MODERN BLACKSMITHING 1^9 



Some wagon-makers will use the old axle as a guide 

 and cut the new by the old. This is not safe, as the 

 old is mostly sprung out of shape. 



In hewing the axle for the skein great care should be 

 taken not to cut off too much ; better go slow, because 

 it depends upon the fitting of the skein to get a good 

 job. When the axle is finished or ready to be driven 

 into the skein be sure to have the axle strong; that is, 

 a little too large to go in easy. Now warm — or heat, 

 if you will — the skein a little, not so much that it will 

 burn, and drive it onto its place by a mallet. In mak- 

 ing new wagons I think it would be wise to paint the 

 part of the axle that goes in the skein, but in repairing 

 I deem it unwise, because it will have a tendency to 

 work loose unless it will have time to dry before using, 

 and I have noticed paint to be still fresh in the skein 

 after years of use. There should be no gap left 

 between the collar of the skein and the axle, as water 

 will run in and rot the timber. 



