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BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT— FORGING OF HOOKS AND CHAINS WELDING

SECOND EDITION

MACHINERY'S REFERENC^ BOOR NO. 61 PUBLISHED BY MACHINERY, NEW YORK

MACHINERY'S REFERENCE SERIES

EACH NUMBER IS ONE UNIT IN A COMPLETE LIBRARY OF MACHINE DESIGN AND SHOP PRACTICE REVISED AND REPUBLISHED FROM MACHINERY

NUMBER 61

BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

SECOND EDITION

CONTENTS

Arrangement and Equipment of a Model Blacksmith Shop, by JAMES CRAN - - 3

Welding, by JAMES CRAN - - 13

The Forging of Hooks and Chains, by JAMES CRAN - 24

Miscellaneous Blacksmith Shop Appliances and

Methods - - - 31

Copyright. 1910. The Industrial Press, Publishers of MACHINERY 49-55 Lafayette Street. New York City

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 neces- sity to work under conditions that are anything but an incentive to the best results. Workmen, -no matter what' the nature of their occu- pation may be, will do more and better work under pleasant and at- tractive conditions than they can be expected to do in a gloomy at- mosphere. 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 pro- duction 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 con- structing, 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 neces- sary, 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. For light and medium weight work walls need not be more than from 15 to 20 feet in height, but for heavy work or where it is of a wide variety as in railroad or heavy machine building shops, the walls should be

MACHINERY, October, 1909.

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4 No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

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•from 20 60 25 feet in height so that there would be sufficient space between the tops of large steam hammers and the roof trusses for the free use of jib cranes or other overhead lifting and conveying devices. Very little can be said specifically regarding the foundation, as gen- eral conditions and the nature of the site would have to be taken into account before any authentic information could be given, other than that it should be made as solid as possible. The walls, preferably of brick or reinforced concrete, should be of a more substantial nature than is generally required for other purposes. The piers between windows may be supported either with pilasters or buttresses or a combination of both. For the admission of plenty of fresh air which is essential in all manufacturing buildings, especially in blacksmith shops where more or less heat is radiated from forges and furnaces, the windows should not be over 36 inches above the level of the floor. If placed higher in the walls, which is often done to save their being broken by flying pieces of iron or steel, or to conform with a pet theory of protecting the men employed from drafts, they are too high to be of much benefit other than admitting light, as the greater portion of the air admitted enters at a point too high to benefit the workmen or to keep the lower portion of the shop where heat is generated cool enough to be comfortable. Plain sash windows that can be raised from the bottom and lowered from the top are the best type to use and can be protected inside and out with wire screen. In locating doors it is well to have one in each end of the building large enough for the admittance or removal of any kind of work or material, and to have others in the side walls where they may be required.

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 ar- rangement. If they are grouped as is customary in some shops, a saving of space is effected, but work in general cannot be so conveni- ently 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 con- venient 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

ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT 5

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.

Forges used for the average range of blacksmithing are from 36 to 48 inches in width. With these placed 5 feet from the walls and anvils from 18 to 24 inches out from the line of forges, the distance from wall to anvil will be approximately 11 feet. At least 12 feet of clear space should be allowed between the line of anvils and steam or belt- driven hammers, the bases of which are anywhere from 5% to 8 feet in length. As a certain amount of space behind the hammers is neces- sary, 10 feet more may be added. Thus a shop of approximately 40 feet in width is required for single rows of forges and hammers and 80 feet for double rows. The advantages of a short wide shop over a long narrow one are obvious. It is more compact and better under the observation of the man in charge. The space back of the steam ham- mers is doubled, making the center of the shop wide enough for a line of car tracks which may be standard or narrow gage, and for the hand- ling of work too long or of a shape that could not be advantageously handled by ordinary means. Not only this, but the saving in actual construction, which would amount to about one-third, is an item too important to be overlooked.

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 sup- ports 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 sup- ports 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 there- fore 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.

