lead from running off while burning in the plates.

Instructions for burning on plates are given on page 217.

The triangular scraper, steel wire brush, coarse files and smoked or
blue glasses are all standard articles and may be obtained from any
supply house. The burning collars are made of iron, and are set over
the end of inter-cell connectors when burning these to the posts, see
Figure 98. Experienced repairmen generally do not use them, but those
who have trouble with the whole end of the connector melting and the
lead running off should use collars to hold in the lead.

[Fig. 98 Burning collars]

The Burning Lead Mould

In every shop there is an accumulation of scrap lead from post
drillings, old connecting straps, old plate straps, etc. These should
be kept in a special box provided for that purpose, and when a
sufficient amount has accumulated, the lead should be melted and run
off into moulds for making burning-lead.

The Burning Lead Mould is designed to be used for this purpose. As
shown in Fig. 99, the mould consists of a sheet iron form which has
been pressed into six troughs or grooves into which the melted lead is
poured. This sheet iron form is conveniently mounted on a block of
wood which has a handle at one end, making it possible to hold the
mould while hot without danger of being burned. A sheet of asbestos
separates the iron form from the wood, thus protecting the wood from
the heat of the melted lead. A hole is drilled in the end of the
handle to permit the mould being hung on a nail when not in use. The
grooves in the iron form will produce bars of burning lead 15 inches
long, 5-16 inch thick, 3/8 inch wide at the top, and 1/4 inch wide at
the bottom.

[Fig. 99]

Fig. 99. Burning-Lead Moulds, and Burning Sticks Cast in Them

The advantage of this type of Burning Lead Mould over a cast iron
mould is obvious. The form, being made of sheet iron, heats up very
quickly, and absorbs only a very small amount of heat from the melted
lead. The cast-iron mould, on the other hand, takes so much heat from
the melted lead that the latter cools very quickly, and is hard to
handle.

An iron pot that will hold at least ten pounds of molten lead should
be used in melting up lead scraps for burning sticks.

When the metal has become soft enough to stir with a clean pine stick
skim off the dross. Continue heating metal until slightly yellow on
top.

With a paddle or ladle drop in a cleanin