Part 13

_Third method:_ Take a piece of pipe, length and size desired. Heat one end and upset it, enlarging and thickening it slightly. Cut a round iron plug to fit this end tightly. Heat the plug and drive it into the pipe. Place it on the fire and weld the pipe to the plug. At the same time forge the end square or hexagonal. Drill a hole in this end, pin the swivel hook same as explained in the second method. Select the iron, make the head on the rod, and put it through the pipe into the hole, head inside, before the plug is welded in the other end. Be sure that this rod will turn freely. Shape the hook before the plug is welded in the 2-in. end. This gives one an opportunity to push a rod into the pipe and hold the head of the hook while shaping it in the form of a hook or eye as required.

Now weld a plug in the other end the same as you did in the first. Drill a hole in this end and cut a thread to receive the truss rod end. This last method is much simpler than the other two. It has this advantage, that the thread will not rust so quickly, since it is always enclosed in the pipe. However, there is danger of a very weak spot right back of the plug, because you know when two pieces of metal are welded together the temperature should be the same. If not, the cold one will cut into the hot one and form cold shuts. In this case it is impossible to get the plug the same temperature as the outside. As a consequence there is a defect in the forging.

_Eccentric strap:_ The principles applied in the working out of this problem are used in making many articles of wrought iron. Eccentric straps are much used in foundries, machine shops, and general shop work.

_Stock:_ Bar of wrought iron or soft steel 1-1/8 ins. square, 16 ins. or 20 ins. long.

Round the bar down on one end to 1 in. in diameter. Split the other end up the length of the bar 8 ins. to within 1 in. of the shoulder made by the rounding down of the stock. These two arms are now thrown at right angles to the stem, forged down to 1/2 × 1 in. the entire length. The arc of the circle made by the arms is determined by the size of the thing the eccentric strap is meant to fit when it is finished. The ends are now turned up at right angles and are bent to fit the circle. A gouge chisel will cut the end off rounding. All ladle handles can be made in this way.

_Garden hoe:_ The drawing shows the form and dimensions of the hoe, a garden tool very simple in construction and very useful.

_Stock:_ 6 × 4 × 1/2 in. steel.

_Directions:_ Mark off 2 ins. at one end and cut down 1 in. deep on both edges. Cut out a wedge-shaped piece as shown in the sketch. Draw out the piece 1/2 in. in diameter and 6 ins. long. This forms the handle. Fuller down on each side of the handle where it joins the body as shown by the full lines. With the fuller spread out the metal on either side of the handle until it forms a blade 8 × 5 ins. This blade should be 3/16 in. thick at the top and 1/8 in. at the cutting edge. Bend the handle into shape. File or grind the edges of the blade to make it smooth. This should be tempered by heating it red hot. Plunge into oil. Take it out when cold and hold it over the fire until the oil flashes off. Then allow it to cool in the air. Grind it and polish if a bright finish is required. If not it is now ready for the wood handle.

_Wood chisel:_ Chisels for cutting wood can be made from a piece of gas pipe and a piece of steel, or from old cold chisels too short for use. If no piece of old tool steel is at hand take a new piece, 5/8 × 4 ins., hexagonal.

If a piece of gas pipe is used, 1/2 in., heat one end and place it on the point of the horn of the anvil. With the peen hammer thin the point down around the end. This thinning stretches the metal and gives you a funnel-shaped opening, and a scarf to use for welding. The short chisel end should be pushed into this for about 1 in. and the scarf should be tapped down gently on this chisel. Sometimes it is necessary to upset the end of the chisel in order to make it fit the scarf. If required to do this, put it into the fire and heat it red hot, and upset it on the end where the weld is to be. Now put it into the pipe, put borax on the scarf, and heat it hot enough to weld. Take it out and weld it up in a bottom swage and reduce the weld to 1/2 in. in diameter. Cut the shank off about 3-1/2 ins. from the weld and heat this end again. Stretch it on this end so as to enlarge it to fit the wood handle which will be placed in later. Heat the steel end. Flatten it down to the shape of a wood chisel, the width to be according to the size needed. Out of this piece of steel a chisel 1/2 in., 3/4 in., or 1 in. can be made. It should be tapered down 3/4 in. on the cutting edge. File the cutting edge on the chisel. It gives a much better finish. The chisel is hardened and tempered almost the length of the whole blade, a blue colour, by heating it red hot, plunging it into water, polishing, and drawing the temper on a hot piece of iron. The handle is made by using what is known as a hollow auger. This shapes the wood to fit the pipe. A piece of the same pipe can be sawed off with a hack saw about 3/8 in. wide. This makes an iron ring, which should be driven in the end of the wood handle to prevent it from splitting. These chisels make the best kind of tools for rough, heavy work.

