Tips and tricks
The smith's pocket companion
The smith's pocket companion, containing useful information and tables on iron and steel, for the use of smiths and steel workers
By J. MARQUARDT, A Practical Smith.
FIRST EDITION
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The smith's pocket companion
PREFACE.
This volume is intended as a hand-book and guide for smiths and men working in the shop; I have tried to make the contents as simple as possible in order to enable those who have not had the chance of obtaining a good education, to master it with ease.
The art how to work and turn iron into all required shapes and forms may be considered the profession; this cannot be obtained by the wave of the hand. It takes years of practice and close attention to the trade, and by faithfully studying theoretically as well as practically, a man may become a master of his trade.
The smith's trade has been greatly neglected in modern technical literature. Almost all other professions have scores of works up to expensive folios, devoted to their elevation and education.
The present being, therefore, probably the first English book on the subject, may not be as perfect as I could have wished, notwithstanding that great care has been bestowed upon it in selecting very carefully all the material from the manufacture of iron to the last table.
In the production of this book I do not! claim the whole of its contents as being original. I make this acknowledgement, to those whose works I have consulted for information. From Haswell I have received valuable assistance; and with the consent of the Cresent Steel Co., Miller, Metcalf, and Parkin, I am enabled to give a good fundamental theory on steel. The large majority of problems contained in it, are the product of study during my spare time. It is issued with the hope of making some contribution, however humble, to the true and permanent elevation off my fellow craftsmen.
The art how to work and turn iron into all required shapes and forms may be considered the profession; this cannot be obtained by the wave of the hand. It takes years of practice and close attention to the trade, and by faithfully studying theoretically as well as practically, a man may become a master of his trade.
The smith's trade has been greatly neglected in modern technical literature. Almost all other professions have scores of works up to expensive folios, devoted to their elevation and education.
The present being, therefore, probably the first English book on the subject, may not be as perfect as I could have wished, notwithstanding that great care has been bestowed upon it in selecting very carefully all the material from the manufacture of iron to the last table.
In the production of this book I do not! claim the whole of its contents as being original. I make this acknowledgement, to those whose works I have consulted for information. From Haswell I have received valuable assistance; and with the consent of the Cresent Steel Co., Miller, Metcalf, and Parkin, I am enabled to give a good fundamental theory on steel. The large majority of problems contained in it, are the product of study during my spare time. It is issued with the hope of making some contribution, however humble, to the true and permanent elevation off my fellow craftsmen.
CONTENTS.
- Manufacture of Iron and Steel
- Condensed Suggestions for Steel Workers
- On Annealing
- On Heating to Forge
- On Temper
- Furnace
- Sketches of Furnace
- Process of Making Bessemer Steel
- Forging Fires
- Heating of Iron
- Welding and Working of Iron
- Dies and Tools
- Weight and Areas of Square and Round Iron
- Weight of Flat Rolled Iron
- Areas of Flat Rolled Iron
- Areas of Circles.
- Bearing Value of Pins
- Weights of Flat Rolled Metals
- Breaking Strain of Chains
- Weight of Cast Iron Balls
- Weight of Various Metals
- Weight of Substances
- Upset Screw Ends
- Bolts, Heads, Nut, Threads
- Sizes of Hot Pressed Nuts
- Spikes, Nails and Tacks
- Wrought Iron Pipes
- Explanation of Tables
- Tensile and Crushing Strength
- Fulcrum and Lever
- Notes on Iron and Steel
- Mensuration
- Decimal Equivalents
- Angle Ring
- Alloys and Compositions
- Tempering
- Miscellaneous
- Tables of Wages and Board
ON HEATING TO FORGE
Fully as much trouble and loss are caused by improper heating in the forge fire as in the tempering fire, although steel may be heated safely very hot for forging if it be done properly; but any high degree of heat, no matter how uniform it may be, is unsafe for hardening.
The trouble in a forge-fire is usually uneven heat, and not too light heat. Suppose the piece to be forged has been put into a very hot fire, and forced as quickly as possible to a high yellow heat, so that it is almost to the scintillating point. If this be done, in a few minutes the outside will be quite soft and in nice condition for forging, while the middle parts will be not more than red hot. The highly heated soft outside will have very little tenacity: that is to say, this part will be so far advanced toward fusion that the particles will slide easily over one another, while the less highly heated inside parts will be hard, possessed of high tenacity, and the particles will not slide so easily over each other.
Now let the piece be placed under the hammer and forged, and the result will be as shown in Figure 1.
The soft outside will yield so much more readily than the hard inside that the outer particles will be torn asunder, while the inside will remain sound and the piece will be pitched out and branded burned.
Suppose the case to be reversed and the inside to be much hotter than the outside: that is, that the inside shall be in a state of semi-fusion, while the outside is hard and firm. Now let the piece be forged and we shall have the case as shown in Figure 2. The outside will be all sound and the whole piece will appear perfectly good until it is cropped, and then it is found to be hollow inside, and it is pitched out and branded burst.
In either case, if the piece had been heated soft all through or if it had been only red hot all through it would have forged perfectly sound and good.
If it be asked, why then is there ever any necessity for smiths to use a low heat in forging,, when a uniform high heat will do as well?
We answer - In some cases a high heat is- more desirable to save heavy labor, but in every case where a fine steel is to be used for casting purposes it must be borne in mind that very heavy forging refines the bars as they slowly cool, and if the smith heats such refined bars; until soft he raises the grain, makes them coarse, and he cannot get them fine again unless he has a very large steam-hammer at command and knows how to use it well.
