ripleycopa Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 We obtained a new cone mandrel in the shop last year but had not put it to much use so I decided to practice a ring to use as a component for a door pull or door knocker. I used half inch round stock 12.5 inches long and scarfed both ends before bending in the bending fork. It was tough getting the scarfs to line up and that is where the cone was a big help. It took three welding heats to forge weld the ring. After that, the cone mandrel made short work of getting a near perfect circle. The base plate was 2 inch by 1/8 inch plate. I did not measure its length since I was not sure how long a piece would be needed until I finished the ring and the pointed leaf ends I intended to forge. After fullering off a 3 inch segment on one end of the plate I forged it to a spear point and then used a veining chisel and a curved chisel to inscribe the leaf veins. After one end was done I used the ring as my indicator on how long the plate would need to be to forge an identical leaf on the other end before affixing the ring. I cut the plate and then worked that end to fuller and forge the other leaf. When both leaf ends were complete I used a cutting chisel and a handled hot cut chisel to cut out slot anchored at one end of the slot. This was pulled out and then drawn out to a length that would wrap around the ring. Final assembly consisted of heating the slot tab, laying the ring on the plate and wrapping the slot tab around the ring, tight enough to hold it permanently in place, but loosely enough to allow the ring to be pulled out. A 1/4 inch screw hole was drilled at each end to anchor the plate to your favorite castle door. The entire assembly was soaked in vinegar for a day, rinsed, dried, and power wire brushed. I then heated each leaf end from the back with a torch and used a brass brush on the front to impart a brass patina. The entire piece was then given two coats of clear acrylic spray. Now, if I just had the castle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Neat. And you'll attach it with hand forged nails of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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