The hydraulic Hanging press has considerably curtailed the work of the angle smith, but nevertheless there is much interesting work being done, as the author will endeavour to show. The anvil block in general use for angle work is shown in Fig. 248, which will answer for most purposes, but where there is a repetition of an acute or obtuse angle, a block is made having the required angle, and also there are blocks with segments of circles upon each edge, with various radii for angle-ring making. The general process may be illustrated simply by describing the work and manner of making a right angle. The angle iron is marked to the required length in each direction, A B, then upon each side of the vertical an angle of 45° is marked, that is, nicked cold and afterwards heated and removed by a hot set. The edges are then scarfed, and the angle bent round. Sometimes the corner is hammered square, and at others a "glut," that is, a small length of bar iron, is welded on. The angle to which it is first bent is an important consideration and perhaps, to be on the safe side, it should be rather more acute than is required at the finish, but experienced journeymen appear to work correctly without this preliminary operation. However, if it is rather more acute, and the scarf rather thicker than the rest of the section, the angle can be easily obtained by hammering the joint a Little more, and then if too thick, metal can always be removed by the hot set when it would be impassible to add more if too thin. The operation is similar for various angles, the V-piece removed differing of course in width according to the angle required. Fig. 249 shows a portion of the end angle iron of a saddle tank. The simple right angle is first made, and then the other portion is bent round a fixed template on a bending block, the flat being kept down by a few blows as the bending proceeds, that is, as it puckers up, the metal is caused to flow or gather together by these blows. The running board or platform edge angle iron is shown in Fig. 250. It is 6 inches by 2« inches with an overall length of 26 feet 1 inch when finished. The buffer beam end is first formed. The figure, and the previous general description of making a right angle, clearly indicate the process, and is followed by welding in the glut A to form the finished curve, which is cut by a hot set.

The opposite or footstep end is formed from a mild steel plate, the angle being flanged over and cornered up square by welding on gluts of bar iron, 6 inches or 7 inches, at once. It is then welded to the main angle iron, care being taken to keep it in line with the whole length, and to trammelled centres already fixed. When finished, should it be too short, it is an easy matter to heat a short length and then stretch, but it is rather more difficult to jump it up accurately, these latter operations being of most rare occurrence. Fig. 251 is an example only of a box angle iron, the full lines having the flange outside, and the dotted inside. The corners A and B are finished first, that is, they are left perfectly square before the opposite end is commenced. The parallel sides are then cramped together, and the other two corners finished. The first corner must not be left until it is perfectly square, following this plan rigidly throughout for each corner. The inside flange is the easist to make, from the fact that there is only one half the scarfing and welding to perform. Angle rings are seldom required, and those of heavy section and in numbers can be obtained weldless; but odd ones are made by bending the angle iron round segments upon the bending block and welding. To make an accurate ring is an accomplishment, the difficulty being the allowance or scarfing. Sometimes, instead of the usual rectangular or right-angled iron, acute or obtuse angles may be required, which are produced by drawing through blocks under the steam hammer as shown in the annexed figure; when of course the small quantity and short length required does not warrant the rolling of such a section.

Fig. 248.

One form of bending block is shown in Fig. 252; and upon it is placed the cab beading, which will at once bring before the reader's mind many applications to which it can be put.