archiphile

I would be happy to do an online interview with you. I do not have a huge amount of blacksmithing time but I have been working steel for twelve years now and I am also an architecture student. I would be happy to draw up some plans for ya. PM me with further details.

Are you trying to say that it is all in the geometry and not the steel in the puch, does that mean that I could make a 3/4" punch out of A-36 and get good results? I would think that the A-36 would just crumble under all of that force.

I know just how you feel. Made my first pair of tongs and I have since made all of my tongs. I found that after the first my second pair was actually harder to make and I just finished a pair that will hold flat bar so that I can bend and arch along the long axis of the bar. You will keep getting better at it each time you make a pair and my third and fourth pairs of tong came together in a snap by comparison to the first. Keep beatin and have fun.

Thank you Mr. Hofi.( I might try a search as well next time)

Bsiler, If you want to see the current blueprints, look at the top right had corner of your screen and you will see the word BluePrintsclick on it, and you will find a lot of information there.

I was welding on this piece of dung AL boat that was in the yard to be retro'd and I was below decks, welding on the underside of the deck when the insulation on the wall caught fire, I ran for the nearest fire extinguisher and put it out and was coughing the rest of the day from the smoke inhalation that I had from putting out said fire. Then there was the time I was welding and caught my shirt sleeve on fire. I could not feel it and a buddy of my came over and asked whats cookin doc. I looked down and saw the flame and pounded my arm somethin fierce. No burns on that one. Just some charred pride.

Ma Bed is callin me...I did not know that people named their beds.

I would cover punching and sliting and drifting because you can not have to much information on that issue. As to sending send it all via email you can send the pictures in a compressed file and the copy could be either in the body of an email or you could send it in a word document. Those are my suggestions. I can't wait to do this. It will be really fun to work with you on this.

Thanks I just thought that I would try and support my local machine shop, but ,not to that end.

Looks like some sort of reamer.

If you send me the photos and a detail description I will turn it into a BP for you. It will be a learning experience for us both. I would be more than happy to assist you with this as there is little information on the subject to date.

Thank you It is all so much clearer now. I really appreciate your time and consideration with my question. This is so awesome. Now I have a good idea of tooling geometry. As a suggestion,you could do a blueprint or two about what the tools are and how the geometry affects the operation and function of each of the tooling. In short you rock!

I was just wondering what it would cost to machine an acme threaded rod and nut. I only need about 6-8" of threaded rod. So I would think that purchasing pre-made rod cost prohibitive to the application. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. P.S. the diameter of the rod is to be 5/8" and right hand thread 2tpi or so

From my other post you know where in the poll that I stand. I think that it come from my background in the welding field. I have always worn gloves on both hand and it only feels natural to do so while smithing. I feel naked when I only where one glove, and in twelve years working with metal this is the only time that I have burned my hands. It was ingrained in me early on that you should not use glove with holes and I usually replace glove that have worn through, but I was in a hurry and all excited and I got a case of the dumb. Wont do that again that is for sure.

one word:cool

Sounds like you had a great time working there. It would be cool to watch you make a pair of tongs. I would imagine that you are quite adept a making the strong and making them fast.

sounds expensive. Titanium is not cheap. I would think that you could start with F.B. 1/4" x 1" and proceed as for standard steel tongs,but,I am not an expert. I would be interested in finding out what others think.

that is fine I want sqr holes anyway

I think I understand...if you have time could you take a photo of what you are talking about?

Is that a single or a double bevel on the end of that slitter? I made one today it was 3/4" wide x 1/4" thick and I put a double bevel on the end. I made it from some spring steel that I had layin about, but, I did not heat it porperly and it cracked and shattered in use. I did temper and all but I think that cracks formed while I was straightening the curve out of the piece. I will have to make a new one tomorrow and I was wondering what you guys use.

I am assuming that that the forge was a gasser. Also lets see some of those tongs that you forged. Or consequently lets see some photos of tong that you made for home use.

I am going to make 3/4" mortises to accept 3/4" wide tenons(in 3/4"sq bar). I wanted to make it 3/4" wide but I wanted to know what you all use and how you made them and why as the first post states.

I had this happen in welding school.I was learning how to weld vertical up, I was using E7018, on a 1/4" thick plate. I was sitting on top of the welder that was for the booth next to mine. I had my leg under the bottom edge of the plate and was welding away. I was not moving the rod fast enough and a huge blob of molten steel feel out of the puddle and burned a hole clear though my boots on the outside of my left foot near my ankle bone. I watched the ball of steel drop and hit my boot, I thew my hood off and was hopping around like nobody's business, yelling and screaming. I have a scare that is 1/8" deep x 1/4" wide and 1" long. The boots had a hole in them and I had to go and get another pair to wear for the day. These were the boots that they had issued us, I use only boots that I had purchased from there on out. ( I went to ClearField Job Corps Center, Clearfield UT, for welding school.)

I am in need of a slitter. I have some tool steel layin' about and was wonderin' what you guys have done. 1. What type of material 2. How thick is the slitter What type of edge do you put on your slitter and why. Thanks for all of your assistance.

I must be rubin' off on ya. You gotta not listen to me about how to get burned