It was late at night when he finished the first draft. He was starting to get hungry and writing in dark with with a wax lamp is not so easy and the pen he is using, is a long piece of charcoal wrapped around with clothes. It was not so fun to write or draw .
Still he finished the first draft. If it was an ordinary person it would have taken a week for him to draft but he had an AI with him. He used the AI for most of the research for the core concepts And he already posses deep knowledge on material science and mechanics.
Just drawing this draft made him realize how much backward the technology is in this world. Master Smith called out to him. Raymond come let's have supper together. He lifted his head. Raymond stoped working and collected all the papers and left the workshop. He went behind masters house that's where supper is served usually. Master was talking to his wife .
He walked over and washed his hands first. "Did you finish?" Asked master Smith.
" Yes" he pointed to the papers on the table. Master took them and looked over it. It was a detailed drawn and labeled figures of each individual pieces to be made and one page has the picture of the lathe itself put together. And 2 other pages with detailed description of the parts and instructions.
"Wow this is a very detailed and easy to understand drawings. Even the legendary darvian masters won't be able to draw like this. Where did you learn to draft like this." Asked master Smith curiously
"I didn't. I wrote this in my on way" Raymond lifted his eyebrow when master mentioned about the dwarfs because he remembers from history teachings that there used to be multiple races once but a great war broke out that made every other species to go into hiding it was humans that came out victorious but those are legends now.
Master Smith looked at him and said
"I never knew you were this smart."
He invited Raymond to sit opposite to him. Madame Smith served a boul of vegetable soup for him. He thanked her
"So how are you going to make this at the challenge?" Asked master Smith.
"I am going to make everything that is not iron before the exam itself and the iron parts on the day." Replied Raymond.
"So your first time running the test will be infront of them?" Master Smith Frowned.
"Yes that's a risk I am going to take because I don't have enough time." Raymond took a sip.
Master Smith spread the paper and looked over them.
"Indeed we don't have enough time. If we had a month we could could have but..." He trailed off. He was lost in his thoughts.
Raymond spoke up.
"Master I have a plan and there are parts that I am not so skilled in. I need your help with those."
Master snapped back to reality and said yes yes I will Show you how to make them."
Raymond took a small pouch which his mother gave him. He took all the coins from the pouch and said
"I only have 40 pennies with me. I think we can get the lumber with this m.. master Smith cut him off and he said it's fine you don't have to spend that money save it for yourself.
"No master I insist" Raymond said without backing down. Master Smith looked at him for a while and finally signed.
"Ok fine you can pay for the lumber on your own. We have to make a list of what all we have to purchase first." Said master Smith.
"Master I think we have most of the material we need it's just wood, leather and some brass we lack."
Most of the material for the lathe is iron itself. To be exact wrought iron and that is the most common iron produced in this era and he has been taught how to make good quality iron but this time he not only needs good quality wrought iron he needs much precise parts especially the main screws. He have to carve out a perfect helical path along the screw . To achieve that first he needs to make a perfect cylinder. Atleast perfect to human eyes.
Then he has to trace a helical path along the length of the rod. Around 30 groves on a metre long rod it will serve as a template for him to file.
The main screw is the main component of the lathe if he gets this wrong then he will fail.
They talked till midnight about how they are going to make what all should be prepared and where all Raymond needs help.
Raymond woke up early next morning and the first thing he did was write a letter to his mother telling his apprentice exam will be held on 2 weeks and he is going to stay here till then.
He soon went into the shop. Inside he already saw master Smith was already awake and looking at the the drafts. He was inspecting them and comparing each piece and how things will go together. He didn't even notice Raymond coming in.
"Good morning master, how was your sleep?" Asked Raymond
Master Smith snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Raymond
"Ohhh good morning Raymond, you woke up so early?"
"Yes master I couldn't sleep well, I was way too excited." Raymond replied. He looked at the draft he drew. It was all pinned on a board and hung on the wall.
"Well I was excited too" master replied looking back at the drafts.
"Raymond" master pointer at the nut and bolt drawing and asked "I understand how you are going to make the nut but I don't understand how you are going to make the bolt. It has internal threadings that should match the nut?"
He tracced his fingers along the length of the nut and looked back at Raymond.
Raymond smiled he felt yesterday's talk at night was very effective and master already grasped the core concept of the lathe and how it will work but his mind is still bit closed of. It might be due the technology level of this era. He still have lots of things to explain to him but still he was proud that his master was able to figure this much and is asking questions.
