sdalcher Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Ok all, I am the frugal type, my wife would even say miserly and at times cheap I have been through the blueprints several times and have found many great ideas. I have an abundant supply of RR spikes and I am fishing for ideas and also would like to see what kind of imaginative things others make with this simple, economical (cheap as in FREE!) resource. Thanks Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdwarner Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 like that word frugal , thats what i am frugal. i will search around but somewhere in my travels last year there was a site with a whole slew of ideas me myself i can only think of a tomahawk , some sort of handles one i did and liked was i cut the point off did a pinnaple twist, drilled 5/16 dia cross hole where the point was and drilled another hole perpendicular to the cross hole but about a half inch back fed a piece of 5/16 round thru the cross hole to egual lengths sticking out stuck a piece of 5/16 thru top hole only half length forge welded rods in after welding and still hot i bent to a garden tool , you know little fork tool . i forget what they are called chuck them dern railroad spikes always migrate from he railroad to my shop, how do you suppose that happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Covington Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 You can make Trolls, Door Knockers, Knives, and one thing made at most Virginia Hammer Ins Canna Lilys on the air hammer as a sales demo. For a few Ideas check out Tidewater Blacksmiths Members Gallery Hope this helps Travis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchmancreek Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Try this siteUntitled Document Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdwarner Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 i like that door knocker idea , two recyclables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hdwarner Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 steve , thats the site i meant the one dutchmancreek sent you chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdalcher Posted December 6, 2007 Author Share Posted December 6, 2007 Awesome! Thanks! and keep more ideas coming. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dief Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Here's a pic of a "sun" wall hanging scupture from 7 spikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayco Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hooks for log/towing chain..........small claw hammers for use around the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverDamForge Posted December 6, 2007 Share Posted December 6, 2007 I live next to a railroad, so strangely enough most of my stock is 3/4 x 3/4 x 6" ... I made these candle holders from spikes. Trying to forge the flanges of the head down without making cold shuts is a challenge. Plus a lot of drawing out - hammer practice for a noob. Glass doodads can be found at Goodwill for next to nothing. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Gann Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 lol sry i know old thread but i just found out the other day that if you hammer straight down on the head it forms a thick mass of metal that when forged right looks like a pommel on a european style sword, i'm working on some double edged designs for these now :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 you can make lillies,knives,daggers,you can really make anything you want!! heres a vid of making the lillie YouTube - Forging lilies from railroad spikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbob Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Try this siteUntitled Document Steve that site has been pulled down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 (edited) The best use I've made of them so far is as nail headers. Chop them off about an inch and a quarter below the head with a cut-off wheel in a grinder and then wrap a rod just below the head... heat to bright red and flip the cut end up on the anvil (kinda roll it so the rod stays in place) then pound with a big hammer to upset the shaft and trap the rod. Voila! You have a nail header ready to drill and drift. I like to weld my rod tight with the mig so that it doesn't rattle in use at this point too. The crown of the spike head makes a good surface for the top of the header but it flattens a bit from the vigorous upsetting, so I reshape it a bit with a 36 grit flap disc. PS: Once you get a header or two made you can start on the nails... and use those to make lotsa stuff. I just made a nice key rack with nails as pegs for the key rings. I like the heads kinda biggish for these so take a heat after tapering and notching so that you can get a nice big head flattened and shaped. I'd take a pic but it's already wrapped... so after christmas. Edited December 22, 2008 by bigfootnampa PS added Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quenchcrack Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 Steak turners, knife & fork BBQ sets, chisels, drifts, just to name a few ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksaber Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 One thing I have made that most of my family and friends really like are over the door hooks and wall hooks from them. I am planning on posting some pics of some later this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.Willis Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 How about a tomahawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maple Forge Posted December 22, 2008 Share Posted December 22, 2008 How about a tomahawk Nice! I would never have thought of it!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 RR spikes are some of the most fun. I make letter openers,,handles for coal forge fire tools, meat turners, bottle openers, chesse cutters, wizards, and my favorite a cross without cutting it into two pieces. I like old worn, rusted, bent spikes best, leave some of the old surface looks pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsilver4 Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 How about these,not as nice as Stu's:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwmotley Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 How about these,not as nice as Stu's:) They look darn good to me:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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