The general arrangements of a shop of 18 forges in which provision has been made for a full equipment of appliances generally used in a shop of that capacity are shown in the illustrations on pages 20 and 21. One end is assigned to material, as bar stock, coal, etc., and space for

6 No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

cutting-off and centering machines, in short all that is required for putting work in proper condition to be turned over to the machine shop without workmen having of necessity to go outside the building. Forges are arranged in rows 5 feet from the side walls, with those in- tended 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 ar- ranged 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.

Arrangement of Steam- and Belt-driven Hammers

All power hammers, steam and belt-driven, with the exception of one, which will be referred to later, are installed in rows facing the forges at a distance of 12 feet from the line of anvils, which is just sufficient space for the general range of blacksmith work being done at steam hammers without conflicting with that being done at forges. The steam hammer A which is reversed and out of alignment with other hammers can be used for such work as welding long shafts, lead-screws for long lathes, locomotive frames or any other work too long or of a shape that could not be advantageously handled by ordinary means. This class of work is supported by hooks from an overhead trolley and heated in a portable forge so arranged that it drops clear of the work when it is ready to be conveyed to the hammer by turning a lever. This forge is shown and described in the next chapter in connection with the treatment on welding. No definite information can be given upon the number of steam or power hammers necessary for any given number of forges, as that would depend very much upon the class of work to be done. Sometimes three or more blacksmiths could use the same hammer to block out their work without wasting time in wait- ing for turns, or one man's work conflicting with another's, while on other kinds of work one man may monopolize one hammer for a time. In any case the equipment of hammers and other power appliances should be ample for the requirements, otherwise much time may be wasted in men having to wait after their stock is heated before they can have access to a hammer, or in having to leave it before an opera- tion is completed. In a shop of 18 forges where work is of a wide variety of shape and size, from 6 to 9 hammers will be required. Gen- erally a great part of machine blacksmithing, especially blocking out, can be much more economically heated in furnaces than is possible when forges are used exclusively. It is therefore advisable to use fur- naces for all work that can be heated in them, and have them as near to steam hammers as is practicable. In most of the blacksmith shops connected with manufacturing plants one or more toolsmiths are em- ployed, and more or less carbonizing, heat treating, annealing, harden- ing and tempering has to be done. This class of work should be as

ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT 7

much concentrated as possible, located in the shop where it would be least likely to conflict with other work and be under the charge of a sub-foreman. Saws, shears, cutting-off, straightening and centering machines, together with any other machine tools that may be used, should be located near the stock supply and if possible near the point from which finished work is forwarded to the various departments where it is wanted. These machines and all bar stock would constitute a department that could be attended to by a sub-foreman.

Location of Blowers, Conduits and Piping-

The blower for supplying forges and furnaces with blast and the fan for mechanical draft, if a down-draft system of carrying off smoke and gases is to be used, may be installed as near to each other as is practicable and operated by the same motive power, preferably motor drive. Common practice is to elevate blowers and fans above the level of forges; sometimes they are placed upon a platform in the roof trusses to save floor space. This practice is not to be com- mended for the reason that when the wind gate of a forge or furnace happens to be left open when the blower is closed, gas generated by the still ignited fuel upon the forge enters the pipes and naturally rises. It may escape through the blower unless it happens to be started up before the fire upon the forge has died out. When this hap- pens the gas is forced back upon the still burning fuel where it is ignited, causing an explosion which may ruin pipes and damage the blower. If blowers and fans are installed in a pit below the level of the floor, they are more accessible and the danger of being damaged by explosions is minimized from the fact that gas will not descend except when forced. Generally blast is conducted from the blower to forges and furnaces through a main pipe which is reduced in size as it passes the various branch pipes which connect with the forges. This has a tendency to make the pressure greatest near the terminal of the main pipe. To equalize the blast pressure at all points the main pipe should be in the shape of a loop, both sides of which may be of equal capacity to the discharge of the blower so that it would act as a reservoir permitting of branch pipes being connected with it at right angles instead of the more acute angles generally used, and should it be necessary to increase the blowing facilities or enlarge the capacity of the shop this could be done without changing the blast pipe. In an ideal blacksmith shop all piping should be where it is least likely to be in the way and still be accessible. For this purpose an underground conduit is provided in the shape of a loop directly under the line of forges as shown by dotted lines in the plan view on pages 20 and 21 and also in the cross-section below, of a size sufficient to accommodate the entire piping system including blast, steam, water, gas, oil, compressed air, heat for warming the shop in cold weather, smoke, sewer or any other piping or wiring that may be necessary, and to which access may be had through openings in the floor be- tween forges. These openings should be lined with concrete covered with slatted platforms upon which blacksmiths could stand at their