"Master that's the clever part, to make an identical thread inside the nut we first make a regular nut and cut it into the dimensions we need and punch a hole into it with a drill or nails and hammer then we will mount it onto the lathe with a mandrel attached to it. We do the surfacing and use a drill bit in the tail stock to drill a perfect hole."
Raymond pointed at the tail stock on the pin board
" Then I will make another threaded rod and file 4 grooves along the length on the edge. This rod will have a similar thread to the nut so if I place the nut on a vice and place the rod point into the smooth hole of the nut. The hard cutting edge will bit into the nut and as I spin it in. It will create a perfect mirror image of the thread."
"I call the threaded rod as tap. The tap must be a harder material than the nut or else it won't cut through so we have to use brass for the nut." Explained Raymond.
Master was astonished by Raymond's answer he had thought about this matter all night and his solution was never this easy.
"Genius simply genius, where did you get all this ideas?" He asked Raymond
Raymond simply smiled. Only he knows that it's not his idea, he is just standing on shoulders of giants. So he can't take credit.
Soon the master and apprentice got to work. Raymond started forging, getting prepared for the day. Master was observing his apprentice work he will instruct and guide on some specifics and point out his mistakes while forging. Raymond's needs at most concentration when he is forging the spindle the main screw as he needs to make a smooth round bar of iron and making that itself needs a mastery on forging. Making a smooth cylinder itself can be concerned as passing the apprentice exam with flying colors but since it's a challenge he offered he has to do better than that.
Over the 2 weeks he practiced forging the spindle. He went over with master Smith about how the metal will behave at different temperatures and what colors the iron will produce at different temperatures. Master Smith even asked a master stone masons help in teaching Raymond filing the grooves for the main screw.
They arranged the frame to be already build by a wood worker and all other parts that's mode of wood this saved them lots of time that they used to perfect his forging skills. Soon time passed and 2 weeks went in blink of an eye.
The day started early for Willam as this was the day he selected for Raymond's challenge with Mr Norton.
He was wearing his military uniform and he had family emblem on his right sleeve. He stepped inside the carriage. Inside Mr Norton was waiting for sur William.
"Good morning young master." Greater Mr Norton.
"Good morning sir Norton " even tho he was heir of an Earl he still respected Mr Norton because of his talent and his accomplishments. The carriage started moving after he sat down.
"What do you think he is going to make young master?" Asked Mr Norton.
"I don't know Mr Norton. According my investigation he is just an ordinary boy from a small place and master Smith also doesn't stands out to much. He got to this level by working hard and grinding. Nothing out of ordinary.
But the last 2 weeks was interesting as master smith has contacted a master wood worker and a master stone mason. So am guessing he is going to make something complex that requires multiple talents to work together." Replied William
Mr Norton raised an eyebrow when he heard this.
"It looks like he didn't challenge me without any plan but I didn't know Young master was so interested in this guy" asked curiously
" Hahaha it's just a habit of mine. And yes I am curious about this guy because one I was bored in this small town and two who would challenge a guild just for an apprentice exam? Asked Willam.
It is true that Mr Norton was also curious about this. If it was just the boy challenging he would have brushed it off but since a master blacksmith was backing up on this idea there must be something to it.
The city was starting to get busy as they drove towards the workshop. Soon enough they reached master smiths workshop.asyer Smith and Raymond was waiting at the door for them. They got off the carriage and walked towards them.
Master Smith quickly bowed his head towards sir William
"My lord. It's a great honor to have you at my humble shop" said master Smith Raymond bowed at the stranger too. This must be sir Willam devereux that Mr Norton said. he must have came to supervise the challenge. He didn't give him much though and looked at Mr Norton.
"No need for such formality Master Smith" spoke William
"Good morning master Smith, Raymond" spoke Mr Norton. " This is sir William devereux son of Earl of blackbridge Piers Devereux. He will be the legal authority in this matter and he will make sure everything will be fair."
Both master and apprentice greated Mr Norton and thanked sir William.
Master Smith first invited them both towards his house first then he introduced his family. And served them some fine wine.
They exchanged pleasantries and had some chats. Soon the topic shifted the challenge.
"Raymond are you ready?" Asked Mr Norton
"Yes I am" replied Raymond
"Then let's get started" said Mr Norton.
4 men left for the workshop. Each had their on thoughts and motivation but all of there fates are gonna change forever.