[Illustration: Figure 74.--Wire Splice. With a little practice wire may be wound close enough to prevent slipping.] _Home-made Bolts._--The easiest way to make a bolt is to cut a rod of round iron the proper length and run a thread on each end. On one end the thread may be just long enough to rivet the head, while the thread on the other end is made longer to accommodate the nut and to take up slack. A farmer needs round iron in sizes from one-fourth inch to five-eighths inch. He will use more three-eighths and one-half inch than any other sizes. Blank nuts are made in standard sizes to fit any size of round iron. Have an assortment, in different sizes, of both the square and the hexagon nuts. [Illustration: Figure 75.--Emergency Bolts. A bolt may be made quickly without a forge fire by cutting a short thread on one end for the head and a longer thread on the other end for the nut.] [Illustration: Figure 76.--Rivets. A stock of soft iron rivets of different sizes and lengths should be always kept on hand ready for immediate use.] To make a bolt in the ordinary way requires welding, but for repair work in a hurry it is better to select the proper iron and cut it to the required length either with a cold chisel in the vise, or with a hardy and a handled cold chisel over an anvil. The quickest way of cutting that mashes the rod the least is to be preferred. The size of the rod will determine the manner of cutting in most instances. [Illustration: Figure 77.--Rivets.] [Illustration: Figure 78.--Rivet Set. This style of set is used for small rivets. The size should be selected to fit the rivets closely. Larger rivets are made to hug the work by means of a flat piece of steel with a hole through it.] [Illustration: Figure 79.--Rivet Set.] [Illustration: Figure 80.--(1) Coulter Clamp. Plow-beam clamps should be made in the farm shop to fit each plow. (2) Garden Weeder. The quickest hand killer of young weeds in the garden is a flat steel blade that works horizontally half an inch below the surface of the ground.] [Illustration: Figure 81.--Stock and Dies. Taps and dies and stocks are best kept in compartments in a case made for the purpose.] [Illustration: Figure 82.--Stock for Round Dies. The opening is turned true and sized accurately to fit. The screw applies pressure to hold the die by friction.] [Illustration: Figure 83.--Taps and Dies. Standard threads are tapped into blank nuts and corresponding threads are cut onto bolts with accuracy and rapidity by using this style taps and dies. They may be had in all sizes. The range for farm work should cut from 1/4" to 5/8", inclusive.] [Illustration: Figure 84.--Taper Tap for Blacksmith's Use.]