CHAPTER XIII.
Making a Toasting-fork—Inlaying.
Exercise No. 11.
Fig. 60. Stock for Toasting Fork.
A very interesting and useful article to make is a toasting fork. The stock used can be spring steel. A disadvantage in using this steel is that it is too hard to work out a design on the handle. If one can weld quite well, the fork should have the handle made of soft steel and the balance of carbon steel. In doing this, the weld is the first thing to do while the stock is straight and full size. If one without much welding experience is to make the fork, it should be made of soft steel, and when finished the prongs should be case hardened. In making a fork of this kind, a piece of soft steel as shown in the drawing in [Figure 60] is used. On one end, the stock is enlarged a little, by upsetting for a distance of five or six inches. This end is to be used for the handle. The other end of the bar is then heated, and a hole is punched 1¾-in. from the end. The piece should then look somewhat like the drawing at A, [Figure 61]. In drawing out, the shoulder is hammered as shown at B, [Figure 61]. The shank (the part between the handle and the shoulder) is next drawn out. It should be a scant ¼-in. thick so as to finish to the dimensions given in [Figure 60]. Care must be taken to avoid getting too much stock in the shank. It is a very easy matter to get too much stock between the handle and the shoulder which, when drawn out, is too long. The prongs are roughly made by cutting the stock out as shown by the dotted lines in [Figure 61]. When this is done the prongs are hammered out to the correct size, allowing for finishing.
Fig. 61.
In [Figure 62] are shown reproductions of similar forks. The line shown running around the rectangular open parts is inlaid copper. A channel is sunken and the copper driven into it. In making the handle, the three oblong holes are punched while hot with a punch about ³⁄₁₆ in. by ⅝ in. at the end, making a series of punchings to cut out the holes. The holes should be small enough so that they may be finished to size with a file. Notice that the openings are not of the same size; but two short ones, with a longer one in the center, give variety. Notice, also, that the shape of the handle is in keeping with the long, slim shank and the slender, two-tine fork at the end.
Fig. 62. Toasting Forks, Spoon and Cake Turner.
Fig. 63.
After the handle is shaped, and the holes are punched, including the one at the top to hang the fork by, the line to receive the copper is marked. (See [Figure 63].) The marking should be done with a scratch awl. The line is then cut with a small chisel. This cutting should be quite deep and exact. This is important if the work is to be true and straight. All of the marking should be done while the handle is cold. It is now heated and taken to the anvil. A small punch, as represented in [Figure 63], is then set onto the cut line and given a blow with the hammer, sinking the punch about ¹⁄₁₆ of an inch. One-half of the punch is now raised up and out of the channel. While it is directly on the chased line, it is given another blow with the hammer and so on until the end is reached. The particular thing to watch is to have the lead corner of punch directly on the chased guide line, while the other edge of the punch is in the channel in order to keep the finished line straight. Keep the punch in good order, straight and square at the end. The punch should not have much taper and should not be used after the red heat leaves the metal. After the entire line has been sunken ¹⁄₁₆ in. deep, the handle is reheated and the line is sunken perhaps ⅛ in. deep.
A wider punch is now used in the long channel to straighten it and make it deeper. The wide punch should have no taper and should be a scant ³⁄₃₂ in. thick so that the line will be about ³⁄₃₂ in. wide. If any part of the channel should be too wide, the handle should be hammered on the edge with a light hammer to close the channel a little. When the channel is finished, the handle should be filed flat on the channel side. This will give one a better view of the straightness of the channel.
Fig. 64. File.
Fig. 65. Cross Section of Fork Handle.
In case the channel is not as straight as it should be, a small flat file is heated and bent at the end and rehardened. (See [Figure 64].) This file is used to straighten up the edges of the channel. A small cold chisel can also be used for this purpose. The channel must be straight along the top edge. When the channel is well straightened, strips of copper are filed to fit the channel, letting them project above the channel about ³⁄₃₂ of an inch and also having each piece a little short in length. When the pieces are all in place, the handle is set on the anvil and with a heavy hammer they are driven down forcing the copper to fill the whole of the channel. The entire handle is filed to the dimensions given in [Figure 63].
Notice [Figure 65] which shows a sectional drawing of the handle, with the copper in place and a chased line running along between copper and steel. A channel without copper is shown at the right of the illustration.
Wrought Iron Lamp.