Simple Soldering

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Copyright W
COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.
Simple Solderin
BOTH
HARD AND SOFT

TOGETHER WITH **
DESCRIPTIONS OF INEXPENSIVE HOME-MADE

APPARATUS NECESSARY FOR THIS ART
BY
EDWARD THATCHER
Instructor of Decorative Metal Work
Columbia Uni'versity, Nenv York
FIRST EDITION
NEW YORK
SPON & CHAMBERLAIN, 123 Liberty St.
LONDON
E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 Haymarket, S.W.
1910
Copyright 1910,
SPON & CHAMBERLAIN

New York
c. - 1 s r^^
CAMELOT rUKSS, 444-40 Pearl Stie«*t, >ew York, V. S. A.
(gCI.A368i33
PREFACE
In looking through many books on the sub-

ject of soldering and in an almost daily use of
the processes described in the following pages,
it has seemed that something more might be
written of, " how " rather than " why."
The action of metals under heat the unions ;
resulting from the melting and amalgamations

or welding properties of certain metallic combi-
nations; the fluxes required to clean and protect
the metals to be joined; the number of degrees
of heat needed, etc.^; are aptly described in other
works.
But the method of securing the desired result
in the simplest possible manner is not often
clear, and to that end this little book is written.
Edward Thatcher.
New York, 1910.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
Soldering
PAGE
The uniting of metals. Soft soldering. The flux.
Hard soldering or brazing I
CHAPTER II
Soft Soldering
Heating the work. Flux for soldering. Soldering
fluid. Simple joints. Soldering a ring. Common
solder. The flame. Heating the joint. Resin.
Small work. Tinning. A handy scraper . . 3
CHAPTER III
Methods of Holding Work

Wiring work. Special holders. Soldering to steel or
iron. Solderingbrass castings. A
stiff bristle
brush. Tinfoil solder. Plaster-of-Paris resist.
Soldering jewelry. Cooling. Tinning a bowl.
The soldering copper. The charcoal furnace.
Joining sheets of metal. Common sheet tin.
Pure tin solder 15
CHAPTER IV
Hard Soldering or Brazing
Silver solder. Soldering copper. Soldering iron and

steel. Soldering gold. Soldering aluminum. Use
of borax as a flux; Both as a powder; as a
paste; and as a liquid. Causes of solder refus-
ing to melt. Action of water and acid on soldered
joints. Protecting soldered joints with rouge.
The secrets of hard soldering. The charcoal
block. The pickle-bath. Brazing '<>,.. 2S
CONTENTS
CHAPTER V
Cleaning up Work. Polishing
PAGE
Scraping down. Honing. Finishing. Buff-sticks.
Buff-wheel. Files. Burnishing » . o . , 52
CHAPTER VI
Standard Apparatus
The blow-pipe. Foot bellows. The gasoline torch.

The alcohol blow-torch. The Bunsen Burner.
The charcoal brazier. Soldering iron furnace . 56
CHAPTER Vn
Home-made Apparatus
A simple Bunsen burner. Asimple blow-pipe. A

large blow-pipe. The construction of a pair of
bellows. A soldering box. How to make a very
small soldering iron ....... = 0. t>3
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
No. PAGE
1. Butt joint 6
2. Lap joint 6
3. Metal workers scraper 7
4. Soldering ring with bunsen burner . . . .
g
5. Soft soldering a ring on to a flat surface . . 11
6. Hoe scraper 16
7. 8, 9, ID, II. Spring clamps for holding work . 16
12. Plan for handy holder 17
13. A handy holder for special work 18
14. Soldering on cylinder head 22
15. Spring clipp for holding ball 23
16. Plaster-of-Paris resist 24
17. Ordinary soldering copper 26
18. Soldering two sheets of tin together .... 28
19. Soldering two sheets of tin together (second
method) 29
20. Soldering a watch chain 31
21. Preparing a ring for soldering 36
22. Slate block for mixing borax ^7
2S. Pair of tweezers 38
24. Hard soldering a ring 40
25. Hard soldering a ring to flat surface .... 41
26. Charcoal soldering block 47
27. The pickle bath 48
28. Double gasoline soldering torch* 49
29. Welding with a charcoal fire 50
30. " Scotch stone " 53
31. Burnisher 55
32. Blow-pipe 56
33. Blow-pipe showing flame 57
34. Gasoline torch 58
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
No. PAGE
35. Alcohol blow-torch . . . . o » . c . 59
36. .„»...
Charcoal brazier for soldering 60
2;j. Soldering iron furnace .. .. o . < c 61
...„.„
:.
38. Bunsen burner . o „ o 63

......
.
A simple blow-pipe, detail O4

39.
40. 41.
42. A
A simple blow-pipe completed
large blow-pipe .... .....
.... 65
67
43. Foot bellows, end piece .... ... 68
44. 45. Foot bellows, sectional views . „ . . 69
46. Foot bellows, pattern for Icathi^r . „ , , . 71
47. Foot bellows, fastening for leather , . , . 71
48. Foot bellows, protecting band - T^
49. Foot rest TZ
50. Completed foot bellows 74
51. A soldering box 75
52. Small soldering copper ...<,..., 76
CHAPTER I
Introductory
The Uniting by a fused metallic

of Metals,
substance, or metallic cement as the dictionary
has it, is what is known as soldering.
In order that the metals be properly united
with the metallic solder they must be perfectly
clean and free from dirt or oils of any sort, and
so are usually scraped with a knife-like instru-
ment or rubbed bright with emery cloth. To
further clean the metal and render clear of all
it
"
dirt and oxide from the source of heat a " flux
is used.
The class of work requiring soft solder, and
the class of work to be hard soldered are usually
of quite different types.
Soft Soldering. The metal used for soft sol-

dering is usually a mixture of equal parts of
tin and This has the advantage of requir-
lead.
ing a much lower temperature to fuse it than
the metals which it is to unite.
The Flux used for soft soldering is usually

resin or ''
killed acid," the latter being known as
soldering fluid. The purpose of this flux is
simply to keep the metals clean where soldered

2 SIMPLE SOLDERING
or rather, where they are to be united by the

solder.
Hard Soldering or Brazing. Silver or brass

is used as the uniting metal (brass solder is
known as spelter). This of course makes a
much stronger joint than soft-solder; but the
higher degree of heat needed to melt the silver
or brass solder makes it often useless for jobs
which will stand a high degree of heat.
not
Hard Soldering also requires more complicated
apparatus to attain the required amount of heat.
The Flux used for Hard Soldering and Braz-

ing is usually borax dry or in the form of a paste.
Muriatic acid is also used for special kinds of
work.
Both processes have come to be used for cer-
tain things well suited to the conditions of their
several merits, and the matter on the following
pages is intended to make this clear.
CHAPTER II
Soft Soldering
Soft Soldering is generally known as some-

thing that accomplished with a soldering iron
is
or copper, which is a piece of copper weighing

from a few ounces to several pounds firmly
attached to an iron rod having a handle. It is
usually heated in a charcoal or gas furnace until
it will melt soft solder and then removed and
placed in contact with the joint to be soldered.

Thus heating up the metals to be united as well
as the solder on the spot where the solder should
" run " or flow and adhere.
This method has its advantages, but I think

many amateurs try to make joints by this
method greatly to their detriment instead of
resorting to direct heating with the flame which
will be described first.
Heating the Work. No matter how the heat

is conveyed to the joint it must be remembered
that both pieces to be soldered must be heated

equally or else the piece which receives the most
heat, usually the smaller, will absorb all the sol-
der. It is a safe rule to always heat the larger
piece first, allowing the smaller pieces to receive
3
;
4 SIMPLE SOLDERING
their heatfrom the larger ones. Both metals

to be joined must be heated to the melting
point of the solder.
Flux for Soldering. Before we can make a

perfect joint we must have a proper flux. For
many purposes resin is used, but soldering fluid
serves almost wholly for all work except
small
electrical connections. For electrical work a
special soldering stick is made from resinous
compounds. This may be purchased at any

supply house.
electrical Resin may be had of
the hardware merchant. But the cleanliness of
soldering fluid makes it advisable for general
use. In electrical work some engineers main-
tain that the acid corrodes the metals, others
say does not many use it, but the soldering
it ;
stick is generally used. When making experi-

mental models in metals, attaching pins to jew-
elry and all such work use the soldering fluid
which may be purchased ready made, or can be
prepared in the following simple manner.
Soldering Fluid. Use an open mouth pint

fruit-jar and pour about half a pint of chem-
in
ically pure muriatic acid. Then get some pure
zinc. Battery zincs are best because pure. The
zinc used under stoves, and about the shop is
not pure. Use only the purest zinc there is to
be had. The battery zinc is easiest to obtain
if this is in sheets cut it into small strips about
SOFT SOLDERING 5
YiQ inch wide and 2 inches in length or in

any way so the acid may rapidly attack it. If
the zinc is in bars a coarse wood rasp is useful

to reduce it to small bits or filings.
Put a small handful of the zinc clippings or
filings into the jar of muriatic acid. This should
start immediately to attack, and eat up the zinc,
and a continuous bubbling action sets up. This
operation should be carried on out of doors as
the fumes from it are very injurious and dis-
agreeable. After a while, say fifteen minutes,
put in another handful of clippings and continue
to add more at short intervals until the bubbling
action ceases entirely when new zinc is intro-
duced into the acid
solution. The is now
*'
killed " or saturated with the zinc.
It is a good plan to let it stand over night
and carefully strain off in the morning so as to
get a clear solution, throwing away the residue.
If necessary it may
be used immediately after
the bubbling action ceases, but it is much better
to let it settle.
We now have a good soldering solution or
flux for general soft soldering. should be
It
kept tightly covered by the screw top on the jar
or by laying a piece of flat glass over the jar
to exclude air. It is a good plan to use a small
bottle with a ground-glass stopper. If the solu-
tion evaporates and gets " strong " it becomes
rather useless as it " gums " the work when
heated.
6 SIMPLE SOLDERING
Simple Joints, most commonly used are the

