CHAPTER XIV. 

 BABBITTING BOXES. 



. O babbitt any kind of a box, first chip out all 

 of the old babbitt and clean the shaft and box 

 thoroughly with benzine or gasoline. It is 

 necessary that the box be perfectly clean or 

 gas will be formed from the grease when 

 the hot metal is poured in and leave "blow 

 holes." 



A Solid Box may be babbitted in the field by covering 

 the shaft with paper, draw it smooth and fasten the lapped 

 ends with mucilage. If this be not done the shrinkage of the 

 metal in cooling may make it fast so that the shaft cannot 

 be turned. When this happens it is sometimes necessary to 

 put the shaft and box together in the fire to melt the babbitt 

 or else break the box to get it off. Paper around the shaft 

 will prevent this and if taken out when the babbitt has 

 cooled, the shaft will be found to be just loose enough to 

 run well. The shaft is sometimes covered with smoke or 

 painted with white lead as a substitute for paper. The usual 

 shop practice in manufacturing is to use a mandrel or arbor 

 from one one-hundredth to one sixty-fourth of an inch 

 larger than the shaft to be run in the bearing. 



Before pouring the box, block up the shaft until it is 



215. 



