I don't get a ton of time in the forge, which leads me to spending more time reading about it than doing it. Which leaves me with lots of questions.

So using a heavier stock to make a scroll, you then can just wrap hot metal around the former... 

Does this work for other shapes? Barring probably some funky 180 degree turns, iI suppose? 

You can make up all sorts of bending jigs. For rings and hooks, I have one of Yesteryear Forges Versa jigs as well as a similar unit I bought off ebay for making larger rings. The same idea can be used to make other shapes. Pins can be dropped into holes to allow stock to be bent around one form then change direction.

I've picked up a number of bending jigs over the years; a lot of them pipe of two differing sizes so you can bend either size using the other as the stop.  I also have a hairpin jig for doing fence pickets that look like large upside down U's.  got a few used to make offsets for overlapping strap stock, etc.  anytime you have to make more than X of something spending time on a jig can pay off.  (X depends on YOUR jig creation skills, YOUR equipment and YOUR manner of working---eg I do a lot of S hooks but freehand them all for the practice.)

A quick and easy is to make an 'U' of suitable stock and stick it in the vise.

Göte

 

I whipped up a fairly standard scroll jig yesterday... Haven't tested it yet, but iI think it'll work if I weld on a piece to grip on the vise. 

I free handed a couple yard hooks for my mom, but wanted to be able to make them match a bit nicer. That got me thinking about shapes and jigs. 

Anyhow, my forge isn't set up to easily handle big hook, without some major reconfiguring, so I've settled on a smaller one. Which is good too since it'll keep the weight centered over the pole instead of trying to stretch out and away. 

 

A plate of 12 mm steel with a lot of holes drilled almost through makes a good bending jig. A piece of lat bar welded to the back allows it to be firmly held in the vice. I use 6mm holes which are the perfect size for those pegs which hold the strings on a piano. I have hundreds of them for old pianos we have scrapped.

You can bend 1/2 inch round stock cold. Just make the jig to account for spring back.

That's a good idea... Will I need a cheater pipe for that? 

I suppose that iI could hot start the scroll and then move to cold when I get beyond the space in my forge. 

Come to think of it, iI have a decent sized ASO laying around that iI could drill a few holes in to for pegs. Hmmm