Tongs are used by blacksmiths to hold pieces of hot metal while working
upon them. _Stock:_ Two pieces iron, 7/8 × 7/8 × 18 ins. Two pieces
iron, 3/8 × 3/8 × 12 ins.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Tongs]
_Directions:_ Mark off 2 ins. from one end of the 7/8 × 7/8 × 18 in.
piece and heat it quite hot. This marked end is now placed on an anvil
and flattened down to 1 × 2 × 7/16 in., leaving the shoulder as shown.
(1) Heat the piece again. Place it upon the anvil, with the flattened
piece extending beyond the anvil, and, with the shoulder on the outer
edge of the anvil, flatten this down 1 in. wide, and 7/8 in. thick. (2)
Then the shoulders should be at right angles to each other, as shown
in the sketch. Re-heat the piece 1 in. from the last shoulder made.
Reduce the shoulder (2), the iron to 9/16 × 7/16 in. (3) Notice that
this shoulder is directly opposite the other. This completes the jaw of
the tong. Draw out the end to about 3 ins. in length. It is now cut off
the bar and another piece made just like it for the pair.
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[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The reins or handles are welded to the small ends and tapered down as
shown in the drawing, then rounded 4-1/2 ins. on the ends to 3/8 ins.
in diameter. A hole is now punched through the eye of the jaw and a
3/8-in. rivet inserted. The little groove which you see in the jaw is
put there with a fuller. This is done so that you can use it to hold
small round iron as well as flat iron. The two parts are now riveted
together. This is done either by making a head on a rivet and cutting
it off, allowing about 3/8 in. for a head on the end that goes through
the tongs, then heating the tongs and completing the riveting, or,
as many smiths do, by putting a piece of straight 3/4-in. iron in,
allowing 1/2 in. on each end plus the thickness of the parts of the
tongs for riveting. This piece of iron is made very hot, put into the
hole, and both heads are riveted on at the same time. It frequently
happens that the rivet bends in the holes while hammering on the ends.
This prevents the tongs from opening easily. If such is the case, put
the rivet and jaws into the fire and heat red hot. Hold the handle,
open and close the jaws while cooling. This not only centres the rivet
but prevents sticking. The tongs should work smooth and free when
cooled off in water.
[Illustration]