Issue No. 11 - Published June 1, 1889

Seriatim. Saws. Setting and sharpening. I dare say this is home turf for Gramercy and TFWW, and it just so happens to be the substance of the cover article for issue No. 11. What on earth could turn my head from such fertile territory this week? Well, In "Shop" at the back of this issue, I came across this tidbit:

As some of you may be aware, there is a contingent of WoodNet Workateers casting some of their own plane bodies, following the designs outlined in Nos. 4 and 5. Check out footage from the knee-blistering pour here.

Considering the castings are cool and weathering at this point, this tip is woefully late to the game, at least for this first round of plane bodies. It also pertains to a problem specific to casting in iron, not bronze. Nevertheless, what it proves (as Ben was quick to point out) is that 123 years ago there was a correlating band of Victorian Workateers, working at a similar pace. Five weeks or so after the initial article, important feedback is finding its way into the publication.

I happen to think such things are very cool. Cooler still, is the idea that as this blog stretches into the future, it could eventually take on a personality similar to the "Shop" section, wherein attempts at the various projects and processes can be commented on and evaluated by the community. It would certainly be the antidote to my singular point of view. As much as I might be fond of electroplating and overmantles, I'm far more likely to spill ink ranting about "Wrought Iron and Steel Girder Work." I mean, just look at how awesome this angle and t-bar straightening ram is! When you're done with that, go sharpen your saws.

–TIM

ARTICLES FOUND IN THIS ISSUE:
THE SAW: HOW TO USE IT • NOTES FOR ELECTROPLATERS (PART 6)
SIGN WRITING AND LETTERING (PART 4) • HERALDIC CHASING
LATHES AND TURNING APPLIANCES
ARTISTIC FURNITURE (CONTINUED) • WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL GIRDER WORK (PART 2)
THE ORDINARY CHIMNEY BREAST • PHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPERS
OUR GUIDE TO GOOD THINGS
SHOP: A CORNER FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO TALK IT

• Click to Download Vol.1 - No. 11 •

Disclaimer: Articles in Work: The Illustrated Weekly Journal for Mechanics describe materials and methods that would not be considered safe or advisable today. We are not responsible for the content of these magazines, and cannot take any responsibility for anyone attempting projects or procedures described therein.

The first issue of Work was published on March 23rd, 1889. The goal of this project is to release digital copies of the individual issues starting on the same date in 2012, effectively republishing the materials 123 years to the day from their original release.

The original printing was on thin, inexpensive paper. There are many cases of uneven inking and bleed-through from the page behind. Our copies of Work come from bound library volumes of these issues and are subject to unfavorable trimming, missing covers, etc. To minimize harm to these fragile volumes, we've undertaken the task of scanning the books ourselves. We do considerable post processing of the scans to make them clear but please bear with us if a margin is clipped too close, or a few words are unreadable. We would like to thank James Vasile and Karl Fogel for their help in supplying us with a book scanner and generally enabling this project to get off the ground.

You are welcome to download, print, and pretty much do what you want with the scan for your own personal purposes. Feel free to post a link or a copy on your blog or website. All we ask is a link back to the original project and this blog. We are not answering requests for commercial downloads or reprinting at this time.