Stake pins are used for holding ropes in place, such as those on tents,
etc.
_Material:_ 1/2 in. round × 18 ins. long of wrought iron.
_Tool:_ Hand hammer.
[Illustration: Stake Pin]
_Directions:_ This sketch is made full size and it shows a round stake
pin with a four-sided tapering end about 3 ins. long. Place one end of
the bar of iron into the fire. It should be placed so that the iron
will be parallel to the bottom of the hearth.
All the heating done for this kind of work must be done in a reducing
fire. There are two kinds of fires, the oxidizing fire and the reducing
fire. The oxidizing fire is one where the quantity of air blown in is
not all consumed by the fire. There is an excess of air and an oxide
is formed on the iron. This prevents it from heating sufficiently. The
reducing fire is one where the blast is in proportion to the consuming
power of the fire--that is, just enough air is blown in to be used up
by the fire.
The greater the temperature the more coal and likewise the more blast
required. So that a temperature of 2500° Fahrenheit can be easily
gotten on an ordinary forge fire. While the iron is heating it should
be drawn out of the forge fire once in a while to be examined. When it
has reached a white heat, not sparkling, place it on the anvil, and
with a hand hammer begin at the end and drive it into shape according
to your sketch. Hammer this until the iron begins to darken. Place it
again in the fire and repeat as before until the thing is finished. A
piece of iron may be heated a dozen times while working it into shape.
All depends upon the skill and experience of the worker.
You will probably learn in this problem that metal will burn in this
high temperature the same as a piece of wood and very much quicker. It
does not smoulder like wood; it just melts away. It would be well to
have the point of the iron stake melt or burn off in this particular
case so that you can learn all about the heating, melting, and burning
of iron. The fine point on the stake is made by keeping the metal on
the extreme outer edge of the anvil, so that the outer half of the
hammer face will project over the anvil edge, thus reducing any metal
between the two into a very small space. (See position of hand hammer
in the article on tools.)
When the work is finished the temperature of the metal should be low.
This prevents the metal from scaling and gives an opportunity for a
smooth finished surface.
[Illustration: HOW TO MAKE A STAPLE]
Staples are small U-shaped pieces of iron with pointed ends. They are
driven into wood for the purpose of holding some attachment in place.
We have staples for barn doors, to catch the gate hook, to fasten
chains, etc.
_Material:_ One piece of 1/4-in. round iron 4-1/2 ins. long.
_Directions:_ Heat one end of the iron piece. Draw it to a square point
as was done on the staple pin. Flatten this point as shown in the
drawing. Cut it off square at the extreme end so that it will be quite
sharp when finished. Repeat on the other end. The piece will now be
about 6-1/4 ins. long, about 1/4 in. round in the middle, with square,
tapering points. The centre is now heated and the piece is bent over
the horn of the anvil to the shape shown in the drawing.
In bending this over the horn of the anvil strike with light blows so
that the two ends will be the same length. If it is warped or twisted,
flatten it out again on the anvil till the flat sides lie in the same
plane.