I am trying to make what I think is called box end tongs. I am trying to make the square end. THis would look like taking a square tube and cutting lengthwise to make 1/2 of a box. Or if I try to type the shape it looks like this I__I ...

How do I make that shape? It seems the only way is to have the proper tooling just like for making collars. Well... probably not the "only" way... Does anyone have a different and ingenius way short of making the tooling? I do find more and more that making tools requres as much time or more than making whatever it is you are making. I need to be able to to this by myself.

If you have some angle iron, you can put two pieces side by side, open sided down to form a strongish V. Like this (VV). I welded mine to a piece of plate. Then all you have to do is heat, and place the end in the V and form it. This V trough is usefull all over the shop. Good thing to have on hand.

Spread the jaw to the width you require then place a piece of the bar the size you want in the centre of this flat, clamp horizontal in your vise and forge the top side down to the bar,

Remove from the vise, reheat your piece and replace in the vise with the bar in position and forge the other side down to the bar.

You can adjust as required when assembled.

Depending on how long you want the box section , an alternative would be to split the jaw at the end and forge this into a T you can then bend these ears down to suit the size of bar you are going to use. Useful for holding flat bars to stop the workpiece sliding out sideways when being forged.

I heat up the jaw of the tongs after they are basicly finished. Pick up the bar I want them to hold with the tongs and hammer the jaw around the bar. No tooling needed.

Ah, thought you wanted to hold square stock.

One time, I made both flat jaws the same. On one of them, I fagot welded a thinner strip of steel crossways onto the back of one jaw. Crop to length and bend over the piece they are to hold.