SpankySmith Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Our Forge Council had a Smithin Magician day back several months ago where we all did a big assembly line operation assembling Smithin Magicians. Everyone got one of their own and so now I have this marvelous tool and four blanks that go in it ready to be cut and formed to whatever configuration I desire, within the limits of my own tools and abilities to form them! So. My question is for those of you who have one, can you share which bar sets you actually find yourself USING with it the most often? Can you share pics? I found one document online showing various configurations, but since I have 4 blanks I'd like to know ahead of time which ones are the most useful instead of just cutting and forming them to something I may never actually use. Hope this question makes sense to someone.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I usually make tools as I need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Greetings Spanky, Lets see 4 blanks.. Upper and lower dies. Blank 1/2 flat , cut off , butcher, 1/2 radius That would be a good start.. Have funForge on and make beautiful thingsJim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Again this would depend on what you do---those of a knifemaker might not be the same as those of someone doing ornamental work which may not be the same as someone generally forging tooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 If you leave square shoulders on your cut off, butcher, and 1/2 round fullering dies, then you can make a little set of kiss blocks that slide over your bottom die and would allow you to forge to 1/4" or 3/8" or whatever. Also been thinking about drilling and taping holes on the bottom die to take kiss blocks that are held by a set screw. Something of the things I have been plotting, still need to buy or make a smithing magician, so haven't done it yet.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Greetings SJS,LOL ... I designed the original slotted side kiss lower die and passed it on to Jerry Hoffman ( Blacksmits Journal) for him to market.. He caled them a forming die. A blast from the past.. Forge on and make beautiful thingsJim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I use my sharp butcher the most often and the radiused butcher to shoulder next most often. My sharp butcher has a pretty acute bevel and isn't so hot for shoulders but works a treat as a cut off, the pinch off is all on one half of the cut. Sometimes this works really well and has never caused a problem. For example making leaves the pinch off makes a nice drip end without having to forge one.The radiused or shouldering butcher is much more obtuse and the "cutting" edge is radiused around 1/8" or less, I eyeballed it. The radius is to prevent cold shuts shouldering. The fullering die works well shouldering too.I can't remember the last time I used my cut off dies.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 You should definitely make a set of butchers. They can be used for all sorts of small items like leaf pendants and bottle openers, so you'll definitely open up some design ideas with them.A flat anvil is also very nice because it allows you to use the top die only. The nice thing is that you don't need to cut up your good stock to make one as most any scrap would do as long as you have a tail that will fit down into the slot on the bottom.Here's a shot that shows my guillotine with the butcher dies in place and the flat anvil in the foreground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundsau Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I've been using these basic dies, the Fuller, Butcher and a Sizing die for tenons, etc.I use the Fuller dies most often to set shoulders for strap hinges, meat forks, bottle openers, etc.At this link you can see some shots of how I used the Butcher die and then after drawing the neck down, the Sizing die is used with light hammer blows to clean up the area where the shaft meets the ball end. http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/41006-how-do-you-forge-a-ball-end-hook/?do=findComment&comment=418889The handles are for cooking trivets. The bottle openers are from 1/4" x 1" and get fullered down before opening the ring on the horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 Grundsau, extremely helpful photos - thanks so much!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundsau Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Glad to help.Forgot to add, when you make leaves out of flat stock you can carefully fuller the back part of the leaf where the stem meets it.Its good to know how to do it with just a hammer and edge of the anvil but the Fuller dies can speed things up when making several at a time.If you can, post some shots of which dies you made.I've got an extra blank and wasn't sure which one to make for the next die set. Edited March 3, 2015 by Grundsau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 Will do but it'll be awhile! I have a big project I have to finish in the next few weeks, it's consuming all my time right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 When I put mine together I made the dies from a really common size leaf spring so all I have to do is cut new blanks and do some grinding.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 The set I use the most is a flat die with the corners radius at 3/16". Great for starting a tenon. I also use them for many other things. The one thing I did to mine was remove the cross bar and added a removable one So I can have a bottom die with a piece of angle added and the top die with a matching solid on the diamond. To set V for tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Butcher followed by half round. Most of the others just slowly grow rust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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