FIFTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES 147 



CUTTING FOUNDATION. 



I have one time and another used different plans for 

 cutting. A simple way, and one that is quite satisfactory, 

 is the following: Take a board 18 x 12 inches or larger; 

 on one end nail a block as a stop for the ends of the 

 sheets of foundation to rest against, and on one side nail 

 four blocks about 2}i inches long as stops for the one 

 edge of the foundation to rest against. It is well also to 

 nail one of these S^^-inch blocks on the other side near 

 the stop at the end, so as to make a space oi 7ys inches in 

 which the ends of the foundation shall be confined, other- 

 wise the foundation has a disagreeable habit of sluing off 

 to one side when the first cut is made at the other end. 

 Of course these stops are to be nailed on the upper 

 surface of the board and not on the edges. The two 

 blocks that are nailed nearest the end-stop are to be tight 

 against it, the others at such intervals as to allow for 

 cutting the 314 starters. The size of these blocks is not 

 important ^-i square being a good size. With a rule of 

 any convenient length ^x^, this rule being used to 

 guide the knife in cutting, the machine would now be 

 ready for the foundation if one had an eye accurate enough 

 to put the rule in the right place. In order to do this 

 quickly and accurately, nails against which to place the 

 rule at the right places are partly driven in on both sides ; 

 2^-inch wire finishing-nails are good for this purpose. 

 The board is to lie before you, having the side with the 

 four stop-blocks nearest you. Drive a nail into each 

 side of the board so that there shall be a space of just 

 3^ inches between the end-stop and the nail. I don't 

 mean you shall mark a point 3^4 inches from the end-stop 

 and drive your nail there, for that would make S% inches 

 from the end-stop to the middle of the nail, whereas it 

 should be 3>4 from the stop to the nearest side of the 

 nail. The distances of the other nails from the end-stops 

 will be as follows: 6>^, 9^, 13, 13^, 14^4, UJ/g. Now 

 your cutting-board is all ready for work. 



