how many heats?

[arftist]

Furthermore I don't see anything offensive about born too late's post either. 

 

was an mis type, which has been corrected

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

I understand exactly what you're saying,Thomas, and I agree with you're points.

[ThomasPowers]

No problem and I recognize this sort of thing to be a personal flaw brought out even worse on the internet were we can't see the hand waving describing stuff.

 

And sometimes you find a person doing somthing in a different way that is *neat* and can be co-opted...And may I say that I like the style of the tools you make.

[Dan P.]

OK, you have a 2ft length of 1/2 inch square MS bar. No tongs required. You want to forge a 4 inch round taper for a firepoker.
I would like to know, from you experienced smiths, how many heats would it normally take you to accomplish that?

 

I wonder why bother putting a round taper on square stock?

Either way, the more you make, the less time it will take you.

[ThomasPowers]

Perhaps there is a "meta" answer:  enough heats to get the job done with your skills, experience, tools, etc.

[Steve Sells]

100,000 hours of smithing is only 60 hours a week spread over 34 years of smithing, not so hard to believe

[Borntoolate]

Furthermore I don't see anything offensive about born too late's post either.

was an mis type, which has been corrected

What? I didn't see anyone offended?


I did like the video that I have seen before. I have tended to start the taper at the far end and at the tip. The video clearly shows a better place to start and work towards the tip. This, as I see it again, really makes a lot of sense.

[Jim Coke]

Greetings All,

 

On a good day this ol boy can still do the task in 1 1/2 to 2 heats ... We are only dealing with about 2in of stock...  I am a believer in time is money and quality verses quantity.  We should issue gold stars for the foreheads of those that can in one heat but when the tire hits the road .. It just don't matter..

 

Forge on and make beautiful things .... SLOW

 

Jim

[arkie]

There are different hammers in some of the videos that range from 3 pounds to 6 pounds, but for most of my work I use about a 3 1/2 pound hammer. I traded my 6 pounder with Alec for his 4 1/2 pounder that I made with him the year before last, arkie.

 

 

Brian, I was referring to the video that SJS posted, #14, doing the taper.  Thanks for the info.  Alec doesn't look like a big guy but he seems to like heavy hammers!

 

I like using 3# to 3 1/2#.  If I used a 6#, I would be good for about 4 licks then it would be Miller Time!!!! (and then Advil Time). :wacko:

[brianbrazealblacksmith]

You just need something big enough to throw the six pounder at, like making hammer eye drifts. I use a 3 1/2 pounder for most work, but if I can only travel with one hammer, I'd take the 4 1/2 because I can use it for everything.

[Dan P.]

100,000 hours of smithing is only 60 hours a week spread over 34 years of smithing, not so hard to believe

 

Who's assembling the forged elements while all this hammering is going on, or undertaking the various tasks involved in shoeing a horse? 

 

It's one of the common misconceptions that smiths do nothing but stand at an anvil and beat on metal day in, day-out.

[ausfire]

Thank you again for all of those replies. I appreciate the advice given.
Apologies if my question was sketchy ... I thought I had given all that was required - 2ft of 1/2 " MS to a 4" round taper. I assumed by hand and not power hammer. (XXXX I've never even seen a power hammer let alone used one).

Most of the pokers I make have a square taper but occasionally I do round ones. I would like to learn how to put a hook on the end as well as a point, but I haven't figured that yet.

I can only go by what I read in books (Loreli Sims is brilliant), by reading past postings on this site and by watching videos on You-tube. In this part of Australia, blacksmiths are not too thick on the ground and I have only ever seen one blacksmith at work. He is in a town 700 km away and doesn't often come north. On his last visit he showed me how to punch holes , but that was two years ago.

So I appreciate the smiths with thousands of hours of experience who show patience with those of us who have heaps of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, but who are not life-long practitioners of the noble art.

[forgemaster]

1 heat, if I had to take 2 I would think of giving the game away and become a florist or something else easy and clean.  And guys note I said "I' if anyone else wants to take more heats thats fine with me (unless they are working for me).

 

Phil

[Dan P.]

1 heat

 

As many as that? 

 

I draw out 3/4" cold.

Using my eyelids.

In under a second.

 

Then, when I'm done, I go back to my beachfront mansion in Hawaii and party with my girlfriends Scarlett, Rihanna and Mila.

 

Then I destroy my enemies by shooting fire from my eyes.

 

etc. etc.

[ThomasPowers]

So Ausfire, you tapering to a point or just tapering?  If it's for the poking end tapering to a point is most likely if it's for the handle end it could be most anything.  The devil is in the details!

