MATERIALS.
Copper is the material best suited for the work outlined in this book, although the processes as described may be applied to brass or silver. Brass may be used successfully in the flat work, but for raised work copper is the best material for the beginner.
Copper is obtainable in different thicknesses and in various grades but the best grade should be used. For most of the work from 18 to 24 gauge is used, while metal from 12 to 18 gauge is used occasionally.
Copper wire is used in several sizes for making rivets.
No. 22 and 28 iron wire is indispensable for binding when soldering.
Easy running silver solder may be made by the user, but as a small piece will solder many joints, and as it is not practical to make it in small quantities, it is better to buy it ready made as desired.
Powdered or lump borax is used as a flux in soldering. Charcoal or asbestos blocks are used when soldering small work.
Cut-quick and rouge are used for polishing.
Nitric and sulphuric acids are used to clean work.
PICKLE.
Pickle is a trade name given to solutions used in cleaning work. Different proportions of acids are used according to the work to be cleaned. For copper and silver a dilute bath of sulphuric acid is used of 1 part acid to 15 parts of water. The solution may be used cold but when used hot it becomes much more effective. When used hot a copper dish is necessary. The object being placed in the dish with enough pickle to cover it, it is then placed over a gas plate and allowed to come to boiling heat. The pickle is then poured off and the object rinsed in clean water. A dilute solution of nitric acid is used for brass.
GAUGE.
Gauge, as referred to in this book, is a term used to denote the thickness of sheet metal. The Standard Wire Gauge is divided in gauge numbers from 5 to 36; and is used for measuring the thickness of wire and sheet metal. It is usually a plate of steel having round its edge a series of notches of standard openings.
[Chapter II.]
PROBLEMS.
ESCUTCHEONS.
Escutcheons may be made of any metal; but copper, brass, and iron are most used. The size and shape of the escutcheon are determined by the size of the lock and the space at our disposal. The outline may be circular, square or rectangular, or it may be modified somewhat, care being taken to keep it in harmony with its surroundings.
Figure 8.
Plate 4.
Plate 5.
First make a careful drawing of the design. Take a piece of metal a little larger than the drawing calls for, and of the desired gauge, from 12 to 20 gauge is all right for such an exercise. The design is then transferred to the metal by the use of carbon paper, or a tracing is made on rice paper from the drawing and pasted on the metal. Then take a metal saw (No. 2 or 3) and saw about the design [Figure 8], [8A]. To saw the key whole, a hole must be drilled through which the saw can be placed to follow the line. Before drilling use a center punch, making a slight depression as a start for the drill. After the sawing is completed, a file is used to true up the outline and to smooth the edges. The holes for the nails are next drilled. After using a little emery paper about the edges, it is ready to finish.
Figure 8 A.
The metal, as it comes from the rolling mill, is perfectly smooth. If, in this piece of work, it is desired to make the surface a little more interesting, it may be done by taking any hammer with a smooth domed face and going over the surface. This, however, should be done before sawing. As the hammering stretches the metal somewhat, if it is left till after the sawing is done, it means more filing to get the design into shape. For a beginning this exercise has proved very satisfactory, as it gives the pupil an acquaintance with the metal and uses but a small piece of material.