192 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 March, 191 2. 



FARM BLACKSMITHING. 



{Continued from -page I2y.) 



George Baxter, Instructor in Blacksmithing, Working Men's College,. 



Melbourne. 



v.— WELDING {continued). 



Forging a Hook. 



It is not a very difficult matter to forge a hook provided one has a 

 good idea of the shape and strength required. 



An easily remembered approximate rule to determine the size of iron 

 to make the hook is to reckon the diameter of bar equal to the square 

 root of the load to be lifted, and, for the length of bar, eight times 

 its diameter. 



When the piece has been cut off one end is heated and upset to form 

 the eye ; it is then flattened as shown at A (Fig 50). A hole is then 

 punched through it (see B), and the eye worked to shape on the beak of 

 the anvil so as to make the iron forming the eye circular, similar to C. 

 The hole should not be too large; it is sufficient if large enough to allow 

 a link of the chain to which it is to be attached to work freely. In a 





czz ^ xo 



FIG. 50. HOOK. 



{a) The bar upset and flattened, (b) The hole punched. (<:) Eye finished and point 

 prepared. [d) Shows ends bent, [e) 1 ae finished hook. 



hook made of i inch diameter iron a hole |-in. diameter would be quite 

 large enough. To make it larger would weaken it. 



When the eye is finished the opposite end is heated and drawn tapered, 

 making the diameter at the end about half that of the original bar ; 

 and the length of tapered part about three times the diameter of bar, 

 as shown at C. 



Bending is the next consideration, and the best way to effect this is 

 to finst bend the point and eye as shown at D. Then heat the straight 

 portion evenly, and on removing it from the fire cool off each end so as 

 to prevent alteration, and bend the remaining part on the beak of anvil, 

 bringing it to the shape shown at E. 



When a hook is properly made a line drawn through the centre of it 

 should pass through the centre of its eye. 



To join a hook of this kind to a chain either a connecting link is 

 welded in or a shackle is used. When a link is used it should be made 