8 No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

work and through which heat could be admitted in cold weather and cool air in warm weather either through the heating system or open- ings in the walls fitted with gratings and shutters that could be opened and closed at will. The water supply which is essential in all blacksmith shops is more important than is generally supposed; each forge ought to be provided with a slake tub, the water in which should be kept fresh. If this has to be carried from a general supply pipe as is customary in most shops, much time is wasted both in emptying and refilling the tubs, that could be turned to good account if a faucet and sewer connection were located near each forge and else- where about the shop where they may be required. These connections should not be made directly with the tubs, except at forges used by tool-smiths or where hardening has to be done, as it is often necessary to move tubs and other appliances at forges used for regular forging to make room for work of unusual shape.

Furnaces, Tool Backs, Hammer Foundations and Piping- Furnaces to be used for heating work that is to be blocked to shape in quantities at steam hammers and those used for heating material to be drop-forged or shaped in forging machines, bolt-headers or bull- dozers, may be heated either with solid fuel or oil. Oil is preferable for several reasons. It is conducted from the supply tank to where it is to be used automatically through pipes. Once ignited the supply can be regulated and the heat maintained at an even temperature for any length of time. There is practically no refuse to be removed and no time is wasted in waiting for a fresh supply of fuel reaching the proper temperature for the work to be done as is the case with any kind of solid fuel. For each steam and power hammer there should be a tool rack, preferably portable, of which Fig. 1 is an example, that would accommodate a full set of spring swages, fullers, breaking-down tools, hacks, bolsters or any other appliances that may be used in con- nection with hammers, each tool as far as possible being assigned to its own place upon the rack. This would overcome the disadvantage of having to turn over a miscellaneous heap of tools usually stacked upon the floor to find the one that is wanted and to move them indi- vidually should the space they occupy be temporarily wanted for some other purpose.

To get the greatest efficiency from steam power hammers the foun- dations upon which they are mounted must be solid. Concrete resting upon hard pan has given better results than the combination of heavy wooden beams and concrete commonly used. In installing solid con- crete foundations there should be several inches of cement placed over the concrete and a cushion of wood at least three inches in thickness placed between the cement and the base of the anvil to give the neces- sary resiliency and prevent the concrete being pulverized by the im- pact of the blows. Back and front of the hammers there should be openings down to the level of the anvil base so that it could be leveled or adjusted by wedging up and grouting with cement if for any reason it should get sagged or out of alignment with the upper parts of the

ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT 9

hammer. These openings should be covered with hatches level with the floor.

By conducting steam to hammers from the main steam pipes in the underground conduit through branch pipes provided with traps, .the disadvantages and annoyance caused by condensation are practically obviated, providing the supply pipes are enclosed in non-conductive casing until they are connected with cylinders. The exhaust and all other pipes leading from hammers may be accommodated in the same casing down to the floor level, where they may be conducted outside the building through conduits and allowed to discharge in the usual manner or be turned into a condenser and ultimately into the sewer.

Foreman's Office, "Wash Room, Lockers, etc.

