Because of the fact that pattern lumber can be bought already dressed to any required thickness, a planing machine is not found in every pattern shop. The ordinary surface planer, however, will not take the twist, or wind (i as in find), and the curves out of the surface of the lumber - a matter of very great importance in pattern work, and one which requires a great deal of time if the planing is done by hand.

The hand planer and Jointer, illustrated in Fig. 101, is almost indispensable, not only for facing the sides of boards perfectly true, straight, and free from wind, but also for jointing the edges, and for making perfectly-fitting glue joints in a manner superior to any hand work. These machines can be bought in widths of from twelve to thirty inches. A machine sixteen inches wide is a very desirable size for pattern work.

It will readily be seen that the running of a board over the hand planer, while facing the surface straight and true, will not reduce the piece to a uniform thickness. To avoid the necessity for much hand work in accomplishing this result, first face the piece on the hand planer so as to make one true side, and then run it through a surface planer similar to the one illustrated in Fig. 102. If they can be afforded, both of these machines (especially the hand planer) will return large profits on the money invested in them, because of the time and labor saved and the superior quality of the work done.

FLOORING MACHINE. J. A. Fay and Egan Co.

Fig. 101.

Among the many labor-saving tools of late years, there is perhaps none more popular and none more indispensable in a pattern shop than the universal wood trimmer. It will cut any end or angle within the capacity of the machine; and an end which would take from ten to fifteen minutes to square and true up correctly by hand with square and plane or chisel, can be finished is a many seconds with this tool. It is made in many sizes, from the small bench trimmer, two views of which are shown in Fig. 103, to the large machine illustrated in Fig. 104. The former will cut vide and 3 inches high. The larger machine will cut 20 1/8 and to a height of 7½ inches.

Fig. 102.

Fig. 103. Front View.

Fig. 103. Rear View.

The small No. 0 machine, shown in Fig. 103, is so comparatively inexpensive, and the time it will save so great, to say nothing of the quality of the work produced, that it should be on the bench of every pattern maker. These machines will cut the acute angles between 45° and 90°, and the obtuse angles between 90° and 135°. ......

Fig. 104.