JHCC Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 12 minutes ago, Forging Carver said: Ok. I got a monkey wrench home, so I might bring it to a welder to get a handle on it. Thanks Notice that the adjustable wrench in John B's photo has smooth jaws and the movable jaw is pretty tight. Don't start with a sloppy-jawed pipe wrench; it's harder to twist evenly, and it might mar the workpiece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 19 hours ago, Forging Carver said: Did you make the wrench in the middle? Thanks I just welded a handle on to an old adjustable wrench I had, I prefer the slotted one, Another alternative is a flat bar with a series of square holes through that fit different size bars, limited by the fact you have to slide it over the end of the bar being twisted, you don't have that problem with the slotted one. Tap wrenches sometimes have problems as the heat gets transmitted into the adjusting screw on the sliding jaw, and they also tend to mar the corners of the workpiece Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 alright thanks for the help everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 well some good news! I gave that opener to that one carver and now a person wants to buy one FROM me! This is going to be my first sale! I just need to figure out a price. I suppose I will just ask what they are willing to pay. Thank you all for your help! The capitalized from is an inside joke for those of you who are wondering why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 2 minutes ago, Forging Carver said: well some good news! I gave that opener to that one carver and now a person wants to buy one of me! This is going to be my first sale! I just need to figure out a price. I suppose I will just ask what they are willing to pay. Thank you all for your help! Someone wants to buy YOU?! Outright sale, lease, rental or day rates? Think very carefully about saying yes. Congrats now go make a bunch of the things. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I was going to ask what the going rate is for a teen age kid these days, but the cost to feed one probably will blow any savings over paid labor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 oh lol! I should go edit that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 On August 19, 2015 at 5:01:03 PM, DSW said: Ausfire, when you make those rail spike openers, if I'm seeing this right, you flatten the end 1st, then punch and drift correct? What I found after making a couple is that you should upset the tip of the taper to about 1/4in because it is a bit thin there then flatten it out. I suppose that if you punch and leave enough room for when you work on the horn, it would thicken enough too but I have never tried that. Plus, upsetting is some good practice for me because I am a beginner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldironkilz Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Today I ran two more test sticks, I understand more about how to control the coloring using the dragons breath of my forge. I think it's time to move on. Almost forgot, Thanks BIGGUNDOCTOR for the tips using the oven I will give that a go when I want an even color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Those are pretty nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldironkilz Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Forging Carver, thank you, I will tell you this broadly known secret, does mean it is no secret. My best tutorial on this subject was from beammeupscotty. Best because he made me look at the beauty of a project, and worst because he made me look at my errors. As it is each time I look at these images I see areas I would like to improve upon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Here's one I tried yesterday tryin some new things. Made from from 3/8 sq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Best practice to get the best color, and most consistent temper color is to make sure that the item is CLEAN when it goes in the oven. So wire brush/sandblast/sand/scotchbrite/polish to the desired level of finish. (Wire brushing and sandblasting before using other abrasives, or polishing does improve the longevity of your sanding belts, and polishing wheels, plus gives a better finish.) Then Fantastic (a brand of multi surface/degreaser) does a pretty good job getting polishing compound off of a piece, and the old standard to remove oil and finger prints from the surface is acetone. You can get good results without whipping it down with the acetone, but if you don't you will invariably get a big splotchy finger print or grease smudge on a particularly nice piece, especially if it is a rush job, where you don't have time to redo it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terr Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 I made this one a few weeks ago. It was forged from .75x.50 mild steel stock. The finish is beeswax applied at high temp them buffed with leather. It will be a Xmas gift. NickOHH, Looks great. What was your process for getting the big hole opened up on 3/8" stock? Slit and drift then move to the horn? I haven't tried to open up a hole like this on smaller size material yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 48 minutes ago, terr said: NickOHH, Looks great. What was your process for getting the big hole opened up on 3/8" stock? Slit and drift then move to the horn? I haven't tried to open up a hole like this on smaller size material yet. Stepped Down on the near side, punched a small circular hole then drifted to a bout 5/8 then finished on the horn because my larger drift is "missing" . The loop is a bit thin but should be just fine for bottle caps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Nice openers everyone. I found that my biggest issue is making the tab. I find it hard to get a good clean tab, but it probably comes in time. This thread has been a huge help to making openers. Thank you everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 19 hours ago, Forging Carver said: Nice openers everyone. I found that my biggest issue is making the tab. I find it hard to get a good clean tab, but it probably comes in time. This thread has been a huge help to making openers. Thank you everyone. Me either, I must be holding my tongue wrong. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 21 hours ago, Forging Carver said: Nice openers everyone. I found that my biggest issue is making the tab. I find it hard to get a good clean tab, but it probably comes in time. This thread has been a huge help to making openers. Thank you everyone. Find yourself a small ball pein hammer. Anneal it by letting it cool in the forge overnight. (Or leave it hard but use a soft hammer {eg. brass) to hit it with.) Put a loose handle wrap on it and you have an ideal tab punch. Line it up carefully and one good smack gives a neat tab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beammeupscotty Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 On 12/17/2015 at 5:48 PM, coldironkilz said: Forging Carver, thank you, I will tell you this broadly known secret, does mean it is no secret. My best tutorial on this subject was from beammeupscotty. Best because he made me look at the beauty of a project, and worst because he made me look at my errors. As it is each time I look at these images I see areas I would like to improve upon. Then my work is done, Grasshopper.... The key part of Ausfire's suggestion is that you will probably get better results from using a ball end tool as opposed to a flat bottom tool. I personally use bob punches (round ended) that I made from re-bar. For this sort of application re-bar works fine for me. Here is an image of a set I pirated off google images. I find it easier to line up a long punch like these as opposed to a modified ball pein though the latter should work just fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Alright thanks. I do use a ball peen but it takes me a couple heats to get the tap right. Maybe I should use a larger ball peen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beammeupscotty Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 6 minutes ago, Forging Carver said: Alright thanks. I do use a ball peen but it takes me a couple heats to get the tap right. Maybe I should use a larger ball peen. I would not go larger. I use either a 1/2" diameter or a 5/8" diameter. Bigger than that is probably not a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Not to change the subject, but I just sold that railroad spike opener. I wasn't sure how much to charge, so I said $25. Was this a good price or should I charge more next time? I know that it varies upon location but just a general idea would be helpful. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 My 'go-to' ball pein tab-punching hammer is 5/8" diameter. And $25 sounds about right to me. I sell mine for A$35, which is about the same as yours if you take the exchange rate into account. I guess you have to base your price on how long it takes you to make one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Oh alright thanks. I was gonna say $35 but I know this person song figured that I should give them a better price plus I really wasn't sure how much to tell them. I calculated that I made about $10 an hour (which includes time setting up and putting away) off it after minusing expenses and materials. I plan on putting some on etsy because I figured I figured someone must want one maybe for a wedding gift or something. I am also going to bring somebody time we go to a resteraunt that has a bar. Once again, you guys have been a huge help! Thanks so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 You will get quicker as you refine your procedure. The good thing about rail spike openers is that they sell well, they're relatively easy to make and no material cost. Keep at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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