Michael Cochran Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 I managed to get some shop time today and decided again to try for a folded style axe and got it looking decent. I now have to make a drift and I'm not sure I have anything large enough on hand that I can use. The rough measurements on the eye right now are .75" wide at the back tapering to .5" in the front and 1.5" front to back. I have a piece of axle that's roughly 1" round and I have 1x.375" that I could use. I know if I use the flat bar I'll have to weld two pieces together and might have to add a small piece of something else to make it thick enough I can smooth it up and be about the right size. I could try to upset the axle but usually I'm the one that gets upset not the steel. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 looks like a good solid weld. If you want to reduce the loss of carbon in your bit due to migration at the cutting edge, now is the time to trim back the mild outer layers only at the tip, grind away like maybe a 20 degree or sleeper slope. you will have to reduce it there anyway to make a cutting edge, may as well have it exposed higher carbon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 I was debating on doing that simply because the bit is so much thinner than the mild jacket and I new I ran the risk of it being consumed. I'd hate to get to the end of the process and find that the mild has completely enveloped the bit. I do appreciate you taking the time to make that suggestion, I'd never seen that mentioned before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 dump truck leaf spring (or train car leaf spring) will probably be quite large enough to make a drift from especially if you have access to a cutting torch---in which case the top section of a piece of RR Rail is a good sized hunk of high C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Thomas, thanks for the slap in the face. I have my old rail anvil still kicking around. I could cut me a small piece of the top off and still have some for the top fuller I really should've used (according to the numerous videos I've watched) to form the eye before folding instead of just using the anvil edges like I did. Whenever I get this thing finished up I'll be sure to upload some pictures of the finished product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Might I suggest looking at the web, it all ready has a taper. About 7/8 thick at the thickest and 1/2" at the thinnest and 4" for width if cut in half. The 3x1 1/2" head would make a drift for a BIG axe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 My rail is one of the smaller ones. It's not mainline but the head is still a little large. I will look at the other parts and make sure of their sizes. before I do anything I'll have to find it I just moved shops and some stuff are still hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 I finally got to work on my drift some more but failed to do my math and other things right. I ended up forging the drift too long leaving too little meat to get the size I mention above. So I now have a piece of tools steel shaped like I wanted just much smaller. I'm hoping I didn't waste my time and fuel on this and need to start over but if I do then I do. The size I ended up with is about 3/8" on the narrow side and about 7/8" on the wide back side and is roughly 1 1/4" front to back. I know the ones you see at some stores now use nothing more than a piece of 5/8" tubing for the handle and they work ok as long as you don't get too rough. I have the steel and I have a fire right now so I can start over if I need to but I need to know is what I have large enough for a reliable hatchet? I'm hoping someone can tell me some good news here. I need a win after some of my recent failures but I don't want to sacrifice function just to feel better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Mate there is a line in your weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted December 31, 2016 Author Share Posted December 31, 2016 18 minutes ago, turbo7 said: Mate there is a line in your weld. I assure it's not there anymore. Since those pictures were taken I took a few more welding heats and went back over the whole thing. I also have the blade section roughed out waiting for the eye to be finished. It's been sitting for a couple months now patiently waiting for me to come back to it. Thank you for that observation though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Good job mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted January 1, 2017 Author Share Posted January 1, 2017 The lack of replies has me a little baffled. I guess I'll throw this drift to the side and start over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Can you post a pic of it mate? How does to measure up to your handles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted January 1, 2017 Share Posted January 1, 2017 Replay to what ? You still aint finished it. hurry we dont like waiting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted January 2, 2017 Author Share Posted January 2, 2017 52 minutes ago, turbo7 said: Can you post a pic of it mate? How does to measure up to your handles? The handles I'll cut and shape myself. I have access to good straight grain dry hardwood and will be giving the first few hatchets away as gifts so will not be spending big money on buying handles. 37 minutes ago, Steve Sells said: Replay to what ? You still aint finished it. hurry we dont like waiting I know, Steve, shame on me for wasting all this time. Unfortunately my time in the shop slowed down when my wrist started bothering me do to repetitive motion at work but it's somewhat better now. The original plan was for these to be done in time for Christmas but I obviously didn't make it. Good thing I didn't tell anyone Pictures show the side view followed by the back edge and lastly the front edge. They also show that something freshly forged and cleaned up with a 60 grit flap disk rusts quickly when exposed to rain for close to 20 hours. (I really need to get my roof finished) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 How about a front profile shot mate? The front profile needs to be smaller than the rear of it, also you want the edges well rounded mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 As turbo said. Should be tapered toward the front and the back should be tapered in a bit like a smushed egg and I would taper it toward the tip a bit more legnth wise, you want the top wider than the bottom so when it's wedged it can't come free even if loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted January 2, 2017 Author Share Posted January 2, 2017 1 hour ago, turbo7 said: How about a front profile shot mate? The last picture shows the edge for the front of the eye. I stopped cleaning up the shape when I realized I had no idea the the size would be ok. I knew I still needed to do lots of work to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpearson Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 finish that one if it's not big enough for you make one from there up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Wow I usually buy my handles as seconds for a buck or two when I'm visiting the Ozarks. Making one would take me longer than making a pattern welded billet. I only do it for special high priced jobs as buying them is cheap compared to labour costs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 The ones I make the handles for will be special jobs. One for my father in law whom has taught me so much in the 6 years I've been around and the other is for my brother. I guess I should be looking at handles and base my drift off of those measurements and probably rework my technique I used on this hatchet head so that next time it'll fit a premise handle. Thanks guys for talkin some sense into me. Next time just slap me and tell me to wake up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 Yes I try to use a drift that will fit a standard handle rather than spend extra time reworking the handle. In fact with the little kindling hatchets I forge from farrier's rasps I often drift them for hammer handles as they are easier to source than hawk or hatchet handles. (Did the forging on one over the holidays: took a rasp and folded it in two lengthways leaving the eye area open. Forge welded the two sides together and then cut off the tang and folded the end over to just before the eye area and forge welded it again to give me more mass and less length---without the second fold it's more a mini froe...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted January 3, 2017 Author Share Posted January 3, 2017 I didn't think about using a hammer style handle simply because they don't feel right in the hand to me. I may try a couple that way also and see which one sells better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 The kindling hatchets I've made are for my wife's use. So she hasn't much time spent with axe or hatchet handles; she generally use a froe to split kindling and so the "roundish handles" feel ok. Our primary house heat is thermonuclear with a woodstove back up that we use way more than needed as we like *fire*! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted January 3, 2017 Share Posted January 3, 2017 1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said: Our primary house heat is thermonuclear with a woodstove back up that we use way more than needed as we like *fire*! Thermonuclear, seriously? Are you that close to White Sands so you can collect atomic testing debris and use it to power a reactor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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