This weekend I made a dinner triangle bell. I'm learning how to make the railroad track more versatile to make curves. Check out the video here.

 

Greetings Newbie,

 

Your on the right track so to speak..   I think your best move would be to develop your skills at the correct level... Get your track anvil at the right forging level than work on your hammer skills....  Next time you do a taper forge it square first ... than octagon ... than round.....  

 

Keep hammerin

 

Jim

Turn the rr track on end. Did a hole or put it in on a stand to make it the right height for you to work on. 

 

Make the corners bends much sharper so It isolates the vibrations for better sound. Use a piece of natural fiber, leather, etc as a jump loop and the sound should improve.

 

With practice your hammer skill will improve and you can make the same bell in a much shorter time. For instance for the taper, forge the round stock to square (easier to taper) and then 8 sided, and then back to round. Hit the metal HARD enough to make it move the way you want quickly. 

 

Nice project and I like the way you did not waste the viewers time by speeding up the action.

Good work and nice video!  That was how I first started not long ago.  Here is what I eventually did with my piece of track, it made a big difference by getting the majority of mass under the hammer and I still use it for edges & the narrow webbing.  I also have a loose piece of track that is useful.  Someone asked me to straighten a rock bar for them, which I heated at the bend and then use the loose section to press against the ground.

 

It didn't take too long to sell enough stuff to buy a used anvil and blacksmith vise either, which you will find makes a huge difference in the time it takes to move the metal.

Thanks guys for all the tips. This week I will be turning that track on its end and see how well that works. Hope you all liked the video as well and I'll be making some more as I progress.

nice job...I think you will like the RR anvil a lot better turned on end and at a better height (your back will appreciate it!)

Very entertaining video Tim and nice job on the triangle. Turning the rail on end will indeed improve it's effectiveness but I like all the shapes available on a piece laying on it's side, flange or even top. That's a round about way of saying several pieces of rail are better than one.

 

And DO get it mounted at the right height! It'll keep your young back from turning into an old back before it's time while improving your power delivery and accuracy.

 

About all the die shapes available on a piece of rail, you have to address them properly to get the goodness. For an easy example from your video. You're addressing your rail lengthwise, like laying the whole length of stock on the anvil does any good. Not for drawing finial tapers it doesn't, it in fact draws your heat much faster. Then there's the die form under the stock, lengthwise it's flat under the stock, FLAT.

 

Forge across the anvil and you gain several benefits: First, the rail is curved in cross section so it becomes a gentle drawing die. Two, there's far less contact so it draws a lot less heat. Three it ergonomics, address across the rail you aren't having to hold your hand at an awkward angle and you can use straight tongs for FAR better holding control, less fatigue and far fewer scale burns on the anvil face.

 

Well done all round Tim, keep at it.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

nice video, the fast speed makes it sound like some sort of metal working woodpecker lol

Looks very hard doing everything on the ground, a stand is going to be a big plus for you.