The boys now became very busy completing their shop equipment, and the
first project was a box for holding different sizes of nails. This was
to be kept on the bench where it could be reached conveniently, and it
is shown in Fig. 133.
After studying the sketch, Harry made out the bill of material:
2 pcs. pine 15 × 1-3/4 × 1/2
2 pcs. pine 3 × 1-3/4 × 1/2
2 pcs. pine 3-1/2 × 1-3/4 × 3/8
[Illustration: Fig. 133. The nail box]
These six pieces were squared up, and the joints for the two partitions
laid out by placing them edge to edge in the vise. Pencil lines were
drawn across the faces at random, _a_. Ralph explained that by fitting
these pencil lines they could at any time bring the two pieces
together in the original position.
The four knife lines representing the edges of the grooves were next
drawn, and squared half-way down on each edge, using the face with the
pencil lines as a working face. The bottom of the groove was laid off
with the marking gauge set at 1/4 inch. The wood inside the lines was
removed by making a saw cut just inside the knife lines, and cutting
out with a 3/8-inch chisel.
[Illustration: Fig. 134. Socket chisels]
This led to a talk on chisels. Ralph explained that for fine work a
"firmer" chisel was used, having a comparatively thin body.
There are two kinds of handles, known as "socket" and "tang." The
chisels having "tangs" should never be hammered, as the tang acts as
a wedge and splits the handle. Where blows are to be struck with the
mallet, a socket handle should be used. (Fig. 134.) For heavy work,
where hard blows are to be struck, as in house-framing, and out-of-door
work generally, the heavy framing tool should be used. The handle of
this chisel has a heavy iron ring near the top to keep it from going
to pieces.
Our boys' equipment at this time consisted of one half-inch and a
one-inch firmer chisel with tang handles, a 1/8-inch and 3/8-inch
socket firmer, and one 1/2-inch framing chisel. Later on they added a
1/4-inch firmer with tang handle.
The grooves for the nail box were cut with the 3/8-inch chisel without
the aid of the mallet.
Ralph showed how, by inclining the tool at a slight angle, a paring
action could be obtained, and by working from both ends of the groove
no corners were destroyed.
When the four grooves were finished, the box was ready for assembling.
This called for hammer and nails.
Wire nails are so cheap now that the old-fashioned cut nails have been
largely driven from the market.
The nails used on the box were one-inch brads.
The holding power of flat-head nails is of course much greater than
bung head, but in this case the box was to be squared up after nailing,
exactly as if it were a solid block of wood. This meant planing the
sides and ends, and as the nails would ruin the plane iron, they were
all sunk below the surface with a nail set or punch. (Fig. 135). This
is a useful tool, but not absolutely necessary, as for light work a
wire nail, with the point ground flat on the grindstone, will answer
the same purpose. A carpenter frequently uses the edge of a flat-head
nail instead of the punch.
[Illustration: Photograph by Arthur G. Eldredge. The Correct Way to
Hold the Chisel]
The box was assembled by nailing together the sides and ends. The
bottom was next put on, holding the try square along one side and end
to make sure everything was square, and last of all the two partitions
were pushed down into their grooves, and tied in place by one brad from
each side. Next, all nails were set, and the outside tested with the
try square and trued up with the plane.
[Illustration: Fig. 135. Wire nails and nail sets]
The cabinet of drawers shown in Fig 136 was next designed to keep
the assortment of screws and nails, which the boys knew would soon
accumulate. As far as possible, they were kept in their original paper
boxes, on which the sizes were plainly printed.
The twelve drawers were simply boxes without covers or partitions, and
Ralph suggested that it was not necessary to make them all at once,
but that they could often fill in spare time that way, and gradually
complete the dozen.
[Illustration: Fig. 136. Cabinet for nails and screws]
After making the nail box with partitions, this was a simple job, it
being only important that they all be of the same size.
The construction of the cabinet, however, brought new problems. The
shelves, being short, did not require any vertical support except at
the ends, where they were gained into the sides, and to give Harry
practice the top and bottom were to be "rabbeted" into the sides. The
sides then were the most important parts. All six pieces were first
squared up to the dimensions called for in the drawing. The list of
material was as follows:
4 pcs. 24-5/8 × 12 × 1/2 shelves
2 pcs. 14 × 12 × 1/2 ends
1 pcs. 25-1/8 × 14 × 1/4 back
"The grain must run the long way," said Ralph, "so the grooves will be
across the grain."
The four grooves were laid out with knife and try square, and the lines
scored as deeply with the knife as possible.
Then another cut was made with the knife inside of the first, and with
the knife held at about 45 degrees, cutting out a V-shaped groove, as
shown at _a_.
In each of these grooves a cut with the buck saw was made down to the
line, and the wood removed with the 3/8-inch chisel. There are special
planes, called rabbet planes, and plows for doing this kind of work,
but it is good practice for beginners to use the chisel.
The grooves finished, the cabinet was put together with 1-1/2-inch
brads, except the back. This being of thin material, and having no
special strain on it, was nailed on with 1-inch brads. The total width
of the drawers in each tier was 1/8 inch less than the space. This
gave clearance, so that they could be moved in or out easily.
Later, when all twelve drawers were finished, the boys bought a dozen
simple drawer pulls, and screwed one in the centre of each box.
The centre was found by drawing the diagonals in light pencil lines.
The front and ends were sand-papered, and given two coats of dark-green
stain, and the cabinet was placed on a shelf against the wall.