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.
In placing shafts to be connected by belts, care should be
taken to get the right working distance one from the other.
For smaller belts 12 to IS feet is about the right distance. For
large belts, a greater distance is wanted. The reason for this
is that when pulleys are too close together there is no sag in
the belts and they must therefore be very tight in order to
work.
Belts should not have too much sag, or they will, if the
distance between the pulleys is too far apart, produce a great
sag and a jerking motion which will be hard on the bearings.
Never place one shaft directly over another, for then the belts
must be very tight to do the work, and a tight belt will wear
out quicker and break oftener in the lacing than a loose one;
besides this the bearings will give out sooner. If a belt slips
use belt oil or resin, or both.
In repairing old bob sleds is difficult to find shoes to suit. But in every case the shoe can be fitted to suit without
touching the runner. The trick here as in many other cases in the blacksmith business, lies in the heating. Any shoe
can be straightened or bent to fit the runner if only heated right. A low cherry-red heat and a piece if iron to reach
from the crooked end of the shoe and far enough back to leave a space between where it wants to be straightened.
Now put it in the vise and turn the screws slowly and the shoe will stand a great deal. 1£ too straight, put the shoe
in between a couple of beams so that you can bend it back to the right shape. Remember the heat.
I have put on hundreds and never knew of a shoe that broke when the heat was right. I must confess, however,
that my two first shoes broke, but I think I learned it cheap when I consider my success after that. The shoe should
fit the runner snug. Ironing bobs is a very simple and easy thing, every blacksmith, and even farmers sometimes, are
able to iron their own sleds fairly well, and I don't think it will be of much interest for the readers of this book to treat
that subject any further.
Circular Saw Blade - How to
Prevent a Circular Saw
Blade from Cracking - How
to Sew a Belt