Jump to content
I Forge Iron

First try at something "big" fire screen


FieryFurnace

Recommended Posts

Well the title says it all, but I'll say some more here!

I've been at this for three years and have done nothing bigger than a 40something inch long fire poker! (Yea that's pitifull!) So anyway, I am ready to at least try if not complete something bigger!

I decided on a fireplace screen. It started as an idea in my head of a simple double arch design. (Like the customary ten comandments shape!) It's progressed a bit from that, to a celtic sheild design with the celtic cross in the center of the shield.

There will be three sizes of steel used. (I think!)
2" x 1/8" flat bar

1 1/2" x 1/8" flat bar

1" x 1/8" flat bar

These three sizes will be layered to make the outside frame of the screen. The 2" bar will be on the back, then the 1 1/2", then the 1". The idea is to create a stair step affect in the inside edge of the screen. The outside edge of the screen will be even.

I drew the piece out to scale several times. First a small scale drawing that gave the general shape. Second a larger drawing that showed more detail., Third and fourth were some level drawings that showed more proportion. (First layer, second layer, etc.) Finally, I drew a half of the screen on some sheet steel full scale.

The screen is by-fold, hinged in the middle. (I also drew out a hinge full scale) The measurement for each half is 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall. The overall measurement is 36 inches wide and 24 inches tall. (That was a sorta standard measurement I found on a website.)

The screen will be regular steel. I will buy larger pieces than each half of the whole fire place screen, so that I can stretch it tightly on a wooden frame. then all I will have to do is lay it on the actual fire place piece and tack weld/rivit it on!

The whole frame (all three layers) will be rivited together. The rivits are 1/4 inch rivits and will be placed about 4 inches apart!

There will be little actual hammering involved as far as tapering and such. The only forge work will be bending the steel to fit the full scale drawing I drew out!

I think this design is relatively easy. (looks easy to me! LOL But easier said than done!)

I will follow the build and post pictures as I progress. I have very little confidence that the finished product will look very good. Of course I will do my best and hope it works. However, I want to tackle something a little bigger than the norm, win or loose, rise or fall!

So here are the pictures of the drawings.


This is the larger scale drawing.


This is a full scale paper drawing of a corner. Instead of bending the steel in the corners I am going to cut them. This will allow me to work with smaller pieces of steel, and I don't think it will affect the surdyness of the entire piece! each layer will overlap the other in the corner and will be rivited and probably welded as well.


This is a full scale paper drawing of one of the hinges. The pin size is 1/4 inch and the hinge length is 2 inches to fit on the back of the fire place screen. I'm not sure the width I will do yet. Probably do it out some of the 1 inch flat bar though!


Here is a full scale paper drawing shewing the way the steel will be layered. The right edge (where the steel is even) will be the outside edge of the screen. The left edge (where the steel is stair stepped) will be the inside edge of the screen. The whole piece will be 3/8" thick.

More pics coming!

19061.attach

19062.attach

19063.attach

19064.attach

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are the rest of the pics!


Drawing the full scale one out! I'm using just a pice of the flat soap stone instead of one of the sarper pencil ones, so it's not perfect but it's really close!


Here is the finished full scale drawing. This is the right half of the screen. There is only one minor difference in the two sides.


So anyway, there it is. The "finished" idea in drawing. Now starts the hard work. I'm going to pick up some of the steel to start on it tomorrow! :o

Thoughts, questions, comments, critisizim (sp?), changes, suggestions, etc. Anything welcome!

Thanks,
Dave

19065.attach

19066.attach

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks like an awesome project.

Be sure to keep us posted on your progress.

The only thing I might question, if I understood you right, is using 1/4" for your hinge pins. If these are going to hang pintel style, you might be better off beefing up to 3/8" or 1/2" round for your pins. Those doors look like they will be hefty, so you might as well go hefty all the way. Besides, the bigger the diameter of the hinge barrels, the easier they are to roll uniformly.

Good luck,

Don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that's a good pont and something I hadn't though of! I'm not sure of the tech name for the hinges I was thinking of but I will describe them. I was thinking of doing a top hinge piece and a bottom hing piece with a pin running through them. Thus for two hunges on the whole screen it would be a total of 4 sides and two pins. Hope that makes sense. 3/8" and 1/2" stock is easier for me to get hold of anyway so I'll "upgrade" to larger pin size! Thanks!
More thoughts!!!

