o March, lyi-.] 



Farm /'>/di/<:s////f////ig 



195 



the strainer in position, with the wire attached. B is the barrel, and C 

 the key for operating it. 



To make the strainer, cut the pipe to length and bore two f-in. diameter 

 hole through it at right angles to each other, and about i inch from either 

 end. One hole is to receive the wire, and the other is for the purpose* 

 of containing the stop. The stop is made from a piece of f-in. round 

 iron by heating one end immediately at the point, gripping it tightly in 

 the vice, leaving half an inch of the heated end projecting above the 

 jaws, and hammering it down to form the head, somewhat similar in shape 

 to the head of a nail. The opposite end is treated in the same way, but 

 before making tlie head the iron must be placed through the hole of the 

 pipe, and then held in the vice and beaten. When finished the stop will 

 resemble the handle of the vice. It should be free to move up and down 

 when the pipe is revolved. 



The key, only one of which is required for any number of strainers, 

 is more difficult to forge. It is made by reducing several inches of the 

 i-in. bar to f-in. diameter, with the hammers and swages, and then welding 

 on to it the piece of §-in. iron. Before bending the handle to shape, the 

 slot requires to be made either by making a slot hole with a flat punch, 

 or by drilling a hole at the back, slitting with a cliisel, and forging to 

 shape. The former is the better plan. The slot must be made sufficiently 

 wide to easily slip over the fencing wire it is intended to tighten. 



The fencing wire will be passed through a hole bored in the straining 

 post and reeved through the strainer ; then doubled back, and again reeved 

 through the hole in the strainer only, and thus prevented from drawing 

 out when the strain is placed upon it. To tighten the wire the key is 

 placed in the end of the pipe so that the slot fits over the wire, then by 

 revolving it the wire is wound around the barrel and at each half revolution 

 the stop drops down, and, coming into contact with the post, prevents 

 the wire from unwinding. When the \vire is sufficiently tightened the key 

 is removed. 



Although this strainer is simple in construction and application it is 

 thoroughly efficient. 



(To he continued.) 