The foreman's office and the room used for special tools, fixtures, formers, welding compounds, etc., should be connected, if possible, and located centrally in a position from which the whole or the greater part of the shop could be easily seen and if possible near the door that is used the most. If that happened to be a side door, office and tool-room may be as shown in the plan view on pages 20 and 21. Should an end door be more convenient the office and tool-room may occupy the space assigned to forge No. 8. For convenience as well as economy, blacksmith shops should be provided with washing accom- modation, locker rooms and lavatories, which would not only add to the comfort of the men employed, but would be the means of saving the time that is wasted in going to other buildings. In a shop of 18 forges there should be locker and washing accommodations for at least 60 men. This at a conservative estimate would occupy at least 650 square feet of floor space. The lavatory for obvious reasons should be separate from the locker and washroom, but in close prox- imity, and is therefore shown in the floor plan just beyond the parti- tion that separates the shop from the coal storage.

Flooring- There is much difference of opinion as to the material that is best adapted for the flooring of blacksmith shops. Wood is too inflam- mable, bricks crack and break from the heat and impact of work being laid upon them, cement or concrete is poorly adapted for the same reason, and asphalt is out of the question. Nothing that has been tried so far has given better satisfaction or can be installed at less cost than dirt mixed with ashes. If kept moist by being watered at least once every day it is more comfortable to stand upon than any- thing else that can be used for the purpose. It is easily repaired and leveled should holes or irregularities get worn in it, and it is not affected in the least by hot or heavy pieces of work or material being dropped or laid upon it. The space between walls and forges, how- ever, may be covered with concrete and cement to facilitate the hand- ling of such appliances as portable surface-plates and vises, and the floor of wash-rooms and lavatories may be of asphalt, while that of the foreman's office and tool-room may be of wood.

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No. 62— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

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ARRANGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT

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The spaces assigned to cutting-off machinery, etc., and that for drop- hammers and other machines used in making die forgings has not been laid out in detail for the reason that machines for that class of work vary so much in general outline and in size that it would be difficult to arrange them satisfactorily except by knowing the size of work they are to be used for.

Bar Stock Backs and Storage

In storing bar stock several things have to be considered if time is to be saved and the chances of making mistakes in using wrong ma- terial minimized. Racks are necessary for the purpose and should be constructed in a manner best suited for the accommodation of the

FOR SHORT LENGTHS

Machinery N. Y.

CAST IRON BASE

Fig. 4. Back for Bound or Square Bar Stock up to Pour Inches

various kinds of material, and so that bars can be lifted from the sides instead of having to be pulled from the end, as must be done when the common lattice pattern rack is used. For tool steel or any other special material, racks of the type shown in Pig. 2 will be found to be the most convenient, as bars can be stood on end irrespective of length, and short pieces kept in the enclosed portion at the bottom. For the more ordinary grades of stock up to a certain size, a rack of the type shown in Figs. 4 and 5 will be found to be very convenient, as bars can be removed from the sides, which is much more expedient than pulling them from the ends. Lengths too short to be supported by the arms can be placed in the box-shaped receptacle at the base. For bars too heavy to be stored upon racks of the types already shown, a platform raised a little above the level of the floor and divided into sections by upright stakes, which may either be of cast iron or steel of structural shapes as shown in Fig. 3, may be used. All material should be designated by colors on the ends of the bars to correspond with the colors of the racks in which they are stored.

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No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

Communication between the stock-room and cutting-off department should be through sliding doors that would permit of bars too heavy to be lifted by hand, being lifted and conveyed between the two places by an overhead trolley system, to pass through the sliding doors at the point where they come together.

Fuel Storage and Roof Construction

On the opposite side of the building from the bar stock store are the pockets for storing coal, coke, charcoal or any of the other solid fuels that may be used. The approach to these pockets is a line of standard gage car tracks elevated upon trestle work and entering the building through a door in the end wall above the level of the pockets as shown in the lower view on page 21, this door being large enough

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5. Detail of Upright and Arms lor Rack shown in Fig. 4

to admit locomotive and cars so that coal, etc., could be dumped di- rectly into the pockets from which it could be supplied to forges or furnaces by hand cars.

