For the past week, Border Town has been relatively quiet.
According to Iron Axe and Brian, the strength and number of demonic beasts will gradually increase as the demonic moon continues. Taking advantage of the current low defensive pressure, Roland once again sent a sloop full of ore to Liuye Town.
The number of workers at the North Slope Mine has dropped by half as the first steam generator is put into use, but production has steadily increased and has now returned to the level before the collapse. With the help of machines, manpower has been greatly saved.
At the same time, Roland made a preliminary reform of the production system in the mining area, from the original fixed salary to a variable salary according to the amount. He asked Barov to calculate the average daily output of the previous years and set it as a standard. For each increase in production, he would get an extra reward, and there would be extra rewards for those who found gemstone veins. This move effectively promoted the enthusiasm of the workers, and the whole mining area was in full swing.
With the remaining ore in his hand, Roland naturally wanted to do something.
In addition to incorporating Steam II into the production schedule, he also intends to build a fleet of hand-crafted machines.
The machine tool has a long history. Generally speaking, it is essentially a tool table for processing tools. So the anvil can be regarded as the most primitive machine tool - fixed by hand and built by hand.
It’s okay to make it by hand, but it’s too inconvenient to fix it by hand, so people add snaps or grooves on the table to fix the parts to be processed. The barrels of early arquebuses and flintlocks, for example, were hand hammered on fluted anvils.
Later, the manpower knocking planing and milling alone could no longer meet the processing needs, and the machine tools were differentiated. According to different uses, different fixing methods and processing tools were used, and manual and mechanical linkages were used, which effectively improved the pure manual output every time. The disadvantage of varying strength.
What Roland considered was the manual milling machine.
Although the milling machine has various functions, it is mainly used to process involute gears, so its structure can also be simplified accordingly, only a pair of slots for fixing the toothed disc and a steel grinding disc that can be rotated. A special-shaped grinding disc specially designed for cutting gears can be easily manufactured with the help of Anna. The top of the grinding tool is ground into a trapezoid shape, heated to a red incandescent state, and the imprint is drawn on it with an iron bar, and then immersed in water for quenching treatment. Customized discs with higher stiffness can be obtained.
After the key issue was resolved, Roland immediately recruited Carter and asked him to hire two carpenters to build the base of the milling machine for himself, while Anna continued to manufacture other metal parts in the castle's backyard.
I have to say that with Ana, metalworking becomes as easy as kneading mud, especially after she has mastered the retraction and release of flames. Now the primary processing of small pieces, she uses her hands to squeeze out the rough shape. Seeing how the other party melted the iron ingot into a viscous molten iron, and then kneaded it, Roland couldn't stop sighing.
If there is no witch, these plans in his mind may be delayed for more than ten years.
Two days later, the first simple milling machine appeared in the backyard.
During this time, Roland has not been idle. Drawing gears can be regarded as his old profession. He designed a set of gears to adjust the speed and stabilize the output of the steam engine. The corresponding toothed plate has been released from the mold, and the tooth milling process can be carried out only after the milling machine is assembled.
Gears are not a new thing. Most mines in this world rely on livestock to pull wooden gears and winches to drain water. This time, the chief knight is finally satisfied. After so many times for His Royal Highness, he can understand the other party's plan this time. what did you do.
Roland also asked him to bring three blacksmiths and their apprentices to learn how to use a milling machine in the yard. It is impossible for him to operate these machines himself every day, so he must train a group of professional workers.
After everyone bowed respectfully, Roland began to demonstrate how to use a milling machine to machine gears.
He didn't mind being a senior fitter in front of everyone. In fact, there are all types of princes in this era, and there are various hobbies. In addition, I have a reputation for acting out of control before, so I have no pressure to operate the machine.
The chief knight was in charge of pouring the warm lard for him. In the era of no oil lubrication, using lard instead is a waste, but it is better than nothing. The lard is poured over the grinding plate and then falls into the porcelain basin below, which can be used repeatedly.
Roland first carved the teeth marks on the chainring according to the designed angle, and then erected the chainring and fixed it on the workbench. Then pull the grinding disc to the top of the toothed disc, align the scale line, and step on the pedal. The pedal drives the wooden wheel, and the power is transmitted to the grinding wheel shaft through the belt.
Then he steadied the handle of the grinding wheel with his hand, pulled down gently, and the rotating grinding wheel slowly cut into the toothed disk at a 90-degree angle.
Since the material of the toothed disc is pig iron and the grinding disc is quenched steel, it is not very laborious to cut out the tooth marks. The smell of lard permeated the scene, making the blacksmiths and apprentices who had not tasted meat for a long time all gulped.
After the demonstration, the contract is signed. The business of Border Town is still in its infancy, and the industry is out of the question. Whether it is a steam engine or a machine tool, there will not be a phenomenon that stores are rushing to buy it as soon as it is manufactured. In this day and age, most people don't realize the enormous significance and potential commercial value of these things. So Roland could only take the initiative to promote the use of machinery.
He stipulated in the contract that the blacksmith using the milling machine needs to process at least one set of gears every week, and the required materials are provided by the castle, and the processing fee is 10 silver dragons. At the same time, the mechanical usage fee of 2 silver dragons must be paid every week. Because this set of machine tools is not given to the blacksmith for free use, but more similar to rental.
After entering the Month of Demons, the business of the blacksmith shop has also declined a lot. At this time, there is a chance to make money, and it is the order that His Royal Highness personally explained. Naturally, everyone has no objection. At the same time, Roland told them that this is only the first milling machine, and several will be produced one after another in the future. Those who are interested can apply to the city hall.
"His Royal Highness, why don't you directly write the processing fee as 8 silver dragons on the contract?" Carter asked inexplicably after the blacksmiths left.
"Although these two numbers are the same, their meanings are not the same," Roland explained. "This is probably the first commercial lease contract in Border Town, and I need to set an industry standard."
The chief knight wiped his forehead, and His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince seemed to be babbling nonsense again, but he had already experienced this. As long as he pretended to listen carefully, His Highness would continue to explain.
“A good start creates a virtuous cycle. Right now it’s just me who needs to buy the gears, so I provide the machine, they pay for the manpower, and they get paid as a hire fee. When other people have that kind of demand in the future, they will Realizing that buying a machine tool and producing it yourself will earn a lot more than hiring fees," Roland paused, "so that when faced with new things, they can first avoid risks by replacing production , I can also get returns by renting, and the subsequent development of new things is determined by market demand. This is a virtuous circle.”