Hoblyn's Compound Slide-Rest.

Fig. 224.

Fig. 224B.

At a later page is described a slide rest with the arrangements of the tool-holder somewhat improved, and calculated for the reception of larger tools and apparatus. The little rest here described is, however, very light and useful.

A compound spherical slide-rest, for ornamental turning lathes, which has been patented by Mr. Hoblyn, Rickling-green, Essex, is capable of turning and ornamenting accurately spheres and any segments of circles convex or concave, either on the surface or cylinder; also, it is stated that by the addition of templates any other curves, not segments of circles, can be turned out, in addition to the work performed by an ordinary compound slide-rest. In our illustrations,Fig. 1is a side view, andFig. 2, an elevation of the rest. A is the lower, and B the top plate, C the carriage, and the saddle as usual. The lower plate, of iron, is planed on bottom and sides, and has a longitudinal bevelled slot in the bottom to receive the fastening bolt, so that the plate can be tightened up at any point on the lathe bed. At one end of this bottom plate is a piece raised the whole of its breadth, accurately turned and faced, with a stout turned pin,b, for a pivot in the centre. A wheel,c, is placed around this raised piece, having any specified number of cogs, and on its top any specified number of small holes drilled to receive two pins as segment stops. The top plate is slightly narrower than the bottom one, and has on its underside a corresponding surface to that raised on the plate A, turned and faced with countersunk hole in the centre to fit on the pivotb, on which it is tightened by a screw and washer. The top of B is placed to receive two parallel bars of brass, bevelled on the inner edge, so as to form sliding bars for the carriage C, one bar being a fixture, the other capable of adjustment by tighteningscrews. The sides are also accurately planed, and on one a tangent screw,e, is so fixed as to be put in and out of gear with the brass wheel,c, for the purpose of driving the top plate round the pivotb. In the raised surface of B, is a countersunk slot forming a quarter circle, with screw passing through it into the bottom plate; by this means the top plate can be firmly fixed at any angle to the bottom plate for the purpose of slide-rest turning. A small pointer,f, works clear of the brass wheel in the capacity of segment stop—two small pins being placed in the specified number of holes inc. On the opposite side of the screw,e, on the top surface, a screw,g, works in two standards screwed into the plate through slots in the bar, which works through a traveller,h, firmly attached to the carriage, C, and therefore capable of driving the carriage in a rectilinear direction—for slide-rest purposes. This carriage, C, consists of an iron platei,with standardk, top platel, with parallel brass bars to receive tool receptaclem, the bottom plate and standard being in one piece with the plate, planed side and bottom, so as to slide truly between the parallel bar on B. The standard has its surface accurately turned with a pin in centre to form pivot. The top plate is planed true, bottom, sides, and top, and has a countersunk hole in the exact centre, so as to work on the pin, and tightens up with a large nut. In the plate is a countersunk slot forming a quarter-circle, with screw passing through into the standard, to set the tool receptacle either parallel with B for spherical turning, at right angles to B for slide turning, or at any angle for thick and thin cuts, and similar patterns when used either as a spherical or slide rest. The parallel bars are to be similar to those on B, to enable the tool receptacle to be advanced or retired by screw or lever. This part of the machine can be adjusted for height of centre thus:—The standardkto be a hollow cylinder with fixing screw on one side; the plateito be made with turned pin on bottom, to fit into standard; elevating screw; saddle as usual, but with the addition of a small hole drilled in one of the sides, and a corresponding one in the side of the lower plate A, so placed that when a pin is fixed into these holes the pivot is exactly central to the lathe centre.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

