Advances in Manufacturing Processes Select Proceedings of RAM 2020 Harshit K. Dave
Advances in Manufacturing Processes Select Proceedings of RAM 2020 Harshit K. Dave
Advances in Manufacturing Processes Select Proceedings of RAM 2020 Harshit K. Dave
Advances in Manufacturing Processes Select Proceedings of RAM 2020 Harshit K. Dave
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4. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering
Harshit K. Dave
Dumitru Nedelcu Editors
Advances in
Manufacturing
Processes
Select Proceedings of RAM 2020
5. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering
Series Editors
Francisco Cavas-Martínez, Departamento de Estructuras, Universidad Politécnica
de Cartagena, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain
Fakher Chaari, National School of Engineers, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
Francesco Gherardini, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università di Modena e Reggio
Emilia, Modena, Italy
Mohamed Haddar, National School of Engineers of Sfax (ENIS), Sfax, Tunisia
Vitalii Ivanov, Department of Manufacturing Engineering Machine and Tools,
Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine
Young W. Kwon, Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Aerospace
Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Science, Monterey,
CA, USA
Justyna Trojanowska, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland
6. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering (LNME) publishes the latest develop-
ments in Mechanical Engineering—quickly, informally and with high quality.
Original research reported in proceedings and post-proceedings represents the core of
LNME. Volumes published in LNME embrace all aspects, subfields and new
challenges of mechanical engineering. Topics in the series include:
• Engineering Design
• Machinery and Machine Elements
• Mechanical Structures and Stress Analysis
• Automotive Engineering
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• Aerospace Technology and Astronautics
• Nanotechnology and Microengineering
• Control, Robotics, Mechatronics
• MEMS
• Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
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• Engineering Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer
• Manufacturing
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7. Harshit K. Dave • Dumitru Nedelcu
Editors
Advances in Manufacturing
Processes
Select Proceedings of RAM 2020
123
9. RAM 2020 Conference Organizing Committee
Chairman
Prof. S. R. Gandhi, Director, SVNIT, Surat
Organizing Secretaries
Dr. Shailendra Kumar, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Harshit K. Dave, SVNIT, Surat
Coordinators
Dr. Amrut S. Mulay, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Pawan Sharma, SVNIT, Surat
Steering Committee
Dr. R. V. Rao, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. H. K. Raval, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. K. P. Desai, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. A. A. Shaikh, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. T. N. Desai, SVNIT, Surat
v
10. Programme Committee
Dr. D. I. Lalwani, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. J. V. Menghani, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Ravi Kant, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Dinesh Singh, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. V. D. Kalyankar, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. S. N. Pandya, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. B. N. Sahoo, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Sumit Khare, SVNIT, Surat
Advisory Committee
Dr. K. P. Rajurkar, University of Nebraska, USA
Dr. Dumitru Nedelcu, University of Iasi, Romania
Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, MIT, USA
Dr. J. P. Davim, University of Aveiro, Portugal
Dr. M. P. Jahan, Miami University, USA
Dr. H. M. A. Hussein, Helwan University, Egypt
Dr. Andrew Y. C. Nee, NUS, Singapore
Dr. Panagiotis Kyratsis, UWM, Greece
Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, BARC, Bombay
Dr. Suhas Joshi, IIT Bombay
Dr. J. Ram Kumar, IIT Kanpur
Dr. D. Ravi Kumar, IIT Delhi
Dr. P. M. Pandey, IIT Delhi
Dr. Anupam Agrawal, IIT, Ropar
Dr. A. M. Sidpara, IIT Kharagpur
Dr. K. Hariharan, IIT Madras
Dr. G. S. Dangayach, MNIT Jaipur
Dr. Venu Gopal A., NIT, Warangal
Dr. P. K. Patowari, NIT, Silchar
Dr. Rajiv Kumar Garg, NIT, Jalandhar
Dr. P. C. Tewari, NIT, Kurukshetra
Dr. Vishal Sharma, NIT, Jalandhar
Dr. H. S. Mali, MNIT Jaipur
Dr. Prabhat Ranjan, BARC, Bombay
Dr. U. Chandrasekhar, Wipro3d
Dr. P. K. Jain, IITDM Jabalpur
Dr. R. K. Verma, MMMUT, Gorakhpur
vi RAM 2020 Conference Organizing Committee
11. List of Reviewers
Dr. H. K. Raval, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. K. P. Desai, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. S. K. Budhwar, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. P. K. Patowari, NIT, Silchar
Dr. T. N. Desai, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. H. K. Dave, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. J. V. Menghani, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Dinesh Singh, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. M. K. Rathod, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Arati Mulay, CoE, Pune
Dr. S. N. Pandya, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. A. S. Mulay, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. B. N. Sahoo, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Pawan Sharma, SVNIT, Surat
Dr. Sudhanshu Kumar, MANIT, Bhopal
Dr. Prabhat Ranjan, BARC, Mumbai
Dr. Piyush Gohil, MSU, Baroda
Dr. V. J. Badheka, PDPU, Gandhinagar
Dr. K. P. Mehta, PDPU, Gandhinagar
Dr. Vishal John Mathai, AMCoE, Kerala
Dr. M. K. Chudasama, GEC, Dahod
Dr. Dilip B Jani, GEC, Dahod
Dr. Hiesh Panchal, GEC, Patan
Dr. M. P. Sutaria, CHARUSAT, Anand
Dr. J. D. Patel, MEC, Basna
Dr. Ravi Bhatt, CGPIT, Gujarat
Dr. Shakil Kagzi, SNPIT, Umrakh
Dr. K. D. Maniya, CKPCET, Surat
Dr. Abhay Utpat, SVERI, Pandharpur
Prof. J. M. Joshi, VGEC, Chandkheda
RAM 2020 Conference Organizing Committee vii
12. Preface
Since 2010, Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sardar Vallabhbhai National
Institute of Technology, Surat, has been organizing a series of conferences on
“Recent Advances in Manufacturing.” In order to enable the sharing of knowledge
in the areas of manufacturing technologies, we have organized six national con-
ferences on “Recent Advances in Manufacturing” and now we have planned the
International Conference on Recent Advances in Manufacturing (RAM-2020). The
conference is organized to bring the academicians, researchers and practicing
engineers for sharing their experiences in the field of advance manufacturing.
RAM-2020 will provide the opportunity for networking among participant
institutes/organizations/industries to systematically confront the challenges in
mutual areas of interest to advance manufacturing technology in these areas.
The proceedings volumes are published in the Springer series Lecture Notes in
Mechanical Engineering in two volumes, viz. Volume 1—Advance Manufacturing
Processes and Volume 2—Advance Manufacturing Systems. We also acknowledge
the academic support from Prof. Dumitru Nedelcu and Prof. K. P. Rajurkar while
editing the volumes 1 and 2, respectively.
As the entire world is facing the threat from corona pandemic, the international
as well as interstate travel is restricted. However, we have tried our best to carve out
a comprehensive schedule, keynote speakers and oral presentations in both online
and offline modes, all of which will facilitate stimulating insightful discussions
within the research community. In spite of such a pandemic situation, 60 partici-
pants have presented their findings and exchanged ideas related to manufacturing
domain.
We are thankful to the conference organizing committee members, the advisory
committee members, the reviewers, the session chairs and the volunteers, without
whose generous contributions this conference would not number of presentations
and number of participants.
ix
13. Most of all, we thank the participants for enriching the international conference
with their active participation.
