Chris C

Thanks, Hans.

Well, I finally got my tongs to fit 5/8 square stock well enough to work on the new tongs. Took quite a while, but they work fairly well, for now. But now I'm out of propane, so Whispering Pines Forge is closed for business........along with the rest of the country. I should have just told my little wife I was buying a set of tongs and forgotten it. Of course, I'd be living out in the trailer for the near future if I'd done that. Neil, you guys either have heavily callused hands or mighty good gloves because I tried Vise Grips and they got too hot to hold. I'm using good welders gloves and would think they'd be adequate. I must be a tenderfoot. Oh, and if I could weld, that angle-iron tip might have been a good idea. Now that I'm trying to do things that require hammer control, I have to remind myself I'm the guy who jumped for joy when air-nailers hit the market because I never could seem to drive nails decently with a hammer. My blows today were typically errant. It's like the hammer rolls in my hand or something. When it rebounds, it's flopping all over the place, unlike what I'm seeing in videos on Youtube. I'm wondering if I need to re-handle them with more squared handles like I see so many people use. I might better learn how to do the Bunny Hop before taking on the Tango..............ya think? I see leaves, bottle openers, letter openers and a whole lot of other things in the near future rather than making tongs.

Thanks, Glenn. I'll give that a try. Therein lies the problem, CGL, I don't have that "second" set of tongs to hold onto the hot tongs and pliers heat up too quickly. I will have a second set of tongs after today, though.

Glenn, I have been practicing on scrap metal. Only problem is I don't know whether I'm penetrating enough......or too much. When I was making my hammer and tong rack, I had trouble penetrating too much............and when I tried to weld the rebar to the piece of material I wanted to make a tong out of, the penetration wasn't deep enough. Haven't yet figured how to tell if penetration is adequate without destroying what I'm trying to weld to find out! Thanks, John. I've watched him do a lot of stuff, but I missed this video. He's always fascinated me at his simplistic way of creating. pnut, that's exactly what I'm trying to do...............only the reigns on the tong I'm trying to reshape are so hot they burn through my gloves. Guess I need to get the reigns out of the "line of fire" (Dragon breath) of my forge. I'll try that today. Thanks, Das. I'm working on it. Sat up last night until past midnight watching Blacksmith "Porn", picking up little tips and tricks. (my eyes are kind of bloodshot this morning) I believe I've watched every video Joey has posted...........probably 3 or more times...........especially the ones that interest me. He's one of my favorite Youtube blacksmiths to watch. I've a whole lot to learn. At least I'm smart enough to realize that. I've never had a problem I couldn't lick. It just takes me longer for some than others. "ONWARD AND UPWARD"

I've seen those before, Arkie. One would have to know how to weld to make them, wouldn't they? I couldn't even keep rebar welded to my tong-blank steel today.........so I'm no weldor. I'll get these tongs made. I'm a stubborn old coot and don't give up easily. I'm going to turn off my computer now and quit worrying about it. I'll git-er-done tomorrow.

I'm tired tonight and guess I'm just not getting across what my problem is. That's okay. Not going to bother with it. I'll keep truckin' tomorrow and see what I end up with. Thanks for the suggestions.

Yes, Glenn, I know that. Just can't make the ends of my tongs fit the stock without having something to hold the tongs with. Burned myself trying to do it too many times already.

The only sucker rod I've seen in the last 10 years has been welded into neighbor's fencing. Not real sure any of them would appreciate hearing me in the middle of the night hacksawing chunks out of their fences. But I'll take your advice into account. The only tongs I own came from Ken's Quick Tongs. I was told to forge them and put them in water, so what do I know????

Thanks, Frosty. I went out and put a 2" high block of K26 on the floor at the opening. It made a drastic difference keeping the heat in. I pulled my 5/8" bar out of the forge and half of it fell on the floor! I melted the area I'd forged down to 5/16". Guess I'd better learn pretty quick how to read the material, huh?!?!?! Now if I could just figure out how to control the heat. This thing is HOT!!! If I turn down the fuel, I'm afraid it'll back up into the burner. Luckily I've got just enough to replace that piece. I got the other one forged down nicely. This forge is so hot the rebar gets all wobbly at the weld and falls off. Either I'm not welding it deep enough or the weld can't handle the heat. Don't know which. Thanks, CGL.

What would you recommend for a tong steel, Thomas? I'm liable to quench it when it's too hot, by mistake...............not that I make mistakes you know.