The way of using the spherical rest is thus described by Mr. Hoblyn:—"When altogether, and the point of tool adjusted by means of a square exactly over centre of pivot, it is evident, if the top plate moves round, the point of the tool will still be in the same place; but if we retire the point one half-inch, on moving the plate right round it would describe an inch circle, so that if the centre of pivot be exactly under the centre of the lathe, and we move the rest the half-circle, it will cut a perfect ball (or any part of one, if the cut be less than half a circle) of such size as the distance doubled of point of tool from centre of pivot. Therefore, by adjustment of the lower plate on the lathe bed according to the size of material (this, of course, does not allude to the act of turning a ball, when the centre of pivot must be exactly under centre of lathe), adjustment of carriage from centre according to the size of circle required, and adjustment of tool for depth of cut, we are enabled to turn any convex curve. To turn the concaves, instead of retiring from centre of pivot, it is only requisite to advance the point beyond the centre to the distance required, when the same rules apply as to the convex curves. In turning the concaves, however, it is necessary to turn the plates half-round, so that A and B are in the same straight line, instead of over each other. This enables you to work on any sized piece of wood, the object of the longitudinal slot in the lower plate being to enable you to adjust your previously arranged curve to any sized wood or ivory that your lathe will take, less 2 in., the height ofmachine. The desired curve having been turned, take out the chisel, and place in the receptacle any ornamenting instrument, drill, eccentric, &c.; advance the point till it touches the work, then set your screw for depth of cut, and work according to fancy. Whatever it is it must be mathematically correct on the curve, as you have not altered it in any way. You then remove your rest to cut the next desired curve, and proceed as before. The best way to execute a piece of work is first to make a sectional pattern of your design, either by drawing or cutting it out with scissors from a double piece of paper, when, of course, both sides come the same, the line where the paper is doubled being the line of centre of lathe. You can then, with a pair of compasses, ascertain with accuracy the necessary size of circle, and the position of centre of pivot to procure the desired curves. You may also produce a very good effect by a combination of two different curves in this way:—Let your ornamental instrument be the universal cutter; working horizontally follow up your curve with it, but, instead of cutting right out on your curve, let the instrument finish of itself in wood previously turned so as to fit its curve, when you get the lesser and greater curves following in unbroken succession. With the eccentric chuck numberless effects of the most curious description may be produced, even work supposed to be only possible with a rose engine. We believe the tool is to be seen at the shop of Mr. Evans, 104, Wardour-street.

To turn a sphere by means of a template attached to the slide rest as described, the following adjustment of the rest and mode of proceeding should be followed. A, B,Fig. 225, is the chuck containing the material, H, to be worked into a sphere. Upon this the length, or diameter (equal to that of the template, as will be explained), is to be marked at K, K, which being divided equally by the line L, L, will give the dimensions of the ball as if it were about to be turned by hand. The corners are to be turned off with the gouge, as far as shown, K being equal toeL, and Kfequal to Ke. The outline of the ball will with these measurements not be touched. The angles left may also carefully be removed, but (as shown by the figure) this operation must be conducted with great care. A template must now be made containing a full semicircle,every partof which can be traversed by the stud or screw upon the under part of the slide, or the ball will not be severed by the final cut. It is evident that the traverse of the slide during the operation will be the full radius of the ball, and in this, and indeed all cases of deep recesses, and greatly projecting mouldings, the ordinary tool-holder with tailpiece had better be removed, and replaced with a slide like M, having a pin straight through it to rest in contact with the template. This will preclude the necessity for the long stud or screw spoken of before as necessary when the slide with the tailpiece isused, but the tool cannot be advanced independently of the template as when the other form is used. Fix the rest so that when the top slide is at its central position the tool may stand as in the sketch exactly upon the central line of the ball. Take care that thus placed the tangent-pin of the slide is on the central mark of the template. The long frame of the rest must likewise be parallel with the bed of the lathe, keeping the top slide pressed against the template with the left hand, while the top part traverses the frame under the action of the screw moved by the right hand, the ball will be correctly cut.[16]One or two cautions must, however, be given here, to ensure a satisfactory result. In the first place the cylinder from which the ball is to be made must be exactly of the diameter of the semicircle on the template. H, H is the cylinder to be turned to a sphere, G, G, B shews the position of the tool at starting, the dot on A, the templet, the tangent pin of the slide,Fig. 226. As the work proceeds the tool will take the several positions shown, the dotted lines, D, being equal and parallel. The tool will thus repeat the form of the template. Let the latter remain as before, but let a smaller cylinderbe inserted in the lathe, or, which is the same thing, let the tool be now lengthened so as to start at C on the inner dotted line. When the pin, F, has reached K, which should be the axis of the ball, the tool will be at M, quite out of cut.Fig. 227represents three forms of tool in contact with the ball at two points. The first two will evidently be out of cut at the axial line, as the side of these bevels will then touch the piece to be turned. C is a form that will remain in contact from the diameter to the axial line. The left side of the edge is slightly overhanging the side line of the tool, D.

[16]See Appendix

Fig. 225.

Fig. 226.

Fig. 227.

