Forging a big shaft

[Ed Thomas]

Roger: Thanks for the answers. Your spelling and English grammar is bettern than most of us!

I should have recognized the soot on the forge doors as evidence that you burn diesel oil, not gas.

Do you normally fit your swages with springs, or just hinges? I see the main one is a top and bottom tool separated, right? But the one for the shaft looks like it is joined at the operator's end.

[Kallsme´n]

Yes you notice that right.
The reson for that is, if you fit springs on the big swages you will not be able to lift the tool up on the dies because they been to heavy.
This swages weigh nearly 30kilos each

And another reason is, lets say , after ten hit with the hammer you hawe to lift the shaft and the swages to blow away slag (is that the right word ??) in the lower swages so the surface will be good.

Roundbar swages is fitted with springs up to about 70mm.

Roger

[Ironscot]

I don't have a particular questions. I'm just sitting here with a, Wow, cool! look on my face and a little drool from my slack jawed stare.

Can I come over and play at your house??

[Kallsme´n]

Ironscot, If you come to Sweden, I promisse that you are welcome to "play" with my hammer in my shop, for a day.

Roger

[sqeezplay]

have you ever dropped a piece of white hot steel that big when forging? or have it shoot out from under the hammer? i bet that could burn a mighty big hole!

[Kallsme´n]

No I hawe newer drop a pices that big in 28years, (knock on wood)
And i newer got injured during those years either when blacksmithing.

Roger