Tongs blueprint

[FieryFurnace]

Tongs blueprint!

The tongs I made today did not turn out all that great and I'll explain why towards the end of the BP. However, I took pictures of the entire process, and I think this might be a help to some folks wanting to make tongs.

I use 10-11 inches of 1/2-inch round coil spring. Spring makes a tough, strong, springy pair of tongs. I usually get an 18-inch pair of tongs out of 10-11 inches of 1/2-inch coil spring.

So first things first! Cut some spring. I use a torch but you can also use a cutting disk on an angle grinder. Another option would be heating the end of a whole spring, straightening it, and then cutting it on a hardy.

Any way you do it, cut 10-11 inches of 1/2-inch coil spring.


Heat it up and straighten it out. I use the pritchel hole to help straighten it, and I like to wear a glove on my tong hand because it is going to throw some big chunks of scale around while you are straightening the piece.





Next, make a center punch mark, 1-inch from the end and then 2.5-inches from the end. (Or 1.5-inches from the first mark.)
I use a v-block marked at the measurements. (I also tend to overhang the end and mark a hair more than 1-inch so I can trip at the end.) Here is my v-block.







Next, isolate the end at the 1-inch center punch mark, using half-on, half-off blows on the far edge of the anvil. This is shown cold below. Once this isolation is made, square up the blob left on the end, but leave it big still.


You can also do it on the power hammer. If your dies are adjustable you can just offset your dies. If they are fixed dies, you can use a hand-held flatter.


This is the result of that isolation. (Notice the location of the first and second centerpunch marks.)


Place the piece back on the anvil, in the same position it was in while you were forging the first isolation at the 1-inch mark. Rotate 90 degree counterclockwise. Move to the near side of the anvil and use half-on, half-off blows to isolate material at the second center punch mark.


Here is what you should end up with more or less. I usually like to leave the area between the two center punch marks about 1/4x1/2-inch.



Here are some more shots of the overall process including positioning at the anvil, and just different angles to help you understand exactly what is going on.





Next its time to forge the boss or the part where the rivet will go. I usually leave a little more than a square for the boss. The boss is forged by using half-on, half-off blows on the far edge of the anvil. This isolates the boss and starts the handles of the tongs. Notice the positioning of the previous isolations in the pictures. (This isolation is on the aposite side from the previous one.)


What it should look like now.




The next step is to taper out the handles or reigns of the tongs. I usually start the handles at about 1/4x1/2 and taper them down pretty small. You can adjust the size of the handles to fit the size of the tongs. Once the handles are tapered to size, hammer the corners down and round the top and bottom sides of the handles. This will keep you from having to file or grind and provide a comfortable grip.

Now, we need to bend the area between the boss and the jaws. (The jaws being the blob left on the end.)
Heat the area between the boss and the jaw, and clamp the jaw in the vise. Bend downward. Refer to the picture to see the direction of the bend in relation to the boss.



Make a second bend at the boss as shown below.



Next, center punch the location of the rivet holes in the boss. I usually mark it out as shown below, and center punch the center of the "X".


Now it's time to bend the area between the jaws and the boss (called the "bit,") to form the "bolt" tongs shape.
This can be done in the vise with a piece of round bar, it can be done with a jig, or it can be done on the horn. Try to get both sides of the tongs pretty similar.



Showing the angle of hammer blows.



Check to see how similar they are to each other.


Make a line down the center of the jaws of the tongs. (The blob left at the end of the tongs.) Chisel a groove in this "blob."


In this next picture you'll notice how my chisel line is not straight and it is a hair off center towards the end of the line. This is going to come back to haunt me. Make sure your chisel line is as straight and centered as humanly possible.


Now punch the rivet hole. I like to use a 1/4 inch rivet.



If you want to put a touchmark or stamp the tongs size in, now is the time to do that. These tongs were meant for holding hardy shanks, so I stamped "FFF" (for Fiery Furnace Forge,) and "HARDY."


Rivet, but do not completely pound the rivet down. Just get it stuck!


Now grab a piece of stock that is the size you want the tongs to hold. This is a piece of 5/8-inch that is pretty much the same size as the hardy shank I'll be holding. Heat the entire jaw and bit area up, place the piece of stock in the chisel grooves and hammer an even number of times from both sides. This is where the chisel line is really important. If it is a bit crooked, the jaws will not forge evenly and ultimately will not provide a strong grip.



