72 MODERN BLACKSMITHING 



SETTING TIRE 



Wagon tire is often set so that more harm than good 

 is done to the wheel. 



In setting- tire the first thing to do is to mark the 

 tire. Many blacksmiths set tires without marking the 

 tire. This is poor work. In order to do a good job 

 the tire should be set so that it is in the same place it 

 had. There are generally some uneven places in the 

 fellows and when the tire is set the first time, it is hot 

 all around and will settle down in these low places. 

 Now, if the tire is not marked and set back in its exact 

 bed, it will soon work loose again, and it is liable to 

 dish the wheel too much as it don't sink into its place, 

 but is held up in some places. Another thing, when 

 a tire is worn so that it becomes thin it will settle down 

 on the outside, especially when the wheel is much 

 dished. Now if you reverse the tire it will only touch 

 the fellow on the inner edge of the wheel, and leave 

 an open space between the fellow and the tire on the 

 outside. When a wheel has bolts every smith knows 

 that it will make trouble for him if he don't get the 

 tire back where it was. In every case take a file or a 

 chisel and cut a mark in the tire near to the fellow 

 plates, cut also a light mark in the fellow. These 

 marks are to be on the inside of the wheel: i, because 

 it will not be seen on that side; 2, because in putting 

 the tire on, the wheel should be placed with that side 

 up. If there are nails in the tire cut them off with a 

 thin chisel so that it will not mark the fellow, or drive 

 them into the fellow with a punch. Next, measure 



