II Dec, 191 1.] Farm Black'smithing. 797 



Fig. 39 shows the link in its various, stages. To accomplish the scarfing, 

 hold the semicircular end in a pair of tongs, heat to bright red, and place 

 on the anvil in the position shown at a in Fig. 39. Strike, as indicated 

 by arrow, with the hand hammer. After each blow, move the link slightly- 

 nearer to the beak of the anvil in such a manner that the underneath side 

 will be sloped off to a thin wedged point, by a series of small steps. The 

 link is then turned over and the other end treated the same. Each end 

 is then bent over the beak of the annl, so as to form to the shape of a 

 completed link with the scarfed ends o\erlapi)ing each other until the 

 sectional areas of both taken together are greater than the section of the 

 bar. This increased size is necessary to compensite for the loss due to 

 heating and hammering. 



It is important that the scarf be hajiimered together so that no space 

 exists between them. If any opening were left, dirt from the fire would 

 get in and pre\ent a successful weld. It must be borne in mind that 

 under any circumstances, welding is onlv permissible when the clean 

 surfaces of the metal are brought together at a suitable temperature. 

 Although the welding heat has been required before in making a point on 

 the end of a poker, it will be found that welding two separate pieces 

 together is ' a much more difficult operation than pointing, so greater 

 precautions need to be taken to have the fire clean, i.e., free from clinker. 



To obtain the heat, the fire .should be blown sharply, and immediately 

 the correct temperature is reached the work should be removed to the 

 anvil and the hammer brought into play. Welding the link is done by 

 first striking the scarf together on the flat surface of the anvil and then 

 on the beak, and so on alternately until completed. Care should be taken 

 not to hammer the weld smaller than the original bar ; in fact, it is always 

 safe to leave the welded section slightly larger than the bar, to allow for 

 any loss that might be due to welding. 



All this work is done more quickly than the time occupied in writing 

 a description of it. As a matter of fact, it would be impossible to 

 adequately describe the various movements and the effect of the blows 

 struck. It would be folly to say that so many blows should be given in 

 one place, and .so many in another, because the heat, amount of lap, and 

 size of material, are each factors in determining that. Nothing but 

 practice will lead to good results. 



If two or more links require to be joined together, each succeed- 

 ing link is first scarfed anfl then put through the one previously finished 

 and afterwards b^nt into shape and welded. All welded chains are made 

 in this manner, no matter how long they may require to be. 



When a link similar to those in a tug-chain or back-chain is required, 

 it is first made according to the directions given for a straight one. and 

 afterwards made red hot all over, when it can easily be twisted with two 

 pairs of tongs or in the vice. 



Hinges. 



Fig. 40 shows a very simple and, at the same time, useful hinge. It 

 would be suitable for a stabk>. fowl house, or barn floor; or for a gate. 



The mt'thod of making this is to take a flat bar, tht- size of which will 

 have to Ix? decided upon according to the weight and sizr of the gate 

 or door, and .scarf wedged .shaped as shown at a, then bend as shown 

 at b. Tht' tMid is next l»'nt annunl the U-ak of th«^ anvil to form the i-ye 

 In order to get the eye of the right sha|H» and size, a drijt (c) is used. 

 It is a rirrular piece of iron or steel, preferablv steel, forged to the shape 

 .shown. After bending on the beak, the liole is irregular and bv driving 



