March 5, 201412 yr I am looking for tool ideas and picture used to help along he who smiths alone (mainly work holding and supporting) Things you have made that have worked well, new ideas &c. Thanks, Caintuck rifle
March 5, 201412 yr Search, "hold fast", "helpers" and "tong keepers". Drats, that last doesn't sound right but I'm drawing a blank. Keepers slip over the tong reigns and slip towards the ends to keep pressure on the work, they're usually flattened ovals or "C" clips. Then there are spring swages, bottom tools and guillotine tools. All do the work of another person at the anvil. Frosty The Lucky.
March 5, 201412 yr Ditto the above, guillotine / helper is very useful and a treadle hammer is very, very useful. On a simple level - I forget the proper name - there is a swinging arm that fits in the pritchel hole and goes in an arc around to the base of the bick, hooking over the anvil; this is very useful for supporting longer pieces of work. Also simple, Frosty mentioned spring swages, there are spring fullers too; the simplest of these are just stock bent like a hairpin and then bent again at the closed end to fit in the hardy hole - place the work to be fullered between the open ends and hit. For very long or heavy pieces of work I have a loop of light chain hanging from the ceiling between the forge and the anvil but a few feet away (third point of a triangle), a hooked end allows the loop to be made smaller or larger as needed. Putting the coldest end of the long / heavy piece in the base of the loop really takes the weight off you arm and allows easy movement too.
March 5, 201412 yr Completely replaces striker; flypress. I respectfully disagree with the magnitude of this claim. Not only will my striker alter his impact angle at need, but he will fetch a beer when asked.
March 5, 201412 yr My screwpress doesn't *drink* my beer! I'll second a treadlehammer, lots of tasks you can do solo with both hands available and your leg doing the "striking".
March 5, 201412 yr A spring-loaded hold-down is mighty handy. So is a portable support stand. I use my stand in conjunction with a weighted chain. The chain gets draped over the stock I'm supporting and helps hold it from jumping around when you're punching it. Lots of little things, but the key is being able to see a need and then fill it with the stuff that you have available.
March 6, 201412 yr Greetings Rifle, I am sure you have looked at most of the anvil hold downs and tools on this thread.. I have one that is easy to make which might help when you are forging alone... Its is a simple set up that allows holding long stock and aids when doing edge work.. I have tons of trick tools but this is a start.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim
March 6, 201412 yr Don't forget books. They are the most useful tools for the solo blacksmith. Most of the ideas shown above are in books.
March 6, 201412 yr A simple hold down is an old motorcycle chain. One end fastened to your anvil base, the other end has a foothold. The tensioner is your foot, the adjustability is where and which link you hook onto the pin at the base. No Harley owners close by, Bicycle chain will work. Neil
March 6, 201412 yr Greetings Rifle, I am sure you have looked at most of the anvil hold downs and tools on this thread.. I have one that is easy to make which might help when you are forging alone... Its is a simple set up that allows holding long stock and aids when doing edge work.. I have tons of trick tools but this is a start.. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Jim - I wish I had a portfolio with pic's of all of your "trick" tools in it.
March 6, 201412 yr That reminds me: going to a SOFA meeting once I spotted the head of a pipe wrench on the side of the road; so we stopped the van and I picked it up thinking to do something useful with it. I figured out that with some light forging it fit the hardy hole of my anvil with a bit of slop. I then drilled a cross hole at the bottom end of the shaft and welded a T handle to the top of the jaw. To use I drop it into the hardy hole and hook a spring to the bottom of it. Fairly nice light duty holder.
March 6, 201412 yr Thomas - your post and Jims have reminded me about my plan to modify some vise grips to fit my hardy and use as an adjustable hold down. I have already picked up a couple cheap used pair, think I'll do a little welding : ) .
March 6, 201412 yr We are all just tool using and making hominids! Everyone wave their opposable thumbs!
March 6, 201412 yr I was just thinking a wrench might make a good adjustable turning fork (mount with the jaws horizontal and a vertical fork welded onto each) . I had been thinking of using a c-clamp, but a wrench might be a better option.
March 6, 201412 yr Yes those are used as well as a fixture consisting of two adjustable wrenches of similar form welded to separate pieces of angle iron (the ends) so you can put them in your post vise, slide them apart adjust for size and place a length of hot stock in the jaws and place a third wrench in the middle of the stock and twist to make a nice even countertwist length of stock.
March 6, 201412 yr Excellent thread! I can only echo what others have already said. A guillotine tool is well worth spending a day to make. All the best Andy
March 7, 201412 yr Greetings Caintuck, Ed, Others.. It would take forever to post all my trick tools but it is time for one of my famous " WHY DID'NT I THINK OF THAT TOOLS"... This is one of my everyday favorites ... I use it to form close ratio bends... Collars ... holding fixture for twist .. square bends... ect ect ect.... A simple old monkey wrench that most don't know but is a good quality tool steel... Notice the adjuster.. This style is best for this tool and twisting wrenches.. I have many applications using old wenches but this is my go to tool... I am sure WHEN you make one you will think of me and smile... Forge on and make beautiful things Jim
March 7, 201412 yr With a modification to the jaws such as a socket or piece of pipe you could have adjustable bending forks, for radius'd bends. Mounted in the vise or hardy hole. Or keep the jaws as is and to the top weld a socket fitting and you could then put different sockets in for different sizes. Using the jaws for sharp angled bends and the socketed tops for radius. I hope I worded this understandably, I'm about wiped out from work.
March 7, 201412 yr Greetings Rashelle, I have both of those... One with a 1/2 drive socket end and a post ... and one with 3in bending forks... I did not want to complicate the thread.. Been using them for years... Get some rest... Jim
March 7, 201412 yr The picture I posted a few posts up, was a picture I staged for a discussion long ago about holding stock and punching holes alone(how to hold the stock during punching was the topic). Please don't take it serious - as I do not do it that way - the cramps I got in my leg holding that position with my foot taped to the bar while trying to get a good photo were a bit more than I care for. At times, Yes - I have had to use my leg that way for short periods of time, but without the duct tape. All in being a bit creative to get the job done. I'm not sure who holds the copyright on that pose - not me!
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