beveled to a 45 degree angle, leaving a number of points touching at the
bottom of the bevel so that the work may be joined in its original
relation.

The entire piece should be preheated in a bricked-up oven or with charcoal
placed on the forge, when size does not warrant building a temporary oven.
The entire piece should be slowly heated and the portion immediately
surrounding the weld should be brought to a dull red. Care should be used
that the heat does not warp the metal through application to one part more
than the others. After welding, the work should be slowly cooled by
covering with ashes, slaked lime, asbestos fibre or some other
non-conductor of heat. These precautions are absolutely essential in the
case of cast iron.

A neutral flame, from a nozzle proportioned to the thickness of the work,
should be held with the point of the blue-white cone about one-eighth inch
from the surface of the iron.

A cast iron rod of correct diameter, usually made with an excess of
silicon, is used by keeping its end in contact with the molten metal and
flowing it into the puddle formed at the point of fusion. Metal should be
added so that the weld stands about one-eighth inch above the surrounding
surface of the work.

Various forms of flux may be used and they are applied by dipping the end
of the welding rod into the powder at intervals. These powders may contain
borax or salt, and to prevent a hard, brittle weld, graphite or
ferro-silicon may be added. Flux should be added only after the iron is
molten and as little as possible should be used. No flux should be used
just before completion of the work.