fat pete Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I was snoopin around on the net one day and I came across a guy that made crosses. He had some way of doing this out of one piece of metal.....I cant find that site anymore...does anyone know of a method of doing a cross with 1 piece of steel??? It had 2 places it was sawed and then it had hole in the middle after it was finished....I dont believe the metal was doubled up anywhere...just 1 piece of metal....anyone familiar with this? Thx in advance FP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 OK now i found it ...sorry to have sent you hunting...for your info here is the website http://redhotironworks.com/forging.htm thanks anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Use the term "Friedrich Cross" in your searches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I don't know about the blueprints here but, off the top of my head, I remember anvilfire had a demo on how to make them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Cool I think I got it....now i gotta go play with it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Pete , look at the name of the person who did that demo in Anvilfire , Ntech ,,, most of you newbies know him these days as Glenn ...... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainsFire Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 hehehe.. pun time.. was it an "iron" cross? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocsMachine Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 That is quite clever. I'm sure I'd have never thought of it... While I don't need any crosses, I can see that an equilateral X could be used for the base of stands (cup racks, bananna hangers, etc.) or even point and roll the ends for a raised set of feet. I'm gonna have to go try it... well, as soon as I make hardy cutoff tool or similar wedge. Doc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbrforge Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I believe Anvilfire calls the project a celtic cross. I make a lot of them, usually from 1/2 SQ they sell well at the Flea market, and pre sawing them allows an impressive demo piece, quick and (to the public) amazing that the cross comes from 1 straight piece of stock I have made one really large one attached to a nice wood base for my Irish Catholic friend as a gift also. It was well received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I too have been making these for a while. I got the first idea from anvilfire as well. I make them out of just about anything I have laying around. I like the rr spike crosses but have not figured a way to make the bottom nice and flat - I currently just drop the spike into my hardi hole and wale away till is stands up by itself. This distorts the bottom of the head a bunch though. I have never squared the ends and top either. I leave the points on the sides then taper the top to a point to match. My wife still has the first one I ever made (she does this alot - her key chain would stop an aircraft carrier from drifting:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 Cool guys thanks for replying....Glenn Huh, Thats a funny thing to know...I guess he is an old guy..lol..been around awhile....lol, Heck I thought he was just a computer nerd...lol I will be futzin with the cross this evening....I do have one other question...they recomend using a 3.5 inch piece of metal....what if I used a 7" piece is it a ratio to the size of the metal??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Double the measurements, all the measurements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teejay Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Pete Ive made grave crosses that way out of 1 1/4 in square. To make crosses larger than the 3.5 inches in the plans ,over lap the saw cut 1 1/4 times the width of the matl.It seems to work out pretty well that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Paul T- It might take a bunch of wailing with a sizable hammer, but here's and UNTESTED IDEA for a way to support the spike for flattening. Get a chunk of 3" or so round (or square for that matter) . Drill a hole down the center line of the round. Heat it up and, using a COLD spike as a punch/drift/sizer, place over the hardy hole and beat the living snot out of it until the bolster takes on the form of the underside of the spike head. Should give you plenty of support. It'd probably work easier if you could mill/broach/shape the hole roughly square first, but I think it could be done from a round holed start. This IS just an Idea though as I haven't tried it myself. -Aaron @ the SCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksb Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I did what Aaron said. Had a 4" sq. 3/4" thick. Cut a hole in middle with torch - more or less square - about spike body size. Heated it up good, pounded spike down into it ( over hardy hole). Heat up spike, put in 'die' and flatten to suit. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted December 2, 2007 Author Share Posted December 2, 2007 thanks guys I really appreciate the comments keep em coming!! as soon as I get one I like I will post it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted December 2, 2007 Author Share Posted December 2, 2007 well here it is a presentable cross - Blacksmith Picture Gallery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerald Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 I recently saw a Fredriech's Cross done from 3/4" square tubing. It was a different take on an old theme. The finished piece had a "channel iron" look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted December 2, 2007 Share Posted December 2, 2007 Pete, that looks great! Keep it up. Aaron and Ken Id like that idea alot. I will have to give it a try. Although I will probably have to go with ken's idea. my little ten-inch bench mount drill press has a tough time with half inch holes. as always, I love this place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbrforge Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 that is a good piece Pete, you can work the center out to a circle and have two crosses in your repertoire. I have also attached a small ring at the top (silver solder) for a necklace. Smallest one I've made is a little over 2 inches tall. Once I drew the dimensions in Autocad it was simple to scale the drawing to what ever length suits me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 copper cross - Blacksmith Picture Gallery my latest cross ...I actually sold a couple ...now I gotta work....its only rock and roll but i like it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Got some forge time today and have been wanting to make a cross. Here's what I came up with. I didn't know the measurements off the top of my head, so I winged it. Not bad for my first one, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat pete Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 they r fun....did you use a hack saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Guilty on the hacksaw. Cannot wait to get my 4 x 6 bandsaw. I think my shoulder will thank me for it. I plan on doing some larger crosses, also. Just getting to heat something up in the forge today was a treat for me. I gave the little cross some texture with a small ball pein, and since I didn't know the cut measurements off the top of my head, I had to hot cut a little off of each arm, to make the proportion right. But, oh well, things happen. I also did a little dressing on each arm with hammer and anvil, and a little hot filing, before the texturing. Next time I'll do a little more planning and measuring, before cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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