When the part shown has been cut this tool must be removed and a similar tool bevelled in the reverse direction, adjusted by reference to the central line of the ball as before.[17]It is recommended to roughly shape the work with the gouge, and partially to cut it off with the parting tool so as to relieve the tool as much as possible, and when the last finishing cut is to be taken a freshly sharpened tool is to be made use of. It is evident that in the above and similar work the rest may be placed across the end of the cylinder if preferred to turn therighthand hemisphere, but it would have to be moved for the second half, which should be avoided, if possible. The advantage which the circular rest has over the above is due to the fact that the tool and rest once in position, neither has to be readjusted until the work is complete. The slide rest and semicircular template forms, however, if judiciously used, a very serviceable substitute and makes very satisfactory work. Whether or no the reader has a complete rest for spherical work, he should decidedly provide templates to use as above. They are not only useful for turning or ornamenting spheres, but any forms whatever that may be desired, and they possess this special advantage, that when a dome or other pattern has been thus turned with a plain tool the same template used with revolving cutters will enable the work to be ornamented with perfect ease, doing away in agreat measure with the need of a dome chuck. Suppose, again, that a number of pieces are desired precisely similar, as a set of pawns for a set of chessmen, a sectional drawing made and transferred to a piece of sheet-iron, and the latter cut to form a pattern plate, will enable the most unskilful to work satisfactorily. Nothing more need be said of the uses of templates, and for the present the subject will be dismissed, though it may possibly be referred to again in a future page.

[17]Holtzapffel uses a tool, the plan of which is semicircular, like a small round tool, cutting on front and two side edges; the tool is very narrow and bevelled below.

The first of the chucks comprised under the above head is the oval or elliptical chuck, and it is introduced first in order because it is not essentially a machine for ornamental turning, as are the eccentric and others of this class. There are many plain works required of elliptical section, as bradawl and other tool handles, for which a very simple arrangement is required.

The principle of the oval chuck is as follows:—There is an arrangement of slide, by which as the piece revolves it is drawn gradually further from the tool during half a revolution, and in a similar manner caused to approach it during the remaining half revolution, each point in the circumference alternately partaking of such movement; the whole of these points together, which, of course, form the circumference, will become an ellipse. Let D,Fig. 228, be the centre of the mandrel, A, B the direction of the slide moving up and down in a right line, and carrying the work upon a screw in the centre of it. C, E become centres, and may be taken as the extremes, for as the work revolves a succession of centres are formed and instantaneously changed. The figure produced will be the oval shown. To render this, however, clearer,Fig. 229may be taken, which represents the chuck in its most simple form with separate details of the parts which compose it. A is the chuck with central slider and chamfered bars, as described in speaking of the slide and rest and previous apparatus; B is the slide detached; D, front view of the same. The short armsa, b, pass through slots in the back plate as seen at C, which shows this plate with slide removed. Through these short arms pass a pair of adjusting screws; or still betteraandbare themselves cross arms or pallets extending the width of the plate as seen next drawing, and in the chuck of Muir which follows. They are merely flat plates of steel embracing the guide ring, so that some point in their inner surface may rest against it during every part of the revolution of the chuck.

Fig. 228.

Fig. 229.

The guide ring here alluded to is shown at E, and also at G, fixed in its place upon the poppet. It is in the form of a raised ring with arms, B, C., which are turned at right angles near their ends, and through which pass adjusting screws with conical points. This plate is flat at the back and bears against the face of the poppet, the mandrel nose falling into the central opening E. It is kept in place by the points of the screws falling into conical holes at the sides of the poppet head. At F is a side sectional view of this plate, with its raised and accurately turned ring, H, and at G is seen the poppetwith the plate attached, the left arm being dotted to show the position of the adjusting screw. It is this ring and plate which regulate the movement of the slider, and, with it, of the work, the latter being attached to the screw in the centre of the sliding plate, which screw is a counterpart of that upon the nose of the mandrel. Suppose the chuck A screwed to the mandrel, and the ring accurately concentric with the mandrel, in which position, the pallets must touch at two opposite points. In the best chucks there is an adjusting screw to each, by which the contact can be regulated. In this position any object of a circular form can be turned, for the slider remains in one position, and its screw, upon which the work is fixed, is a continuation of the mandrel. But if now the adjusting screws of the part E are turned, the one being loosened and the other tightened, the guide ring will no longer be concentric with the mandrel, and, as the screws of the slider bear upon it, the slider will during its revolution be moved to and fro to a distance regulated by the eccentricity of the guide ring. The combination of this circular motion of the chuck and rectilineal movement of the slider will produce an ellipse, and a stationary tool applied to the work will cut it, into that form.

