METALWORK

METALWOR K

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

MERIT BADGE SERIES

“Enhancing our youths’ competitive edge through merit badges”

Requirements

1. Read the safety rules for metalwork. Discuss how to be safe

while working with metal. Discuss with your counselor the

additional safety rules that apply to the metalwork option

you choose for requirement 5.

2. Dene the terms native metal, malleable, metallurgy, alloy,

nonferrous, and ferrous. Then do the following:

a. Name two nonferrous alloys used by pre–Iron Age metal-

workers. Name the metals that are combined to form

these alloys.

b. Name three ferrous alloys used by modern metalworkers.

c. Describe how to work-harden a metal.

d. Describe how to anneal a nonferrous and a ferrous metal.

3. Do the following:

a. Work-harden a piece of 26- or 28-gauge sheet brass or

sheet copper. Put a 45-degree bend in the metal, then

heavily peen the area along the bend line to work-harden

it. Note the amount of effort that is required to overcome

the yield point in this unworked piece of metal.

b. Soften the work-hardened piece from requirement 3a by

annealing it, and then try to remove the 45-degree bend.

Note the amount of effort that is required to overcome

the yield point.

c. Make a temper color index from a at piece of steel.

Using hand tools, make and temper a center punch of

medium-carbon or high-carbon steel.

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4 METALWORK

4. Find out about three career opportunities in metalworking.

Pick one and nd out the education, training, and

experience required for this profession. Discuss this

with your counselor, and explain why this profession

might interest you.

5. After completing the rst four requirements, complete at

least ONE of the options listed below.

a. Option 1—Sheet Metal Mechanic/Tinsmith

1) Name and describe the use of the basic sheet

metalworking tools.

2) Create a sketch of two objects to make from sheet

metal. Include each component’s dimensions on your

sketch, which need not be to scale.

3) Make two objects out of 24- or 26-gauge sheet metal.

Use patterns either provided by your counselor

or made by you and approved by your counselor.

Construct these objects using a metal that is

appropriate to the object’s ultimate purpose,

and using cutting, bending, edging, and either

soldering or brazing.

a) One object also must include at least one

riveted component.

b) If you do not make your objects from zinc-plated

sheet steel or tin-plated sheet steel, preserve your

work from oxidation.

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b. Option 2—Silversmith

1) Name and describe the use of a

silversmith’s basic tools.

2) Create a sketch of two objects to

make from sheet silver. Include each

component’s dimensions on your sketch,

which need not be to scale.

3) Make two objects out of 18- or 20-gauge

sheet copper. Use patterns either

provided by your counselor or made

by you and approved by your counselor.

Both objects must include a soldered

joint. If you have prior silversmithing

experience, you may substitute sterling

silver, nickel silver, or lead-free pewter.

a) At least one object must include

a sawed component you have

made yourself.

b) At least one object must include a sunken part you

have made yourself.

c) Clean and polish your objects.

c. Option 3—Founder

1) Name and describe the use of the basic parts of a

two-piece mold. Name at least three different types

of molds.

2) Create a sketch of two objects to cast in metal. Include

each component’s dimensions on your sketch, which

need not be to scale.

3) Make two molds, one using a pattern provided by

your counselor and another one you have made

yourself that has been approved by your counselor.

Position the pouring gate and vents yourself.

Do note use copyrighted materials as patterns.

a) Using lead-free pewter, make a casting using a mold

provided by your counselor.

b) Using lead-free pewter, make a casting using the

mold that you have made.

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d. Option 4—Blacksmith

1) Name and describe the use of a blacksmith’s

basic tools.

2) Make a sketch of two objects to hot-forge. Include

each component’s dimensions on your sketch,

which need not be to scale.

3) Using low-carbon steel at least

⁄4 inch thick,

perform the following exercises:

a) Draw out by forging a taper.

b) Use the horn of the anvil by forging a

U-shaped bend.

c) Form a decorative twist in a piece of square steel.

d) Use the edge of the anvil to bend metal by forging

an L-shaped bend.

4) Using low-carbon steel at least

⁄4 inch thick, make

the two objects you sketched that require hot-forging.

