Texture dies for Big Blu power hammer

[AlmonteIron]

Hi Folks,

I want to create bark texture with my Big Blu 110. I see that they sell bark texturing dies for it. Has anybody tried them?

Also, has anyone with a Big Blu made any saddles for the Big Blu factory-made dies so they could add on their own die creations?

Thanks,

Randy

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Almon,

You can purchase spring bark texture dies from The Blacksmith Depot that work well.. I have had mine for years and they have served me well. They work better than fixed dies for longer stock than fixed dies.. Others will chime in on your other die question.,  

FORGE ON AND MAKE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Jim

[AlmonteIron]

Thanks Jim. I'll take a look at those dies.

[ironwolfforgeca]

Hay Jim or those Bark spring die off center forge ??

I have a pair & I don't like them they leave to light a bark texture to hard to see

I talk to Grant about that when he was down here in the Redwoods told him I was looking for something like

redwood bark effect he stop & took a better look @ some redwoods called me back a week later said YEA Idea

unfortunately pasted away later that year  STILL thinking of re-shaping or grinding them deeper for heavier texture    

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Iron,

The texture will depend on a lot of factors..  Forge temp. Impact. Ect. I use mine in either my fly press or my KA 75 with single hit.  I have also used them on Big Blue with sucess.  Single hit not rapid blows.  Some twisting and re texture works well also.. Also slightly over black heat for another pass .. Lots of options.. 

Forge on and make beautiful things.

Jim

[ironwolfforgeca]

Jim Like the fly press spring tool set up ! & Chad has a fly press just down the road & a bigger hammer to

so will try bark tooling again there

Thanks   Steve

[plain ol Bill]

I use the small vine spring tool that was made by Grant Sarver also. Used under my Sahinler PH and is the most common tool I use really. Light, heavy, back and forth, spin the work - endless combinations really.

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

I make saddles for my Big Blu.  For the vining dies I welded a chunk of 4140 on each saddle then used a cut off blade on my 4.5 angle grinder to cut groves across the 4140.  Be sure and round over the edges of each saddle die.  They work better than any other vining dies I have seen or used.  To make the vining really pop after the piece has been textured heat it again and twist it.

 

I hate spring dies under the power hammer because of all the clacking noise.

Edited May 18, 2015 by WayneCoe

[AlmonteIron]

So here is what i ended up making. The end texture result was exactly what I was looking for. 

Some branches that I made as well as a railing that was textured using these dies.

The dies were make out of 3/8" S7. I made saddles for my large square Big Blu dies. The bottom die just sits over the sqr die. The upper die is secured with bolts that compression hold the die. I welded the S7 bars together, forged flat(ish), then added the groves with a veining chisel under the fly press. Then I welded the S7 to the saddle frame that sits over the Blu sqr dies.

Randy

 

Edited July 20, 2015 by AlmonteIron

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

The textured stock looks even better if you then twist it.