These items were heated in small furnaces, covered in Sal ammoniac, and then used for soldering seams. Before electric soldering irons became available, tinsmiths would use heated "copper" irons made of a wooden handle, iron shank, and copper tips formed into different shapes. Planishing hammers, chasing hammers, creasing hammers, and setting down hammers are among the most common, as well as ball peen hammers. Solder was then used to join the pieces together a soldering iron and fire pot were needed to do this. Straight and curved anvils (stakes) were used to turn and roll the edges of the tin. The tin was flattened on an anvil made of a block of steel. In addition to the big shears anchored in a hole in his bench, he used hand snips and nippers for cutting. The simple shapes made by the tinsmith require tools similar to those of a coppersmith. The respective properties of the metals mean that corrosion once started is likely to be rapid. A piece of tinware may develop rust if the tin coating has worn away or been cut in the metal. However, the tinplate's quality depends on the iron or steel being free from rust and the surface being in an unbroken coating. Tin's non-rusting qualities make it an invaluable coating. Today's tinplate is mild steel electroplated with tin. However, it could be alloyed with lead and copper to make pewter or alloyed with copper alone to produce bronze. Pure tin is an expensive and soft metal and it is not practical to use it alone. Certificates submitted by colonial governors to the British Board of Trade following the Act indicate that no tinplate works then existed though there were several slitting mills, some described as slitting and rolling mills. The British Iron Act of 1750 prohibited (among other things) the erection of new rolling mills, which prevented the erection of new tinplate works in America until after the American Revolution. Previously Great Britain had imported most tinplate from Hamburg. This process was first discovered in the 16th century, with the development of the British tinplate address in 1661 with a patent to Dud Dudley and William Chamberlayne. Tinplate consists of sheet iron coated with tin and then run through rollers. Many young tinsmiths took to the road as peddlers or tinkers to save enough money to open a shop in town. Later he tackled more complicated pieces such as chandeliers and crooked-spout coffee pots.Īfter his apprenticeship was completed, he then became a journeyman, not yet being a master smith employing others. Next, he formed objects such as milk pails, basins, or cake and pie pans. He learned first to make cake stamps ( cookie cutters), pillboxes and other simple items. Finally, he was allowed to cut out and complete objects. Later he would trace patterns on sheets and cut them out, then soldering joints, and inserting rivets. Apprenticeships were considered "indentures" and an apprentice would start first with simply cleaning the shop, polishing tools, keeping the fires lit, filing sharp edges, and polishing finished pieces. The tinsmith learned his trade, like many other artisans, by serving an apprenticeship of 4 to 6 years with a master tinsmith. Tinsmiths fabricate items such as water pitchers, forks, spoons, and candle holders. Unlike blacksmiths (who work mostly with hot metals), tinsmiths do the majority of their work on cold metal (although they might use a hearth to heat and help shape their raw materials). Tinsmith was a common occupation in pre-industrial times. By extension it can also refer to the person who deals in tinware, or tin plate. The profession may sometimes also be known as a tinner, tinker, tinman, or tinplate worker whitesmith may also refer to this profession, though the same word may also refer to an unrelated specialty of iron-smithing. Tinsmiths on the roof of Storkyrkan, Stockholm 1903Ī tinsmith is a person who makes and repairs things made of tin or other light metals. Made by a Civilian Conservation Corps tinsmith. Person who makes and repairs things made of tin or other light metalsĪ tinsmith at Old Sturbridge Village Tinware desk lamp, late 1930s, Bandelier National Monument.
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