Mechanick exercises, or, The doctrine of handy-works by Joseph Moxon.

PREFACE.

I See no more Reason, why the Sordidness of some Work-Men, should be the Cause of Contempt upon Manual Operations, than that the excellent Invention of a Mill should be Despis'd, because a blind Horse draws in it. And tho' the Mechanicks be, by some, accounted Ignoble and Scandalous; yet it is very well known, that many Gentlemen in this Nation, of good Rank and high Quality, are conversant in Handy-Works: And other Nations exceed us in numbers of such. How plea∣sant and healthy this their Divertion is, their Minds and Bodies find; and how Harmless and Honest, all sober Men may judge?

That Geometry, Astronomy, Perspective, Musick, Navigation, Architecture, &c. are excellent Sciences, all that know but their very Names will confess: Yet to what purpose would Geometry serve, were it not to contrive Rules for Handy-Works? Or how could Astronomy be known to any perfection, but by Instruments made by Hand? What Perspective should we have to delight our Sight? What Musick to ravish our Ears? What Navigation to Guard and Enrich our Country? Or what Architecture to defend us from the Inconveniencies of different Weather, without Manual Operations? Or how waste and useless would many of the Productions of this, and other Countries be, were it not for Manufactures.

To dive into the Original of the Mechanicks is impossible, therefore I shall not offer at it; only I shall say, it is Ra∣tional to think, that the Mechanicks began with Man, he being the only Creature that Nature has imposed most Ne∣cessity upon to use it, endow'd with greatest Reason to

contrive it, and adapted with properest Members (as In∣struments) to perform it.

Nor is it easie to find by any Authority, what part of the Mechanicks was first Practised by Man; therefore I shall wave that too, and only consider, that if we our selves were the first Men, what Branch of the Mechanicks we should first NEED, and consequently have recourse to.

I have considered, and Answer, That without the Inven∣tion of Smithing primarily, most other Mechanick Inven∣ons would be at a stand: The Instruments, or Tools, that are used in them, being either made of Iron, or some other mat∣ter, form'd by the help of Iron. But pray take Notice, that by Iron, I also mean Steel, it being originally Iron.

Nor would I have you understand, that when I name the Mechanicks; I mean that Rough and Barbarous sort of wor∣king which is used by the Natives of America, and some o∣ther such Places; for, though they did indeed make Hou∣ses, Canoes, Earthen Pots, Bows, Arrows, &c. without the help of Iron, because they had then none amongst them; Yet since Iron is now known to them, they leave off their old way of working without it, and betake themselves to the use of it. Nor are, at this day, (though now they have in part the use of Iron) their Machines made by good and ready Rules of Art; for they know neither of Rule, Square, or Compass; and what they do, is done by Tedious Working, and he that has the best Eye at Guessing, works best upon the Straight, Square, or Circle, &c.

The Lord Bacon, in his Natural History, reckons that Philosophy would be improv'd, by having the Secrets of all Trades lye open; not only because much Experimental Phi∣losophy, is Coutcht amongst them; but also that the Trades themselves might, by a Philosopher, be improv'd. Besides, I find, that one Trade may borrow many Eminent Helps in Work of another Trade.

Hitherto I cannot learn that any hath undertaken this Task, though I could have wisht it had been performed by an abler

hand than mine; yet, since it is not, I have ventured upon it: For having, for many Years, been conversant in Handy-Works, and especially in those Trades wherein the chief know∣ledge of all Handy-Works lie, viz. Smithing, Founding, Drawing, Joynery, Turning, Engraving, Printing Books and Pictures, Globe and Map-making, Mathema∣tical Instruments, &c. I am willing to communicate to the Publick, the Knowledge I have attained to. But because the Whole will be both a Work of Time, and great Charge, I mean to try, by the Sale of some few Monthly Exercises, what Encouragement I may have to run through All, if I live so long, and accordingly to Continue, or Desist.

I thought to have given these Exercises, the Title of The Doctrine of Handy-Crafts; but when I better considered the true meaning of the Word Handy-Crafts, I found the Do∣ctrine would not bear it; because Hand-Craft signifies Cun∣ning, or Sleight, or Craft of the Hand, which cannot be taught by Words, but is only gained by Practice and Exercise; therefore I shall not undertake, that with the bare reading of these Exercises, any shall be able to perform these Handy-Works; but I may safely tell you, that these are the Rules that every one that will endeavour to perform them must fol∣low; and that by the true observing them, he may, according to his stock of Ingenuity and Zeal in diligence, sooner or later, inure his hand to the Cunning, or Craft of working like a Handy-Craft, and consequently be able to perform them in time.

For the Reason aforesaid I intend to begin with Smithing, which comprehends not only the Black-Smith's Trade, but takes in all Trades which use either Forge or File, from the Anchor-Smith, to the Watch-maker; they all working by the same Rules, though not with equal exactness, and all using the same Tools, though of several Sizes from those the common Black-Smith uses, and that according to the various purposes they are applied to: And in order ot it, I shall first shew you how to set up a Forge, and what Tools you must use

in the Black-Smith's work; then the Rules, and several Cir∣cumstances of Forging, till your Work come to the File: Then of the several Sorts of Iron that are commonly used; and what Sort is fittest for each Purpose. Afterwards of Fi∣ling in general, and the Rules to be observed in it, in the making of Jacks, Hindges, Screws, Clocks, Watches, &c. In which Examples, you will find all other Sorts of For∣ging or Filing work whatsoever comprehended. And lastly, as a Close to Smithing, I shall Exercise upon Steel, and its several Sorts, and how to Order and Temper it for its seve∣ral Uses; and what Sort is fittest for each particular pur∣pose; as which is fittest for Edge-Tools, which for Springs, which for Punches, &c.

Some perhaps would have thought it more Proper, to have introduced these Exercises with a more Curious, and less Vul∣gar Art, than that of Smithing; but I am not of their Opi∣nion; for Smithing is, in all its parts, as curious a Handy-Craft, as any is: Besides, it is a great Introduction to most other Handy-Works, as Joynery, Turning, Founding, Printing, &c. they (all with the Smith) working upon the Straight, Square, or Circle, though with different Tools, upon different Matter; and they all having dependance upon the Smith's Trade, and not the Smith upon them. But ha∣ving done with Smithing, I shall, God willing, proceed to those, and all other Handy-Works whatsoever, that work by Geometrical Principles.

J. MOXON..