tzonoqua Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 some recent work, to represent ammonite fossils which are found locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Nice Job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Very nice looooooong twists Colleen. They look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I love them! Nicely done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Good looking. How did you roll them up, wooden mallet on a wooden "anvil?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocko 58 Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Very nice i like them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 Thanks everyone! Frank, wooden mallet on a wooden "block" yes, you may call it an anvil!! Still manages to crush the edges of the twists a little but I'm getting better at scrolling them quicker to leave them unmarred. The tapered twists are quite a fragile thing as well, very easy to snap off the thin end, I know some people twist these with a torch, but I found that trickier as I need an extra pair of hands that way!! The hooks take me 20 mins to do, and the pokers about the same despite them not being punched, probably because the pokers are made out of heavier stock, and it takes me ages to get them straight again after contra twisting... I go a bit overboard with the twists sometimes, but it's a nice effect I think!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Thanks everyone! Frank, wooden mallet on a wooden "block" yes, you may call it an anvil!! Still manages to crush the edges of the twists a little but I'm getting better at scrolling them quicker to leave them unmarred. The tapered twists are quite a fragile thing as well, very easy to snap off the thin end, I know some people twist these with a torch, but I found that trickier as I need an extra pair of hands that way!! The hooks take me 20 mins to do, and the pokers about the same despite them not being punched, probably because the pokers are made out of heavier stock, and it takes me ages to get them straight again after contra twisting... I go a bit overboard with the twists sometimes, but it's a nice effect I think!! Hi Colleen, Getting them straight, use your wood mallet on a wood block again, (about 4" or so in contact at a time) just heat the length, rotate and beat as you go, sliding it along the full length of the twist, that should straighten them without marring the edges Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Colleen your helper is sleeping on the job! These are nice! The varied tightnesses of the twists adds interest. Try a few twists that use compound processes to create even more interesting complexities! Twists like pineapple twists, cube twists, various reforged twists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 John, I use a combination of hitting them over the length of the anvil with the mallet, and putting them through the jaws of the vice to get them straight and it always just seems to take forever... and I've been doing very long twists while making cooking tripods and I don't know what it is but I just have trouble making them straight again. Maybe it is because I can only heat about a 30 cm length in my forge at one time? I mean, is it just me or does it just always take time to make it straight again?!! Maybe because the twists are not uniform and also with sections that are not twisted? This is where I find it goes 'wrong' a lot. I suppose the best way is to keep them as straight as possible while twisting them, easy with short twists, but I find not so easy with long ones, maybe I need to get a sleeve to twist them in, although I don't know how that would work for doing secessions of opposite twists, as you wouldn't be able to see what is happening with the twists... Big Foot, that 'helper' usually sleeps in the sunshine in the doorway, whereas the other one, who's not pictured, he tends to follow me around and lie at my feet, not so good when in and around the forge but he's a loyal farm collie x. Those twists sound great, I shall have to experiment a little! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Colleen just do your straightening cold... as John suggests with wood tools. Plenty of malleability in the steel to do that job without heat and it's actually easier (MUCH), as the items tend to overcorrect when they are hot. Working cold helps to prevent damage to the twists besides. Any of the subtle curves can be put in, or removed, cold in most stock. Hot rodders sometimes recurve their auto springs cold and that is pretty heavy stock and springy besides! I have dogs like that too but I have taught them to stay away when I am forging. If they have a severe lonely attack, while I am forging, they will approach at a distance and whine for mercy so that I have to put my work down and pet them a bit. If I cannot stop, I have to rebuke them and they go off in a very hang dog way to wait till I am in a better mood. When I am REALLY struggling at the forge the bad language is enough to convince them to keep to very safe distances! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 cold?? I doubt that a wooden mallet on cold 12mm bar would do much? I can see maybe putting it in the vice and bending cold might work though. I do send the doggies out to chase rabbits in the field next to me, that keeps them occupied for a while!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
female_blacksmith Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Hi Colleen, love the look of the pokers and especially the hooks. I might like to try that myself. When I lived in UK, I made lots of pokers with river twists all the way down to the point with a shepherds crook type handle, which I thought looked good too, another idea to try ? When straightening I took a dull red heat in 6-8" sections and straightened using a long flat 2" thick bit of wood with a wooden mallet as I went and also when I finished. Hopefully, one of our suggestions might work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Colleen the truth is that in skilled hands (such as mine) it will do just the right amount! I would likely try to get most of the straightening done after twisting as the bar is still black hot but YES you can easily straighten 1/2" or 12mm stock cold. If your mallet is too wimpy make a bigger one! It really is not a heavy hitting sort of activity though. I do it quite often. TRY it and you'll see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Colleen, I have straightened 3//4" (19mm?) with a wooden mallet on a stump often and yes, cold. These were for fire place tools that had reversed twists that were in 4" segments for a total length of 24" of twists. I have an oak mallet made from a wooden pallet, 4" x 6"lg with a 1.5" dia sweet gum sapling for the handle, it's about 18" long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric sprado Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Whoa!!!! I've gotten so sick of twists over the years BUT those twisted scroll ends are GREAT!! Okay if I copy(copying being the best form of flattery)??? Eric in Deadwood Oregon.... So far out you have to have your own tomcat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearhartironwerks Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Coleen, There is something about twists that are just eye catchers/candy. Makes me want to go and make some. Thanks! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 love them colleen! always like to see the amonite shape - ive never seen any like youve done them on the hooks - really good! interesting debate about cold straightening - very cool (literally..:) ) i think i under use the twist really, i must experimant a bit more. i think they look wicked colleen, lovely appealing tactile looking work :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Those look just bril. I supose this is one of those times when" to fix the problem just get a Bigger hammer(in this case mallet)" rings true. as for keeping twists straight using a tube makes a huge difference and you can cut slots in the side sort of like elongated "portholes" by using a hole saw to drill 2 holes a short distance apart and using a grinder to join the holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick L. Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Colleen, I really like the spiral twists! So much that I went out last night and had a go at it after work. I used a leather mallet from my sheetmetal tool rack on the anvil to flatten and it was good on one side :) Also didn't get the nice uniform start that you did . After the first turn it looks to have shape but the center stands out . Need to do another, Dick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzonoqua Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 I want to say thank you to everyone who offered encouragement and has made suggestions to my problem of getting things straight!! (If only I could do the same in the organization of my life, but that's another matter!!) I made a tripod today, with long opposite twists, and used a combination of putting between the vice jaws once twisted, then going from there with the piece at black heat, with my mallet over my big anvil to straighten the rest, and it didn't take long at all, it took me an hour to make this tripod, each twist has to be done in 25-30 cm sections at that is the maximum length I can heat in my forge. I think where I was going wrong was trying to correct the wonky-ness while too hot, and overcorrecting, and making more work for myself!! So, not quite straightening them cold, but cooling, after the twists have been done has been working for me. I can't see myself managing to use a pipe sleeve to twist into, it's about all I can manage to get the work into the vice, get the twisting wrench or bar on it before it's starting to cool off, I think one less thing for me to faff about with the better!! So a pic of the wonderfully straight legs, and the assembled tripod. Am going camping next week, so will get some use out of it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 straight as a die :) (whatever that means ) enjoy your camp colleen :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Yeah! Nice and straight! I guess you got that straightened out! Good job Colleen! Have fun on your trip! You might want to make a couple marshmallow/hot dog forks to take with you also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mastershake Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Awesome work and very artistic design! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRWickerDesign Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Those are very attractive. I like the organic quality of the spirals. Eye catching and functional too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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