_Door hasp:_ Door hasps are found most commonly on barn doors and gates, and in conjunction with a staple and lock form a complete fastening. The drawings make clear the different steps in the work.

_Stock:_ 1/4 × 1 × 6 ins.

_Directions:_ The eye is made first. Heat the piece red hot. Fuller down the stick 5/8 in. from one end, and 2 ins. from the fullered mark put in another. The distance between the fullered marks should be 2 ins. Draw out the space between the fullered marks to 5/8 in. in width, 2-1/2 ins. long. Cut the corners off the piece left on the end, as shown by the drawing. Round this up with the hammer on the anvil. Punch a hole in the middle of the eye, but keep the thickness the same during all the work. To make the body of the piece, where the slot is, 2 ins. from the shoulder fuller the end down to 5/16 in. from the end. Draw out this end to 1-5/16 in. in length. This forms the loop, and at the same time it tapers to a sharp end. (See drawing.) The piece is now ready for punching. Mark places for the punch holes, then cut between the holes with a hot chisel. In this way the centre piece is cut out, forming the slot. If this is carefully done little work will be required to finish it. The slot is filed out if any rough places are left. The end is bent up. Sometimes a ring is put in it, as a door pull, and sometimes the latch itself is used for the pull.

_Pair of dividers:_ Perhaps the simplest way to make a pair of dividers is to get a pair of buggy top joint butts, 1/2 in. size. Weld to each of the legs a piece of steel to form the two legs for the dividers. Begin about 1 in. back of the weld and draw the legs out tapering, octagonal in shape and rounding toward extreme sharp points. Place a washer on each side of the joint, and rivet the ends together with a steel rivet. If carefully done the dividers will require no wings. If wings are required they can be made by punching a slot 1/2 × 1/8 in. in each of the legs, 2 ins. from the joint. In each of these slots drill holes, in one a 1/8-in. hole and in the other a hole for a 3/16-in. tap. Drill both sets of holes through the legs. Tap out the one and make a thumb screw to fit. This is done by drawing out a 3/8-in. stem on the end of a 3/8-in. rod and cutting off 3/8 in. of this to form the head of the thumb screw. Heat this end and flatten down. Finish up with a few strokes of the file. Cut a 3/16-in. thread on the end. Screw it into the dividers. Draw out a wing 3/8 in. wide, 1/8 in. thick, to fit the slot. Bend it into a semicircle and place it into the slot. Open the dividers. See that it swings round on this circle. Drill a small hole in the end of the wing to fit the 1/8-in. hole drilled into the leg and rivet it into the slot. This makes a pair of dividers that can be used for all classes of work.

STONE CHISELS AND PICKS

1. _Stone chisels:_

_Stock:_ 1/4, 1/2, 5/8, 3/4-in. octagonal steel, 5 ins. long. Stone chisels are made out of the above sizes of steel, in sets, for the cutting of marble, sandstone, granite, etc.

_Directions:_ Put one end of the stock in fire. Heat about 1 in. Draw this hot end to a taper 1/4 in. at the small end and 1-1/2 in. long. Place the extreme end again in the fire, take it out and strike it on the end by placing it upright on the anvil. Upset this end and form the round top shown in the drawing. If this top is not completed in one heating, heat it again and repeat the hammering on the end. All stone chisels are made with this rounding end so that wood mallets can be used for driving purposes. The ones shown here are the shapes used on most stone chisels.

