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I Forge Iron

"V" tool


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I always had a Problem getting my square grip tongs to be nice and tight 90 degree bends. I tried hammering in the corner near the shelf, and over a hot cut that I shaped at 90 Degrees.

Today I made a v groove smashing tool, You clamp it in the vice, heat your flat jaw good and warm, slide the top part up, put the jaw in, and hammer it down, takes one heat to form, and a second to finish it nice and square. The top part of the tool slides up and down.

Kind of a one off tool, but at least I can make nice square jaws, the work well for round stock too. The last two pics are a set of 1/2" square tongs I made.

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this lends itself to multiple modifications, guilliotine type, use heavy wall pipe or different degrees of bevel for different jaw configurations.

nice job, paint makes it easy to find unless all your other tools are the same color.;)

George

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Nice tool Jeff.

It's often well worth the time invested in making a tool, jig, widget, etc. in the time you save trying to fiddle a thing till it's right. Well done.

Tenn Clif.

I take it the tornado didn't get you. I hope you and yours are all okay.

Frosty

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  • 3 weeks later...

Had some issues with the other design, so I added some things to it.

I used shoulder bolts for a better fit and slide, it aligns better.
I added a shaft to hammer on, it makes for a better higher impact point away from the bolts.
I added a "handle" to lift it up to insert the stock.
I made it fit my anvil hardie hole, makes it firmer when you strike it, align it and one shot they groove is formed. Also with it in the hardie versus the vice it is easier to see down from the top for better stock alignment.

Any first time tool needs to be tweaked some....

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That is awesome Jeff. I just finished making a pair of bolt head tongs and I too have had problems getting the V to have a crisp angle to the jaw. Now I know how to solve it and it is cheaper that asking the finance dept. for money to by a swage block. I am stealing you Idea.

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How does is handle with the adjustments? Does it jam up on the bolts when you go to hit the end?


The shaft on the bolts are 3/8", I drilled the holes one drill bit size bigger from my drill index, there is enough movement to slide it easily, but still tight enough to align well.

I didn't drill both parts at the same time, so I had to be really accurate when I drilled the slide. Hindsight is 20/20, always drill holes that have to match at the same time.
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Looks good. But I hope you do not mind a critique. I have to wonder if it would work better if you put slides on both sides instead of putting the single slide in back. Now when you hammer, it wants to rotate down as well as slide down. This seems like it might cause binding? Also using the slide on both side would provide a more stable alignment. I assume it works fine, but I think it would operate smoother with side slides with about the same effort to build. Just my 2 cents.

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Access problem with hammer if side by side?

I realise you can make this much wider, but this will increase its footprint, weight and storage space.

Edited by John B
additional qualification
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Looks good. But I hope you do not mind a critique. I have to wonder if it would work better if you put slides on both sides instead of putting the single slide in back. Now when you hammer, it wants to rotate down as well as slide down. This seems like it might cause binding? Also using the slide on both side would provide a more stable alignment. I assume it works fine, but I think it would operate smoother with side slides with about the same effort to build. Just my 2 cents.


Yes you could, and it would work well like that. And you would have infinite length, you could slide the piece through as far as needed. At present it works, but that doesn't mean it could not be improved. :) Most of my tools are to be considered "first drafts" anyway. Critiques are always welcome, that is how we improve. I think you may be onto something there.
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Yes you could, and it would work well like that. And you would have infinite length, you could slide the piece through as far as needed. At present it works, but that doesn't mean it could not be improved. :) Most of my tools are to be considered "first drafts" anyway. Critiques are always welcome, that is how we improve. I think you may be onto something there.


I am fairly new to blacksmithing, but not metal working. I have made a lot of first drafts myself. I would be proud of my creation when someone would come in my shop, look at it and say, "why didn't you just do _____" Sometimes it takes fresh eyes. Of course sometimes their ideas were stupid. I would be proud of it if I was you.
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Take no offence from most critiques. I always look at it as much a way to show the person how you overcame the problem they've had or to prevent it. Learning generally involves revisions unfortunately but if it works for what you built it for at the time, it works. Improvements are just that.

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Hey Spikey, you should have made a guillotine tool and just added a V Groove die to it. That's the nice thing about Guillotine tools, simple dies are quick and easy to make.


Always the voice of reason....here comes Jr. with a simple solution.

I already have a guillotene tool, just need to make the dies for the v-groove.

That is another alternative.

Thanks Jr.
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  • 2 months later...

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