Joel OF Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Just wondering what tools people have made without forging? For the sake of this thread lets say that hammering is completely off limits and that annealing and tempering aren't in the spirit of things but acceptable. To play the game 100% by the rules you've had to make your bits and bobs just with welders/grinders/saws/files/voodoo magic For the love of...(insert whatever you worship)...let's not make this a fabrication vs blacksmithing thread. Game on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGreen Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 clutch adjusting tool for Big trucks. was working on Mack at the time. I used a gear shifter for the main body with the knob as a handleleather working tools from old hay rake teeth. swivel knives ,edgers and stamps Mack tach cable remover one end is not accessible, behind fuel pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar.esq Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I've cut up and ground cheap hammers to make a set hammer, a top fuller and a punch. All got heat treated so there's still fire involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 no hammering? ummm.......ground a kind of hot chisel in a pinch out of a bit of leaf spring, punches on a bench grinder a couple of times, a cone mandrel out of a thick tie rod for forming sockets around in a vice. Bent a transmission kick down lever on a 73 mustang to better shape with heat, a vice and yanking on the far end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Bending forks. Aside from tapering the handles to be a bit more user friendly, forging is not needed. Just drill two tight fitting holes (sometimes a press fit can be achieved requiring no welding) in a bar that has sufficient mass and plug weld the backside only. The bosses can be mild steel but the better the steel for the pins, the better the tool. The tool with no handle is for use in the vice.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I have some 2 stage forging dies that would have been tough to forge both stages and keep both stages aligned. I made patterns for the 2 die halves. They are at the foundry right now being cast in 4340. I will then skim machine 1/16" off the faces and polish up the cavities a little. Dowel them together and heat treat. I am fabricating a guillotine tool right now as well. I often machine taper tools for the power hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdworks Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Bending forks. Aside from tapering the handles to be a bit more user friendly, forging is not needed. Just drill two tight fitting holes (sometimes a press fit can be achieved requiring no welding) in a bar that has sufficient mass and plug weld the backside only. The bosses can be mild steel but the better the steel for the pins, the better the tool. The tool with no handle is for use in the vice.... what type of steel can you use? and would bolts work ? Grade 8 bolts? or what kind? I've cut up and ground cheap hammers to make a set hammer, a top fuller and a punch. All got heat treated so there's still fire involved. Do you have pictures? I'd like to see these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 what type of steel can you use? and would bolts work ? Grade 8 bolts? or what kind? Sure, grade 8's would work. Sucker rod, junk shock absorber rods, or even mild steel.....I'd superquench that before I used it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Simple wall hook bending jig. A short length of angle iron as a base with a drilled hole for a plug welded pin, acting as a stop. A little distance from the pin is a sawn ring from pipe and arc welded inside the ring. Trap the curlicue hook end between the two and bend the hook around the pipe. The angle iron can be fixed in the vise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdworks Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Simple wall hook bending jig. A short length of angle iron as a base with a drilled hole for a plug welded pin, acting as a stop. A little distance from the pin is a sawn ring from pipe and arc welded inside the ring. Trap the curlicue hook end between the two and bend the hook around the pipe. The angle iron can be fixed in the vise. I like this idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Greetings, Leg vice spacer kit... Remember... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 is that really a tool, or more of an accessory...? :) regardless, there will be one lashed to my vice eventually! iv ground out a number of 4" steel masonry nails into chisels and punches, reground cold chisels into punches etc, made a miniature guillotine and dies for wire work ground/sawn from 5/8 tubing and 1/2 square bar my mokume gane torque plates are hacksawn and drilled (they get a beating in use, but they were built cold!) are we keeping the scope limited to metal based construction? im nearly done with my bowling ball engraving vice mount, sawn/cut/drilled the ball and a metal mounting plate. are you facing time without forging capabilities in the near future and looking for some filler projects? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Furrer Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 I kicked loose a rock on the way to the shop and threw it at a ground squirrel.....does that count? I'm so limited now in that my first thought is .... heat it up. One time I did not want to light the forge so I hot bent a bar by grinding half way through with the belt sander till the steel got hot with friction and then gave it a hurt in the vice. Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel OF Posted June 8, 2013 Author Share Posted June 8, 2013 I've made 3 anvil stakes and 2 hammers out of miniature railway track and 4 bowl sinking tools from the bottoms of oxygen cylinders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Ric you have destroyed my worldview! I made a swing arm fuller just using a drill and an angle grinder. My improvement is that I used a die spring mounted on the pivot bolt to keep it aligned , prevent it from bending when misstruck and it holds it open at whatever distance I want. Made the arm extend back beyond the pivot so I can tap it with the hammer to open it and the spring holds it ready for the steel. The cheat was I found a 1" sq piece welded to a rail to a factory overhead trolley system that had a perfect curve on it. So I just ground a step about halfway through and took a piece of round stock and ground it to about half way through in the appropriate place. Drilled the pivot hole. threaded the die spring on the bolt and then the bolt through the two pieces put the nut on and tightened till it worked just right AND RIVETED THE END OF THE BOLT (otherwise the nut works off) Now I use coil spring material for the arm as I wore out the original mild steel one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 All steel and iron was heated and shaped at some point. So even if you don't do it, it was done on your behalf at some point. How do you think it got into useful that bar shape? For me, at this point having the induction heater and air hammer hot work is where I start. Cold work is for only where I can't do it hot or the tool requires a degree of precision that can't be achieved hot. It takes just as long to walk to the saw as it does to use a hot cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 " It takes just as long to walk to the saw as it does to use a hot cut. " thanks Timothy. In reality, the vise and hacksaw are on one side, the chopsaw on the other (the portaband is normally close to the vise but never know ). Like Frank sez, a piece of angle and some drilling and welding makes many different fixtures to bend from. A piece of angle and a 1/2" close nipple welded to a hole ( making the nipple vertical from the vise jaws ) and you can now make different radius screw in fixtures. Use couplers to weld to the center of various pipe pieces. I make rings (example 12" diameter from 3/16x3/4 stock) in the vise cold. Weld the joint with the mig and true up on either the cone mandrel or a duece and a half brake drum. MANY things made cold (fixtures, jigs, process parts, finished goods). I use the torch and gas saver to make a lot of small stuff but of course the forges are the tools for most things. My mentor died in 1995. He would be the FIRST to ask me " Steve, why would you waste your time doing that the old fashioned way when you have power tools ? " I might reply that it is nice to know the old ways. He might say that you can drill 6 holes with a power drill in the time it takes to use that old fashioned drill pushed up against your chest for one hole. We use what we use to get the job done. Some will think there is no other way than traditional ( whatever that means). I ABSOLUTELY use forge welding when necessary. I also use the mig, stick and weld with the torch. Rust and rivets are honest. Many wives tales exist. Sorry if I hijacked the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 I once saw a smith take a heat on a strap hing and punch 4 holes in it hot faster than it would have taken me to walk to the drill press and find the right bit. He only got that fast because he insisted on doing it the the blacksmith way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Absolutely Timothy. There ARE times and issues yes. Depending on the needs, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 FAb doesn't count? HAH! I just finished the new anvil stand for my Soderfors, yesterday I put the hammer and tong racks that wedge it into the stand frame on it. I have a little tweaking on one rack but they're basically done. Hand tool wise the last I remember making is a bolster plate, saw cut 5/16 plate drilled for different punch sizes. I also cut and grind punches, drifts, chasing punches, and such from garage sale Allen wrenches, old punches/chisels and drill bits. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 ...let's not make this a fabrication vs blacksmithing thread. Don't toss meat to a tiger and ask him not to eat it..... :P :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Don't toss meat to a tiger and ask him not to eat it..... :P :lol: GRRRRRR!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdworks Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 FAb doesn't count? HAH! I just finished the new anvil stand for my Soderfors, yesterday I put the hammer and tong racks that wedge it into the stand frame on it. I have a little tweaking on one rack but they're basically done. Hand tool wise the last I remember making is a bolster plate, saw cut 5/16 plate drilled for different punch sizes. I also cut and grind punches, drifts, chasing punches, and such from garage sale Allen wrenches, old punches/chisels and drill bits. Frosty The Lucky. I would like to see the plans! I need to make an anvil stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I would like to see the plans! I need to make an anvil stand. I would like to see the plans! I need to make an anvil stand. Plans? You want to look at my brain? Been there done that, not gonna do it again. Measure the foot of your anvil, determine how high you want the working face. figure how much spread you want on the legs, measure, mark cut and weld it up. What other plans do you need? I'll shoot a couple pics later and post them, heck my Trenton and stand pics are here under the "Show us your Anvil section." Leave a little rattle room so the hammer/tong hangers will wedge the anvil snug when driven in with a hammer. Don't do like I did this time and leave too much room for the hammer heads on the hanger, they rattle on through and I end up picking them up off the floor like I did before the rack. <sigh> No worries, they'll work just fine for the tongs though. This ain't like building a space shuttle, a tape measure, some chalk and fit to taste. Don't over think these things, just fit them you your needs. I've screwed up more projects over thinking them than through just going for it. This screwed up hammer hanger is a prime example of over thinking a simple thing. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 GRRRRRR!!!!! You got that RIGHT brothers! GRRROWWW! Who do they thing invented fabrication; invented rivets. nuts and bolts, the torch, arc welder power saws, CNC, et. al. POTTERS, CARPENTERS? The BLACKSMITH that's WHO. Notice I didn't mention the power hammer, those were invented by paper makers and felters but we sure like em and happily adopted, adapted and use the thingies. You BETCHA! I'm gonna get me a nice big juicy steak and throw it on the fire for a few seconds tonight! DROOL, SNARL SNAP! Frosty, feelin The LION tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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