Greenbeast

Ok thanks, i'll bear that in mind next time!

It was my bright idea to make the double diagonals, i figured if you're gonna make a hammer might as well be one that doesn't show up too often Turned out to be tricky but as it was 1-to-1 we had the time to do them I had a great time and learnt important skills

With mild steel it doesn't matter, quench as often as you need from whatever heat it's at.

Absolutely love the scrolled 'split' balusters

Does this seriously mean i can't put spikes on my candle holders?

I assume you've drawn out the initial taper using flat dies and then gone over the rough/stepped finish with this tool?

Thanks for that, and i really hope so. Glad to see my hand made items getting out there (made a few bits for family already)

Thanks all, plenty to think about! I've got decent quantities of vinegar already so i'll be testing that out first. Frosty, yeah as i said i've had issue with an oxidising flame burning through small parts, at least until i built a choke to get better air control. i guess i need to tweak a little more to get a richer atmosphere inside the forge?

yeah i was wondering about sandblasting but that's probably too abrasive as well?

I've got a gas forge, i have suffered with an oxidising flame destroying delicate parts and am learning to overcome that with my choke, so i might have more work ahead of me.

While making a few items recently i was left with some inaccessible areas covered in scale. How do others deal with cleaning these up? I'm currently cleaning everything up with a cup wire brush, do others do this for everything? I'm starting to worry i'm getting excessive scale. perhaps i'm not wire brushing enough while working?

Thanks

A client wanted a custom asymmetrical curtain rail made with matching brackets, he works for an architect and so deals with houses and design and had ideas formed about what he wanted. As he doesn't have space for a finial both ends he opted for an asymmetrical design, it has a tapered scroll one end and a plain straight taper at the other. He wanted the brackets to look like they had been punched by the rail. He also quite fancied having it as a single solid piece, no collar-attached finials. This provided me with some challenge while working the steel. This is the result:

good idea! i can't give it a go today because my borax isn't where i am, but next time...

This has come at just the right time, just found 6' of 7 strand cable, might give it a go tomorrow!

fair point but a) i'm hoping to make a business out of this, it's not just a hobby and b ) you'd pay delivery on every order

Thanks guys, got a few things planned for this three day weekend so i'll try and get some more pics up next week

I knocked this up for my sister's birthday present. It's actually the first smithing project with any assembly to it Nothing overly special, it has quirks which i probably should have worked out before welding together, but she was pleased.

Sorry to hear that Alec. Thanks for the info, i'm going to give them a go this weekend if you don't mind...

Quite, there's a reason new young riders are restricted on bike size in the UK, first comes control, then power

Indeed, i used one of DClaville's slotted handled hammers at a forge in recently, that is the explanation he gave for it.

Interesting!

For those in the Uk, do you use a tip jar? does it get used? Alec, Roughly how much stock do you use to make those snails?

cool

Thanks very much