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I Forge Iron

ConstructionK88

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Everything posted by ConstructionK88

  1. That's a little disappointing but I suspected the specs were under ideal conditions.
  2. That info helps quite a bit guys. Kinda felt the belt grit was somewhat high for stock removal. I suspect I was lost in translation lol. Though I won't say it didn't work. Just not as I felt it should. I think OK for small things like that knife but nothing large. Irondragon: the xxxxxxxxxxxxx steel is the kind that almost gets you banned for mentioning. I'm not sure of its makeup, but from experience forging both, not much different than rebar. Softer to hammer out but definitely hardens to a usable degree. I'm not out of IQ so much I can't modify the sander. I figured I'd have to anyways. I mean 60$ kinda implies "hey, yeah, no, gotta work for it dude". Also the only thing I did was hammer it out. No quench. I laid it on top of my hot bricks to slow cool after hammering. Does that count as annealing?
  3. These are the stated specifications. I'm looking at it as a dremal can etch glass with a puny 12vdc 1/1000 hp motor but you can't with a boss 302. Also comparable mikita and Dewalt impact's have same specs but personal experience Dewalt easily out performs on drive power. Specifically I ask if it's the fpm, grit, or metal itself that could be an issue. I suspect the metal but I assume it's somewhere between mild and hardenable pottedmeat junk. The picture is of the metal the blade is made from. It's mainly used as store front security bar.
  4. It's listed as 3.5amps 3/4hp but I'm not sure that matters. In construction most everyone so just neeeeds a 15 amp circular saw but my personal one comes in at just 10amps and will rip 2x4,6,8,10 ect like hot butter. As in its the blade not the motor that makes the cut to me. So I'm confused if maybe the fpm is low compared to what others go for or perhaps maybe my metal air hardened somehow?
  5. Not much else it can do but grind. And if it's that large and you feel the need to repurpose it then sell it for what you need. Personally I'd keep it and use it as the metal moving monster that it is.
  6. OK my friends, I already know how yall feel about that place but Ig purchased a belt grinder from HF and a few minutes ago decided to try it out on a small OA 7" "around the house blade" I forged recently from 1/4"x1 1/2" flat xxxxxxxxxxxxxx stock. The grit is 80 with 1185fpm. It does bog down if I press hard on it but I don't think that's a fair assessment as the blade gets to hot to hold fairly quick. I feel like it's not moving metal as quickly as I feel it should but I'm honestly not sure how much is considered normal. What is considered a common fpm, grit, and HP for moving metal? This is for shaping prior to any heat treating. PS: the file kinda skated though and took 20 minutes to get to that.
  7. Channel lock: tongue and groove pliars, vice grip: locking pliars. Actually had to refresh my vice grip terminology.
  8. Certainly a hazard but I wouldn't treat it like nuclear waste. Honestly a small acid proof container, say the size of the piece should last many many years without needing to be replaced. Maybe the occasional filtering every 5 years if you deplate ALOT. Overall nothing more than a tad of dilute sulfuric or at most nitric acid to add to your stock. Don't mix acids btw. Some combos can dissolve the very containers meant to hold them. Also keep a few gallons of baking soda water around. Side note: the acids you have will likely do. Use a clean steel bar as the cathode and the deplate part as the anode. Probably no more than 6V will do. Higher voltage will work faster but will also increase pitting.
  9. A good idea and it likely works but chrome or really any plating doesn't give up easily, hence why it's used as a plating. I'd think a faster and more reliable way is to use the plate metals nemesis(lol) base acid and reverse electroplate it, probably until it begins to pit the underlying steel.
  10. Good point. Yeah if you're not entirely sure, then it's best to walk away. It's an adventure to try out a mystery steel from time to time but never worth the risks
  11. He did mention he had to clean it up a bit and even after cleaning it looks fairly rusted and pitted. Wouldn't that infer it's likely plain ole steel?
  12. @ Desoto I'm still stuck on the "ammonium nitrate for fireworks" part??
  13. Ooo oooo I want my 2 cents in! My charcoal forge was approx 2ft long. The bottom was 3hole fireplace brick that served as the air inlet and tuyere. It was assembled in a V shape viewed from the front. The air ducted from under and expelled from the front and up throufht the 3hole brick which was controlled by bricks blocking the flow. I used small wood blocks as fuel and could adjust size by laying bricks flat on the bottom. The wood pyrolyized as I forged to charcoal. My fan was a central ac/heat centrifugal. It used an insane amount of wood but boy did it get hot.
  14. @Arkie That i fully understand my friend. They were just my first ever pair and i needed some multipurpose tongs for the moment. the only thing they cant do well is hold stock larger than 3/4in but that isnt an issue right now. I will indeed make different tongs meant for the job later on. generally speaking i mainly use them to hold the tang or a less viewed piece of work so any marks are a moot point. a pair of V channel with a flat lip will be my next project. i think theyll be a bit more rounded for my intended use.
