The beggar emperor at the end of Ming Dynasty - Chapter 579

Qin Huan has always been an emperor who does what he says. He is also an emperor who does not do anything.

Without giving an order, tens of thousands of people began to get busy, began to complete the task assigned by his majesty, and cast an iron pillar the size of a bowl and 28 feet long.

Such a project is undoubtedly huge and difficult.

The first is that the mold is difficult to make, and the second is that it is so long. The mold must be horizontal and cannot be placed vertically, which makes the molten iron pour in from one end and cool before it flows to the other end.

But there are always more ways than difficulties. As long as you use your brain, you can always think of a solution. This is not just three days. Under the scratching of a group of cast iron masters, the general scheme is worked out. After all, there is still no technical problem.

After hearing their plan, Qin Huan had to praise them. He secretly said that the ancients were really no more stupid than the modern people.

The scheme is as follows: first, find a 100 meter long slope, and then build a row of half person high shelves to place molds.

Naturally, the mold is made of mud. It is made section by section first, dried in the shade, and then spliced. A gap is left above each joint for pouring molten iron.

Each section is about one meter, more than 80 sections, and the joint is slightly thicker than other places. At that time, more than 80 notches from high to low will be poured into the molten iron at the same time, so as to prevent the molten iron from flowing too long and cooling.

There were many people and great strength. In addition, the shipyard lacked nothing. The preparations were completed in just half a month. Even Li Waner and the king of Ryukyu came to see the excitement.

On a 100 meter long slope, a row of wooden shelves extend 100 meters from low to high. On it is placed a long pipe made of mud, which is slightly larger than the mouth of the bowl. If it is not every other section, there is a horn shaped notch on it, which can’t be seen to be spliced.

After each section of clay embryo is dried in the shade, it is brushed with a layer of special oil. Even the joints are smeared with oil wax with sticks, and a small earth kiln is built next to each joint.

The earth kiln is more than two people high. Below is the red coal fire burning, and above is the refined iron block being heated. The water outlet is just above each gap, so there is no need for people to cast. At that time, just open the water outlet and the molten iron will flow into the mold.

At the moment, Qin Yu was standing on the top of the high end of the mold. Without any image of the emperor, he was cat waist, squinting, and his face was stuck on the mud film. He didn’t know what he was aiming at.

Naturally, Qin Huan was aiming at whether the molds were bent when they were spliced, which was his only worry.

After all, a piece of clay mold is only about one meter. It is impossible to bend, but more than 80 pieces may be put together. There is no way. It can only be done by the experience of those teachers. There is no tool at all.

Under the conditions of this era, no matter what material is used, it is impossible to make such a long ruler.

People watched his majesty run up and down for half an hour. Although they were curious, no one dared to ask, and no one would think that his Majesty was evil and entangled by ghosts.

Because the experience of working in a shipyard is no longer comparable to that of ordinary people. For some things beyond cognition, the ability to accept is still very strong.

I can’t help it. An emperor like Qin Huan can’t accept it if he is not strong.

“Your Majesty, each furnace of refined iron has melted. Can you start pouring?”

The old man in charge of the casting saw the flags coming from each furnace, so he ran to Qin Huan and asked for instructions. The look of expectation on his face was not much less than that of Qin Huan.

“Success or failure depends on it. Let’s start!”

Qin Huan didn’t hesitate any more. He waved his hand, then quickly stepped back twenty or thirty steps and stood next to Li Waner.

This can be achieved with the current technology. If the cast iron rod can’t be used and meet the requirements, he can’t help it.

As for the wasted refined iron, although it can be used to forge hundreds of iron guns, he can still afford it.

It’s only 70000 kg of refined iron, which is the daily output of Xichuan iron plant. Two ships can directly transport it from Nanyang, and it doesn’t need to be processed. It can be directly put into the furnace for melting.

“Turn on the stove!”

“Bang!”

With the sound of a gong, the people next to each earth kiln immediately opened the water outlet, and immediately the red molten iron flowed out, directly and quickly flowing to the gap of the mud film.

For a time, the temperature on the whole hillside increased a lot. Everyone was waiting nervously. The gap was the size of an adult’s fist. Coupled with the steep slope, molten iron came out in a short time. Obviously, there was excess molten iron in each kiln.

The people near the earth kiln quickly closed the gate, while the other also took an iron rod and poked it inside. The molten iron overflowed. For a time, the whole hillside was filled with smoke and sparks. Fortunately, everyone was wearing protective gear made of cowhide.

Qin Huan couldn’t wait for someone to water the mold after it cooled down a little. Then he broke the mud film. His majesty ordered that the people could not care about the hot hand. They broke the mud film by three times and five times. A dark metal iron column appeared in front of the people and glittered in the hot sun.

“Come on, check every place carefully to see if there are pores and whether they are not cast in place.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

More than 100 people immediately lay on the iron pole and looked carefully. Qin Huan also touched the metal iron bar. He looked like touching a peerless beauty.

After some inspection, Qin Huan was relieved, because at least there were few holes on the surface of the iron pillar, and there were no potholes. As for the protruding holes and the burrs at the connection, they were removed at the first time.

Generally speaking, the casting was successful. As for whether there are pores in it, only the ghost knows.

However, even if there is, it should have little impact. After all, there are no impurities in the refined iron block. After melting into molten iron, it is stirred for a while, and there is no water in the mud mold.

Then Qin Huan ordered someone to polish it carefully, and asked someone to lift it to the beach slipway, and then weigh it by Cao Chong’s method.

Such a big guy can’t be carried by one or two people. It took 500 strong men to lift it with the help of ropes and wooden sticks. They shouted and moved forward slowly. Fortunately, the terrain on the beach is open. Even if the distance is more than ten miles, it only took more than three hours for people to carry it.

Qin Huan followed him all the way and carefully observed the bending range of the iron pillar in the process of lifting, because it was related to whether the iron pillar could be used or not.

If it was soft like a gluten, it would not work. However, although there was no soft like gluten, the flexibility also cooled Qin Huan’s heart to his back.

Yes, steel is also flexible. The longer and thinner it is, the greater its flexibility will be. The thicker and shorter it will be, the smaller its flexibility will be. For example, a steel bar the size of a chopstick will not bend when waved, but if it is extended to one meter, it will definitely bend. As for tens of meters, I’m afraid it will be like a gluten when lifted.

Although the steel column is thick and thin, if it is one meter long or more than ten meters long, I’m afraid it won’t bend if it carries hundreds of thousands of kilograms, but now it is more than 80 meters. Looking at more than 500 people, it looks like a wave. There’s no need to try. Qin Huan knows it’s too thin to use.

At present, we can only carry it to the shore and weigh it. If it is not too heavy, we can try casting it coarser, but if it is too heavy, it will be troublesome.

Although a large ship with a full displacement of 500 tons can theoretically install tens of millions of kilograms, if only one keel accounts for one or two million kilograms, it will certainly affect the ship’s speed.

Of course, there is another way, that is to make the iron column hollow, which can not only make it thicker, but also reduce the weight. However, Qin Huan also knew that it was more than 80 meters long, which could not be done with the current casting technology.