Show me your Bottle Openers!

[JHCC]

My experience has been that if you make a tool for a specific job, you will often find many other uses for it. Even if you don’t, at least you’ve got more experience making tools.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I was cruising back through years and pages on this thread and I came across several tentacle bottle openers and I saw quite a few that’s pretty awesome, 

im really curious how the suckers are made? Are the suckers welded on with a arc welder and then punched? Or is there another process For adding them?
 

I saw a jig on pg 59 for punching but I didn’t see anything about how the raised circle sucker material is made before it was punched. 

[JHCC]

1 hour ago, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

Are the suckers welded on with a arc welder and then punched?

Yes; here’s a quick demo:

 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

JHCC, thank you for sharing that video,

There’s a few parts of that video that seem a little bit odd to me (I’m probably gonna skip the stretches and the holding method) 

but overall it answered my question. On how it’s done! And it gives me some ideas on something new to add for some nautical projects I’ve been wanting to do!

[JHCC]

The holding method is a classic technique, so don’t let that bother you. Works best if your anvil height is on the low side. 

[Daswulf]

If you are savvy with a mig and all works out you can sometimes get a weld that won't require the punched center bit I find that rare. 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

JHCC, I didn’t realize that was a real technique, I thought everyone just used hold downs, but I guess it makes sense because the stock was longer
 

Daswulf, ive got a flux core welder that I’m gonna attempt to use for this project, I don’t think it welds as pretty beads as the gas hook up migs but I figured it was worth a shot. 

 

[JHCC]

Shouldn’t matter, so long as you get all the flux removed from the final piece.

[Daswulf]

It'll do the job TW. With practice you should be able to make some nice beads.

[Chad J.]

Should be able to reverse polarity on a stick welder and get the same buildup,  but what stick to use?  Good old 7018?

[ThomasPowers]

My stick welder reverses polarity 60 times a second automatically!  Of course it's AC.

[Les L]

On 8/10/2021 at 8:45 AM, Chad J. said:

Should be able to reverse polarity on a stick welder 

Chad,

reversing the polarity usually creates a cutting effect with most stick welders, use your regular rods, with less amps, and hold in the same spot to build up

[Dax Hewitt]

On 8/7/2021 at 9:13 AM, TWISTEDWILLOW said:

JHCC, I didn’t realize that was a real technique, I thought everyone just used hold downs, but I guess it makes sense because the stock was longe

Hold downs are great but when you have something like a wriggly tentacle I suspect it could be almost if not totally impossible to hold it in place to punch each weld bead. The crotch clamp is much more versatile and faster. 

[Frosty]

Is that easier than punching the suckers BEFORE you bend it all tentacle squiggly?

Frosty The Lucky. 

[JHCC]

That does increase the risk of denting the suckers during  the ensquiggling.

[Frosty]

I don't see how. You aren't thinking of impact ensquiggling on the anvil are you?  

I'm thinking squiggling wrenches and maybe a light thwocker on a wooden block.

Frosty The Lucky.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I was thinking of making a hold down that’s cupped on the end to hold the round stock in place while punching the suckers and then doin the bending after, here’s what I’ve played around with so far. 

[JHCC]

A V-shape is good too, and can accommodate a number of diameters. 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I didn’t think about that, thanks for the idea JHCC, 

[JHCC]

A good thing to think about with tongs, hold-downs, and the like is to have them hold as many sizes and shapes as they can without sacrificing a secure grip. Once the grip is compromised, make another with a different size and/or shape. 

On the other hand, if you're going to be doing a LOT of a particular size and shape, there's nothing wrong with having a tool dedicated to that size and no other (e.g., 3/8" round). 

The central point is that if you can't hold it, you can't hit it.

[ThomasPowers]

Or even worse: it can hit you *back*!

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

JHCC, I see your point I wasn’t planning on forging a bunch of these so it wouldn’t make since to make a hold down for a specific one time project, so it definitely makes sense to make a hold down that fits a lot of other things to, so maybe I can use this and then after heat it up an work it to a v so I can use it on other stock later

Thomas, Ive read Glenn’s post on space and time and apart from getting a good laugh out of it I definitely see his point

and I’d rather not have my face occupying the same space as a piece of metal at the same time! 

[Chad J.]

Decided to make a church key.   This actually started out as 1.5 x 3 x .125 flat stock.  Not perfect but it opens beverages. 

[lary]

 No limits to what you can do with blacksmithing....

One more thing made from 5/8" round stock.

[Bonnskij]

I don't have a proper anvil with hardy hole and horn, so I've had to adapt my bottle openers accordingly.