Welded turnbuckle: To be welded at arrow point
Second method: This is done by welding the two rods to collars. Make two collars out of wrought iron, the size depending upon the size of the turnbuckle. Scrape the ends of this flat iron, bend each into a circle, and weld on the horn of the anvil, thus making two collars. The arm should be drawn out of a piece of flat iron and made half round by a swage on the anvil. This leaves the original thickness of the bar on each end of the piece drawn out. These ends are now flattened and scraped as shown at A and should be wrenched to lap on the inside of the collars. Place one collar on one end and the wings opposite each other. Push a bar of iron into the opening within an inch of the collar. This bar prevents the tongs from squeezing the two wings out of shape and loosening up the collar while welding. Grasp the turnbuckle with a pair of tongs and place the end in the fire. Take a welding heat and weld this down on the horn of the anvil. At the same time shape it as shown at B. Draw out the piece of iron, place the other collar in the open end, and weld it as you did the first. This is finished up in the holes made. Threads can be cut or swivel hooks can be placed in.
Third method: Take a piece of pipe, length and size desired. Heat one end and upset it, enlarging and thickening it slightly. Cut a round iron plug to fit this end tightly. Heat the plug and drive it into the pipe. Place it on the fire and weld the pipe to the plug. At the same time forge the end square or hexagonal. Drill a hole in this end, pin the swivel hook same as explained in the second method. Select the iron, make the head on the rod, and put it through the pipe into the hole, head inside, before the plug is welded in the other end. Be sure that this rod will turn freely. Shape the hook before the plug is welded in the 2-in. end. This gives one an opportunity to push a rod into the pipe and hold the head of the hook while shaping it in the form of a hook or eye as required.
Now weld a plug in the other end the same as you did in the first. Drill a hole in this end and cut a thread to receive the truss rod end. This last method is much simpler than the other two. It has this advantage, that the thread will not rust so quickly, since it is always enclosed in the pipe. However, there is danger of a very weak spot right back of the plug, because you know when two pieces of metal are welded together the temperature should be the same. If not, the cold one will cut into the hot one and form cold shuts. In this case it is impossible to get the plug the same temperature as the outside. As a consequence there is a defect in the forging.
Eccentric strap
Eccentric strap: The principles applied in the working out of this problem are used in making many articles of wrought iron. Eccentric straps are much used in foundries, machine shops, and general shop work.
Stock: Bar of wrought iron or soft steel 11⁄8 ins. square, 16 ins. or 20 ins. long.