Marksnagel Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 They were clearing out an old cattle pen in one of the pastures and piled up their junk on the edge of the pasture. Gotta love a junk pile. In the pile was an old heavily pitted pitchfork with no handle. I took it back to the forge and stared at it for about a month as I worked at the forge. I finally pictured in my mind what I wanted. A coat rack. I wish I had taken an "as found" picture but this is after the forge got ahold of it. I plan on mounting it to an old piece of barn siding to be mounted on the wall and adding a short handle for looks. Chances are the fork is old beause the house I rent was built in the mid 1700's. It was either rust or recycle. I chose recycle. It took me about 2.5 hours to make all the bends. I learned a lot about forging things larger than my coal fire allows. Also ONE iron per fire! Too many irons in the fire has always been a problem for me. Had a blast making this. I'll post new pics when I finish. I'm thinking of coating the fork with a clear coat varnish. I'll give it to my farmer landlord for fathers day. Mark <º)))>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking-sword Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Now thats what I would call using your creative juices, I like that a lot, for sure I will never look at another pitchfork in discouragement for lack of ideas for it, thanks. Wes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I like it! But it does kinda have a "redneck repair" feel to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I like it too, Mark. Grant, I think to have a proper 'redneck repair' feel it needs some wire and duct tape :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 I like it! But it does kinda have a "redneck repair" feel to it. Grant, Good! Mission accomplished! So as not to disapoint you, there will be bailing wire wrapped around the short handle that I am going to add where it goes on the base. Ian, to keep with whole redneck tradition, I'll put a piece of duct tape on the back side of the board it gets mounted to with the date finished on it. Wes, thanks. I am not a creative person which is probably why it took a month or so to find a new use for it. Since I live in the very rural country, the "Redneck" will fit it well. Or as I like to say, "Country". Mark <º)))>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I thought you was good! this proves it. A suggestion for the finish: gun blue and clear coat. It wont be blue, rather it becomes a brown with an interesting reflection. sort of "mottled". It looks nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Not too old a fork by it's construction, could be 100 years or slightly more though. When I make them I try to get two holes in a vertical line so it can be mounted on a single 2x4 in a typical house wall. The wooden back plate is a good idea; make sure it won't snag coats/scarves/hats and is wide enough to span a typical stud spacing so it can be mounted securely. I tend to spiral the ends of the tines to make sure they are not "pointy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 I curled the tips backwards and under so there are no sharp edges to tear or hang up on clothes. I agree about it not being as old as the house and barns. I will also finish off the back board smooth. I thought about two verticle holes but not sure about where in the house it will be mounted so I planed on a back board being about 20in wide for studs. I'll finish it up by this weekend. I may put some small "J" hooks on the board for key rings. I don't know. Don't want to over think or over engineer it. I found another old pitchfork thats a tad smaller than this one. I think I'll punch two holes vertically in this one AFTER I finish the first one. One thing at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 My uncle was an antique dealer and he was telling me that the fewer the tines the older the fork, I guess that makes Grant a really old forker (I really do like you Grant ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewed Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Ummm...Around here a five tine fork is a manure fork. Just thought you might want to know Cool project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Bentiron, Hahahahahahahahahaha. Sorry Grant. Hahahahahaha Drewed, Could be a manure fork. They had cattle and horses at one time. Or politicians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Clad Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Hey Mark, that's neat. I really like that idea. Your house was built in the mid 1700's?? Wow, any pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Neat idea with the fork...........It's the kind of item that would really sell at an antique/country/nick knac type store if you could find em, or just to have in your own home........B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Hey Mark, that's neat. I really like that idea. Your house was built in the mid 1700's?? Wow, any pictures? I'll take some. It has had quite a bit added to it over the years. All the beams in the attic are mortise and tenon joints with wooden pegs and each has roman numerals carved on them. That is because they were cut on the ground and later matched up in the attic with their "mate". It is a creaky old thing and the wife swears that it is haunted. There are a few date bricks in the fireplace. One says 1726 and the other is too worn to read. Neat place. Fireplaces upstairs and down and hard to heat. I have closed up the openings of them all since they are no longer safe to use and only serve as unwanted ventilation. I'll finish the Coat rack tonite Lw and post pics of the rack and the house. Mark <º)))>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 Ok, here are the pictures of the finished coat rack. After I mounted it on the back board I held it out and couldn't decide which way was up. I'll leave that to the recipient. All comments are welcome, how else do we learn to improve. There is two coats of clear lacquer on the iron. The board is from the barn and has two holes pre drilled at 16inches apart. No, there is not a hole in the barn. These first two were the origional way I thought it should hang. After looking at it, it may look better this way. If I make more of these to sell, I won't' put them on a board and I'll probably do as Thomas suggested by putting two holes vertically to accomidate a wall stud. When someone picks it up to look at it they will look at it the way they like it best and who am I to disagree. Thanks for lookin! Mark <º)))>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I'd suggest having *both* on display, a couple barn board mounted for more money and a couple cheaper ones barn board free---sometimes one type sells and sometimes the other---if they all sell you are pricing too cheap! I made some "wind bells" once from old welding tank valve protectors, (bought a bunch of them cheap at the fleamarket). I also made up a set of "hangers" for them that would 1/4" lag bolt into a wooden fence pole of porch column (and I supplied the bolts in a sandwich bag taped to the support!) Two years at the State Fair and I hadn't sold a single one then the next year I sold out---right before I was going to lower the price!) Picked up another cap last week for $1 lets see what happens this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Mark, I like it. That is sure a unique project. Don't say that you're not creative. This one shows that you are. Thanks for posting it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmeineke Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Pretty cool, Mark! I like the creativity in re-purposing it. I personally think you should leave the orientation like you had it originally. The second set of pics look like the coats could slip off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Thanks George! Thanks Joe! I had origionally intended for the smaller curls to be in the up position for coats. There are no burs or sharp ends. When I gave it to my landlord he help it with the large bends up. He uses it for a hatrack. It fits ballcaps great that way. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or is that a splinter? Mark <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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