Work. - 1. Examine and prepare the smoothing-plane for finishing.

2. Smooth and plane flat the bottom edge of the sides, and glue on the bottom piece.

3. Smooth the joints and sides.

Remove and sharpen the iron of the smoothing-plane. Examine the sole of the plane with the try-square for flatness. The fault in wooden planes, particularly if new, is shown in Fig. 1; holding the blade on the sole, you will notice that the wood just behind the throat is too high, as at b. This is caused by unequal shrinkage of the wood when the iron and wedge are in place, and must be remedied by planing down the sole with a true, sharp, fine-set fore-plane or smoothing-plane. Unless the sole of the plane is perfectly flat, no good work can be performed with it.

Fig. 2 represents a block-plane, made of iron, with levers for adjusting its iron, and a movable toe-piece to regulate the opening of the throat. The iron, c, has its bevel side up, and is inclined about 20°. There is more friction with an iron plane, but it gives better results across the grain or on hard wood.

Fasten the box in the vise with the bottom upward; hold the plane in the position shown in a, Fig. 3; push it slowly along the side, to cut rather on the inside than outside of the pieces; turn the corners as shown by the arrow at e, Fig. 3. The tendency is to cut too much on the outer edge and on the corners, which must be carefully avoided. In all finishing the shavings must be very thin. After planing and testing the bottom for flatness, smooth the face of the bottom piece, glue it to the box, clean off the excess glue, and set aside for the glue to harden; after which, fasten the box in the vise with an end upward, and clean off the wood. Here the greatest care must be taken to prevent splitting off pieces in the manner shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5 the broken line shows the direction which the cutting edge should take, always raising the plane when nearly across. Plane from the edges toward the middle, and, if the middle becomes high, confine the strokes to the high part.

In framed work, as in Fig. 6, plane a and b first, then c and d. noting the direction of the grain, so as to secure a smooth surface.

Ex. 24.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6