“Not a single one is right,” continued he. “As is apt to be the case with beginners, you all lean your plane to the right, just as you do with the saw. Most of you have got it so far out of the way that you can’t help seeing it with your eye.”
The students admitted that they could see it. The carpenter told them to try again, and be sure to keep the plane perfectly level on the edge of the board. He directed them to take hold of the tool with the left hand, so that the middle finger would touch the perpendicular part of the board. After they had taken a few strokes more, they were told to sight their work again. Several of them declared that it was right now. Two of them had to use the plane again.
“Take the small try-square, each of you. Place the handle against the perpendicular of the board, and the blade across the edge.” The carpenter took one of the squares, and showed them how to do it. “If you have it nearly square, it will do for our present purpose. Now take the jointer. Be sure that the cutter strikes the board at
the end where you begin. Put the left hand on the plane as before, and be sure that you keep the jointer perfectly level.”
The boys made the first stroke with the long plane. The carpenter had set the irons so that they took off a very thin shaving.
“Mine will cut only in the middle,” said Tom Ridley.
“Mine will take hold only at the ends,” added Ben Ludlow.
“That’s all right,” replied the instructor. “Some of you have gouged out the middle of the board, and others have taken off the ends, with the fore-plane. The jointer is long enough to correct all these faults; only don’t lean the plane over either way.”
After a few strokes the pupils were required to sight along their work. Under the constant admonitions of the carpenter, the edge was so nearly square that they could detect no fault. They were told to use the square. This trial proved that not one was exactly square. The plane was used again.
When the boys had satisfied themselves, Mr. Brookbine inspected the work, and was able to