The above simple arrangement of oval chuck suffices only for plain work. The only figures that can be described by its means, upon the cover of a box, for instance, being a series of ellipses of which the longest diameters fall in the same right line, and of which the centres are coincident with the axis of the mandrel, asFig. 229.

Fig. 229.

Even these, however, cannot be done without some compensating arrangement, as the minor axis does not diminish in length at the same rate as the major—hence the ellipses get narrower and narrower until the central one becomes a mere right line. This is referred to again in the ornamental section of this work.

Fig. 231.

Figs. 232, 233, 234.

Combinations like231, in which the ellipses intersect, cannot be so obtained. Hence the oval chuck is provided with a wheel, either racked to work by a tangent screw or fitted with a spring catch, by which it becomes a dividing plate. This wheel revolves on a central pin[18]fixed to the middle of the sliding plate, and carries a screw of the same pitch as that upon the mandrel to which other chucks can be attached. By this means the axial lines of the ellipse can be varied in direction. This addition is shown inFig. 232, which is a section, and233, which is a front view. In the former, A is the wheel,which, as previously explained, should be so arranged as to contain a number of cogs divisible by as many figures as possible; 96 is such a number, being divisible by 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12; 72 is also a good number, as it will divide by 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9. If the edge is racked and moved by a tangent-screw with divided head a greater range can be taken and finer work done. In this case the face of the wheel can be marked with divisions, and a fine steel pointer, as shown at F, added to count by. The pin B, which is firmly attached to the centre of the slider plate, must be strong, and the lower part at least should be conical. It is drilled and tapped at the smallest end, and when the circular plate with its screw is slipped upon it, a screw, E, the head of which is countersunk into the face of the large screw, retains it in place. The slide, C, has a recess turned to fit the wheel plate, and the latter is cut as shown atX, which ensures a more accurate bearing than if it was left flat on the lower surface. In making this chuck certain precautions are necessary. In the first place, the guide ring fixed to the poppet must be exactly concentric with the mandrel when in its central position; and when it is drawn by the adjusting screws to the right or left the central line must remain parallel with the surface of the lathe bed. To ensure this centrality it is necessary to turn its outer surface when it is in position on the lathe head. So at least says Bergeron; and it is perhaps the best method whereby to ensure the accuracy that is required.[19]For this purpose Bergeron directs the use of a cutter similar toFig. 234attached to the mandrel as a chuck, the edge which is on the inside of the bent part ataacting on the exterior of the ring as the mandrel revolves. The screws allow the tool to be advanced closer to the ring as the work proceeds, while they secure it at any desired point. Such a contrivance as this, used merely as a finishing tool to correct any slight error, is no doubt sufficiently satisfactory. The various parts of this and other compound chucks should be first turned separately to near the required size, and accurately finished when in their respective places upon the chuck. Any parts which present a difficulty from the impossibility of retaining them in place while operated upon, may be soldered with tinman's solder, and thus turned, after which the application of moderate heat will detach them, and the fluid solder can at the same time be wiped off with a pledget of tow or cotton waste. As many of our readers may wishto make such apparatus as the above, it may be desirable to add a few directions for the preparation of chamfered edges such as those of the slide and guide bars, the latter of which should be of iron or steel. Let the slide, for instance, be cast as a rectangular plate and the two flat surfaces be roughly levelled with a file. One of these must now be made perfectly true, either by mounting it with solder upon the face plate of the lathe, and levelling it with the aid of the slide rest, which is perhaps the safest plan, or by careful working with the file, using a straight-edge in all directions, and finishing by careful grinding upon a flat stone slab with water, or on a wooden grinder charged with emery and oil. After one side is finished, the opposite face may be similarly treated; but for this the plate may be secured to the finished surface of the lower plate of the chuck itself, and turned with a tool fixed in the slide rest. The edges must now be filed truly at right angles to the sides, care being taken to keep the long sides of the plate parallel. (The short sides or ends will be rounded by being turned true with the edge of the chuck.) The work must now be tested with the straight-edge and small steel square, and any error carefully corrected. Of course, if the reader is the happy possessor of a planing machine, all these operations will be facilitated and accuracy more likely to be ensured. It may here be mentioned that, to supply the want of such planing machine (a want often felt by amateurs who have not mastered the use of file and scraper), Monro, of Gibson-street, has cleverly added a planing apparatus to the ordinary foot lathe, rendering the latter tool complete for all purposes of amateur engineering.

