First Tool (Fire Scraper)

[RudolfH]

Hi Guys,

 

Have a look and give me some feedback as to what you think I can do better, this is my second attempt ever to forge something so don't expect Picasso's more crude water paints.

 

This was playing around with a piece of 10mm diameter roundbar, that I decided to make my first fire poker with, it was a bit impromptu as I was trying out my newly re-clayed charcoal forge so did not have a real outcome in mind more trying out some of the things I had been studying up on, like drawing to a pont, curving, shaping round to square and chamfering.

 

Here is what I picked up myself that I would like to improve on : 

 

1. Hammer striking, to minimize hammer marks, also to take off all sharp edges on my blunt force tools.

2. Try and keep the area evenly heated where you want to do twisties, so as to get event twists.

3. Dress down the hammer marks where you struck like a toddler.

4. Have a plan.

 

Do your worst.

 

 

 

PS. I see it is in the wrong section, could a mod please move it to the right section or delete it if this is totally off topic/purpose/intent.

Edited January 27, 2014 by RudolfH

[bigfootnampa]

You did FINE!  You have the right ideas, just keep working!  You will be amazed at how swiftly practice will improve your skills!  Even after LOTS of practice I keep getting better all the time!  So will you!

[Ridgewayforge]

Sounds like your hammer might have sharp edges, perhaps dress it a little. That is very good, I'd like to say. (In fact, I sometimes still make things with more hammer marks, so good job!)

With chamfering, light pecks after you get the bulk moved will smooth out the hamer marks. You can even do it at a lower heat, since its just planishing, really.

Keep up the good work!!!

[Steve Sells]

we show proper hammer dressing in the knife referance section.  Also think about how that curl on the end may or may not help move the coals around compared to a flat paddle.

[RudolfH]

we show proper hammer dressing in the knife referance section.  Also think about how that curl on the end may or may not help move the coals around compared to a flat paddle.

 

Thanks for the information, yes I agree that is my failing on the not having a plan part :-) Will definitely make more hopefully with some improvements.

[RudolfH]

You did FINE!  You have the right ideas, just keep working!  You will be amazed at how swiftly practice will improve your skills!  Even after LOTS of practice I keep getting better all the time!  So will you!

 

 

Sounds like your hammer might have sharp edges, perhaps dress it a little. That is very good, I'd like to say. (In fact, I sometimes still make things with more hammer marks, so good job!)

With chamfering, light pecks after you get the bulk moved will smooth out the hamer marks. You can even do it at a lower heat, since its just planishing, really.

Keep up the good work!!!

 

 

Thanks for the positive comments, from some of the work I have seen on here this really does seem like the contribution of a newby, but I will keep on trying.

[Steve Sells]

nothing wrong with your contribution, we learn by doing and listening to the feedback. you did well. No reason to feel anything except pride about this.

[Dan C]

Very nice job turning round stock into square stock and the twist looks good, very even.  I would agree Steve's suggestion for a flat paddle on the end.  There's no reason you can't adjust this one the next time you go to the forge or make a new one and for practice experiment with a different type of handle.  Here is the first thing I made, a fire rake which I still use to this day.  My complaint was it's a little short when used for charcoal so later I made a longer one.

 

[Steve Sells]

If you do any camping, use that for taking pots in and out of the fire pit. Perfect for grabbing the wire handles

[Dabbsterinn]

I agree with steve here, it also seems like a perfect tool for fishing out those slag donuts that can be a bit of a pain with just tongs

also would work as a nice back scratcher (just be sure to cool it first) :P

[RudolfH]

Very nice job turning round stock into square stock and the twist looks good, very even.  I would agree Steve's suggestion for a flat paddle on the end.  There's no reason you can't adjust this one the next time you go to the forge or make a new one and for practice experiment with a different type of handle.  Here is the first thing I made, a fire rake which I still use to this day.  My complaint was it's a little short when used for charcoal so later I made a longer one.
 
130113_0011.jpg

Thanks for the compliments, I am burning to get into the forge been raining here notbstop the last week. A paddle version one is next up!

  

If you do any camping, use that for taking pots in and out of the fire pit. Perfect for grabbing the wire handles

That is a very good idea! Thanks!

I agree with steve here, it also seems like a perfect tool for fishing out those slag donuts that can be a bit of a pain with just tongs
also would work as a nice back scratcher (just be sure to cool it first) :P

 

Is this when firing blooms?

 

nothing wrong with your contribution, we learn by doing and listening to the feedback. you did well. No reason to feel anything except pride about this.

