Ron Hicks Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Im not sure what you call it I want to Forge Weld end to end mild steel. I know I need to upset and scarf both ends but not sure how to get them together. Do you stick them together in the fire? Take them out and put them together on the anvil? Once its welded can I forge on the weld ? How hot at the weld should it be to forge? I could use some help Thanks Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 If scarfed correctly when you come out of the fire at welding heat , just touch them together and the thin part of the scarf should stick / drop your tongs and hammer weld them together. After it is welded you can continue forging the weld area if it is a good weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 You can speed up the learning process if you scarf the pieces then put a little tack wild with tig mig or stick on one side then forge weld, let the scarfs over lap a bit so when you get done the rod is the same size at weld as the rest of stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Ron how large is the piece you are trying to jump weld? This may help with your question. And what type of forge are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Im want to make a ladle , necking down a 1/4 X 2 in. to 1/4 x 3/4 in. and welding on a handle. Also to make tongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 You may want to think about forge brazing than welding for the ladle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 I would really like to weld on the handle- Ill be drawing out and necking down part of the stock for the ladle & the necked part will be part of the handle. Ill just go at it and see what works Thanks Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 What you are describing is feasible. The ladle is spread from the parent stock and a small tang left to weld to. You don't want to try and weld 18 ga to 1/4 but similar sizes will work. Place the tang downwards into the fire and the ladle body will be less likely to burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 This is the way Jerry Darnell teaches in his Colonial utensil class. Neck the parent stock down and scarf and weld to the handle stock. THEN spread out the stock to form the ladle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Forge welding is made out to be harder than it is. Just like any other blacksmithing operation, you need lots of practice to get it down well. I'm alright at welding, but bad at a drop the tongs weld, which is what you are describing. Practice, and have a way to fix things if they go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Hicks Posted March 8, 2007 Author Share Posted March 8, 2007 I guess I got lucky I Forge Welded the 3/16 X 3/4 to the necked down 1/4 thick. I upset the 3/16 to get it about the same thickness and scarfed both made the scarfs rounded. I heated just the ends on both side by side in a clean coal fire and easy on the blower. Just took my time and eased up to the heat. I took both to the anvil on the far edge rested the ladle part scarf up on the edge & the handle on near edge and rocked it down on the other. I practiced a little before I tried it when hot and think the trick is how you let go of the tongs. I let go of the bottom rein and lifted the tongs off. Any how it worked and welded up nice ,I ground it and looked like one piece. I think heating to fast has been my problem with Forge Welding. Ill keep at it Think Im Learnin Thanks Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Heating to fast is an excellent way to mess up a weld, I've found. I keep the air blast low to keep the scale down. Good work, I probably couldn't have done what you described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 Nolano makes a fair point, fire welding is a lot of waiting then a sudden mad ten seconds I was taught (by Glenn Moon) that you should let the pieces really soak in a good clean, non oxidising fire. Then very slowly bring the heat up. There's absolutely no need to have the pieces coming out of the fire like a sparkler, and in fact I saw him fire weld loads of things (including a giant piece of pattern welding about a foot long by 10" by 2" that ended up 2" by 2" by three feet!) without there ever being a single spark from the fire. A long slowly building soak means you can watch the steel get to the wash point (that melted butter look), hold it there longer without burning it, and in some cases you can actually get the steel to weld at a much lower temp than you'd expect. All I have to do is put into practice what he showed me :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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