The size of the teeth depends upon the hardness or softness of the material to be cut. The large teeth are used for hard stone cutting and the small teeth for soft stone cutting. Place the other end of the tool in the fire and flatten it down as shown in the sketch given here. Notice the dotted lines show that the extreme cutting edge of this tool is narrower than the body. This is an allowance made for the spreading out of the tool while cutting the teeth. Space off the teeth with a 3-cornered file as shown in the same sketch, and cut the teeth with a chisel made in the following way: Take a piece of 1/2-in. octagonal steel. Draw it out in the shape of a cape chisel. (See sketch.) Heat the end of the steel tool, then place it in the vise. With the end projecting up place the chisel on the mark made by the file, strike down sharply on the chisel, and drive it down to the required depth. This is repeated until the teeth are all cut. Flatten the cutting edge carefully on the anvil, and all teeth that may have been driven out of a straight line by the cutting. Heat the tool to soften it. File between the teeth the roughness made by the forging of the tool. A small flat jewellers' file will be found best for this purpose. Harden the tool as you did the cold chisel, and temper it at the purple colour sign.

2. _Pick:_

_Stock:_ 1/2-in. square tool steel, 8 ins.

_Directions:_ Mark the middle of the bar with a centre-punch. Punch the hole through with the eye punch. Put in a drift pin and flatten down the bulged sides of the bar made by punching the hole. Draw the two ends out to a sharp square point. This should make the pick not more than 10 ins. long. The drawing should show the shape it will be when finished. These picks are hardened the same as cold chisels, and tempered at the purple colour.

ROCK DRILLS (USED WITH MACHINERY)

As the name indicates, these drills are used for making holes in rocks when blasting is to be done. The form and shapes most in use are shown here.

The double drill, used so much in power drilling machines, is made in the following way: Take a 1-in. octagonal bar of steel, any length. Heat one end, and upset it to 1-1/4 in. in diameter. Put a small 1/2-in. fuller on the anvil and place the end of the bar lengthwise on the fuller. Put the top fuller directly above this and strike with a sledge hammer. The result is two fuller marks driven down within 1/2 in. of meeting. Reverse this and do the same on the other two sides. This marks a cross.

Place the forming tool in the anvil, and with a set hammer forge out the wings as shown in the sketch. The diameter of the drill depends upon the size of the hole to be drilled and is made accordingly. Use a sharp chisel for cutting the cutting edges of the drill. It is now ready for tempering. Drills are made in this way from the raw material. When once made they are kept in shape by what is known as the drill dressing tool shown here. These rock drills wear out on the sides, thus reducing the diameter. When re-dressing they are always upset to the required diameter. The re-dressing is done in the following way: Heat the end of the drill in the fire and place the dressing tool so that the cross impression fits the end of the drill. Drive on the end lengthwise of the bar, upsetting the drill to the required diameter, at the same time retaining the original shape of the cutting edge of the drill.

_To temper rock drills:_ Take two small tubs of cold water, one clear and the other made soapy by cutting up a bar of cheap soap into bits. Heat the end of the drill to be tempered to a dull red and put it into the tub of clear water, the cutting edge only under water until it is cooled off. Take it out to polish. When the straw colour appears plunge it into the tub of soapy water. This does away with any red heat that might be in the bar when the temper colours appear. Soapy water is a poor conductor of heat and it allows the steel to cool off without suddenly chilling it.

DRILL FOR HAND DRILLING

These drills are used for drilling holes in rocks where it is impossible to place machines or where machines are not available, such as on farms, where great rocks and nigger heads are to be removed by drilling and blasting out.

They are made as you would make a cold chisel. The taper, however, is much shorter and the ends are usually either rounded or diamond shape. (See sketch.) The cutting edges are ground, but in many cases they are forged and filed to shape. They are tempered in the same way as cold chisels are treated.

