pkrankow Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 Honestly, the welded tongs seem a good deal still, but forged tongs offered inspiration. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evfreek Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I have been thinking, Grant can probably smell the smoke coming out of my ears. Maybe Frosty too. I bought a piece of 3ft long 1x1/2 inch hot roll some time ago. If I mark at 5 ... Phil Isn't this kind of large for tongs, especially for a beginner? We used 1x3/8 for scrolling tongs, and it was really kind of much to draw out the reins on. A lot of us beginners were having trouble. Eventually, I had to wimp out with an air hammer to finish. According to that bolt tongs website, 3/4x1/4 is marginal, and 1x1/4 should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 Yes it is a bear to draw out. Maybe I am overcompensating for the problems my first pair have. I found some 1/2 inch square mild from an old fire grate that I started working too. That pair is almost done, and I have only drawn out the one rein from the 1x1/2. Difficult drawing is not very frustrating to me. I have learned a lot about hammer control and dressing a hammer. My drawn sections look more smooth and have no sharp jaggedness to them anymore. They are not free of hammer marks yet though. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigcity Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 (edited) i made a couple of tongs i didnt think they where to bad to make and as nakeanvil said they are lifetime warrenty:) not the purtyist but they work:) i just took 2 24" pieces and made the tongs ends the way i wanted the larger pair is 5/8 round the smaller is 3/8 or 1/2 not sure Edited November 14, 2009 by bigcity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 (edited) Here's the "Poz" method as shown to us by Richard Pozniak. Chisel the jaws after bending. If you click on the picture twice you can enlarge it. Edited November 14, 2009 by nakedanvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Looks like a good job Bigcity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 (edited) I tried to make the poz tongs and failed miserably. I think it started down hill at the beginning. I will try again of course. Try, try again until you know you can fail well or do it well. Polarbearforge, I hope you take this as flattery..... since I work in a steel fab shop I have time to make some things and decided to take a shot at making blanks. I made them out of 3/8" cutouts from flanges of beams. Since you did not have measurements on your site pics ( good idea btw) I took guesses as to what I liked for sizing. 1 set was a normal type and the other I put a 2" opening between the jaw and rivet for spacing and made flat bar tongs. Darn did they turn out nice. Of course until we move to our new shop I am stuck using a torch and not the plasma. For the guy who has limited funds, limited access to junk yards / steel recyclers the blanks are a good purchase. Up here in Edmonton, I pay $0.25 - $1 per lb for scrap steel when I need things my shop does not have around. A structural steel fab shop does not carry alot of small steel sizes so I do end up buying scrap from time to time. Edited November 24, 2009 by DennisG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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