Alec.S

You would be far better off by using a hand held or handled punch... hand held being the easiest because, for a square punch , it can be made in three heats, for a round in four, slot in five.. 5/8 to 3/4 inch is desirable but 1/2 inch is allright ish. Materials wise, go to your local scrap yard and find some coil spring... coil spring is 5160 steel ( alot of the time) and it is desirabe to be quenched in oil.. but on small cross sections, you could quench it in water.. temper right after.you can also leave your tools normalized which usually works pretty well on coil springs if you are doing hot work ( hot punching, hot cutting etc.. ) For your first ever tool, it is advisable that you don't make a tool that fits in a hardy.. especially since you will find a hand held punch much easier... Then with more experience you can go on to make handled punches... so... Coil spring works well1045 works well also and is a water hardening steelcoil spring is scrap and so is cheapIt would be bettter to make a hand held punchHave a look at this video... here i am using the techniques that Brian Brazeal uses/employs to make forging far more efficient... this video shows how to make a small square punch in three heats, no edits.. a round punch is just going two steps further ( octagon [dont skimp on making it octagon, dont go just taking off corners, make it OCTAGON, it will make going to round much easier.] then round) slot punch is one step further off round ( 5 heats ) after round you make a two sided ( chisel angle ) taper down to the tip. then after all you have forged you tool, ten seconds on a grinder or with a file( if your forging was clean it will not take long ) and you will have a square/round ( or even octagon, hexagon, etc.. use these processes to make what ever shape you want [ if you want pentagon you will need a 108 degree "v" block to forge with ] ... here is the video : ( please excuse the fact that the tone of voice i use in this video sounds slightly arrogant...I am just showing what these amazing techs can do...http://www.youtube.c...u/9/Gg9AgW301r4also, please excuse the end, it sounded very cheesy ( it wasn't at first, but i had to edit it and it cropped the end of the sentence.. )I shouldn't have gotten that hair cut... way way too short.. well, there's my 0.2p well... mostly Brian's 2p... i am just sharing the knowledge he is willing to share. alec

You also want to punch until you feel the anvil, meaning the point when you suddenly feel a more solid mass through your punch. Then turn it over, hit it with your hammer, turn it back over hit it another time with your punch, turn it back over, find the middle of the black spot,mark it with a light blow etc... ( all is described in this video ) ..... once you have done lots of punching, it becomes much easier to guage the middle and you can sight it straight off! All you need is practise, and also, the shape of your slot punch isnt the most desirable shape... i wil take a pic of the grind on a slot punch design ( brian brazeal's design) that works very well! alec

I must have watched that at least 5 times prior to you posting it!!! I am very annoyed i couldn't make it to the conference!! Maybe next time! Thanks for posting the link, i may watch it another 5 now!!! I always love knowing what went on at a conference ! alec

Love that design idea!! alec

Beautiful work , Lyle!! And yes, it is so so true how he teaches some of the most efficient techs! Good Luck on Thursday.....! alec

BeaUtiful!!! stunning! alec

oh, that is strange... Brian said that he (usually, when he had it ; which he usually does) used 1045 or 4140 ( while preferring the 1045 because it yields more to the hammer ). I know that at least for the past couple of years... Brian has been using 1045 and 4140. So i am puzzled. Any way... very nice hammers! alec

oh right, yeah sorry... the first time i looked at it it looked squished and flatter...

Very nice monty! That is way better than my first attempt! With the ring, if you lay the leaf bit face side down over the ledge of the table on your anvil and with a cross peen bend the leaf, you can make the leaf round ,so that the ring is round. I like the test tube holder! It is very nice! alec

Thanks monty! Yeah, these are a punch and drift combo... you then sacrifice the end when drifting ( will explain when you come and forge at mine). Brian and i made a drift each for me.. and on one of them he put a punch grind on one so that in a dier situation i can use that. alec p.s sorry for replying even though the question was to brian.

YES SIR!

there should be a like button... Since there isn't.. : YES/good/LIKE

case hardening powder.. can be bought from vaughns, monty

wow... thank you very much dan!

I bet that that was not intended to be sold to a blacksmith... The seller probably thinks 'blacksmithing' no longer exists too! ( pardon the prejudice ) but yes, prices on everything are getting even more ridiculous ! alec

It looks like you guys both had a fabulous time with Brian and Lyle ( who wouldn't! ). Thank you very much for the compliments! And, you know you can't make those hammers this weekend without posting picture of them here on iforgeiron, don't you? ! ( I look forward to seeing pictures of them!) Say hi to Daniel for me. alec P.S another great job with the pics , Lyle!!

Great pics of day two , Lyle! They appear to be still having a great time!( as anyone would with you and Brian ! )

It looks like all 5 of you are having a great time! Beautiful repousée hammers! Chris and Daniel, i am sure will learn enormous amounts from Lyle and Brian ( one can't NOT learn any thing from them ) alec

Beautiful work!

i voted for you

That is one sweet looking hammer! How much does that one weigh? I saw no difference with those tongs... Even my tongs have that reach... so maybe it was new before me? Any way... it looks like you all have had a great time so far! Bryce looks like he is having a smashing time. That is one heck of a big trailer... how many tons are you planning to load that with? alec

well... again, it looks like one of your guys' students had a great time! great pics Lyle!

Well, it looks like you guys, like myself had a brilliant time! and you brought back a big pile of goodies! And i am sure that you learnt alot ( who doesn't when Brian is the teacher!) Thank you very much for the compliments Ben and Cathy ! alec

wow, great stuff! it reminds me of good times! alec P.S. thank you Lyle, Patricia and Brian and Karen so so much for your incredible hospitality ( i really can't say enough thank you's !! )! I had a blast working with you guys and i am sure Ben and Cathy will too!

well... so much for me thinking about posting my latest sharpening ( by hand if i may add !)... because i now have competition on iforgeiron!!! but any way, with a hand hammer i do this in three hours ( sorry for stealing your thread ) ... on the points, i cut off the very end and then do a one or two heat taper ( these come back in a very bad condition from the tool hire) and on the chisels, i also cut off the end, dress the cut by hot rasping, taper more, finish by hot rasping edge (3-4 heats) i only re-forge these every so often and, the *local* tool hire have never given me 400 to do!! They also give me sds bits to re-forge. i would like to see your press pinching and forging setup if you are willing to take some more photos...i certanly looks like you have your job cut out! are you using a gas forge and doing it like a production run ( as i would assume ) or are you doing it in a slightly different way? alec sorry, i am blind as a bat... i can now see it all... induction heating, power hammer setup for pinching... or so i assume from the pics