Quarry Dog Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 At the shop that I hammer around at, there is a "story board" posted for the tongs projects that are part of the beginner class. If I remember correctly it has flat and bolt tongs on the story board. I'll have to take pictures of it next weekend when I am there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Dogs, thanks for that link. I've looked through the list and looks to have several entertaining hours of reading.Mac, I like that picture. It really helps you see just how much material is hidden right in front of you.Quarry Dog, that would be great. I've found a few pictures like that for bolt tongs but I don't think I've seen flat jaw done like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Exactly, weight is how suppliers sell stock and I'd been buying stock for years. That was part of the head slapping moment when I realized weight would determine stock requirement when duplicating oddly shaped forged pieces. I still have trouble believing I didn't think of it the first time I tried duplicating a forged object, it would've saved a lot of time and work.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 There is another picture somewhere of a chap who has made a load of different things out of the same size of starting stock. Quite small - 2" of 1/2" square I think it was, but the things that have been made are incredible. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 That seems like such a small amount to start with and be able to get much from. I'd imagine someone with more experience than me could make many more things from that than I. To be honest I can only think of a letter opener but I know there more I just can't think of anything. Im gonna make a few more attempts at tongs over the next few weeks and hopefully I'll find somethin come from my effort that im not too embarrassed to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I found it easiest to complete step A on all the pieces, then move on to step B, vs trying to complete one side, then match it by making a 2nd complete one. You are more likely to do the same thing twice that way vs going thru all the steps and then trying to repeat them all again exactly. Since I'm still learning, I'll make more than I need to start, so if I accidentally screw something up down the line, I have a spare that hopefully matches what I need already. At worst I end up with enough parts to do a few extra tongs, not a bad thing in my book, not that it happens much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 The way I've been doin it is much like you described. One problem I keep encountering is my lack of attention to the fire when I get close to the end. I'll be making small adjustments and refinements on one side and forget about the other side being in the fire still. Needless to say I've burned a few pieces like that. I think part of my problem is rushing and trying to get too much done in one heat. Instead of getting stuff done I get it undone quite well. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarry Dog Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I've found that the best way to undo work is to have one two person forge, with one electric blower, one footswitch, and be the person on the other side from said footswitch. You start out with not enough heat while you're staying out of the other guys way. You then get complacent while waiting for heat. Next thing you notice, is that the fire is roaring all of a sudden and those bolt tong blanks that have a pefectly formed neck and bit, are burning up right as you were ready to form the boss for the third time in a row.At that point I gave up and made what I felt to be a pretty nice bottle opener that all the neighbors now seem to want, although the tongs I was trying to make would have been nice to use for making said bottle opener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarry Dog Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I've found that the best way to undo work is to have one two person forge, with one electric blower, one footswitch, and be the person on the other side from said footswitch. You start out with not enough heat while you're staying out of the other guys way. You then get complacent while waiting for heat. Next thing you notice, is that the fire is roaring all of a sudden and those bolt tong blanks that have a pefectly formed neck and bit, are burning up right as you were ready to form the boss for the third time in a row.At that point I gave up and made what I felt to be a pretty nice bottle opener that all the neighbors now seem to want, although the tongs I was trying to make would have been nice to use for making said bottle opener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Agreed, making both halves of a pair of tongs at the same time section by section is the easiest way I know of to make a well matched pair. You gotta let the piece heat so why not be hammering on the other half while it does?Oh yeah, double timing a forge can cause more problems that help. A gas forge is better for two smiths than a coal forge, gas forges don't need adjusting or cool off without operator intent.