I've made welded up tools to fit in the hardy hole of my 107 lb PW (bending fork, guillotine etc) but this is the first time I've fullered and then pounded home a hardy tool.

 

Just a square block to give me the occasionally needed sharp corner.

 

Started with  inch by inch and a quarter bar, too long to get anywhere near the power hacksaw, so in an exercise in .....exercise, ran the 6 foot bar into the forge, across the patio supported on a makeshift stock stand and cut with hot set and 6 lb sledge.

 

Took about 4 heats, with the long bar stretched across the vise stand and held to the anvil cutting plate with a roller chain and weight, rolling the bar to wrap the cut around.

 

New set of tongs from a garage sale are perfect for holding that size stock. Fullered the cut off, drew down the tenon to just fit in the hardy hole. Orange heat and the same sledge to drive it home in the hardy hole.

 

a little hot rasping to clean up the flash on the tenon and then a rough and tumble case harden.

 

None of this is innovative or even out of the ordinary, but a first for this backyard blacksmith all the same.

That is really good! Is it just A36? And how did you case harden it?

Not sure what the parent stock is, but it sure felt like mild while working it. 

 

Case hardened in a slap dash sort of way, half filled a small can, like a tomato paste can (Sardines, lunch) with coal dust that I keep as a punching lube. Put the normalized anvil block face down in the can, put the can in the fire till it, and all the coal dust, burned up. then quenched just the face in motor oil (there might have been some proportion of ATF in the oil pan as well)

 

Face seems noticeably harder than the hardy stem, but I'm sure its only microscopically deep. Only did it once, then had to shut down and get the kid at school.

If you can get your hands on rail road clips, which are 1060ish medium carbon steel you can make awesome hardy tools for that size hardy for that size of an anvil. With that much carbon it can be fully hardened.

Thanks for the tip. I've got a couple of clips in the scrap bucket. About 5/8 stock IIRC, so I'd have to upset to make a hardy tool, needs 7/8.

 

One of the things that spurred me on for the block was being able to draw down, rather than upset to a thicker dimension.

 

Next hardy tool is a small bottom fuller!

Well you make very nice looking bottom tools. It would be a shame to see them get worn out because they were mild. Some say mild is ok, others do not. Whatever works for you I guess.

If you care to take a gander, I made a bottom fuller out of a RR clip a little over a month ago myself: http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30949-making-a-hardy-tool/

Edit: And I totally hear you about drawing down rather than upsetting. I recently spent 3 days trying to upset a bar of 1.25" medium carbon to 1.5" by myself! I eventually put the project down until my striking anvil is complete.

"...supported on a makeshift stock..."

 

Sounds like the next project.....  ;)

 

 

Your work looks very good.  The corners are sharp and the lines are straight, and that's a sign of someone that knows how to pay attention to detail.  You're on the right track and will be doing really fine work in the near future if you keep that up.

 

Upsetting?  Don't get caught up in that idea too much.  Most hardy tools don't need to be sitting fully on the perimeter of the hardy hole.  If you take that rail clip and draw one end out a good bit, you can fold it back on itself so that the stem fills the hardy hole and the two shoulders sit on the anvil face.  No welding or upsetting needed.  This is especially true of hot cuts and fullers.

 

Also, watch ebay and the tool rental places for broken jackhammer bits.  These have a collar built in and you can harden them.  Great for making anvil tools because most of the hard work has already been done for you.

Just picked up a worn jackhammer bit from the rental area at Home Depot.  They had a 5 gallon bucket full of worn bits for $5 each.  I only bought one that looks to be a good candidate for a cutting hardy.  I don't have a powerhammer or a OA torch.  I'm not sure what I'll be able to do with it considering all I have is the forge, anvil, 4 1/2" grinder and 14" chop saw.

 

I had questions on forging the hardy, but then found this posting which answered all my questions.  http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30141-forging-a-cut-off-hardy-out-of-a-jackhammer-bit/?hl=jackhammer

Don't over look automotive and truck axles as hardy and hammer stock. I also use "ag steel" never pass up a square shaft from a disk cultivator ;-)

As to the jack hammer bit, you have all the tooling you need, heat it, knock off the corners and draw it out a bit (depending on how warn and it's profile) grind or file to finished profile. Use a slightly rounded shape like Brian and others recomend (that's why you knock of the corners, hard to get a curve otherwise) normalize it and use it on your next project.

Where I live there used to be places you could go to to get industrial scrap steel.  Unfortunately due to liability reasons they no longer allow the public to scavenge anymore.  Other than a junkyard, which wants a premium for usable parts, any suggestions where you can still get tool steel, or even spring steel?  I guess finding a small shop that repairs farm or industrial equipment would be very useful.

 

I did make some connections at a local railyard by taking them a forged bottle opener and an iced down six pack for exchange of being able to look around the yard for useable material.  Then I learned that the railroad anchors are spring steel and they let me have a few of those.  I haven't had a chance yet to try forging them.

Automotive shops, spring shops (most big cities have some one who makes custome springs for the off road peaple) machine and fabrication shops, local farmers...
Keep your eyes out for axles, sway bars, stearing linkage, coil and leaf springs, also, tillage equipment, any of the parts that work in the dirt.

If you can get your hands on rail road clips, which are 1060ish medium carbon steel you can make awesome hardy tools for that size hardy for that size of an anvil. With that much carbon it can be fully hardened.

 

Can I have a little clarity here.... I keep hearing reference to "railroad clips".. Is that that the plate the rails sit upon and the spikes go through to secure rail to tie....

 

Dale

I know them as anchors and yes, I believe that's how they're used on the track.  This link should give more clarity and a picture, though DanielC's links to his initial posting that shows a pic as well.  http://harmersteel.com/catalog/track-tools-accessories/rail-anchors-tie-plates/

 

FYI, I was able to easily cut the jackhammer bit with a 4" grinder.  This post http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30141-forging-a-cut-off-hardy-out-of-a-jackhammer-bit/?hl=jackhammer has excellent info on making hardies.

The clip goes on the lower flange to keep the track from creeping, one each side of the tie. The plate keeps the rail from moving side to side and up and down in relation to the tie. It's all for not without the ballast, or gravel between the ties.

I know them as anchors and yes, I believe that's how they're used on the track.  This link should give more clarity and a picture, though DanielC's links to his initial posting that shows a pic as well.  http://harmersteel.com/catalog/track-tools-accessories/rail-anchors-tie-plates/

 

FYI, I was able to easily cut the jackhammer bit with a 4" grinder.  This post http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/30141-forging-a-cut-off-hardy-out-of-a-jackhammer-bit/?hl=jackhammer has excellent info on making hardies.

Aaah.... I was thinking "tie plates"....  Guess I need to know about railroad tracks!.... Now I see what "clips" are... Funny all the years I was a kid playing on the tracks ( before government declared it to dangerous) I don't ever remember seeing "clips" though...

 

Dale

My favorite leaf curling fuller I made from a railroad clip. Straightened out most of clip but kept the end curved part to make the fuller. I clamp it in my post vise.