Brackets and other forgings are frequently made with the outside corner square and sharp, as shown at C, Fig. 61, and, of the two ways of doing this, one method is to use the size of stock required for the sides, first shaping the corner as at A. This corner is then squared by upsetting the metal at the bend, the blows coming as shown by the arrows at B. The work should rest on the anvil face, and not over one corner, while being hammered.

Drawing Dawn Large Stock

A second method is to use thicker stock and to draw out the ends, leaving a hump, shown at D, where the outside corner of the bend is to come. The dotted lines show the original shape of the bar; the solid lines the shape before bending. Sometimes stock of the size used in the first method is token and is upset to form the ridge, in place of drawing out the heavier stock.

The first method is the one more commonly used on medium sized work.

Twisted Gate Hook

It should be understood that the description given here will serve not only as a description of the particular piece in question but also as a general description of a variety of similarly shaped forgings. The methods used may be employed on other forgings of the same general shape.

Fig. 62. Twisted Gate Hook.

Fig. 62 shows a twisted gate hook. To start with, it is necessary to determine exactly what lengths the different parts of the hook will have after they are forged to dimensions, and before they are bent to shape. Before bending, the work is first drawn down to size as is indicated in the illustration. The bar is left square in the center for the central part, and each end is drawn to 1/4 inch round to form the hook and eye ends. The length of stock after being drawn out to 1/4 inch round, required to make the eye, is 2 3/8 inches. Allowing about 1/4 inch for the straight part before the eye is reached would make the total amount of stock required for the eye 2f inches. To obtain the amount of stock for the hook it is necessary to lay off the hook full size. If the drawing is full-sized, the measuring may be done directly on the drawing, but if not, a rough sketch having the proper dimensions should be laid off and the measuring done on that, the measuring of course being done along the dotted center line. This measuring is done by simply laying a string on the dotted line, then straightening out the string and measuring its length. In this way it will be found that 2) (inches is required by the hook. The first step is then to forge the work into the shape shown in Fig. 62.