, and set the worm shaft at an angle double the amount,
rather than at 90 deg.. Such a worm gear will, I fancy, outwear a dozen of
the scientific sort. It would likely be found a convenience to have
the head of a planing machine traverse by a handle or crank attached
to itself, so it could be operated like the slide rest of a lathe,
rather than as is now the case from the end of the cross head. The
principle should be to have things convenient, even at an additional
cost. Anything more than a single motion to lock the cross head to the
housing or stanchions should not be countenanced in small planers at
least. Many of the inferior machines show marked improvements over the
better sorts, so far as handiness goes, while there is nothing to
hinder the handy from being good and the good handy.

When we consider that since the post-drilling machine first made its
appearance, there have been added Blasdell's quick return, the
automatic feed, belt-driven spindles, back gears placed where they
ought to be, with many minor improvements, it is not safe to assume
that the end has been reached; and when we consider that as a piece of
machine designing, considered in an artistic sense entirely, the
Bement post drill is the finest the world ever saw (the Porter-Allen
engine not excepted, which is saying a good deal), is it not strange
that of all mechanical designs none other has taken on such outrageous
forms as this?

One thing that would seem to be desirable, and that ordinary skill
might devise, is some sort of snap clutch by which the main spindle
could be stopped instantly by touching a trigger with the foot; many
drills and accidents would be saved thereby. Of the many special
devices I have seen for use on a drilling machine, one used by Mr.
Lipe might be made of universal use. It is in the form of a bracket or
knee adjustably attached to the post, which has in its upper surface a
V into which round pieces of almost any size can be fastened, so that
the drill will pass through it diametrically. It is not only useful in
making holes through round bars, but straight through bosses and
collars as well.

The radial drill has got so it points its nose in all directions but
skyward, but whether in its best form is not certain. The handle of
the belt shipper, in none that I have seen, follows around within
reach of the drill as conveniently as one would like.

As the one suggestion I have to make in regard to the shaping machine