BLACKSMITHING ON THE FARM

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 447, 13 March 1912, Page 7

BLACKSMITHING ON THE FARM

At a recent meeting in South Australia a deligate said : —'"While he did not wish to reflect on the professional blacksmith, farmers had to look at this question from their own viewpoint, and that was that numerous small repairs were needed from time to time to the implements and machinery. In addition to loss of time involved in sending these to the smith the yearly expense would amount to a considerable sum. The outfit required by the man who intended to do most of his own blacksmithing need not cost more than £l6 or £2O. It would consist of bellows, anvil, vice, tongs, a couple of hammers, screw tackle, cold chisel, and a few punches. Useful scrap iror could often be bought cheaply at sales, and this, with a few bars oi good iron, would enable a handy mar to save pounds in the course of a year. At harvest time a man might lose pounds worth of time over a smail job if he had not the appli ances to do it himself quickly. It was not unusual, owing to pressure of work at the blacksmith's, for a job which could be done in a few minutes to waste half a day for the farmer. If small breakages and disorders were put right promptly the life of many implements and machines would be considerably prolonged. On wet days, instead of being idle, with the necessary appliances at hand, a farmer could mend chains, make S hooks, and eyebolt and many other useful things for general farm use. Of course, Sucla an equipment as described would not be sufficient for a farmer to attempt to manufacture implements, and ht would be unwise to attempt such tasks as required a tradesman's skill and experience. To give the best care to farm plant and get the most out of it it was necessary foi the farmer to do his «*?n blackEmithing." 1728.