_Round and flat hand drill:_ Take a piece of octagonal steel, the size and length depending upon the size and depth of the hole to be drilled. These should not be over 20 ins. in length, for the blow would have little effect upon the cutting edge of the drill. Put one end into the fire, take it out and finish it up as you would the short end of a cold chisel. Reverse the piece of steel, and heat this end, for about two inches, red hot. Place it on the side of the anvil face and flatten it down tapering. Make it very short and just wide enough for the size hole to be drilled. With a hot chisel cut the end into the proper shape, either round or diamond shape. With the hand hammer work the cutting edge on the end. This end should be from 1/8 in. to 3/16 in. in thickness. Either file or grind the bevel which forms the cutting edge sharp. Harden and temper it the same as you would a cold chisel. If it is found, on trial, to be too soft, re-heat, harden, and temper at a higher colour. One of the best hand drills for drilling holes in soft material like bricks or sandstones is a piece of gas pipe any length. File teeth in the end, like a saw tooth. Case harden the end. This drill will go through a wall almost as quickly as a twist drill and with much less labour.

SHACKLE

Shackles are used for connecting chains, wire, ropes, etc.

_Stock:_ One piece of 3/4-in. round iron, 12-1/2 ins. (for shackle). One piece of 1/2-in. round iron, 4 ins. (for pin). One piece 1 × 1/8-in. flat iron, 1-3/4 ins. (for key). One piece 3/16-in. round iron, 2-1/4 ins. (for ring).

_Directions:_ Heat the 3/4-in. round iron bar two inches, then bend this end on the anvil at right angles to the rest of the bar. Place the heel on the anvil, with the end sticking up. Strike on the end with the hand hammer and drive it down into the heel of the piece. Repeat on the other end of the bar. As one can always force the metal into any shape one desires by first driving it one way or the other, skill in making the two ends of the bar depends upon one's way of using the hammer. This method of making the eye on the end of the bar does away with welding and upsetting of the metal. A round finished eye is the result of the natural bending of the metal. This holds good not only for the shackles like this one but for many other tools, such as hand holds for cars, wagons, etc.

_Bending:_ The shackle should be bent as shown in the sketch. First bend it right back of the eye, each one at about 45°. Heat the body of the piece and shape it around the horn of the anvil until the opening measures 1 in. wide. The sledge and swage are best used for this purpose. Place the swage on the metal and have the helper strike the swage. The shape is not apt to be changed or the metal marred if these tools are used.

_Pin:_ Take the 1/2 × 4 in. piece of stock. The end is heated and upset about 1/2 in. Place this end in a heading tool and work a button head on the end with either the cupping tool or a hand hammer. The pin should have a slot cut through it 2 ins. from the head. To do this make a punch to cut the slot the shape required. After the piece is marked punch the slot by driving the punch half way through on one side. Turn the piece over and drive the hole through on the other side. This enlarges the metal a little. Reduce it to the 1/2-in. size to fit the hole in the shackle. Cut a little piece of iron the thickness and width of the key, 1/2 in. long. Heat the end with the hole in and drive this drift into the slot. With 1/2 in. top and bottom swage and the drift in the slot, reduce the pin to fit the hole. Drive the drift out. You now have a nice rounded pin with a hole in, 3/8 × 1/8 in.

_Key:_ Take a piece of 1 × 1/8 in. flat iron or steel. Mark the shape of the key. Cut it out and file to fit the slot. Drill holes in the small end of this to prevent it falling out of the pin.

_Ring:_ Bend the piece of 3/16-in. wire around a 5/8-in. rod in the shape of a spiral and saw off each ring as required. The ring should fit the hole in the key. This method of making a shackle is the same whether the material is 1/4 in. in diameter or any size up to 2 ins. in diameter.

