J W Bennett Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Customer wanted a spider for his copper kettle that he keeps firewood in next to the fireplace. Wanted something nice but not fancy. The customer wants to apply the finish himself. Top ring is 1 1/2" x 1/4" 22 1/2" Dia. Bottom tapered Hoop is 1 1/2" x 1/8" 25" Dia. Legs are 1 1/2" x 18" x 1/4". The tapered hoop was quite a challenge. Rolled both the ring and the hoop with the fly press. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Nice looking job, John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Very nice. I want some apple butter now though. Several years ago I saw some apple butter being made over a wood fire with a kit looking very similar to that. Man what a wonderful mix of smells. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 indeed nice job and tasteful on the work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason @ MacTalis Ironworks Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Phil, WRABA has a demo going on for the Apple Butter Festival in Burton, feel free to come up, swing some hammers, and chow down on some apple butter. Second weekend in October at Century Village in downtown Burton, OH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Very nice. Would you care to elaborate a bit on how you formed the tapered hoop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Looks good, I gotta quit looking on here. Getting to many ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted September 28, 2011 Author Share Posted September 28, 2011 Once I attached the legs to the top ring and then bent them to the desired angle I took 3 pieces of 1/2" by 10' square stock and clamped one to the inside of the angled portion of each leg starting at the ground. Where they intersected at the top(teepee fashion) I tied them up with wire. Then I measured from that intersection down to the planned center line of the tapered hoop on each leg. That measurement was 48 5/8" I cleared a place on the shop floor and scribed a 180 degree arc with a 48 5/8"radius on the floor. Then I took the circumference of the center line off the hoop and added 4" on each end to allow for the Flypress tooling. that came to 86". I cut a piece of 1 1/2' x 1/8" x 86" . Then I made reference lines at each inch interval. Then I placed the stock on edge and run it through the flypress lightly bending it at each mark. You don't take to much ata time and then you lay it on the floor on your arc and make the inside of your piece match the mark on the floor. You keep running it through and checking it till it matches.If you get it too tight you hammer the inside where it's to tight to bend it back out. Once you get it to match your arc then you lay it flat on the fly press and roll it like you would a normal ring. Once you get your ring formed you double check your finished diameter and fit and then cut the excess off one end. Hope this is clear enough. There is a good example of the technique in Francis Whitakers "Blacksmith's Cookbook" on page 101.I have also added a picture of the bending fixture. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Very nice, thank you for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Yes, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 That's going to make a great addition to the customer's fire set, it'll really make the room look good. I visualized a copper pot spider as being a shallow wire strainer on a handle, (flattened ladle fashion) for dipping stuff out of a deep fat frier. Cooks call the things spiders and I was thinking of one specially intended for copper pots or made of copper. Makes me wonder where my mind's eye is wandering today. Well done John. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Creek Blacksmith Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 John, Very fine looking job. The simplisity look of it gives it that WOW factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momatt Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I am going to try this. Is the top ring tapered to match the radius of the kettle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken G Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Very nice looking work. Thanks for sharing the pictures and how too. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.