Machinist for Swage Block?? Anyone Here

[racer3j]

I need to have a swage block made. I want to take a block of O1 and I need a series of funnel shaped holes that will go all the way through. The tapered holes will be used in conjunction with male cone hardys I have. These will become sockets for traditional "socket chisels." I would like the block to handle at least two of one size and two of a smaller. Ideally I would have a swage that has 3 of each. Before it is hardened and drawn, I would want a hardy shank welded onto it. Any takers?? Thanks, JET

[ThomasPowers]

This would be a VERY EXPENSIVE way to go indeed!

May I suggest you look in the Complete Modern Blacksmith by Weygers to see what he used to make sockets for wood chisels; IIRC there is an entire chapter on forging wood chisels in it.

[racer3j]

I will do that. I just got through the introduction before I fell asleep last night. Without reading however, whatever I end up with will be worked hard. The steel will be around $170-185. If things go well, I might be making damascus and O1 sockets at the rate of 20-30 per week.If that happens,I needa swage that works with no fuss or botherA properly made and finished and treated socket chisel sells for $50-75.mt

[racer3j]

Weygers covers everything but forging chisels and sockets. Otherwise , the book is great for the diagram/pictorial demonstrations for many other things. I am also thinking about a swage block for the chisels themselves.jet

[hdwarner]

i am interested , can you provide a "napkin " sketch
chuck

[irnsrgn]

when I made sockets for chisels, I just used black pipe or tubing and a tapered cone mandrel to drive then down onto it hot, after swaging the small end some first, then cut the socket off the pipe for attachment to the chisel. I bought the chisels at flea mkts that had the handles missing and someone used a metal hammer on the sockets to drive them, destroying the socket part. cut off the old socket and arc welded or torch welded the new socket in place, then forged for a nice transition . If you look inside old chisel sockets you can see the forge weld inside, from being fullered wide, then wrapped and finally forge welded over a mandrel, the inside is usually a cold lap seam.

[Fionnbharr (finn:-)]

I just free handed them and welded up the seam on the side, they aren' t too hard once you have done 10-100 of them... ;-) Welding them without blowing through the socket can be an issue but a little mig gun weld handled should fix that. I prefere to do them on the power hammer now, start with thicker material, finish with a thicker socket, and its easier to weld and stronger...

[racer3j]

3018A2- part number for tapered reamer at Mc Master-Carr- This is the approximate tapered hole I need in the steel block. To account for wall thickness, the diameter at small end of cone female die would likely be 1/2" position and up the taper from that point for about two inches. I don't know if there is some kind of plunge milling cutter that would do it. Shade tree would be to use two hunks of mild steel with this reamer in a brace and the "sandwich" in a vise. Ream, tighten vise;ream, tighten vise; and on and on. Then weld the two pieces together and finish ream by hand with same reamer. If there is a milling cutter that would do it, it would be less tedious- though such thinking is outside the tradition of smiths' " find a means with stuff on hand." I am still open to more ideas. Thanks,jet

[irnsrgn]

In my 50+ years as a Blacksmith, Weldor and Machinist, I guess my success was not allowing myself to contract tunnel vision. And I guess some forget that the lowly dirty Smith did have a tradition, they developed most of the original Machine Tools so they could do their jobs easier, better and quicker. The term "Machine Shop" comes from the Blacksmiths who started developing and using Machines to make their jobs easier etc, so the people started calling the Blacksmith Shops, Machine Shops as the Smiths shops were full of all sorts of Machines that they used to accomplish their tasks.

[Glenn]

Your thinking stock removal. Why not stock addition?

Take a piece of pipe and swage it down to the *right* size and taper, cut it in half and then buttress the half pipe for support. There is nothing wrong with the old ways of making the socket, it is just a bit slower.