MODERN BLACKSMITHING 73 



the wheel with the gauge (the wheel is supposed to be 

 right, not fellow bound nor any spokes loose in the 

 tenon). This done, heat the tire and shrink it. If 

 the wheel is straight give it half an inch draw, some- 

 times even five-eighths if the wheel is heavy and 

 strong. But if the wheel is poor and dished, do not 

 give it more than one-fourth-inch draw. One tire only 

 with a little draw can be heated in the forge, but if 

 there is more than one tire heat them outside in a fire 

 made for this purpose, or in a tire heater. 



There are different ways of cooling the tire. Some 

 smiths have a table in a tank, they place the wheel on 

 the table and with a lever sink both wheel and tire in 

 the water. There are many objections to this, i, You 

 will have to soak the whole wheel; 2, it is inconven- 

 ient to put the tire on; 3, in order to set the tire right, 

 it is necessary to reach the tire from both sides with 

 the hammer; 4, when spokes have a tendency to creep 

 out, or when the wheel is much dished, the wheel 

 should be tapped with the hammer over the spokes. 

 Now, to be able to perform all these moves, one must 

 have, first, a table; this table to be about twelve 

 inches high and wide enough to take any wheel, with 

 a hole in the center of table to receive the hub. On 

 one side you may make a hook that will fall over the 

 wheel and hold the tire down while you get it on. 

 Close to this table have a box 5^ feet long, 12 inches 

 wide and 12 inches deep. On. each side bolt a piece of 

 two by six about three feet long. In these planks cut 

 notches in which you place an iron rod, run through 

 the hub. On this rod the wheel will hang. The 