[18]This pin should have been shown of a conical not cylindrical form, and much stronger in proportion.

[19]This part is always so turned by the best makers.

This handy apparatus will be found on a later page fully described and illustrated by a photograph of the machine. The writer has seen it and used it, and can testify to its satisfactory working, as a lathe thus fitted does not run heavier or require greater exertion than when used for ordinary turning.

The next step will be the chamfering of the edges of the plate. Let 235 represent the plate in its present condition, with rectangular edges. To produce a chamfer of 45°, draw a line,a, b, at a distance from the edge equal to the thickness of the piece. If a smaller angle is desired, the line must be drawn further back. An angle of 30° to 35°, is, in the writer's opinion, better than one of 45°, as the chamfered bars will then have a wider bearing on the upper surface of the plate, tending to hold it more securely down upon the lower part of the chuck. Nothing remains but to file carefully down from the line thus drawn to the lower edge, by no means a difficult operation if care is exercised not to obliterate the mark, or to trespass the least beyond the assigned limit. A template, cut likeFig. 236, of the desired angle, will be a gauge for the edges of the plate, as well as for those of the chamfered bars, and will serve to make assurancedoubly sure. The arms which stand out at the back of the slider to embrace the guide ring are not fastened to the plate immovably, but with power of adjustment. A pair of short slots are made in the slider, into which a square projection from the arms fits, and the whole is clamped by a screw, as shown in237, A, B, and C.

Figs. 235, 236, 237.

A more accurate method is shown in theOrnamental Sectionfor finer adjustment than can be secured in this way, but for a home made chuck the above will suffice and is the easiest plan to carry into effect. To use this chuck, the guide is first arranged, so that its ring is concentric with the mandrel. A mark is generally made upon it, and also upon the lathe-head, by which this position can be readily insured. The chuck is then screwed upon the mandrel, and the arms adjusted, as just described, so as to embrace accurately, but not too tightly, the guide ring. They are then, once for all, fixed in that position by the screws alluded to. A few drops of oil are necessary to lubricate their inner surface and the exterior of the guide, and the latter being withdrawn by its adjusting screws to the desired eccentricity, the work may be proceeded with. A rough piece of wood, however, should always be first turned to a cylindrical form, as an oval chuck being an expensive article is to be carefully preserved, and not exposed to the shocks inseparable from the process of roughing down the work. Moreover, there should always be one or two screws passing through the slider into the back plate, to takeaway the strain from the chamfered bars, which can be removed when the slider is to be brought into action. Two precautions are here laid down respecting oval turning, which, in all probability, a tyro would not suspect to be necessary until taught by failure. In the first place, at whatever point of the circumference the tool is held, at that point it must remain, or rather, it must remain in the same horizontal line, being neither raised nor depressed. Hence, for all work where accuracy is needed, oval turning should be done with the slide rest. In the second place, when it is desired to place a succession of ellipses one within the other on the face of the work, likeFig. 229, it will not be sufficient to place the tool nearer to the centre for each ring, but the eccentricity of the guide ring must be reduced at the same time; otherwise, when the middle is reached, a straight line will be the result, instead of the proposed ellipse, as already stated. The lathe should not be driven at a very high speed, and the moving parts should be lubricated from time to time. There are other ways of compensating the error produced by the oval chuck, or elliptic cutting frame, which however are so entirely connected with ornamental turning that they are reserved to be introduced into that section. A contrivance for turning ovals invented, and communicated to theEnglish Mechanicby a Suffolk amateur, deserves a place here. It is thus described by the inventor:—

Ovals are generally turned by causing the work to move in and under guidance of an "oval chuck".

There seems no reason why the same result should not be arrived at by communicating a movement to the rest supporting the cutting tool in the following manner:—Let A, A, be lathe bearers, B, pulley,C, screw of mandrel, D, template fixed thereon, E, friction wheel on the end of bar F, G rest (a board of any convenient width) moving on pivots at H. The friction roller, E, is to be kept in contact with the template by the cord running over the pulley T, stretched by the weight L. The rest will thus oscillate under the guidance of the template, which may be either oval or rose engine pattern, and the cutting tool form the pattern of the template used. There might be other modes of causing the rest to oscillate on the same principle. The lathe would require a slow motion, the same as with an oscillating mandrel.

Fig. 238.

