When sharpening these tools, one is liable to spoil the shape of the cutting edge unless great care is exercised, and as the shape determines the ease with which the cutting edge is guided, an irregular shape will render the management of the tool much more difficult.

The operator takes position with the stone turning towards him, and applies the tool in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 13, and at once carefully draws it back to the position shown by the solid ones, with the bevel resting on the stone. The chisel is applied in this manner to avoid the danger of touching the cutting edge against the revolving stone, and so making it duller than before. The bevel is held square across the face of the stone, as shown in Fig. 14, where the solid lines show the position when one side is being ground, and the dotted lines when the other one. The tool should be moved slowly across the face of the stone, so that the whole of the face may be used, and it must not be allowed to rock, as that would round the bevel. The position of the operator is shown in Fig. 15.

Fig. 13.

The grinding is complete when the ground surface reaches the cutting edge, and this can readily be seen by holding it so that the light from a window falls across it.

If the grinding be continued after this, the extreme end, becoming thin from the grinding, bends away from the stone, producing what is called a "wire edge." The wire edge will have to be broken off before the tool can be properly sharpened, and this is usually done just before it is applied to the whetstone. It may be done by drawing the cutting edge in the direction of its length across the grain of a piece of soft wood.

Fig. 14.

Fig 15.

Fig. 16.

The edge left by the grindstone is too rough for use in turning, so to secure the necessary smoothness and to further sharpen the tool the whetstone is used. The chisel is applied to the whetstone with the same care with which it was applied to the grindstone. It is first placed in the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 16, then raised to that shown by the solid lines, and is then moved steadily back and forth on the stone; this operation being performed on both bevels until it is sharp. The manner of grasping the chisel during the operation of whetting is shown in Fig. 17. The chisel is held in the right hand, and the fingers of the left hand used to steady it. When the sharpening is nearly complete, the tool is frequently turned over from one bevel to the other and given a few rubs on each. Any fine wire edge now formed may be removed, as before, by drawing the edge through a piece of wood, or it may be "buffed" off by rubbing the edge on a leather strap or on the palm of the left hand.

Fig. 17.

Fig. 18.

The gouge may be ground by being held against the grindstone in the manner shown in Fig. 18, a manner similar to that for holding the skew chisel. It must not be held in one position, but must be slowly rolled on the bevel, so that the part in contact with the stone is constantly changing. It will pass from the position shown by the solid lines in Fig. 18 to that shown by the dotted ones, and then back again; and this should be continued during the process of grinding.

A grindstone having a groove made in its face is used where there are many gouges to be ground. The groove may be made near one side, as shown in Fig. 19.

An oil-stone slip is used to whet the gouge, and is applied to the bevel in the manner shown in Fig. 20. After the bevel on the outside of the gouge has been whetted, the round edge of the slip may be rubbed against the inside, but care must be taken that the slip has contact along its whole edge with the inside of the gouge.

The round-nose tool is made from a narrow carpenter's chisel, and is ground and whetted in nearly the same manner as the gouge, so no special instruction is necessary to do it.

Fig. 19.

Fig. 20.

The parting-tool is sharpened as the skew chisel is, except that the edge is not to be skewed.

The lathe ought to come fitted with the following parts: a fork-centre, cup-centre, cone-centre, face-plate, tee-rest, and, when it is driven by mechanical power, a countershaft with cone-pulley, and fast and loose pulleys.

The following tools will be found to make a satisfactory set, and must be bought apart from the lathe:

1 skew chisel and 1 turner's-gouge, each 1 inch wide. 1 " " 1 " " 1/2 " "

I " " 1 " " 1/4 " " 1 round-nose chisel, 1/4 inch wide. 1 cutting-off tool, 1/8 inch wide. 1 pair-wing calipers, 6 inches. 1 pair-wing dividers, 6 inches. 1 wooden mallet - light weight. 1 oil- can.

The following table of speeds may be used during the exercises:

In each case the speed ought to be slower by one change on the cone-pulley when the work is started and until it has been turned to the round form.

When the work is turned plankwise, the starting speed would be slower by yet another change.