A segment on manufacture of wire products, from a documentary titled ' The Story of Steel'. Shows the preparing of rod for drawing into wires. In the wire manufacturing factory, the wires are dipped into acid bath to remove scale, then a water bath in a giant wooden tub removes acid from the wires. The rod is carried slowly through a spray of water to deposit a fine oxide coating which is of benefit when wire is drawn. A lime bath neutralizes the acid and lubricates the wires. Lime coating is then baked. Workers working in a wire drawing room in a steel wire mill. End of a wire is sharpened on a grinder to point the end. Worker threads wire through die and onto large receiving spool, then cold rods are drawn through a hole in a solid die which reduces their diameter and increases their length. The spinning spools fill with wire rapidly. For safety of workers, the machine automatically stops after sensing a kink in the wire. The kink catches in a loop on a brake handle, and activates the brake.
Labor saving devices handle wire rolls in a wire mill in United States. Shows galvanization of wires. Wires are first dipped in a bath of molten lead. Entirely closed chamber of an acid bath apparatus protect the workers from hazardous fumes. A bath of molten zinc galvanizes the wires. Wires are rolled on reels.
Shows woven wire fences being manufactured in a steel wire mill in United States. Shows production of American fence and National fence. Man plants an American fence on steel posts in a farm.
Shows the production of barbed wire in a steel wire mill in United States. Animations show how barbs are formed over the wire. Worker rolls the barbed wire over a reel.
Shows machine producing wire nails in a steel wire mill in United States. Animation shows how wire nails are produced. Nails in containers.
Wires wounded on spools for making wire ropes in a steel wire mill in United States. The spools are placed in a machine which twists wires into strands. A machine twists the strands into wire ropes.