" butt " joint and the " lap " joint.
The "Butt" Joint, Fig. i, is made where the

two ends of the metal meet squarely and where
no great strength is required.
Fig. I.
The " Lap " Joint

used where strength is
is
required and is filing the ends down to

made by
a sharp bevel so that they lap over each other
as in Fig. 2. This gives more surface to be
soldered and consequently greater strength.
Fig. 2.
Any work which is to be bent or hammered

should be made with lap joints as soft solder
will not stand astrong blow or strain. For
such work, however, hard soldering is the best.
In these problems the use of a soldering
SOFT SOLDERING 7
copper is purposely avoided as much as possible

the flame being principally used.
After scraping a joint bright do not handle
it with the fingers any more than may be nec-
essary; no matter how clean they are even the
natural oils of the body, to say nothing of the
dirt accumulated in working metals, interferes
with the making of a good joint.
Soldering A Ring. Take a strip of sheet

brass Y^q inch thick, by 3 inches long and f inch
in width. First carefully shape up your ring
so that the ends meet squarely, " butt together."
They should be and be perfectly clean
filed true,
and bright. T)o not depend upon solder to fill
up gaps and make your joints meet. A little
film of solder is stronger than a lot of it.
Scrape the brass around the joint for about a

i inch on each side; also scrape the sides. This
may be done with an old knife, file or a trian-
gular instrument of steel set in a wooden handle
used by metal-workers called a scraper. Fig. 3.
The ring of brass expands when heated and
tends to pull the joint apart. This should be
prevented by tying the ring together with iron
wire, usually soft iron wire about No. 2^, tied
8 SIMPLE SOLDERING
around the ring as illustrated in Fig. 4. and not

across it. This wire should be twisted tightly to-
gether with a pair of pincers. It will then ef-
fectually hold the joint together. Leave enough
end to the wire to hold the ring by.
Take a brush and moisten the joint thoroughly
with the fluid but take care that it is wet only
about and between it. Cut off three or four
pieces about -J inch square from a narrow
strip of solder (jewelers' solder) and place them
in the joint with a pair of tweezers.
The solder should first be scraped bright and
then plentifully moistened with the fluid after
it is laid on the joint. The ring is now ready
for heating.
Common Solder comes in bars about 14 inches

in length and -J inch square. This form is not
handy for direct heating and should be melted
up into long narrow strips or small pellets.
Wire solder or " jewelers' solder " is easy to ob-
tain almost anywhere strips of it are easily made
;
by pouring molten solder from an iron ladle into

narrow grooves cut in a board with a small
gouge.
The Simplest Way to melt and flow the solder

is tosuspend the ring over a bunsen burner
flame, Fig. 4. If that is not to be had, a compion
gas stove, gasoline torch, Fig. 34, or even a
charcoal fire may be used.
;
10 SIMPLE SOLDERING
The Flame should be applied underneath, not

above and in contact with the bits of solder.
Swing the ring or flame slightly from side to
side and so heat both sides evenly. The solder
should melt and flow after very little heating.
By no means allow the work to become red-hot
itdoes not require a red heat to melt the solder.
Such a temperature will not only oxidize the lead
and tin in the soft solder to a brittle useless
compound, but will eat holes deep into the work
and cause no end of trouble. If this happens
the whole process should be gone over again,
the work rescraped, covered with fluid and new
solder used. Even this is not always satisfac-
tory and an entirely new piece of work may have
to be produced.
When Heating the Joint if the solder does

not melt in what your experience leads you to be-
lieve is a sufficient time, put some fresh solder-
ing fluid on the hot joint. This may clean and
release the solder which is sometimes prevented
from melting by a film of oxide or dirt. You
may also dip the end of a long strip of solder
into the fluid and touch the hot metal at the
joint, so that some of the strip of solder will
melt and join the metal.
Sometimes the ring has to be cooled and freshly
scraped if the solder does not behave properly,
even if fresh fluid and solder have been applied.
SOFT SOLDERING II
A
few drops of water will cool the ring or it
may be immersed slowly in water.
If the wire is taken off too soon before the
solder has cooled and " set," the joint may

spring apart. When this happens for any rea-
son the fact that both ends of the ring are
probably coated with solder makes it possible
to simply bind together again, wet with fluid
and reheat.
Resin. If resin or soldering stick is to be

used, clean and bind the ring together as before,
Fig. 5.
heat slightly and apply the resin or stick to the

joint, so that it is covered with melted resin as
if Avith fluid. Applywhich also
the solder
should be covered with melted resin and heat
the work till Scrape away
the solder flows on.
the surplus resin afterwards. Some shops use
for fluid, resin dissolved in alcohol. This makes
a good flux.
12 SIMPLE SOLDERING
In case it is required to solder the ring flat on

its side to a sheet of flat brass or copper, scrape
the edge of the ring and that part of the plate
on which it rests. See that the ring lies flat
on tlie plate and then bind it in place tightly
with iron wire passing about both pieces. See
Fig. 5. It is best to leave the old wire wrapped
around the ring so that it will not pull apart in
reheating. Moisten the new joint thoroughly
with fluid and put a number of small pieces of
solder on the inside of the ring about f of an
inch apart as shown in the illustration. Care
should be taken that the parts to be soldered be
clean and then well moistened with soldering
fluid.
This job can be best heated with the flame

underneath the flat plate until the solder melts
when it will be seen to run along the joint and
completely encircle the ring. Be careful not to
overheat it. If heated from underneath hardly
any trouble will be experienced.
A simple way to handle such work is to rest
it on an old bread toaster and play on the under-
side of it with a flame, or rest the whole piece

of work on a live bed of charcoal imtil the solder
melts.
' However, if heated from the top, the flame
must be kept from touching the solder itself as
experience will show. Heat the larger piece
first always and allow the smaller to absorb
the heat from the larger pieces. If other parts

SOFT SOLDERING I3
are also to be attached it must be borne in mind

that since in order to solder them the whole
plate has to be heated to the melting point of the
solder, the former soldered work must be con-
fined with wire or clamps or it will slide out of
place and spoil the whole work. It may always
be pushed back into place, however, if the solder

is molten, but this leaves much solder where it
is not wanted and is to be avoided as a

" botch."
Small Work such as pins, nuts, screws, etc.

may be soldered on with the soldering copper
as it confines the heat to the place where it is
most needed. But again remember that both

pieces must be heated equally, that is, the part
of the larger work which receives the smaller
piece and the smaller piece itself. Sometimes
both pieces to be joined are thoroughly scraped
and a piece of pure tinfoil placed between the
well moistened pieces and heat applied. This
effects a perfect joint.
Tinning. In attaching small pieces it is best

to " tin " them by first cleaning, then moistening
with and melting a film of solder over the
fluid
surface to be joined. This is easily done by
placing bits of solder on the surface and apply-
ing the heat. A stick or wire brush will help
spread the solder while molten provided the
stick or brush be first dipped into the soldering
fluid.
14 SIMPLE SOLDERING
Supposing the work has been soldered and

in order to make a neat job it is desired to scrape
away the extra solder. may
be done by
This
using the scraper for most of it, taking care,
however, not to dig into anything but the sol-
der so as not to hll the work itself with ugly
scratches.
A Handy Scraper is shown in Fig. 6. It is
simply used as a hoe to pull the solder away.

CHAPTER III
Methods of Holding Work
Some work may not be conveniently wired

together and so it is a good idea to make some
small spring clamps from heavy iron wire.
They are very useful.
To make one, take a piece of -J
inch round
iron wire about 4 inches long and flatten both
ends on an anvil with a hammer as in Fig. 7.
Then bend the ends together in an elongated
form like Fig. 8. Squeeze the ends together in
a vice to give them a spring and so hold to-
gether whatever work you may have. That is
so the clamp will hold it tightly of itself. Fig. 9.
Supposing you have a brass ball to solder to

a plate of copper. It would be impossible to
safely wire the ball in place. A special clamp
must be made for such work. One end is flat-
ened while the other is twisted around into an

eye, Fig. 10. The eye will hold the ball safely
in place as in Fig. ii.
Having previously scraped the ball and plate,
proceed to solder as before.
If any sort of accurate work is demanded,
time will be saved by making these simple little
devices. This last job should be heated under-
neath.
15
Fig. 6
Fig- 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
METHODS OF HOLDING WORK 17
Perhaps it is required to solder a brass gear

wheel or disk on to a steel shaft or rod with
soft solder. Let us take for an example a case
where the brass disk is made of flat metal,
Fig. 12.
rather thin, say %6 inch, and is bored to fit the

shaft or rod snugly.
The best way to make a thoroughly good job
and to insure having the disk square with the
shaft, is to make an iron holder.
The Holder is made by taking a square of

sheet iron (Fig. 12.) the required size; first punch
i8 SIMPLE SOLDERING
a round hole in the center into which the rod

should fit snugly. Then cut eight slits in the
sheet as shown by the dotted lines in the sketch.
Bend up the pieces i. 2. 3. 4. high enough to
make a firm support for the disk, Fig. 13. By
Fig. 13.
using a small square you can then set the disk

at right angles to the rod at the place where
previously marked. The corners 5. 6. 7. 8. form
legs for the holder.
First slip the disk on to the rod and mark,
METHODS OF HOLDING WORK I9
with a sharp steel point, exactly the position

where it is to go. Remove the brass disk and
brighten the rod with emery cloth at the spot
where the joint is to be made. Also scrape
about the hole in the disk. Before slipping the
disk on the rod, thoroughly moisten the rod at
joint with fluid, so that when the disk is in place
the fluid is between and about the joint.
Lay a few pieces of solder about the joint and
heat slowly, taking care to heat the steel rod
as much as the disk and using all precautions.
A neat strong joint should be the result.
The holder takes very little time to make and
is well worth while, because having the rod up-
right gives the solder a chance to form a collar

about the joint which it would not do as well if
the rod were horizontal at the time of heating.
To Solder to Steel or Iron the acid is always

used because the resin does not work satisfac-
torily. If any difficulty is experienced in making
the solder stick to the shaft or rod, this might
be tinned first, that is, coated over with solder
where the joint is This is done be-
to be made.
fore the disk is slipped on, by moistening the
rod with fluid (some use pure muriatic acid)
heating it and then touching the rod at the joint
with a stick of solder wet with the fluid. As
soon as the proper degree of heat has been
reached the solder should flow on to the rod and
stick only at the place which has been moistened
20 SIMPLE SOLDERING
with the fluid. Care must be taken to remove the

flame from the rod when applying the solder
or else the flame will melt the solder away be-
fore it reaches the rod. If the solder does not
stick well moisten the rod afresh with a fluid-
charged brush and brush the hot solder about
until that part of the rod is thoroughly " tinned."
If the disk to be attached is of galvanised iron
pure muriatic acid will prove best as a flux.
But the ordinary soldering fluid described will
be found satisfactory in most cases.
Soldering Brass Castings. Sometimes it is

desired to solder a rather heavy brass casting
fast to a sheet of brass or copper, for instance a
pipe connection to a tank or some other similar
work.
For example take a brass cylinder casting.
This we desire to close up at one end by a thin
sheet of copper. The heavy casting should be
first thoroughly scraped at the place where it is
desired to attach the copper sheet. Then moisten

the joint thoroughly with fluid and stand the
casting up so that the joint is on top and as
level as possible. The work should rest on an
asbestos mat or old brick, so that when heated
the heat will be retained as long as possible.
Asbestos and brick are poor heat conductors.
Heat the cylinder carefully and avoid playing
the flame on soldering fluid until tlie solder melts
and runs easily over the end, tinning it thor-
oughly. The flow of the solder may be helped

w4th a brush charged with fluid.
A Brush may safely be used and

Stiff Bristle
it might be well to add that it should be care-
fully washed after wetting with acid, as the acid

will eat away the brass or tin bristle holder.
Let the cylinder cool down until the solder
freezes or ''
sets." Then having previously
scraped the plate to which the cylinder is to be
attached, moisten it and the tinned end of the
casting with the fluid, and turn the tinned face
of the cylinder down on the plate to be soldered.
Apply the heat heavy casting as illus-
to the
trated in Fig. 14, and not to the plate. The
copper plate will absorb enough heat from the
casting. The flame should be played around so
as to heat the work evenly. When sufficiently
heated it will be found to have sweated fast
so that very littlesolder shows.
Tin Foil Solder. A sheet of tin foil well

