Eddie Mullins

I don't know what a custom cutting job like that will cost, but google Quick tongs, you can buy a pair of blanks for < $10. Have you seen the Twist Jaw method? Maybe you want to start there if you haven't treid it. I am with the camp of keep practicing til you get it right, but I enjoy making tools. If you don't, you may prefer to buy and spend your time forging other things.

I was wondering the samething, but they seem quite popular and as I have not tried them myself, I can't really say. The "C" clips out of round stock are working quite qell for me, and I will probably have to stick with this style as I like to put a flare at the end of my tong reins which I think would not work well for clips that have to slide on from the end. The C clips I place on above the out flared ends and then slide forward to tighten.

Wouldn't the angle of the hammer strike and the profile of the hammer face also influence the extrusion? Could a larger version the type of block Hofi uses for foring rivets be employed so that no extrusion is possible? Bassically a bottom swage with the same size hole as the hardy the tool is to be used in that could be fixed on top of the anvil or other surface for striking. It would be a header of sorts, no opportunity for the shank to grow.

Nice collection of "scrap" for sure!

I don't really have scrap, just different piles of progressively smaller stock.

Thanks. It'll probably just be for grins and giggles, but at some point I'm just gonna have to rig up a pedal or treadle foot powered belt to this drill : ) .

There's a hammer build at some point in my future so also interested in the performance of this design. Please keep us updated.

Another good one.

I'll be waiting on the next one : ). Mine doesn't lock at all the pivots like yours, I just riveted a 1/2 round stem to fit the pritchel and also riveted at the 2nd joint, I did use a 1/4" bolt for the angle iron so I can lock that one if I want. Used what I had on hand.

I made this based on a picture Jim posted in a previous thread. This thing works great, I wish I would have built one the day he posted it. It can be rotated in all sorts of position, used on either side of the anvil and you can clamp things on edge to the angle iron. Thanks Jim! BTW - I drilled the holes with the "new" post drill : ) , and please keep posting pics of your cool tools.

I preheat the oil using a piece of hot metal, however, if I were going to be making knives frequently, I would purchase a used electric roaster (new ones obviously would work too). They make a nice quench tank, assuming you have electricity where you are working. Self contained metal tank with lid and controllable temperature, no fuss preheat, and plenty big for most knives.

I thought you might be along to answer this one : ) .

That was a nice score. I'd guess in the neighbohood of 250 lbs and a $150 value if bought in sticks. You should have fun figuring what to do with all of it.

Thanks Thomas and Jim. I might keep an eye out for a flywheel or maybe engineer a make do one myself. BTW, I got the Jacob's chuck installed and of course had to poke a few holes. I can adjust the feed rate with a set screw, and decided surely faster must be better, but discovered that is not so, at least for metal, bent a bit. I think i was feeding faster than I was drilling. Probably fine for wood, but now know to slow it down for hard materials. I also purchased a 2nd drill the same day as this one. No fly wheel there either, and no shaft there to mount one. There's nothing on the side opposite the handle. It has no markings on it so don't know who made it. The table is missing and the feed lever is broken, but I can make those. Maybe I'll post pics later to see if it can be identified.

Jim - I was wondering if you could elaborate a little on the flywheel. Having no experience with either configuration, I'm not real clear on what advantage the flywheel affords. I am also a bit lost on the need to use the handle to lock the chuck.

I was at an estate sale recently and saw what was proably a 150 lb anvil at one point, the heel was gone from the hardy back, face was very thin, edges terrible, not much more than scrap. I am in a local club and decided that if I could get it cheap I would to let a newbie use as a make do starter. I stopped bidding at $60. Talked to the guy that bought and he said he could get $200 for it easy. Has a booth to sale them and a guy to call for any anvil he gets. I told him that there must be a sucker born every minute because it surely wsn't worth it and it was stuff like what he's doing that makes it hard for those of us who actually want anvils to use. Don't think that went over real with him, but oh well.

After about a year at the anvil, this is one of the first projects I have done for use in our home. We have older, heavy sliding glass doors leading outside from our kitchen. After buying replacements for a couple of broken handles, I decided it was time to replace them with something that could hold up to our teenage kids. The final fit was a little tricky inside of the hollow core door. The core had a 1 Inch openeing, so I took 3/4 Inch square stock, drilled and tapped it, and bolted each handle to it inside the core. Worked nicely. The bolts used were standard hex heads that I first ground off the markings on the heads with a quick pass on the belt sander, then heated and squared at the anvil.

I have seen that one as well as this one

How about a spatula? For burgers a long handled spatual is my go to BBQ utensil. ... BTW, thanks for adding BBQ gear to my to do list, now I am going to have to make myself some : ) .

A steak turner might be a good compliment to the fork https://www.google.com/search?q=steak+turner&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=P1-7U4bQBsW78gXk-oHwDQ&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1493&bih=731 but the tongs would be handy as well.

An old thread but a good one, too bad the pictures were lost. Since I commented, I'll add one. Probably common knowledge to most, but a new trick for me. I made door handles for our sliding doors at home. Upon assembly the multiple parts were under some tension as they were forged by eye, no template and purposfully left with slight variation. So I heated the assembly in the forge and allowed it to cool on its on, and was left with a perfect fit. Now I can dissasemble an reassemble with ease for fitting and painting. ok 2, Another useful tidbit I have become fond of is purchasing hex head bolts (not galvanized of course), first sanding the top of the head to remove any markings, then heat and square the head with a few hammer blows. Provides a much better finshied look for minimal effort. I have also found the same wrench that fit the hex, almost always works on the squared.

I recently acquired a complete and functional Buffalo Forge 616 post drill. It turns freely and is in ready to use condition, save some surface rust. I have a 1/2 inch straight shanked chuck ordered so I can use modern drill bits. I don't expect this drill to replace my electric press, but do hope to put it to occasional use at least. I want to eliminate the current and prevent future rust, so my plans are to disassemble and then a soak in the electrolysis tank, followed by some gently wire brushing, and then a coating of something for a rust preventative. I don't really want to paint it, but might consider a clear coat. After reading blackfrog's anvil cleaning thread, I am think about one of the products he recommended, but am open to suggestions. I was also wondering if anyone was familiar with the variable speed arrangement on these drills. The handle can be moved between 2 different sized drive gears but I just can't see what the slower speed is needed for? The one thing I don't like about this arrangement is the longer handle design and the lack of length adjustablity found on other models. I have actually made a new shorter handle to reduce the length and required motion for each rotation. This drill seems to have been configured for flat belt usage. I am assuming for a line drive shop arrangement. Has my mine turning about a pedal powered potential.

Not as nice I'm sure as the tool Frank is describing, but two pieces of angle iron can be welded at 90's to make a similar block.

Great video - just too short, would like to see the heat treat too.

I know this is an old thread but wanted to say I did finally make some tong rings, wish I had done it day 1. Mine are simple, 1/4 inch round bent into ovals, made several sizes for fitting different tongs or different size stock in the same tongs. These have to be one of the simplest and most beneficial projects for any smith.