Pics of a bracket made on this weekends course

[John B]

We had a "Joining Methods" course this weekend using tenon, rivet, and a collar, we also adapted some old chisels to make their punch for the tenon hole,

Students learnt how it was quicker to use a hot cut to split and form curls rather than just splitting and drawing down, and how the hot cut gives a nice angled edge finish to the curl, also how the sequence of operations can be used to minimise time and effort, and maximise use of forge.

They learnt how using different parts of the anvil alters the shapes of the same style of scroll ends, how to upset the bar end, necking in and making the hook end, make tenons, punch round and square holes, using hot cuts and cold chisels, rivetting technique, making a mandrel for a particular situation, calculating lengths of materials prior to forging (how much they move) making and fitting a collar using scroll formers in various ways, introducing them to tooling and what to look for and how effective a 'Blacksiths Helper/Smithin' Magician' can be whe you are working on your own, and many other things that arose through the Saturday and Sunday.

Here are some pics of how it developed. First we marked out the backplate and decided the most efficient way of utilisng the number of heats required, as I wanted to illustrate a coulpe of specific items, the top end Fleur de Lys was to be made with minimum forging and the bottom end was to be split and drawn down prior to curling.



So the top end was marked out and lined in with a cold chisel to make it easier to locate the hot cut when the material was at forging /splitting temperature



Then the bottom end.



The operations on the bottom end was; split down the centre to the calculated length, and the tapers then drawn out equally and curled, the sides were reduced on the bick and with a round faced hammer to give it a bit of elegance and flow, and the mounting hole punched in.




The decoration was added to show how it can be a feature and could be used on other items which could more easily be seen due to their location.

The bottom end was done first as it was easier to hold than the Fleur de Lys end even if tongs would have to used.

The top end was then done, first the tenon hole was punched and countersunk from the back of the plate, the sides the necked in, the top mounting hole punched in, then the splitting done and the curls formed to give the Fleur de lys.

Which resulted in this.


The arm was then made, because the tenon hole in the backplate was slightly larger than the arm material, the bar end was jumped up/upset until larger than the hole, the Tenon was then formed first, then the overall length calculated along with how much to allow for forging the hook, the hook end was then necked in and the hook formed.

Which then looked like this,




The arm was then hot rivetted to the backplate keeping it square(ish)




Sorry, minor emergency will continue later. (If i'm not boring you)

[monstermetal]

Nice looking project.... Bet the learners went home happy....

[DennisG]

that looks like fun. very nice, good explanation too.

[John B]

Right, problem sorted, so back to the next part, making and securing the scroll.

Various designs and their implications were discussed and explained and the concensus was to go for a simple C scroll, and so that is what we did.

The scroll end chosen was a simple fish tail end, and the opportunity then arose to show how the use of various parts of the anvil for forging produced different results to the ends produced, minimising the amount of work/time spent in producing each style, ie one with a flat end, and one with a curved end.

Using a scrolling former made on a previous course (sample of one made on a previous course) the design was chalked out, and then an explanation of how calculations are made to work out the length of materials required to form the finished scroll.

The scroll was then forged, short end first, then the larger end, (easier to handle in the fire) the curve formed over the hardie hole on the anvil, and the adjusted with scrolling forks to give the final fit ready for rivetting and collaring.



The backplate and scroll were centre punched and drilled for the rivet, the backplate was countersunk, and the sharp edges removed from all the holes to ensure the rivet joint sat together tightly.

The rivet then fitted, a round headed rivet was chosen to demonstrate a couple of things, ie making and using a suitable rivet snap to make or protect the head when it is being rivetted on the flat, or as in this case to back it up and support the head from the inside of the scroll, the easy way would be to just rivet it over the anvil horn, but this would distort the head of the rivet used. Again due to time restrictions a pre made rivet was used, after being cut to the predetermined length required for the finished surface at the rear of the backplate to be flat when the rivetting is completed.



The next thing to do was to make and fit the collar, a mandrel was quickly made, the way to calculate the length of material required was shown, along with the various theories involved when making (Including shaped profiles) and deciding how to fit them in regards to the split line, and the use of calipers to aid marking out if more than one collar is to be used on a project, and of course, the technique to forge the collar to the finished condition prior to fitting.