Surat, India Dr. Shailendra Kumar
Dr. Harshit K. Dave
Organizing Secretary, RAM-2020
x Preface
14. Contents
Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining in Fabrication
of Microstructures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Promod Kumar Patowari, Siddhartha Kar, Tapas Debnath,
and Amit Kumar Singh
Experimental Study of Effect of Machining Parameters on PMMA
in Diamond Turning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Kuldeep A. Mahajan, Raju Pawade, and R. Balasubramaniam
A Comparative Study of Electro-discharge Drilling Process
Using Solid and Tubular Electrodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Sudhanshu Kumar and Harshit K. Dave
Optimization of Process Variables in Plasma Arc Machining
of Inconel-718 Alloy Using Taguchi with Grey Relational
Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Khushboo Sharma, Jai Kishan Sambharia, and Alok Khatri
Optimization of WEDM Process Parameters for Aluminium Metal
Matrix Material Al+SiC Using MCDM Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Jaksan D. Patel and Kalpesh D. Maniya
Multiple Parameter Optimization by Wire Electrochemical Discharge
Machining Process on Quartz Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Rahul O. Vaishya, Ankit D. Oza, and Anurag Gupta
Effect of Process Parameters on Etch Depth of Aluminium Material
in Photochemical Machining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Abhay Utpat, N. D. Misal, B. P. Ronge, and B. A. Kamble
Quartz Micro-machining Using Wire Electrochemical Spark
Machining Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Ankit D. Oza, Abhishek Kumar, Vishvesh Badheka, Aditya Nema,
and Manoj Kumar
xi
15. Stress Relaxation Study of Ultrafine-Grained AA 6061 Alloy
Processed Through Combined Constrained Groove Pressing
and Cold Rolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
K. Changela, K. Hariharan, and R. K. Digavalli
Effect of Friction Stir Welding Process Parameters on Tensile
Strength and Forming Height of Tailor Welded Blanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Sumit Patel, Shalin Marathe, Keyur Desai, and Harit Raval
A Brief Review on Formability, Wall Thickness Distribution
and Surface Roughness of Formed Part in Incremental Sheet
Forming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Kiran R. More, Vikas Sisodia, and Shailendra Kumar
Parametric Study of Non-axisymmetric Stretch Flanging Process
on AA-6061-T6 Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Sai Dhruthi Killi, Keyur Desai, and Harit Raval
Experimental Investigation and Effects of Process Parameters
on Forming Time and Forming Accuracy in Incremental Sheet
Forming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Bhavin Desai, Shalin Marathe, Keyur Desai, and Harit Raval
Effect of Operating Parameters on Forces During Backward Flow
Forming Process for AA6061 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Jaydeep B. Bhatt, Ravi J. Bhatt, Harit K. Raval, and Keyur P. Desai
Analysis of TIG-Welded Aluminum Alloys During Single Point
Incremental Forming at Different Wall Angles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
M. M. Ghadmode, Arpit R. Patil, B. U. Sonawane, and Amrut Mulay
Autogenous TIG Welding of Al-5083-H111 Butt Joint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Keyurkumar D. Tandel and Jyoti V. Menghani
Review on Friction Stir Welding of Polymer to Aluminium Alloys:
Process and Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Rutvik Ghiya and Vishvesh J. Badheka
Effect of Process Parameters on Tensile Strength in FSW
of Aluminium and Stainless Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Niraj Kumar, Dhrupal Kotadiya, Vishvesh J. Badheka,
and Vijay S. Gadakh
Study of Friction Stir Welding on Aerospace Grade ZE41AMg
Alloy and Its Comparison with Laser Beam Welding
on ZE41AMg Alloy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Adithyan Annamalai, T. R. Kishore Babu, S. Karthikeyan, N. Siddharth,
and S. Muralidharan
xii Contents
16. Influence of Layer Thickness, Infill Rate and Orientation on Thermal
and Structural Loading of FDM Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Andrei-Danut Mazurchevici, Ramona-Iuliana Popa, Constantin Carausu,
Simona-Nicoleta Mazurchevici, and Dumitru Nedelcu
Experimental Investigation on Influence of Process Parameters
on Mechanical Properties of PETG Parts Made by Fused
Deposition Modelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Soham Teraiya, Swapnil Vyavahare, and Shailendra Kumar
Analysis of Compressive Strength of 3D Printed PLA Part . . . . . . . . . . 295
Ashish R. Prajapati, Shilpesh R. Rajpurohit, Naushil H. Patadiya,
and Harshit K. Dave
An Experimental Study of Influence of Gradient Parameters
on Compressive Strength, Stiffness, and Specific Energy Absorption
(SEA) of Auxetic Structures Fabricated by FDM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Swapnil Vyavahare, Soham Teraiya, and Shailendra Kumar
Study on Compression Properties of ABS and FPU Parts Printed
Using SLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Ravi Teja Karumuri, Harshit K. Dave, Shilpesh R. Rajpurohit,
and Ashish R. Prajapati
Experimental Investigation on Tensile Properties of Nylon Glass Fibre
Material Made Using Fused Deposition Modelling Process . . . . . . . . . . 329
Mohit R. Chandravadia and M. K. Chudasama
Influence of Inter-Lamellar Spacing of Pearlite Phase on Spheroidized
Annealed Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Partha Sarathi Sarkar, Bhavesh Rameshchandra Rana,
and Pinkal D. Mistry
Review on Banana Fibre-Reinforced Composites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Chetan Prakash Chaudhari, Kiran Bhole, and Jayram Gholave
Experimental Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Epoxy
Based Composite Material Using Taguchi Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
Vishal Naranje, Ajay Rajan Sankar, Sachin Salunkhe,
and Bhanudas D. Bachchhav
Experimental and Simulation Study on Permeability of Hybrid
Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397
Prasanth Kottapalli, Rahul Narkhede, Harshit K. Dave, Himanshu V. Patel,
and Rajesh kumar Verma
Contents xiii
17. Impact and Flexural Testing of Jute and Flax Fiber Reinforced
Composites Fabricated by VARTM Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Chandresh B. Kumbhani, Harshit K. Dave, and Himanshu V. Patel
Influence of Fiber Orientation and Number of Layer on Tensile
and Flexural Strength of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites
Fabricated by VARTM Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Himanshu V. Patel, Shripal M. Patel, and Harshit K. Dave
xiv Contents
18. About the Editors
Dr. Harshit K. Dave is currently Associate Professor at the Department of
Mechanical Engineering, S. V. National Institute of Technology, Surat, India. His
research interests include Additive Manufacturing Processes; 3D printing filaments
& raw materials; Unconventional Machining processes; Micro machining
processes; Modeling & optimization of machining processes; Robotics &
Automation. He has published more than 100 papers in reputed international
journals and conferences proceedings. He has successfully carried out several
research projects funded by the DST, MHRD, GUJCOST, NPIU, etc.
Dr. Dumitru Nedelcu is a Professor at the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical Univer-
sity of Iasi (TUIASI), Romania, Director of TUIASI Doctoral School. He is Manager
of Fine Mechanics and Nanotechnology Laboratory, President of ModTech
Professional Association, ModTech International Conference and Editor-in-Chief
of the International Journal of Modern Manufacturing Technologies and Advanced
Engineering Forum. He was a Visiting Professor at TAT, Institute of Engineering,
Tokyo, Guest Professor at Osaka University, Japan and Grenoble Institute of
Technology, France. He had Erasmus teaching internships in prestigious universities
from Poland, Italy and Mexico. In October 2016 he was accepted as Visiting
Professor at the Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland. As far as
research is concerned, he coordinated 15 national and international projects as
project manager/responsible. He has published more than 180 scientific papers on
ISI and BDI journals and international conferences proceedings.
xv
20. 2 P. K. Patowari et al.
successfully applied in different forms which can be termed as variants of EDM.
