LA9436

Hello!

I am trying to make a large batch of hearts (seen on the anvil below) and would like to make the process as efficient as possible. I can taper the ends and bend the middles quite well at this point but I am still struggling to get consistent results bending the ends around into the middle. I have made 2 tools (shown in the pictures) but the tool on the anvil causes the ends of the bar stock to twist when I hit it with the hammer, and the tool in the vice loses grip of the tapered end of the stock. Is there a better/faster way I can bend the ends of the stock?

Thank you for the replies.

Thank you gm for making my aware of the sure shot. This looks very convenient and I will likely purchase one regardless.

Dipping sounds like it is the preferred method. Does this method have to be timed right, or can the metal be dipped even if the oil will evaporate upon contact?

What bristle material would you recommend Frosty? I would also like to try this method.

A quick question,

Are there any basic tips or tricks to applying linseed oil to hot metal?
I am trying to apply the oil to a piece of 40mm x 3mm x 500mm bar stock (1.5'' x 1.1'' x 19.6'') but I can't get an even coverage. Some parts of the bar stock will be very black, and other parts look like they barely have any oil on them. Here are the steps I take;

1. I heat the metal as evenly as I can.
2. I move the metal onto my anvil
3. I soak some linseed oil into a rag and then gauge the heat of the metal by seeing if the oil evaporates when applied.
4. As soon as the metal is cool enough to not evaporate the oil, I quickly wipe the metal with lots of oil.

Am I doing something wrong? And a side question, would it be more practical to use a spray bottle instead of a rag?

Useful advice Anvil, and with pictures! Just out of curiosity, why do you not want to use a countersink?

Ah yes, I was trying to be polite but this makes sense. Thank you.

I apologise LeeJustice, I believe I jumped to conclusions, says a lot about my state of mind at the time.

Thank you for the advice Irondragon, I do use a file to connect the 2 holes but at my skill level, the drill bit does a much better job at getting a rounder circle than I ever could with a file.

Ill bear that in mind Thomas!

Got it! Frosty And thank again for the detailed instructions !

8 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

Mounting holes generally do not require close tolerances and extra work on a project impacts profit margins!

I agree, using a reamer to make a mounting hole is overkill, but this will be my first product, I was just looking for the best result possible.

7 hours ago, Nodebt said:

  I'm wondering how much value a reamer would have on that drill press for anything. They usually have a lot of run out.  

Do you mean the drill press or the reamer has a lot of run out?

Amazing! Thank you for helping me.

Thank you for the replies. 

I am trying to drill some 12mm holes so this 3mm flat bar can be hung on a wall using mounting screws. As you can see in the image, the circle is not quite up to snuff.

20 hours ago, Frosty said:

The vice may not be clamped down securely enough.

I suspect this might be the cause Frosty, as the vice is not actually clamped down at all.

20 hours ago, Randy Griffin said:

Clamping the pieces together adds thickness and you get a round hole.

Great advice, if it does not help me this time, I am sure this information will help me in the near future! Thank you Randy!

20 hours ago, swedefiddle said:

There is a saying for a Blacksmith;

Measure with a Yard Stick (Meter Stick), Cut it with an Axe, Heat it in a Campfire, Beat it with a Hammer until it fits perfectly!!

This made me laugh Swedefiddle.

I am sorry I am confused. Wouldn’t a more precise diameter result in a rounder hole that a drill bit can achieve?

I see Glenn. I am Sorry LeeJustice if I misinterpreted what you wrote, I assumed when you wrote ''I found this quite quickly'', that you were implying it didn't take much effort to find the information, and therefore, implying I didn't look very hard. If I am wrong, it certainly wouldn't be the first time!

Hey Nodebt! Simply trying to get a rounder hole than my drill bits can achieve in a 3mm mild steel bar. From what I have read, the 11.8mm and 15/32 drill bits should be fine, but I have also learnt that there is a very small tolerance between choosing a too small and too large. I know one of those drill bits will technically be a better choice over the other, I just want to be sure because I have to buy them in batches of 5. A bernardo tb 14T.

I know he was Nodebt, it was just how he said it.

I appreciate your help LeeJustice, I could have done without the lowkey derogatory statement though. I also found these charts but I do not know how to use them. Please can you tell me the difference between nominal, 2% and 3%? I am still very new to the world of metal working. I have heard it is easy to go either too big or too small.

I am looking to buy a 12mm reamer bit for my drill press. Should I use a 11.5mm, 11.8mm or 15/32 inch drill bit to pre-drill the hole? I have been googling for a while now to no avail.

Thank you for the replies. Useful information, especially for a noob like me! Unfortunaly not Irondragon, but thank you anyway.

I would like to paint some mild steel (S235JR) while leaving the patination visible. The item is a hook rack that will be used indoors. Are there any recommendations here in Norway? Do I really need a primer? Preferably leaving a shiny finish, and bringing out the colours of the patina if possible.

Yes, there is a solid grate at the bottom. Are you saying every 15 minutes turn the fan up to full power for a few minutes and then bring it back down to normal power?

I never really ever get clinker, it all kinda just stays attached to the cokes I think.

It is very possible I made a wrong turn somewhere since I am still new to this, but is there an efficient way to sort/clean used coke. Currently, the fire lasts about 1 hour before it loses heat, at which point, I try and put the clean cokes into one bucket, the dirty cokes into another bucket, and the dust/clinker into another bucket. Is there a way to clean/sort the dirty cokes so I can reuse them without all the junk attached to them also going back into a clean fire?

Yes, should I not?

Thank you for your very modest answer Frosty.

HA! Luckily I am still young enough that it is not too much of a problem, but it is only a temporary setup... hopefully. Thank you for the tips! Any help, even very basic, helps me a lot at this point.

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Currently my ‘shop’ is just a few bits and bobs I have collected under a plastic sheet. I’m am doing all my stuff kneeing until I can find somewhere suitable. I am still just trying to make a hook rack at the moment and learning how to get all the hooks of a consistent shape. On a side note, I really enjoy the smell from the coke, it reminds me of a steam engine rally I used to visit when I was younger.

Thank you for the replies. This makes sense and gives me a lot more peace of mind. Thanks again.

I did a quick search but couldn't find anything simular.

I am still new to blacksmithing so I am not sure how the coke should be normally, but I often find rocks mixed in with the coke. Some of them turn white when being burned, which break apart into a white powder, and others open up like a flower blooming (hard to describe). There are also others which give off a thick green smoke (but I suspect this is coal?). Is this normal or is somebody cutting my supply?

Hello everybody.

I have been stalking these forums for a few months now, and finally I have created a profile. I have dabbled with blacksmithing for about a year now, but I am still very much a beginner with a lot of questions! Nice to meet you all .