ausfire Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Do you have days when nothing goes right? I thought I would try making a bottle opener from a truck wheel stud. Almost had it drifted to size and it broke out. Hard metal too. Then I had this really nice piece of wrought iron bolt with a nut seized on the end. Figured it would make a unique bottle opener with the nut as a handle. Thought I would try making the hole in the middle of the bolt to avoid the splitting out on the end, as usually happens. So it splits at the side. I don't know why I persist with wrought iron, but I do like the grainy effect and the lustre it has. Fortunately these did not occur in demo time ... I was just giving it a try before we opened. I feel like giving up on the wrought. Much as I don't like to post pictures of disasters: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Thanks for the pics Daryll, will be following to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Bolt looks thin. Did you just punch and drift, or did you slit 1st? I've had better luck with thin stuff if I slit and upset 1st, then drift. That way I'm not stretching the hole too large. You might be able to salvage that one possibly if you turn the top into a "loop" like coldironkilz showed just recently in the bottle opener thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud in PA Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 When everything goes right I get very nervous. It is usually followed by several days of things going wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I only use the drift to spread it open enough to then work it open on the horn or a small cone. It seems to work better cause when stretching it finds thinnest part and all the force concentrates there which is the opposite of what you really want. By working it open over a horn or cone you can dictate where you want it to stretch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Punching and drifting wrought is problematical you've a better chance drawing it down turning a loop and welding it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 If every thing is going right I know I'm dreaming and the alarm is due anytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 10 hours ago, DSW said: Bolt looks thin. Did you just punch and drift, or did you slit 1st? I've had better luck with thin stuff if I slit and upset 1st, then drift. That way I'm not stretching the hole too large. You might be able to salvage that one possibly if you turn the top into a "loop" like coldironkilz showed just recently in the bottle opener thread. DSW: It was a fairly big bolt. A stud from a Mack truck. I probably flattened it a bit thin though. And yes, I just punched and drifted the hole - I do all my openers that way. Perhaps this steel was high tensile or something. Could be salvageable if I turned it into a crab claw sort of opener I suppose. FF: Yes, I use a small cone mandrill after the initial punch and drift. If things go slightly awry, by cooling one side of the opener it's easy to maintain an even loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 On 16/1/2016 at 9:42 AM, ausfire said: And yes, I just punched and drifted the hole - I do all my openers that way. Are U using a slot punch to start the hole or a round one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 7 hours ago, yahoo2 said: Are U using a slot punch to start the hole or a round one? Round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 I reckon you would benefit from trying a slot punch. Stretching a hole with a drift to enlarge it is not going to work all that well, it really needs to be squared up and peined like any other drawing out technique. Starting with a slot will get you closer to the end point with a lot less metal working. It is also possible to keep the original profile by slotting over the bottom half of a swage tool the same shape. slotting from edge to edge on a square bar and opening it out looks pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Thanks. I guess I'll be making a slot punch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 you dont sound convinced Aus. just grind the point off an old chisel and round the corners a little. that will get you started. if you need some inspiration Mark Aspery has a short video on youtube called Blacksmithing: punching and drifting theory. it might not stop the wheel stud breaking but I'm confident it will work on the bolt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Make one on Brian Brazeals pattern, his slot/slit/ etc. punches work a treat. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 9 hours ago, yahoo2 said: you dont sound convinced Aus. just grind the point off an old chisel and round the corners a little. that will get you started. Well, the thing is, I am convinced that a slot punch would be a good thing, but for ordinary run-of-the-mill bottle openers from mild steel my round punches do fine. I have done a great many from rail spikes etc with no problem. The only hassles occur when I have a moment of madness and think I can do things with wrought iron or high tensile weird metal bolts. I have actually made a slot punch or two, but I got tired of carrying them round and not using them. And maybe I didn't forge them right. Perhaps I'll give them another try, but I'm not that keen to keep wasting time on wrought iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Give one a try on mild sometime. Slitting gives you extra material to work with so you're not drawing what's left just "bending" it out and shaping it. After that you thin as much as you like. Bending is much easier than drawing out. Of course that's just how I like doing it and I'm pretty lazy. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan the blacksmith Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 heres a good vid on making a slot punch by alec steele. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8MxfOCYzC0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Was making a new spring fuller just now and I was texting and forging and........ Need a commercial like for texting and driving. (Remember kids don't text and forge..... It can wait. ) can always turn it into some punches or chisels.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rthibeau Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 them pics seem to be of slits/slots/punched holes/whatever to be off center..that will be a hurt right there... Frozen Forge.......I like them bottle openers...real nice...send me a couple...Please..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 24 minutes ago, Daswulf said: Was making a new spring fuller just now and I was texting and forging and........ Need a commercial like for texting and driving. (Remember kids don't text and forge..... It can wait. ) can always turn it into some punches or chisels.. rivet them together it will work just fine. Either inwards in a heart shape or outwards in an ogee shape will work. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 37 minutes ago, Alan Evans said: rivet them together it will work just fine. Either inwards in a heart shape or outwards in an ogee shape will work. Alan I appreciate the tip, and I'll keep it in mind, but I was already onto another one. Always learning something new tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 So Das, that was a piece of straightened out coil spring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumbojak Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I had one of those days on Monday. Round to square consistently eluded me - though the dogs dropping "toys" under my feet might have had something to do with it - and I would up mangling the piece of stock beyond all recognition in frustration. Grrrr... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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