divermike Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 For most of you the Cosira books are old news, but some of the new guys will not know what I'm talking about. The web is an amazing asset to blacksmiths, and there are free downloadable books from England published by some folks who did not want the old crafts to die without being recorded. I recently bought the hard copies of 2 of the 3 rural development blacksmithing series, and decided to give the grill tooling a go. I had great success with the tooling, but not so much with the actual project. But as this was planned as a test piece, it served its purpose. Boy did I learn from it. Who would have thought that chamfering would lengthen a piece as much as it did? Not me! And being very very careful with cuts will alleviate other mistakes, having the proper rivet set etc.. and final adjustments with a torch I decided to forego, all good learning, and best of all, My dear loving bride LOVED IT!! OK fellas here it is, warts and all! Oh and you too Beth! sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Thats a real good start ! Persistence is key, which it seems you have. Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Yes it's a very nice piece Mike!! I can relate to the learning potential there. I am currently working to get my technique and design refined for some garden trowels that I want to market and it is amazing how many details are important and what can go into fairly simple forms... especially if you want them to be quite well refined. This exercise in repetitive forging is turning out to be quite an educational experience for me. I bet you'll find that you'll learn more than you did this time if you build another one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 nice job keep at it now you have the tooling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Looking good Mike, great first. I love a quarterfoil grill. So, where are the pics of the tools? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 didn't think about posting those Frosty, I'll see what I can do about that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Mike, I bought those books when I first started using blacksmithing techniques in my art work and they sure proved their worth, I learned more from them than they cost and that's for sure. By the time you make a full size security door for your front door you will have that particular technique down to perfection and can start making money on it and folk will be so impressed by you front door. Good job on the sample for sure. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert hanford Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Beautiful. I look forward to being able to do something like this myself, preferably this summer! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 It turned out real nice! Is the test piece a sample for a commission or were you testing yourself? Good job.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOblacksmith0530 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Looks good. I had a similar learing experience in a walk gate I did recently. I was happy with the overall but it was an education. I had to learn to do the chamfering before I marked for length. I think 1 by 1/2 inch by 42" bar grew almost an inch in length just doing the chamfer to my satisfaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chichi Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I did the same element about 20 years ago. It was much harder than it looks. I made a simple trivet. I remember having an esp. hard time making the curved chisel . You did good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I so need to build some vent covers the kids have destroyed the cheap ones ya get at the store . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 Thanks all, this was just a test for a future project of my own. I can tell you that I learned a very great deal just doing this simple little piece, as a learning curve accelorator, I would suggest it to those that are trying to enhance their intermediate to advanced skills. I now fully appreciate the old adage about doing something a thousand times!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 that looks wicked mike! :) i need to down load that stuff, ive looked at them, would really prefer on paper like you have it. .. i love the way thats constructed it, it all looks like an honest deal, not the quickest way to cover that surface area with metal, but Because of that and the methods used, it is very appealing visually... youve inspired me, becasue this is exactly the sort of thing i would like to be doing, or a least the kind of metal 'language" i would like to have at my fingertips.. id like to see the tooling too :) im going to look at those downloads again...... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 i have not heard of these books before and will certainly look them up! nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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