MODERN BLACKSMITHING 115 



each end of the box there is a ridge to hold the babbit 

 in the box; that is, in cast iron boxes. On top of this 

 ridge place a strip of leather as thick as you want the 

 babbit to be. This done, place the shaft in the box. 

 Pour the babbit in level with the box. Be careful 

 about having the box dry; if any dampness is in the 

 box the babbit will explode. Now place a thick paper 

 on each side of the box and put on the top box, with 

 the bolts in to hold it in place tight, then close up at 

 the ends with putty. In some cases it is best to heat 

 the box a little, for if the box is cold and there is little 

 room for the babbit it will cool off before it can float 

 around. In such a case the boxes should be warm and 

 the babbit heated to a red heat. Now pour the babbit 

 in through the oil hole. 



In cases where there are wooden boxes, and the 

 babbit is to reach out against the collars, the shaft 

 must be elevated or hung on pieces of boards on each 

 side with notches in for the shaft to rest in. Use putty 

 to fill up and make tight, so that the babbit must stay 

 where wanted. For slow motion babbit with a less- 

 cooling percentage (tin) ; for high speed, more-cooling 

 (tin). Grooves may be cut in the bottom box for oil. 

 When a shaft is to be babbited all around in a solid 

 box the shaft is inclined to stick in the babbit. To 

 prevent this smoke the shaft a little and have it warm. 

 When cool it will come out all right. Or wind thin 

 paper around the shaft, the paper to be tied with 

 strings to the shaft. 