charged with fluid placed between two parts to
be joined then heated makes a very snug joint,
but the first method is recommended for begin-
ners.
must be remembered that if a closed cylin-
It
der is to be made by soldering flat pieces over

each end so as to make it air tight that heating
it sufficiently to make the solder flow will also
cause the moisture and air inside to expand and
22 SIMPLE SOLDERING
exert considerable pressure so that a small hole

should be drilled somewhere to let this air out
and avoid the possibility of holes being blown
through the molten solder. The hole may be
easily plugged up afterwards.
This is particularly the case if a small metal
ball is to be made from two pieces. One piece
Fig. 14.
should be made larger than the other so as to

form a ledge or gutter to hold the bits of solder
and a hole drilled through one of the pieces.
The whole job must be held together by a clamp
made with an eye at each end, Fig. 15. If the
ball is to be screwed or riveted on to other work
it may be soft soldered, but it makes a much

better job to hard solder it. This operation will
be described later. If it is to be soft soldered to
something else, it will be difficult to hold the
two halves of the ball together while soldering
Fig. 15.
after having filed the ledge away. However,

it may be done with care.
Plaster-of-Paris Resist. If it is desired to soft

solder a number of pieces together and there is
no way to hold them firmly in place while addi-
tions are made, plaster-of-paris should be mixed
to a stiff paste with water, using a large propor-
tion of plaster. This makes a good "resist"
and should be built up about the all-ready sol-
dered parts so as to hold them firmly in position
(Fig. 16). Then we may proceed to solder the
others in place, since the plaster will quickly set
under the heat. But such work is best when hard
soldered if it does not have a plating or coloring
that would disappear in the hotter fire necessary
for hard soldering.
One of the great advantages of soft solder
is the lower degree of heat required to make a
24 SIMPLE SOLDERING
joint with it In hard soldering the degree of

heat required to melt the silver or brass solder
often warps thin metals out of shape or takes the
temper out of steel, so that its use is confined to
special work.
For instance a jeweler in soldering a pin shank
on to a scarf pin proper uses soft solder be-
JOINT TO BE
UNITED
SOLDERED
Fig. i6.
cause it is often much handier after the stone

is in place.
Stones or Gems used in decorative work will

not stand heating successfully beyond the melt-
ing point of soft solder. The pin shanks are
made of german silver usually because of the
hard springy quality of that metal. A red heat
is necessary to hard solder and that would take
away this springy quality by annealing the pins.

It is frequently necessary for the jeweler to at-
tach new pins to delicate settings perhaps con-
taining very valuable stones which it is not
desirable to remove. In that case soft solder is
METHODS OF HOLDING WORK 2$
used to fill the small cup which is attached to

the pin. The jeweler accomplishes this by tak-
ing the pin in his pincers and holding the cup
which has been well moistened inside with fluid
over a small flame and touching it almost in-
stantly with a small bar of solder which melts
into the cup. This is allowed to cool, then re-
charged with soldering fluid laid on the setting
while a small pin point flame is directed on to
the back of the cup when the two metals quickly
become attached. This is allowed to cool care-
fully and slowly as water would probably spoil
the stone by chilling it too quickly.
Cooling. Small jobs which it is necessary to

cool in a certain supported position may be very
easily cooled with water squirted from a foun-
tain pen filler.
Tinning A Bowl. It is often desirable to tin a

copper or brass bowl, that is to line it with tin.
Having previously made the inside bright with
emery cloth, it is an easy matter to swab the
soldering solution about with a swab made of
oakum bound fast to a stick. Heat the bowl
gently over a charcoal fire or gas flame and melt
in it some pure block tin. Paint the whole in-
side with the melted tin, using the same oakum
swab, and throw away the surplus. Care should
be taken not to get the bowl too hot.
These problems ought to give an idea of the
26 SIMPLE SOLDERING
simple ways of applyinc^ soft solder to a large

variety of work and an idea of what can be
accomplished without the aid of the soldering
copper which is so often associated with soft
soldering.
The Soldering Copper has its own particular

uses and in some trades, such as the tinners and
the plumbers, a very large percentage of the
soldered work is done in this way. The sol-
dering copper (Fig. 17) consists of a piece of
Fig. 17.
copper firmly held in an iron handle which has

a wooden hand grip at its other end. This is
usually heated in a small charcoal furnace or
gas flame.
The Charcoal Furnace may be easily carried

about from place to place and is used for outdoor
work. (Fig. 37). The copper should never be
heated in a common coal fire, say in the kitchen
range, as an amateur is apt to do. A common
wood fire is a very good substitute. The coal-
fire spoils the working or tinned end of the cop-
per by the actions of the sulphur in the fire.

It is easy to make a small copper weighing
only a few ounces (see directions in Chapter
METHODS OF HOLDING WORK 2.J
VII). But unless the amateur has more than

his usual facilities for casting, forging, etc., he
had much better buy a large one weighing from
a pound and a half to two pounds for general
use.
It will probably need to be filed to a flat wedge-
shaped point (Fig. 17) and a coarse file is best for
this work. If very blunt do not try to beat the
copper red hot and forge it into shape over an
anvil as you have seen a blacksmith forge iron.
It will probably break ofif in chunks. The way
to forge copper is to heat it red hot and then
quench it in cold water which softens it, then
hammer while cold. After a bit it will harden
up and want to be re-softened again, so repeat
the heating and cooling as often as necessary.
Since the copper carries the molten solder on
its point to the work this part must first be
" tinned," covered with tin or solder. An easy
way to accomplish this is after having previously
cleaned and heated the copper so it will melt
solder easily to place some powdered resin on
an old sheet of scrap tin, rub hot copper back
and forth on each of its faces until the point is
covered with a good coat of tin for at least f
inch. Having done this, care must be taken
not to get the iron too hot or it will destroy
the tinning on the end. It should never be al-
lowed to become red-hot, but only hot enough to
melt the solder at the instant of contact. It is a
good plan to have an old dampened piece of rag
28 SIMPLE SOLDERING
to wipe the point of the iron on as it comes

from the fire. Some prefer to use an old brick
for this or a sandy floor but the rag does very
well. If no scrap tin is about, the iron may be
easily tinned by first applying soldering Buid,
then solder, having the iron of course hot.
Joining Sheets of Metal. One of the most use-

ful things to know is how to solder two ends of
Fig. i8.
sheet tin or brass together. Soft solder has not

great strength and it is the usual practice to
fold the metal into a seam that only requires
the solder to hold it in place, and make it water
tight. To solder the jointvery simple.
is
First scrape the joint bright and then melt

resin along the joint or run soldering fluid
along it. For a short seam, enough solder may
be picked up on the point of the copper once it
is hot enough and conveyed to the joint. But

for larger seams the solder is held alongside
(Fig. 18) or on top of the pointed end so that it
melts and runs along the seam with the hot cop-
per (Fig. 19). In this way the solder is fairly
melted in the job. Small pellets of solder may
be put along the seam and melted on by drawing
Fig. 19.
the copper along it. Keep the copper hot, if a

large piece of work is to be done.
Do
not put the solder on when it is in a
" slushy " condition or
does not run freely frorA
lack of heat in the iron and it looks grey in-
stead of bright like quicksilver.
The advantage of thecopper is that it places
the heat just where it is needed and except at
point of contact does not greatly heat up the rest
of the work. It is of special value for joining
pieces of sheet tin together.
30 SIMPLE SOLDERING
Common Sheet Tin is a thin plate of sheet

iron coated on both sides with block tin.
In all thin sheet metal work the copper is
heating would
generally used, since the direct
warp and discolor it. The metal often covers
wood and it would be impossible for many rea-
sons to use anything save the copper. It should
be remembered that the work must be perfectly
clean and freshly scraped to do good soldering.
It sometimes desirable for the jeweler to
is
attach a chain to a locket, with one connecting

link, and the locket is perhaps made of plated
ware or has a jewel in it that will not stand the
heat. The connecting link then has to be neatly
soft soldered.
With such a small link it is only practical to do
the job with a light jeweler's soldering copper.
The linkmust be first scraped clean about the
joint and then held up in some such manner that
it is easy to get at.
For ordinary work an old mechanical draw-

ing pen makes a most excellent device. This
may be held firmly in the vise by the handle
arnd the jaws opened a bit by the thumb screw
to take in the link. This will allow the locket
to hang down on one side and the chain down
on the other so both are out of the way as in Fig.
20. All that remains to be done is to have the
copper well tinned and heated and the joint
thoroughly moistened with fluid. Pick up a
small drop of solder and touch the joint
32 SIMPLE SOLDERING
with it. Hold the iron there a second as the

link must be thoroughly heated to make the sol-
der entirely fill the joints With too little heat
it is apt to stick on the top side and leave the
actual gap open. The residue may be scraped
away and the joint plated to match the metal
of the chain.
Some artisans use pure tin for this instead of
solder as the tin is a whiter color. However,
tin does not solder so easily. The flame may be
used in connection with the copper, heating the
larger parts to the melting point of the solder
and the smaller ones with the iron. Never try
to solder a small wire to a heavy casting without
first heating the casting. A short piece of copper
wire set in pincers or a wooden handle may be
used to place the solder into tiny corners where
it would not otherwise go. The wire of course
being hot.
There are many shapes of coppers. A glance
into any good tool dealer's catalog will show the
dififerent forms devised for special wôrk. The
common type will do for most all work however.
For those who can afford it there is on the
market an electric soldering iron that maintains
a constant heat of the right degree and this is
indeed a great convenience. But by fixing the
principles of the art of soldering firmly in ones
mind and experimenting and by not being afraid
tomake a mistake the most ordinary apparatus
may be successfully used.
CHAPTER IV
Hard Soldering or Brazing
Some forms of hard and soft soldering are

carried out by exactly the same manner of oper-
ation, the only difference being in the solder,
the flux, and the degrees of heat required.
Hard Soldering requires a much greater tem-

perature since silver or brass are generally used
as solder and borax in some form as a flux. A
much stronger flame needed that of a current
is ;
of gas and air under pressure being preferred, or

a gasoline or alcohol torch. In large heavy vôrk
the blacksmith's forge, a charcoal fire or a speci-
ally heavy blast of gas or gasoline is used. As
in soft soldering the work must be thoroughly
cleaned and scraped bright first.
The Silver Solder is not pure silver, the

common form being made up of f silver and ^
brass, cast into a flat ingot and rolled out to a
thin sheet about ^ / ^^ inch thick. This is best
obtained from some reputable dealer in gold and
silver for the jewellers trade. That handled by
most tool and hardware houses is made up for
soldering band-saws, etc., and is usually a cheap
33
34 SIMPLE SOLDERING
grade containing lead and sometimes zinc in too

great a proportion. Although these metals make
the solder flow easily, they are disastrous since
they will pit and eat holes in silver work when
the silver is red hot. Copper is even thus
affected.
The pure silver is alloyed with brass
fact that
makes it melt at a temperature slightly lower than
that of the pure silver itself, hence the value
of it in the building up of articles of silver into
elaborate and complicated forms.
Copper may not be soldered with Copper but

it may be soldered or brazed with brass
w^hich is an alloy of copper and zinc, melting
at a lower temperature than the copper when
properly fluxed wnth borax.
Silver Solder is generally used to solder small

articles in copper, brass, bronze, silver and ger-
man silver.
Iron and steel are usually soldered or brazed

with brass. Though silver solder is used even
for small steel or iron objects. In large work
it is too expensive and brass is stronger and
better suited for such work.
Gold is usually soldered with gold of a lower

grade or carat. For instance twenty-two carat
gold may be soldered with eighteen carat eight- ;
HARD SOLDERING OR BRAZING 35
een carat with fourteen fourteen with ten, etc.

