Rational Horse Shoeing and Wagon Making
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with rules, tables, recipes, etc., useful to
manufactures, blacksmiths, machinists,
well-drillers, engineers, liverymen,
horse-shoers, farmers, wagon-makers,
mechanics, amateurs and all others who have
occasion to perform the work for which this
book is primarily intended.
See Figure 6, No.3. This wrench is for 3/8 nut on one end and
1/2 on the other, just the kind for plow work. To make one,
take a piece of tool steel 1 1/2 X 5/8 start as you see in NO.4,
Figure 6. Set the jaws down with the fullers, punch a round
hole as in end NO.4, cut out from hole and finish the jaws to
make the right length, now bend it in S shape and finish. This
makes the best wrench. Do not heat over a red heat.
ROCK DRILLS
Few blacksmiths know how to make a rock drill. Take a piece of
round or octagon steel, the desired length and thickness,
shape it, but it must be remembered that if during the process
you ever get it over a red heat there is no use to proceed, but
just cut off that much and start again, no hardening will prevail
if it is burnt. The trouble begins when you put the steel into the
fire, and you must watch until you have it finished. When ready
brighten and watch for temper. When it is yellow, cool it off, but not
entirely, take it out of the water before it is quite cold and let it cool
slowly, this will make the drill both hard and tough. By this simple
process I have been able to dress drills and get such a good temper
than only two per cent would break. Another way to harden is to heat
to a very low heat and cool it off entirely at once. A third way is to
temper as first stated and when yellow set the drill in water only one
half an inch deep and let it cool. By this process a good per cent will
break just at the water line.
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