Trolls and things

[JWBIRONWORKS]

Hi everyone,
Been busy this weekend trying new things. Still working on that bucket of spikes. Made several more knives and tried a pineapple twist. I'll post pictures of those in the knive forum.

But back to the subject of this post. My first Troll, this was a Bill Epps demo on anvilfire that I ran across awhile back. Thank you Bill for sharing your knowledge with so many of us.
Heres the pics let me know what you think.



I made numerous tools that Bill has posted on several sites to work the spikes with . A pair of tongs from a 2$ set of flea market Farrier nips to hold the head of the spike, 2 different eye punchs and a pair of tongs of my own design to hold the pointed end. I think if I make another troll( I'm sure I will) I will try to figure out a way to hold on to the thing while doing the chisel work.

If anyone has any suggestions on holding the troll while chiseling or tips on how to hot cut the mustache please let me know. Both those techniques or lack of resulted in dogs leaving the shop to avoid flying objects and hi volume cussing.

thanks,

JWB

[Mills]

I made a jig from 3/4 pipe. Take about 6" or so split 3" and ope up for a shelf then square what is left and it will be about right for sliding the pointy end into. Adjust the depth it will go by tapering the pipe. My next one I will try to make a depth stop simply by punching down into the pipe where I want the spike to stop. The taper has a tendency to grab and hold. Another refinement I haven't tried yet is to weld a squared up pipe onto a piece of 1/4 or 3/8 stock which would give a bit better clarance for the head to hang over.
I will see about making another today and post it later, when I can get my friend to take a picture.

[JWBIRONWORKS]

Mills,

Thanks, I would be real interested in seeing a picture. I can visualize what you are describing, won't be back at the forge till Thursday but I will try it.

Thanks for your input,

JWB

[Glenn]

BP0108 Carving Ramp


BP0114 Carving Block



BP0125 Wolfe Head

Did someone mention the IForgeIron Blueprints :idea:
It is a good source of information for blacksmithing? :shock:

[yesteryearforge]

:shock:

[JWBIRONWORKS]

ops:
Glenn,
Thanks for pointing those out
I have used quite a few of the blueprints for tongs,tools,candlecups,hooks,trivets....Not to mention the tech info prints.
I had not done my research(lazy) although once you pointed them out I went back through and along with the ones you pointed out found several others that will also help. In the future I will look first.

Thanks again,

JWB

[Michael]

When I did mine, I improvised a piece of chain and a sash weight, lay the chain across the anvil, anchored on one side and the sash weight hanging down the other, with the gnome under the chain. Holds it well enough for eye punching and mustache cutting.



Michael-Scaring the neighbors since 2004

[JWBIRONWORKS]

Michael,
I have a chain and weight on my anvil also. I did try it and I spent most of the heat chasing the thing. I have made a Block like BP0114 and I am going to try it tonight. Thanks for the input though, I appreciate it.

JWB

[Rich Hale]

You dug back into the files a bit for that demo on the troll, the early demos that Bill shared with us are gold. It really seems like a turning point on knowledgeable smiths sharing with those of us ttrying to figure things out on our own. Those files sete amrk, and luckily that high mark continues, Now with IForgeIron files (Blueprints) there are many that continue to share,,,thanks to those that help years ago and to those that continue....