Eddie Mullins Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I got around to forging a couple new tongs this weekend and an anvil support. I have only made 4 usable pair of tongs so far, so this pair increased my count by 50% : ) . I made a set of scroll tongs out of 5/8" round A36 with drawn out reins. This was my first set of scroll tongs to make and the first time to use 5/8" round to make tongs. I am real pleased with them. The other set I guess I would describe as narrow flat jaw tongs? I wanted something for working with small items like 3/8" split crosses, etc and these seem to be just the ticket. I made these with 1/2" round, flattening down around the boss area and left the remainder of the reins as is. I got tired of trying to hold longer stock between my legs while working so made the anvil support and used it while making the tongs and I think they are going to be another good addition to my tools. Nothing fancy, complicated or exceptionally well executed here, just thought I'd share : ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Not bad Eddie. You had me going on the "anvil support" though, I was thinking a stand of some kind. I think most of the guys call what you made a "helper" and yours looks perfectly serviceable not to mention easy to get out of the way. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Thanks, anvil helper is probably a better term. Think I saw it on anvil fire, but didn't recall what it was called... Only issue I see with it right now is it prevents me from using the pritchel hole like when drifting, the hardy is available but does not provide the same support. Otherwise, very serviceable and easily removed or put in place when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Do you punch holes in stock long enough to need a helper very often? I can think of a couple options right off the top# first, is make a helper that fits the hardy. Second, make a stand with a top the same height as the anvil. I have several, some I made, some I modified from roller stands. They telescope so I can adjust the height from anvil height to drill press table height. I use them all the time. I was having a bit of a hassle at a demo so I bent up a helper similar to yours and the audience loved it. They thought that was neater than whatever it was I was making. I think it was the on the spot tool making and problem solving that impressed them most. If I did many demos I'd maybe orchestrate the same thing for the show. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 lol, make a hardie mounted pritchel hole, love it! very clean work with nice symmetry on the tongs, they look really comfy too i was skimming the blueprints not long ago and i really liked this adjustable stock stand, far more elegant than the usual telescoping rod/tube with a wingnut to tighten it up. commensurately more complicated, but i like it :) BP0007 Stock Stand in case the link goes awry http://www.iforgeiron.com/page/index.html/_/blueprints/original-series/bp0007-stock-stand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Frosty - no I don't punch holes in longer stock that often, mostly for tongs. I was kind of in the same scenanrio as the one you described really, where I needed a solution when making these tongs. I had set out to make the tongs, but after I started punching the hole in the first one, I recalled the helper, and decided to just stop, make one and proceed. I do have a couple of adjustable stands but they are made with fairly large bases(legs) and are not really suitable for unless the stock is more than a couple feet long. Chinobi - that's an interesting stock stand. Base is small enough and its light enough I could see it as an option for use when support is need up close to the anvil. I have actually made an adjustable arm for use as a lantern holder etc out of round stock I think the same could be applied here with less complication. This would be a good excuse for me to make a monkey tool and swage ; ). The hardy mounted pritchel is something I thought about. I recall seeing a rotating pritchel, or I guess it would be more of a punch plate with different size holes in it. My anvil has a 3/4" hardy. I thought I could use 3/4" round and some flat plate to fab one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanBrassaw Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 lol, make a hardie mounted pritchel hole, love it! very clean work with nice symmetry on the tongs, they look really comfy too i was skimming the blueprints not long ago and i really liked this adjustable stock stand, far more elegant than the usual telescoping rod/tube with a wingnut to tighten it up. commensurately more complicated, but i like it :) BP0007 Stock Stand in case the link goes awry http://www.iforgeiron.com/page/index.html/_/blueprints/original-series/bp0007-stock-stand I've made this stock stand, it works great! I used 1/8th inch plate for the base, it works, but the 1/4 the author suggests would be better. Also, I would suggest a square hole in the "standoff", the round hole allows the piece to rotate if you bump into it, making things get whacky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 How about a |__| piece that has the ends of the open section mounted on the side of the anvil stand with some looseness so it hangs down when not in use and rotates up with a short rod bent around the middle and resting against the base of the anvil on the side to hold it up? My large commercial coal forge has a similar set up only the rod to hold it up reached the ground and slipped underneat the forge when not in use. (The lugs it fastened to on the forge were cast proud of the side so it came with it originally) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Francis Whitaker [RIP] showed a similar pritchel-mounted third hand. He forged the hole-inserted portion as a close fitting, movable tenon, and the horizontal part had a mild curve. He used it primarily as a bar support when doing a single man lap weld. Sayings and Cornpone "The value of a thing is what it will bring." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Mullins Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 Thomas - I have seen the same support configuration on a commercial forge. Never thought of a scaled down version for the anvil. Frank - I can certainly seel where a helper would be very handy when welding solo. I'm still developing that particular skill set. My first thought is for that application the helper might work best on the far side of the anvil, I have this one set up for the near side, seems I may need to make a 2nd... perhaps the style Thomas suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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