Sam Thompson Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 I was making a very big gate latch yesterday, from 1.75 X 0.5'' and didn't fancy all that hammering so I punched and cut it then bent it open and forged the tail. I'm not sure if it was quicker or not. I'll have to have another go tomorrow as the finished piece didn't look right anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Very clever thinking. Probably what the old timers did all the time but we have to reinvent the wheel for many operations that they took for granted. One for the memory banks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 That looks to work OK, but perhaps you could just get by with just a cut with out drawing it down and punching it first. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 I suspect this could be a problem with the grain in wrought, but seems to be a neat idea. I think a slot punch might be more efficient, and modern steel does not suffer from grain in the same way as wrought. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 That looks to work OK, but perhaps you could just get by with just a cut with out drawing it down and punching it first. Thinking about making 2 from one section of stock? Seems that might be easier still, especially if one has a band saw. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 It seems like a perfectly logical thing to try Sam, especially for a one off. If I were to need to make many of them I'd be looking to cut two at a time with one cut but that's a different situation. One thing for sure, I'd be looking for something to take some of the work out of that weight steel. You betcha! Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted March 22, 2010 Author Share Posted March 22, 2010 I didn't start off intending to do that, it just sort of happened as en experiment. Next time I'll go in over the near edge to get a better transition between the handle and the boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted March 23, 2010 Author Share Posted March 23, 2010 It worked out ok in the end: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 It worked out ok in the end: At the end of the day that is what really matters. welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 looks as if it may be a little light on the drop end from the picture Sam, how does it work in situ, or have you not got there yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 No, it's fine, but I don't think I'll make any more like that. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 I get bored too when I've made one, onward and upwards Sam Next! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 It's not quite that, I started with a bit of 40x12 and no clear idea what I was going to make. The end result is ok although not such a vast improvement on my normal latch as to be worth the extra effort. The customer likes it because it's chunky and hand-made, I like it because it works, he'll pay me and I haven't got to spend an extra hour on his gate; but the next time I start an experiment it'll be on a smaller bit of stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukellos Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Looks good, Sam. And thanks for giving me an idea for working down some leaf spring I have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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