The roofing of a building as here depicted, apart from general out- lines, is a subject upon which the constructing engineer ought to be left with a free hand, as stresses must be calculated and tension and compression members of the trusses arranged accordingly. The sides of the ventilating monitor, however, should be at least 6 feet in height to admit of the windows used being of a size sufficient to throw good light upon the anvils at the opposite sides of the shop. These win- dows should be balanced upon horizontal trunnions so that they could be opened and closed by means of cords or rods operated from the floor.

CHAPTER II

WELDING*

Up to comparatively recent years, the only process of welding wrought iron and steel was to heat the parts to be welded in a forge or furnace until they had reached a semi-melting condition, after which they were united by hammering. At the present time there are several distinct processes which give the same, or in some cases, better results than are possible by the ordinary process mentioned. Among these may be mentioned the Thermit process (see MACHINERY, March, 1903), the electric welding process (see MACHINERY, April, 1908), and the autogenous welding process (see MACHINERY, October, 1908).

The first mention of welding by electricity, was made by James P. Joule, of Manchester, England, in a paper published in 1856. It was, however, more than thirty years later before electricity became used for welding in the mechanical arts. One feature of importance in re-

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Machinery, JV. Y.

Fig. e. Incorrect Upset and Scarf- Fig. 7. Correct Upset and Scarfing ing for Plain Lap Welding- for Plain Lap Welding

lation to the electric welding is that it makes possible not only the welding of iron and steel, but of metals widely dissimilar, as high car- bon to low carbon steel, brass or copper to iron or steel, etc. It is, however, the writer's intention to deal in the following principally with welding as it is, or rather as it should be, done at the forge. It is the oldest, the most common, and, perhaps, the least understood of the welding processes. It has not received the attention that its im- portance merits, nor has it improved with other mechanical arts. Brawn and muscle have generally been considered more essential to the blacksmith than brains, and thus the fact that preparing the pieces to be welded is of as much importance as the actual heating and hammering, is far too seldom taken into consideration. The prepara- tion of work for welding depends greatly upon the shape of the forg- ing and the class of work for which it is intended.

Plain Lap Weld

The most common joint is the plain lap weld used on plain straight work, such as round, square, or flat stock, up to a certain weight and

* MACHINERY, December, 1908.

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No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

length. In nine cases out of every ten, the pieces are prepared and placed together for welding as shown in Fig. 6. The upsetting is dono on the extreme ends of the pieces, as shown at A, and the greater part of the upset has to be drawn down to form a scarf, the face and sides of which are generally a series of steps or notches as indicated at B. The parts are plaeed in position for welding as shown at C. Some blacksmiths claim that notches on a scarf are an advantage and keep the pieces from slipping when being hammered together. This idea is responsible for a great deal of poor welding inasmuch as the notches make the best kind of a trap for slag or any foreign matter that is liable to adhere to them while heating. If this slag is closed in between the pieces, as it is almost sure to be when the points of the scarfs are welded first, as is generally done, all means of escape for slag or dirt is cut off, and the welding will only be effected in spots. The defect will show up in machining if the weld does not come apart before.

If pieces are prepared as shown in Fig. 7, defective welding will be reduced to the minimum. The upsetting should be done at least the

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Machinery,^'. 1'. Fig. 8. Correct and Incorrect Methods of Scarfing for Jump Weld

thickness of the stock from the end, as at A, so that it will not be affected by the scarfing. This makes less upsetting necessary, and the scarfing is more easily done. The face and sides of the scarf should be fairly smooth, and crowned slightly in the center as at B, so that when they have been heated 'and brought together for welding, the center will be the first part to unite as shown at C. Any slag or dirt that may have adhered to the heated surfaces will be forced out as the welding proceeds from the center to the point of one scarf and then to the other.

