Burnttoast Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 What is the best means of creating a raised center vein on a leaf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Clapper dies, an open leaf swage or There is also the more acessible method of folding and opening the leaf back up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I'm the fold and open back up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Depending on the thickness of the metal and size of the leaf, different methods can get a raised vein. Need more information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Greetings Burnt, It all depends on the application.. Repousse and chasing for high relief . What metal are you going to work with ? Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 using angle iron, using presses and dies, The best way may be to do EDM on a piece and then laser cut it out. *BEST* is meaningless with out the details of the parameters; Would you consider it "best" if it cost a million dollars a leaf? Without throwing in a cost,size, tools required, etc and so on. Best is fairly nondescriptive. So: Hey I need to make some 4" long leaves about 2" wide and looking like beech leaves; I only need to make 8 of them and don't have any presses, dies etc only my hammer and anvil and tongs---suggestions on how I can make them on the cheap? Not all the details but it sure narrows things down a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnttoast Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 starts out as 1/2" H.R. round......ending up as 2" long x 1-3/4" wide Aspen leaf.....quantity, unknown, not for sale, just trying to make leaves as clean and unique as possible, not just hammered and veined with a chisel. The past few that i have done are "slightly" raised, more tapered from thick centers to thin edges. I would like assistance with giving the leaf a bit more character with an accented raised center vein. I have a 25lb Little Giant but only drawing die, few chisels and a few hammers. Here are the last ones i did, i would like a raised center vein for more "ommph".....after the 5th one coming out non picture worthy, i chimed in here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Make a small square block of thick steel with a stem to fit in your hardy hole. Grind or chisel in the pattern that you want. You may want several of these in various patterns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pault17 Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I do the half on/half of method, then spread out the leaf blade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I do mine length wise along the horn. With the center vein over the curve of the horn and drawing half the leaf over the top of the horn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukejoint Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 https://youtu.be/jmUWa7LvZ9k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Alec Steele has a video showing how he makes his leaves and I believe they have a raised vein. Search how to forge a decorative leaf hook by Alec Steele. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmangeler Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 If you use a die as in John's picture I would suggest making it with finer vein cuts. Just chisel cuts should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnttoast Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 agreed...i may make a bottom tool for the center vein only, and as you state, chisel in the finer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 That top example was from Poor Boy Tools, and the lines were just a suggestion drawn with a Sharpie. The bottom was a rough commercial casting available from a blacksmith supply catalog. I tend to think of all kinds of tools as a kit, to be modified to suit the owner's needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 I once made a bottom swage for leaves by taking a piece of steel the size of my hardy hole and cutting it vertically and folding out the side pieces flat with a trough left from the cutting and unfolding making the stem and the swage top and then chiseling in the veins and cleaning things up. it helps that I have large hardy holes but there is still some size limitations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burnttoast Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 cool....thanks. I will post my end product !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borntoolate Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 On 3/7/2016 at 5:24 AM, John McPherson said: Make a small square block of thick steel with a stem to fit in your hardy hole. Grind or chisel in the pattern that you want. You may want several of these in various patterns. Something just wants to make me say that this is a Nice tool! I am not a leaf guy but this could help make me one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Very rough sketches but this should give you the idea that there are many ways to skin a cat. All done with just a hammer & anvil, one with a vise, a few punches/fullers/butchers/chisels (whatever you want to call them). Note that for good results you need both hammer control and the ability to make a few BASIC tools. Practice. vein.pdf vein2.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 34 minutes ago, Borntoolate said: Something just wants to make me say that this is a Nice tool! I am not a leaf guy but this could help make me one! I make leaves here and there and I was thinking the same thing about it. Might be attempting to make one in the near future. I also like Thomas's idea of splitting a piece that fits in the hardy hole in the anvil and spreading it open. Lots of great ideas. 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.