Be sure you have your counselor’s approval before

you begin.

a) Include a decorative twist on one object.

b) Include a hammer-riveted joint in one object.

c) Preserve your work from oxidation.

94 METALWORK

Metalwork Resources.

Metalwork Resources

The resources listed below represent

only a fraction of those available to the

hobby metalworker. Check the local

library and bookstores for additional

titles, and don’t be afraid to purchase

out-of-print titles or titles with older

metalworking techniques are timeless.

Books

Metalworking

McCreight, Tim. The Complete

Metalsmith: An Illustrated Handbook.

Davis Publications, 1991.

Repp, Victor E. Metalwork: Technology and

Practice, 9th ed. McGraw-Hill, 1993.

Walker, John R. Modern Metalworking,

9th ed. Goodheart-Wilcox Company

Inc., 2004.

Metal Can Craft

Hansson, Bobby. The Fine Art of

the Tin Can, revised ed. Lark

Books, 2005.

Maguire, Mary. Tin Crafts: Over

20 Projects for the Home.

Lorenz Books, 1999.

Tinsmithing/Tinware

DeVoe, Shirley Spaulding. The Art of

the Tinsmith—English and American.

Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1981.

Handsberg, Ejner. Shop Drawings

of Shaker Iron and Tinware.

Berkshire House Publishing, 1993.

Vosburgh, H.K. The Tinsmith’s Helper

and Pattern Book. Astragal Press, 1994.

Silversmithing

Finegold, Rupert, and William Seitz.

Silversmithing. Iola, Wisconsin:

Krause Publications, 1997.

McCreight, Tim. Jewelry: The

Fundamentals of Metalsmithing.

Hand Books Press, 1997.

——. The Metalsmith’s Book of

Boxes and Lockets. Hand

Books Press, 1999.

Silvera, Joe. Soldering Made Simple.

Kalmbach Books, 2010.

Visit the Boy Scouts of America’s

ofcial retail website at http://

www.scoutstuff.org for a com-

plete listing of all merit badge

pamphlets and other helpful

Scouting materials and supplies.

METALWORK 95

.Metalwork Resources

Metal Casting

Ammen, C.W. The Complete Book of

Bronze Casting. Tab Books Inc., 1985.

McCreight, Tim. Practical Casting.

Brynmorgan Press, 1994.

Blacksmithing

Andrews, Jack. The New Edge of the

Anvil. Skipjack Press, 1994.

Bealer, Alex W. The Art of

Blacksmithing, revised ed. Castle

Books, 2009.

Blandford, Percy. Practical

Blacksmithing and Metalworking.

McGraw-Hill Professional, 1988.

Sims, Lorelei. The Backyard Blacksmith.

Quarry Books, 2006.

Weygers, Alexander G. The Complete

Modern Blacksmith. Ten Speed

Press, 1997.

Organizations and Websites

Artist-Blacksmith’s Association

of North America

Website: http://www.abana.org

The ArtMetal Resource to

Metalworking

Website: http://www.artmetal.com

Metal Museum

Website: http://www.metalmuseum.org

National Institute for

Metalworking Skills

Website: https://www.nims-skills.org

Society of American Silversmiths

Website: http://www.silversmithing.com

Materials and Supplies

Casting Metal, RTV Silicone,

Premade Molds Castings

Toll-free telephone: 888-429-1707

Website:

http://www.miniaturemolds.com

Centaur Forge

117 N. Spring St.

Burlington, WI 53105-0340

Toll-free telephone: 800-666-9175

Website: http://www.centaurforge.com

The Dunken Company Inc.

Toll-free telephone: 800-544-6653

Website: http://www.dunken.com

Rio Grande

Toll-free telephone: 800-545-6566

Website: http://www.riogrande.com

Shor International Corporation

Toll-free telephone: 800-295-6320

Website:

http://www.shorinternational.com

Stebgo Metals

Toll-free telephone: 800-289-0138

Website: http://www.stebgo.com

Widget Supply

Telephone: 541-926-1003

Website: http://www.widgetsupply.com