Rattle snake tail

[Spears]

Quite some time ago, it came into my head to make a rattlesnake and I spent some time thinking about how I would do the tail. Recently, the thought came back and wouldn’t leave. So this is the recipe I used.

The following documents an attempt to make a rattlesnake tail using tooling that can be used repeatedly to create realistic figurative fine art. I used a Bridgeport milling machine to make the dies as perfect as I could because I didn’t know whether or not the idea would work. I don’t like to post artwork made using industrial machinery because of my dislike in knowing not everyone (including myself) has complete access to it. However, such tooling could be made by hand to produce nearly the same results so I’m choosing to show this.

Two sets of tools were constructed from H13 tool steel because that is what I have on hand. It was thought up that I would need to crimp the edges of the work piece before hitting the final die so the edge crimp die was discovered needless but can still be used to taper the last lobe on the end of the tail to make it more correct to the anatomy of the snake. So it wasn’t a total waste.

The final die shown with its dimensions (first picture) before heat treat was left sharp and can literally complete the project with a minimum amount of filing or bench finish. The incremental step amount of .180” and full diameter spread between the lobes was just a “guess” but does present a “look” like what the tail actually is.

The learning curve wasn’t bad but having to step over to make a long row of lobes did present problems with sticking and double strikes so I killed quite a few of them. I have no anti-seize compound and that might not have even helped with the double hits. What really helped was adjusting my hammer for single stroke med-heavy blows. Lighter taps that are used in smoothing did not work with these dies. Even with these tools aligned and bolted solid in the machine I could still get misalignment markings.

A better tool could be made with an entire row of lobes to eliminate the need for increments. I ended up using 3/8” wide by .25” thick stock corners ground round (as pictured) and it “packed out” nicely in two hits and I was able to quit killing so many of them. Enjoy! Spears.

[Mainely,Bob]

Not to take anything away from you but I would think unless I was planning to mass produce rattlesnakes this would be a process that I might better be better off doing with hand tools rather than a power hammer.More control less clean up and more individuality in the end product.
I have to admire your commitment and the results though.Thanks for sharing the process.

[ThomasPowers]

Nice, I make 15 to 20 rasptlesnakes a year out here in NM using farrier's rasps and what I've been doing for the tail is to punch holes in beer bottle caps and thread them on a drawn out and rounded tang tail and curl the end of the tail so they stay on. They sound pretty accurate when you shake them---you see a lot of heads turn *fast* at the State Fair where our club's demo and sale booth is set up near the livestock area and so we get a rural crowd...

Your method would be much better for ones designed for outdoor decoration and I may have to make it up as I have a gate to do for my Mother...

[Spears]

Not to take anything away from you .

Heh, heh, heh, LOL. Take something away from me?? Your vanity impresses me so much it makes me feel like I didn’t give you enough. So here is a little more. Coinciding with all my ideas on how to make a detail I’ve never seen in any publications, I constructed two small tools with screw holes on the backside that would first be mounted as they say “clapper style”. Upon trying these versatile dedicated tools vice mounted “clapper” fashion (work piece in one hand, hammer in the other), it was determined that they didn’t work worth a spit. Having constructed the tools in a very common mountable bolt on fashion, I proceeded with the process in my first post. Linear contact, heavier hammer, more rigidity in the setup…yep! Worked a lot better! Might have worked with a linear ram treadle hammer but I don’t have one of those.

I didn’t mean to come across as such the macro minded auto-magic modern day flip a switch and make a hundred kind of guy. I’m just using whatever I have available to promote ideas for forging so people who do need to bring back some resources from their craft can advance by observing my tooling for free. Pictured is the same dies mounted in the clapper setup. Showing and explaining all this makes for a lengthy report (kind of why I skipped it). There is no right or wrong here. The route I took in making the said detail just wasn’t going to work the first way it was constructed (hand operated). So today you’re on the bonus plan! Lets call it wrong so we can learn some more. By the way, have you ever learned anything by doing it right?? Man if you have read all of this down to here, you’ve got to know I’m full of it. LOL.

[firefarm39]

Spears, neat idea! I wonder how the dies would work in the fly press? We don't have many rattlers here in Michigan (only the very rare Massasaugua), so I wonder how many would be marketable, but I might try making them anyway. No Bridgeport in my shop (yet), so I'll have to try some other technique. Thanks for the ideas!

[Mainely,Bob]

Heh, heh, heh, LOL. Take something away from me?? Your vanity impresses me so much it makes me feel like I didn’t give you enough. So here is a little more. Coinciding with all my ideas on how to make a detail I’ve never seen in any publications, I constructed two small tools with screw holes on the backside that would first be mounted as they say “clapper style”. Upon trying these versatile dedicated tools vice mounted “clapper” fashion (work piece in one hand, hammer in the other), it was determined that they didn’t work worth a spit. Having constructed the tools in a very common mountable bolt on fashion, I proceeded with the process in my first post. Linear contact, heavier hammer, more rigidity in the setup…yep! Worked a lot better! Might have worked with a linear ram treadle hammer but I don’t have one of those.

