hotiron

Hmmm,.... building a ground forge. Yep, I was afraid it would come to that. As I read your suggestions I remebered reading old articles in 1930s Popular science magazines I've seen through the years. That would be the way to go, no doubt about it! Well, I'm seeing this as something I could certainly learn and do myself, but the materials I have and limited space is going to severly hinder me from performing this task correctly with sucess in the end, I do believe. Well, sadly this thread will probably be short lived. I'd still like to go about this myself, maybe in the near future! who knows, anything's possible. I sure wish some of you fellows lived closer! There's a lot of great wealth to learn! I'll be looking for another way to get this done, other than my own self. I might have to wait a bit till I move forwrd,.. we'll see. I wonder what it would run me to have a spring made or have one modified? I know a new spring is around $150,...so,..??? Thanks a million guys for taking the valued time to explain the ins and out of this to me. It has been much appreciated!! I look forward to talking with you all soon about this and other topics! Again, thanks guys.

Very interesting! Now you just need live down the street from me! HA! I appreciate your explanations, its nice to read and digest the how's and why's to this. Thank you. To what visual color do the springs need to be? Red, bright red, dull red,...? Is there a difference in oil used, is one more suited than another? If so, why? How much can the metal be worked untill it needs to be heated again, or is this just a matter of seeing it to know? How would hickory be used to test the temper of the steel? thank you.

Paul- Thank you for replying. Not to question your experience or knowledge, but I wonder then how so many fellas in the 1920s did it well in their home garages with the success they had if they did not know a blacksmoth in their area or simply did not have one?:confused: (Of course it was far more common to have people with small home forges in their backyards too!) I'd like to see it done personally, and of course, obviously do it myself, as I like to do as much work as I possibly can on the things I build, etc. In all honestly, I get flat out p***** if I can't do things myself. Not such as a thing of pride, so much as a thing of knowing and learning something that has become an almost lost art! Knowing I did it myself, is for me, very satisfying and important for me. Pride is simple, but it comes and goes,... knowing and learning, that's where its at!... at least for me!;)

I wouldn't know where to start! LOL! :o

So, it can be done, but should I then assume no one here has yet to work on auto leaf springs then? Obviously, I could have just strolled through the internet seeking out a shop in my surrounding area to do the work for me. I know this, but if I chose that route, I would not have asked my question. I chose not the easy route, but one where I might learn how, rather than pay another to do so. I understand my abilities and know my limits of course. The fact is, I'm not looking to take on something I may as well regard as rocket science if its that seemingly foreign to me, and I end up questioning my chances for success. That would be both a waste of time, and money spent on a new spring I already have now. But, I'd never had asked my initial question if I thought it were something that foreign to me or something I thought I'd fail at or take a wild card chance at. So, I can understand if no one has had any experience in doing the job of making leaf springs or working with them in the manner I'm looking to learn,etc. that's ok. I'm just looking for definitive answers to my question that's really all I'm after. If I do choose to go the route of having another bend the springs, I'm more than sure that many fellows on here are willing to help me find a suitable shop or person, and I'll be full of thanks you's for that if I choose that route, trust me. For now though I'd like to see where this takes me. Thanks guys.

Unfortunate, but quite true, I do not have a good suspension shop anywhere near me. The one that used to make their own springs now doesn't do anything but order in pre-made springs. They are of absolutely no help and do not want to be bothered beyond that. Another place never did any work like that even though they are a "spring shop". Hence the reason I'm looking to do it myself. Other than that, I'm not looking to order something specially made for me.

Hello. I'm new here so bare with me. I'm a welder by trade, been one for 5 years now and have been working with metal since I was a little boy. (My father started out as a tin-knocker, now boilermaker) I need a little help from some fellows with definitive knowledge who would know what I'll need to do and how. How should I go about this? What process, etc. You see, I'm interested in slightly modifying a front Model T Ford leaf spring at either end of itself, at the spring eyes. What I need to do specifically (bare with me as this is not the easiest thing to explain on a keyboard! ha!) is to bend the first three leafs, starting with the main leaf, forward at the ends so that the first 4-5 inches of either end is bent forward. Level, and even. No twist, keeping each end level to where it was originally, horizontally. I had read in an old Model T speed manual from the 1920s, that after heating a spring and working the ends (either dropping it so it sits lower, etc.) to pour oil on it to cool it. It read that doing so would allow the spring to keep almost all, if not "all" of its original spring characteristics. Is this part of the process used? This is for a 1920s era dirt track racing car I'm in the process of building right now. I know this exact thing has been done successfully several times because a man by the name of Johnny Gerber who lived and raced in the 1920s did this very modification to his front springs as he had a very good friend who was a blacksmith. Not one spring ever broke, but were replaced after one or two mix ups at the tracks after others had spun out and caused John to crash into the guard rails. The tools at my disposal for this are: - Cutting torch with a rosebud end (or cutting tip, whichever would be better) - Anvil - Large vice - various handtools, hammers, etc. - will power and an open ear! I'm going to try and add some photos of the spring that is still on his old chassis at the National Sprint Car hall of Fame. Thanks a million fellas! (Photos of Johnny Gerber's front Model T spring)

Hello. I'm a welder by craft. No real experience in smithing, so I'm here to learn. Looking forward to it.