THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
102 
hand saw is limited, its work is slow and 
tedious compared with the foot-power 
machine, and the more delicate kinds of 
work, such as inlaying and mosaic, can 
not be done with it satisfactorily; yet, 
there is much in the hand frame besides 
000 00 0 7 , 6 5 4 3 2 1 
Fig. 12. 
its cheapness, that will always recommend 
it as a good tool for boys to begin with. 
There can be no question, where a foot- 
power machine can be afforded, but that 
it is the best ; and that there are degrees 
of perfectness in treadle saws, is as true 
as that there are differences in hand-frame 
saws ; and a bad, loose jointed, ramshakle 
foot machine, should above all things be 
avoided, for they are sure to lead to dis- 
appointment and loss of time, material 
and temper. 
There are many machines in the market, 
good and cheap, capable, in good hands, 
of doing the finest of work ; and a little 
judgment emplo^^ed in the selection when 
about to purchase, will save a great deal 
of trouble and annoyance afterwards. 
If you have not set your mind on obtain- 
ing some particular make, or had some 
saw recommended by a friend in whom 
you have confidence, it would be well to 
send to the different dealers for circulars, 
and thereby make yourself acquainted 
with the worth and capabilities of each 
make before buying, always bearing in 
mind that a saw for which a small sum of 
money is paid, may turn out to be a very 
dear one in the end. However, if you 
purchase from any of the noted makers, 
*you may rest satisfied that you have got 
the worth of your money. 
Having procured your saw, the next 
thing is to use it, and here let me say, that 
in fret-sawing, like everything else of use, 
there is no royal road to perfection ; it will 
be necessary for you to proceed step by 
step. You must not expect to cut elabor- 
ate brackets or intricate leaf work, on the 
very day you get the saw. In order, how- 
ever, to lead you on as rapidly as possible 
to a iDoint where results can reasonably 
be expected, I purpose to give you a few 
hints accompanied by the necessary illus- 
trations ; but before doing so, it will not 
be out of place to say a few words regard- 
ing the material which will be necessary 
to use in the initiatory exercises about to 
be gone into. As satisfactory results are 
not expected from these first beginnings, 
it would be foolish to waste expensive 
materials while practicing ; therefore, the 
operator should lay in a supply of empty 
cigar boxes, which should be taken apart, 
and all the nails carefully withdrawn ; the 
pieces should then all be laid together and 
a weight placed on the top to keep them 
from warping. The wood in these boxes, 
which is Spanish cedar, is excellent for 
the amateur to begin sawing with, as it is 
soft and easily worked. The paper can be 
taken off by soaking the pieces in water a 
few minutes, and then scraping them, 
after which the wood should be placed on 
end to dry, which it will do without warp- 
ing. When the wood is dry, it should be , 
rubbed with fine sandpaper, after which j 
it is ready to receive a design for the first j 
attempt. i 
Mark, with a lead pencil, on one of the 
prepared pieces of wood, lines as shown 
in Fig. 13, commencing with the saw at 
A, running down to the intersection, then | 
changing the direction of the saw so that 
B A 
Fig. 13. 
it cuts the line as far as the angular 
point, then change direction again and foU j 
low the line cutting out at b. Begin again 
at A, and follow the lines closely until the 
saw cuts through at c„ Be sure and have j 
all the angles sharp and well defined ; for 