The most commonly used EDM variants are die-sinking, wire-cut, block electrical
discharge grinding (BEDG), milling and reverse. All these variants possess unique
capabilities of fabricating a different kind of features and structures but with the
same machining phenomenon. In this phenomenon, initially, the tool with specific
geometry moves toward the workpiece, and resulting sparks are produced in between
the tool and the workpiece in the presence of dielectric fluid. The first spark is
produced at the location where the minimum distance between the electrodes is
identified and breakdown occurs at the minimum resistance point. Subsequently,
material is removed from both electrodes, and the discharge point shifts to a new
location with the closest distance between the workpiece and tool electrode.
EDM is a non-contact machining process devoid of any vibration and chatter-
related problems. This unique characteristic enables it to machine microfeatures
from all electrically conductive material. But, the dimensional accuracy of machined
features is affected by the tool wear, which is inevitable in any EDM variant. Proper
selection of process parameters helps in minimizing the tool wear, although it
cannot be eliminated. Application of suitable tool wear compensation techniques
also augments the chances of achieving dimensional accuracy and precision. But,
implementation of any compensation technique requires proper assessment and esti-
mation of the tool wear and material removal. Thus, proper evaluation of the dimen-
sional features of the machined components is paramount to the implementation of a
compensation technique. Given all these factors, the present study demonstrates the
capability of several variants of EDM in machining microfeatures and discloses their
dimensional features to determine the quality of the machined product. Further, the
challenges faced during the fabrication of various microfeatures and the measures
taken to overcome those are also presented.
The organization of the present work is divided into five sections, and each of
the section highlights briefly about the corresponding section. The first section intro-
duces EDM with a focus on its background and importance. The second section
discusses the differences between macro- and micromachining and their transition.
The third section provides the detail information about microstructure fabrication
techniques via different variants of EDM, in which the process mechanism and the
capabilities of die-sinking EDM, wire-cut EDM, BEDG, reverse EDM (REDM) and
milling EDM have been demonstrated. The fourth section delivers information about
recent research trends and future scope. The last section provides a conclusion and
summarizes the major findings of the study.
2 Macro- to Micromachining Using EDM: A Paradigm
Shift
The material removal phenomenon in EDM is dependent on the energy discharged in
the machining gap existing between tool and workpiece. In EDM, voltage is applied
21. Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining … 3
in the form of pulses at the alternate interval. During the application of voltage, the
formation of spark takes place, which raises the temperature and leads to melting and
vaporization of the material. The interruption in voltage supply leads to the formation
of pressure shock waves in the machining zone, which ultimately leads to evacuation
of material, leaving behind the impression of craters in the workpiece and tool. The
full process takes place in the presence of a dielectric medium, which is also flushed
in the machining zone to remove the debris. The material removal process takes place
without any contact between the tool and the workpiece. This non-contact material
removal mechanism of EDM enables the use of softer material such as copper and
brass as tool electrode while machining hard and tough materials.
In EDM, the material is eroded in the form of craters. The dimension of the craters
depends on the discharge energy of the process. At lower discharge energy, the effec-
tive unit removal of material is very less, and thus, shallow and tiny craters are formed,
whereasthecratersgetwideranddeeperwithanincreaseinthedischargeenergy.This
concept has been effectively utilized in micromachining of materials using the EDM
process, where the supply of lower discharge energy is paramount to remove material
in the micro-level. The ability of EDM in performing micromachining is termed as
micro-electrical discharge machining (µEDM). The key differences present in the
process mechanism of µEDM as compared to macro-EDM are:
Plasma channel diameter: The plasma channel radius is less in µEDM due to
the supply of lower discharge energy. The plasma channel diameter expands with
an increase in pulse duration, and unlike macro-EDM, it may equal or exceed the
diameter of the tool. The expansion rate may vary once the plasma channel exceeds
the tool diameter.
Electrode heating: In micromachining, the machining dimensions typically range
from 1 to 999 µm, which necessitates the use of a micro-tool. The use of micro-tool
restricts the quantity of energy supplied per discharge as the tool does not possess
significant mass to carry the heat.
Viscous force of dielectric on the tool: In µEDM, the dielectric cannot be directly
flushed in the machining zone. This is because the tool electrode is more sensitive
to the viscous force of dielectric which may lead to deflection or bending of the
micro-tool.
The absence of process forces (except the viscous force of dielectric) allows fabri-
cation of microfeatures with high aspect ratio. A µEDM machine tool possesses the
ability to fabricate two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) microfeatures
with higher accuracy and precision. The minimization of discharge energy has been
possible by the use of resistance capacitance pulse generator, where discharge energy
is represented as Eq. (1):
Discharge energy =
1
2
× Capacitance × Volatge2
(1)
The capacitor stores the energy until discharge initiates, whereas voltage deter-
mines the breakdown limit at which the current flows through the inter-electrode
22. 4 P. K. Patowari et al.
gap. The increase in both capacitance and voltage leads to an increase in discharge
energy, which expedites the process of material removal.
3 Microstructures Fabricated Using Different Variants
of EDM
3.1 Die-Sinking EDM
Die-sinking is the most initial and basic form of EDM technology used mainly
for manufacturing of dies/molds. It utilizes the concept of manufacturing of replica
objects in large-scale production of micromechanical devices. The tool electrode acts
as the positive impression of the desired shape of the product, where the machined
cavity on the workpiece reflects the negative image of the tool electrode as depicted
in Fig. 1. 3D cavities can be machined by this technique provided the desired pattern
of tool electrode is fabricated beforehand. But the fabrication of complex patterned
tool is a tedious task which requires some pre-processing techniques for their fabri-
cation. The concept of sinking EDM is also utilized for drilling, which uses a simple
cylindrical tool for machining micro-holes. To enhance the efficiency, most often
rotation motion of the tool is applied during the drilling operation. Incorporation of
rotation exhibits centrifugal force and agitation effect in the machining zone, which
helps in better flushing of eroded materials. Circularity error (CE) also reduces with
the incorporation tool rotation as compared to micro-holes drilled without rotation.
But, overcut (OC) increases with the actuation of rotation motion in tool electrode
due to the phenomenon of secondary sparking between trapped debris and sidewall
of the workpiece. Another significant phenomenon affecting the taper angle (TA)
of the drilled hole is the tool wear. The tool wears out in both frontal and corner
Fig. 1 Schematic diagram
of die-sinking EDM
Feed
Tool
Patterned cavity
Workpiece
23. Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining … 5
Fig. 2 Schematic diagram representing a overcut and taper b circularity error
portions, which instills dimensional inaccuracy in the final product. Frontal wear is
easily compensated by feeding of tool for sufficiently higher length than the required
depth of the micro-hole. But, compensation of corner wear is a very tedious task and
cannot be eliminated. However, the process parameters can be chosen in such a way
that the effect of corner wear is minimum to achieve higher accuracy and precision in
the machined micro-holes. The most common dimensional features to determine the
accuracy and preciseness of micro-holes are OC at entry (OCen), OC at exit (OCex),
TA and CE, which are schematically depicted in Fig. 2, and their corresponding
equations are shown in Eqs. (2), (3), (4) and (5), respectively.
OCen =
Hole entry diameter − Tool diameter
2
(2)
OCex =
Hole exit diameter − Tool diameter
2
(3)
TA(θ) = tan−1
Entry diameter − Exit diameter
2h
(4)
CE =
Circumscribed circle diameter − Inscribed circle diameter
2
(5)
where h represents hole depth.
