SMALL SAWMILLS, THEIR EQUIPMENT, ETC. 35 
shaft, taking care that no oil or grease or any foreign substances get 
on the paper frictions. Nothing should ever be put on these ; simply 
keep them clean and dry, and covered so that the greasy sawdust will 
not get into them and cut them out. If the frictions should become 
wet, a little fine sawdust will dry them nicely. All bearings must be 
kept clean and supplied with an abundance of good machine oil. 
Where grease cups are used, they must be filled with a good grade of 
grease and kept covered so that dirt and grit will not work into them. 
It is a good plan to go over all of these at regular intervals and clean 
out the oil holes. 
Start the mill up slowly, see that the bearings are not too tight, 
and also that they do not run hot. Do not try to cut up a log the 
very first thing. Run the mill empty for a while and watch every 
working part to see that there is no heating and that nothing needs 
adjustment. Be a little slack on the frictions until you learn just 
how to work them nicely. By carelessness or crowding the pressure 
on the frictions before everything is working nice and easy, you may 
grind a flat place on the sliding paper friction and destroy its use- 
fulness. When everything is properly set up and correctly adjusted 
a very slight pressure of the hand on the feed lever is all that is 
necessary to run the carriage when sawing. 
Do not fasten the stirrup in any way at the bottom, but leave it 
free to swing back and forth as the feed lever is pressed to or from 
the disk. The upper end of the stirrup must be fastened to the iron 
lug at the bottom of the yoke of the sliding box with a cap screw. It 
must also fit up in the socket of the sliding box, so that it will move 
the box forward and bring the sliding friction up against the disk 
when the feed lever is pressed forward. 
SAWING. 
For your first sawing pick out moderate-sized logs. Do not try to 
get full capacity out of your mill for the first day or two. See that 
the log is dogged firmly to the knees, saw slowly and get the " hang " 
of your mill, and let the working parts all get in good running order. 
Use an extra quantity of oil until everything is working easily and 
smoothly. By studying the set works on the carriage, you will soon 
learn to cut any desired thickness of lumber. 
A working knowledge of how to run a saw can be easily acquired. 
Of course, it is the better way, if possible, to take lessons from some 
one who has already had experience of this kind. If, however, no 
one is available, start very slowly until you know just what feed 
you can give the various-sized logs. To insure that the logs will be 
cut to best advantage, the amateur sawmill operator should take a 
pair of dividers or a piece of string and a pencil and lay out several 
