Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Suggestions for corkscrewing 5/16" rod


Recommended Posts

My long reply was forbidden I'll see if I can slip one in on edit.

Okay, I gotta give you a fast version. Make a mandrel the same OD as the ID of your cork screw. Put a crank on one end and a key slot in the other and mount it in a stand so you can turn it and wind the stock on it. Heat the rod by passing it through your forge. When hot slide it through and insert the end in the retainer slot and crank the handle. Crank it at a rate the stock comes to heat as it passes through your forge. Wind it tight on the mandrel NO space between turns.

When you have the coil wrapped remove it from the mandrel push against the direction of the wrap and it'll open up and slip off. Now heat the coil and pull it like a spring till it's the length you wish, cut it off, form the handle and point. This technique is good for making multiples.

Fingers crossed.

Frosty The Lucky.

Edited by Frosty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Find someone with a big lathe, and wind it like you would when making a spring.

 This can be done cold, but you will have to allow for some springback .  The bar is stuck in the mandrel, then the lathe is turned on at the lowest RPM, and the feed rate set at the highest feed rate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lathe works nicely but you need to make the mandrel undersize to compensate for the spring back OR just live with it. I'd mentioned a lathe but was Forbidden and then limited on edit length. Grrrrrr.

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did not see anywhere in this thread about plating of any kind - sample picture(which was stated below the picture) by the original poster - this image may have been plated after the spiraling or it may be polished stainless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you do not have a lathe to rotate the spindle or you are unable to maintain the correct angle of approach to it, you can fix the spindle and wrap around it. 

The helix is the hypotenuse of a triangle that is wrapped around the spindle. Rather than doubling the work by wrapping a tight coil and then having to space it out to the helix, you can calculate (even by trial and error with welding rod nor electric cable) the triangle and using a follower to maintain the height of the triangle top and therefore the angle of the helix to the axis of the core, wrap it around a post vertically mounted on a base plate which the follower rides on. The follower must be kept vertical and will trace a spiral on the base….

Adjust the concept to suit your project...

Alan

The sketch shows both the starting point and the position of the follower after the first rotation, the dotted line is the spiral that the foot of the follower traces on the base.

wrapping_helix.thumb.jpg.11f1d46a857b971

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...