;
It is simply soldering the gold with an alloy

of gold, copper or gold and silver.
gold and
Gold may be soldered with silver solder but the
color is not always satisfactory, though it takes
up a certain amount of the gold color.
The Indians use pure silver filingsmixed with
saliva for soldering their silver work and this
works fairly well as the heat attacks the smaller
particles first and melts them. However, borax
is better flux than saliva.
Aluminum is usually soldered with a specially

prepared solder which is best purchased with
complete directions for using. Care should be
taken, however, to heat both pieces of the work
to be soldered, up to the melting point of the
solder. As Aluminum is a soft metal melting
at a low temperature it does not come under the
head of hard soldering.
Let us suppose we have to hard solder a 3 inch
copper ring made from J inch round rod. First
clean the joint thoroughly about the edges with
the scraper. If freshly cut with a saw or file on
which there was no oil or grease only the metal
about the joint need be scraped. The ring being
made of heavy copper is likely to expand to a
great extent and thus pull the ends apart. Care
should be taken to bind it with wire, as shown in
Fig. 21, across and below center. Then bring
an upward pressure to bear on it with the wire
3f' SIMPLE SOLDERING
tightly twisted at the top of ring. So much for

the preparation of the ring, for soldering.
Borax in some shape is always used as the

flux. In large work it is the powdered form that
Fig. 21.
is employed. In the smaller work it is much

better to grind up lump borax on a slate block
specially prepared for the purpose (Fig. 22)
to a creamy consistency, using a large
rather
lump of borax, which may be easily held in the
fingers and worked about with a circular motion
HARD SOLDERING OR CRAZING Z7
on the block, which is hollowed out and contains

about a tablespoonful of water.
Care should be taken to lay the borax lump
aside, clear of the water, not in it, as this will
tend to make it crumble.
Silver Solder usually comes in a thin sheet.

A piece about i| inches by 3 inches by ^/q4, inch
may be had for about 25c. in New York. Cut up
Fig. 22.
a small strip Yiq inch wide by 3 inches long and

scrape it bright. Cut little pieces about Y^q inch
square from this strip with a pair of shears and
drop them into the borax mi:5^ture in the block.
Eight of these pieces will be about enough for
this job, but each piece of solder must be thor-
oughly covered with the wet borax.
Now dip a small brush into the wet borax
and smear the solution between and above the
38 SIMPLE SOLDERING
joint in the ring, thoroughly covering the part

to be soldered. The solder will not run properly
if Put on plenty of
this is not carefully applied.
the borax solution but only where you want the
solder to flow. An injudicious use of the borax
will muss up the work, and lead the solder away
from the joint itself.
While the borax is still in a wet pasty state,
apply small pieces of solder, picked up in the
points of a pair of tweezers (Fig. 23) and not
with the fingers or any old thing at hand.
Small pieces may be picked up on the tip of
the brush with which the borax is applied, but
Fig. 23.
the tweezers are best. Place the solder above

the joint where it will rest naturally but do not
pile the pieces up. Keep them separated. The
smaller the solder is cut the better it will work
up into balls on
since large pieces tend to run
account of receiving too much heat and are
liable to cool in this form. The object of placing
them on wet is so the borax will form a sort of
cement in drying, which it would not do if they
were applied dry.
If intense heat is applied too soon it will make

the borax " boil " or bubble up, often throwing

the solder completely away from the work and
throwing the latter out of place. The heat there-
fore must be applied very slowly and gently.
Difficult and elaborate work is usually first dried
in an oven, so that the delicate parts may not be
pushed away from each other when the borax
expands under heat. For this reason also, it
is best to use the lump borax ground with
water.
In order to melt the silver solder to the flowing
point itnecessary to heat the copper ring to
is
the melting point of the silver. This requires

almost a white-heat. Now if one side of the
joint is heated more than the other, the solder
will flow on to the hottest part and will not ad-
here to the cooler portion. Both sides of the
joint must be equally heated. Care must be
taken not to direct the heat on to the joint itself
or on to the bits of solder until these melt from
the heat received from the metal. If the flame
is played on them they run up into little balls and
either roll away or do not melt and flow further

because of the oxide on them.
It must always be remembered to let the solder
melt from the heat transmitted by the metal and
not the direct flame.
The blow pipe best suited for this job is de-
scribed in the chapter on apparatus (see Figs. 32
and 33), although a gasoline blow torch would
answer nicely.
40 SIMPLE SOLDERING
If the ring be suspended in the air and the

flame directed on it, so much heat will be wasted
that even with a very powerful flame it would be
difficult to heat it sufficiently. The ring- should
be surrounded by some heat reflecting material
such as asbestos, fire brick or charcoal, asbestos
Fig. 24.
being the best. The ring should rest in the

corner of a two-sided box having a square bot-
tom. (See Fig. 24.)
The flame should be carefully directed above
and not against the ring, until the borax whitens.
Then it may be played back and forth over the
part of the ring. When the melting point is

reached the solder will be seen to " sweat " and
suddenly dissolve into the joint and around it.
Then the flame may be directed squarely on the
joint for a second or two to complete the fusion.
The ring should now be solidly soldered.
It may then be plunged into the " pickle " bath
which is a mixture of one part of sulphuric acid
ROUGED JOINT
Fig 25.
and ten parts of water. This is usually kept

under the soldering bench in a stone jar, covered.
The action of the water and acid is to eat away

the oxide and scale formed by the heat. The
work after immersion should be almost instantly
removed from this bath and should come away
clean and bright. It should then be dipped into
clean water and dryed in a box of sawdust by
tumbling about until the sawdust absorbs all
it
the moisture. If it is desirable to add more sol-

der during the heating process or after the solder
42 SIMPLE SOLDERING
which was first placed on has melted, simply

place more solder, well covered with borax, on
the hot joint and reheat. More borax may be
added while the ring is still hot. This will often
help a stubborn bit of solder to flow.
If the Solder refuses to melt, look to the way

you are heating your ring. If this does not
remedy it cool it in water only and scrape afresh,
applying more borax and new solder.
Silver solder will not fill up a hole or gap
unless the operation is in very expert hands,
and care must be taken to have the joints fit

tightly together. No matter how tight the joint
is the solder will fill it and the smaller the
amount of solder used the stronger wdll be the

joint.
If the ring had been made of flat sheet metal
instead of rod like the ring used to illustrate
soft soldering (Fig. 25) and it is desired to sol-
der on its side to a flat sheet of copper we must
it
proceed as follows:
Let us take as an example a case where the
ring has been soldered together with hard-solder.
First scrape the side of the ring that is to be
placed next the plate. Then scrape the plate
thoroughly at the point of contact with the ring
and bind the latter in position with iron wire.
Apply borax about the joint and also a number
of small pieces of solder %g i^ch square, J inch
apart. Lay them inside the ring as indicated in
Fig. 25. Then dry the borax with a gentle

heat so that it turns white. If the first joint
made not protected it will very
in the ring is
likely open and the solder will flow into the
larger body of molten solder which seems to
exert a strong attraction for it. Therefore, this
must be protected with an earthy mixture such
as rouge and water, crocus and water or plaster-
of-paris and water.
Rouge, which is the best, is an oxide of iron

and comes in the form of a fine red powder. A
paste should be mixed to the consistency of house
paint and placed in an old saucer. Use care not
to make it too wet and then apply it to both
sides of the joint as indicated in Fig. 25, by the
darkened portion. Great care should be taken,
however, not to allow the smallest particle of
the rouge to touch where the new joint is to be
made. This will happen if it contains too much
water. The object of drying the borax first is
so that the rouge will not mix with it.
If the iron wires are very thin they had better
be covered with rouge as it will keep them from

burning apart.
Heating. The work is now ready for heating.

This should be done very carefully, avoiding the
pieces of solder, remembering to heat the larger
pieces and keeping the flame constantly
first
moving so as to heat the whole piece equally.

44 SIMPLE SOLDERING
Remember that the ring which probably lighter

is
and on top is apt to get most of the heat, so heat

up the back plate first.
If the ring should be very small in proportion

to the plate it would probably absorb enough
heat from the larger piece to melt the solder
without the flame touching the ring. This must
be thoroughly understood. When the solder has
run dip the work in the " pickle " and clean. If
it is desired to attach some smaller pieces, such
as brass knobs or nuts, to the back plate, pro-

ceed as before.
First secure the joints already made, by paint-
ing them with rouge. Carefully heat the larger
portion first with a constantly moving flame.
Do not heat one portion of the work first, if sev-
eral joints are to be soldered. Heat the whole
thing up at once so that all the joints are done
at one time.
Do not direct the flame on one portion of the
work. Keep it moving about constantly to ob-
tain an even heat and avoid overheating the
wires.
If the piece of work is rather large for the
flame at hand, it is a good plan to surround the
work with a number of pieces of charcoal making
a wall of it, so that it retains the heat and helps
to keep the temperature even all about. Old
pieces of broken brick are also very useful. All
this of course is to be done on a suitably pro-
tected bed of asbestos or brick or even cinders.
Sometimes work is heated up on a matted bunch

of old fine iron wire called a " devil."
Small pieces of work wîich are moved out of
position while the solder is molten may be pushed
in place with a pointed iron wire.
It sometimes- happens in making jewelry that
while soldering on silver balls or small rings
that they are strongly attracted by the larger
heated bodies of metal, or the molten solder, and
in that case a judicious use of the iron wire is
very helpful in replacing them.
Or if it is desired to remove a piece of work
this may be done by first protecting the other
parts with rouge, then heating the solder to the
melting point and lifting the work off. It will
be found to cling rather tenaciously, however,
and care will be required to successfully perform
the operation.
The Whole Secret of Hard Soldering is to

keep the work have the joint and solder
clean, to
well covered with borax, and to heat both parts
to be joined slowly and equally.
Copper should be experimented with before

silver ascopper melts at a much higher tem-
perature than silver; therefore there is less
chance of " burning up " the work when first
starting in.
The Melting Point of Sterling Silver is only a

46 SIMPLE SOLDERING
littleabove that of ordinary silver-solder and

great care is required to avoid melting up the
work.
The flame must always be in proportion to
the work, using the largest flame possible on
large work and the smallest on srnall work.
Any sort of object may be built up, and any
number of joints made
they are carefully pro-
if
tected by rouge while the new joints are being

made.
Sometimes small pieces of silver wire or flli-
gree are to be soldered together and there is no
way of holding them together by clamps or wire.
Charcoal Block. An especially prepared block

of charcoal is used that does not burn away
quickly and the work held in position by ordinary
steel pins well rouged. (Fig. 26). The little
balls may be laid up against the work so that
they will adhere if carefully heated. A soft
earthenware brick and a compressed asbestos
pad are also obtainable for this purpose.
The solder should be applied at each joint.
If it is desirable to attach other pieces it may be
done by covering the joints as they are soldered
thick with rouge. Experience and patience alone
will help here.
At times it is necessary to solder together a
solid metal wire or handle, that has been broken.
It is often impossible to wire this or clamp it
and so the best way to make a strong job is to

make a lap joint and put in a rivet of silver or
other metal. File the work up bright and cover
well with borax and some small bits of solder.
Then fuse it together. By
using borax two pieces
of silver may be " sweated " together exactly the
CHARCOAL
Fig. 26.
same as hard soldering without the solder, but

this is hard to do and experience only will tell
when it is desirable.
Pickle Bath. The cold pickle described will

do for most of the common metals, but for silver
and gold a hot pickle is generally used. This is
composed of one part of sulphuric or nitric acid
48 SIMPLE SOLDERING
to ten parts of hot water and is usually kept at

almost boiling point in a small stone crock which
is placed in a bath of hot water (Fig. 27) on a
gas stove near the blow pipe.
The work is placed in this to " boil out," and
should come out in a minute or so perfectly free
from all dirt and oxide. Care should be taken
lest be left in too long or the acid will play
it
havoc with the work, attacking the solder first.

