kalevra
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forged stainless andirons -
forged stainless andirons -- base details -- split bar -
forged stainless andirons -- scroll detail -
Here is andirons forged from 1"x 1.5" bars and 0.5" x 1.5" bars. -
Sushi knife with a 12-inch long, single-bevel blade, forged from cable, and water-hardened. -
Here is a 14-inch-blade Bowie knife forged as a single piece from 1/4" x 2" 5160, and differentially hardened. -
thanks! silicone bronze forges readily, but requires very careful heating, as it crumbles when heated much beyond dark red. as long as one stays in this range, it is easily shaped. i have forged a lot of this stuff -- usually forging 1.5" round to a flat for handrails (it creates a very nice bar with rounded sides), or forging same to finials, or making large hinges from 3" round and 1/2" plate. you can also tig weld and mig weld it with ease. however, please be mindful that fumes and dust from this material can lead to metal fume fever, which is very, very unpleasant. -
detail of sculptural piece. -
sculptural piece. 16" high. forged from 1.5" square mild steel bar. -
railing section of silicone bronze and mild steel, featuring scrolls, double-twists, and a pineapple twist in a 1.5" square bar. private residence. -
a newel post of silicone bronze and mild steel, just before final polishing. installed in a winery.
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Zinc and Metal Fume fever
kalevra replied to Nick Esposito's topic in Zinc, galvanized, and coatings
i would like to mention that zinc is not the only hazardous metal that smiths can encounter in their work. i have worked extensively with silicone bonze, and careless handling can result is very unpleasant flue-like symptoms. it seems that one can be exposed to bronze/copper through polishing (dust inhalation), forging (scale dust inhalation), tig welding (fumes), and even extensive handling of freshly forged metal with bare hands (the scale rubs of readily and is absorbed through the skin). i don't know what, if any, the long-term effects are. the symptoms usually subside in a day or two. i suspect all metalworkers would benefit from chelation therapy at some point in their career. and remember to daily thank your liver and kidneys for getting rid of all the bad stuff we absorb in our work. -
sculptural piece -- detail -
sculptural piece. 22" tall. forged from 1/2" x 2" steel bar -
here is a pic of forging 5.5" tubing with 1/4" wall. it was done under a sahinler 130lb air hammer using gulliotine dies. rotating the tube while forging was achieved via a manual ratchet wrench. the final OD was 2".