Next in order of the compound chucks stands the eccentric, the use of which is not entirely confined to mere ornamentation, as it is often very convenient to the turner to have the power of shifting the centre of his work. Thus, asolitaireboard may be drilled with the necessary cup-shaped holes, or any work of a similar character completed by the help of this chuck without the necessity for constant re-centering. Thegeneralwork of the chuck in question is nevertheless ornamentation, for which it is peculiarly adapted either alone or in combination with other compound chucks, or overhead apparatus. The sliding plate of this chuck works between chamfered steel bars, the same as in the oval chuck. There is, however, no guide ring on the lathe head to regulate the movement of the slide, and therefore also no necessity for the projecting arms at the back. The slide, in fact, is moved by a screw with a graduated head, similar to those already described.Fig. 239represents the commonform of this chuck, in which the wheel which forms a dividing plate is moved by a tangent screw. The sliding plate is shown slightly drawn out by its screw, the degree to which it is moved being that of its required eccentricity. When the plate is drawn back to correspond with the base plate, the centre will be in a line with that of the mandrel, and any work turned upon the chuck in this position of the slide will be cylindrical. The central screw of all these compound chucks being alike and of the pitch of that on the mandrel, any of the ordinary cup chucks can be used with them to hold the work; or the eccentric chuck can be screwed to the elliptic, cycloidal, or any other in the set, by which means an endless variety of curves can be described. The effect produced by the simple eccentric chuck now described is as follows, the slide rest being used with it as a matter of course. Let a piece of box or other wood be fixed by means of a cup or other chuck upon the screw of the eccentric chuck, and the slide rest with a single point tool be brought in front of it. By means of this the work must be carefully faced, and made uniformly level. A ring A,Fig. 240, may now be cut, which will be concentric with the mandrel. The slide of the chuck being now drawn down by a few turns of the leading screw (the tool and rest being kept in its original position), the centre of the work will thereby be shifted, and the tool being advanced to touch the same, thecircle B will be formed of the same size as the first, but necessarily cutting it at two points. Another turn of the screw will enable C, and similarly D, or any number of circles to be successively formed. The centres of these circles will be in a line across the face of the work. The ratchet wheel is added to enable the turner to arrange his circles round a common centre, instead of being thus obliged to keep them in a right line, and it will presently be seen what a beautiful variety of interlaced circles can thus be accomplished. The dividing wheel is, as previously explained, divided on its edge into an equal number of teeth, or racked for a tangent screw and divided on the face and edge. We shall suppose the number of divisions to be 120. Face the work afresh, and, drawing back the slide until the centre is concentric with the mandrel, as at first, cut a boundary circle, A,Fig. 241. Move the slide of the chuck a few turns, as before, and cut an eccentric circle. Now move the dividing wheel thirty teeth, and cut a second, and, advancing by thirty each time, cut a third and fourth, andFig. 241will be the result; the centres of the eccentric circles falling upon four points of the inner dotted circle, which is itself concentric with that first made.

Fig. 239.

Figs. 240, 241, 242.

Fig. 243.

If the same process is followed, but the number of the circles increased, a very neat snake-like ring will be formed, constituting a border, in the inside of which other combinations may be made. InFig. 242, twelve interlacing circles are shown; inFig. 243, twelve circles, described upon centres, which lie upon the circumference of a central circle of equal size. This last pattern, when more finely executed, by doubling or trebling the number of eccentric circles, forms the device generally cut upon watch cases, under the name of engine-turned. The best way totrypatterns, is to cover the face of a piece of boxwood with paper, using a pencil in the tool-holder ofa slide rest instead of a cutting tool. If a softer disc is used instead of box, round pieces of paper or thin card can be fixed upon it with ordinary drawing pins; and if the first pattern is unsatisfactory, a second, and any successive number of pieces, can be mounted, and fresh patterns traced by the same means. It would be mere waste of time to multiply specimens of the patterns that may be executed by the aid of the chuck just described; and, indeed, this could only be done by cutting in the lathe itself the blocks from which such specimens must be printed. For the present, at any rate, theprinciplesonly by which such devices may be executed will be given (as above,) and the designs will be left to exercise the ingenuity and taste of the reader.

