Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Best way to make letters


Recommended Posts

I'm working on making a door knocker or maybe 2 for my new house. This is the rough design.1459278965152-1544595378.thumb.jpg.2007f

What is the best way to make the A? Right now I'm going to try a variation on how Chandler Dickinson made his scrolling fork, I'm sure it's not his original idea but that is where I saw it first. Is there an easier way? Would some kind of drift work better? Or should I make the A as 2 pieces and weld the bar in?

Any advice is appreciated. I searched for this but my searching skills are terrible so if there is a similar thread already please direct me to it. Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The BEST way? No such thing without knowing a whole lot more, experience, materials, tools, etc. etc. Even then one might be the bust a person can come up with but it's no more the best than it is perfect. Okay, enough of that rambly old fartedness from me. :blink:

What are the letters you're combining? I see an A and maybe an H? Do you need the A on it's side? How symmetrical do you need their dimensions?

What are you making it from? What size and what's backing it? How are you connecting the two? OR is one the knocker the other the strike plate?

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Material is mild 3/4 round. The picture rotated and haven't figured out how to not do that yet.  I'd like it as symmetrical as I can get it but don't expect it to be perfect.

This is my first idea20160329_153749.thumb.jpg.95071b6781e64f

Cut through and squeeze the material between the cuts together and out. As this is for me I'm not bothered about multiple failures and do overs. Just wondering if there is a better way. 

20 minutes ago, Daswulf said:

To forge an A why not start by forging an H then fold the top parts in and weld them to the point for the top of the A?  Just an idea. I haven't tried anything like that just yet. 

Hadn't thought of that, will probably try that if this doesn't work.

1459284089013-1454064100.thumb.jpg.95b25

This is a better drawing of my design. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's a fun looking door knocker but I'm still wondering is the A or H the knocker or strike plate? Is there a knocker to be added? I don't get what looks like the hinge.

That's okay. Forging a square drift is seriously easy, no reason not to tennon the joins. The H and A are pretty much the same to make just close the top for the A.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

8 minutes ago, Frosty said:

That's a fun looking door knocker but I'm still wondering is the A or H the knocker or strike plate? 

 

Guess I left that part out of the previous post, the A and brand are the knocker, I haven't figured out what I want to do for a strike plate yet. The A and hinge are one piece, the sideways H is riveted/welded onto the front of the A. 

I've gotten pretty ok with punches so I know it's not hard I just haven't needed to do a mortise and tenon joint yet so I don't have one yet.

Haven't decided which yet but either the A or the brand will be ground bright and the other probably brushedo brass, just to show contrast

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...