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I Forge Iron

House sign


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Iron Aficionados,

Photo of my latest work for a work colleague. He initially wanted an L bracket with his house name for his property near Brisbane (QLD, Australia) but we spiced it up after looking through some CoSIRA drawings...

Enjoy, criticism encouraged.

Monster.

post-6569-12664497630265_thumb.jpg

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thats really nice monster :) the only thing i might have done differently ( and this isnt a critisim - cant even spell it - coz i couldnt make it as well as you) is the curl at the end the single one, id have considered turning it the other way. just for my eye! but i really like it its going to look great hung up :)

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thats really nice monster :) the only thing i might have done differently ( and this isnt a critisim - cant even spell it - coz i couldnt make it as well as you) is the curl at the end the single one, id have considered turning it the other way. just for my eye! but i really like it its going to look great hung up :)


Nice job, and I would agree with what Beth said, with an addition.

The scrolls are not just for decoration, but serve to brace the backplate/arm and act as triangulation points, so by putting the scroll at the top, you get a better bracing effect.

Nice to see you said based on a design By CoSIRA, They are excellent publications with a wealth of ideas, However I would like to point potential problems with using the illustrations as guides when you are making items based on the line drawings in the book.

Most of the items featured were made for a specific situation and are not always suitable for a scaled version, particularly the weather vanes (not the range of profiles), however in their defence the actual sizes of the project featured are noted in the index at the front of the relevant section giving an indication of the overall sizes.

As such, they do not show material sections and the construction methods that are used when making them, and so you have to use guesswork to determine how they were made, bear in mind they were all forged, so branch welds, rivets collars and tenons were the way they were constructed.

Not always the quickest way to make a look alike, they were catering to the traditionalist who had the benefit of being trained in the necessary skills, not an easy thing to obtain these days

The original purpose of the catalogue was to sell the plans to working 'smiths, and these were full scale working plans with all the necessary details, including the times they took to make, (That is quite a revelation) Some of these drawings are still around, and it was rumoured they could still be purchased through the archives now transferred to Hereford College

Having said all that, your job turned out very well and you should be well proud of it,

Good luck on the forging highway, I look forward to your next project being posted
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Thanks for the replies, all points noted. Structurally, didnt think of the reverse scroll idea, will log that one away for next time.

Thanks for the CoSIRA info John, I personally use them as inspiration for myself and the people that ask for me to make them something. One picture lessens the inbox load and tennis match.

The next project just came in, and I will post progress pics. Another work colleague would like a period camp fire set for some medieval reenactments coming up, stay tuned.

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Nicely done Monster. With the exception of the scroll's direction and why, I see nothing to criticise. Heck, even the scrolls aren't an issue on a nice light weight sign like this one. If it were big or long and heavy the scrolls might need to be repositioned but it's not necessary on yours.

Frosty the Lucky.

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Thanks for the replies, all points noted. Structurally, didnt think of the reverse scroll idea, will log that one away for next time.

Thanks for the CoSIRA info John, I personally use them as inspiration for myself and the people that ask for me to make them something. One picture lessens the inbox load and tennis match.

The next project just came in, and I will post progress pics. Another work colleague would like a period camp fire set for some medieval reenactments coming up, stay tuned.


You're welcome Monster, No criticism was intended, it's a good piece, and like all the pieces you make you learn from them and this was to help that process for you and others to learn by others mistakes

http://www.hct.ac.uk/Downloads/craftpublications.html is the page for all the CoSIRA downloadable books,

The one I was referring to is http://www.hct.ac.uk/PDF/CraftPublications/WroughtIron/CATALOGUE%20OF%20DRAWINGS%20FOR%20WROUGHT%20IRONWORK_tcm2-18935.pdf

This is the catalogue of drawings, and as you say it is almost a bible to show potential clients, I used to use it myself in the same manner, asking them if there are any items there they particularly like that we can base the design on,and then go from there.

The problem I was pointing out is the scale of the drawings and their potential problems, and a little information on basic traditional blacksmithing design, and the reasons for it.

This was brought to my attention when I took over a working forge that had two CoSIRA trained (through the NETS scheme) apprentices, and one of the near completed items they had made was a weathervane to catalogue design 904, on page 105 and to be half the size

When I saw the near completed job my first reaction was "Very nice but it won't work", I was then told the tale about how the design had been chosen etc.and it was what the client wanted, and so the job went out,

Two weeks later the client came back complaining that the vane didn't work.

The reason it didn't work was lack of area for windage on the scaled down vane this was rectified by widening the paddle end of the blade, more like the one on 903, refitted it and it worked fine.

So just be aware when you are using designs for guides, and let common sense come into play, and yes I have produced quite a few items BASED on drawings in the catalogue

It is also important that the moving parts on weathervanes are in balance when fitted

Sorry for the long reply, but felt it was required.
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