Making a Toasting-fork—Inlaying.
_Exercise No. 11._
[Illustration: Fig. 60. Stock for Toasting Fork.]
A very interesting and useful article to make is a toasting fork. The
stock used can be spring steel. A disadvantage in using this steel is
that it is too hard to work out a design on the handle. If one can weld
quite well, the fork should have the handle made of soft steel and the
balance of carbon steel. In doing this, the weld is the first thing to do
while the stock is straight and full size. If one without much welding
experience is to make the fork, it should be made of soft steel, and when
finished the prongs should be case hardened. In making a fork of this
kind, a piece of soft steel as shown in the drawing in Figure 60 is used.
On one end, the stock is enlarged a little, by upsetting for a distance
of five or six inches. This end is to be used for the handle. The other
end of the bar is then heated, and a hole is punched 1¾-in. from the
end. The piece should then look somewhat like the drawing at A, Figure
61. In drawing out, the shoulder is hammered as shown at B, Figure 61.
The shank (the part between the handle and the shoulder) is next drawn
out. It should be a scant ¼-in. thick so as to finish to the dimensions
given in Figure 60. Care must be taken to avoid getting too much stock
in the shank. It is a very easy matter to get too much stock between the
handle and the shoulder which, when drawn out, is too long. The prongs
are roughly made by cutting the stock out as shown by the dotted lines in
Figure 61. When this is done the prongs are hammered out to the correct
size, allowing for finishing.
[Illustration: Fig. 61.]
In Figure 62 are shown reproductions of similar forks. The line shown
running around the rectangular open parts is inlaid copper. A channel is
sunken and the copper driven into it. In making the handle, the three
oblong holes are punched while hot with a punch about ³⁄₁₆ in. by ⅝
in. at the end, making a series of punchings to cut out the holes. The
holes should be small enough so that they may be finished to size with a
file. Notice that the openings are not of the same size; but two short
ones, with a longer one in the center, give variety. Notice, also, that
the shape of the handle is in keeping with the long, slim shank and the
slender, two-tine fork at the end.
[Illustration: Fig. 62. Toasting Forks, Spoon and Cake Turner.]
[Illustration: Fig. 63.]
After the handle is shaped, and the holes are punched, including the one
at the top to hang the fork by, the line to receive the copper is marked.
(See Figure 63.) The marking should be done with a scratch awl. The line
is then cut with a small chisel. This cutting should be quite deep and
exact. This is important if the work is to be true and straight. All of
the marking should be done while the handle is cold. It is now heated and
taken to the anvil. A small punch, as represented in Figure 63, is then
set onto the cut line and given a blow with the hammer, sinking the punch
about ¹⁄₁₆ of an inch. One-half of the punch is now raised up and out of
the channel. While it is directly on the chased line, it is given another
blow with the hammer and so on until the end is reached. The particular
thing to watch is to have the lead corner of punch directly on the chased
guide line, while the other edge of the punch is in the channel in
order to keep the finished line straight. Keep the punch in good order,
straight and square at the end. The punch should not have much taper and
should not be used after the red heat leaves the metal. After the entire
line has been sunken ¹⁄₁₆ in. deep, the handle is reheated and the line
is sunken perhaps ⅛ in. deep.
A wider punch is now used in the long channel to straighten it and make
it deeper. The wide punch should have no taper and should be a scant ³⁄₃₂
in. thick so that the line will be about ³⁄₃₂ in. wide. If any part of
the channel should be too wide, the handle should be hammered on the edge
with a light hammer to close the channel a little. When the channel is
finished, the handle should be filed flat on the channel side. This will
give one a better view of the straightness of the channel.
[Illustration: Fig. 64. File.]
[Illustration: Fig. 65. Cross Section of Fork Handle.]
In case the channel is not as straight as it should be, a small flat file
is heated and bent at the end and rehardened. (See Figure 64.) This file
is used to straighten up the edges of the channel. A small cold chisel
can also be used for this purpose. The channel must be straight along the
top edge. When the channel is well straightened, strips of copper are
filed to fit the channel, letting them project above the channel about
³⁄₃₂ of an inch and also having each piece a little short in length. When
the pieces are all in place, the handle is set on the anvil and with a
heavy hammer they are driven down forcing the copper to fill the whole of
the channel. The entire handle is filed to the dimensions given in Figure
63.
Notice Figure 65 which shows a sectional drawing of the handle, with the
copper in place and a chased line running along between copper and steel.
A channel without copper is shown at the right of the illustration.
[Illustration: Wrought Iron Lamp.]