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Blacksmith shop practice
BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE
ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT FORGING OF HOOKS AND CHAINS WELDING
By John Crane
MACHINERY'S REFERENCE SERIES, 1910.
The Industrial Press, New York City
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Blacksmith shop practice
CONTENTS
- Arrangement and Equipment of a Model Blacksmith Shop
- Welding
- The Forging of Hooks and Chains
- Miscellaneous Blacksmith Shop Appliances and Methods
CHAPTER 1 - ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT OF A MODEL BLACKSMITH SHOP
Buildings for manufacturing purposes are as a rule constructed more or less in accordance with recognized standards that have been adopted on account of their adaptability for the particular class of work they are to be used for. In plants of the larger machine-building concerns and similar industries usually all buildings are of the same general style throughout with the exception of the blacksmith or forge shop, which is often entirely different. Why this should be, no good reason is apparent from a practical point of view, as the style adopted is often less suitable for the purpose than that of the other buildings, and the result is that very often blacksmiths and forge men have of necessity to work under conditions that are anything but an incentive to the best results. Workmen, -no matter what' the nature of their occupation may be, will do more and better work under pleasant and attractive conditions than they can be expected to do in a gloomy atmosphere. In this respect blacksmiths are no exception to the rule. As their art is indispensable to all other industries, a few practical suggestions that would have a tendency, if adopted, to reduce cost, increase and improve production for the employer, and bring about better conditions for the blacksmith, may not be out of place.
The principal essentials of a blacksmith shop where maximum production at minimum cost is expected, are light, ventilation, sanitary arrangements and sufficient space to accommodate a full equipment of machinery and appliances systematically arranged and installed. What the writer considers a basis that could be worked from in constructing, equipping and arranging blacksmith shops from a few forges capacity to the largest is shown and described in the following.
Foundations and "Walls
To begin with, the foundation has first to be considered. Where a rock bottom can be had very little preparation for building is necessary, but where building has to be done upon sand, clay or swampy ground it is important that the foundation be made thoroughly solid, otherwise the jar from steam hammers and other machinery will have a tendency to warp and crack the walls. The construction, in general, like that of buildings for other purposes, should be governed to a certain extent by the class, size and weight of the work that has to be done. If used for light forging exclusively, the walls need neither be as high nor as heavy as where the work is varied or of large proportions.
Forge Space and Arrangement
The next thing that calls for attention is the amount of space that is necessary for each forge. This depends very much upon their arrangement. If they are grouped as is customary in some shops, a saving of space is effected, but work in general cannot be so conveniently or economically handled as when they are arranged in rows, for the reason that in groups men from some of the forges will either have to pass between other men and their forges or anvils or take a long roundabout way to and from steam hammers; not only this, but work is often of a shape that can only be handled to advantage on forges with at least three sides accessible. It is therefore advisable that they be arranged in rows at a sufficient distance from the walls to allow of portable vise benches, surface plates, etc., being used where the light is best, and moved from place to place as they are required, without necessarily taking them into the center of the floor or between blacksmiths and steam hammers. With forges installed from 5 to 6 feet from the walls and 16 feet of space allowed for each as shown in the plan view on pages 20 and 21, there would just be sufficient space around them for the tools generally used at the anvil and the convenient handling of all ordinary blacksmith work. For light work they may be placed a little closer than 16 feet, but more difficulty is experienced in trying to do work in limited space than where there is sufficient room. Wherever conditions will permit, it is preferable to have blacksmith shops, if they exceed the capacity of 10 forges, wide enough for a row on each side with corresponding rows of steam and power hammers facing the forges on the side of the shop in which they are installed.
There are, however, certain elements to be contended with in the construction of a wide building that can be entirely dispensed with in a narrow one. When a building exceeds a certain width some supports for the roof other than the walls are necessary if cost, which is a prime factor, is to be kept at the lowest margin. These roof supports are generally in the form of columns so arranged that the weight is evenly divided. In blacksmith shops columns or supports should be located where they would offer the least obstruction to the handling of work which is almost invariably hot, and the success of the various operations of shaping it depends upon reaching a steam hammer in the least possible time after it is removed from the fire. It is therefore obvious that the fewer obstructions that are to be avoided, the greater the probability of the work being successfully accomplished. Just behind the line of steam hammers, columns would be entirely out of the way, and would serve the double purpose of supporting the roof and traveling cranes or trolleys.
