Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-16
A THIMELE OF GOLD
IT'S MADE OF METAL ALLOWED DOWN
10 FOURTEEN CA7ATS.
Tho Proccss of Manufacture, From
tho 1ngots oS Pure Gold Fresh From
The sabtrennury to the ElnisheJ
shining F-edsct,

tho lnSots oS Pure Gold Fresh From
The sabtrennury to the FinisheJ
shining P-edsct.
Out OF whatever part OF the earth 10
mGy originally have been dug, the gold
fron which tbimbles are made in Phil
ade,phia was bought at the United
States aubtreasury i'll the city in the
iorm OF snri: little iugots, brick shaped
and about two and Il half inches long,
IN inch and quarter wide aud about
III inch thick.
These Iltue ingots would be of con.
Tcnicnt size for paperwcghts. But
they would be rather heavy for SUCH
use and probably too expensive for
most people, for each ore contains. OF
pure gold, ~ carats fine, metal OF the
Taiue OF about 5000.
GOLD Of This tinpness would be much
too gofr for t.ilnbles. and it is alleged
down 10 ii carats, in which Condi-
lion IL IS rolled into sheets OF suitable
thickness. In the first process OF man.
ufacture sheet OF this gold is run
into a machine which cuts out OF it q
disk in size sufficient 10 form thin
bic. the sarle raChine stamping this
disk also into the form OF straight
sided capsule with irregular edges.
Then The thim6lc blank goes Into an
other machine, III which Il die stamps it
into It's conical shape. out Of this ma
chre 1t goes into an annculinE fur
nice FOR tempering and from that into
an ccid bath ior cleaning and the re-
mo.al cf the IRE ccutiuC
Then the thiinblc IS put into lathe
to &c turned down TO its hnal ehape
and dimensions. il - dull cOiored
when It goes into the lathe, bnG as the
first touch OF the keen edged cutting
toe! ii shows u GlistcninG narrow band
cf bright gold surface, which Is widen
Cd in L moment 10 cover the whole
length Of the 1Elmble as the skillful
worker shifts the tool along.
Wit. repeated application OF the tool
the oicrrtor brings the crown Of the
thiIlble into its perfect form and cuts
down along tho ;bimble's sides to bring
the walls o. the thiInbie TO the requi-
site thickness, end he defines and iIn-
isles tte emootn bnnd that runs around
the lower part OF the thimble and
encirclcs the thimble ut its opening ct
once 10 give II 4 finishing ornamental
grace there and TO stiffen It. The glis-
teninG little gold sh1v!ngs that he cuts
or liz these various operations all fall
into canvas trough suspended be-
tween him and the bench upon which
stands the lathe.
With that last touch TO its rim in this
stage OF making the former has grown
mGrcclouSly more thimble-lke IN ap-
pearancc. but somehow II still LACKS the
breath, so 10 speak, of thlmble life: It
lacks get the familiar indentations in
lts surface that serve to support the
needlc and to hold it III place. These
thc thirble maker now proceeds to
make. and the making or these is nice
wor.; indeed
II Is done with tool called hnurle
There is an end knurle and side
kluyic An. end lSnfrse Is si,gq,Yy:n ian.
die hayiDg set in Il tiny. thin revoiv.
Ing wheel OF steel, upon whose periph.
cry l.; continuous encircling row OF
little bosses or knobs corresponding IN
size 10 the iudeatations to be nude.
The side knurla has in place OF such n
wheel Il little steci cylinder OF length
sufficient 10 cover that section cr the
thimble that IL TO he indented or ita
sides, this cylinder having knobs all
over ita surface, as the end knurlc
wheel has around its edges, and turn.
inc. like tie wheel. OH It's axis.
1'ha thliAb!e in the lathe is turning
with 1880 revolutions minute. and il
seems as though the application 70 Its
surface OF any sort of tool with pro.
tuberances or K must leave there only
tangled anG mixed up lot OF irregular
marks. But now With the end knurle
the thimbie maker makes an indenta.
ton in the center of the top OF tie thin
bic. and then he proceeds rapidly and
with perfect certainty with tie eud
knur.c to describe around that center
concentric rings of indentations, with
the lamentations oll perfectly made and
the rings all perfectly spaced, from the
ceutor to the circumference oc the top.
Iou may see him do this, but you
cane tell how he is able to 90 &C. And
then witii the side kuurle he makes the
indentaifoNs IN the sides OF the thin
bic. making there as well. IA he deity
presses the TOOL against It, ipdentatione
tIlat run absolutely uniform and trus
and that end at their lower edge in G
perfectly true cncircling line.
1t is astonishing and Il pleasant thing
TO see HOY 1t develops and comes &c
itself with the making of these fG
nlliGr ihdertations, and NOW there re-
iaains 10 lie done to it only the polish
ing inside and out and you have tbs
finished gold thimble.-Philadolph
Press.