More on Making Wooden Squares

The square is now ready to put together. Some glue is put upon both faces of the recess fed of the stock, also upon both sides of the end of the blade, and the two put together; two or three light taps with a hammer upon he will ensure the joint at ed being close. The surplus glue is wiped off, and the square tested with the line upon the board; if there should be a slight error, an extra tap with the hammer at g or h would probably be sufficient to rectify it, as would be seen on testing with the line.

The pressure is now put upon the part, and the glue left to harden. When gluing the blade into the stock, about inch of the end of the blade at should have been left projecting beyond the back of the stock. It may be remembered that this end has been left rough; it must now be planed off. The plane is well sharpened and set to cut a very thin shaving, and is pushed in the direction c to d.

The square is now finished, and the amateur has a most useful tool which will serve him for many years. It is better than a bought square, because it is absolutely true, which bought squares are not. It has cost three halfpence, which includes the value of timber (less than half of one empty cigar box) and the glue he has used; above all, he has had some excellent practice in joinery. But let him not be disappointed with the appearance of his work; it certainly will not look, nor be, as highly finished as he pictured to himself when he started, for it has been a very difficult piece of work, and a very good workman would have to take pains over it. He may be well satisfied if the stock and the blade are at right angles. If the wood be smooth and clean from the plane, and without dirty finger- marks, so much the better; but whatever it may look, it should be carefully preserved, because it is a good and useful tool; also, it is the first tool made by the amateur.

The appearance of the finished square may be improved by four pegs, about inch diameter, put through the joint of the blade and stock, and six or eight similar pegs through the stock; these pegs would be soaked in the ink-pot for a few hours, and dried before being glued in. The square may also be French polished, which will keep it clean. If the little black pegs be put in, their position must be carefully marked, and not guessed at; if they are placed irregularly they will look like dirty marks, besides being glaring specimens of bad and careless work.