Mark Ling Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 I started building up my tooling about 4 months ago when I purchased Alec Steele's online courses of tool making. It shows you how to start with minimal tooling, and how to forge tooling to ultimately make rounding hammers. The first tool I made was a V-tipped punch out of 3/4 inch coil spring. I started by putting a taper on the end of the bar with the tip being about 1/2 inch. Then I cut of about 1/4" of the tip doing a cut to the center with a hot cut hardy (could also do it with a hot cut chisel) and then flatted of the taper. Since we did a cut to the center previously, it set us up for the geometry of the punch, and lessened the about of grinding that needed to be done. I then brought it to the belt sander and put a 90 degree edge on it. If you do it too shallow it wont punch a plug. Then I forged a hammer eye drift ( I actually made two, but the first one I wasn't pleased with) the one I ended up using was made out of 11/4" crow bar. I forged a 10 inch square taper (all with a hand hammer), then made it round, and flattened it out (be careful not to hit the rounded edges, you want to keep them) to a capsule shape. then forged out the striking end, as I didn't leave enough material so I had to forge it out longer. Now that I had completed that, I began to forge a hammer eye punch out of 1 1/4" round with just a hand hammer. Started by forging it to a rectangular piece of stock about 1"x1 1/4", than punched the eye in the middle with my newly made punch, after I did that, I forged a taper on one end, did a cut to the center, and flattened the taper to make a capsule shape. You will then drive the drift into the eye, and draw out the cheeks were they are supported by the drift with either the edge of your hammer or a cross/straight pein hammer. after you have done that, and drifted it out to the desired size, clean up the striking end (mainly just for esthetic purposes), grind the proper edge, and handle it. Another tool closer to your destination! after I made that, I forged some hammer eye tongs out of 1/2" coil spring. I wont go into too much detail about them, as you can probably tell more by the pictures than I can explain with words. I started by forging a 9 inch taper on one end (for the jaws) and on the other end a 14 inch taper for the reins. flatten both the reins and the jaws (stronger shape) and where the two tapers meet Is were the boss is, flatten this also, but not too thin. Then punch a 3/8 hole in the boss for the rivet. do the first bend closest to the boss, but when you do be careful not to heat up the punched hole or else it will distort. do an 80 degree hobberman bend, then 2.5 inches from the last bend do a 90 degree hobberman bend. At the end of the bits put a little curl. The rest is basically the same as other tongs, but I cut off the tip of the tong bits, and so I messed with the ratio (yes there is a ratio), and so it doesn't hold inside the eye of hammers how it should, but will work for punching. I am going to have to make a new pair, with a correct ratio, but also out of thicker material, as this pair is a little small. Oh yeah, I bought a piece of 23/4" thick by 5" wide, by a foot long for a striking anvil. Had a friend sorta mill out a hardy hole, which I had to clean up with files, and it ended up (at the top of the hole) to be about 118/" square. bought some square tubing at the scrap yard, but still need to find a 1/2 plate to weld the striking anvil and the legs to. I made a pair of tongs out of 3/4" round to hold 1 1/4" with 3/8" square forge welded reins that were forged round and to a bit of a taper, overall pleased with how they turned out. I am sure I probably forgot a step, or maybe even have one out of order. I apologize also if something didn't make sense, its getting late-ish, and I've been typing ALOT! If you want me to go into more depth about something, than let me know! Here is a video going in depth on the hobberman bend. Thanks Solomon for bringing this video to my attention! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JirnBrxWthI How to forge hammer eye tongs- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbBrU9yoWkc some info on striking anvils- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2jFtCjZHVM&t=1s Hope this helps a few of ya'll out, still obviously not done with this journey and will continue making more tools when I get a chance. will be sure to poste 'em here! I know, I know, I wrote a novel. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Great job! Your a little ahead of me. I got an itch to make some hammers, and so far i've made a drift from 1 1/8 axle. Just started on the eye punch. Will need to make the tongs. I'm fighting jealousy right now. I don't have a striker so for me it's a fairly big endeavor. Not sure what I'll do for fullering the eye area on a rounding hammer, but I'm determined. Guess maybe I should start with a cross peen. Keep me updated with what u make. I'm right behind you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 I don't have a striker! yet that is! For the fullering you could maybe use a blacksmith guillotine. This is just a image I got from google. It would probably need some modification for making hammers, at least for spreading the cheeks. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Yeah, a guillotine would be nice. Is it just me or is it kinda wierd to have a striking anvil and no striker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 3 minutes ago, C-1ToolSteel said: Is it just me or is it kinda wierd to have a striking anvil and no striker? well man, I never thought of that... I'm hoping to eventually find a striker, got a few candidates, just got to find out who actually wants to do it! could always get my dad to..... Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Too bad you're in Texas. Hey, we just went to Texas to celebrate Thanksgiving. Maybe next time I can swing by and we'll make some hammers. We could take turns being the striker. Sound good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 sure! sounds great! where in Texas were ya'll? Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 12 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: I don't have a striker! yet that is! For the fullering you could maybe use a blacksmith guillotine. This is just a image I got from google. It would probably need some modification for making hammers, at least for spreading the cheeks. Littleblacksmith A spring fuller could work well, too. I made this one from a sway bar: And here's a pair of hot-cut hardies I necked down with it: If you do a little welding, you can make one of these with the bits turned 90 degrees. With enough clearance, this should work fine for fullering cheeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aessinus Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 13 hours ago, littleblacksmith said: .... could always get my dad to..... Littleblacksmith Was going to ask, but you beat me to it. My lad always asks me, trust me, not a "get" ,it's an honor to be asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 On November 29, 2016 at 7:10 AM, littleblacksmith said: sure! sounds great! where in Texas were ya'll? Littleblacksmith We were in Dickinson. How bout next year after I finish my Thanksgiving turkey, I'll head on over to your shop and spend the afternoon making hammers. On the other hand, it may not sit well with the rest of the family... I'm planning on making some variation of a spring fuller for spreading the cheeks. Are you going to wait till you have someone for a striker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted November 30, 2016 Author Share Posted November 30, 2016 well, its also going to have to depend on if there is any time on my end, as we tend to be kinda busy, but always end up with a few days left over that we have nothing planned. I may weight till I have a striker, but will probably make another spring fuller, and a guillotine tool for making hammers, as I wont always have a striker that can do it. If I were to make hammers by myself I would at least have my dad hold the stock while I punched the eye, and would only make smaller hammers by myself (1-2.5Lb). Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 I might have my dad be the striker, but with him being a computer programmer and all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 My dad is in a nursing home half a continent away. If he were within driving distance and could only lift a two pound hammer, I'd have him strike for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJRailRoadTrack Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Very nice! I was very fortunate to be a part of Alec's Scholarship program. Your tongs are just MWAH, Hammer eye punch looks great as well!! I feel like I need to make what I have so far all over again, haha. To anyone looking at the class. GET IT! It is SO worth the money. -EJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted December 1, 2016 Author Share Posted December 1, 2016 your back EJ, long time no see! Thanks! 2 hours ago, EJRailRoadTrack said: MWAH ???sorry, I'm unedumicated in that part....what do you mean? Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 6 minutes ago, littleblacksmith said: ???sorry, I'm unedumicated in that part....what do you mean? "MWAH" = exaggerated kissing sound, indicating perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 in the music world mwah is slang for the sound that comes from a fretless electric bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Yup us computer programmers generally are too smart to get suckered into striking...Of course I've been smithing nearly 2 decades longer than being an official CIS grad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 On 11/30/2016 at 10:19 PM, JHCC said: "MWAH" = exaggerated kissing sound, indicating perfection. Oh, well now I feel dumb. I thought it stood for something, especially in this day in age, with so much "texting language". I don't have a phone, and I don't want a phone. My parents want me to get one, but I don't want to fall into the dark side...and be one of ....those people. I'm going to cut myself of there, before I go on a rant. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 You, Littleblacksmith, are obviously not married. The Telephone is a kind of leash that she will put on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 well, me being 14, Its probably good that I'm not married. Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Here's what I came up with for fullering the cheeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 nice how did you attach the two pieces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Mr. Gilbert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 29 minutes ago, C-1ToolSteel said: Mr. Gilbert ??? could you elaborate on that just a little? Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.