Great precaution should be taken in all hard
soldering that no soft solder, lead or tin be near
Fig. 27.
to the work v/hen the copper is heated for hard

soldering. This is particularly true of silver for
the lead will eat holes clear through the wôrk
and usually ruins it. If the work in hard sol-
dering becomes all pitted you may rest assured
there is lead present or that you are using an
impure quality of solder, or the solder may have
too much zinc added to it. Only such zinc as is
contained in the brass should mix with the silver.
There are many grades of silver solder made
for special purposes, but these are of no use ex-
cept to the experienced and to the trade, One

grade, however, almost always used.
is
It must also be remembered at all times to bind

and clamp the work together firmly and to sup-
port it well, for when it is hot the metal bends
easily and may sag out of shape. So that
special rouge-covered sheet-iron supports must
be arranged, clamps made, and' binding wire
freely used.
Silver Work
should never be put into pickle
with iron binding wiring attached or picked out
Fig. 28.
from with iron tongs as the acid acting with

it
the iron will tend to put a heavy copper deposit

on the work in spots.
Brazing. A word as to heavy brazing perhaps

would not be out of place, but this book is not
intended as a text-book on this art since it is in
a class by itself.
50 SIMPLE SOLDERING
It is identically the same

as hard soldering ex-
cepting pure used as a solder or
brass is
" spelter." The work should be thoroughly
filed and clamped or riveted together, then wet
r(/
Fig. 29.
powdered borax is plentifully applied and the

grain spelter, little globules of brass as it comes
for thispurpose or bits of clean sheet brass may
be used above the joint and well covered with
the wetted borax.
In some shops a powerful double gasoline
1
torch used (Fig. 28). As the flames come from

is
one given direction, bricks will have to be ar-

ranged as reflectors to direct the heat v^here it is
needed until the joint runs.
If it is observed that there is not enough
spelter to hold the vôrk or fill the joint, dry

powdered borax may be thrown on the hot work
and more spelter added or the joint touched with
a long brass wire which melts instantly on it.
If the weld is to be made in a charcoal fire

or blacksmith forge care should be taken to build
the fire up like the crater of a volcano so that a
column of white flame shoots up onto the work
which is embedded near the top of the fire
(Fig. 29). A constant blast should be main-
tained and the bellows worked evenly and slowly
for sudden heating will heat the lower half of
work too much. Care sl'.ould be taken that
plenty of coke or charcoal is placed over the work
to reflect the heat down.
The work should be watched carefully and re-
moved the instant it is brazed, and then quenched
with cold water.
CHAPTER V.
Cleaning up Work. Polishing
Soldered work frequently requires cleaning up

and removing the surplus solder and flux with a
scraper or an old file. Sometimes it is removed
with an emery wheel, and ground quickly down
to the original metal, leaving only sufiicient sol-
der to hold the work This can be done
safely.
with the sharp steel scraping instrument (Fig.
" pickled."
3) after the work has been properly
A scraper of the hoe or plow type (Fig. 6) is
used mostly for this work. Care should be taken
that the original metals are not marred or deeply
scored by the scrapers which will make ugly
scratches that can be removed only by a great
deal of work with small curved " riffle " files.
Scraping Down. After scraping down to the

bare metal the next step smooth the metal
is to
up to the original smooth surface and this is best
done by taking a piece of Scotch Stone " (Fig.
''
30) about three-eighths of an inch square, and

some six inches in length. Grind this to a blunt
wedge that fits into the joint roughly. Rubbing
back and forth with the stone moistened with
water will quickly wear away the roughened
metal to the required smoothness.
52
CLEANING UP WORK. POLISHING 53
Too much water should not be used but only

enough to lubricate the After this a " red"
stone.
or rotten stone should be used in the same way
to remove the scratches left by the Scotch stone.
These stones are of great advantage in reach-
ing points that may not be polished otherwise as
they are easily ground to fit any work.
An ordinary slate pencil will do very well if
the Scotch stone is not at hand. In fact almost
any soft blue stone will do, but the Scotch stone
is l)est.
Finishing. Pine sticks or orange wood, shaped

like a lead pencil may be dipped into cutting
down composition which is a mixture of emery
and wax that comes ready for use. The work-
ing end of the stick is to be rubbed into this
.
54 SIMPLE SOLDERING
mixture and when rubbed over the work will

smooth it up still more.
Still a hner finish may be given by pith sticks
of elder and rouge composition and then perhaps

rubbing with felt.
"
Buff Sticks. What are known as " hand buf¥
sticks are very useful in polishing; they consist
of sticks or flat handles of wood with strips of
leather and felt glued to them. These are simply
charged with the cutting down compound and
rouge compound and rubbed against the work.
In large work after removing the surplus sol-
der with a file or coarse emery wheel, either a
finer emery wheel, or a carborundum wheel is
used to remove the scratches left by the rougher
wheel and then smoothing on a leather wheel
of walrus-hide on which the cutting down com-
position has been rubbed while it is revolving.
A
Final Polish is usually given by a cotton
wheel which is run at a high rate of speed.
bufif
Such a wheel is made of layers of cotton cloth

so that the centrifugal force flings the edges of
the cloth disks against the metal with sufficient
force to polish it. This is charged with the
rouge composition.
Files that are not to be used for any other

work should be kept for filing away soft solder,
which fills them up completely so that the teeth
CLEANING UP WORK. POLISHING 55
will not bite. Coarse files may be

how- cleaned,
ever. Sometimes sticks of carborundum or
emery are used in the hollows where the revolv-
ing emery wheel may not go. Such work should
then be finished up with the Scotch stone.
Burnisher. Bright work may be burnished

with a steel burnisher which is a smooth, highly
Fig. 31.
polished instrument set in a wooden handle

(Fig. 31)-
This grasped firmly in the hand and the
is
point of the tool worked about on the metal,

until it smooths up. The body of the tool may
be used as well as the edges.
CHAPTER VI
Standard Apparatus
Since there are a number of ways to heat up

the metals to the melting point of the different
solders it is thought best to describe them al-
together in one chapter so that the reader may
choose those best suited to his needs and con-
ditions. It should be remembered that it takes
no particular kind of heat to melt the solders,
^GAS
Fig. 32.
but the several convenient forms of applying

it are here described.
Blow Pipe. The most commonly used tool

for this is the blow-pipe (Figs. 32 and 33), which
consists of two pipes, one to conduct the air un-
der slight pressure and the other the gas. The
gas and air mix near the end, forming a powerful
blue flame free from soot of any kind. It may
easily be controlled with the valves in the sepa-
rate tubes (Fig. 32).
56
STANDARD APPARATUS 57
The from a foot bellows, through

air is supplied
a flexible rubber tube, or in large shops from a
positive pressure blower. The idea being to get
a large volume of airunder low pressure. The
highly compressed air used for power purposes
Fig. 23.
is seldom used unless with a special defusing

arrangement.
The Foot Bellows very satisfactory and its

is
action simple. It has a rubber disk reservoir

which makes possible a steady blast. A slow
steady pumping movement is better than a short
" choppy " one since it accomplishes the work
sooner. The gas pipe should be connected to

the gas-main with a flexible tube; the other
tube connects the bellows with the air pipe.
;
58 SIMPLE SOLDERING
The gas should be turned on first and then a

lighted matcli applied to the burner, then the
bellows pumped fast enough to supply sufficient
air pressure to produce a blue flame which is
hottest at the tip of the inner blue cone.

For general shop work a blow-pipe with tubes
about f inch inside diameter is most useful.
The craftsmen in the country may obtain a
gasoline outfit which works practically the same
Fig. 34.
the only difference is that instead of attaching

the blow pipe to the gas main it is attached to
a small gasoline tank and the gasoline vapor
used through a special blow pipe. foot bel- A
lows supplies the air.
Gasoline Torch. Next best to this is the gas-

oline torch (Fig. 34). There are a number of
these on the market and when good care is taken
STANDARD APPARATUS 59
of them they work very well indeed. They are

usually lighted by pouring a little alcohol or
gasoline into cup A and heating burner B until
upon turning handle C slightly a blue flame is
produced at the end of B.

Some forms have a pump attached to make a
pressure which forces the gasoline up to the
Fig. 35.
burner. In this case the cup A is allowed to col-

lect the drip, the handle C closed and A lighted.
When after a time C is turned on again there
should be a blue flame at the end of B. Great
care should be used in handling these as some
frightful accidents have happened from lighting
them when not tightly stoppered.
Alcohol Blow Torch. For small work an alco-

60 SIMPLE SOLDERING
hol blow torch is frequently used. This consists

of a thick wick enclosed in a brass fount filled
with alcohol (Fig. 35). A small brass pipe is
affixed to the side to which is attached a piece

of flexible tube and mouthpiece. A current of
air is blown through this pipe across the wick and
forms a long slender flame and an extremely
powerful one considering its size.
Another more common form of blow pipe is a
hollow brass tube, on one end of which is a
Fig. z^'
mouth-piece; the other end tapers down to a

point having a pin hole in it. This is used across
a fat alcohol or gas flame to direct a tiny pointed
flame against very small work. It is often used
but requires some little practice.
Bunsen Burner. The bunsen flame is pro-

duced by the bunsen burner, which mixes a
natural draught of air with the gas and makes •
a hot blue flame much used for direct heating.

It is especially useful to suspend work over in
STANDARD APPARATUS 6l
soft or hard soldering. The air is admitted by

the holes in the side of the pipe, and the gas
comes in through a small opening. The hottest
part is at the tip of the inner blue cone in flame.
Charcoal is still used abroad to solder with.

Some cf the most beautiful and the most dif-
FiG. yj.
ficult work has been done by this simple method.