Jump Weld

In welding forgings of the style shown in Fig. 8, usually only one piece, the shank, is prepared. It is upset on the extreme end, the edges scarfed and thinned, and the face left perfectly level, as shown at A. When prepared in this manner, the chances are that a little slag will adhere to the flat surface and be closed in between the two pieces. The edges of the scarf will be the only parts to unite with the other piece, and will have to support the whole strain that may come on the forging.

Work of this kind should be prepared as shown at B, the flat piece being hollowed out with a bob-punch as shown by the dotted line, and the shank upset and scarfed, as indicated, until it is just small enough so that the spherical portion will bear in the bottom of the impression,

WELDING 15

but not quite touch the sides. When heated to a welding temperature and placed in position, the first point of adhesion will be at the center, and two or three blows will upset the shank sufficiently to fill the im- pression. Any slag or dirt will be forced out as the welding pro- ceeds, and a solid piece of work is insured when the weld is com- pleted. This style of welding is known as jump welding.

Butt Weld

Shafting and similar work, when made of wrought iron, can be butt-welded to advantage, the only preparation necessary being to up- set the ends coming together, Slightly crowning them in the center. The two ends are kept in alignment with a dowel pin as shown in

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Fig. 9. Wrought Iron Shaft Prepared for Butt Welding

Fig. 1O. Ram for Upsetting Long Bars

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Pig. 11. Steel Shaft Prepared for Welding

Fig. 12. Carrying-bar for Long Heavy Forgings

Fig. 9. When heated to the proper temperature, the parts may be welded before they are removed from the forge by using a sledge ham- mer on one end, or, if the pieces are of large dimensions, a ram should be used. The welding commences at the center, and all slag or dirt is forced out as the pieces come together. By the time the weld is complete, the diameter around the heated parts will be found to have increased. This excess can be worked down to the same size as the rest of the piece either at the anvil or steam hammer while it is still at a welding temperature.

Welding- Steel

It is not advisable to butt-weld steel at the forge, as the pieces are liable to come apart when the upset portion is being worked down to

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No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

the same size as the rest of the piece. All forgings either of ordinary machinery or carbon steel should be made from the solid, if possible. If this is impracticable, welding should be done either by the plain lap method or by split weld. The split weld is seldom used except upon very long or heavy work, such as shafting, lead-screws for long lathes, and similar work where the parts are either too long or too heavy to be heated separately and placed upon each other for welding with any degree of comfort or accuracy. Work of this kind is usually prepared for welding by being heated on the end and upset with a ram of the style shown in Fig. 10, which is suspended from above by a chain attached to the ring of the ram with a hook. The ram is ar- ranged so that it can be adjusted to any height. It is swung hori- zontally by means of a rope attached to the shank or handle. Three or four men are needed to give it momentum and one man to guide it by the shank. An equal number of men are needed to keep the shaft

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Machinery,}?, Y. Fig. 13. Heavy Shafting Prepared for Welding

in position when acted upon by the ram. When the pieces have been sufficiently upset, one is scarfed as shown at A, Fig. 11, and the other is split and scarfed in the shape of a snake's head as shown at B. A few sharp burrs are raised with a chisel on the sides of A. Part B is heated and closed in on the burrs which keep it in position, as shown at C. The parts are then placed on the forge, heated, and welded in the usual manner at the steam hammer.

Bars of the style shown in Fig. 12 are used to lift the shaft from the forge and convey it to the hammer. One man is required for each end of the bar; sometimes as many as a dozen or more bars are used, according to the length and weight of the work. When the di- ameter exceeds three inches, the separate pieces are usually held in position by means of clamps, as shown in Fig. 13. When the heat has been raised sufficiently high for welding the pieces, they may be forced together, before removing them from the forge, by using a sledge hammer or a ram on one end of the work. When the pieces have been fairly united, the tie rods A are removed, allowing the work to be turned in the fire so that all sides can be brought as near as possible to the same temperature. The shaft is then lifted from the forge to the steam hammer, where the welded portion is worked

WELDING

17

down to about the same diameter as the remainder, using the clamps which are still left in position for handling and turning it.

