Big-D, do you forge the bits and weld on the reigns or do you draw down the stock?

Big-D, do you forge the bits and weld on the reigns or do you draw down the stock?

I make them both ways, but I probably make more by drawing down the reins.  I love making tongs (and have been making them for about 34 years), I have to be careful I don't overpopulate myself.

My beginner experience is that coil spring's are tougher to deal with than it seems like it'd be.  Just getting it straightened out is quite a bit of messing around.  HC is harder under the hammer than mild steel which can make drawing out by hand a tall order.  It also burns faster than mild which only complicates the project.  

 

As was mentioned earlier larger starting stock makes a huge difference by allowing some tweaking. I've tried with smaller stock (3/8")  12" reigns and they bent like it was made of plastic.

 

I'm trying to focus on making tongs to develop consistency and hammer control. The videos posted demonstrate the mastery of these skills and serve as a goal for me.

Big D if you overpopulate yourself with tongs you are doing it wrong..... Your shop is obviously too small! :D

I know I have over 130 pairs of tongs and I just picked up a really sweet pair at a "antique" store today. Thy had a broken rivet and needed tweaking but were a nice light pair. I spent 8 bucks on them and 10 minutes in the shop to repair them. I can't make them for that. It seems I have to make at least a pair a month for a particular project. I think when I get to a couple hundred I might have enough to cut back on making them then.

1/2 inch square mild steel for most of mine.

One could always cheat if they are in hurry....

 

http://kensiron.com/quick_tongs.html

 

I think once one mastered concept, a lot of time can be wasted just making tongs when blanks could be used and somethings more productive could be  produced with saved time....

 

I know I'm going to take a hit on this.... Ducking for cover...

 

Dale

an other small thing I do when I make tongs. I take a piece of 3/4" stock and leave 3" on one end then draw the rest out to 3/8" on the power hammer. When I go to do demos I carry a a few sets with me so if I need tongs all I have to do is hammer out the jaw and boss and punch and rivet. Saves a  lot of time. good way to warm up the power hammer at the beginning of the day.  The biggest mistake people make when making tongs is they get the boss to big.