The live charcoal is held in a brazier (Fig. 36)
or basket and the work carefully placed on the
hot coals and the charcoal backed up above it.
A pair of long nosed bellows is used to direct
the flame where wanted most.
62 SIMPLE SOLDERING
Soldering Iron Furnace. For the heating of

soldering irons a gas-furnace may be used to ad-
vantage or the common form of charcoal furnace
(Fig. 37) made from sheet iron. The copper
is placed at the bottom of the fire on the grate
or the copper may be heated by a bunsen burner
or even in a wood fire, never in a coal fire.
CHAPTER VII
Home Made Apparatus
Bunsen Burner. A very simple way to make

this useful article is to take a piece of f inch
inside diameter brass tubing about 7 inches long.
Bore two %6 inch holes in it about ij inches
from the end. This is easily done by first
drilling through both sides of the tube with a
I inch drill, and then using a larger drill to follow

this lead. Care should be taken not to tear the
*C
Fig. 38.
metal with the large drill as it is only thin brass

tubing. A good way to prevent this is to jam
a round stick in and let it form an inside support
for the tube while drilling. Now take a piece
of f inch outside diameter brass tubing 3J inches
in length. This must fit snugly into the larger
tube for about inch.
i Take an ordinary alum-
inum gas tip and drill out the end to Yiq
inch diameter and drive the tip firmly into the
end of the smaller tube. (Fig. 38.) Attach this
63
64 SIMPLE SOLDERING
to a gas tubing and slip the larger tube over the

burner shows plainly through the
tip until this
air holes. Turn on the gas and light it. Then
slide the larger tube up and down slightly until
the best blue flame is obtained.
This burner should give a flame about 8 inches
in length easily. When the best mixture of air
and gas is obtained, make a mark on both tubes
as a position guide for soldering. Turn ofi. the
gas and soft solder the tubes together.
Fig. 39.
If desired the tubes may easily be hard soldered

by removing the aluminum tip. After hard sol-
dering the two pipes together as previously
marked, drop the aluminum tip down the larger
pipe, guide the narrow end of tip into the smaller
pipe and jam it firmly home with the aid of a
small round stick inserted down the larger pipe.
This bunsen burner is used at the end of a
flexible rubber tube and is very useful in the
metal shop.
A
Simple Blow Pipe. Get an old single gas
bracket with stop cock attached and saw off the
HOME MADE APPARATUS 6s
top just below where the burner is connected.

See Fig. 39. These brackets are made of brass
tubing about f in. inside diameter. Take a piece
of f in. inside diameter brass tubing about 12
inches long and bend it carefully so it may take
Fig. 40.
Fig. 41.
the position of air pipe as indicated in Figs. 40

and 41. This may be easily done by filling the
tube with melted resin then cooling and bending
;
over a round block of wood, afterwards melting

the resin out. Drill a hole at A to receive the
end of this pipe, stopping it about J in. from the
end of B. Solder this in with soft solder and
then take a piece of stiff sheet brass or copper
and make a brace by cutting a slit in the middle
of each end and bending the little laps thus pro-
66 SIMPLE SOLDERING
duced around each side of the tubing. Solder

these as at C. Care should be taken to get the
larger tube so that the air will be shot into the
center of the flow of gas at D or else the flame
may prove ragged and lopsided.
The stop cock is an excellent means of control

for the size of the flame. The air pressure may
be regulated by the foot bellows. A small piece
of pipe should be attached to the other end of
the valve at E, Most gas connections are fitted
to f in. gas pipe, which is f in. outside diameter
and too large to fit conveniently on an ordinary
gas tubing. This may be remedied by securing
a f to i in. bushing from the pipe-fitter and
in.
screwing it into the valve, when a short piece of

i in. pipe may easily be put into that. Some-
times these small blow-pipes are used with a
tube to the mouth instead of the foot bellows.
A larger blow-pipe may be made of galvanized

pipe and fittings, say ^ in. pipe. For this you
will need one piece of pipe 12 inches long; one
piece 4 inches long and one piece 2 inches, all of
these to be threaded one ^ in. stop cock, gas or
;
valve; one ^ in. T piece; one -J in. plug; one

piece of J in. pipe, 16 inches long; one piece of
J in. pipe, 6 inches long; one ^ in. elbow. First
screw the 12-inch piece of {y in. pipe into the side
connection of the T at A, Fig. 42 ; next the four-
:
HOME MADE APPARATUS 67
inch piece at B now screw

; in the ^ in. plug at
C and drill it out so that the shorter piece of J in.

pipe will fit snugly through it. Then make a
cleaner fit by Screw the pieces of i in.
filing.
pipe into the elbow of the same dimensions and
Fig. 42.
slipthe smaller end through plug at C until it

comes within about f in. of the end of ^ in. pipe
D. Then slip on brace E, which is made of thick
sheet brass or copper. This may be either soft
or hard soldered into place as also may the joint
at C, since the blow-pipe rarely gets hot enough
to disturb soft solder if there is a current of air
forced through it. The stop cock may now be
attached. If desired one may also be put on the
i in. air supply pipe. This will be found to give

a very powerful flame.
Foot Bellows. A good pair of foot bellows

may be made as follows From clear ^ in. pine
68 SIMPLE SOLDERING
boards make up three end pieces of the shape

shown in Fig. 43, by ghiing and cleating the
boards together. It is best made of boards 6
inches wide and cut down to the measurements
after the boards have been fitted together. Make
joints air tight by careful work in fitting and
gluing together. The cleats should not be over
1 in. in height. Two of the end pieces require a

2 hole drilled in their center as indicated in
in.
Fig. 43. A
i in. hole may be drilled in the third
end piece. Cut out two blocks of i in. planking
3J in. by 34 in. Bevel one side of the two larger
blocks as shown in Fig. 44.
Take a piece of thin soft leather and cut out
two pieces 3J in. by 5 inches, lay these on a flat
surface, rough side uppermost and cover well

with strong glue. Place one small and one large
block on each piece of leather as indicated in
Fig. 44, and put on top of the blocks a good heavy
weight to make the leather adhere firmly to the
Fig. 44.
WEIGHT
OUTLE LEATHER
Fig. 45.
blocks when the glue is dry. The smaller block

A secured to the boards with two screws, and
is
B forms the cover for the inlet valve. Fig. 45

shows these two valve covers in position.
Now attach the three boards together by
70 SIMPLE SOLDERING
hinges i and 2 at the smaller end, Fig. 45 four ;
hinges will be required, two for the top board to

the center and two for the center board to the
bottom board. These hinges are put inside, see
Fig. 45-
Place a heavy spring between boards A and B
and secure firmly with staples (an old bed spring
will do).
Procure a large sheet of paper, upon which to
make your pattern for the bellows leather.
Pattern for Bellows Leather. Stand the bel-

lows on its edge on the sheet of paper with the
hinges on the left hand. This will give you the
thickness of the bellows by the hinges, which is
indicated by two pencil marks, one on each side

of the boards. Open the bellows in front about
6 or 8 inches, hold bellows firmly with left hand
and draw a pencil mark from left to right, first
on one side and then on the other. Roll bellows
forward slowly to the right on to the front edges
marking the paper on both sides with the pencil
until you have rolled the boards onto the oppo-
site side edges and the back stands perpendicular
but with the hinges to the right, being careful
to keep the bellows open the same width all the
time. This can be done by tacking a strip of
wood across the front before proceeding to draw
the pattern.
The length of rough diagram will be
this
equivalent to the measurement from the back on
1
one side around the edge of the board to the

corner on the other side. The width of the
boards at the back must now be allowed for, in-
cluding 2 inches for the lap, see Fig. 48. This
will give a rough outline of the shape the leather
Fig. 46.
should be, see Fig. 46. The widest part of the

drawing should be equivalent to the front part
of the bellows fully extended, allowing enough
leather to properly cover the edges of the out-
FiG. 47.
side boards. The narrowest end should be wide

enough to cover the hinges and lap over.
Cut this pattern out, lay the bellows on the
table on its side and if the pattern has been
marked correctly it should be sufficiently large
to completely surround the bellows with about
2 inches lap at the hinges.
72 SIMPLE SOLDERING
Place the pattern on the leather and proceed

to cut out the leather, allowing a good margin
all around ; this can be trimmed off after the
leather has been nailed into position. The leather
should be cut from' a soft pliable hide.
Fold the leather in half long-ways and crease
it with a hard flat instrument. This line should
represent the center of the bellows or the central
Fig. 48.
board. Make two other creases each half long-

ways. A flat iron could be used, pressed firmly
backwards and
forwards along the creased
marks. The leather should be folded with the
smooth surface outwards. If this has been prop-
erly done when the leather is in place on the
bellows it should have the appearance as shown
in Fig. 50. Now coat the edges with a liberal
supply of a good glue, and commence to nail on
the leather, commencing with one

end at the
the widest
back of the bellows, but be sure that
in the front,
part of the leather comes squarely
otherwise the bellows will be crooked when
finished.
Then tack the leather firmly on, using a strip
of leather. Fig. 47> between
the tack-head and
the latter. The
the bellows leather to protect
Fig. 49.
tacks should go about i in. apart and

completely
an
around the three end boards, Fig. 48, making
upper and lower air tight chamber. Do not
smear up the leather with the glue except
at
joint, for this would tend to crack the leather.

work.
This operation will require some careful
leather lap
Let the small ends of the bellows
over about 2 inches.
Air Tight. Great care must be taken to make

74 SIMPLE SOLDERING
the bellows all perfectly air-tight. Use leather

cement to paste the ends of the leather together.
Bellows Legs. Make the legs preferably of

ij in. by ^ in. band iron, which may easily be
bent in the vise cold. The foot pedal, which is
attached by long screws to the centre board, will
have to be made of heavier stock, ij in. by | in.
Fig. so.
thick. Take a piece of this band iron 12 inches

long and drill a J in. hole in the center of it about
5 inches from one end. Then with a cold chisel
split along
it dotted to make a
line so as
2-pronged piece, Fig. 49. These prongs should
be bent at right angles to the flat piece as indi-
cated by the dotted lines. This had best be done
by heating in a blacksmith's forge, or fire, and
bending while red hot. Then bend the larger

piece at right angles along the dotted line; flat-
ten out the straight end a bit to make a good

Attach the legs firmly to the
rest for the foot.
bottom board and the foot piece to the end of
Fig. 51.
the middle board. This makes a powerful and

lasting bellows. Fig. 50.
The Author has used one of these bellows con-
stantly for five years and it has never had to be
repaired as the bought ones do. A heavy iron
weight on top of this bellows will give more
force to the blast, but the bellows take some
76 SIMPLE SOLDERING
time to make and if time is precious it is better

to use the bought ones.
A Soldering Box may be made as follows take :
a small solid packing box and knock out the top

and two sides.This would leave the bottom
with two sides standing as illustrated in Fig. 51.
Now cover over the bottom with tin as well as
the inside of the sides and edges. Then cover
over the tin with heavy asbestos. One or two
old fire bricks are useful to lay the work on so as
to save the asbestos from too much over-heating.
A Very Simple Soldering Iron, Fig. 52, may be
Fig. 52.
made by taking a piece of f in. copper rod about

