Feathers

[jj2k]

I have a customer who is wanting me to make two feathers for her from iron.

I get the basic idea. I have looked at countless feathers to see how they appear. However I cannot seem to come up with a reasonable way to make the trip in iron.

I know if I take a tremendous amount of time to do this, I can make it happen and make it look correct. However that will be self defeating and cost prohibitive. I may try to do it the hard way anyway just to say, "There, I did it!" So I guess I am looking for a trick or two, an idea, or just outright having someone say, "DO THIS! MORON!!!" :lol:

I guess what has me going the most is putting the center stem in the piece and make it look right.

HELP!!!

jj2k

[Ed Thomas]

Mister jj2k:

I find it pointless to try to copy nature exactly in iron. It is better to simply capture the spirit of something -- let your piece suggest the item. Feathers are actually fairly simple, but I've given every one that I've made away and don't have any lying around.

How much time do you have? If you can wait that long, sometime this weekend, I'll try to make a blue print ("how-to") of how I've made them in the past.

How much is she paying? (I mean, is she paying you enough to make them "right"?) How big are the feathers? Are they part of something else? Do you have either a treadle hammer or a power hammer? It is much easier if you do.

[JimG]

Dave Manzer does a demo on feathers in his latest power hammer video.
He starts with angle iron that he opens up/flattens I think he uses a bottom swedgeso he doesn't totaly flatten the spine.

Hope this helps.

[Strine]

Dear Moron

Just thinking about it (I've got my good clothes on so I'm not going to test this theory) what about this? Taper a piece of round rod (size depends on size of feather) to a long point. Turn end for end and neck over the edge of the anvil at about the right length of the feather. Rotate back and forth through only 90 degrees when you're necking. That will put a thin square section on the side of the rod. Hold the stalk so this squre section is in the middle of the rod as you look down onto it. Flatten the feather bit so it is fat through the middle and thin on the edges. Now make a top and bottom swage with a thin groove along each face. Pass the feather through the swages to get a ridge along the length of the feather. It will be difficult to get a nice flowing line. I'll leave that for the next bloke. If this doesn't work try something else!

[Ralph]

ANGLE IRON.
While I have not done it my self I have seen a few smiths make them.
Was fairly quick for them.

[irnsrgn]

I have made a few feathers from small angle iron, 1/8 by 3/4 and 1 inch. I cut both sides of one end to a gradual arcing taper and then flatten it out without flattening the V where the sides meet, and cut a short taper on the other end of a predetermined length for the quill end and then use this feather or leaf block to get the veins or veining.







its just a center stem ground in the center with a chamfer on one end and then vein marks are ground in lightly with the flat of a very coarse grinding wheel as shown. The V part that is left on the angle is put down into the groove and the top worked, I generally use a flatter on top to strike the hot piece evenly.

[jj2k]

Gosh you guys is smart.
I have entertained a few of these ideas and will follow up on most of them.
I knew I could count on y'all.
I will start on this in the very near future and if I come up with something new or inovative, I will share my findings with you guys.

Once again,

THANX!

JJ2k

[Ralph]

Bah, a REAL smith would start with 2 inch square....... :lol:

Of course being the wimp I am I would use thin angle iron myself.

Good luck and be sure to take photos. BOth of the process you decide to use and then final pic of the finished stuff. I am certain Ntech would consider making it into a BP.

[Strine]

Ralph,
What then with the 2" sq? Cut off an 1/8" sliver with a plumbers hacksaw? Or would you file it down to shape with a horseshoe rasp.

Jokes aside I wonder how big these feathers have to be pelican or sparrow?

[Ralph]

Strine,
Drats I hate it when folks fingure it out.

I once some some steel Peacock feathers. DO not kow who made them, nor how. But they looked very lifelike.

For a while a buddy was making a fair number of eagle feathers.