Declan Kenny Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Hi, I've no doubt this topic has come up before, but I am going to get my hands on some torsion bar to try and forge some wood turning hook tools. The steel will come out of a breakers yard from old cars; I'm hoping to get it at around 16 - 18mm in diameter. The main issue is, I guess, that I will have no idea what the composition of the steel is. Is it safe to assume it should have a reasonable carbon content of around 0.5% and more? And what typically would the other small percentages be made up of? Chrome, nickel? I've no idea, but I suspect they all vary hugely. Are there any issues in terms of forging heat, annealing and tempering? Or just treat it as ordinary carbon steel and see what happens? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 If I remember correctly, torsion bars are hollow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcraigl Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I've made a few tools out of torsion bars of a Ford F-250 pick up truck. The material was about 1.25" dia. and we oil quenched and tempered to a straw. One of them is a handled round punch and it has done a lot of work for me with just the occasional touch up of the working end. Do a heat treat test on it to determine what you need to do before spending a bunch of effort making a tool. Other than that I say go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Kenny Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 Thanks for the replies. The torsion bar I picked up today is solid, and looks to be good quality. I'll have a crack at a few tools over the next week or so and post some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 i sure hope you have a power hammer...I've made several tools from and it will tire you out with a hand hammer does make good tools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Kenny Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Nope - no power hammer here I'm afraid, but on the plus side, hook tools don't require much work on the forge; it's getting an edge and keeping it that requires the time! Cheers, Dec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Have you looked into using carbide metal lathe tool inserts? The last set of bowl/vase tools I was involved with was set up to use them. Then the shafts can just be normalized and all the edge holding is the work of the carbide! (A pro turner came by the forge wanting some custom tooling, so I heated a bar up, out it in the vise and told him to bend it to suit himself and then normalized it---next week he had his own forge!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Kenny Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 Hi, I'm one of those 'traditional' turners! I try and do things from the early mediaeval period of European history, or Viking Age, as it's sometimes called in Ireland. To that end, I made my own lathe for bowl-turning, and try and forge my own tools. The traditional hook tools were all made from one piece of iron with long wooden handles. It's tempting to go the carbide route, but then I'm trying to cut timber, not corners... Thanks for the reply though; it would certainly save time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Traditionally they would be made from wrought iron with just a tiny bit of steel forge welded on the end as well. Are you going that route? Are you using a spring pole lathe? I was president of an Irish Living history group here in the United States doing the time period of Brian Boru and our demo set up had a spring pole lathe as well as a ground forge with two single action bellows and charcoal for fuel. Three sounds of increase: The swish of a plow, the lowing of a cow in milk and the din of a smithy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 sway bars, some , make really good pry bars, and all are good for camping cookware holder, spikes, tent pegs, chisels, and the old man has made wood chisels for his lathe with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Kenny Posted August 26, 2009 Author Share Posted August 26, 2009 That's great stuff (particularly the bit where the forum swings into action when I'm hitting the hay!). I am not at the forge welding stage yet, but I hope to progress to that. Mind you, with the amount of good quality scrap available, there's no need. I am using a pole lathe for demos, but in the workshop, I don't have the room, so I use bungee cord and a thin leather strap. Great for turning bowls. Haven't tried forging on site yet, for the public - that's a private matter for now, 'til I get half decent at it. I'd love to see some pics of your lathe. Cheers again. Dec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 I'll see if I can dig out a picture of it on the web. Our group suffered a barn fire which took out most of our kit close to our biggest demo date---the Dublin Irish Festival (Dublin Ohio that is.) I had to drop out when I moved 1500 miles away... Rather crude as it has to be set up and broken down every time. It uses a large limb staked to the ground at one end with a trestle holding it up and then the rope down to the work piece. I was rather impressed by how well they drew it all together so soon after the fire!IMG_0184 on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Kenny Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 That lathe looks nice and solid. Did you ever make bowls on it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.