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I Forge Iron

a simple gift


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I have a long time friend that supplies me with good pieces of steel now and then and I reciprocate when I can with labour or building materials that I have on hand. We don't keep a tally of who gave what or anything like that. He's a horse ranch kind of man and I think he's going to like this. (The six feet of half inch round that this project took came from him).

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A newbe question, What is a good metal to make a triangular bell out of? I have been thinking about making a couple, but I don't know if a person needs a special metal for the nice clear ring that they can make.

LeeRoy


Mild steel works fine. Adjusting the tone is a matter of trimming the length of the bar and getting a nice sharp, clear ring is helped along by heating the corners to critical and quenching. Mild doesn't have enough carbon to be considered hardenable and needs no tempering but the little bit it will harden will make for a more crisp ring.

Frosty the Lucky.
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Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I delivered the bell this afternoon and received an enthusiastic response complete with an enormous smile. The bell got hung on a hook on the porch and tested and tested and tested some more. I made it out of common hot rolled mild steel. It turned out to have a good clear ring and Frosty, I think mostly by accident. I did quench the corners after bending each one, but only with the thought that I could then hand hold the piece while finishing up. It's a good day for me when I learn something new and I thank everyone that contributes to these forums.

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Accident Steeler? Isn't that called serendipity? Besides it falls under the heading of the "old" blacksmith's moto I came up with a while back, "Carpe Terminus Frigidus."

Seriously though, glad it came out well and the gifted folk are happy with it. There are very few things belong on a ranch house porch like a triangle dinner bell. Well maybe Grandpa and his whittlin or a sleeping hound dog but a dinner triangle is right at the top of the list. ;)

You done good Buddy.

Frosty

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Accident Steeler? Isn't that called serendipity? Besides it falls under the heading of the "old" blacksmith's moto I came up with a while back, "Carpe Terminus Frigidus."

Seriously though, glad it came out well and the gifted folk are happy with it. There are very few things belong on a ranch house porch like a triangle dinner bell. Well maybe Grandpa and his whittlin or a sleeping hound dog but a dinner triangle is right at the top of the list. ;)

You done good Buddy.

Frosty

Hey Frosty you put a whole new perspective on my dinner bell forging experience. Serendipity, yah. I think that I may make up a sign by my forge with that old motto on just so I remember to grasp the cold end of the work piece. Thanks man.
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