_Iron Working Tools._--Forge tools for a farm shop need not be numerous. Several pairs of tongs, one blacksmith hammer, one sledge, one hardy, one wooden-handled cold chisel, one pair pincers, one paring knife, one shoeing rasp, and one shoeing hammer will do to begin with.
[Illustration: Figure 55.--Machinist's Hammers. A medium weight should be selected for farm repair work. It should be hung so the end of the handle clears half an inch when the face rests flat on the bench.]
Monkey-wrenches come first in the wrench department. The farmer needs three sizes, one may be quite small, say six inches in length, one ten inches, and the other large enough to span a two-inch nut. And there should be an ironclad rule, never use a monkey-wrench for a hammer. For work around plows, cultivators, harvesters, and other farm machines, a case of S wrenches will be greatly appreciated. Manufacturers include wrenches with almost all farm machines, but such wrenches are too cheap to be of much use.
[Illustration: Figure 56.--(1) Hardy. The anvil hardy is used more than any other anvil tool except the blacksmith's hammer and tongs. (2) A Cold-Shut Link that may be welded, riveted or simply pounded shut.]
[Illustration: Figure 57.--Calipers: (1) A pair of tight-joint inside calipers. (2) Its mate for taking outside dimensions. (3) A pair of spring-jointed, screw-adjustment inside calipers for machinists' use.]
[Illustration: Figure 58.--Blacksmith Tongs. Straight tongs made to hold 3/8" iron is the handiest size. Two or three pairs for larger sizes of iron and one pair smaller come in handy.]
[Illustration: Figure 59.--(1) Wire Splicer. The oval openings in the tool are of different sizes. They are made to hold two wires, close together, with ends projecting in opposite directions. Each end is wound around the other wire. The ends are then notched with a three-cornered file and broken off short and filed smooth. The splicing tool should be thin, about 1/8" or 3/16", to bring the two twists close together. This is especially necessary in making hoops for wooden pails. (2) Blacksmith Shoeing Pincers, used to pull horseshoes. They should close together to catch a nail by the head.]
For heavier work pipe-wrenches are absolutely necessary. The reason for having so many wrenches is to save time when in the field. It often happens that men and horses stand idle waiting for what should be a quick repair job.