FieryFurnace Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Ok first......I've never done a basket twist......uhhh well untiL yesterday! And then that was only a try! Four pieces of 1/4" square stock, 12 inches long. I forge welded the ends......that was the easy part! Then I twisted pretty tightly, Reheated and untwisted while tapping with a hammer about every 1/4 turn or so. I DID NOT keep tally of numbers of rotation either way. RESULTS??? Well it looked like an electric panel wired by a blind electrician......i.e. complete failure! So I retwisted and closed it back up. Then I untwisted again without hammering and got somewhat better results. A pretty even basket but pretty oblong and not very full. So I tapped on it with a hammer evenly, and things went to pieces AGAIN! Then it was supper time! So what did I do wrong? What is proper step-by-step procedure for basket twists? P.S. THE HEAT WAS EVEN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME! Thoughts??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 As a rule I chisel from 4 sides but what you have done is fine to that point. After you have 4 parts joined at the ends I heat it up place end on the anvil hit the other to open up the center. When you have it open enough that you can get it over the horn tap 2 of the 4 together on each side then work to as round a cicrle as you can make it. you should now have a bar with a circle in the center all in the same plain.take a chisel and open up into 4 bars keeping the circles as round as possible. Try to get the loops 90 degrese apart. now take a nice even heat put one end in the vise hold other end with tongs and a twisting wrench pull and twist at the same time till you get what you want. It is much harder to explain than to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 That made perfect sense......I'll give it a wirl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Hi Dave. Happy New Year. Here is one that I make into Christmas ornaments. I used 8 rods 1/8"X6" and put two 1/2" long stubs in the center of each end. I stack it 3 rows of 3 rods (with the short stubs in center of each end). Forge weld them together on each end and then draw to points. http://s758.photobuc...44.jpg&newest=1 http://s758.photobuc...45.jpg&newest=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Hi Dave. Happy New Year. Here is one that I make into Christmas ornaments. I used 8 rods 1/8"X6" and put two 1/2" long stubs in the center of each end. I stack it 3 rows of 3 rods (with the short stubs in center of each end). Forge weld them together on each end and then draw to points. http://s758.photobuc...44.jpg&newest=1 http://s758.photobuc...45.jpg&newest=1 Are you starting with 1/8" square stock? I did not know that was even made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Yep. I get it in 12' lengths and use it for ka bob skewers, too. Works great. I get it from a welding/metal supplier that I deal with. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hammer Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Ok first......I've never done a basket twist......uhhh well untiL yesterday! And then that was only a try! Four pieces of 1/4" square stock, 12 inches long. I forge welded the ends......that was the easy part! Then I twisted pretty tightly, Reheated and untwisted while tapping with a hammer about every 1/4 turn or so. I DID NOT keep tally of numbers of rotation either way. RESULTS??? Well it looked like an electric panel wired by a blind electrician......i.e. complete failure! So I retwisted and closed it back up. Then I untwisted again without hammering and got somewhat better results. A pretty even basket but pretty oblong and not very full. So I tapped on it with a hammer evenly, and things went to pieces AGAIN! Then it was supper time! So what did I do wrong? What is proper step-by-step procedure for basket twists? P.S. THE HEAT WAS EVEN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME! Thoughts??? I expect you had problems because of the length of stock you used. Do the same thing you did again... This time use only 6 inches of stock.... If you want a result that requires 12 inches of stock, use 1/2 inch square bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hicks Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 ive only done a few but i agree with dave it sounds a bit too long ,, also when i open them back out its never perfect but you can tweak them to be even with some scroll pliers.. i do one of the following either start with two say twelve mm rounds at say 30cm long then bend them both in half and slide them into each other so they hold each other tight , (hoping you get me there ) so the faggot is now 15cm long (6inches) and each end has two ends of a rod and a bend , then fire weld both ends and square them up twist him up and untwist in the vice while pushing down on it to spread the basket , then just spend ages faffing trying to make it look sweet the other method is the same except cut 4 or 6 or whatever at 6inches and cut two slugs of same size about one inch long and place them inside the basket ends where they are to be welded this helps to keep the basket more wide and open but you have to tack with a welder or be good with your wire to get it to stay put to weld it up. hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 1/8" round stock is easy to find---it's called *wire*. I like to use the frames from election signs for small basket hooks and there is a balance between number of pieces, size of pieces, length of pieces and amount of twist to get a good looking basket. When working with a new size/number of pieces of stock I like to cut several at different lengths and see what ends up looking best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 thanks all! can't wait to try it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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