jeremy k Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 On Spankys side - when it comes to the straightening step of making the legs perpendicular to each other - it's a lot easier to leave them long, as you have more to eye up and cut later. After trimming - the ends can easily be addressed to your wants and needs. One can play with exactness on the prep trimming the more you do and more consistent you get, and even then you'll get a couple strays. Everyone(myself included) should make those types of story boards of misc. items for shop decorations and also to show ppl how many actual steps there are to making something. Most ppl think - oh it's so small or simple looking it must just be stamped out that way - why should I spend more than $5 on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 I had a friend who snapped a photo in a gift shop she was visiting recently, she said it had blacksmith crosses "just like you make!" They were very CLEARLY stamped out, made to look SORT OF like a Fredericks cross but without the arched center diamond that is the dead giveaway that it was unfolded. It just made me....sad. I think she said they were marked at $20 each. More sadness.... Back to Jeremy's point, I have found people are just completely fascinated with the process, even more so than the end product. They enjoy seeing and coming to understand what all goes into making something. I'm with him, more story boards in my future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 This is how I do mine. I start with 1/2" rebar then square to 3/8". I think the rest is self explanatory. My 100lb. A&H anvil has a 3/8" pritchel so squaring up is easy peasy . I made a texturing hammer with angle grinder and finish hot with BLT 1:1:1.... I haven't felt the need nor taken the time to permanently mount them yet. But that may come soon.....Thanks for lookin' Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Never even thought about making one from rebar, and I've got a lot someone gave me, gonna have to try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Nice looking crosses Dave, well done. I was just reading a news letter with a Fredrich's cross how too and they cut for the top like you have. I'm thinking it's a perfect way to help keep the stock oriented 90* when splitting for the limbs when using round. Of course squaring it up makes it easy but if we wanted easy we'd just buy things. <wink>I need to make a texturing hammer or die, I've been using the chisel side of my chipping hammer but a dedicated texturing hammer would make a more consistent product.Not that it's on topic for Fredrich's crosses but Spanky's second step would make for excellent caltrops with just a little tweaking.Well done Dave.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Only FROSTY could look at a cross and come up with a weapon from it! Though, come to think of it there's the germ of a sermon in there somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Well there are two main ways I know to make caltrops: 1 taper the ends of two pieces and forge weld them in the centers and bend. 2: taper a bar that is about twice as wide as it's thick and then slit both ends till you have a small web left in the center, bend out the ends and twist the web. With practice you can have the ends end up where they need to go. The CF crosses are a variation on the second method with the slitting on different planes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Hey Spanky, Rebar is free for me so....that's that. Also if you noticed step #4 the bar split on me, not to uncommon with rebar composition, as has been noted here several times. You just don't know what you'll get till you try. I did miss speak when I said I had a 3/8" pritchel, it's a 1/2" duhh. Frosty, thanks a bunch. That means a lot coming from you. The texturing hammer for these is just a 10 oz. cross peen from a flea market. I've made a bunch of these crosses(enough, that it now seems like work). I got the dimensions for the depth of cuts from this site somewhere. Now on to Google to look up "caltrops"...... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Only FROSTY could look at a cross and come up with a weapon from it! Though, come to think of it there's the germ of a sermon in there somewhere.... Your perspective is a little scary here Spanky. I was referring to turning a caltrop into a cross and YOU were doing it. I'm pretty sure I'm NOT the only one to suggest forging weapons into plow shears. Let me know if you need help coming up with sermon germs, that's my kind of culture you know.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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