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 what I have found the key in the classes I teach. Is the first class students work on half face hammer blows. That is the key to good tongs. good hammer control and not trying to do each step all the way through. Going back and forth to each step the jaw, boss and reins. Keeping a good balance and a eye on proportion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 23, 2015 Author Share Posted June 23, 2015 what I have found the key in the classes I teach. Is the first class students work on half face hammer blows. That is the key to good tongs. good hammer control and not trying to do each step all the way through. Going back and forth to each step the jaw, boss and reins. Keeping a good balance and a eye on proportion.my half face blows are much improved over what they were a couple months ago. I credit that to the multiple attempts at making tongs in that time. So here's an attempt from today. I stopped part way through forging them when I noticed a small hiccup. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing because too many things running around in the back of my mind (work is slowing down, alternator went out on my car today wifes starter went out a couple weeks ago etc.). Instead of telling what I did I'll see just how many people are gonna see it and hopefully have suggestions for fixing it. Right now I have a couple ideas but idk how well they will work. Btw these started out as rr spikes I had lying around i cut the head off since my wood fire wasn't reaching welding temps (I ran out of coal last week and propane Sunday). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 yeah, I see the mistake. been there 2-3 times already... was looking through old links and the Refflinghaus dealer in the US has a story board for bolt tongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Thanks for that pointer, dogs. I'm headed to do a search now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxFire Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdQAE3sCVRA Edited June 24, 2015 by FoxFire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 I appreciate the link, fox, I've watched several videos like that. My biggest problem today was simply not focusing on the task at hand. I might try again tomorrow and if I do im gonna make sure to keep my notes handy and pay attention to just what I'm doin right then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxFire Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) I'm not seeing where the hiccup is? That's how I forge my bolt tongs thanks to TechnicusJoe. Edited June 24, 2015 by FoxFire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Fox, if you look I went to put a rough 45 where the boss meets the reins. I messed up and put the 45 on there backwards. I'll probably just get rid of the 45 since I really only see that on flat jaw tong. Now that I've slept on it and had a chance to look at them with a fresh mindset I think they'll be fine. I think I was just havin a rough day and i let a few things get to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoxFire Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Gotcha, I didn't "see" them as set shoulders... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 Ok, I did make time yesterday to try fixing the tong blanks i show above but ended up with one of the bits almost tearing off so I gave up on that set for now. Today I decided to go back to basic flat jaws and played at it for a little while. After burning all the wood I had sized for the forge and being wet enough to look like I was playing in water I decided to call it a day. Btw my wife gave me a hard time because appearantly we've been under some kind of heat advisory and its 90+f and I'm in my shop playin in fire lol. Here's where I'm at right now, if anyone sees any obvious problems please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 As usual I ended up messing up the last attempt. I started another since I was already warmed up. I watched about half of technicus joes 'flat nib' video again and went at it while it was fresh in my mind. I think this time was the best looking attempt and hopefully when I finish drawing out the reins they'll still look good. Here's where I'm at now (my 5th attempt in the last two weeks). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsoldat Posted June 27, 2015 Share Posted June 27, 2015 biggest thing to remember and hardest to do, know I still do it a lot. Is the boss is flat and the reigns taper up to the boss. otherwise they look like a heck of a good start Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 27, 2015 Author Share Posted June 27, 2015 (edited) I have a lot of drawing and tapering ahead of me before these are done. If I had some fuel, other than the wood scraps I have, I'd consider welding the reins on instead. I need the practice so I'll keep my complaints to a minimum .thanks for the comment, dogs. Believe it or not that helps. I'm really critical of my own work and flaws of any kind drive me crazy no matter how insignificant they might be. Edited June 27, 2015 by M Cochran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 much better i find it helpful to never hit the boss on the inside it should always be face down on the anvil if you anvil is not flat make a bottom tool to fit in your hardie hole. I have a block that I use just for that propose. keep at it you are getting it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 (edited) Thanks, Francis, I'm liking them more but still not even close to what I want. Curse this OCD. I did manage to draw the reins down some more but stopped when I started seeing a crack or tear on one side. I though about takin my stick welder and puttin a little in there and forging it down to blend it but I haven't decided yet. I'm probably just gonna make another go, it's not like the extra practice is gonna hurt any. Btw the bolt tongs are not made by me, just wanted to clarify just in case there was confusion. I have three of them I'm assuming we're made by the same guy 50-60+ years ago. Edited June 29, 2015 by M Cochran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.