It happens, moreover, that few as are the works devoted to the general principles and practice of plain turning, more than one has been published on ornamentation by the eccentric and other compound chucks, in which a variety of executed patterns appear, of more or less beauty; and in theEnglish Mechanichas lately been printed a selection of exquisite designs by Mr. G. Plant, whose chuck, indeed (to be presently noticed), bids fair to supplant the most simple one now described. The chief recommendation, perhaps, in the latter, is its great simplicity, as it may be made by any amateur sufficiently practised in the use of tools; whereas the geometric chuck is too complicated to permit this. It will be observed, on inspecting the drawing,Fig. 239, that the divisions on the face of the wheel are continued on the side above the part that is racked; this permits them to be seen when the piece of work overlaps the circle of the wheel. The steel point shown at B, answers as an index, either to the surface marks, or to those on the side. The tangent screw is now generally fitted in a small frame, which is itself pinned at one end to the top plate, and kept up to the dividing wheel by an eccentric cam. This is not shown in the drawing; the plan is nevertheless good, as the screw is instantaneously released from gear at pleasure, when the wheel may be turned by hand to any desired position; after which a slight movement of the cam brings up the screw, and all is made ready for work. The eccentric chuck becomes available for such work as shown inFig. 244, representing the bottom of a candlestick, ringstand, or similar article. In this case the centres of the eccentric work (now cut quite through) are on the circumference of a circle larger than, and outside, the work itself. Instead of cutting through the whole thickness of the stuff the outer circle may remain such, and the blackened part may represent an inner raised surface, when the contrast formed by the sharp edges round the pattern with the smooth circular part will be very agreeable to the eye. To improve still more this design, the outer part may be ebony nicely moulded and edged with ivory, andthe raised part ivory; or the same may be alternations of ebony and holly, which will form a contrast almost equally agreeable. A small chisel-ended tool must be made for this work if the whole is in one block, as it will be necessary to leave a level surface upon the face of the lower part. There are an infinite number of designs of similar nature, which will occur to the reader when the principles of the chuck have been mastered, some of which would at first sight appear to have been worked by other means.Fig. 245, for instance, which is but a modification of the last, scarcely looks like lathe work, but can be cut more rapidly this way than any other—of course the fret saw will do similar work, but it would first have to be marked out, and afterwards the marks of the saw teeth removed, whereas the above is cut and polished at once. It may here be observed that the eccentric chuck itself is used to fix thepositionof the various circles to be cut, whereas thesizeof these circles is determined by the slide rest. Thus inFig. 246, while the centre of the chuck is concentric with the mandrel, bring up the tool in the rest and cut the circle F, G, H, of which B is the centre; draw down the slide of the chuck until its centre is at C, leaving the slide rest as it is, and the circle F, E, D, will be formed ofequal size with the first. Now move the screw of the slide rest so as to draw in the tool towards the centre of the lathe bed without altering the chuck, andthe small circle will be the result, whose centre (being dependent on the chuck alone) is the same as that of the larger circle. Bearing in mind this principle, that the chuck determines the various centres only, and the slide rest the radii, little difficulty will be experienced in devising and executing designs. Such is the simple eccentric chuck, of which the use is tolerably extensive; but there are, nevertheless, certain positions in which the eccentric designs are required, which cannot readily be obtained by its means.Fig. 247is one of these, in which a moment's inspection will show the necessity of two distinct movements of the slide at right angles to each other. Hence a second slide is attached to the first at right angles, much the same in effect as a second chuck screwed upon the first but standing across it. This is the compound eccentric chuck to be subsequently described in detail. There is one drawback to the use of these chucks, namely—their excessive weight, which causes a great deal of vibration in the lathe itself, especially when the eccentricity of the slide or slides is great. An accidental blow moreover from the chuck under the above condition would be very severe. Hence the various cutters eccentric and others, worked by the overhead apparatus already in part described are infinitely more pleasant to use and even more effective and more easily managed. The eccentric chuck can be used in combination with these, and the capabilities of the two will thus be vastly extended, but in this case the chuck is kept stationary while motion is given to the tool, and the defect just alluded to no longer exists. In cutting patterns upon hard wood and ivory a common defect is shallowness of work, the cuts should not be so light as to give merely an effect of a designscratchedupon the surface. The cut should be deep and clean, and the tool not only sharpened but polished so as to leave the device boldly executed, the small triangular and other shaped pieces left between the cuts standing up clear and solid. Some patterns, as the shell, which will be presently spoken of, require to be deep at one part and shallow at another. Some devices look best when cut with a point tool withdouble and others with single bevel to the edge, and the same design worked with different tools will appear almost like two distinct patterns.

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