August 21, 201213 yr A tong I just did for a sculpture I want to do with 12mm square bar. Crits welcome
August 25, 201213 yr Yup, what they all said. Good strong looking tongs. What did you use to make them from, mild, spring?
August 25, 201213 yr Author Thanks all - used 25x6mm mild steel. Have other tongs that are much more beefier but I have found that lighter thinner tongs make for easier and safer handling of hot work over a whole days forging.
August 25, 201213 yr I make almost all of my daily use tongs out of sucker rod. That being said I have a few pairs made out of mild steel that I I can adjust either cold or hot quickly for a particular task. I agree about the light weight. I think it is best to use as light a pair of tongs as you can get away with especially if you are using them under a power hammer it helps if they have some give.
September 2, 201213 yr MO, what the hell is 'sucker rod'? I keep seeing it refered to. Is it what we would call pump drive rod? as in pump down the hole, motor on top and jointed rod going down to drive the pump?
September 2, 201213 yr Sam, Daniel, thanks. The stuff I have is not so much a lift rod as in oil well pump, but rather a spinning drive rod to turn a water pump impeller down a bore hole. It too makes for good tong material and spark tests well so may be good material for blades also if H & T properly. Will need to do a bit of research into what steel it is. Thanks agin Fellas for the sucker rod info.
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