Thank you, I have a long way to go still. I enjoy taking my time an trying to grasp concepts fully before moving along. This site helps allot though!!

[Dabbsterinn]

Is this when firing blooms?
 

nope, happens in every coal forge(not entirely sure about charcoal though), another term for it is clinker i think, if you have a firepot with the air pipe coming up through the bottom, you should be able to shut the forge off, scrape most of  the coal away to expose some of the slag, it's that sticky stuff that becomes glassy when it cools down, make sure you scrape the coals into a pile though, keeps the heat in and stuff in. 

seeing how the hole would probably be in the middle, there would also be a hole there for reasons i don't know, something to do with the air or something, but you could hook it up with that scraper

i hope i got my point across, im not the best at explaining things with words

[VaughnT]

Two things come to mind when I see a piece like that.

 

Firstly, a uniform surface is better than a mixed surface.  In the first picture, you can see the hammer marks from where you knocked down the corners, then you fade into a blemish-free hook.  Because you have different textures on the piece, the eye is very quick to pick up on that.  It also shows that you are capable of a smoother finish, so the customer will ask themselves why you didn't maintain that texture throughout the work.  

 

Now, in my area, you are hard pressed to sell something that doesn't have hammer marks on it.  You need obvious signs that it is "hand made" in a forge, or your customer's husband is going to talk her out of the purchase with a "Honey, I can make that with the grinder in the garage!"

 

Either way, though, try to maintain a consistent texture.  Hammer marks aren't bad as long as they are relatively uniform in size and placement around the piece.

 

Secondly, the way the handle slides back into the shaft is too thick.   Granted, this isn't an artsy-type tool, but it's something to keep an eye on.  Small details make bring the whole thing together in a visually pleasing way.

 

 

Were you to want to go with a paddle style rake, you could easily adapt this by simply reversing what you have.  There's plenty of metal in the handle that you could straighten out and flatten into a rake end.  The hook part can become the new handle if brought down to the main shaft with a small curl, much like the existing handle.

 

Overall, great bit of work with a strong indication of your capabilities.  You'll do well in the future.

[RudolfH]

nope, happens in every coal forge(not entirely sure about charcoal though), another term for it is clinker i think, if you have a firepot with the air pipe coming up through the bottom, you should be able to shut the forge off, scrape most of  the coal away to expose some of the slag, it's that sticky stuff that becomes glassy when it cools down, make sure you scrape the coals into a pile though, keeps the heat in and stuff in. 

seeing how the hole would probably be in the middle, there would also be a hole there for reasons i don't know, something to do with the air or something, but you could hook it up with that scraper

i hope i got my point across, im not the best at explaining things with words

 

Thanks for the response, I get the general picture. I gather the "clinkers" are the result of the bitchumous content and volatiles that form when it is burned. Have not worked with coal but I have read about it a bit.

 

Two things come to mind when I see a piece like that.

 

Firstly, a uniform surface is better than a mixed surface.  In the first picture, you can see the hammer marks from where you knocked down the corners, then you fade into a blemish-free hook.  Because you have different textures on the piece, the eye is very quick to pick up on that.  It also shows that you are capable of a smoother finish, so the customer will ask themselves why you didn't maintain that texture throughout the work.  

 

Now, in my area, you are hard pressed to sell something that doesn't have hammer marks on it.  You need obvious signs that it is "hand made" in a forge, or your customer's husband is going to talk her out of the purchase with a "Honey, I can make that with the grinder in the garage!"

 

Either way, though, try to maintain a consistent texture.  Hammer marks aren't bad as long as they are relatively uniform in size and placement around the piece.

 

Secondly, the way the handle slides back into the shaft is too thick.   Granted, this isn't an artsy-type tool, but it's something to keep an eye on.  Small details make bring the whole thing together in a visually pleasing way.

 

 

Were you to want to go with a paddle style rake, you could easily adapt this by simply reversing what you have.  There's plenty of metal in the handle that you could straighten out and flatten into a rake end.  The hook part can become the new handle if brought down to the main shaft with a small curl, much like the existing handle.

 

Overall, great bit of work with a strong indication of your capabilities.  You'll do well in the future.

 

Thanks VaughnT, I appreciate the feedback and will definitely keep it in mind for the future. I really like your idea on "rescuing" the piece by reversing the handle/paddle/hook. It the kind of feedback that I can take something away from and make part of my next piece of work.

[Frosty]

Clinker is the result of vitrified minerals in the coal, dirt, sand, etc. charcoal is plenty hot enough to make clinker if it's dirty.

 

Frosty The Lucky.