THE HANDY MAN on Till IMIM. 86] 



slow it will be soft To get a good temper, therefore, the temperature must 

 be right, and the cooling must be done properly. This is a matter of some 

 difficulty, and a little practice is required. It is better not to cool off too 

 rapidly, because if the temper does happen to be a bit soft, it is a simple 

 matter to temper again, but if the tool is made too hard and used, it will 

 probably break at once. 



The following method is generally adopted in tempering picks, mattock6 r 

 cold chisels, &c. : — A dull red heat is obtained, and the tool is chilled by 

 immersing about £ to 1 inch of the point in cold water for three or four seconds. 

 1 1 should be kept moving in the water. It is then withdrawn, and in a moment 

 a pale straw colour should come into the point. After this a dark blue comes, 

 and finally this turns into a pale blue. This pale blue colour must be waited 

 for. Each colour is quite distinct. If the pale blue does not come the tool 

 will be too hard, while if it passes off quickly the tool will be too soft. After 

 the pale blue comes the tool is dipped in water and cooled right out. After 

 tempering in this way the tool should be so hard that the file just grips it. 



Examples. 



A description of the methods followed in actual practice will indicate in 

 the best way the different operations. In a short article of this kind it is 

 impossible to deal with the more complicated work ; and indeed it is not 

 necessary, as the amateur can only expect to do simple work. 



Laying a pick is a class of work that farmers sometimes require to do. 

 Blister steel is used for the work. A convenient sized bar to take is 1 in»- 

 x h in., about 2 inches long. 

 It is drawn down in wedge 

 form to about 3 inches, and 

 left slightly wider than the 

 blade of the pick. After 

 drawing down, the lav and 

 the pick are put into the fire n ., ( , Fig.. ".-Laying » Pick. 



r L ... I lie steel lav is shown stuck on to the pick. 



and brought to a welding 



heat. Then with a few sharp 



blows the steel lay is stuck to the point of the pick, keeping the thick end 



of the lay at the point (Fig. 15). It is sufficient if the two are stuck 



together at the first heat ; the welding is completed at the next. 



If the pick has worn back into a very stumpy state, the steel point is stuck 

 on as above but not completely welded, and a piece of tapered iron is stuck 

 to the upper side of the lay, extending back with the thin end almost at the 

 eye of the pick. The work is then returned to the fire, a fresh welding heat 

 obtained, and the iron and steel lays welded to the pick together. About 

 3 inches can be welded at each heat, and about three heats will be required 

 to complete the welding. The object of laying with the iron is to increase 

 the length of the pick blade. The steel lay is inserted between the iron and 

 pick, but the subsequent hammering, when drawing the pick into shape, 

 brings it out to form the hard cutting point. 



In some cases the laying is done by splitting the point of the pick and 

 inserting the lay. Welding then proceeds as usual. 



After the welding has been done, the pick is drawn down into shape and. 

 tempered. 



