THE YOUNG FARMER'S MANUAL. 



411 



original length as it is filed to a point. Much care should be ex 

 ercised lest the teeth on one side become smaller and shorter than 

 those on the opposite side. Whenever this is the case with a 

 saw, the file, in filing, should be pressed harder against the larger 

 teeth than against the smaller ones. 



612. It is very important when filing a saw, to have it held 

 firmly in a proper position. For this purpose a saw-clamp is 



FIG. 169. FIG. 170. 



SAW-CLAMP. 



necessary, a perspective and end view of which is represented by 

 Fig. 169, with a saw in it. a is a heavy plank, two inches thick 

 or thicker, a foot wide and three feet long. Fig. 1 70 is an end view 

 of the same. ~b ~b are four standards, one and a half by four inches 

 square, of hard wood, driven into mortises in a, and are about 

 eight inches long, c c are the jaws, about four feet long, and 

 fastened to the upper ends of b b, by mortise and tenon, d d 

 are screws, which pass through b I. They may be nothing but 

 iron bolts. The standards b I should be about one-eighth of an 

 inch apart, to give room for a saw. Put the saw in the clamp 

 and screw up the jaws, and if the clamp is not heavy enough to 

 remain still when filing, bolt it to the bench. If the jaws are 

 straight and true, they will press against the saw from one end 

 to the other. If the saw rattles or works between the jaws, 

 they are not true, and must be straightened. 



PUTTING HAND-SAWS IN ORDER. 



613. Put the saw in the clamp with the teeth extending a 

 little above the jaws. Always have the clamp set as level as 

 practicable, and never attempt to file a saw in a place where it 

 is 11 Dt as light as is desirable. It is very important to havo 



