OllyO Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm new to this game and I don't doubt this task is beyond my abilities but my friend has asked me if I can make him a sphere. Other than welding a couple of ladles together is there a way this can be acheived? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 How big does it need to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gaddis Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I do not think you can beat on unsupported metal and expect to get any satisfaction. Example...metal is supported by the anvil when you strike from top. Contradiction...tinworking technique: hammer half the sphere (flat stock) into a spherical depression (support) OR hammer half a sphere (flat stock) over top of spherical anvil object (support) Funny thing about this example was a guy near here that made cylinder ends for large tanks...say 8 or 10 feet in diameter. Started in morning everyday with nothing but a big hammer and a tree stump. At the end of the day was a half sphere ready to be torch trimmed for a tank. Carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I took a piece of solid square stock, hammered the points down and made it a ball.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Hollow or solid? Solid you can forge a cube and then start banging the corners in if you don't havea powerhammer and a ball swage. Hollow you dish out two hemispheres and then trim and weld them together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I watched Russ Swider forge a hollow sphere out of 1/4" x ? plate and turn it into a container for a kerosine light. Very cool. This was in the mid 80's. I believe he sunk it into a swedge block and then upset the top edges as he rolled it into a ball. Seems it ended up around 2-3" dia. Maby some old SWABA guys might remember as well anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulsepushthepopulace Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 if your going for solid just get a ball bearing or a shot put ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OllyO Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 Hollow ideally but I guess knocking the corners of a square lump would suffice. Cheers all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Get a very long skinny piece and wind it into a hollow sphere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 look at King Architectural metals they have hollow and solid. You are new to blacksmithing to make a 4" solid ball would be out of you range an I would not want to do it with out a power hammer. Hollow is easier if you can weld Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Actually, you CAN form a sphere from plate, without a Swage or Dome Anvil. Use the cover of a Baseball or Softball as a template, ... and use a ring to form the halves into double ended "spoons". When the halves are close to the correct shape, you mesh them together, and twist the halves until they "pop" into place. Then it's just a matter of tweaking the joints shut. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OllyO Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 Seems straight forward enough. I'll just need to invest in a bit of kit! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmjMwWqrDnk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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