Over the years, µEDM has been successfully used for drilling of materials with
various electrical and thermal conductivities. Table 1 shows a comparison of data
extracted from the drilling of different materials using µEDM process. The range
of parameters varied in each study is different and must not be considered the same
for all the materials. EDM possesses the ability to machine materials with different
thermal and electrical conductivity. From all the studies, it is perceived that minimum
machining time (MT) is attained at higher parametric condition, especially at higher
voltage and capacitance. On the contrast, the dimensional features such as OC, CE
25. Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining … 7
Fig. 3 Microscopic view of machined hole on different materials a Cu-based bulk metallic glass,
b brass, c silicon, d German silver, e stainless steel, f titanium grade 2 alloy
and TA are minimum at lower capacitance and voltage. With an increase in voltage
and capacitance, the discharge energy increases which consequently increases the
spark intensity. High intense spark leads to the formation of bigger and deeper craters,
which increases the unit material removal per spark but degrades the surface quality.
This phenomenon is responsible for higher efficiency and lower surface quality at
higher values of capacitance and voltage. Figure 3 shows microscopic images of
micro-holes drilled on different materials such as Cu-based bulk metallic glass, brass,
silicon, German silver, stainless steel (SS) and titanium (Ti) grade 2 alloy. The mate-
rials possess different physical properties, which further apprehend the usefulness
of µEDM in micromachining a wide range of materials.
3.2 Wire-Cut Electrical Discharge Machining
Similar to die-sinking EDM, wire-cut EDM is another variant of EDM, which is
mainly used to cut metal pieces. In this process, a thin brass or molybdenum wire
is used to cut conductive materials irrespective of their other mechanical properties.
Generally, two kinds of wire-cut EDM is used (a) consumable wire electrode type
(where the wire is being discarded after a single use) and (b) non-consumable wire
electrode type (where the wire is being used several times before it needs to be
discarded). As wire-cut EDM is mainly used to cut a variety of metal pieces, the
26. 8 P. K. Patowari et al.
Fig. 4 Schematic of wire
movement path to fabricate a
square array of micro-fin
a first cut, b second cut after
90° rotation of the workpiece
(any direction)
pulse energy is generally high in comparison with µEDM but less than the die-
sinking EDM. To create microfeatures using such wire-cut EDM, the parametric
conditions have to be tuned properly. Debnath and Patowari [7] identified optimum
parametric combination (lower pulse energy, duration and wire feed) to machine
microfeatures with the desired accuracy. Different types of microfeatures have been
successfullymachinedusingthewire-cutEDM,whichiselaboratedinthesubsequent
sub-sections.
Micro-fins. Fins are attached to a hot body to increase the rate of heat transfer.
Generally available fins are in macroscale, but micro-fins are very difficult to fabricate
due to their delicate nature. Researches revealed micro-fins of different profiles have
higher heat transfer rate than that of the macro-fins. The complete machining process
has been accomplished utilizing multiple cuts (two or more) at different orientations
of the workpiece. A computer numerical control code needs to be developed to define
the wire path during machining. A schematic diagram for machining arrays of micro-
fins is displayed in Fig. 4. After completing both the cuts, square extruded micro-fins
have been fabricated. A typical image of the fabricated sample is shown in Fig. 5.
The cross-sectional area of the chosen workpiece is 10 mm × 10 mm, and on that
sample, total 25 × 25 (=625) micro-square fins have been fabricated. The average
size of the generated fins is 165 µm × 165 µm × 800 µm. This type of micro-fins can
also be used as a tool for drilling multiple holes of different shapes at a time. These
tools help in faster production rate and also reduce the defects due to repeatability
of the machining axis.
Similar to the machining procedure of square micro-fins, micro-fins of different
profiles are also successfully fabricated using wire-cut EDM. Figure 6 shows the
schematic wire path movement to fabricate ‘Y’ type of micro-fins, whereas Fig. 7
shows the actual image of the machined micro-fins by wire-cut EDM.
Micro-screws. Screws are one of the most important engineering elements used
in assembling various components in the form of a temporary joint. Generally,
machining is the prime fabrication process to make screws of different profiles and
shapes, but the time consumed is very high. Nowadays, using a sliding die, smaller
27. Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining … 9
Fig. 5 Fabricated array of square micro-fin on a copper rod (10 mm × 10 mm)
Fig. 6 Schematic of wire
path for fabricating ‘Y’ type
micro-fins a initial cut b final
cut
Fig. 7 Fabricated ‘Y’ type
of micro-fins
28. 10 P. K. Patowari et al.
rolled screws of limited shapes are also fabricated. The rolling process deforms
the metal to form a screw shape, and for this reason, the metals which are easy to
deform are only used. But to fabricate screws with tough metals, the rolling process
faces difficulty, and thus, fabrication of micro-screws from such material is quite a
challenging task. Wire-cut EDM can be used to machine such metals with greater
accuracy, and to fabricate micro-screw, a separate attachment is required to rotate
the workpiece with variable speed [8].
To make a micro-screw using wire-cut EDM, initially turning operation is
performed to reduce the eccentricity of the rotating workpiece and also to get the
near-net dimension of the desired micro-screw. Thereafter, the thread cutting opera-
tion yields the final shape of micro-screw. During turning, the workpiece rotational
speed needs to be high keeping very low feed, whereas, in case of thread cutting, the
workpiece rotational speed has to be minimum with higher feed. Figure 8 shows the
concept for turning and thread cutting operation used for fabrication of micro-screw
in wire-cut EDM. Figure 9 shows the actual image of the fabricated micro-screws of
two different types (one is with head and another one is without head) with a dedicated
notch to drive the micro-screws inwards or outwards based on the requirement.
Fig. 8 Steps for fabricating
micro-screw a turning
operation b thread cutting
operation
Fig. 9 Images of the fabricated micro-screws a visual observation of the fabricated screws
b microscopic image of the trunk c head of the micro-screw
29. Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining … 11
3.3 Block Electrical Discharge Grinding
BEDGistheprocessofusingasacrificialblockinreducingthediameterofcylindrical
rods. The sacrificial block acts as the tool electrode, whereas the rod is attached to
the spindle, which represents the workpiece. The spindle is rotated at a certain speed
and fed against the sacrificial block for sparks to occur. The schematic diagram of
the BEDG process is shown in Fig. 10. BEDG is an effective method for fabrication
of micro-rods, which besides a µEDM setup requires only a flat block of conductive
material. The process suffers a setback in the form of block wear, which instills
dimensional inaccuracy and imprecision in the fabricated micro-rods. Taper (positive
and negative), position shift, overburn and breakage of tooltip are few of the errors
and ill-effects encountered in BEDG process [9]. Holding of the collet, wobbling
effect, block surface taper and higher energy are some of the causes of the errors.
However, these errors can be eliminated to some extent by proper clamping of the
rod in the collet, checking the block clamping and properly choosing the discharge
energy to be used while machining.
Brass micro-rods have been successfully fabricated using the BEDG process,
wherein a brass block is used as the sacrificial tool electrode [10]. It has been found
that feed rate (FR) beyond 2.5 µm/s is detrimental to efficiency as well as the accuracy
of the fabricated micro-rods. Higher TRS yields lower MT and standard deviation
in diameter (SDD) but increases the average diameter (AD) due to increased block
wear. Figure 11 shows a micro-rod fabricated by BEDG process at FR of 2.5 µm/s
and TRS of 1250 rpm, where AD and SDD of 390.12 and 9.86 µm, respectively, are
attained. Elsewhere, the effect of discharge energy on material removal rate (MRR)
is a well-established fact, where MRR increases with an increase in discharge energy
due to the increased volume of material removal with simultaneous decreased MT
[9].
Fig. 10 Schematic diagram of BEDG process: a lateral feed of workpiece, b wear of sacrificial
block and c machined rod
30. 12 P. K. Patowari et al.
