The actual work of drilling is carried out as follows: We will suppose it desired to arrange a row of beads round a box cover, and on the face of the same: the manipulation will, however, be the same if the beads are to be on its convex surface. Having selected a drill of suitable diameter, and inserted it firmly in the socket of the drilling spindle, the rest is turned, so as to place the instrument parallel with the lathe bed, and with the centre line of the drill spindle exactly true with the lathe centres. This position is essential. We will suppose that the division-plate has 180 holes, and that the index point is in Zero. As the work is, presumably, smaller considerably than the face of the mandrel pulley, there will not be room for 180 beads, but the index will have to be shifted a certain number of holes after each advance of the drill. A large pulley has 360 holes in the outer circle; but, very possibly, there may only be 180 for the outside circle, with, perhaps, other smaller circles of 100, 112, 96, or other generally useful numbers, those divisible into as many equal parts as possible being selected. Now, 180 will divide by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and is a very good number to have on the pulley; we can therefore drill 90, 60, 45, 36, or 30 beads, and have only to decide whether they shall touch each other, or nearly so, or whether there shall remain a decided space between. Suppose we start on a trial of 60: there will be three holes to move the index each time. Bringing up the drill very gently, a slight circle is traced - just barely visible. The index is then shifted three divisions, after withdrawing the tool, and a second very light cut is made. If these actually touch, they are too close for a beading drill of that size ; but a smaller one can be used, or the index must be shifted one hole - i.e., there will now be four holes to move it each time, and instead of 60 beads we shall get but 45. These trials must always be made with care, or, when the cut is deepened, one bead will be found to be cut into and spoilt in cutting the adjacent one. If it is found correct, all that remains is to advance the tool each time to precisely the same distance, and to shift the index correctly after each cut. This entails careful counting, and, in practice, becomes very tedious; but there is no help for it, except by means of a very expensive automatic counter. We may now suppose the circle of beads correctly drilled, and that, as an additional ornamentation, radial flutes are required. Fluting the outside of a cylinder has already been described, and, of course, for the present operation on the face of the work, similar round-ended drills are needed, which must, therefore, be substituted for the beading drill. In all work intended for face ornamentation, a minute centre point should be left when it is turned, to form a guide for exact centrality of the drill, or for the tools used in the eccentric cutter. If such is not the case, let the index be removed, so as to free the pulley, and let such a mark be now made. Then bring up the fluting drill, and set it spinning, and note if it is exact to height of centre; if not, let it be accurately adjusted. It is assumed that, for such work as this, an ornamental slide-rest is at hand; but it is a costly affair, and it is just possible to use that intended for metal, only the screws are less accurate, and there are no adjusting stops to check the advance of the tool, so as to insure all cuts being of equal depth, and all flutes of equal length. Some mark must therefore be made, or some stop apparatus contrived instead. In any case, such work can only be done tolerably with a rest of this kind; but care and patience will accomplish wonders, and, with even worse appliances, marvellously good results have been attained.

But to resume. The drill being carefully set to height of centres, and its pulley, of course, banded to the overhead, the tool is traversed bodily by the slide-rest to form the flutes, while the index point determines, as before, the distances between them. Trial is also made of such distances - as was done in the case of the beads - so as to determine how close together they shall be, and whether or not each shall touch its neighbour. The length of each must be determined; and, unless a proper rest is used, which has divisions marked, and also a pair of proper fluting stops, a little mark is to be made, with a fine centre punch, at which, at each traverse, the slide of the rest is to stop. Now, with radial flutes on a flat surface, such as the top of a box-cover, it will not look well to have them equally broad and deep at both ends; yet the same drill must cut them. How is it to be managed ? Simply by placing the rest at a slight angle, by means of the quadrant-plate, instead of having it truly parallel to the face of the work. Thus, the drill must be quite out of cut when it arrives at the centre, and at its fullest depth at the other end of its course. There is an advantage, moreover, in this plan, because it is not necessary to have any mark or stop at the shallow end of the flute. The tool will cut itself clear with accuracy, each time, just before it reaches the centre, or, if preferred, at a point more or less distant from the centre, according to the setting of the rest. Radial fluting always has a nice effect, and is a simple and easy process. A very effective kind of fluting is the stepped fluting, cut with different-sized drills. A broad flute is first cut, as already described, of equal depth from end to end. A narrower drill is then substituted, and carried along so as to cut away the bottom of that first made, and this is carried to a given depth. With a still smaller drill, the second flute has its centre cut away and deepened. Beads of this kind are also done at one cut by a stepped drill, which leaves its counterpart upon the work. It is also cut with drills having a square end, like a chisel, which gives a different effect to that produced by a round-end tool; but the mode of work is the same in all cases.