I keep seeing folks skip the soapstone test on old steel

Back when I was learning in my grandpa's shop in Toledo, he'd always draw a line with soapstone before the first heat. It shows you exactly how the metal moves. Now I watch videos where people just eyeball it and wonder why their scrolls twist wrong. That little chalk mark saved me so many bad bends on a tricky order for 50 gate hooks last spring. Does anyone else still use that old trick, or am I just stuck in my ways?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadebailey4d ago

Right? That chalk line is a lifesaver.

margaret2344d ago

Guess we found the one thing @wadebailey and I won't skip. My grandpa called it the 'idiot check' for a good reason. It sure saves time over fixing a whole batch.