November 18, 200916 yr Or thats what Im calling it anyway. I made a small drif table but wasnt happy with it and drifting ball peen hammers out is hard enough as it is. I found a new source for scrap today and picked up this 1/4" x 6"x6" tubing and a 6"x6"x 1 1/2" plate. Total cost with them also cutting the two holes was $23. I burnt my #4 torch tip up . Anyway as you can see It has an opening in the bottom and its filled with sand. This catches the drifts and dampens the sound. Works real well..
November 18, 200916 yr Very cool idea. I like the sand trap too. I still wouldn't wanna reach in and grab the drift too soon thanks for posting
November 18, 200916 yr That is a neat idea, thank you for sharing. It also stimulates me to think about other heads that could be interchangeable on the post. For example, a two part heading tool that is held together by simply sitting it into the end of the 6 by 6 tubing. Or even a two-part heading tool where one side flips up on a hinge and thus flips the finished bolt or rivet out of the header. Some things for me to ponder. Again, thank you for sharing. DAve M. E.
November 18, 200916 yr Can always put a coffee can of water or punch lube down there too. Nice looking. Phil
November 18, 200916 yr If this works for you-cool!Power to you. Personally,i like better support under the assorted driftables.A drift with it's conical section precludes the exact support,yet,any wider space underneath than the minimal lends a bending moment to the work,pinching the drift. The sharp edges of the penetration also look ominous,to me,but that's me. The sound technology would be to provide support as close to the drift as ever one can come.Usually,that means the sides of the drift,as the taper is somewhat less. What cannot be supported adequately(closely),is better off flying,as any resistence at N distance from the edge of the drift will be bending the work upwards. But i'm repeating myself,anyhoo,all this IMHO,and good luck.Jae
November 18, 200916 yr If you find the holes to big you can always build up some welds to shrink them up. Cool idea Thanks for sharing and let us know how it works out. We always like borrowing great ideas. Edited November 18, 200916 yr by Bad Creek Blacksmith
November 18, 200916 yr Oh, I am so gonna copy that! I may make the top of mine convex and just have one hole with different plates I can change out.
November 18, 200916 yr How about a circular plate you can bolt to the stand that has holes of different sizes that you can index over the large bottom hole? Nice set up and very handy if you do a lot of that sort of thing. I might go with a slanted piece of sheet metal that would skid the drift out into a tray of water/punch lube and make it easier to pick up with a pair of tongs---by the end of the day forging I'm not bending over real well anymore and so have a set of tongs for getting stuff off the floor...
November 18, 200916 yr If you're doing a tomahawk for a regular 'hawk handle, you don't want the drift to go all the way through as that makes a straight sided hole. Those handles need a tapered hole to pressure fit onto the handle. The drift is tapered and goes in only so far to size the hole. Edited November 18, 200916 yr by rthibeau clarification
November 18, 200916 yr OK, so how come I can't see the pictures you all seem to see? I can see pics on other subjects, though.
November 18, 200916 yr yet another great idea comming across the fibers of the net... Thanks for shairing
November 18, 200916 yr If you grind and size the holes, you could also use it as a stake post, I have several that would work with that post, hmmmmm, nah, no more room after I get my treadle hammer!!
November 18, 200916 yr Kboy, that's a good idea but I'm worse off the TP as to bending over. Divermike, that's a good idea too but all that steel will be a bit noisy, how about just a tall stump, me I got a short one already so I can sit an use it.
November 18, 200916 yr Author If you're doing a tomahawk for a regular 'hawk handle, you don't want the drift to go all the way through as that makes a straight sided hole. Those handles need a tapered hole to pressure fit onto the handle. The drift is tapered and goes in only so far to size the hole. I dont drive my hawk drifts all the way thru. Just hammer drifts etc.. I always finsih my hawk handle hole on the anvil using the drift as an internal anvil. . I would have loved to have a big chunk of layout table but you gotta work with what ya got :D
November 18, 200916 yr Author Unicorn forge mentioned different tools for the top. I was kinda thinking the same thing for smaller projects. the holes that are in it work ok for larger 24oz hawk heads and the larger stuff we drift but would be a bit big for smaller heads. I think Ill takes some 1/2" plate and make several "templates" to fit over the head of the post. Each template with different size holes... Edited November 18, 200916 yr by KYBOY
November 19, 200916 yr How about a circular plate you can bolt to the stand that has holes of different sizes that you can index over the large bottom hole? That's similar to mine, but without the indexing. I cut a larger plate at work with teardrops for my hawks, a few holes for when I need them, and several different sized rectangles for drifting belt axes. When I get a chance, I'll post a picture. Jamie
November 19, 200916 yr Author How about a circular plate you can bolt to the stand that has holes of different sizes that you can index over the large bottom hole? ... I didnt even see the first part of your post Thomas. Thats pretty much what I was talking about in my last post. Im going in the morning to pick up some 1/2" plate. Im thinking of making "covers" that set down over the existing 1 1/2" plate top with different size holes for different jobs.
November 19, 200916 yr Isn't this a great site? I mean where else can a person exchange ideas like this. Man this is great! I love it.
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