18th Century Toaster? How did they do it?

[iknowablacksmith]

Hello.

As my user name suggests, i am not a blacksmith.....but i know one. And he has a problem. Well, he has lots of problems.....but don't tell him i said that.

He is trying to recreate a small 18th Century iron item (a toaster) that has no documentation, and is put together in a way that has so far remained a mystery to him.

He - Terry Connor - is the resident Blacksmith at Kings Landing Historical Settlement, located at Prince William, N.B., which is about 35 kilometers from Fredericton, where i live. He does not have a computer or internet access. I do. I also have several photos of the item in question, showing the "problem area" in detail. Neither he nor i have access to the item at present, but i have the photos and my own memories, and i can always call Mr. Connor to ask for more information should it be necessary.

So my question is this: how should i go about submitting this mystery to the forum? I want to follow all the proper procedures and protocols, so i figured i should ask here before proceeding.

So please let me know where i should post this, what kind of limits i should observe w.r.t. images, and everything else i should know.

Any assistance you may be able to offer will be *greatly* appreciated.

Thank you.


- Lincoln -

[irnsrgn]

480 by 640 jpg about 50 kb is normal, just go to manage attachments when posting or editing your present post.

http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f20/...ur-posts-1732/

[oakwoodforge]

Welcome to the forum, may I direct your attention to: http://www.iforgeiron.com/Blueprints..._articleid/221
Is this kind of what you are looking for ? If not, post some pictures someone here should be able to help.


Cheers

Jens

[iknowablacksmith]

Thank you both. I will select and resize some photos tomorrow, and post them here. The toaster is somewhat different. More than anything it looks like an old arch bridge. You'll see shortly.

Thanks again.

- Lincoln -

[iknowablacksmith]

Hello. I am redirecting this from the "Introduce Yourself" section, and this seems a better place for "my" problem.

I am not a blacksmith.....but i know one. And he has quite a mystery on his hands.

He is trying to recreate a small 18th Century iron item (a toaster) that has no documentation, and has not encountered anything quite like this before.

He - Terry Connor - is the resident Blacksmith at Kings Landing Historical Settlement, located at Prince William, N.B., Canada, which is about 35 kilometers from Fredericton, where i live. He does not have a computer or internet access. I do. I also have several photos of the item in question, showing the "problem area" in detail. Neither he nor i have access to the item at present, but i have the photos and my own memories, and i can always call Mr. Connor to ask for more information should it be necessary.

As this is my first post with an attachment, i will submit a general view of the toaster itself, so you can have an idea what i am trying to describe. If i manage not to screw that up, i will submit pictures - and descriptions - of the area he's having problems with.

Thank any and all for any assistance you may be able to offer.

- Lincoln -

[Mr Smith]

G'day!

Not sure what it is you're asking here, and how much you know about these, but I *have* seen a set of plans for one of these before, In a 'smithing newsletter. Maybe someone else can remember exactly where...

Basically, it comes in two parts, the upper part and the stand. Bread is put in between the uprights, then the upper freely rotates around the stand, allowing bread to be toasted on both sides, in front of a fire.

As to a practical standpoint, I would say the decorative parts of the upper are joined via tenons, and the upper riveted to the stand. That's how *I* would do it, anyway. If you'd like more info, let me know!

Best of luck, anyway!

Here's a link! Cordless Toasters

[iknowablacksmith]

Ok, that worked. So here it goes.

The problem is this: how are the curved parts attached to the base plate? (Please excuse my lack of blacksmithing vocabulary. I am most definitely a fish out of water, here!)

The semi-circular elements started out as 3/16" square bars (or rods, or whatever they should be called) that were twisted in the manner shown. The base plate seems to be about the same thickness. Holes were drilled into it to accept the semi-circular elements.

But how are they attached? How was the item held or clamped in order to "flatten" the ends of the semi-circular elements? These elements show no signs of clamp marks. If they were mounted while hot, how did they retain their shape? Or were only the ends heated, and then hammered?

Why don't i shut up and let you look at the pictures?

I will be checking back regularly to see if anyone has any ideas. The original photos are of much higher resolution, and if there is anything you would like to see in more detail, please just ask.

I hope someone out there has an idea about how this was done!

Thank you.


- Lincoln -

[Mr Smith]

The semi circular pieces have a tenon formed on the end of them. There are holes punched in the base, then countersunk. The tenon passes through, then the end is riveted. This means it is rivited as per usual, but sits flush with the base.

Next question!

[iknowablacksmith]

Mr. Smith!

Thank you for your reply, and thank you for the link you provided.

The "18th Century Wrought Iron Hearth Toaster from Pennsylvania" is *very* close to the one in question.....and since a large number of the early settlers in New Brunswick were Loyalists from Pennsylvania, this may well have been its point of origin (or, at least, the point of origin of its builder).

This is ammunition for more research, certainly!


- Lincoln -

[iknowablacksmith]

Originally Posted by Mr Smith

The semi circular pieces have a tenon formed on the end of them. There are holes punched in the base, then countersunk. The tenon passes through, then the end is riveted. This means it is rivited as per usual, but sits flush with the base.

Next question!

Thank you for this.

But is there any chance you can dumb down the description a little more? I will have to describe this to the blacksmith over the telephone.....and the better i understand it the better i'll be able to help him.

(In your vast bag of links, is there anything that could be applicable? You know, something along the lines of "Riveting For Morons"?????)


- Lincoln -