glilley Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 How would you tackle this? IRT the subject, I have forged my spring with the hardy bit and have the upper and lower swage pieces fabricated - now my challenge is how to attached the swage pieces to their respective upper/lower spring sets. I don't have ready access to welding equipment so I am limited to forge welding them on, bolting/screwing them on or securing them in some other manner. Any idea what great-greatgranddaddy would've done? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 One way to do this is to use round bar for your spring. Drill a SLIGHTLY undersized hole in your swage pieces, heat them up and drive them onto the spring ends. You should taper the ends of the spring before heating the swages. If you have spent a lot of time making your swage pieces you should practice this on some scraps as this is a one chance process. If the swage spring attachment loosens up you can punch around the hole with a center punch to tighten things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 Thanks John! I should have stated that I made my spring using 1/4" x 3/4" stock;however, fabing a new spring section out of round stock would not be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Forge a ball with a distinct neck on the ends of the spring, drill a hole in the swages and stake the balls into the hole. This is how they used to be fixed for heavy use as it allows a certain amount of flexibility and absorbs some of the shock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 Sam - Would I heat the swages first so that as they cool and normalize they would tighten-up around the ball? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I'd heat treat them after fixing the handles. I'm assuming that you're talking about swages to use under a power hammer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 No, I would be securing these in my hardy with the swages laying across the anvil face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
double_edge2 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 following the ideas of "JNewman", and "Sam Thompson" just a thought, if you are ok with the forge weld thing, slit the edges of the swedges, taper the spring, insert and forge weld the spring like adding a piece of hard steel to the folded axes i see you blokes make. with the drill if you have one, id do the ball, drill the edge, insert the ball, and pin or wedge from a down hole to secure, or pein the edges over the balls at high heat, flattening and securing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgemaster Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Make the swage reins out of round, drill a hole in the swages just a bit (1/8"th) larger that the round, upset the very end of the round bar to the size of the drilled hole heat up your swage blocks insert the handles and using a flat ended punch caulk the edges of the hole over the upset ends and into the reins a bit, will last for years. Swages don't normally need HT, we use swages made of 1045 or 4140 for years under power hammers with no heat treatment other than normalising. Cheers Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glilley Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Phil, DE2 and all the rest who have responded, many thanks! Think I will give Phil and Sam's method a try and put a ball on my reins and insert them into the hole on the rein-end of the swage and punch it down. Since my swage blocks are mild steel, will reheat and superquench just the blocks and let the reins normalize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 another old time method was to drill 2 slightly over size holes, one straight into the end, another at a 30 degree angle that intersects the end one at the bottom, taper the end of the small round spring and forge the end of the taper over to one side, heat the end of the spring and insert the taper with the point that is offset into the end hole and with the spring secured well in a vise drive the piece onto the spring rod till it shows out the side, then brad it down (rivet) and then caulk (swage) the edges of the hole tight to the spring rod at the end hole. It may loosen but will never come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvillain Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I'm impressed with all the answers provided here. It shows a number of different methods that would not be in general use today, and reveals the great experience of those responding. Thanks to all. Anvillain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I don't think I ever DIDN'T heat treat a swage. But I used to do a "slam-bam" heat treat that I was taught by an old-timer. Heat to red and quench in oil and bring it out when black, but still able to flash the oil. Worked well on the 4150 that I was fond of using at the time. I've used lots of swages that were "staked" on as described. Works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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