SPOONS, SUGAR TONGS AND TEA SCOOPS.
These exercises are easily carried out after a little experience. No
steps are taken that have not already been described, except in the case
of forming the bowl of the spoon. This is done by taking a piece of lead
and making a depression in it the size and shape of the bowl required. A
piece of hard wood is shaped on the end grain to fit the depression made
in the lead. The metal is placed over the depression and the wood shape
placed on top of the metal; it is then driven into the form by using a
hammer. This will give the general shape of the bowl which may be trued
up later by sawing and filing.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: PLATE 48. SPOONS]
[Illustration: PLATE 49.
SUGAR TONGS
AND
TEA SCOOPS]
RIVETS.
The making of rivets is quite important as it is impossible to find in
the market the variety in size and shape of head that each piece of work
demands. Where rivets with a wire 1/8" or less are needed, they may be
made as follows: Take a piece of iron or steel A, Plate 50, thicker than
the desired length of the rivet and drill a hole through it having its
diameter a little greater than the wire of the rivet. Take a piece of
copper wire of the required diameter and about 1/8" longer than the
thickness of the iron. Place the wire in the hole and the iron on some
smooth metal surface, B. With a hammer make a burr of the wire that
projects above the iron. Then reverse the iron and drive out the rivets.
This gives what is shown at D. The rivet is then cut off the required
length, placed in position and headed up. The head may be made conical,
I, hemispherical, J, pyramidal, K, or square, L, in shape. It may be
headed up simply with the hammer, or with a rivet header, M.
When necessary, the process may be reversed and the head made first; but
when made in this way, a rivet block is needed to rest the head in while
making the burr.
The rivet may be made more of a decorative feature by sawing out of
sheet metal some suitable design as shown at P, Q, R. Drill a hole in
the center the size of the rivet and then use any ordinary rivet head.
Nails may be made by the same process, headed and pointed as at S and
O.
[Illustration: PLATE 50. RIVETS]
TO DRAW WIRE AND SMALL TUBING.
[Illustration: FIGURE 30.]
[Illustration: FIGURE 31.]
Cut a piece of copper the length required, having the width about three
times the diameter of the tube that is to be made. The edges must first
be made parallel by filing. In a block of maple or some hard wood, with
a wood file, make a groove as shown at Figure 30. Place the strip of
metal over the groove and, with a somewhat pointed hammer, drive the
metal into it until it takes the shape of a V. Figure 31 A. Then place
it on the flat part of the block and strike on the edges with the
hammer, turning them in until they meet, as at B and C.
[Illustration: FIGURE 32.]
A draw plate is then placed in the vise, Figure 32. After pointing the
tube a little, the end is placed in one of the larger holes and drawn
through. This will bring it somewhat into shape. Repeat this operation
by drawing the tube through the hole the next smaller in size and so on
till the tube is of the diameter required.
Wire may be drawn in the same way. Rectangular, triangular and square
drawplates may be obtained as well as circular ones.
POLISHING.
To polish work, a cloth or felt buff is placed on a lathe or a polishing
head. With a little cut-quick and rouge objects may be brightened by
holding them against the wheel.
STAMPING WORK.
[Illustration: STAMP
FIGURE 33.]
The marking of work so that it will be known to whom it belongs and
doing it in a neat and workmanlike manner is sometimes a problem. Using
a gummed label with the name written on it has been tried, but the
labels frequently come off. The name has been scratched with a
sharp-pointed tool, but it is not an easy thing to do and certainly does
not look well. The way described below however has proved very
satisfactory. Have each pupil design a little trade mark of his own, and
work it out on the end of a piece of tool steel, 1/8 inch or 3/16 inch
square, round or hexagonal. This can be done by a little filing, perhaps
the use of a drill if the design should call for it, and a little emery
paper to take off all sharp edges. This serves as a stamp with which he
may mark all of his work. The instructor has a book with the names of
the pupils, and after each name he may stamp this mark and thereby
register it so that he may tell at any time to whom work belongs.
Figure 33 shows a stamp and a few suitable designs.
COLORING.
The most satisfactory color that can be given copper is a bronze which
comes naturally if left to come in contact with varying atmospheres. If
the object has a good polished surface in the first place the color
seems to become richer as time goes on.
A color that is satisfactory in many cases is obtained in the following
way:
Place in a porcelain dish and bring to a boiling heat, liver of sulphur,
1 oz., and water, 1 qt. Dip the object to be colored in this solution
while hot and then rinse in clean water. This gives the object a very
dark color. Take a little powdered pumice stone on a piece of cloth and
rub over the surface lightly bringing the copper color to the surface
where desired.
A greenish color is given copper by submitting the object to the fumes
of spirits of ammonia.
Beautiful colors are obtained by heating the object to different
degrees, over a gas plate, but these results are not permanent.