CROW-BARS, AND WELDING OF TOOL STEEL TO WROUGHT IRON

Crow-bars are made by welding a piece of round No. 2 flat steel into the end of a wrought iron bar any length or any size, depending upon the use to which the bar is to be put when made. This drawing shows a bar for shifting rails for railroads. When the size is determined, select the wrought iron to be used. Upset the end and split it with a chisel 3/4 in. for a cleft weld. Re-heat the end to a white heat. Place it upon the edge of the anvil nearest you and with the peen of the hammer work the scarf out to a sharp point. Repeat on the other side. (See picture.) Place the piece of steel selected for welding, in the fire; shape this end down to a sharp point at an angle of 45°. With the edge of the chisel placed on this scarf, strike on the top of the chisel with a sledge hammer. This will cut a nick and at the same time it raises up a sliver which will help hold the piece of steel in the iron between the cleft. Cool this scarf off in water until it is black hot. Heat the piece of iron (scarf end). Place the end of the steel scarf between the cleft and close the scarf on to the steel by striking gently. The steel will now stay in the end of the piece until it is welded. Place the scarf in the fire and when it is red hot cover it with borax. Get a welding heat on the wrought iron close to the joint first. Gradually work this heat toward the steel till the borax begins to burn, emitting a dark brown smoke. Take it out of the fire and place it on the anvil. One or two sharp blows on the end of the steel will drive it up into the crotch of the scarf. Now strike gently on the top of the scarf. Increase the force of the blows when you are sure the two pieces are welding together. If the pieces are not welding, which will be readily seen by the points of the scarf opening while working them down, place them again in the fire, put on borax and re-heat. A few trials will teach you how hot to get it for welding. Flatten down the end and shape it as shown in the drawing. Harden and temper the crow-bar as you would a cold chisel. If the point is not quite sharp enough grind it on the stone.

NAIL PULLER OR CLAW TOOL

This tool is made in much the same way as you make a crow bar. However, before bending the end up into a crow-bar shape, cut a slot in the end, as shown in the picture. Now bend it into shape. The handle should not be over 20 ins. in length and tapered usually from 3/4 in. at the large end to about 3/8 in. at the smaller end. The end is now flattened and a hole punched in it to hang it up when not in use. This is one of the handiest tools to have around any shop, not only as a nail and a bolt puller, but it may be used in place of the crow-bar. The drawing explains the various steps in the making of the tool.

BUTCHER KNIFE

_Stock:_ Spring steel, 7/8 × 1/16 in. × 9 ins. long.

The spring steel used for carving knives or any steel used for that purpose should be a grade that will harden in oil just hard enough to feel a mill-cut file cut the steel. Cut the stock off 9 ins. and forge the shank first. On this size steel this forging of the shank consists in reducing the thickness of the material and widening it about 1/16 in. to 2 ins. in length. This tends to toughen the steel, and it makes a better knife by this extra work.

To forge the blade, heat 7 ins. and bend it a little edgewise before reducing the one side for cutting edge. Allow the stretching and thinning out of this edge to straighten the blade, and the curve on the back will form itself, naturally, by the extra length of the cutting edge. Do not try to forge the exact shape of the knife. It is much better to reduce it to the required thickness, outline the shape, and cut it with a hot or cold chisel. At this thickness the knife can be worked either hot or cold when doing this particular kind of work. Cut along the outline, thus giving it shape. A fine file will finish the roughness on the outline and trim up any uneven spots caused by the shaping. When the knife is finished, so far as the forging is concerned, anneal it by heating the whole blade and allowing it to cool in slaked lime. This relieves any strain due to forging. Handles are made of bone, birch, or beech, and can be shaped to suit one's taste. They should measure about 1 × 5/8 × 5 ins. Rivets hold them in place. (See cut.) These are of brass wire, easily made by cutting off the length required to go through the wood to hold the blade in place. Place the blade in the slot of the wood handle and drill four holes through the wood and through the blade. Do not make the holes more than 1/16 in. in diameter. Take the blade out, harden, and temper. All drilling of holes and fitting should be done before the blade is tempered, while it is in the soft state. It is difficult to drill the holes after the tempering has been done.