The points considered and the provision for the storing of bar stock, coal and other materials used in blacksmithing in the same building or adjacent to it, constitute the most important features of an ideal blacksmith shop, which may be constructed, laid out and arranged as indicated in the following, the general outline given being used as a basis to work from.
Forges are arranged in rows 5 feet from the side walls, with those intended for the largest and heaviest work nearest to the stock supply for which one end of the building is exclusively assigned. All forges are served by an overhead trolley system, one cross-section of which is assigned to each forge for lifting and supporting work at the anvil. Forges for the larger work are further supplied with jib cranes so arranged that the column is well out of the way of the work, so that it can be used for conveying to and supporting at the steam hammer the work of two forges, the furnace being located near the hammer that it serves.
DOWNLOAD OLD BLACKSMITHING BOOK:
Blacksmith shop practice
The principal essentials of a blacksmith shop where maximum production at minimum cost is expected, are light, ventilation, sanitary arrangements and sufficient space to accommodate a full equipment of machinery and appliances systematically arranged and installed. What the writer considers a basis that could be worked from in constructing, equipping and arranging blacksmith shops from a few forges capacity to the largest is shown and described in the following.
Foundations and "Walls
To begin with, the foundation has first to be considered. Where a rock bottom can be had very little preparation for building is necessary, but where building has to be done upon sand, clay or swampy ground it is important that the foundation be made thoroughly solid, otherwise the jar from steam hammers and other machinery will have a tendency to warp and crack the walls. The construction, in general, like that of buildings for other purposes, should be governed to a certain extent by the class, size and weight of the work that has to be done. If used for light forging exclusively, the walls need neither be as high nor as heavy as where the work is varied or of large proportions.
Forge Space and Arrangement
The next thing that calls for attention is the amount of space that is necessary for each forge. This depends very much upon their arrangement. If they are grouped as is customary in some shops, a saving of space is effected, but work in general cannot be so conveniently or economically handled as when they are arranged in rows, for the reason that in groups men from some of the forges will either have to pass between other men and their forges or anvils or take a long roundabout way to and from steam hammers; not only this, but work is often of a shape that can only be handled to advantage on forges with at least three sides accessible. It is therefore advisable that they be arranged in rows at a sufficient distance from the walls to allow of portable vise benches, surface plates, etc., being used where the light is best, and moved from place to place as they are required, without necessarily taking them into the center of the floor or between blacksmiths and steam hammers. With forges installed from 5 to 6 feet from the walls and 16 feet of space allowed for each as shown in the plan view on pages 20 and 21, there would just be sufficient space around them for the tools generally used at the anvil and the convenient handling of all ordinary blacksmith work. For light work they may be placed a little closer than 16 feet, but more difficulty is experienced in trying to do work in limited space than where there is sufficient room. Wherever conditions will permit, it is preferable to have blacksmith shops, if they exceed the capacity of 10 forges, wide enough for a row on each side with corresponding rows of steam and power hammers facing the forges on the side of the shop in which they are installed.
There are, however, certain elements to be contended with in the construction of a wide building that can be entirely dispensed with in a narrow one. When a building exceeds a certain width some supports for the roof other than the walls are necessary if cost, which is a prime factor, is to be kept at the lowest margin. These roof supports are generally in the form of columns so arranged that the weight is evenly divided. In blacksmith shops columns or supports should be located where they would offer the least obstruction to the handling of work which is almost invariably hot, and the success of the various operations of shaping it depends upon reaching a steam hammer in the least possible time after it is removed from the fire. It is therefore obvious that the fewer obstructions that are to be avoided, the greater the probability of the work being successfully accomplished. Just behind the line of steam hammers, columns would be entirely out of the way, and would serve the double purpose of supporting the roof and traveling cranes or trolleys.
The points considered and the provision for the storing of bar stock, coal and other materials used in blacksmithing in the same building or adjacent to it, constitute the most important features of an ideal blacksmith shop, which may be constructed, laid out and arranged as indicated in the following, the general outline given being used as a basis to work from.
Forges are arranged in rows 5 feet from the side walls, with those intended for the largest and heaviest work nearest to the stock supply for which one end of the building is exclusively assigned. All forges are served by an overhead trolley system, one cross-section of which is assigned to each forge for lifting and supporting work at the anvil. Forges for the larger work are further supplied with jib cranes so arranged that the column is well out of the way of the work, so that it can be used for conveying to and supporting at the steam hammer the work of two forges, the furnace being located near the hammer that it serves.
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Blacksmith shop practice
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