  15. My swede friend i plan on passing my work on till the world turns to dust! personally i dont hate rebar. it is a pain but isnt life. Ill use what i make till i die friend. i certainly plan on making more tongs. they are quite fun to make. Lets be honest here.....Tongs are way more important than anything youre using them to hold. Not going to use bare hands afterall!
  16. Ahhhhhh! I only quench to harden the teeth for grip! Hahaha not at all a full quench. Dip in out in out. It's merely to keep the teeth from turning into doh. Also I dip them in water in between hammerings to attempt to preserve them toofers. But I'll take your advice to HEART! I only say such since mine are modeled on pliars and they need the bite more than the squeeze. My hammer is light but my arm aims to break the sound barrier. My prime goal is to make an all around tong that can do flat, square, and round stock. Around 1 1/12inch or less is my goal.
  17. Nice. That top pair looks much beefier. I'm a noob myself so I may be out of line to suggest grooving the beak and quenching so it'll provide more grip. I made a pair just last week and boy did the iron fly until I ground grooves into it. Though mine were intended to hold "hot" work since it's soft and they can bite in good. Also love the campfire forge. My first one was a hole covered in brick using a centerfugual fan and plain old wood!
  18. Remodel of 2 schools built around the 50s or 60s a few months ago and found these "pins" of unknown steel inside the cast iron in-ground door closures. Have about 40 of them and for their size are quite heavy. When I first took them out they looked as though they were milled just that morning.
  19. My first forge was fire bricks, wood, and a large centrifugal fan. My first item was an 10" paper thin dagger from rebar using a 5# maul. After a 10 year hiatus my new forge is oil fired, decorative fireplace brick, and a blow dryer fan. My first project was a set of tongs using flat security bar stock and a small tinners hammer. Bassakwards every step of the way but I did learn a lot. When it comes to metal use what's known if you can and learn about the metal you have. Never use a hammer you don't like just because it's what everyone else uses. Don't drool over a fancy 500$ anvil if a 16in section of rr track hasn't failed you even once. A forge is what you think it should be. If it heats to your needs then it's a forge. Make what makes you happy. And rebar is a God awful material but if you have 2000+lbs of the stuff, like me, use it! Also it's a great idea to study and research everything before jumping in. Don't copy something someone else made because you like it. Odds are they are more experienced, have better materials, and more time. Make it yourself, in your own way to match what you want and need. Have your own style and you'll never be disappointed!!
  20. These are my first 2 from rebar about 12 years ago. Bottom is my first. Ugly yes, ground down with a grinder. Functionality? Ohhh yes. Quite thin but edge impact is spot on. I admit they were a pain to forge out. Used wood and charcoal then. The blue one (mine) I did a test slice against my dad's machete he made from a band saw. I'm sure my nick is visible. His nick broke the machete. Side impact however could shatter them like glass. Picture us upside-down
  21. I didn't intend to argue over rebar. I just have access to very large amounts of it very frequently. So I'll occasionally use it for simple projects or small knives. The nearest steel supplier to me is almost 2 hours away. I meant if OP had free access to a good bit of it then to me it's worth toying with and finding out how to make it work for him.
  22. Totally agree! It is great for beginners since it's so easy to obtain. My point is simply not to discount something because of what it is or a stereotype. I've made plenty things from it and they turned out great. Luck of the draw? Maybe. Unlikely but possible. I certainly advocate buying what you know and what is best for a given project bit I also love the guessing game. I have about 200lbs of random 3/8in flat stock for barring store front doors and windows. All logic screamed mild unhardenable steel. I made 6 roughed blades from it before even testing if it could harden. Turns out...yup. definitely hardens. Slammed edge, side against anvil and didn't deform, chip, or crack. Lucky I am but still trying steels you don't know can be fun to. Think of it as practice of technique rather than a failure of the steel.
  23. My apologies. I'm from Mississippi. My profile doesn't seem to save my settings. My job is primarily commercial construction. From the dirt work to the roof top. The only thing I don't do is lay brick....usually. ..
  24. That would be the lower rated rebar. That stuff is meant for driveways and wheelchair ramps. Always go for the higher grades. Anything you get from a superstore is low grade. Construction suppliers have the good stuff. True some is butter but the good is like pounding on cold Steel with a rubber mallet. I've dealt with many many types of rebar grades and sizes. I have a stack of #60 and #80. The rest I give away for scrap. It has great tensile and shear strength. The key is differencial heat treat. Gently.
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