Forge the jaws down until you have a good V-shape inside to hold square or round stock. You can also place the stock in at a 90 degree angle and forge a side groove which is very handy. After the jaws fit and hold the stock firmly, adjust the handles to a comfortable grip. Finish out the rivet too and work the tongs at a low cherry heat, to loosen them.

Since I got my chisel line a bit off on this pair, I spent a long time trying to forge and align the jaws. Even when it was all said and done, I was not pleased with the results. It's not the best looking pair of tongs I've ever made, and while they do work, they do not perform at 100%.

However, hopefully you get the idea.



Here is a better looking pair of tongs for 1/4-inch stock. Also notice the 90 degree v-groove I put in these.




With a power hammer and a little bit of practice, forging a pair of tongs in an hour is easy. With proper hand hammer technique, you can forge a pair in a couple of hours by hand.
A newbie, will require 5+ hours of work to forge a pair of bolt tongs like this.

Tongs are important and knowing how to forge a good pair of tongs for your shop is something that should be learned, regardless of whether you are a once a month hobiest or an every day full timer.

I am still a learner, and I am more than sure that my method is not the best or fastest, but hopefully I've helped someone out!

[Trip]

Nice tongs Dave!!!!!!!!! I am going to have to try to make a set of tongs like that.

[Robert Yates]

Thank you Dave for the show and BP's will have to try a set .

Sam

[divermike]

thanks for sharing, I will point it out to a couple newbs I know.

[petere76]

Nice work Dave. Can never have enough tongs.

Where did you get the combo dies for the Tire Hammer?

Peter

[Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks]

Brain Brazeal makes a really nice pair of tongs that hold dang near everything from 1/4" to 1-1/8" or so that he calls ugly tongs. They are especially suited to holding the tapers on them cut-off hardies. Maybe we can bribe him into posting a tutorial on making them buggers, I've made a few pair, but I am sure my process is nowhere near as efficient as his, as mine involves alot of guess work and about 4 hours... LOL.

[FieryFurnace]

Brain Brazeal makes a really nice pair of tongs that hold dang near everything from 1/4" to 1-1/8" or so that he calls ugly tongs. They are especially suited to holding the tapers on them cut-off hardies. Maybe we can bribe him into posting a tutorial on making them buggers, I've made a few pair, but I am sure my process is nowhere near as efficient as his, as mine involves alot of guess work and about 4 hours... LOL.

I would second that!

Those combo dies are my original flat dies. My air hammer broke down, and I was in a hurry and had to forge about 20 dinner bells, so I modified my flat dies!

[ciladog]

Very nice blueprint Dave. Something to consider though is that tongs made from 5160 may crack if quench in water if they get hot enough. Mild steel works just as well and no chance of cracking.

[Francis Trez Cole]

great job Dave

[FieryFurnace]

Ciladog
I would contend that comment in a friendly sort of way!

Carbon steel tongs are, IMHO superior to mild steel tongs. I have yet to have a pair of my spring steel tongs bend in use, whereas I've had mild steel tongs bend a number of times.

I often cool my spring steel tongs in water when they start getting warm. I never leave my tongs in the fire and never get them anywhere near cherry red. However, they do, obviously get very hot on the end. I cool them off in water with a number of very fast dunks in and out of water. (Cooling the metal down, not quenching it completely off.) I've never had a pair crack. I also use the same methods to cool the handles down after forging, so I can turn them around and work with the jaws. I haven't had any break or crack yet.

That's just my experience, which I'll be the first to admit, is still relitavely small.

[ciladog]

Hey Dave, Relax. I’m not criticizing you. I have plenty of tongs made of spring steel. Just not bolt tongs.
If you make your tongs out of heaver material they won’t bend.

[Kainon]

Nice tutorial, I enjoy seeing these kinds of posts.

[FieryFurnace]

Hey Dave, Relax. I’m not criticizing you. I have plenty of tongs made of spring steel. Just not bolt tongs.
If you make your tongs out of heaver material they won’t bend.

Lighter tongs are easier and more comfortable to use! :D
I don't mind criticism, but I didn't take your post that way at all! You just brought up a point about tongs material that many good blacksmiths would agree with.
I dissagree but didn't take it as criticism!

[metalmangeler]

I also make my tongs from hardenable matterial, but I know of at least 2 comercial makers of farrier tongs that had to change to heavy and mild, because they could not teach thier customers not to quench tongs hot. If used correctly they will hold up fine if used incorrectly you will know about it.

[ToolSteel]

FieryFurnace,
For the life of me I don't see a thing wrong with these tongs. But on a different topic: you, sir, are an excellent photographer.