Charlie Crane

Wow, thanks for all the ideas!!! I hope to unpack the forge tomorrow and possible try some of these ideas in the next couple of weeks. It is funny that I have been building gates and railings for years and have created some equipment and machines to make it easier but never really did much forging. I guess it is because of the time factor to learn. I did what I know and kind of stuck with it. Now as a teacher of welding I have more time to play and am getting equipment that I would never have bought on my own. It is fun and I love hammering steal. Mostly we have been doing cold forging, making scrolls, roses, and twisting bar stock, but with a forge I hope to really take it to the next level. Any suggestions to further my education on forging (you tube)? The youth just finished a bench and are starting on another tomorrow. We cold forged the arms with some of the dies I have made, but it was real work. Thanks again, I wish I could see some of the ideas you are discussing.

Thanks Frosty, sounds like you have done it all. I have done most and agree that the cutting and welding is a lot of work but has been my go to when the tube roller starts to deform the steal because of to much bend. I think I have seen shops plasma cut the scroll work and then weld in the rest with flat stock but again a lot of work. Thanks again for putting all the ways out there. I was hoping there was an easier way but it looks like there isn't. I guess if there was everyone would make them. Enjoy

The tube roller I built uses a hydraulic jack, does that count? I agree 1 x 2 would probably look nice but even that would be a pain at 8 or 9 feet. Thanks

You are right mostly I have done tube steel. I have always liked forging and forging is what got me into the gate business to begin with, I just don't have a lot of experience in large forging. 6' sounds crazy to me, so hats off to you. I have been looking at Pinterest and seen some gates that had large scroll work out of what looked like 2 x 2 stock. I just can't figure out how they did it. I have done some fairly crazy gate tops but nothing that looked so smooth and I don't see it being solid stock (but maybe). Thanks for responding

I have been building gates and railings for years but I am considering the challenge of doing a large scroll work for the top of a gate. Probably 2" x 2" stock. I have a tube bender, tubing roller, and have cut tubing in multiple sections and welded it back together for sharp curves but that is different (I think) then what I have seen in the old scroll top driveway gates. I used to have a forge and have purchased a new one (should have it soon), but am not all that good with forging. Done small scrolls, flowers, twitted pickets, but never over 1/2". Any ideas? I have heard of using sand to fill the tubing, but for a large bend that sounds difficult. Thanks for what help can be provided.