[1] These criticisms are meant to apply to the class of manuals, compendiums, and so-called "Boys' Books" and "Amateurs' Books," in the popular sense of the word, and not to the many admirable works on sloyd, manual training, and the various special branches of wood-working.
[2] An old gentleman whose help, on account of his accurate workmanship, I once frequently obtained when "rushed," was an extreme example of this systematic way of doing work. I would give him perhaps three hours' work, which he would agree to have done at the end of that time. Looking in after an hour or so I would find the work apparently untouched, which was a little provoking, of course, as the average workman would have had it perhaps one third done. But instead, this old gentleman would be apparently only "puttering around," touching up his saws, fixing his planes, whetting his chisels, looking over the wood, and not getting ahead a bit. Going off in disgust (until I got acquainted with his ways, I mean), I would return at the end of the three hours, to find that the work had been ready some time and done to perfection. While he was at first apparently accomplishing nothing he was really getting everything in perfect shape to do the work and laying out in his mind every detail of the whole process, so that when he began the actual work it almost did itself, and he forged right ahead of the average workman, who would either have been behind time or slighted the work in order to get it done, and in most cases have made some mistake to be corrected in some part of the process. I never knew that man to make a mistake. Why? Not because his ability was extraordinary, but because he concentrated his mind on the work and thought it out clear through before he began. Now I know the average boy too well to expect him to have the patience to do just as this workman did. It would be unreasonable. But it is the true way to do good work, so try to think it all out as far as you can and to get ready before you begin. The work will go ever so much more quickly and easily.
[3] "It has been said that the snow-shoe and canoe as made by the Indians could never be improved. To these might be added the split birch broom, or splinter broom, also the invention of the Indians, but made in every country household in New England in Colonial days. The branch of a large birch tree was cut eight feet long. An inch-wide band of the bark was left about eighteen inches from one end, and the shorter and lower end was cut in fine pliable slivers up to the restraining bark band. A row of slivers was cut from the upper end downward, turned down over the band, and tied firmly down. Then the remainder of the stick was smoothed into a handle. These brooms were pliable, cleanly, and enduring, and as broom-corn was not grown here until the latter part of the past century, they were, in fact, the only brooms of those days. They were made by boys on New England farms for six cents apiece, and bought by the country storekeepers in large numbers for the cities' use."—The Chautauquan.
[4] Quoted, by kind permission, from Turning and Mechanical Manipulation.
[5] Quoted, by kind permission, from the valuable and entertaining work on Japanese Homes and their Surroundings (copyright. 1885), by Edward S. Morse.
[6] If you are so situated, as possibly a few of you may be, that you cannot get the benefit of modern methods, but must do all the rough work that your grandfathers did, you will require a few additional tools, but these you can readily select from the descriptions given farther on.
[7] There are many reliable makers of tools. Among them the following can be named, and their tools can be obtained almost anywhere: Saws—Henry Disston. Chisels and gouges—Moulson Bros.; Buck Bros. Planes—Stanley; Moulson Bros. (plane-irons); Wm. Butcher (do.); Buck Bros. (do.) Files—P. S. Stubs. Rules and squares, levels, gauges, spoke-shaves, etc.—Stanley Rule & Level Co. Braces—Barber. Bits—Jennings. Knives (sloid)—Taylor. Carving tools—Addis; Buck; Taylor.
[8] So called because in the common trees of temperate climes one layer is added each year.
[9] Although the shrinkage lengthways is not usually noticeable as affecting the length of a board, it shows slightly by its effect in causing the pieces to spring, or become bowed lengthwise, as you will see in many boards which have been left free to spring while seasoning.
[10] In addition to the curling, the outer boards will be poorer because they contain a greater proportion of sapwood, which is usually inferior to the heartwood.