37 



small pieces of zinc into it, and allowing it to expend all its energy 

 on this. Killed acid is much more effective than the raw pure 

 acid. Sometimes resin is used instead of the acid ; but the 

 neutralised acid is preferable, because it does not leave 

 the work in such a mess as resin. The soldering-iron, or 

 copper-bit, as it is sometimes called, it is a forked piece 

 of iron put into a handle and having between the prongs 

 of the fork a piece of copper, pointed. It can be 

 made wholly of iron, but copper is generally used because 

 it does not oxidise or waste away so quickly when heated, as 

 iron does, and it also retains its heat longer than iron. 

 The copper tongue should be rubbed against a piece of brick, or 

 something of the sort, immediately it comes from the lire and before 

 it is used. This is done to remove any dirt that may happen to 

 have got about it, and which, if allowed to remain, would prevent 

 the solder from sticking to the copper thus, in all probability, 

 spoiling the operation. Besides the soldering iron, or copper bit, 

 which may be bought for about is. 6d. or 2s., but little else is 

 wanting for soldering, and that little comprises an old knife for 

 scraping clean the metal that is to be soldered, and a bottle con- 

 taining a little muriatic, or spirits of salt, killed in the manner 

 described. In brazing, the pieces to be united are cleansed from 

 grease, etc., in the same manner as for soldering. The pieces are 

 bound firmly together with fine wire, or held together with a pair 

 of tongs, and put into a clear fire. When just red hot, they must 

 be taken out of the fire and a few bits of soft brass and a little 

 powdered borax put on the joint, which is then returned to the fire 

 and kept there until the brass is thoroughly melted. One can 

 hardly imagine it so, but however close the joint, if the operation is 

 performed with a little care, the brass will penetrate quite through the 

 seam, and, indeed, through the pores of the iron itself. The brass 

 used for brazing should be tolerably soft, and in small pieces. 

 Braziers generally use what is called granulated brass, which is 

 nothing more than melted brass dropped whilst liquid into water. 

 When granulated brass is not obtainable, or not at hand, brass 

 filings will answer almost as well. In addition to the solders already 

 given, it may be useful for the amateur to know that the lining of 

 tea-chests makes a good solder for tin-plate goods, being made of 

 tin and lead in the proper proportions, that is to say, two 

 parts of tin to one part of lead. For soldering pewter, from one to 

 three parts of bismuth should be adde'd to solder for tin. Plumber's 

 solder is made of equal parts of lead and tin. Equal parts of copper 

 and zinc melted together make a good solder for brass. Glazier's 

 solder, for joining strips of lead to form lead casements, is made of 

 three parts of lead to one part of tin. General Building Art and 

 Practice. 



SOFT PUTTY. The following recipes for making soft putty, and 

 for softening hard putty, are taken from Spon's Workshop Recipes, a 