Fig. 11 Microscopic image
of a micro-rod fabricated by
BEDG
3.4 Reverse Electrical Discharge Machining
Reverse micro-electrical discharge machining (R-µEDM) is widely used for the
fabrication of micro-rods and micro-fins which are in the form of circular and rect-
angular cross-sectional in shape. In this process, the workpiece in the form of a bulk
rod is connected through spindle via the positive terminal, whereas the tool in the
form of thin plate sheet with single or array of micro-holes is kept on the table and
connected through the negative terminal. During the machining process, the work-
piece is fed into the tool plate sheet up to a predefined length, which defines or
indicates the fabricated length of the micro-rod as shown in Fig. 12.
Micro-tools in the form of micro-rods with circular cross-sectional area have been
fabricated on tungsten bulk rod, where the diameter of bulk tungsten rod of diam-
eter 800 µm has been reduced to a diameter of 200 µm using R-µEDM process
[11]. An aspect ratio of five has been maintained during the experimentation. It
has been observed that MT reduces with the increase in voltage, capacitance and
FR. Voltage contributes more than the remaining process parameters toward MT
and SDD. Surface roughness (Ra) of the machined micro-rods ranges from 2.12 to
5.94 µm, wherein lower capacitance yields lower Ra as compared to higher capac-
itance. Finally, a micro-tool with an aspect ratio of 18 (diameter 170 µm) has been
successfully fabricated using the process.
Fig. 12 Schematic diagram
of R-µEDM a initial bulk
rod b fabricated micro-rod
31. Proficiency of Electrical Discharge Machining … 13
Fig. 13 Diagram of micro-rod a schematic of initial bulk rod b schematic of fabricated micro-rods
c SEM image of fabricated micro-rods
Arrayed micro-rods have also been successfully fabricated on a brass bulk rod
by R-µEDM process. Brass rod of diameter 1.8 mm has been considered as the
initial workpiece. An array of 2 × 2 micro-tools has been fabricated through the
machining of a bulk rod as shown in Fig. 13. It has been observed that the tool
wear affects dimensions of the arrayed micro-tools during the machining process.
An analytical model has been developed for evaluating the amount of tool wear and
material removal from the workpiece. Tool wear and material removal increase with
the increase in voltage and capacitance. It has been observed that straight micro-rod
with longer length can be fabricated at lower parametric condition [12].
In another work, dimensional variation, MT and erosion rate have been analyzed
while fabrication of micro-rods using R-µEDM. It is observed that as compared to the
tip and root, the middle portion of the micro-rods undergoes lesser dimensional error
[13]. Moreover, an array of 4 × 4 (=16) micro-rods has been fabricated successfully
with each fabricated micro-rod having diameter 58 µm and length 830 µm as shown
in Fig. 14.
3.5 Milling Electrical Discharge Machining
Milling EDM uses the lateral movement of tool and workpiece in the EDM envi-
ronment to machine 3D cavities. The material removal mechanism is identical to
drilling but with an additional feed in the lateral direction (x-y movement). Essen-
tially, the tool feed takes place in two stages, i.e., initially, a rotating tool is fed to a
certain depth in the z-direction (similar to drilling) followed by a horizontal feed of
tool/workpiece to perform machining of the desired slot. It is capable of machining
32. 14 P. K. Patowari et al.
Fig. 14 Machining of
arrayed micro-tools
a micro-tool fabricated by
BEDG process b array of
micro-hole drilled using the
fabricated micro-tool
c condition of micro-tool
after drilling micro-holes
d arrayed micro-tools
fabricated by R-µEDM on
tungsten rod [13]
complex 3D cavities with a simple cylindrical rotating tool. Thus, the process erad-
icates the use of structured tool as in the case of die-sinking EDM in the fabrication
of 3D cavities. But the effect of tool wear in milling EDM is more as compared to
the die-sinking approach as it possesses horizontal (x-y) feed along with the z feed.
A schematic diagram showing the effect of tool wear in the machined surface profile
is displayed in Fig. 15. The surface profile inequality at the end side of the slot as
Machining length
Machining direction
Depth
of
cut
Machined
surface profile
Original
surface profile
Workpiece
Initial tool
electrode
Spark gap
Tool at the end of
machining a layer
Tool
wear
Fig. 15 Schematic of EDM milling showing effect of tool wear
34. Nao, he said. I wouldn't knaow who done fer John.
Dan's upset, Jeff explained. He didn't realize what he was saying.
An explosive, I did, too lingered on Dan's lips and died there when
he caught Jeff's eyes. As the latter turned to lift his own breakfast
out of the skillet, Pete nodded vigorously.
Likely. Likely. Young'uns do get upsot. What be ye doin' here?
Jeff said smoothly, We represent Tarrant Enterprises, Ltd., and
came because we thought we could do some business around
Smithville.
Pete's shifty eyes found Jeff's pack. Peddler, huh?
Some people call it that.
Whar'd ye find the dog?
Over beyond Cressman. He made himself at home with us.
Jeff put his own plate on the table and began to eat. Pete mopped
up the last of his breakfast with a crust of bread, plopped it into his
mouth, and licked his fingers. That done, he picked up the
conversation where it had been dropped.
Take care he ain't kil't.
Take care who isn't killed?
The dog. He turned right snarly after Blazer was kil't. Bill Ellis'd a
shot him if he hadn't took a mind to run away.
Did he hurt anybody?
Nao. But he had a mind to.
Pete leaned back, looking at the ceiling and cleaning his teeth with
his tongue. He asked suddenly, Whar'd ye get the young'un?
35. For a moment Jeff fumbled. But Tarrant Enterprises, Ltd., had taught
him that it was not a good idea to be at a loss long enough to let
anyone else think too far ahead of him. He said glibly, Dan was
farmed out to me.
Jeff referred to the common practice of placing with accredited
people who would support them, youngsters who had no other place
to turn. Dan glared. Jeff did not look at him.
Pete Whitney said, You git a smart lot of work out'en a farmed-out
young'un if you whomp him to it.
Jeff's next words erased Dan's glare. Dan doesn't need 'whomping.'
We're full partners.
Aoh.
There was another silence. Finally Pete Whitney asked, What ye
peddlin?
What do you need?
I ast you.
Cash or swap?
Swap. Pete looked surprised that anyone should think he had cash.
What can you swap?
Pete reached inside his shirt and drew out a knife. It was much
cruder than the works of art Jeff had had from Bart Whitney. But it
was sturdy, and the blade, Jeff thought wryly, was certainly keen
enough to penetrate anything that Pete might have reason to stab.
Since there was a buyer for everything, it stood to reason that there
would be a buyer for Pete's knife. Jeff went to his pack, took out a
cheap jackknife, a compass and a wrapped parcel. He extended the
knife.
I'll swap even for this.
36. Pete accepted the knife, opened it, tried the blade on the back of his
horny hand, and passed it back.
Nao. That piddlin' thin'd bend on rabbit fur.
Enjoying himself, as he always did when bartering, Jeff handed the
compass over. Pete looked at it. Puzzled, he glanced back at Jeff.
Do it tell the hour?
Dan laughed. Jeff explained. It's called a compass. See? The needle
always points north. Anyone who carries this can tell any direction at
all.
Pete was honestly astounded. You mean they's some what cain't?
There are some, but I thought you wouldn't be one of them!
He spoke admiringly, stressing the you. Sales resistance faded to
nothing if the seller, while convincing the buyer that he was much to
be admired, could at the same time build up the buyer's opinion of
himself. Like a good showman, Jeff had saved his masterpiece for
last. He unwrapped the parcel to reveal a cheap box whose exterior
was stamped with gaudy green dragons. Pete regarded it with
narrowed eyes.
This, Jeff said smoothly, I offer to very few customers. Now if
you'll just keep your eye on the box—
Pete obliged, bending so closely that his face was no more than six
inches from the box. Jeff pressed a button. The lid flew open and a
green bellows surmounted by a grinning clown's head sprang up to
hit Pete on the nose. He leaped backward, flung himself from the
table and crouched. Again Jeff thought of an animal. But this time it
was a beast of prey. And it was ready to strike.