In following the above hints there is a still greater danger to be avoided: that is incurred by letting the steel lie in the fire after it is properly heated. When the steel is hot through it should be taken from the fire immediately and forged as quickly as possible. Soaking in the fire causes the steel to become "dry" and brittle, and does it more injury than any bad practice known to the most experienced.
Owing to varying instructions on a great many different labels, we find at times a good deal of misapprehension as to the best way to heat steel; in some cases this causes too much work for the smiths, and in other instances disasters follow the act of hardening.
There are three distinct stages or times of heating:
First, for forging.
Second, for hardening.
Third, for tempering.
The first requisite for a good heat for forging is a clean fire and plenty of fuel, so that jets of hot air will not strike the corners of the piece; next, the fire should be regular, and give a good uniform heat to the whole part forged. It should be keen enough to heat the piece as rapidly as may be, and allow it to be thoroughly heated through, without being so fierce as to overheat the corners.
Steel should not be left in the fire any longer than is necessary to heat it clear through, as soaking in the fire is very injurious; and on the other hand it is necessary that it should be hot through to prevent surface cracks, which are caused by the reduced cohesion of the overheated parts which overlie the center of an irregularly heated piece.
By observing these precautions a piece of steel may always be heated safely, up to a bright yellow heat, when there is much forging to be done on it, and at this heat it will weld well.
The best and most economical of welding fluxes is clean, crude borax, which should be first, melted and then ground to a fine powder. Borax; prepared in this way will not froth on the surface of the steel, and one half the usual quantity will! do the work as well as the whole quantity unmelted.
DOWNLOAD FREE BLACKSMITHING BOOK:
The smith's pocket companion
Fully as much trouble and loss are caused by improper heating in the forge fire as in the tempering fire, although steel may be heated safely very hot for forging if it be done properly; but any high degree of heat, no matter how uniform it may be, is unsafe for hardening.
The trouble in a forge-fire is usually uneven heat, and not too light heat. Suppose the piece to be forged has been put into a very hot fire, and forced as quickly as possible to a high yellow heat, so that it is almost to the scintillating point. If this be done, in a few minutes the outside will be quite soft and in nice condition for forging, while the middle parts will be not more than red hot. The highly heated soft outside will have very little tenacity: that is to say, this part will be so far advanced toward fusion that the particles will slide easily over one another, while the less highly heated inside parts will be hard, possessed of high tenacity, and the particles will not slide so easily over each other.
Now let the piece be placed under the hammer and forged, and the result will be as shown in Figure 1.
The soft outside will yield so much more readily than the hard inside that the outer particles will be torn asunder, while the inside will remain sound and the piece will be pitched out and branded burned.
Suppose the case to be reversed and the inside to be much hotter than the outside: that is, that the inside shall be in a state of semi-fusion, while the outside is hard and firm. Now let the piece be forged and we shall have the case as shown in Figure 2. The outside will be all sound and the whole piece will appear perfectly good until it is cropped, and then it is found to be hollow inside, and it is pitched out and branded burst.
In either case, if the piece had been heated soft all through or if it had been only red hot all through it would have forged perfectly sound and good.
If it be asked, why then is there ever any necessity for smiths to use a low heat in forging,, when a uniform high heat will do as well?
We answer - In some cases a high heat is- more desirable to save heavy labor, but in every case where a fine steel is to be used for casting purposes it must be borne in mind that very heavy forging refines the bars as they slowly cool, and if the smith heats such refined bars; until soft he raises the grain, makes them coarse, and he cannot get them fine again unless he has a very large steam-hammer at command and knows how to use it well.
In following the above hints there is a still greater danger to be avoided: that is incurred by letting the steel lie in the fire after it is properly heated. When the steel is hot through it should be taken from the fire immediately and forged as quickly as possible. Soaking in the fire causes the steel to become "dry" and brittle, and does it more injury than any bad practice known to the most experienced.
Owing to varying instructions on a great many different labels, we find at times a good deal of misapprehension as to the best way to heat steel; in some cases this causes too much work for the smiths, and in other instances disasters follow the act of hardening.
There are three distinct stages or times of heating:
First, for forging.
Second, for hardening.
Third, for tempering.
The first requisite for a good heat for forging is a clean fire and plenty of fuel, so that jets of hot air will not strike the corners of the piece; next, the fire should be regular, and give a good uniform heat to the whole part forged. It should be keen enough to heat the piece as rapidly as may be, and allow it to be thoroughly heated through, without being so fierce as to overheat the corners.
Steel should not be left in the fire any longer than is necessary to heat it clear through, as soaking in the fire is very injurious; and on the other hand it is necessary that it should be hot through to prevent surface cracks, which are caused by the reduced cohesion of the overheated parts which overlie the center of an irregularly heated piece.
By observing these precautions a piece of steel may always be heated safely, up to a bright yellow heat, when there is much forging to be done on it, and at this heat it will weld well.
The best and most economical of welding fluxes is clean, crude borax, which should be first, melted and then ground to a fine powder. Borax; prepared in this way will not froth on the surface of the steel, and one half the usual quantity will! do the work as well as the whole quantity unmelted.
DOWNLOAD FREE BLACKSMITHING BOOK:
The smith's pocket companion
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