Making Long- Lead-screws

Lead-screws frequently are as long as sixty feet, and occasionally eighty feet or over. Defective welding on this class of work is very serious as it renders the screws practically useless. When work of this nature exceeds the length of the longest lathe in the shop, two or three bars, together equaling in length about the capacity of the avail- able lathe, are welded together, turned, and the thread cut to within

Fig. 14. Upsetting Attachment for Preparing Heavy Shafts for Welding

Fig, 15. Upsetting Attachment ready for Operation

about three feet of the end of the bar. This is then returned to the blacksmith shop where a few more lengths are welded on, which are also turned and threaded. This is repeated until the full length has been reached.

To facilitate handling and to reduce the cost of such work, the writer designed the upsetting attachment for the steam hammer shown in Fig. 14, which takes the place of the ram and can be used with considerably less help, the blacksmith, his helper, and the steam hammer operator being all that is required. To use the attachment, the anvil block is removed from the steam hammer, and the fixture is keyed in its place. The ends of the bars to be upset are heated, placed in V-blocks A, which are notched or toothed inside to insure their

IS

No. 61— BLACKSMITH SHOP PRACTICE

bearing being firm upon the work, the grip being just behind the heated portion. The V-blocks are brought to bear upon the work by means of a lever and cam B. The V-blocks with the work held firmly between them are placed in a recess C in the end of the fixture, there- by preventing them from moving backwards. A steel plate made to slide in groove D comes in contact with the hot end of the work. The plate is forced forward in the groove by wedge E, driven home by the steam hammer. Should the wedge in any way become cramped, it can be removed by a small wedge F which crosses its point near the lower side of the attachment. If the amount of upsetting done at one operation is insufficient, the grip can be released upon the work in the

Fig. 16. Portable Forge ready for Use

V-blocks, the shaft pushed through as far as it will go, and the opera- tion repeated. A fixture of this style can be arranged to form collars or in fact any kind of work where upsetting is necessary. In Fig. 15 the device is shown ready for operation.

Portable Forge for "Welding

Figs. 16 and 17 show a portable forge specially designed by the writer for heating long work to be welded. The general arrangements are such as to afford greater convenience in heating and handling this class of work than is possible with an ordinary forge. By its use a saving of at least 75 per cent in help is effected. In Fig. 16 the work is shown in position ready for heating, and supported by hooks. The body of the forge is made deep enough to support the sides of the fire which necessarily have to be high enough to allow the work to be covered by it. The forge is lined with fire brick to prevent the sides getting overheated and warped. The top is covered with a large fire brick bound around the edges with iron straps, and supported by a

WELDING 19

chain from above. A hole in the center of the brick allows smoke and gases to escape; this hole can be closed or partly closed, when neces- sary, with a piece of sheet iron or boiler plate. The fire brick cover gives all the advantages t and none of the disadvantages of a hollow fire for welding, as it can be placed in position or removed without in the least disturbing the fire. The forge is mounted on wheels at- tached to the bcdy with axles which can be spread by means of a lever and link motion (see Figs. 16 and 17), allowing the body to drop far enough for work to be removed without lifting it to clear the sides of the fire. To make the forge easy to raise and lower, the body is counterweighted, the weights being made to slide on levers so that they can be adjusted to give a perfect balance. They are held in posi-

Figr. 17. Portable Forge in Raised Position

tion with set-screws. The other ends of the levers are connected to the body with links, and wrork in fulcrums attached to the track on which the wheels rest. The fulcrums are just high enough to clear the bottom of the air chamber when the forge is raised to its full height, which allows it to be easily removed from the track when the levers are disconnected. Fig. 16 shows the forge lowered, and the brick cover suspended by the chain clear of the work.