The jack that had leaped out of the box quivered on the table,
swaying this way and that. Completely astounded, Pete regarded it
for a moment. Then sheer delight flooded his eyes.
37. I swan!
Jeff said proudly, Ever see anything like that?
Put it back!
Jeff pressed the jack into place. Uncertainly, still a little fearful of
such magic, Pete came near. He extended a hand and immediately
withdrew it.
Do it ag'in!
Jeff pressed the button and the performance was repeated. Sure
now that there was nothing to fear, Pete picked the toy up and
looked at it closely. He pushed the jack down, latched the cover, and
pressed the button. When the clown's head flew up, he tittered
nervously.
I swan!
For that I must have two knives.
Got but one.
Jeff frowned. The jack-in-the-box was a cheap trinket and the knife
was worth four times as much. But Pete considered the jack a very
valuable object and Jeff hoped to do much trading around Smithville.
He did not want to be known for accepting the first thing offered
and, besides, that was bad business. It took all the sport out of
trading.
Have to have something to boot, he said firmly.
I got this.
From his sagging pocket Pete took a length of braided horsehide.
But it had been so skillfully cured and so expertly braided that it was
strong as rope and pliable as the finest cloth. It would make a
wonderful bridle rein, but Jeff said hesitantly, I don't know what I'd
use it for.
38. Fer tyin' things.
Well— Jeff allowed himself to be convinced.
Pete sprung the jack again and again, fascinated by this simple thing
which smacked of magic, because never before had he seen
anything like it. Then, holding his jack-in-the-box as though it were
eggshells, he made the swift transformation from fascinated child to
dangerous man.
Stick to peddlin', he said shortly, and took his leave.
It was at the same time a threat and a warning and Jeff knew it. For
a moment he sat still, then got up and strolled quietly to the
window. Going down the path, Pete Whitney sprung the jack and his
tittering giggle seemed again to be heard in the room.
39. 7. GRANNY
Absorbed in watching Pete, Jeff was almost unaware when Dan
came to stand beside him. As Pete disappeared, hidden by foliage,
he turned away from the window and came face to face with Dan.
The boy's cheeks were flushed and hot anger burned in his eyes.
Both fists were clenched so tightly that straining knuckles showed
white.
Jeff said quietly, Come out of it, Dan.
He's a Whitney!
Sorry you didn't shoot him?
I—It's not that, Jeff. I wasn't thinking very straight when I told you
I aimed to shoot all the Whitneys. It's—Why should a Whitney be in
my pop's cabin?
He was at our door and he was hungry.
Well—Doggonit, Jeff! You talk sense!
Jeff heaved an inward sigh of relief. Yesterday Dan had not only
talked of killing every Whitney, but he had acted fully capable of
doing it. But yesterday he had been tired, hungry and so terribly
alone. Good food and proper rest had worked a change, but they
had not made him forget why he was here. Nothing would ever do
that.
Dan asked, You think we will get him, don't you?
Get who?
Whoever killed my pop!
40. Murder can't be hidden, Dan, Jeff spoke with quiet forcefulness, if
somebody really wants to find it out.
And we'll find out?
We'll find out.
Then, Dan gritted his teeth, we'll shoot!
Jeff said nothing. Dan was too young, too angry, and too steeped in
the traditions of the hills, to think of anything except violent
vengeance. Rather than tell him he was wrong, Jeff hoped to prove
it. When they found whoever had murdered Johnny Blazer—and
they must find him if Dan's tangled path was ever to be straight
again—the law could take over. Jeff hoped that, at the right time,
Dan would see such a course as the proper one. For the present, the
less said the better.
Let's get the place cleaned up and go out trading, Jeff suggested.
Good!
Jeff washed dishes while Dan swept the floor, and it made no
difference that it had also been swept last night. Only those with
little regard for themselves were contented to accept dirty
surroundings, and one way to keep dirt from accumulating was to
clean often. The cabin in order, Jeff showed Dan his pack.
Each of its numerous straps, so adjusted that they opened at the
flick of a finger, gave access to one compartment, and within
themselves some of the compartments were further divided. They
were also of various sizes. Obviously it was possible to carry a vast
number of pins, needles, spools of thread, etc., in a somewhat small
space. Kitchen ware, of which Jeff had a considerable store,
naturally needed more room. There was a place for bright ribbons,
one for candy, and articles such as spices and tea were stored by
themselves. Jeff had razor blades, pencils, an assortment of
novelties such as the jack-in-the-box, a variety of small tools, nails,
and both wood and metal screws. At the rear, reached by thrusting
41. the hand through a hidden flap, were six more knives like the one
he'd traded to Barr Whitney, meerschaum pipes, pocket watches,
and a few other valuables that were best kept where they were not
at once available or easily found.
Jeff explained that he always planned to carry as great an
assortment as possible, with very few large articles. The partial bolt
of gingham, the biggest single thing in the pack, he carried, not
because there was much profit in carrying it, but because being able
to offer gingham often provided an opening wedge to other sales....
When he started, he had operated on a strictly cash basis and had
earned a fair amount of money doing so. Then he had discovered a
great truth which had its foundations in the complexities of human
nature. No matter what the article, from aardvark whiskers to zebra
tails, somewhere somebody not only wanted it but wanted it badly
enough to pay well. On the Atlantic Coast, Jeff had picked up a box
of sea shells. In Indiana, he had met a trapper who'd never seen
any sea shells and traded them for a bundle of mink pelts. Taking
the pelts to Chicago, he had sold them to a furrier for more money
than he might have earned in two weeks peddling for cash.
Though everything was precious, or at least desirable, to somebody,
whoever had an abundance of any kind of goods was seldom
inclined to regard it highly. But though they'd always sell for cash,
whoever offered something that they wanted, did not have and
would find it difficult to get, invariably made a better bargain. Jeff
cited the knife and thong he had acquired from Pete Whitney. The
jack-in-the-box had cost fifteen cents, but Jeff would be able to sell
the knife for at least a dollar and twenty cents, and he did not know
how much the horsehide thong would bring. But because Pete
thought the jack-in-the-box such a treasure, and never would have
been able to get one for himself, he hadn't been cheated.
Jeff concluded with the observation that peddlers had to recognize
true value when they saw it. Otherwise they would not be able to
remain in business.
42. Dan's eyes sparkled. That sounds like fun!
It has its points, Jeff admitted.
Take me in with you for good! Dan pleaded. I want to be a
peddler, too!
Jeff glanced aside. He had taken this waif under his wing and could
not abandon him. Then he was struck by the happy thought that
Dan's request gave him control over his charge. We'll see, he
evaded the issue.
Take me! I'll do anything if you'll teach me!
Jeff asked quickly, Can I count on that?
Anything! Just ask me!
You'll do exactly as I say?
Try it! What do you want done?
Jeff grinned. Right now let's go peddling—and leave the shotgun
here.
But—
You said you'd do anything.
Let's go, Jeff.
With an ease born of long experience, Jeff slipped into the pack.
Knowing that they were going out, Pal leaped to his feet and a
doggy grin framed his jaws. Jeff closed the door but did not lock it.
The cabin had been rifled only because it was thought abandoned.
Known to be occupied, it was safe. The hill men might use force to
get what they wanted, or even kill another man for it, but petty
pilfering was beneath them.
The sun was warm without being too warm, and a breeze fanned
the cheeks of the pair of peddlers. The smile was complete on Jeff's
43. face, and laughter was in his heart. The horizon stretched limitlessly,
with no end or definition, and good fortune was a certainty. He
couldn't be other than happy.