3 inches long, filing or forging it down to a taper-
ing square pyramidal point, drilling a J in. hole
about f in. from one end, running a wire through
this hole, squeezing it into the copper rod be-
tween the vise jaws and then twisting the wire
so as to form a handle.
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4. Motors for use on electric lighting circuits. 5. Applications of
small motors and the power required for certain work. 6. Start-
ing and speed controlling switches; fuses. 7. Reversing switches
for Model motor; gearing, with tables of windings. 75 pages,
48 illustrations.
*'
ELECTRIC BELLS AND ALARMS. A practical handbook on

their construction, installation and repair. By F. E. Powell.
ELECTRIC BATTERIES. How to make and use them. Prac-

describing the common forms of primary batteries.
tically By
Percival Marshall. 63 pages, 34 illustrations.
TELEPHONES AND MICROPHONES. A
practical handbook
on their construction and use. By Percival Marshall. In-
cluding testing, faults and their remedies. 80 pages, 33 illustrations.
SIMPLE ELECTRICAL WORKING MODELS. By Percival
Marshall. the construction of electrical toys and
Showing
novelties, easily constructed with a few tools from simple materials.
X-RAYS SIMPLY EXPLAINED. A handbook on the theory
and practice of Radio-telegraphy. By R. P. Howgrave-Graham.
A most instructive and interesting work. 93 pages, profusely
illustrated.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING FOR AMATEURS. A Practical Guide to

the installation of light on a small scale, describing the construc-
tion of lamps, lamp-holders, switches, batteries, etc., etc. By
Percival Marshall. 80 pages, 45 illustrations.
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS SIMPLY EXPLAINED. A first-rate
little book describing the principles and working of some of the
electrical appliances in general use. 80 pages, 35 illustrations.
SIMPLE SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS. How to perform en-
tertaining and instructive experiments with simple home-made
apparatus with 59 illustrations.
MODERN
Primary Batteries.
THEIR CONSTRUCTION,
USB AND MAINTENANCE.
Including Batteries for Telephones, Telegraphs, Motors, Electric
Lights, Induction Coils, and for all
Experimental Work.
BY
NORMAN H. SCHNEIDER.
mm w% am
EXPERIMENTING WITH
Induction Coils.
Containing practical directions for operating Induction Coils and
Tesla Coils ; also showing how to make the apparatus
needed for the numerous experiments described.
BY
H. S. NORRIE,
Author of " Induction Coils and Coil Making.^*
Fully Illustrated with Original Drawings.

THE
MODEL LIBRARY Price, 25 cts.
No. 7
Electric Gas Igniting

APPARATUS
How to Install Electric Gas Igniting Apparatus, including
the Jump Spark and Multiple Systems for all purposes,
with Suitable Batteries and Wiring,
BY
H. S. NORRIE.
Author of ** Induction Coils and Coi\ Making/'
THE
MODEL LIBRARY Price, 25 cts.
No. 8
SMALL
ACCUMULATORS.
How to Make, Charge and Use Them, with Glossary
of Technical Terms, Useful Receipts
and Memoranda.
BY
PERCIVAL MARSHALL, A. L Mech. E.
Revised and Enlarged Edition^
IliiiiillsllliSlI
No. 9 Price 2.5 Cts.
nODEL
STEAM ENGINE
DESIGN
A HANDBOOK FOR THE DESIGNER OF SMALL
STEAM ELNGINES.
By R. M. deVIGNIER.
InclucTing original tables

and calculations for
speed, po-wer, proportions
of pumps, compound
engines and valve
diagrpims.
THE
MODEL LIBRARY Price 25 Cents
No. 10
Practical Electrics
A Universal Handy BooK
ON
ELEICTRIC BEILLS. BATTERIES. ACCUMULATORS.
DYNAMOS. MOTORS. INDUCTION AND INTE^NSITY COILS,
TELEPHONES. MICROPHONES. PHONOCRAPHS.
PHOTOFHONES. ETC.
THE
MODEL LIBRARY Price, 25cts.
No. 12
Woodwork Joints
HOW TO MAKE AND WHERE TO USE THEM.
CONTAINING
Full instructions for making Mortise and Tenon, Lap,. Dovetail,
Scarfing, and Glue Joints, with a Chapter on
Circular Woodwork.
New Edition Enlarged, with 178 Illustrations.

25c BOOKS.
WOODWORK JOINTS. How to make and where to use them.
A new revised and enlarged edition. Contents of Chapters: 1.
Mortise and tenon joints. 2. Lap joints. 3. Dove-tail joints. 4.
" Glue "- joints. 5. Scarfing joints and joints for lengthening
timb^s. 6. Circular work, showing how to make joined woodwork
frames in the form of ovals and circles. The work describes clearly
the construction of the principle joints used in carpentry and
joinery, and shows not only how to set them out, but indicates for
what purpose they are best suited. 101 pages, 178 illustrations.
THE LOCOMOTIVE, simply explained. By Chas. S. Lake.
A introduction to the study of the locomotive engine, their
first
designs, construction and erection, with a short catechism in the
form of questions and answers, 72 pages, 26 illustrations.
STANDARD SCREW THREADS AND TWIST DRILLS. A
Guide to. By George Gentry. The tables given are for small
sizes of the following makers: — Whitworth Standard; British
association standard; bicycle screw threads; cycle standard; V
Standard and U. S. Standard forms; International standard thread,
metric system; " Progress'! metric system of screv.s for watches;
SIMPLE CHEMICAL EXPERIMENTS. A series of instructive
experiments in inorganic chemistry. By T. T, Baker. Contents
of Chapters: —
1. How to fit up and equip a small chemical labora-
tory. 2. How
to fit up apparatus. 3. Elements and compounds.
4. Preparation of Chlorine, Ammonia, hydrochloric acid, etc. 5.
Combustion. 6. How to make oxygen; hydrogen; ozone; etc. 7.
Preparation of metallic salts. 8. Sulphur. 9. The atmosphere.
10. Making Chemicals. 72 pages, 19 illustrations,
THE MODEL VAUDEVILLE THEATRE. By Norman H.
Schneider. Describing the construction of a model theatre and the
making of numerous devices to be used with it. With suggestions
for various novelties for an evenings' entertainment, including
chapters on shadowgraphs, the use of a polyopticon, lighting effects,
wave effects, storms, etc. etc. One of these small theatres can be
made very easily and at small expense and will afford many hours
of amusement not only to the young but also to the grown-up,
as there is no limit to the scope of the entertainments that can be
produced thereon, fully illustrated.
SIMPLE SOLDERING BOTH HARD AND SOFT. Together with
a description of inexpensive home-made apparatus. By Edwarij
Thatcher, Instructor of Manual Training, Teachers' College, Col-
umbia University, (in the press).
THE
MODEL LIBRARY ^'^^^ 25 Cents
No. 11
INVENTIONS
HOW TO
Protect, Sell and Buy Them
A PRACTICAL AND UP-TO-DATE GUIDE

FOR INVENTORS AND PATENTEES
BY
FREDERIC B. WRIGHT
Attorney -at- Law y Counsellor in Patent Causes
—
25c. BOOKS.
THE SLIDE VALVE SIMPLY EXPLAINED. A practical treatise
for locomotive engineers by W. Tennant,
revised and enlarged
J.
by J. H. KiNEALY. Contents of Chapters: Introduction. 1. —
The simple slide. 2, The eccentric, a crank. Special model to
give quantitative results. 3. Advance of the eccentric. 4. Dead
center. Order of cranks. Cushioning and lead. 5. Expansion
lap and lead; advance, compression. 6. Double ported and piston
valves. 7. The effect of alterations to valve, and eccentric. 8.
Notes on link motions. 9. Cut-offs, reversing gears, etc. 89 pages,
41 illustrations,
MANAGEMENT OF BOILERS. The Fireman's Guide. A
Handbook on the Care of boilers. By K. P. Dahlstrom. Espec-
ially written in plain English for the use of beginners and firemen.
—
Contents of Chapters: Introduction. 1, Firing and Economy
of fuel. 2. Feed and Water-line. 3. Low water and foaming or
priming. 4. Steam-pressure. 5. Cleaning and Blowing out. 6.
General directions. Summary of rules.
INJECTORS. THEIR CONSTRUCTION, CARE AND MANAGE-
MENT. By Frederick Keppy. Second edition. The best and most
practical treatise on this subject as it is written by a practical
engineer for the instruction of engineers. 69 pages, 45 illustrations,
price 25c.
REFRIGERATION AND ICE-MAKING. By W. H. Wakeman.
Fourth edition. Consisting of practical notes and information for
engineers. 43 pages, tables and illustrations, price 25c.
STEAM TURBINES. How to design and build them. By
H. H. Harrison. A handbook for model makers. Con-
practical
tents of Chapters. General Consideration. 2. Pressure De-
1.
veloped by an Impinging Jet Velocity and Flow of Steam Through
;
Orifices. 3. Method of Designing a Steam Turbine. 4, Com-

plete Designs for DeLaval Steam Turbines; Method of Making
Vanes; Shrouding, 5. The Theory of Multiple Stage Turbines.
With detail drawings and tables. 85 pages, 74 illustrations.
MODEL BOILER MAKING. A practical handbook on the de-
signing, Making and Testing of small Steam Boilers. By E. L.
—
Pearce. Contents of Chapters: 1. General principles of boiler
design, materials, shape, proportions, strength, capacity, heating
surface. 2. Stationery boilers, 3. Launch boilers. 4. Locomo-
tive boilers. 5, Setting out plates, spacing tubes, etc. 6. Boiler
fittings. 7. Fuel, lamps, fire-grates. 86 pages, 35 illustrations.
GAS AND OIL ENGINES SIMPLY EXPLAINED. A practical
handbookfor Engine attendants. By W. C. Runciman. Contents
of Chapters: — Preface. Introductory.
1. 2. The component parts
of an engine. 3. How a gas engine works, 4. Ignition devices.
5. Magneto ignition. 6. Governing. 7. Cams and valve settings.
8. Oil Engines. 88 pages, 51 illustrations.
THE PRICE 25 CTS.
MODEL LIBRARY
No. 13
THE FIREMAN'S GUIDE

AND HANDBOOK ON THE
CARE OF BOILERS
BY
KARL P. DAHLSTROM, M. E.
;
INJECTORS
CONSTRUCTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT.
Useful Information on thb Principals of their Construction,
Use and Practical Operation as Steam Boiler Feeders and Othbr
Purposes Intended for the Use of Engineers, Firemen and SxEAkt
Users.—By FREDERICK KEPPY, M. E.
84 Pages, 6 s 9 Ins. 45 Engravings and 16 Tables. Price 25 Cts.
PREFACE. Many books have been written on the

rnjector. It would have been better for the engineer it'
some of them had never seen the light of day. My pur-
pose has been to point out to the Every Day Engineer.
common sense information on the Construction, Care and
Management of Injectors, and trust my efforts will prove
beneficial to my fellow engineers.
CONTENTS; Chap. I. Henri Jacques Giffard, Inven-
tor of the injector; Original of Giffard Injector. CHAP.
II. Principle of the Injector; Theory of Injector; De-
scription of Important Parts; Forcing Steam Tube, Com-
bming Tube; Delivery Tube; Technical Terms; Steam
Tube; Combining Tube; Delivery Tube; Draft; Over^
flow; Maximum and Minimum Capacity; Range; Over-
fiowmg Temperature; Overflowing Pressure; Breaking-
Temperature; Breaking Pressure; Efficiency; VARIOUS
Forms of Injectors- single Tubes; Double Tubes;
Adjustable Tubes; Self Adjusting Tubes; Fixed Tubes;
Open Overilow; Closed Overflow; Exhaust; Restart-
ing; Automatic; Lifting; Non-lifting. ChAP. III. MOD--
ERN Standard Injectors. Sellers Restarting; Sellers
Self-Acting; Powell Automatic; Penberthy Automatic;
Penberthy Automatic — Positive; Manhattan; Schaeffer &
Budenberg Exhaust; Lee Ball Valve Automatic; Lunken-
heimer Automatic; Lunkenheimer Standard; Peerless;
Penberthy — with Boiler Purger Connection; Eynon-Kort-
ing Compound: Eynon-Evans Ejector; Garfield Auto-
matic; Ohio Automatic; Garfield Double Jet; Garfield
Locomotive; Fairbanks; Chief Automatic; Chief Auto-
matic with Connections; Hancock Inspirator "Station-
ary;" Hancock Inspirator, Type A; Metropolitan Au-
tomatic with Sliding Steam Jet; Metropolitan Double-
Tube; Metropolitan "1898."^^ Chap. IV. Improved
Ejectors or Syphons and Their Application. Hay-
den & Derby Ejector; Application of the Ejector for Var-
ious Purposes; Drive Well Ejector; Injector and Ejector
Appliances; StriHtiers; Overflow Funnel; Noiseless Water
Heater. Chap, V. Use and Abuse of Injectors.
Care and Management of Injectors; Connecting Injec-
tors;Valves; Steam Pipe; Suction Pipe* Delivery Pipe;
Regulating; Water Pressure; Hot vVater Delivered
Economy; Temperature; Steam Loss; Chap. VI, INJEC-
TOR Troubles, how to Find Them. Why Injectors
Fail to Work; Injector Gets Water But Does Not Force
It to the Boiler; Injector Starts, but " Breaks-" Test for
Leaks; Cause of Injector not Showing a Full Capacity;
Test Capacity; Advantages of Drip-Cock; Selectmg In-
iector; Size of Injector Required; Rated H. P. of Boilev;
{.ules; Repairs; Repair Parts.
THE
MODEL LIBRARY
Price 25 Cents
No, 14
THE
SLIDE VALVE
Simply Explained
A Practical Treatise for Locomotive Engineers

AND
Students of the Steam Engine
By
W. J. TENNANT, Asso. M. L M. E., and J. H. KINEALY, M. E.
Revised and Considerably Enlarged Including a Number of
New Illustrations
REFRIGERATION and ICE MAKING and
REFRIGERATING MACHINERY.
A on the Construction, Operation

Practical Treatise
and the Care and Management of Refrig-
erating Machinery.
»V W. M. WAKEMAIMrf
PAMPHLET, 48 PAGES, SIZE 6x9 INCHES.

Illustrated by 17 Engravings.
PRICE 2S CEtSJ-rS, F=>OSXPAID.

CONTENTS.
Chapter I. Introduction; Purifying Water; The Can
and Plate System; Separating Air from Water; The Block
and Dry Plate System.
Chapter II. Ice Making; Horizontal and Vertical Com-
pressors; The Steam Cutter; The Absorption System.
Chapter III. A Small Ice Making Machine; Piping
Cold Storage Rooms; The Brine System.
Chapter IV. Compressors; Verticle; Low Type; Single
Acting; Directions for Operating Refrigerating Plants;
Testmg a Plant for Leaks; How to Charge a New Com-
pressor System with Ammonia.
Chapter V. To Start the Compressor; The Proper
way to Proceed with the Steam End of It, Causes of Leaky
Stuffing Boxes on vSingle Acting Cylinder; Suggestion.^
for Proper Care of Refrigerating Machines.
Chapter VI. Rules and Regulations.
Chapter VII. Tables Showing Approximate Cost of
Operating Ice Factories; Table ot" Specific Gravity; Table
of Standard Dimensions of Piping for Refrigerating
Plants; Properties of Ammonia; Table of Pressure .n
Pounds per square inch of Ammonia Gas; Table of Com-
prin sons of Thermometer Scales; The Standardization of
Thermometers.
No. 17. Price 25 Cents
3
Wireless Outfits
A CONCISE AND SIMPLE EXPLANATION ON THE
CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF
INEXPENSIVE WIRELESS EQUIPMENTS UP TO 100 MILES
By
NEWTON HARRISON, E. E.
'
The
MODEL LIBRARY Price 26 Cents
No. 18.
Wireless
Telephone Construction
A Comprehensive Explanation of the Making of a
Wireless Telephone Equipment for Receiving and Sending
Stations with Details of Construction
BY
NEWTON HARRISON, E. E.
With 43 Original Illustrations
fe\
-^SQQu— i
\j hi
TRANSMITTING STATION n D RECElViNJQ SXXSMSA^

™^ Price, 25 cts.
MODEL LIBRARY
25c. BOOKS.
THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO THE LATHE. An elementary
instruction book on turning in wood and metal. By Percival
Marshall. Specially written in plain language for the beginner
and as an elementary text-book for manual training schools. Con-
tents of Chapters: 1,—The lathe and its parts. 2. Method of
holding and driving work. 3. Turning in wood. 4. Turning in
metal. 5. The SHde-Rest. 6. Drilling and boring in the lathe.
MECHANICAL DRAWING SIMPLY EXPLAINED. By F. E.
Powell. threefold object of this book is to show how draw-
The
ings are made, how to read other peoples' drawings, and how to
make practical working drawings. Contents of Chapters: 1. —
Introduction. 2. The use and care of drawing instruments. 3.
On " reading " and setting out drawings. 4. Inking-in and finish-
ing drawings. 5. On drawing for reproduction. 78 pages, 44
illustrations.
MODEL STEAMER BUILDING. By Percival Marshall. A

practical handbook on the design and construction of model steamer
hulls, deck-fittings, and other details, including a model torpedo
boat destroyer, and a side-wheel passenger steamer. With laying-
off tables, 64 pages, 39 illustrations.
MACHINERY FOR MODEL STEAMERS. By Percival Mar-
shall. A practical handbook on the design and construction of
engines and boilers for model steamers, single and double cylinder
engines, side wheel engines. The use of liquid, fuel, and the pro-
portions of machinery for model boats. 64 pages, 44 illustrations.
SIMPLE MECHANICAL WORKING MODELS. How to make
and use them. By Percival Marshall. How to make the
following: Water and wind motors; hot-air engines; steam en-
gine and pump; slide valve launch engine; model steam boats;
working locomotive in cardboard, model gravitation railway, etc.
MODEL STEAM ENGINES. How to Understand Them and How
to Run Them. By H. Greenly. Including examples of stationary
locomotive, portable and marine engines. With different kinds
of boilers and methods of getting up steam, as well as engine de-
tails and valve mechanisms, etc. 87 pages and 55 illustrations.
MODEL STEAM ENGINE DESIGN. A handbook for the De-
signer of small Model Steam Engines, including original tables and
calculations for speed, power, proportions of pumps, compound
engines, and valve diagrp.ms. By Robert M. de Vignier. Con-
tents of Chapters: 1. Various Types. Speed of Model Engines.
2. Power Calculations. Materials. 3. Feed Pumps. 4. Com-
pound Engines. 5. The Valve Diagram. 6. Engine Layout. Pat-
terns. 102 pages, 34 illustrations.
THE
MODEL LIBRARY
Price 25 Cents
No. 20
Simple Experiments in
static Electricity
A Series of Instructive and Entertaini7ig Electrical
Experiments for Students and Amateurs
BY
PERCIVAL G. BULL, M.A. Oxon.
FULLY ILLUSTRATED
THE
PRICE 25 CTS.
MODEL LIBRARY
No. 21
Electrical Measuring
Instruments
A Practical Handbook describifig the making and using of
Galvanometers, Voltmeters Amperemeters Wkeatstone Bridges,
, ,
and other Instruments for detecting and measuriiig

Electrical Currejits.
FULLY ILLUSTRATED
THE Price ^5 cts.
MODEL LIBRARY
No. 23
INDUCTION COILS
HOW TO MAKE AND USE THEM
With
full particulars, tables of windings and illustrations showing the construction

of Coils giving sparks from one-half inch to twelve inches, including
COILS FOR AUTOMOBILES AND GAS ENGINES.
New edition thoroughly revised and enlarged by
KURT STOYE,
Instructor Baron de Hirsh Trade School, New York.
THE
MODEL LIBRARY Price 25 Cents.
No. 25
Alternating
Currents
SIMPLY EXPLAINED
An Elementary Handbook on Alternating Current Generators
Transformers and Motors
By a. W, MARSHALL
THE
MODEL LIBRARY Price 25 Cts.
No. 26.
How To Build
BI-PLANE GLIDER
A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK ON ITS
CONSTRUCTION AND USE
BY
ALFRED POWELL MORGAN
IVit/i Full Detail Drawings

5 ^^^0
]l)l
One copy del. to Cat. Div.
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—

HARD AND SOFT

DESCRIPTIONS OF INEXPENSIVE HOME-MADE

SPON & CHAMBERLAIN

In looking through many books on the sub-

resulting from the melting and amalgamations

Methods of Holding Work

Silver solder. Soldering copper. Soldering iron and

The blow-pipe. Foot bellows. The gasoline torch.

A simple Bunsen burner. Asimple blow-pipe. A

38. Bunsen burner . o „ o 63

A simple blow-pipe, detail O4

The Uniting by a fused metallic

Soft Soldering. The metal used for soft sol-

The Flux used for soft soldering is usually

simply to keep the metals clean where soldered

or rather, where they are to be united by the

Hard Soldering or Brazing. Silver or brass

The Flux used for Hard Soldering and Braz-

Soft Soldering is generally known as some-

or copper, which is a piece of copper weighing

placed in contact with the joint to be soldered.

This method has its advantages, but I think

Heating the Work. No matter how the heat

that both pieces to be soldered must be heated

their heatfrom the larger ones. Both metals

Flux for Soldering. Before we can make a

compounds. This may be purchased at any

stick is generally used. When making experi-

Soldering Fluid. Use an open mouth pint

YiQ inch wide and 2 inches in length or in

the zinc is in bars a coarse wood rasp is useful

Simple Joints, most commonly used are the

The "Butt" Joint, Fig. i, is made where the

The " Lap " Joint

required and is filing the ends down to

Any work which is to be bent or hammered

copper is purposely avoided as much as possible

Soldering A Ring. Take a strip of sheet

Scrape the brass around the joint for about a

around the ring as illustrated in Fig. 4. and not

Common Solder comes in bars about 14 inches

by pouring molten solder from an iron ladle into

The Simplest Way to melt and flow the solder

The Flame should be applied underneath, not

When Heating the Joint if the solder does

solder has cooled and " set," the joint may

Resin. If resin or soldering stick is to be

heat slightly and apply the resin or stick to the

In case it is required to solder the ring flat on

This job can be best heated with the flame

side of it with a flame, or rest the whole piece

the heat from the larger pieces. If other parts

are also to be attached it must be borne in mind

be pushed back into place, however, if the solder

is not wanted and is to be avoided as a