January 25, 201313 yr So i have been on a tong making kick and tried a new method, drop welding the reins. I have never done drop welding but I can stick a faggot/billet weld just about every time. Drop welding is way more fun, and i got a nice set of tongs out of it. so what is your favorite way of making tongs? welding? upsetting? drawing out? How do you do it? Power hammer? hand? jig? Josh
January 25, 201313 yr I agree. I enjoyed making my first few sets of tongs. I drew them out using an air hammer (at someone else's shop). The last two sets I made at my own shop - where I drew them out by hand. Those, I did not enjoy making. They took me forever. Since then, I appreciate the convenience of buying them.
January 25, 201313 yr So far my favorite is either upsetting from 1/2 round or just using 3/4 round and drawing out by hand. B)
January 25, 201313 yr I love making them, often to the detriment of paying jobs. Rarely drop weld a tong as drawing out on the power hammer is faster. That and one of Clifton/Steve Parker's tong offset tools and I can crank them out fast. Not Grant Sarver fast so making tongs is not a money maker, but I will often do half a tong in the morning as a warm up. 2 to 4 heats depending on size and how much coffee. When I have enough parts for 3 or 4 pair I finish them up and sell to newbies at hammer-ins or on Craigslist, usually at cost.
January 25, 201313 yr I love making them, often to the detriment of paying jobs. Rarely drop weld a tong as drawing out on the power hammer is faster. That and one of Clifton/Steve Parker's tong offset tools and I can crank them out fast. Not Grant Sarver fast so making tongs is not a money maker, but I will often do half a tong in the morning as a warm up. 2 to 4 heats depending on size and how much coffee. When I have enough parts for 3 or 4 pair I finish them up and sell to newbies at hammer-ins or on Craigslist, usually at cost. But the could be..... Recently saw a "set" if 5 beginners tongs go on e-bray for $255.... Sell a few sets of those and you can buy anything you want for you smithy... Maybe even the power hammer...One has to wonder when you can buy decent tongs as low as $28 each why one gets carried away on e-bray...Dale
January 25, 201313 yr I use a few different methods for different reasons. first is to draw out 3/4" stock on the power hammer down to 3/8" and leave 3" at one end the full 3/4". that way when I go to do a demo I have ready made billets. Jim Poor method. second method is to forge the working end cut off and scarf then tack weld on a piece of 3/8" Like Bill Epps and then forge weld. Third is when working with spring steel forge all out of one length draw the rains out on the power hammer or by hand. it is handy to have the tong blanks.
January 25, 201313 yr I've only made a few but they were all drawn out by hand and it was hard work. Access to a power hammer would be lovely. Andy
January 26, 201313 yr Author guys i would suggest trying the drop tong method, i had the tongs done in under 20 minutes and screwed up both welds (havn't been in the shop for quite a bit Josh
January 26, 201313 yr I made a pair once. I copied Brian Brazeal's universal tongs. I realy got the design right. I was happy, all drawn out from car coil spring. Except that they were too drawn out, too thin, too flexible. They are universal in that that they dont hold nothing! And they look at me every day hanging from the side of the forge. And they laugh... So, not having enough confidence that I would get the design as good as the first time I just wait to order them online... And I decided that I hate making tongs. Which is bad because I desperately need some... and I have all these coil springs also looking at me...
January 26, 201313 yr Author yves cut off the rivet, then weld on new reins, DONT GIVE UP! i did too but after the *hit* *metal fly's through air past face at yellow heat and curls the hair with how close it was* Josh
January 26, 201313 yr Thanks Josh but even the business end of the tongs is too flexible. Useless they are. Totaly!
January 26, 201313 yr Thats pretty good if under 10 minutes for a pair of tongs. If it was 9 minutes thats about 4 1/2 minutes per side Thats FAST
January 26, 201313 yr Yves...thats what they thought about that not so sticky glue.......then they thought about it ....and invented post-its. You just haven't found the correct use for them yet. Oh yeah, I prefer to draw them out, usually by hand....so far....but I AM getting older, I think a store bought power hammer is in my near future.
January 26, 201313 yr Author Thats pretty good if under 10 minutes for a pair of tongs. If it was 9 minutes thats about 4 1/2 minutes per side Thats FAST *20 typo made me look like a tong making god!
January 26, 201313 yr Sometimes I like making them..When Im making a different, cool pair. Or drop welding the reigns on..Something different..Other times Id rather take a beatin'..Its honestly a lot cheaper for us to buy tongs than it is to make them but we still make most of my own.(cant buy "tomahawk" tongs).Or buy used ones and alter them to suit my needs.
January 27, 201313 yr If I am making new tongs not re-purposing old ones I tend to draw them from one piece of sucker rod. 3/4 inch usually. I use a power hammer to draw them out. having a power hammer makes it faster for me than adding the step of welding on a rein. I would want the rein to be springy as well so it would need to be drawn for the sucker rod anyway. I just re-purposed a pair of old flat jaw tongs into a set for holding hawks by the eye for welding yesterday. I had been using a different style that I had made before and decided they were a little limited so I made this pair.
January 29, 201313 yr Just because I *can* make something myself, doesn't mean it's the most efficient use of my limited time & resources.
January 30, 201313 yr Well you cans spend 30-45 minutes making a nice set of tongs that cost $35 or you can spend that time making something that you sell for $100..$100 minus the $35 for the tongs is still $65 profit.. Pretty much all of us can make tongs but there will come a time when you have to look at the bottom line(If its a business that is)
January 30, 201313 yr Author you can sell stuff for $100???.... wait, let me revise that, YOU CAN SELL STUFF!?!?!?! (i'm kiddin ya obviously) :P Josh
January 30, 201313 yr Making tongs vs. buying I realize you all think I may be a newb, but actually I started blacksmithing in 1979 at Colonial Williamsburg. I had the luxury of learning from some very good blacksmiths. We made our own tools at Colonial Williamsburg, as well as tools for most of the other craftsmen there, and that has carried on with me to this day. I personally would rather make tools than anything else. To me it's the most enjoyable part of blacksmithing.
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