VaughnT Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Tongs are probably one of the best "first" projects you can get. You can weld the jaws to a piece of 3/8ths round stock so you don't have to draw out all that metal (seems mighty wasteful of time and fuel to my mind). A smith can never have too many tongs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbmartin Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Well the forge is officially in operation! Fired it up for the first time and did an hour or so bake of the cement. After that I let it cool and checked insulation which all stiffened up nicely. Then I hit full flame and started on a pair of tongs made out of a chunk of rebar. Got done one side and had to call it a shift but I think I've got a good start. I'm going to try and finish them up today but need to get some small material for a rivet. Also made a stand for my small anvil out of an 8x8 post and a 4x4 cross member. Works pretty good but I'll still be on the prowl for a bigger anvil. I'll post a pic of my tongs when complete to show the mess I make hahaha Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbmartin Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 So I have fired up the forge a few times now (avoiding the cold weather we had for a few weeks). I made a small pair of tongs just as a practice template out of 3/8 round, forged a chisel and started turning a big hex key into a cone hardie. I also found a steel supply that sells cut off scrap for cheap so I picked up 20 lbs of different stock types. Yesterday I started on a pair of goose neck tongs that will hold rail road spikes. Got about half done the first side and had to shut it down for the day (had too much honey do items on my plate). One question I have is how to judge if your steel is getting hot enough before working it. I get the steel a good orange hot before pulling it from the forge, but I don't seem to be getting very much time while hammering it out. I even warmed up the anvil by heating a piece of 1" round and bending it at a 90 to sit in the hole of my makeshift anvil. It seemed to help a little but I am just wondering if I need to soak the steel longer in the forge? The stock I was forging was 3/8 x 1". Just want to make sure I am getting enough time between each heat before I start to draw out my reins. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 A lot depends on the ambient air temperature as well as the wind. If you're exposed to the elements, your metal will cool down faster. If you're not letting the metal soak long enough, the outside can be hotter than the inside. Longer soak times help. Try to have two or three pieces being worked at the same time. For mild steel, I like to start hammering at a bright yellow and work my way down. If you start at an orange heat, you've only got orange and red to work through. If you start at a yellow-white, you have all of yellow, then orange and then red to hammer through. Also note that some metals do not forge well below certain temp ranges. Forging high-carbon steel can be a bear depending on what alloy it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbmartin Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 I've finished my first set of tongs (second if you count the mini garbage trial version)! After a number of sessions and working on three or four different things at a time they are complete. I'm not overly happy with the rivet job I did but I'm going to make a rivet block soon to make things easier. I think I'm going to start on two drifts, one for hammers and another for tomahawks as I now have the tongs to work some railroad spikes. Another set of pickup tongs might be on the list as well as the ones I have now are borrowed. After asking every person I could think of my grandfather gave me his fathers anvil from their farm (which he sold in 1955). The thing was chipped and abused and nicked to all hell, but a sand blasting and an hour under the grinder it looks pretty xxxx good. Hopefully I can find another anvil solid steel and a little bigger but I'm happy with this heirloom to back into use. Just need to build a stand for the bugger... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 you would have been better off using the anvil to clean it up than grinding it, the hardened surface is very thin and once through that you may find it to soft to use, today I was using a double horn anvil that a few years ago had a face like the surface of the moon, it is not used very often but quite a bit of the face now is reasonably smooth just from use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Neat. I've never seen a Buffalo anvil before. I wonder if it was made for them by the Fisher company? Those tongs are excellent. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were commercially-made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 That's a darned nice looking anvil. I've never heard of a Buffalo either but I'm way up here in the forest and don't hear about cool stuff. The Dwarf's point about not wanting to grind on anvil faces is valid in the extreme. I can't see very well from this pic but it looks like she has a nice thick face plate so she's probably not hurt. Just don't do it again! Pretty good looking pair of tongs. Do you have any trouble working spikes holding them on a 45*? I do and need to make spike tongs to hold them on the flat. Even though I don't work spikes often they sell well at demos and I can use a little help paying for propane and stock. Pretty nice all round. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJF Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Just remember you plan to hit the anvil repeatedly with a large hammer. So don't be to fussy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJF Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Hey Taylor I was wondering exactly what you used to coat the kaowool and how is it standing up. As well are you using 2 burners and what is the internal volume of your forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbmartin Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 CJF, I used a kiln refractory cement to coat the wool blanket but I can't recall the name of it, I will take a look for the receipt when I get back from work. I think the volume is around 370 cu. inches, I have been running one burner for the last few lights, I may have got a little over zealous on the burners but if I run both she heats up material like crazy. It also sends a lot of flames licking out the front door which can heat up too much of steel which I would be grabbing. For longer pieces such as drawing out reins I really like the dual burner but for smaller stuff I only use one burner to keep the hot spot right on the material. I have been contemplating taking out the front burner and plugging the hole with a piece of kiln brick, but I still enjoy the flexibility to run one or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Just remember you plan to hit the anvil repeatedly with a large hammer. So don't be to fussy. I hope you dont hit your anvil, One intends to hit only the work, NOT the tools being used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tbmartin Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 Gents, So I haven't had my forge up and running for a little while. Summer fun has taken hold and all the work to go along with it. I have been slowly & steadily acquiring items for the craft though, so it hasn't fallen completely to the wayside. I just picked up a 100 lb London anvil, the only other markings on it are JB, I will post a pic once I have my stand built for it. I also built a stand for the 75 lb Buffalo anvil I got from the grandfather so it is now ready for service. One of my main problems is my workspace, as I am forging in the garage with the forge out on the driveway. It can be a pain in the xxxx to move everything around just to pull the vehicles in every time. So to remedy this I have made a bargain with the wife... A bathroom renovation for a small shop in the back yard. I'm sad to say that the bathroom renovation will get a far larger budget, but I am okay with that as I quickly got approval from the boss! So far my plan is to make an 8 x 10 shop with an 8 to 9 foot sloped roof. I may increase the size to 9 x 10, but can't go to 10 x 10 to avoid accessory building by laws in the city. The walls will be sheeted with plywood and either cement board, tin sheeting, or cinder block heat shield around the forge area. I will put a hatch in the wall at the back of the forge so I can slide long pieces through to be heated in the middle. The floor is already poured so that's easy. I will probably go with a shingle roof and was thinking about hanging canvas tarps (welding blankets) on the interior to insulate and muffle the sound of me whacking away. I have multiple neighbors across the alley in condos so I want to be considerate of the noise. These tarps will also provide spark containment around the bench grinder and table sander so it should prove to be a three fold addition. As a plus there is a large tarp being thrown out from work that might just do the job. I am running an LPG forge so I am wondering what should be done for ventilation, should I put in a ceiling fan? I could put a louvre or vent on the high side of the sloped roof and keep a door or window open but I'm just not too sure if that will get the CO out well enough. I will have to pull an extension cord across from my house for any electrical equipment so it would be nice to keep it simple. I plan to have two doors on the side of the shop so I can open it up and work half in half out when the weather permits. I saw Jakob Farams shop and thought it would be very similar in design, only the roof being a single slope and the doors on the side of the shop. The interior looks great so I think I could easily fit my kit in and have room to add stuff with time. With the double doors I think it will add expandability as well for the future. SO... I'm looking for ventilation suggestions, canvas tarp thoughts, design flaws or ideas, and any other advice you guys can help me with this project plan. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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