, 

 J4 inch wide. The projecting pieces are to be 

 sunk into the top, for, unless this is done, the 

 bench will be racked to p eces the moment the 

 clamp is used. 



Now lay a pairof the legs parallel on the floor, 

 on the narrow edge, with the projections inside. 

 Lay on one of the cross-pieces, adjusting the 

 edges to those of the legs and making the upper 

 edge in line with the lower edge of the check. 

 That is, the half-inch projection must be above 

 the cross-pifce, as it is to be sunk into the too. 

 Nail, or use, as I did, 1 "s-lnch screws. Do the 

 same with the other pair of legs. 



Next take the boards for the sides, and, 9 inches 

 from each end, draw pencil-lines at right angles 

 to show where the legs are to come. Place each 

 pair of legs on edge, about 4 feet apart, and nail 

 on the front board, making the outer edge of the 

 leg coincide with the pencil-mark, and the upper 

 edge of the board in line with ihe lower edge of 

 the check. Then turn over and nail on the oth- 

 er sideboard. 



You will now have an oblong frame on which 

 the top is to rest. Place the thick pieces in posi- 

 tion, taking care that the edges and ends are true 

 with the frame. Then duck under, and with a 

 pencil outline the projections so as to know where 

 you must dig the holes with a chisel. 



When the holes are made, place the pieces in 

 position; then slip the S'j-inch board that forms 

 the bottom of the well into place. Mark its po- 

 sition on the cross-boards. Asit is |4^ inch thick, 

 there must be cut out a piece that deep from the 

 cross-pieces. Mark the outline of the cut with a 

 pencil; saw down to the horizontal line, not only 

 at the ends, but also in the middle. Knock out 

 the pieces with a chisel, and smooth off with the 

 same tool or a knife. 



You may now proceed to finish the top of your 

 bench, first putting the thin piece in place, then 

 the heavy ones. Then locate the position of the 

 legs by careful measurement, and drawing the 

 outline of each on the bench. Then in the very 

 center of each drive a screw at least 4 inches long. 

 I had to drill holes in the fir; and even with pine 

 such drilling will be necessary. Along the edges, 

 nails at least 3 '2 inches long should be used, and 

 the same kind will be needed to fasten the inner 

 edges to the cross-pieces. 1 he bottom-board of 

 the well is fastened to the heavy parts of the top. 

 To do this the bench will have to be turned up- 

 side down. Nail every two feet; for if you do 

 not you will be annoyed by small nails and such 

 working their way into the crack. 



So far the work has been easy, and should not 

 take over two hours to do; but making and fit- 

 ting the clamp is much more ticklish, and may 

 take the rest of a working-day. I iiave made 

 two recently; and even with experience the sec- 

 ond one, with the fitting, occupied me over four 

 hours. 



The piece for the clamp is intentionally order- 

 ed a trifle longer than is necessary so as to ensure 

 accuracy at the final fitting. Begin by locating 

 on the edge of the front board of the bench a 

 point exactly opposite the center of the leg, then 

 bring the center of the top of the clamp in touch 

 with it. Get the clamp exactly perpendicular, 

 then with a pencil mark on the front board the 

 location of its edges so as to get a guide in future 

 operations. Now place the clamp on top of the 

 bench and mark off the outline of the shape to 

 which it is to he trimmed. Start by drawing 

 lines parallel to the two edges at a distance oi \% 

 in. from them. Then from the top measure off 

 a distance of 11 inches, putting the mark on the 

 edge of the block, and at a distance of 1 '2 inches 

 further on, but on the pencil-lines, make another 

 mark. Connect each pair by a straight line, and 

 you will have the outline of the parts that are to 

 he cut from the lower end. Make the cross-cuts 

 first, then rip off the strips. With the plane 

 round off the sharp edges, working them down to 

 a thickness of about 1 '4 in., and inward about 

 1 '2. To work tht; angle into a curve is more 

 ticklish; but a spokeshave does the rough work 

 readily; then the rasp, followed by a half-round 

 wood file, will give a presentable appearance. 



Now comes the most ticklish part of the work 

 — the fitting of the clamp to the bench. Till 

 now the tools us^d have been such as are sure 

 to be found in the possession of every man 

 who pretends ever to handle them. But we now 

 need an extension-bit, and that, too, of the larger 

 size. I borrowed one from a carpenter friend, 

 and would advise that my example be followed. 

 Probably he will prefer to make the holes himself; 

 and if he does, take him at his word, as one has 

 to learn how to handle this useful tool. 