 

If it's for the poking end I don't see why you'd go round after tapering---but that would make a better handle; gentler on the hand.

[ausfire]

So Ausfire, you tapering to a point or just tapering?  If it's for the poking end tapering to a point is most likely if it's for the handle end it could be most anything.  The devil is in the details!
 
If it's for the poking end I don't see why you'd go round after tapering---but that would make a better handle; gentler on the hand.

Again, I just assumed it would be taken as being the poking end. I usually put a folded back twist or a ram's head or something on the handle end. Sometimes I leave the taper square (if that's the correct term) but it looks quite respectable as a round taper running into a twisted section of the shaft.
And while we are on about poker points - how do you guys get that hook on there as well as a point? Nearest I can figure is that you split the bar like making horns of a rams head, draw one to a point and shorten and bend the other?? I'll tryit next time anyway.

And BTW, I notice some XXXX in my last post. Just want to say there was no serious expletive there. The censored word was the H word, nothing more.

 

The H word was removed and x'ed out in the first post, Here there was a minor edit to substitute "H word" instead of a spelling the word using characters.

[jeremy k]

you may check this thread as it contains info on that actual forge weld on a fire poker :'?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

[Dan P.]

You can split it, or you can notch, fold it back on itself, and weld it up.

[Judson Yaggy]

The H word?  What's the H word?  XXXX  That one shows up a lot in the bible and many other common places.  Is that word off limits?  "No cussin, no fussin'" is feeling a little foggy.  Perhaps a precise list of words that are forbidden would be helpful to prevent being put on watch lists or banned?

 

Back to on topic, I will try and find time to make my own one heat video his weekend.  I had no idea this would prove to be in any way difficult or controversial when I first posted, don't you people have day jobs? (wink GRIN)

 

When using Hell (capitalized and naming the place also called Hades is permitted as it is a proper name for that location. Saying *What the hxxx?* lower case is considered cussing and is NOT permitted. Capitalizing the word and not referring to the name of the location is dancing with words as the intent is the same as the lower case hxxx. Speak as you wish at your home, your shop, your church group, etc. We simply ask that you choose your words carefully so women and children can feel welcome on the IForgeIron site. It is not necessary to use cuss words in order to convey a blacksmithing concept or idea.

[Dan P.]

you may check this thread as it contains info on that actual forge weld on a fire poker :'?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

 

 Huh, I just had a look at that thread; no meaningful information on that weld at all.

[Glenn]

This has been placed into the post #44 to answer the question. It is also posted here so those that may not read that post can still understand the reasoning for the site guide lines.
 
When using Hell (capitalized and naming the place also called Hades is permitted as it is a proper name for that location. Saying *What the hxxx?* lower case is considered cussing and is NOT permitted. Capitalizing the word and not referring to the name of the location is dancing with words as the intent is the same as the lower case hxxx. Speak as you wish at your home, your shop, your church group, etc. We simply ask that you choose your words carefully so women and children can feel welcome on the IForgeIron site. It is not necessary to use cuss words in order to convey a blacksmithing concept or idea.
 
Many times IForgeIron is translated into other languages. Slang and other expressions do not translate well so we try to avoid them. Using proper English when writing translates a lot better, but due to the language differences is still not perfect. Take a paragraph of text and translate it to another language, then using another translator, translate it back to English, and you can start to see the problem.   

[ausfire]

 

you may check this thread as it contains info on that actual forge weld on a fire poker :'?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

I will have a look at that. I have never been able to achieve a forge weld of any sort. Tried different heats and fluxes etc but just won't stick. There'll be great rejoicing when I finally achieve success. And I will.

[Judson Yaggy]

As requested here is a quick video I shot today.  1/2" square A36, one heat to a 4"+  round taper.  First taper is drawn over the horn using a 3.5# hammer, I got to thinking about something else and ended up closer to 5".  Second taper I decided to show that it's possible while being less efficient and used a 2# hammer and worked just on the flat face, no horn or edge advantage.  

 

 

As to the language issue, I understand why you guys don't want swearing here, and try my best to comply (I'm a guest here after all).  I was just surprised to find that particular word off limits.  I thought it was a very mild, common usage expression that shows up everywhere even in many posts here.  That's why I asked for more guidance as to what words we can and can't use.  I would find that easier to comply with than a subjective after the fact reprimand.  Not that I expect to get one, just want to keep Glenn happy.  

[ausfire]

You can split it, or you can notch, fold it back on itself, and weld it up.

 
Thanks Dan. I decided to try the split method. My first two attempts are shown below. I will improve with practice.