November 9, 201213 yr For a long time, I have been trying to forge weld using a one burner gas forge. I've tried many methods but without success. I have successfully forge welded in a coal forge. I now have my 50 lb Little Giant working and thought I'd try welding again using the hammer. I used 3/8" round stock and made a simple lap joint. To my surprise, I was successful. I made the first pass with light taps, returned it to the forge, and hammered down on the second and 3rd passes. Even the toe was welded and I could not see where it had been. So, is the moral of the story, I wasn't hitting hard enough when trying it by hand?
November 9, 201213 yr it sounds like , and a good flux for the welding /forging of the metal you can not skimp on it . Sam
November 16, 201213 yr To weld larger round under the hammer we would tack the scarf on the anvil get another welding heat then go to the hammer and weld the bar using a Vee block on the bottom die, (that way you are workng 3 points at the same time), back to the fire if necessary take a wash heat and back to the hammer and into a pair of swages the right size. We used to weld up to 3" round this way, actually the bigger the round the easier as it keeps it's heat longer. just need to be patient when getting it hot so as you dont burn the outside before the core is up to temp. 3" used to take 2 fires and 2 smiths who knew what they were doing, and a good hammer driver, but it was quicker than arc welding 3" dia, we also used to fire weld large chain links under the hammer in a set of tools, by much the same method, tack on the anvil, back in the fire, then to the hammer.
November 16, 201213 yr A bunch of years ago I took a pattern-welding knife making class with Rob Hudson where we used a 25pound Little Giant for all the forge welding and drawing out. The way I heard it, it is not how hard you hit but the type of strike, a thud blow or a sharp rap of the hammer. With a sharp rap, the layers can bounce apart. With the Little Giant, the blow is a thud strike and does not bounce the layers apart. At least that is how it was explained to me.
November 16, 201213 yr Forgemaster, has the answer. Hitting the metal into itself, gathering it up, is what makes for a successful forge weld. The little giant was just hitting it squarely and not making it skew or form a parallelogram. Forge welding is just like other forgings, the more you hit it into itself or squarely, the more it produces energy or heat and the longer it stays forgeable and maintains its structure.
November 16, 201213 yr We used to weld up to 3" round this way, actually the bigger the round the easier as it keeps it's heat longer. just need to be patient when getting it hot so as you dont burn the outside before the core is up to temp. 3" used to take 2 fires and 2 smiths who knew what they were doing, and a good hammer driver, but it was quicker than arc welding 3" dia, we also used to fire weld large chain links under the hammer in a set of tools, by much the same method, tack on the anvil, back in the fire, then to the hammer. When you say "used to" do you mean you have a different joining system for 3" now or that you just haven't had to do it recently?
November 16, 201213 yr For a long time, I have been trying to forge weld using a one burner gas forge. I've tried many methods but without success. I have successfully forge welded in a coal forge. I now have my 50 lb Little Giant working and thought I'd try welding again using the hammer. I used 3/8" round stock and made a simple lap joint. To my surprise, I was successful. I made the first pass with light taps, returned it to the forge, and hammered down on the second and 3rd passes. Even the toe was welded and I could not see where it had been. So, is the moral of the story, I wasn't hitting hard enough when trying it by hand? Now you have achieved it under the Little Giant, got your eye in so to speak, have you tried doing it by hand again?
November 16, 201213 yr I haven't done much welding under the PH, but when I do, I wear apron and eye/ear/hand/arm protection, because of the dross spatter.
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