I didn’t mean to come across as such the macro minded auto-magic modern day flip a switch and make a hundred kind of guy. I’m just using whatever I have available to promote ideas for forging so people who do need to bring back some resources from their craft can advance by observing my tooling for free. Pictured is the same dies mounted in the clapper setup. Showing and explaining all this makes for a lengthy report (kind of why I skipped it). There is no right or wrong here. The route I took in making the said detail just wasn’t going to work the first way it was constructed (hand operated). So today you’re on the bonus plan! Lets call it wrong so we can learn some more. By the way, have you ever learned anything by doing it right?? Man if you have read all of this down to here, you’ve got to know I’m full of it. LOL.

It`s all good and it`s all relative.I see you consider hand work a clapper and a bigger hammer.I consider it a hand held punch.I`d look at it like punching the eyes in an animal head in reverse.
I totally agree that there is much to be learned in investigation,failure and then refinement.I especially like that you have gone to the extra effort to post what you consider the less than successful runs at this complete with pics.Learning from what others have done has been a critical skill since humans picked up the first tool.
Some spend large amounts of time focusing on creating tooling that will be able to duplicate exactly a desired effect or texture.That tooling frees up their minds to to concentrate on things like form and function.Others prefer to create very simple/minimal tooling that leaves room for creativity over a wide spectrum of applications.Both have their applications and neither is "best" they are just different paths up the mountain.

Believe me brother,after a few hours of not being able to get my hands to work in concert with my brain I`d be running over to your place to borrow the stuff in the pics.Likewise if I wanted to straighten out a whole herd of snakes and turn them into pickets for a fence/gate for my buddy`s ranch down in west Texas(which I think would be way cool!) I`d be bidding hot and heavy on your tools if they were on Ebay.I LOVE the stuff you do with tooling,especially texture tooling and it brings all sorts of ideas to my mind.
Never let my or anyone else`s head shaking or eyebrow raising even slow you down in your thinking,negativity can be the kiss of death for creativity.We need to foster rather than suppress creativity in all forms.
Thanks again for sharing both the OP and the follow on thoughts.

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain",that would just be me thinking out loud,always a dangerous thing. :blink:

[Spears]

Thanks gentleman.

Ideas with spotty potential do have limitations when compared to the initial investment. Art is something I do get “some time” to play around with and is a “cost” in the budget, not a benefit. Three dimensional parts that mimic nature are not easy to make and this particular project was more of an upper ended challenge. Take some ideas from it and if you can bring back some money with it by all means do so.

A small list of ideas could include:
Clutch and brake handles on a custom chopper that look like snake tails. A dagger with a scale pattern in the Damascus blade having finger guards looking like snake rattles. A scale pattern on a fireplace set with each handle having a snake rattle. Key chains, bottle openers, drawer pulls, keg tap handles, etc etc.

Those folks who drink cheap keg beer definitely need a snake tail tap handle because what comes from a snake’s tail probably tastes the same as some of that stuff.

Have fun with it if you try some of my ideas be assertive and ask questions. This forum is a blessing because the cost of training for this kind of work can be defined as how I said it before “upper ended”. Regards, Spears.

[Backwoods Blacksmith]

I have just gotten around to reading the old posts. Hurt my hammer hand and can't work at the forge.
As a machinist in real life, I have to tell you what a great job you did designing your dies. Nice work.
As for the application, I see the potential for more than just snake tails. I have just started using dies in my work and it sure beats doing it one hammer blow at a time. I have found that dies designed for one thing may oftern be used for another. The time saved and the skill level needed to accomplish the deed go hand in hand.
Great idea and great job

[Spears]

Thank you sir! You have my sympathy for your injury and time off from forging. I also have injured my right arm while lifting a toolbox into a truck. I have never been injured before so this type of thing was greatly unanticipated. I was ready to sell off everything I own and stick a sign in the front yard until I talked with the surgeon. It will be a few months.

Use your machining knowledge and think of dedicated tools for your forging. A bit of time off may require a bit of practice to get back, but all that thinking you get to do might just generate a new and improved plan. Thanks again for your kind words and I hope your healing goes well. Spears.

[Bentiron1946]

Those are sure nice looking. I see great potential as handles for fireplace tools, skillet handles for the outdoor types, fence pickets, spoon and fork handles( those may need ta be a tad smaller), That is a really nice concept so you had better put a copyright on that idea real soon before someone else dose you know. :blink: