COOLING COMPOUND FOR HEATED BEARINGS

Mercurial ointment mixed with black cylinder oil and applied every quarter of an hour, or as often as expedient.  The following is also recommended as a good cooling compound for heavy bearings:—­Tallow 2 lb., plumbage 6 oz., sugar of lead 4 oz.  Melt the tallow with gentle heat and add the other ingredients, stirring until cold.

CLEANING GREASY PLUMMER BLOCKS

When, through carelessness or unpreventable cause, plummer blocks and other detachable portions of machinery become clogged with sticky deposits of grease and impurities, a simple mode of cleansing the same is to take about 1000 parts by weight of boiling water, to which add about 10 or 15 parts of ordinary washing soda.  Keep the water on the boil and place therein the portions of the machine that are to be cleaned; this treatment has the effect of quickly loosening all grease, oil, and dirt, after which the metal is thoroughly washed and dried.  The action of the lye is to form with the grease a soap soluble in water.  To prevent lubricating oil hardening upon the parts of the machinery when in use, add a third part of kerosene.

AN EXCELLENT ANTI-FRICTION COMPOUND

For use on cams and stamper shanks, which will be harmless should it drop into the mortar or stamper boxes, is graphite (black-lead) and soft soap.  When the guides are wooden, the soft soap need not be added; black-lead made into a paste with water will act admirably.

TO CLEAN BRASS

Oxalic acid 1 oz., rotten stone 6 oz., powdered gum arabic 1/2 oz., sweet oil 1 oz.  Rub on with a piece of rag.

A SOLVENT FOR RUST

It is often very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to remove rust from articles made of iron.  Those which are very thickly coated are most easily cleaned by being immersed in a nearly saturated solution of chloride of tin.  The length of time they remain in this bath is determined by the thickness of the coating of rust.  Generally from twelve to twenty-four hours is long enough.

TO PROTECT IRON AND STEEL FROM RUST

The following method is but little known, although it deserves preference over many others.  Add 7 oz. of quicklime to 1 3/4 pints of cold water.  Let the mixture stand until the supernatant fluid is entirely clear.  Then pour this off, and mix with it enough olive oil to form a thick cream, or rather to the consistency of melted and re-congealed butter.  Grease the articles of iron or steel with this compound, and then wrap them up in paper, or if this cannot be done, apply the mixture somewhat more thickly.

TO KEEP MACHINERY FROM RUSTING