PROBLEMS.
ESCUTCHEONS.
Escutcheons may be made of any metal; but copper, brass, and iron are
most used. The size and shape of the escutcheon are determined by the
size of the lock and the space at our disposal. The outline may be
circular, square or rectangular, or it may be modified somewhat, care
being taken to keep it in harmony with its surroundings.
[Illustration: FIGURE 8.]
[Illustration: PLATE 4. ESCUTCHEONS]
[Illustration: PLATE 5.]
First make a careful drawing of the design. Take a piece of metal a
little larger than the drawing calls for, and of the desired gauge, from
12 to 20 gauge is all right for such an exercise. The design is then
transferred to the metal by the use of carbon paper, or a tracing is
made on rice paper from the drawing and pasted on the metal. Then take a
metal saw (No. 2 or 3) and saw about the design Figure 8, 8A. To saw the
key hole, a hole must be drilled through which the saw can be placed to
follow the line. Before drilling use a center punch, making a slight
depression as a start for the drill. After the sawing is completed, a
file is used to true up the outline and to smooth the edges. The holes
for the nails are next drilled. After using a little emery paper about
the edges, it is ready to finish.
[Illustration: FIGURE 8 A.]
The metal, as it comes from the rolling mill, is perfectly smooth. If,
in this piece of work, it is desired to make the surface a little more
interesting, it may be done by taking any hammer with a smooth domed
face and going over the surface. This, however, should be done before
sawing. As the hammering stretches the metal somewhat, if it is left
till after the sawing is done, it means more filing to get the design
into shape. For a beginning this exercise has proved very satisfactory,
as it gives the pupil an acquaintance with the metal and uses but a
small piece of material.
HINGE TAILS.
These plates represent suggestive designs for hinges and may be given
among first exercises in sawing; when so used, they should be treated
like the escutcheon already described.
[Illustration: PLATE 6. HINGE TAILS]
[Illustration: PLATE 7. HINGE TAILS]
[Illustration: PLATE 8. HINGE TAILS]