"This too shall pass". God Bless all. Stay safe and stay positive.

Thanks guys, I'm coming along nicely with the tongs. Only thing is the rebar welded to the 5/8" square bar melted off. But I got enough of it done that I can hold it with my wonky tongs. Can anyone tell me if 1045 is a good steel for tongs? Yes, I've seen those, Glenn. But I don't think they'd be very useful for 5/8 sq bar. Besides, I'm not flat bar stock.

Thanks, rockstar.esq. I'll check into that. IFC, I don't know why I didn't think of that. Can't quite get it into my head all the things I can do with my Tombstone now that I have it. Lot's to learn and sometimes I feel pretty "thick-headed". But that's a perfect solution. I've already got my blanks cut and marked. Just hadn't figured out a safe way to hold them. I'll do just what you suggested. THANKS. Now back to the forge!

Of course, most of you knew that from the "git-go"! I've got my forge up and running. I need a pair of Bolt Jaw tongs to do the work I need/want to do. All I've got is a pair of flat-faced "duck bill" tongs I made while attending the local club's Thursday night gatherings. (made them before I had any idea tongs were "thickness and shape specific". (No wonder blacksmiths have as many pairs of tongs as I do wood carving knives!) They hold a piece of 1/4" flat bar just fine.............but are worthless for 1" round bar. I've spent the last hour burning myself to pieces trying to find a way to alter the jaws on these to simulate Bolt Jaw tongs to make a real pair. Can't hold the danged things because I don't have any other tongs. A pair of pliers get too hot too quickly to hold anything. I'm really in a Catch-22 situation. DUH!!!!! Little wife and I are trying to do everything we can to keep away from other people, so I can't even go borrow a pair. What a danged FOOL! Little wife said I can't order any..............because I've already spent way too much on this hobby to get nothing tangible out of it.

Here's a video of the Dragon's Breath, Frosty. Keep in mind, that's ALL of it because the back end of the forge is closed off at present. https://chris623.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-11/o1066304653/c1/p3867532908-210.mp4

Bummer! Sorry to hear about that, CGL. As soon as they get this Chinese Virus nipped in the bud, things will start getting back to normal. These are times when being prepared like a Boy Scout pays off. I feel sorry for all the folks who felt they had to run in panic to the stores and clean out the shelves. That behavior keeps a lot of other folks from having basic necessities. Hang in there, all will turn around...........it always does. Wish we had some place like that around here, Thomas. If we do, I don't know about it. I've been needing some motors, such 1/2 HP, 1725. I've got a 2 1/2 hp, 3-PH motor I can't use. I'd trade for a couple of what I can!

No pictures? Are we just supposed to guess? So what brand is it? The on line weight calculator indicates 224 pounds. (I've never understood why we get so many differing answers to "how much does this weigh".) Posting pictures is easy. Just drag the picture from your PC to the bar at the bottom of the posting box where it says "Drag files here". Easy Peazy! Nothing to figure out.

I'll try and remember to do that when I fire it up next time, Frosty. Not much to speak of, but I'll try and get a pic for ya.

Thanks, Jennifer. The floor of the forge is 50" off the concrete floor of my shop. I've only worked with a couple of forges, but noted right off I didn't like their height. My lower back doesn't like it when I "slightly" bend to do stuff.

For anyone interested, here's a video link of my first firing in my new forge. (thanks to Jennifer for guiding me to a place to store it!) https://chris623.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-11/o1066304653/c1/p3866474508-200.mp4

Just "happy with it"?????? I'd be turning wrong side out bustin' buttons. Heck, I'd probably go out to the road in front of the property and put up a sign saying "Come look at this plant hanger!" That's really nice.

Just straightened out a 10" piece of 1" cross-section coil spring. Did it right good-n-proper. Going to have to make some tongs. The flat bit tongs I made are worthless for much of anything but knives. Besides, they are too short to work in this forge..................dang this thing is hot.

Just first-fired the forge. I know it works because I've a lot less hair on my forge lighting arm. Now to go through the process of making sure all the moisture is out of this whole thing, including the ribbon burner. Then I'll have to learn how to fine tune it. Did I happen to mention I'm pumped?????

Been meanin' to do the same here, IFC .

Maybe Jennifer will chime in here. She owns/has owned both. Not knowing personally, I'd guess either would serve you well for the rest of your life.