The collar was then fitted and allowed to cool naturally.



The bracket is now ready for final cleaning down prior to applying the chosen finish, in the picture you can clearly see the hammering sequence used to form the curve on the C scroll



Course ended and we all went home happy,

Normally this style of bracket would be made in two hours for a one off in the workshop, but that would be without the decoration as that was a side issue that arose when someone on the course asked how you could decorate a backplate that would be used where it could be seen, so I quickly applied the pattern freehand, and hammered edge you see in the pics

[Ian]

Very nice stuff John, any chance you can show us the rivet header/snap you used for attaching the scroll. There's not a lot of room between the back of the rivet and the scroll and it'd be nice to see how you did it.

[John B]

Very nice stuff John, any chance you can show us the rivet header/snap you used for attaching the scroll. There's not a lot of room between the back of the rivet and the scroll and it'd be nice to see how you did it.

Gadget made from scrap handrail section and a bit of box welded on, hold in the leg vice, the pictures should explain themselves. Rivet as normal using light blows, use oxy acet or blowlamp if you feel you have to, if the rivet is cut off at the right length then you should not need to heat it, (rivet used was a soft iron one)

The dimples for the rivet heads were just drilled in to suit the dome required.(this technique can be used in a piece of scrap square bar to use on the anvil as a snap, the advantage being you can have as many sizes on the block as you use, cuts down on trying to find and make individual rivet snaps)

An ordinary set, or bit of tube, or monkey tool can be used to set the rivet and backplate prior to rivetting

Will you be at the NHIG meeting at Dick Quinell's gallery on Saturday?

[beth]

cool stuff john looks like a good couple of days - that last series of pictures is well worth remembering too... thanks for posting - not remotely boring us!!! will hopefully be able to get on one of the autumn courses if my credit is still hanging on in there... hope all good with you :)

[Ian]

Hi John,
I've heard of the NHIG and support what they stand for (even knowing I wouldn't meet their standards just yet, still gives me something to aim at eh?) I've no transport but I'll speak to Sean and try and convince him it's something we should go to. It's be a great chance to meet Lucy and the family and have a look at Fire and Iron. If you're going it'd be a chance for me to fill you in on the trials and tribulations I'm going through in person, give me a ring tomorrow afternoon if you like and I'll have a definite answer (07899780703). Can't make any promises mind, like I say, not my van but I will do my absolute best.
Sunday we've got a demonstration day at a local event in London, looks like a busy weekend may be in store :D

[John B]

Here are some pics of the finished bracket in an appropriate position

[Ian]

Those piccies look lovely John.

Great to get to have a brew and a natter today, always nice to put a face to a name and to know there are fellow tykes venturing south of the border I hope you or some of the lads can make it over to the shinding in August, I'll let you know if the fifth is a definite goer as soon as I can. It's not down to me but the 'powers' so it's anybodies guess. If we can myself and Sean will try and make it down for the Iforge weekend too. Funds and time permitting. Tomorrow we're off to do a demo at a local show and we've got two messages about other possibles as well. Things are starting to move, this is the one pace forward I was telling you about!

all the best

[John B]

Those piccies look lovely John.

Great to get to have a brew and a natter today, always nice to put a face to a name and to know there are fellow tykes venturing south of the border I hope you or some of the lads can make it over to the shinding in August, I'll let you know if the fifth is a definite goer as soon as I can. It's not down to me but the 'powers' so it's anybodies guess. If we can myself and Sean will try and make it down for the Iforge weekend too. Funds and time permitting. Tomorrow we're off to do a demo at a local show and we've got two messages about other possibles as well. Things are starting to move, this is the one pace forward I was telling you about!

all the best

Cheers Ian, I am committed (some say I should have been years ago) on the 5th of August with the Honiton Show in Devon,

One pace forward is good, one pace too far, well ?????

Nice to meet Sean too, looks like all we three are engaged in away from home missionary work, see you as and when.