Where we going, Jeff? Dan asked.
I don't know. Let's follow our noses and go where they lead.
Jeff took the first mule and footpath that branched from the road,
for he was sure that most of the people he wanted to see would be
back in. Most hill people preferred plenty of room and they did not,
as one hillbilly had expressed it to Jeff, like to be All cluttered up
with people. Skassly a week passes but what three, four go by.
Ranging ahead, Pal flushed a buck from its thicket, chased it a little
way, and let it go. He returned to Jeff and Dan, lingered to sniff at
some interesting rabbit tracks, and ran to catch up. There came a
faint smell of wood smoke.
Jeff sniffed eagerly, trying to determine the smoke's origin, and he
thought with some amusement that he was doing exactly as he had
told Dan they would do. In a very real sense he was following his
nose, and when he came to a less-traveled path that swung from
the one they were following, he took it.
Pal at his heels, Dan bringing up the rear, he walked fast. In three
minutes they came to a clearing. Apparently without plan, it had
been hacked out of the forest. It was irregularly-shaped, probably to
follow the easiest cutting, and a few large trees had been allowed to
stand in it. There were many stumps, a small garden, a mule that
hung its head over the topmost of two strands of rusting wire and
looked cynical, and four half-wild pigs that squealed and scuttled
into the brush. The barn, that had listed badly and seemed in
immediate danger of falling, was propped up with saplings. The
house, made of hand-hewn timbers, was very small and very old.
Rains, snow, sun and wind had so beaten it that it had achieved a
unique color all its own and somehow it looked sad.
44. Jeff knocked confidently and waited. The door opened an inch, then
another inch, and in the gloomy interior Jeff saw, not too well, a
scowling face that was framed in a veritable haystack of black hair
and beard. But he saw very clearly the sinister snout of a rifle that
was aimed squarely at his middle and he heard very clearly a
growled,
Git goin' an' start now!
Right away, Jeff agreed.
He whirled and started back to the main path. Too over-awed to
speak, Dan trotted at his heels and he dared say nothing until they
were once more where they had started from. Then,
Gee! he breathed. Weren't you scared?
No, Jeff answered wryly, my heart always pounds.
Do you think he didn't want us around?
I had a slight suspicion.
What do we do now?
Find somebody else, Jeff said cheerfully. It's part of peddling.
The day was too fine, and too sparkling, to be ruined by any surly
mountaineer. They walked on, feet winged and hearts gay. Jeff
thought whimsically that the money he made selling or trading was
the very smallest part of the reward he received. By far the major
portion lay in walks just like this, in the fact that he loved the work
he was doing, and in trying to anticipate what lay ahead. He always
tried to build up a mental picture of his next customer, always failed
to do so, and invariably had to discard his carefully-rehearsed
approach to create a new one on the spur of the moment. Much of
the time he knew the sort of house in which his next prospect would
live, but nothing in his experience had prepared him for the house
they found not a mile from the one they had left.
45. Rounding a bend, they saw a little hill. There was nothing majestic
or imposing about it, for it was a very small hill. But it was a very
beautiful one. It was as though the Creator of the mountains, after
much deliberation, had decided that the little hill would fit nowhere
except exactly where it was.
All the trees save one had been stripped from the side, Jeff and Dan
could see, and the grass growing there was so green and soft that it
was almost unreal. The one tree gave it just the right touch, so it
was as though this hill were something out of fairyland. A little herd
of sheep cropped the grass. Delighted, Jeff let his gaze stray
upward.
Gee but it's pretty! Dan breathed.
It is that, Jeff agreed. Look at the house.
There were trees on the very top of the hill. Silhouetted against the
blue sky, they seemed to be outlined against a gentle sea. A log
house nestled in the grove. Something—at first Jeff thought it must
be the whitewash that outlined all the windows and then he knew it
was not—set the house apart. Like the hill, it was a fairyland house
and Jeff knew that they must visit there.
The hill rose in undulating waves, with no harsh angles or uncouth
lines to mar it. But it was not a park-like perfection. Some person, or
persons, must have expended enormous labor to make the hill look
as it did. But every line, every patch of grass, seemed to belong
naturally just where it was.
Jeff could decide only that this was a happy hill and that whoever
lived in the house was either the owner of a rare talent or blessed
beyond belief by the angels. Or perhaps some of both.
They came to the house and marveled. It was made of logs and
chinked with clay, but nothing haphazard had gone into its making.
Even the chinking was not just slapped on and troweled in, but
flowed in graceful lines as though it had always been part of the
46. logs. As old as the cabin they had left, the house had a sheen
instead of a sad and aged appearance. Whoever lived here must
love it greatly.
Howdy, boys.
The woman came around the house so silently and so unexpectedly
that for a moment Jeff was startled. The top of her head reached
scarcely to his shoulder. Her silver hair glowed like a halo, but there
was something which was far from angelic in the remarkable eyes
that dominated her unusual face. She wore a simple blue dress.
Highlighted in silver, an exquisitely-stitched blue-bird in flight
adorned the front of it. Her movements were quick and graceful. But
there was no suggestion of frailty, and the muzzle loading rifle that
swung easily from her right hand might have been a strong man's
weapon.
Without any hesitation, Pal went forward to receive her caress. In a
sudden rush of feeling, Jeff forgot his amazement and felt entirely at
home. He knew all at once that everything and everybody was
welcome on this hill.
And howdy to you, Granny! he said graciously. I'm— Jeff thought
of introducing himself as Tarrant Enterprises, Ltd., but did not. I'm
Jeff Tarrant and this is Dan Blazer.
Her head flitted like a bird's. And I'm Granny Wilson.
Wilson? Jeff remembered. I met an Ike Wilson in Cressman.
Did you now? Ike's one of my boys. What was he doin'?
He was— Jeff fumbled. Darned if I haven't forgotten!
Her laugh was like rippling water. He was in jail for stealin' chickens.
You can say it, Jeff. It takes all kinds to make a family. My Tommy's
a doctor, my Joel's a lawyer, my Billy's a sailor— She named four
more sons, all of whom were in some useful occupation, and
finished, They all followed their natural bent and Ike just naturally
47. took to chicken stealin'. She turned to Dan. You kin to Johnny
Blazer?
Dan said bashfully, He was my pop.
Come in, she invited. Come in and set down to gingerbread and
milk. I vow I've missed Johnny and I'm glad to have his kin! You
come, too, Jeff, and fetch your dog!
Jeff looked at the rifle. Have you been hunting?
Land no! She laughed. I was shootin' at Brant Severance!
You—!
Didn't hit him, she said. Didn't aim to hit him. Just wanted to
show him he couldn't pester my sheep.
But—isn't there—
She anticipated and forestalled his question. Nope, I'm all alone. My
boys, they want me to come with them. Land! I'd grow old and
shrively in a city! Two houses are one too many! Do come in.
Granny opened the door that was made of carefully-mortised, hand-
polished boards and adorned with an excellent wood carving that
depicted a running buck chased by wolves. Jeff and Dan breathed
their delight.
Except for the stove, the pots and pans that hung behind it, the
lamps, and a few other articles that would be very difficult to fashion
with hand tools, every bit of furniture had been made of whatever
materials were available. But whoever made it had not been
contented with something merely useful. Strict utility had received
consideration, but beauty was in vast abundance.
Jeff looked through a large window that faced the back and saw a
neat garden, a little grove of fruit trees, a fat mule, a brown cow,
and a cat sitting on a stone. It was exactly the big, fluffy, white cat
that should have belonged in such a place. Not until he took a
48. second glance did he realize that the cat was not alive at all, but
woven into a tapestry. He went nearer.
