Annealing Metals:-

1. Anneal zinc with a Bunsen burner, not a blowpipe, or it may volatilize.

2. When annealing aluminium mark over with common soap and warm until soap turns black; it is then annealed.

3. Before annealing sheet brass work ease any stresses that may exist by malleting. Also warm very slowly and gradually increase temperature to avoid fire cracks.

Soldering Metals:-

1. All metals should be tinned at the joint before being soft soldered.

2. Use hydrochloric acid as a flux when soldering galvanized iron.

3. Before soft soldering pewter be sure the solder melts before the job. Brazing Metals:-

1. Iron should be reddened before being brazed, i.e. rubbed with sulphate of copper (bluestone) and water.

2. File all joints before brazing and silver soldering.

3. Butt joints should be nicked before brazing.

4. If spelter is not fusible enough add zinc filings or a little silver solder.

5. Before brazing sheet or rod brass, practice on a waste piece of the same material first.

6. See that your work is well packed up and tied before brazing so that it does not separate when on the point of fusion.

7. See that there is not any lead or solder on brass when bringing the brass to a red heat as it will cause a hole.

Forging:-

1. Keep the fire clean, and free from clinker.

2. Keep the face of your hammer in good condition.

3. See that your tongs fit the work, so avoiding an accident.

4. Do not work iron at a dull red heat.

5. Do not work or heat carbon tool steel beyond a bright red heat.

6. When cutting-material on the anvil with a hot or cold sett see that the tools do not touch the face of the anvil when nearly through.

7. A block of copper with a piece fitting into the square hole in the anvil is handy for cutting out thin material on, especially if the material is hot.

8. Good forge coal should be even in size, glossy black, and should crumble, not split.

9. Pea-size washed coke breeze makes a nice clean fire for light work.

10. Before welding see you have all the tools ready to hand. Other Points that you may need:-

1. Keep hammers off tin plate as much as possible; use a mallet instead, and little of that.

2. Measure twice before cutting your material off.

3. See no dampness is in or on the moulds used for casting lead in.

4. When loading brass tube for bending, see that no air-pockets form. Prevent by heating tube at loading end and work downwards with the blowpipe so allowing the material to settle; reversing the process might cause a burst.

5. Use a slate pencil for marking on iron, or a scriber made of brass wire.