Turning Duplicate Forms

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


A WOODWORKING firm received an order for several hundred brackets which naturally would be sawed on the jig saw. The party ordering the brackets stated that they must be perfectly smooth on the sawed edges. The sawyer knew at once that if each piece was sand-papered by hand on the edges, the extra time required would greatly delay the work. His fellow workman, a wood turner, said he could make the pieces in a lathe. This is how he did it: He took a log of wood for a hub, and with a wobble saw cut longitudinal grooves in it to receive the Making duplicate brackets on a lathe. bracket pieces. These were previously cut a trifle long, leaving a little tip on each end to be clamped by the iron bands that were put on each end of the hub. The whole thing was placed in the wood lathe and turned by hand like the pattern marked A. The sandpapering and polishing came next, which made the forms absolutely smooth and gave them a nice finish. In doing work by this method care was taken to fit the pieces nicely so as to prevent chattering and slivering on the sides.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 105 Issue 23This article was published with the title “Turning Duplicate Forms” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 105 No. 23 (), p. 497
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican12021911-497a

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe