The coal will catch fire and
burn after the waste has been consumed. A piece of waste half the size of a
person's hand is ample for this purpose.
The fuel should be "smithing coal." A lump of smithing coal breaks easily,
shows clean and even on all sides and should not break into layers. The
coal is broken into fine pieces and wet before being used on the fire.
The fire should be kept deep enough so that there is always three or four
inches of fire below the piece of metal to be heated and there should be
enough fire above the work so that no part of the metal being heated comes
in contact with the air. The fire should be kept as small as possible while
following these rules as to depth.
To make the fire larger, loosen the coal around the edges. To make the fire
smaller, pack wet coal around the edges in a compact mass and loosen the
fire in the center. Add fresh coal only around the edges of the fire. It
will turn to coke and can then be raked onto the fire. Blow only enough air
into the fire to keep it burning brightly, not so much that the fire is
blown up through the top of the coal pack. To prevent the fire from going
out between jobs, stick a piece of soft wood into it and cover with fresh
wet coal.
_Tools._--The _hammer_ is a ball pene, or blacksmith's hammer,
weighing about a pound and a half.
The _sledge_ is a heavy hammer, weighing from 5 to 20 pounds and
having a handle 30 to 36 inches long.
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