I was tasked to forge a scroll with a corrugated texture on both sides. I first tried a set of fullering dies and was not happy with the results. The impression produced was not wide enough. I wanted a bold effect because the rail is going to be about 20 ft in the air on a second story of a building and seen from the sidewalk. So a light texture would not really be seen. Also it was hard to get the spacing even. One of guys helped me make up a set of saddles for my power hammer a with a double fuller welded in the center. This way you could use one fuller as a gauge to line up next fuller impression to keep the spacing equal. The stock to be used was 1-1/2" by 1/2" bent the hard way. The scroll also had a double taper. It was near impossible to wrap a scroll the hard way with regular differences in thickness caused by the fulling. The scroll always wanted to buckle at one of the fullered points. To get around this problem I made up a special form on a plate that I could use a bending fork to hold the material flat wile I bent it. I could lever off the plate with a bending fork and the form as well. It took about 3 to 4 heats to wrap each scroll even with the tool. Also I could hammer the side to force the scroll tight to the form because the plate was flush with the edge of the scroll. I also ran a piece of stock thru the center of the dies to see what it would do it created a ridge down the center of a bar that got me thinking about knife making possibilitys. I see center ridges on blades and spears.

Good thinking. Looks great. Plus, I like tools that serve double duty.

Wonderful !!

Lookin good Tim, I've used that arrangement with another fuller center top to create some interesting shapes.

I saw that thread a wile back I found it inspiring.

Those are some stylie scrolls there Tim.

I have been playing with those types of dies a bunch this winter. The raised vein is really cool, I like any technique that leaves material where I can get at it later. Things usually tend to go towards the organic.

the stuff you lot do is so inspiring, love the organic shapes your all getting - they look fantastic. timothy those scrolls look wicked, tactile robust and organic, danger i LOVE that thing in your hand!! is it bronze? whats that color? and nuge that photo is beautiful, fab textures, i love the decorative style would like to see the rest of that thing.... :)

I'm thinking you've got a very good solution Tim, it can be hard to present a texture at that kind of distance. Well done.

Mike, once again you've presented a deliscious piece, great proportions and taper ratio, the curve is very organic, reminding me of a tongue and a wonderful texture. Tastey indeed.

Nuge, that is a terrific teaser, do you have pics of the entire piece posted? I'd really like a gander.

You guys make me humble.

Frosty the Lucky.

Ya know, I kinda cropped that one on purpose, didn't want to be accused of "hijacking" or "one-upping" or any of that... I don't really get the whole etiquette or tone thing, I just figure if you have something useful to drive the conversation forward give it up. But some get salty so we try...

Its all about the technique anyway so there you go. Having a raised vein is so sweet and there is so much you can do to embellish. In the piece above i simply chiseled a line and put little fuller marks in the sides. Simple.

Most of the time we drive a tool into the material and create an impression, having something pop out of the metal is attractive.

Please one up me. I seek inspiration and motivation. In my opinion this is an open forum speak your mind. If one cant handle a full discussion one should not post.

well said timothy! come on nuge show us the rest.....

Oh Beth Darlin, that is SUCH an open straight line it's taking all my self control NOT to jump right on it!

There is a tendency of some guys to think someone is going to steal their "secrets", my experience is they aren't as experienced as they might become. For an experienced metal head let alone smith it isn't so difficult to copy another's work.

Heck, when I'm teaching that's how I determine an intermediate level, say Blacksmith II. (Yeah, like I'm THAT formal) Cover the basics in beginning and once they have that down the fun starts. I'll hand them a piece, sometimes something they made early on and tell them to make me a matched set of 4-5-?. Maybe later hand them something that's damaged and have them make a replacement or repair it or both. If they're quick I'll just describe what I want a piece to do and where it has to fit or reach, etc. That is more advanced though but some folk have advanced vision and only need the tools.

So, after all that rambling I still vote Nuge shows us the rest of the piece and lets the salt settle where it may. Nothing will stop the unhappy from trying to share it so I try to ignore it.

Frosty the Lucky.

Point(S) taken. No one uppering here. I really like the original piece. Anyway, here's the work in progress. I have been gearing up for some summer shows and have been developing these "stars", three or four different designs to be made in a series of ten (for the wall). It's an overused motif but I like the repetition and potential for play/exploration the form presents. Rocking out a pile of tapers on 3/4 bar never gets old. The piece in the photo probably wont make the cut into production but she's pretty nifty. The center is going to get a little copper medallion.

Frosty - about the stealing secrets bit, there's always that isn't there? Be lying if I said sometimes that doesn't come into play when sharing. Not in this case though...

The first photo is another incarnation of the same type of tooling.

Wow that's cool! You should start a thread on that. Looks sort of scfi H.P. Lovecraft.

Wow! Inspiring stuff everyone. Tim-nice simple tools to get the job done-always like that. Looking forward to seeing the completed rail.