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What Caused the cracks?


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What Caused the cracks? mild steel, 1/2" bar.

I was trying my hand at this flower approach demonstrated by Brian here.
http://www.youtube.c...d&v=OekAZsymUd0

I did not notice them (Cracks) at the time but the next day when I came back to this there were numerous cracks at the point where the stem joins the flower. I was having a little trouble with my hexagon so I stopped for the night and came back to it. I had just finished the two sided taper and made the length across my anvil. My hexagon was complete but a little ugly.

My theory is that I was either working to cold or as I did the two sided taper across the anvil that my flowered end was being jolted and making cracks at the joint. Or is this caused by something else? I probably made the joint with the cracks to thin too soon before doing the rest? Or not heating enough while doing the rest.

I saw a guy showing someone how to make a ring. They were using stainless (so different material) he said it is not uncommon for the flowered end to just pop off while drawing out the band. This is where my theory of vibration at the far end, heavier end is causing cracks. Making any sense?

Pics, now attached. Thanks John B for the reply without them. I went and finished up as best I could with what I had. The flower needs work and maybe some of the tooling to (shown). But I'll get there.

post-16782-0-73077700-1331596192_thumb.j

post-16782-0-34428400-1331596210_thumb.j

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It is difficult to pin this down to any one thing,

Are your anvil's edges sharp or rounded slightly, sharp edges can cause problems

Working cold may also cause cracks.

Inaccurate blows when forming the hexagon shape will also put stresses in at the stepped down section.

One other thing I find people do when working over the edges of the anvil is that the orientation is not always spot on, and the drawing down is done with a little bit of a space under the isolated piece when it is being forged causing the item to bend at the weakest point i.e. the corner where the reduced piece meets with the lump on the end

I hope that makes sense and I am sure that with practice and care you will get there. Good luck

This is not always noticed or apparent at the time, but it will cause weaknesses in the material and cracks to appear

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For a beginner, too many heats can give you trouble as well, especially with some of the A-36 hot-rolled steel.

I've notice this in making forks and things that reqiure a thin neck on a long piece.

I believe that, ultimately, it is a combination of all the above. So I'll second what Rich said.

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