Double Y

http://www.alaforge.org/files/Tire_Hammer_Tools_small.pdf This is an extensive PDF of tooling Clay Spencer put together. I printed a copy for reference.

I pretty much had the shop math worked out on the layout table and went straight to the jig. It wasn't horribly complicated, just had to figure out what I needed the whole works to be. I had a pile of supplies ready to roll. I cut the pickets as I needed them. Time per section is a bit harder to calculate. Pretty much an hour of cutting, fitting and welding for the pickets. The scrolls took longer of course, as they had to be individually fit.

I set up a jig for the slope so they were exactly the same. The bottom rail is prepunched channel. The holes had to be enlarged to compensate for the racking as well. The sections are bolted to the posts with self tapping screws.

This is 43 feet of fence/handrail. This borders a driveway. The client is 95 years young and walks down to get the paper and mail everyday. He wanted something sturdy to hold on to. The fence is installed at 38 inches high. The run is 512 inches long and dropped 106 inches over that run. The pickets are 6" on center. The top rail is 1" x 2" square tube, 1/2" rings 5 1/2" diameter, second rail is 3/8" x 1 1/2", bottom rail is 1/2" x 1 1/2" channel, pickets are 1/2" tube. Entire works is satin black powder coated with a hammered finish. Fasteners are stainless steel self tapping screws. The scrolls are hand forged and designed to mimic similar scrolls on a deck railing above the car port. All installed on a cool and rainy day! I use Quikcrete for the posts. I dump dry mix in the hole, add water and stir. Do any of you use a similar method? Comments and thoughts are appreciated. JL

No worries - I didn't want to have missed something!

Kozzy, You peaked my interest. What code violation are you seeing? The triangle piece formed by the bottom rail of the handrail? The way I understand it, as long as a 6 inch ball cannot pass through the opening it is fine. Am I missing something? JL

This is a hand rail project I wrapped up last week. The pickets are 5/8" solid bar. I broke the edges and hand twisted. The pickets alternate one twist or two twists. I riveted the pickets to the top and bottom rail, but blind plug welded the bottoms of the rivets. I needed the top to be completely flat to fit into a groove on the wooden hand rail. I also wanted a slight amount of flex so the railing could be slid into place. I had the works powder coated an oil rubbed bronze. Comments welcome and appreciated. John

Here are 3 branding irons I made last night. J Lazy L. 1/4 x 2 304 Stainless

I build a few branding irons and prefer stainless. It will hold the heat longer than mild. However, I have built a number of irons from mild and they work, just more trips to the fire.

Frozen - that is on the ToDo list! I am also keeping my eyes open for a larger pump and larger cylinder. It doesn't have much "umpf" right now even when working hot. I knew it wouldn't, but I wanted the bones to build from.

Actually no - though it would be a good code for that! This was some stuff which had been textured to look like tree bark. It was some stuff I fell into free.

I knocked these out last evening. I needed them for some ski gear. They started as 5/8 round textured bar. These are 4" tall, about 3/8" thick and 3/4" wide. Forged under the power hammer and cleaned up on the anvil. Hot waxed with Gilders Paste Wax.

This is a Craiglist find. The cylinder is small and so is the pump, but it was the right price. It is a 110 electric motor. The large square block on the table is a shatter tank for pressing bearings. I don't want the shaft out that far so I put some blocking on top - safety police...I will be adding material so they lock in place and can't slide off. The shatter tank is made from 1/2" plate. The 2 pieces of 2x6 on top is 3/8" wall. The can on top is 1/2" wall 6x6 tube with a 1/2" top plate. Again, I will build pieces to lock all these in place. Question for you press guys, have you placed a gauge on your machines to indicate force? If so, can you share pictures of your gauges? Thanks, John

Those are scrapers from a disk. They clean out the inside of the disk as you move. I don't have a clue what grade they would be, but I am sure they are built from tough stuff.

A close friend of mine lost her brother in a tragic motorcycle wreck. He and his father were owners of a welding shop here in Billings. They make a hot asphalt patch machine. He also moonlighted making other things from metal. The father had no use for a great deal of his ornamental iron pieces so they had me come look. I offered a price and they accepted. I went back a few weeks to haul it all away and got this load. When I went to pay the father said it was all taken care of. His daughter had paid because of all the items I have made her through the years. A great deal of these are King Arch Iron pieces, but they can always be re-purposed. A great deal is stainless and some is aluminum. I need to learn to forge aluminum!