How do you forge this detail?

[fritzdecat]

Originally Posted by R Funk

I trust nobody will insist I be removed from the site do to my impure work practices.

The only thing that I care about is whether or not the check is good when I sell someone my work. Like to keep it GREEN

[pete46]

IMPURE WORK PRACTICES! YOU SIR ARE A CHEAT!
humm how did you say you did that again?

[Ice Czar]

Originally Posted by tbrforge

"upsetting can be very upsetting"

this summer I did a maybe 200 feet of rail where every 4" or so you had to upset then drift an angled pierced opening (twice top and bottom)

we started out at the forge with a quench bucket, the traditional way
then I tossed that out completely and employed a large oxy-acetylene rosebud to heat just the area I wanted to upest (about 6" up or down from the end of the stock) by leaving the rest of the bar stone cold, I was able to transfer more force to just the area I wanted to upset, with little dislocation to the rest of the stock

To xxxx with pure working practices if you've got 1200 upsets to do
(actually then we upsetted the ends as well, make that 2400)

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

Originally Posted by R Funk

I admit I have cheated and used an arc welder and 4.5" grinder to make that detail.

Pure and simple blasphemy!!

I've found that while "upsetting can be upsetting" It's somewhat easier (at least for me, your mileage might vary) to upset in the middle of a bar. Not sure why, but the upset doesn't seem to have as much tendency to go all lopsided when done in the middle as opposed to the end.

-Aaron @ the SCF

[Fionnbharr (finn:-)]

Traditionally a lot of that was done with forgewelded collars that were then swaged to finished shape. I am pretty good at upsetting too, and kinda enjoy doing it, but for the most part traditionally forgewelding extra material on was more common that upsetting to thicken things, upsets were common to set up scarfs for forgwelding, and were used other places where needed, but if you don't need to upset stock then don't, unless it is a design element;-)

Making a living is not cheating, sometimes it can be a little distasteful, but you have to swallow your pride and do what a man's got to do, provide for his family, if your not getting paid for traditional technics, then fabricate at will;-)

[Hofi]

There is another way to do it and it is not ''cheating'' it was done in the medieval time and i saw it done 4 years ago in a known smithy 30 miles north of Venice.
U make a two half mold from casting clay leave an inlet spout close around the square bar and cast lead inside . when cold take the mold apart for a second use hammer the lead very little and after the painting no one will see the difference .
good luck.
HOFI

[Ten Hammers]

Ruben your trick is safe with me in that I use whatever is needed. I regularly mig or gas weld and then forge that weld. I might also suggest that Hollis may be right but I might just suggest fullering a big bar and then forging down the opposite sides of the affair. The butcher would be for the exact look but I got no butcher.

[Ice Czar]

Originally Posted by Hofi

cast lead inside

hmmmm....and if there where a hole or two in the bar the lead could flow into (through) it would act as a anchor

lead isnt very "friendly" these days, but back then it was likely used becuase of its low melting point and availablity, If lead would work I bet copper, brass or bronze would too. You could do something a lot more complex as esily as modeling clay and making the mold.

I'm beginning to get lots of ideas here

[Paragon]

What if you upset then hammer it into a beveled square hold to get the shape. Just a matter of getting the forming hole made..
\ . /
.| |

Isn't it possible to form the upset then hammer it to the shape?

Could also get some angle iron and make your own special fuller after upsetting it.

Not a cube.. don't know what I was smoking last night.. but you could still forge the double square pyramid and then weld the rods to it..

[RegionalChaos]

I would want to use top and bottom dies and start with larger stock. I think its great though, that there are about a dozen different methods being rattled off :P