132 
THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
and with a half-round or rat-tail file for 
the inside, and a flat file for the outside 
curve; file away the punch nearly to a 
cutting edge on either side of the groove. 
Such a groove in the punch will leave a 
projecting ridge on the wood, which looks 
much better than a mere indentation, 
which would be made if the surface of the 
punch were a solid segment of a ring. 
Eig. 6 is the punch for the tendril. Cut 
the two curves deeply with the graver, 
and then file away the outside metal to 
correspond with the curves. 
Eig. 7 is the punch for the double row 
of little circles. It is made on the point 
of the nail. Drill two shallow holes close 
together, and then file away the surround- 
ing iron. And lastly, Eig. 8, for punching 
the central rosette, is made by drilling a 
shallow hole in the centre of the round 
iron, and then filing the gashes, and 
rounding the corners of the projections, 
to secure the desired shape. 
In laying off the pattern, the main 
things to be attended to are to avoid 
breaking the box lid ; to space off evenly 
the different parts of the design; and to 
secure an even depth of impression. 
Make a rest for holding the box lid, as 
shown at Eig. 9. It is a short cylinder of 
hard wood with a smooth upper working 
surface, which must be a little less in 
diameter than the inner cavity of the box 
lid, and having two pieces cut from the 
opposite sides of the lower end, leaving 
a tenon, which can be held in the vise. 
Place the box lid on this rest, in such 
manner that there shall always be a 
bevel and firm support directly under the 
punch. 
Begin with punch Eig. 2. Place it per- 
pendicularly on the surface of the lid, so 
that the small end of the bunch of grapes 
shall be near the point of the large circle, 
which is farthest from you, and strike the 
upper end of the punch with a hammer. 
If you are working on hard wood it may 
be necessary to strike two or three blows. 
A little experience will show what depth 
Of impression will give the best appear- 
ance. Now^ turn the lid half around on 
the rest, and punch another grape bunch 
at the op]"»osite end of the diameter of the 
circle. Follow the same plan for dividing 
the circle into quarters. Then it will be 
an easy matter to divide it into eighths. 
Next punch the larger grape leaf, Eig. 3, 
allowing the leaf steam to slightly overlap 
the stem of the grape bunch. Then make 
the vine with punch, Eig. 4. It will be 
noticed that this part of the pattern is 
a reversed curve between each pair of 
bunches, which is made with two impres- 
sions from the same punch, by simply 
turning the latter half around, to get the 
desired direction of the curve. If the 
punch will not reach half way across the 
space between the bunches, the curve of 
the vine may be made longer by sliding 
the punch along carefully in the track of 
the impression just made, and then strik- 
ing another light blow. Now make the 
impressions of the smaller leaf, and finally 
[ of the little tendril. 
j If all the impressions are made to 
slightly overlap each other, the final ap- 
pearance will be better than it would be 
if small gaps were left in the design. The 
I punching of the . double border of little 
1 circles, and the central rosette, will be an 
easy matter after the vine pattern has 
been mastered. 
Tliis description may suggest a great 
variety of designs, as combinations of 
leaves, flowers, tendrils and other objects. 
And when the surrounding surface is 
finished with shellac and polished, such 
sunken designs gi\ea very pleasing effect. 
New Baitimoi-o, N. Y.. Aug-., 1881. 
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