Figure 3-36. - Prefab table and steel storage.

Figure 3-37. - Seated connection.

1. Make splitting cuts about 2 feet (60 cm) long, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of undisturbed metal between all cuts and at the end of the beam (fig. 3-38). As the cut is made, cool the steel behind the torch with a water spray or wet burlap.

2. After splitting cuts have been made and the beam cooled, cut through the metal between the cuts, starting at the center of the beam and working toward the ends, following the order shown in figure 3-38.

The procedure for splitting abeam also works very well when splitting plate and is recommended when making bars from plate. Multiple cuts from plate can be made by staggering the splitting procedure before cutting the space between slits. If this procedure is used, ensure that the entire plate has cooled so that the bars will not warp or bend.

TEMPLATES

When a part must be produced in quantity, a template is made first and the job laid out from the template. A template is any pattern made from sheet metal, regular template paper, wood, or other suitable material, which is used as a guide for the work to be done. A template can be the exact size and shape of the corresponding piece, as shown in figure 3-39,