PRINTERS' FURNITURE AND TOOLS

almost twice as great as the other. (FThe tests by no means ended here; mere strength lacks much
of being the only test of a good chase. Deflective tests showed that, on two chases of the same
size, when each was sprung a quarter of an inch the Electric-Welded chase returned to its orig-
inal shape on the removal of the pressure, while the one made from cast-steel
remained 1 of an inch permanently out of true. In another test the cast-steel
chase was sprung JJ and the Electric-Welded At of an inch, the result being, on
removal of the pressure, that the former showed a permanent deflection of i of
an inch, while the latter was but 112 out. A series of these tests were made, every
one of which showed the Electric-Welded chases to have more than double the
resisting power of any others. qThe tests were all made with a view of deter-
mining which of the many samples submitted was best for chase-making. Be-
cause of its bright, glossy finish we named the new material Silver-Gloss Steel.
THE PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE.
The bars of steel from which Electric-Welded Silver-Gloss Steel Chases are made are drawn expressly
for us. Being cold-drawn every bar is of the finest texture, and is perfectly true in- all its dimensions. The
bars come from the steel-mill in all the special sizes and shapes used in chases. The first process of manu-
facure is the sawing of the bars to lengths suitable for the work in hand, for w1fich purpose a circular saw
is used that cuts through the hard steel with astonishing ease and speed. The bars could, of course, be cut
just as you have seen a blacksmith cut a piece of iron on his anvil, and just as most of the cutting is done
for hand-welded chases; but that is a crude process that bruises and batters the bar all out of shape; so we
use a saw. When they leave the saw the pieces are passed to the man in charge of the welding. He places
them in the electric-welder, where they are held tightly against each other by huge, vise-like jaws, which
gradually, at the will of the operator, close up as the heat increases, the movement being just sufficient to
insure a perfect unblemished joint. The weld being made, the now solid piece is rigidly held in a right-angle
vise that prevents warping out of shape or spring in any way while it is cooling.
qThe illustrations show the appearance of the weld-points. But for the small
ridge of excess metal seen at the point where the weld was made, the welding
would finish the chase; as it is, all that remains to be done is to cut away the
ridge, which work is quickly done by milling machines that leave the bars from
which the chase is made as smooth and perfect as they were before the welding.
qThe chase is finished when it leaves the milling machine. It is then taken in
hand by the inspector, who tests it with delicate gauges and stamps it with its
serial number and the Barnhart trade-mark, when it is ready for shipment.
qOver 34,000 Electric-Welded Chases have been sold by us, and among all that
vast number less than two dozen have been found defective. Is not that a won-
derful record? That such a showing is possible is due to the perfection of both
material and machinery. qIt is interesting to watch the welding. The current
is turned on slowly, and in an instant the steel takes on a dull-red color, which
gradually becomes brighter, until in a few seconds it is dazzling and rivals the noon-day sun in brilliancy.
Instinctively the eye turns from these penetrating rays; and when, a moment later, the gaze is again
directed to the work, the electric current has been turned off and the white-hot steel has lost much of its
blinding brightness. qThe bars, now become one solid piece, are quickly removed from the machine to make
room for others. The workmen handle even the shortest pieces with bare hands, for, so quickly is the heat
applied and the weld made, the bars have no time to become heated in any place except at the point where
the electric current passes through them. It is a peculiarity of electric welding that heat is first generated
at the centers of the bars, and thus the weld is made from the centers outward. This is just the opposite
to what takes place in making the common hammer-and-anvil weld, and is largely responsible for the
perfection of the electric weld. In electric welding, too, exactly the right amount of heat may be
applied to bring the metal to just the degree of fusibility that gives the best results. The ma- -
terial is not weakened by burning, nor is its temper drawn at any point except where the weld is-
made; and yet the heat is sufficient to cause the molecules of the steel to intermingle
just as they would were the metal melted and cast in a mold; and hence it is that the
four bars originally used for making an Electric-Welded Chase really become one solid,
perfect piece of steel, without flaw or blemish of any sort to indicate that a weld had
ever been made.
THE CHASE FOR PLATEN PRESSES.
It must not be supposed that the manufacture of Electric-Welded Chases is confined only to those used on
cylinder presses. Far from it. There is an immense demand for other varieties of Electric-Welded Chases
made from Silver-Gloss Steel. While it is true, as stated above, that so far as our knowledge extends,
there is but one manufacturer of platen presses furnishing any except cast-iron chases with the machines.
It is equally true that printers everywhere have recognized the value of the improved chases for their job-
bers, and hundreds have been sold. Our business in Electric-Welded chases for job presses is increasing
beyond our most sanguine expectations. qThe first cost of the Electric-Welded Chases for platen presses
is a little higher than the prices charged for chases made from cast-iron; but they will last a life-time, and,
when cost alone is considered, are much cheaper in the end. But when the value of the time they save
stoneman and pressman, and the cutting out of loss through pied forms caused by broken chases are taken
into account, the printer who will not recognize their value and supply his office with them must be short-
sighted indeed.

POINT-LINE, POINT-SET, POINT-BODY

QUALITY AND FINISH UNEQUALED