ofafeather

No prosthetics here, but I have a lot of lower back and leg issues. (Results from an old motorcycle accident) I also have spinal stenosis; a narrowing of areas in the lumbar or cervical (neck) spine, which causes pressure on the spinal cord or the spinal nerves. I find it difficult to stand for more than a few minutes at a time without pain in the back of my legs and numbing of my feet. To alleviate the symptoms, I sit whenever I can, so I have a folding chair and a stool in strategically placed points in my shop. Anyhoo, I have seen several videos of Japanese, Indian, and African smiths working in a squatted position. Now, I can't squat like that either due to both knees being shot; also a result of the MC accident, but I'm seriously considering lowering my anvils (or at least one of them) to "chair level". If that works I may even shorten my forge. If it all works well enough, I will most likely put a chair on wheels to roll between the forge and anvil. I haven't figured out the power hammer usage but it's not like I can't stand at all (for now anyway )

On 8/4/2010 at 12:43 PM, Don A said:

ofafeather,

This is some great advice that has been offered so far

Don, good suggestion. I was about to go out to the smithy and do just that. I was going to try your way and also try a ring/loop weld with the same material, scarfing the tip and making a loop at the end of the stock. Anyone doing this with a gas forge? I know some won't get up to welding heat, though I am assured that the one I have (Chili Forge Tabasco Model) will do just fine.

Save a buck fifty per week and in less than a year you can buy one from Mark! Help support the one who wrote it.

Good suggestion. I think for every piece of xxxx on YouTube there is a true gem.

I always use Bookfinder.com for finding second hand books, however the Mark Aspery books just seem to keep on increasing in value. I've been searching for a long time myself.

Look into using media mail through the post office for shipping. It's slow but the cheapest way to go for sending books in the states.

Yeah, the library has been a real blessing to us. It's amazing the resources you can access.

ofafeather;

Do yourself a HUGE favor and get a can of either E-Z Weld or Crescent "anti borax" flux.

I had been using borax and getting good results, then tried E-Z Weld when welding thin stock to thick and had GREAT results.

Since both were formulated for use in gas forges, you can weld at a lower heat so you're not on the ragged edge of burning your steel. You can "stick" the workpieces in the fire so be careful about alignment. (don't ask how I know )

Hi, all. I'm looking for a used copy of Mark Aspery's first book. A new one is a bit more than I can spend on a book just now. Anyone know where I can find one? Thanks.

Also, if you're looking for Early American Wrought Iron Amazon has a couple of use copies in the $50 range and there was one on Ebay for around $80.

Anyone else have books they're looking to buy or sell or leads to share?

Great video! I always like to see Japanese craftsman work. Think it would kill my knees though!

Yes, here's one...

Yeah, money's a little tight for that book right now. Even used copies are up there. I was amazed to see it at the library. Maybe down the road I'll get it but at least I have access to it now.

Hi, all. Just thought I would mention for those that live in the Mid-Hudson valley region of NY that the Mid-Hudson Valley library system (covers about 6 counties) has some good books on blacksmithing. If you have a library card you can request them for inter-library loan on the internet and have them sent to your local library. I just requested Albert Sonn's Early American Wrought Iron and Donald Streeter's Professional Smithing.

If you haven't already, check out your library system!

Here's another great discussion we had on this subject some time ago:

Wrapped & welded pintles

There is a great illustration at post #20.

Don

I don't think that just wrapping the pin without welding would hold very long as the pin would "work" in the joint and gradually wear itself loose.

ofafeather,

I suppose you could figure a way to arc weld or gas weld the pin in a coundersunk hole by filling the countersink with filler rod while fusing.

If you study old pieces, you can see how they are forge welded. In the colonial days, guys would make strap hinges and pintles day after day, and get paid piece-work. They would get skilled and speedy. I believe that an arc welded setup for a pintle would be slower than skilled forge welding.

Furthermore, in the colonial period, the pintle was termed a "hinge hook." Technically, "pintle" is a seafaring term.

Buena Suerte,
Frank Turley

http://www.turleyforge.com Granddaddy of Blacksmith Schools

Great thread. Thanks for sharing!

Frank, as always, thanks for your detailed and thorough post. I especially like the historical perspective. At this point I haven't actually had any experience forge welding. I have been mostly doing small things to getting used to the way metal moves. Your description makes it sounds easy, though! Can you do the same process without actually welding or would it be too weak?

A curved face can help as you can angle the piece so it's still engaged on the hardy in the previous cut but the new section is on the cutting edge to be struck---like walking a curved hot cut.

Right now just want something for straight punching, hand-held. Looking on-line most of the ones sold as blacksmith's punches seem to be the tapered variety.

Anyone willing to share some pictures of their hand-held punches? Looking to make some in the 1/4 - 3/16" size range. Round and square.

Okay. I'll make another pass trying to forge the punch. I'll start with the same piece of steel. Let's say I would like to forge a round punch in the 1/4 - 3/16 range. If I make the shaft long enough to hand hold comfortably will it still be rigid enough to do the job? What would a good length be? Should I try something different first?

i know what you mean...excuse the scale, as John B said , by rotating as you strike..

You should be able to flatten 1/4 x 1" flat into 3/8" round without too much trouble. The trick is to address that edge thickening early. I will dress those thickened edges back in by hammering on the wide face at the end of each heat. You want to maintain a rectangular profile all the way through the process. (It seems counterintuitive to hammer on the flat face when you want the bar to thicken, but the edge thickening has to be fixed to avoid cold shuts.)

Very hot steel and very solid blows will help the blow to penetrate to the center of the bar, but some corrective hammering is inevitable. If you can work over a fuller that will also help because it concentrates the blow in a smaller section of the bar. If the part you're reducing is long enough you might try working over the horn.

My 2 cents.

Lewis

I just was speculating with my wife as to whether it would be better forging from round stock. I haven't gotten the hang of upsetting yet and didn't really consider that that's what I was doing. I believe the stock was hot enough. It moved so easily so it sounds like I was putting too much into it.

God bless this forum and all it's contributors. It's really great to be able to get guidance quickly when you need it.

Thanks, bigfootnampa.

Eric