The first bolt tongs ive made! So far I have made several different kinds of tongs but ive neglected bolt tongs and so I figure I better change that!. These are to hold 5/8 square and round, but given the bits are short and the positioning of the reins they hold 3/4 quite nicely.
These also work really well on flat bar and they have just enough clearance for RR spike heads. Let me know what you think  :unsure: 

4140





 

those are very nice....i need to forgea pair.

Thank you, they were fun to make, a little time consuming given I had to fiddle-fart around for a century trying to get them adjusted how I want, but they work nice and I learned a lot!

A very tidy looking set of tongs. Good job Mate!

Well done....  Can I order a set....

 

Jim

Nicely done, good job!

Very pro looking. How much are you asking a pair?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

very nice! what size was the starting stock?

 

Josh

Wow thank you all! And here I was fussing over them not being as nice as I had hoped...

Jim Coke & Frosty: Im sorry to say I am not really planning on making any tongs to sell. Eventually when I get a lot better hand hammering and or I get a power hammer Ill be happy to sell things like this, but right now Im anything but efficient making these. Thats the grand complement though and I appreciate it!

Joshua: The starting stock I used was 5/8 round 4140. 

 

those are real nice Jakob, a benchmark for some of use to achieve. All of your stuff has been great to see, thanks for the photos.

Those are nice, and you avoided the mistake I made with mine - making them too 'delicate.'  My next pair is going to be heavier built at the jaws, like yours.  My current set has just a bit too much spring in them and I don't feel like they are holding quite secure enough sometimes.

Thanks fellas! 

Private Entrance: Yeah I try to keep things a little meaty around the bosses, bits and the start of the reins. I like the reins springy, but not too much so I keep them about 3/8 most of the time.

:)

That looks like a good call - mine usually end up closer to 1/4" by the time I'm done making them look halfway decent.   More practice needed on my part so they look ok without being overworked down to nothing.

I was in the middle of making a set my self, after looking at these I am cutting the end off and starting again lol

What I was making was going to end up to delicate and would not have lasted very long.

Yours look very solid and should last you a long time.

A set worthy of Hephaestus himself!!!

Really nice looking tongs for a first bolt tongs. I normally use 4140 for tongs as well, it seems to be a nice steel for tongs.

Very nice tongs!

Really nice looking tongs for a first bolt tongs. I normally use 4140 for tongs as well, it seems to be a nice steel for tongs.

Mark: I may have asked already but what size stock do you use and where do you buy your 4140 for tongs.

 

Frosty the Lucky

Hi Frosty mostly I use 5/8 round like was used in these bolt tongs. For the smaller ones I use 1/2 round. I remember hearing that Jay Sharp used to use 3/4 round I do not know if that is true, but I think it is, it seems to be easier for those of us without the upsetter like Grant had, to start with plenty to work with. I get mine at either Great Land welding or Weld Air.