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's going to be an attractive fire screen for sure.

The one thing that jumps out at me is the gap between the two arches. How is that going to be filled? most fire places have a single arch or rectangular opening.

Okay there's another. How do you plan on attaching it to the fire place?

One really slick method is to make the screen's frame smaller than the opening, say about 1/2" on each side and the top. Then you have another piece of bar the same width and length of the sides and top with rotating connections (like a "C" clamp screw to the foot) to screws threaded through the inner frame.

To install simply slip the screen into the fire place opening and tighten the screws, they push the contact bars out into contact with the fire place, adjust for even and it's done.

Frosty

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First:
As far as bending the flat bar.....I know how dificult that can be! I'm just going to shoot for it and hope it works! ;) It'll probably take me a while though!

Second: I haven't thought about the gap between the arches! :( I'm not sure what to do about that.....to fill it in with anything would tamper with the appearances of two indevidual shields. Also since it is hinged in the middle, I don't know how I would fill it in. Any thought's on a good way to fill that would be greatly welcomed. Although, I do not think that is going to be a real big set back. Up to the begining of the arch is 18 inches. So I don't think that the opening there will be of much concern.

Third:
The screen is free standing frosty. That is why it's hinged in the middle. I will probably end up putting two or four feet on the bottom to make sure it stands up sturdily.

More thoughts...


Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice design. It will be nice to see the finished project.

If you are worried about the center: 3 panels? Center panel larger than end panels. Or you could make the screen taller than the fireplace to reduce the opening in the center.

With free standing screens having a thicker bottom to weight it a bit is nice.

Phil

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well it's just going to be 2 panels! I think I am going to leave the open spot, and see how that works. It will only be about 3-4 inches of the top and will only be a couple inches wide.
I am working on some modifications to the bottom to help the freestand. I think some of the bar laid flat welded to the bottom would look good. Then put some stableizer legs on it...maybe four; two for each panel!

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well guys, I started working on the screen this afternoon. I'm doing the 2 inch flat bar first. It proved to be quite a challenge to bend and keep it straight. When I had the bend about half done I decided to try using the vice instead of hammering around the horn! Well that sped up my time VERY quick! I spen 2 hrs and 20 minutes on it today. the last 20 minutes I did the same amount I did in the first two hours by using the vice instead of the hammer. I also got one of the hinge pins done! I'm doing them out of half inch bar and using the ball peen to texture the top!

pics later!

Also I wanted to tell everyone that y'all are completely welcome to build this design yourself! I do not claim any royalties....just don't say you are the one that designed it!
I would really like to see a pro finish this piece!
Dave

Edited by FieryFurnace
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok here are some project pieces! I have the first and sacond layer, (ie the 2 inch and 1 1/2 inch flat bar layers) roughly shaped and done! I still have to flatten everything down and all. I made me a little jig to help with the bending as well! The first layer (2 inch bar) I bent by heating and hammering over the horn. Well wow! It took forever! And it marred the steel somewhat! So I made a little jig out of a pice of 2x4 channel and 2 pieces of 2 inch pipe! I can use the jig for the 2 and 1 1/2 inch flat, but I will need another jig for the 1 inch!

Anyway here are some pics of the screen!

This is the whole half!

This is the joint in the 1 1/2 inch that forms the outer rim of the "shield."

Another of the joint!

There is a corner close up of the two layers!

more coming!

19067.attach

19068.attach

19069.attach

19070.attach

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are a couple more pics!

I am going to give y'all a "sneak peek" into layer three!

The corner with three layers!

There is a close up of the three layers!

I have about 6 1/2 hours of forge time alone so far!
I also have about 2 hours in design and drawing, and will probably have 3-4 hours in welding, grinding, drilling, riviting, finishing.

Thoughts????


Dave

19071.attach

19072.attach

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thoughts?

First one is that you've done a beautiful job bending that wide flat stock.
Second, the depth created by the three layers looks great!
Timewise, I'm impressed. It's taken me an hour to do a simple split and turned heart finial on a flower pot stand.

Good work!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My gosh that looks GREAT! I have never tried to bend flat stock like you have. It looked like to me when I first saw your drawing that it would be impossible. I will have to try it myself sometime. Keep up the great work and more pictures. Man that is impressive to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...