Handles are too short but the jaws work great! I can't wait to make Pair number 2. The forge is in an un-insulated building currently at 15 degrees. Doesn't give you much time between heats. Maybe it will warm up this weekend. 40 degrees would feel like a heat wave!

look solid to me. A shorter pair can be handy for some jobs, depends on the size and type of your forge.

Guess if you really wanted to you could use your blacksmith magic and weld on a little bit more metal on the handle :D

Those look great! Can't wait to make my first set.

I'm thinking bolt tongs next.

they look good when you set your rivet use lighter blows to keep the head of the rivet centered 

Welcome aboard Joseph, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in your header you may be pleasantly surprised to find out how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

 

That's a heck of a first pair of tongs, darned well done! Do you warm your anvil on cold days? I have a piece of about 1.5"x12"x12" plate that sits on the shop barrel stove. I light the stove a while before doing much but lighting the stove, sipping coffee and maybe arranging tools, stock, etc. Once the plate is too hot to pick up wearing gloves I put on my insulated gloves and put it on my anvil.

 

Warming the anvil makes a serious difference in how long the stock will hold a heat. I've been known to take the weed burner to my anvil if in a hurry and some guys here have hanging fire baskets/pots to preheat their anvils. Warm is GOOD. <grin>

 

It was 7f this morning but temp came up to almost 32f this afternoon. Working on the snowplow pump though. Wouldn't you know the plow goes belly up for the heaviest snow of the season. <sigh> I AM getting too old for this . . . Stuff.

 

Frosty the Lucky.

Frosty, I have used this trick at work to heat exterior equipment panels (Cold sensitive monitoring equipment) that I don't want to get too hot. I use a 6" by 10" 1/8" steel plate to dispers the heat from a magnetic block heater, that way I don't get too much heat in one spot. Im thinking mabye the plate and 2 block heaters turned on a few hours before I light the forge. Perhaps the plate isn't needed.

 

Francis, I was absolutly disgusted with the rivet by second swing! Oh well, live and learn.