Stretched on a walnut frame, the tapestry was so exquisitely woven
that the cat's every hair not only showed but was in the right place.
The cat was about to lick a front paw, and even after he knew it was
a tapestry, so real was the illusion of life that Jeff extended a hand
to see if the cat might not be soft and warm. He turned to Granny.
Who did this?
She was all gentleness. I did. That's my Kitty Cat, dead these four
months.
There was longing in her voice, and more than a hint of sadness,
and Jeff knew that the cat had meant a great deal to her. He
understood. Some people loved horses, some preferred dogs, and
some set their affections on cats. But for Granny it could not be just
any cat.
Jeff asked, Do you do much of this sort of thing?
Land, yes! A body ought to keep busy!
Jeff said gently, I think you've kept busy a long while around here.
Sixty-four years the seventh of May, she said pertly. Came as a
sixteen-year-old bride. Enos, God rest his soul, has been gone these
past three years. You two come on into the kitchen.
She led them into the kitchen, seated them, opened a trap door in
the floor, took cool milk from an earth-bound chamber, and lifted a
tray of gingerbread from a cabinet. Eighty years old, her movements
were almost as brisk and sure as a girl's. Jeff and Dan ate heartily;
any food they prepared for themselves could not possibly compare
with this. Granny seated herself companionably near.
Ike say when he was gettin' out? she asked.
49. Well, no. He was there with Bucky— Jeff snapped his fingers. I
forgot his last name.
Bucky Edwards, she furnished. Land! He and Ike been stealin'
chickens for a span of time.
Jeff sensed something completely fine. She was old in years only.
Until the day she died her mind would be young and strong. Ike's
escapades probably did hurt her, but Ike was as much her son as the
doctor, the lawyer and the others who had decided in favor of
respectable careers. She would not deny him.
Jeff said, Ike and Bucky didn't seem to have any definite plans.
They have some, she assured him. They'll come here, and when
they do, there'll be a heap of trouble— She stopped suddenly, as
though she had said something unwise.
When do you expect them? Jeff asked.
Don't rightly know. Maybe soon. Maybe not so soon.
For a moment Jeff was silent and Dan was still stuffing gingerbread
into his mouth. Granny had spoken of trouble when Ike came, but
apparently it was not trouble for herself, and if she wanted him to
know more about it she would have told him. He wished he could
offer her help, but he had an uncomfortable feeling that she knew
how to help herself. He was trying to think of a way to steer the
conversation away from Ike when Granny relieved him of the
necessity for so doing.
What you peddlin'? she asked brightly.
Jeff fidgeted. The contents of his pack, for the most part, were
designed for those who had little. Jeff tried to please people who
yearned after a bit of gay ribbon, a new knife, anything they might
need or desire but could not get for themselves. But he couldn't
imagine what Granny lacked and countered her question with one of
his own.
50. Where do you get your thread and yarn?
She looked surprised. Spin it myself, to be sure. I have sheep. I
grow flax, too.
Jeff followed up because he was interested. Do you also make your
own dyes?
Land, yes! 'Twould be a sin to let the yarbs go to waste when they
grow right at the door step!
Do you use anything besides herbs?
Bark, seeds, nut husks and shells, it's all here. Take a bit of this, a
bit of that, a bit of another thing, seethe it, and there's a dye.
I know you do your own weaving.
Land, yes!
Jeff grinned ruefully. For the first time since its founding, Tarrant
Enterprises, Ltd., had reached a blind end. Something for
Everyone, was one of its numerous slogans. But he did not have
anything for Granny Wilson and he was honest about it.
Granny, I don't believe I can offer you a thing.
Oh, come now! You must have somethin'!
But I haven't.
Now, Jeff, you jest open that pack and give me a look for myself.
I'll do that much.
Jeff laid his pack on the table and opened every compartment.
Granny reached for a skein of gray yarn. She tested it with her
fingers, murmured, Poorly, poorly, and handed it back. Granny
ignored the bright ribbons, had no time whatever for the
knickknacks, lingered over a packet of needles, and her eyes were
accusing when she gave them back.
51. Young man, you are a poor shakes of a peddler.
I tried to tell you I hadn't anything you'd want.
You should have somethin' to please a poor old woman.
I know. If I had anything good enough for you—Oh, darn!
A skein of yarn tumbled out of the pack and caught on a buckle. Jeff
reached through the slit for one of the many-bladed knives, opened
the scissors, and carefully snipped the tangled wool off. Granny
clapped joyful hands.
I knew it! I knew it! Give me that.
Jeff handed her the knife. Granny's eyes shone.
Just the thing! she cried ecstatically. Just what I need! My eyes
ain't what they used to be. I missed two shots at runnin' bucks last
fall and I'm forever mislayin' my necessaries. 'Twould be handy to
have so many in one piece. Cash or swap?
Jeff said recklessly, Let's call it a gift, Granny.
But, she was honestly troubled, you can't give me aught that cost
you dear.
Yes I can.
Not by my leave, she said firmly. It's only right that a body gets
his worth.
I'll swap even for a look at some of your other tapestries.
My what?
Your cloth pictures, like the cat.
Land! I'll get some.
She bounced from her chair, bustled into an adjoining room, and
they heard her open a trunk. A moment later she was back with two
52. tapestries under her arm. She spread one, a yard long by about
twenty inches wide, and Jeff gasped.
It was The Last Supper, but instead of following conventional
patterns, Granny had drawn inspiration from the life around her.
Jesus and His disciples were seated at a wooden table that was
innocent of any adornment or finery whatsoever, but the table was
so finely done that a sliver thrusting out from it seemed both real
and symbolic. There was an air of dignity that rose above mere
human dignity, and the dyes had been applied with a touch so
delicate that holy light seemed to emanate from the picture. Its
message was one of hope. Judas was not to be abandoned.
Do you like it? Granny asked.
It— Jeff was at a loss for words. It's wonderful!
Preacher Skiles thinks the Lord ain't right.
Preacher Skiles assumes a great deal of responsibility.
She laughed. 'Twas not the way he meant it. He thinks Jesus should
be sittin' above the rest, with maybe angels flyin' at His shoulder.
It's better this way.
That's what I thought, Granny asserted. The Lord, He wasn't
above the beggars, the sick and those who done wrong. Somehow I
got to think of Him as comin' down to all of us.
I, too.
This one, Granny spread the other tapestry, I call The Fall of
Satan.
Jeff gasped again. The picture centered around the black silhouette
of Satan, with a background done in delicate shades of red. There
was about the figure utter misery, abandonment and despair. The
gates of hell, which he had not yet entered, were merely suggested.
53. But they were suggested so artistically that one sensed the seething
fires, the complete torment, that awaited.
Dan looked and shuddered. Gee!
Jeff breathed, Why hasn't anyone else seen these, Granny?
Enos, she answered, didn't hold with hangin' them on the walls
and I've tried to keep the house as Enos'd want it. But I knew Enos
wouldn't mind Kitty Cat. He—he's company.
Somebody should see them.
Pooh! Who'd bother with an old woman's foolishness?
I would.
Then take them. Take them for the knife.
I won't do it.
She seemed crestfallen. I didn't think you would.
Jeff said seriously, It isn't that. These are worth a great deal of
money.
They are? How much?
Jeff hazarded a guess, Twenty-five dollars.
Land!
Each, Jeff finished.
My land!
Granny, do you trust me?
Pooh! I didn't raise eight of my own 'thout knowin' aught of boys.
Are these dear to you?
I don't set much store by 'em. Enos never liked 'em.
54. Let me take them into Ackerton, Jeff urged. Let me see what I
can do with them there.
Go ahead if you've a mind to. Land! Meal time and I haven't started
a thing for you boys to eat!
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