NickWheeler Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Hey folks- I did a search for this and couldn't find what I was looking for, so I apologize if this has been covered already. I have a pair of bolt style Tom Tongs that broke just behind the jaws (I believe this is technically the "shank"). TIG welding them up was going to be my next move, but I'm not sure what kind of filler rod to use. The steel is 8650 I think. Any help would be appreciated, thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtWerkz Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 ER70S-6, ER70s-B1 or ER80S-D2, ER90S-G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Are the warrenteed? I'd talk with the seller first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickWheeler Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 I tried to talk to several people about this after the tongs broke (ranging from the fella selling them at the hammer-in I got them at, to the Ozark school) and no one was willing to help. They've been sitting, broken, in my shop for a couple years now, so I decided to try and fix the problem myself. ArtWerkz, thanks for the recommendations, the instructor at the school recommended the D2 as well. Thanks As an FYI, the tongs were simply being used to hold a punch while marking a piece of steel. They were not being abused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtWerkz Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Your welcome, anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Regardless of what you weld them with get them really hot before welding (nearly red even). Then AFTER they cool to room temperature, heat them again to draw any hardness. Too high an alloy for a tool that might get quenched in service IMHO. OBTW: Off Center tongs are warranted against ANYTHING! Burn 'em up in the fire, smash them in a power hammer, drive over them with a Mac truck, we replace them. And "Made in USA". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 Couldn't you use a piece of the same type of metal as filler? Draw out a small piece on the end of the reins and cut it off to use? Well...assuming that the reins are the same metal and not mild steel rod welded on. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickWheeler Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 Thanks guys- Just for the record (cuz I know feelings can become heated on forums at times) I am NOT in any way trying to bash on anybody in the Tom Tong camp with this thread... I really just want to try and fix them if I can. I'm finishing up a welding degree (worker retraining) and have been messing with TIG a lot the last couple quarters of school and figured I could use these tongs as more practice. Grant, most all of my tongs are from you and I'm extremely happy with them. I hadn't known of the issues surrounding this whole business until reading your posts about it over on Don Fogg's forum. Phil, that is something I considered, but the tongs have ball ends and I didn't really want to mess with the ends of the reins if I could avoid it. Thanks everyone :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 I'm not knocking them either, just made some observations. Lot's of people are happy with them, just laying out the facts so people can make their own judgment. I stand behind my product 100%, others do what they choose to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickWheeler Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 No worries Grant! I just didn't want anyone to think I was coming in here with a handful of posts and trying to start trouble on the forum. I definitely love your tongs and will be adding more as time goes by :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 It sounds like the tongs were quenched in water while they were hot. Those are tool steel tongs, and they won't take that. I know Tom Tongs, and they can be used to pry with. They are pretty stout. A little too stout in my opinion, but if I want to pry something, Tom tongs or Billy tongs would be my choice. I do prefer OCF tongs though for their livelyness and selection and they are made in America and they are warrented and I like Grant's slogan, "We've upped our quality, now up yours." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickWheeler Posted March 20, 2010 Author Share Posted March 20, 2010 Brian- I am new to getting around the blacksmithing circles but heat-treating is something I've been around for over 15 years and quenching those tongs in water (or anything for that matter) is NOT something I would even think of doing. And no prying either, simply holding a punch to mark a hot billet for cutting and they snapped. It was only a 2.5# hammer... it wasn't under the power hammer or anything like that. Personally I think I got a pair that had too much stresses induced during manufacture and/or no proper stress relief afterward. They snapped clean across the apex of the shank and the grain is somewhat coarse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Maybe so, I've never had any problems with Tom tongs, and like I said they can be used for prying. I've broke some of my hand forged tongs when I mistakingly put them in water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Nick, chill. We know you said YOU DIDN'T quench. NO ONE has said you quenched. Your statements reinforce that the tongs were likely quenched at _SOME POINT_ in their life, possibly during manufacture, or at any any time prior to you taking possession of them. Cycling a few times after repair to normalize them is a good idea. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickWheeler Posted March 20, 2010 Author Share Posted March 20, 2010 Chill? Was I internet yelling??? lol :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Chill? Was I internet yelling??? lol Was starting to sound like it to me. All good then. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 I didn't hear any yelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Then apologies for sticking my nose in. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickWheeler Posted March 20, 2010 Author Share Posted March 20, 2010 Brian, and Phil, I didn't mean to come off like that, that's for sure. I often use caps rather than italicizing and I forget that's not really the same. I've seen Brian's work (such as his crazy amazing one heat tong blank video) and I definitely didn't mean to come as snippy towards him. I am posting too much today, but it's a combination of too much coffee, and knowing that without the little nuances of real life conversation, it's easy to come off in a bad light on a forum. Thanks guys! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 I didn't take any offence to anything. It's all about the metal to me. I don't know that much about this computer and how to use those faces on the side, so I hope I don't get anyone's back up either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 I have guite a few of the Tom tongs and some of Grant's and love them both. Wouldn't trade either of them. I would think the ones that broke on you had a manufacture problem OR the were quenched by a previous owner. IIRC, Tom only had one other person saling his tongs outside of the School.... If you can get it "Alloy 500" stick rod would be better the the afore mentioned TIG rods. We use this rod to weld B-7 stud bolts to bearing races with no problems. (bolts welded to bearing races to quickly remove the bearing when all other 'easier' methods have failed.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Taken with liberties from "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Always say please and thank you. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt someone. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Yeah, that works for me, Grant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 IME people get their own back up and there`s nothing any of the rest of us can do to stop that. Fortunately once it is up we can always take a little time and discuss things while keeping perspective.That goes a long way toward smoothing things out again. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakwoodironworks Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Grant, I really like the OC tongs that I have and I like them even better now that I know about your warranty. I don't plan on tearing them up, but it's good to know that in this throw away world in which we live, there is someone willing to stand behind the products that they make. Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Another nice thing about Grant's tongs is they stand up with a repair just using 7018. The only reason I broke them was I cut the bits down so they were half the length and used the shortened bits for a production job on round bar, overheated them quite a few times and probably cooled them when they were a little too hot. The v bit split at the bottom of the v. I don't believe I would have broken them if I had not cut them down. I welded them inside and outside the v while they were still hot, let them cool, ground the bead inside the v and have used them for the last couple of years. Modifying and breaking the tongs was just a cost of doing the job. I was going to buy a new pair but they are standing up well enough that I didn't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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