The body of the plough is now complete. It is, of course, intended to be pushed to and fro upon the right cheek of the press; but the tool, as it stands, will not cut straight through so as to leave a nice flat surface, but will rise until it has made a "hog's-back." To prevent this, provide a bar of wood H (Figs. 18 and 19), which should be fixed at one end to the top G of the plough, and should rest at the other end on a guide-rail J fixed to the top face of the left cheek of the press. The bar should be rigid, say of t-in. stuff about 8 in. long, and be fixed to the plough with two screws. The top surface of the rail must be level with the top face of B (see Fig. 18); the easiest way to effect this will be to make the rail J of the same stuff as Fig. 17, and let it stand at each end on feet L (Fig. 18), made of the same stuff as Fig. 16. The bar will then lie quite horizontal across the press. Notice, too, that the rail J should be set back 1 in. or more from the inner edge of the left cheek, otherwise it will inter­fere with the "backing" operations. .

In working, grasp the body of the plough with the right hand, and with the left keep the end K (Figs, 18 and 19) of the bar always touching the rail. When it is desired to work the plough out­wards, set the detached end of bar K a little out­wards so that the bar shall be at a slight angle, as shown in Fig. 19. Keep it at that angle, and move the plough from the near end of the book to the farther end, pressing the chisel edge quite lightly against the book. The first finger of the left hand, as it presses against the side of the rail, will regu­late to a great extent the depth of the cut. If the woodwork has been properly executed, it will be possible to work the plough both backwards and for­wards by simply alternating the left end of the bar; but if there is any unevenness in the woodwork the chisel edge will not travel both ways in identically the same line, but will make two separate cuts. In such a case the plough must be worked one way only - it will not matter which. The edge of the chisel, as used in this case, should act with a draw­ing cut like that of a knife, and not with a thrusting cut like that of a chisel as ordinarily used. Be care­ful therefore, not to incline the bar more than is shown in the illustration.

It is of the greatest .importance that the chisel edge should be kept very sharp and in good shape by means of grindstone and oilstone. It is also important that the book edges be screwed up tight in the press. If the press used is an amateur con­trivance of 1-in. stuff worked with screw bolts, as shown by Figs. 18 and 19, fix a little platform for the plough to run along upon the top of the right press cheek, and support the rail on brackets M fixed to the outer side of the left cheek. A cutting board of some sort (not shown) must be placed against the left side of the book.

Home Made Plough