Blacksmith Dice

[Double Y]

These are 1 1/4 square stainless steel dice.  I forged the corners back and forged in the dimples...I imagine there is a word for the wee little holes in a dice, but I am going with dimple!

 

Instead of the single dimple for the 1, I put a brand.  These are a gift from a co-worker of mine to her boyfriend.  Obviously the brand is the boyfriends.  

 

These are intended to be used in the place of ice cubes to chill adult beverages.  The thought is these will not melt and dilute the beverage.  These will be stored in the freezer until use.  I have suggested they slide these into the glass first...don't drop them into the bottom of the glass, or the beverage will be on the floor with all the broken glass!

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks for looking,

 

John

[jawno]

I believe the proper name for the dimples is pips but don't quote me on that. Looks good.

[ThomasPowers]

now make a set that always roll 7  (All 3's on one die and all 4's on the other)

[JME1149]

First off, beautiful work. Your attention to detail really shows in these dice.

Now for my concerns, at around 8 ounces each, I could see these causing dental damage when tipping the glass back too far, especially after a consuming a few adult beverages. Second, and possibly more important is the choking hazard these would present. Not to mention how painful they would be on the way out.

I would definitely advertise them as a novelty set of dice, but in no way recommend them for substitute ice cubes.

[Glenn]

JME Thank you for reminding us of the safety issues. 

We sometimes forget that safety should always be first.

 

Nice work on making the dice.

[Michael]

Very nicely done there. Would you expand a bit on how you held the little steel squares while forging the corners and the pips? I could see sending hot cubes of metal flying all around the shop if I tried this.

 

On the beverage font, these are much better than the 'whiskey stones' you see, granite cubes to keep in the freezer for the same purpose. But.......

 

as an experienced and frequent consumer of adult beverages I have to say, the pursuit of non melting cubes is a fools errand,

if your ice is diluting your drink too much, make a smaller drink, drink it faster and make another. The subtle joys of single malts are enhanced by a single,large cube of ice melting and opening up the flavors of the scotch. Ryes and bourbons also benefit from the transition of strong to dilute.

 

But very cool dice that will get a space on the project list.  I know a craps player who would love a set.

[Double Y]

Thanks for the reply's.

 

For the safety patrol, I understand your concern...but you would have to have a HUGE mouth to choke on an inch and a quarter (1 1/4") square!  I don't know if I could even get it in my mouth.

 

Now chipping your teeth and/or breaking the glass is a much more real and present danger, particularly after a few trial runs!

 

It is the novelty that is at issue here.  They may never be used to cool a drink, but they could be used for that purpose if you wished.  And as a custom order, I follow the lead of the customer.

 

I held the cube by the corners with 5/8" round tongs and held on the diamond under the power hammer to break the corners.

 

To forge the pips/dimples I clamped a piece of angle to cap the anvil and hold out over the step.  One clamp held the angle to the heal and a second made a pocket around the step.  This way the cube could not dance out.

 

However, that did not keep the G from slipping from my fingers and hurtling across the shop into a corner.  I had to shut down and dig the corner out...which in my shop is a holding area for smaller drops.  I haven't moved that pile in a long while! I may have to do some spring cleaning in the near future.

 

After that mishap I held the stamp in a set of wold jaw tongs to limit my feverish cleaning!

 

Thanks,

 

John

[jeremy k]

I don't know anybody that takes a drink with a full on smile with the teeth exposed - Although there may be some in this world. No different that taking a drink and having all the ice suddenly come into your lips after a stay at the bottom of the glass during a drink. As with anything "YOU" have to take a bit of responsibility for your actions, I think they would work great as drink chillers and a conversation starter. Nice Job!

[JME1149]

Jeremy, I agree it would be no different than the ice chips coming at you except that the cubes weigh in at around 8 ounces each. And smile or no smile I still think it would hurt.

Wonder what would happen if you took them out of the freezer and put tongue to cube..... Might need the bourbon then to melt it off.

In any case, the co-worker should be very happy with them.

[jeremy k]

I didn't say it wouldn't hurt, just that one needs to be prepared - as with ice cubes.

[Dogsoldat]

A glass with a dimple in the bottom and a magnet glued in  should slow them down enough if a guy is really that worried about it.

[Jim Coke]

Greetings 2XY,

 

You could use a separate glass or small picture for chilling and than serve into the drinking glass.. That would allow the customer to admire your fine work while enjoying their refreshment..  Great job and all opposing sides still add up to be 7..

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

[Gromgor]

Just to throw this out there, but all bourbons, whiskeys and other brown liquors are, by design, supposed to be ever so slightly watered down...like from a melting ice cube. It creates a change in the chemical makeup of the liquor and releases a flavor that is subtle, yet, distinct, if you're not just drinking to get drunk. 

Don't forego the ice cubes! They are literally meant to be flavor enhancers for your drink.

People need some culture when it comes to their drinks.

[Frosty]

These are 1 1/4 square stainless steel dice.  I forged the corners back and forged in the dimples...I imagine there is a word for the wee little holes in a dice, but I am going with dimple!

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks for looking,

 

John

 

They're called "pips" John.

 

Pretty nice dice. A whole lot more character than the one pair I made.

 

It harkens me back to Jr. high school metal shop 1. One of the beginning projects was our choice, one of a couple things involving filing. I chose a set of dice and spent probably two weeks an hour a day filing to get two cubes of steel to mic within a couple thousandths of perfect. Gently broken edges so they wouldn't cut a person. Hand punched pips, also laid out with calipers. I got a B and was sooooooo sick of draw filing. I should've made the 12 inch scale, would've been useful at least. Man that was a long time ago. <sigh>

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[John McPherson]

Just a note, but most stainless steels become un-stainless at forging or welding temperatures.  Any contact with regular carbon steel (hammer, tongs, anvil, power hammer dies, etc.) will cause surface transfer. Shops where SS or other specialty metals are welded have special areas with dedicated 'safe' tools set aside. 

 

You will probably have to passivate the surface to keep rust from appearing the next time it gets wet. Oxalic acid and citric acid are both food-safe ways to do this.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I have seen cooling cubes made of soapstone, granite, etc.....

Nice job on these. Now you just need a good passivation to clean the iron off the surface, and you should be good to go. Citric acid is one that some of our customers call out for the parts we make for them.

[LastRonin]

Dogsoldat, If it is a nonmagnetic type of stainless, the magnet won't make a difference

[Dogsoldat]

True enough never thought of that.  ah well  I tried  :)

[Karn3]

I had to have a go at this, being a bit of a tabletop rpg fan. Here's my first try, but needs some refinements I think.

 

http://imgur.com/ZXaK0qW

[LastRonin]

Karn3: Ok, so where are the four, eight, ten, twelve and twenty siders?

[Karn3]

Karn3: Ok, so where are the four, eight, ten, twelve and twenty siders?

 I've been trying to work out how to make a d20. I think I need to read a geometry book or something. In the meantime I did a test roll to see what it sounds and feels like. Check it out: 

[John McPherson]

There are plans for folded paper D&D dice on the web, I have thought of TIGing some as presents out of stainless or copper sheet.

[Double Y]

I received another order for dice.  

 

These are the same stainless 1 1/4 square stock.

 

The "1" is a company logo for Creative Broadcasting Services Incorporated.

 

 

[SpankySmith]

I just got my hands on some 1" stock, I'm going to have to try this.