ausfire Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Been looking for variations on those giant 300mm nails. First up, I need to declare that the heart shaped hook is not my original idea; it's based on a design in a photo Vaughn sent to me. I think the vine and tendril one is a bit 'busy' and I might try simplifying the next one. Visitors to my forge still can't believe how big those nails are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeroclick Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Those are some more beautiful pieces. Those nails really are cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Don't simplify that. If you are comfortable making them, they look very nice to me. Particularly the left one. The heart needs a bit of detail. One observation ... if you are selling this, I would supply the fasteners with it. A bright new phillip head screw will look out of place and ruin the piece. Ideally you can make the nails for them by hammering the head of a nail with a ball peen hammer carefully all around in the vice, or supply a blackened slot screw with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 When you get a chance, grab a piece of round stock and make a much larger nail than 300mm. It would be interesting to see the faces of those people trying to figure out what the much larger nails could have been used for. (grin) You may want to then make a nail head and shaft to attach to one side of a beam, and a nail shaft and nail pointed end to attach to the other side of the same beam. Just the two ends, no middle. How did you get that nail in THERE !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Gorgeous work, Aus. You're getting close to the end of the hooks, so I better prep another box! I'm gonna have to step up my game! As for fasteners, I've stopped offering them with the hooks. Folks always seem to have the wrong kind of wall for the hook I supply, so I found it was better to just let them source what works for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 Marc: I don't really intend to sell these. I want to keep them as examples of the use of the big nails. I agree that bright Phillips screws are not the best fasteners for forge work. For standard leaf hooks made from 10mm round bar, I supply either bronzed screws from Bunnings or lag screws which are squared off in the forge. They will only attach to timber of course. If you have a gyprock or masonry block wall you need the plastic plugs. What detail would you add to the heart? Perhaps draw out the shorter half more and wrap it? Glenn: Good idea. I like things that make people think. Vaughn: I'm running out of ideas too! I'm thinking of drawing one out to a long toasting fork with a twist or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Another nice batch Aus. My brother asked me for something a little more "manly" for his hunting room. I'm thinking I might attempt to make some antlers on one of these. Not sure if there is enough material there but I'll be giving it a try soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 15 minutes ago, Daswulf said: My brother asked me for something a little more "manly" for his hunting room. I'm thinking I might attempt to make some antlers on one of these. Not sure if there is enough material there but I'll be giving it a try soon. I made an antlered wall hook for the kitchen by following Mark Aspery's directions for a "Stag-horn hinge", just with a hook instead of a hinge barrel. I didn't peen the antlers quite enough before splitting off the prongs, but otherwise it's okay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Yeah JHCC, That's what I was thinking of trying with the nail. I have seen that video and that is what made me think of it. Now to see if there is enough meat on a nail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 16 minutes ago, Daswulf said: Now to see if there is enough meat on a nail. If not, you could weld two nails side-by-side (arc or forge) to give you wider stock for the head, one nail point each for the antlers, and a double hook down below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Blacksmithing discussions are like antlers: you can't have too many good points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 On January 18, 2017 at 6:36 AM, ausfire said: I agree that bright Phillips screws are not the best fasteners for forge work. Vaughn: I'm running out of ideas too! I'm thinking of drawing one out to a long toasting fork with a twist or two. One thing I noticed is that you're flattening the area where you put the holes. This is good for punching the hole through, but also detracts a hair from the possibilities. I've been forging in a divot with a 1/2" round-nose punch, then doing the through-hole for the screw. With the divot there, you get a bit more visual interest in the piece and a dome-head screw looks really nice in them. Even with a phillips-head screw, it sits below the surface in a way that makes it look like a knot or bud. Of course, I throw all the screws in the fire and darken them first. Bronze would look great by itself, standing out a bit from the waxed steel. Also, since Australia doesn't have the big nails, it might be better to save at least one so you have a before-n-after type set up. It'd make a really neat storyboard to show folks how much you can get out of a single nail. You might consider making your own "nails" by upsetting the end of a 13" piece of 3/8" stock. As you're already doing things to the pointed end, it might be nice to do a flower-bud on the head of the nail. I'll forge one out later today and post some pics. They're easy as snot to make and go really good if you're going to do leaves on the other end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Vaughn, Have you considered switching from the use of Phillips screws (cross head screws) to Robertson (Square slotted heads) screws? I think that they are better looking, less obtrusive, and smaller than the large Phillips cross heads. Check for a picture on the net. They are readily available in Canada, but some specialty wood working stores carry them here. For example, I have bought them at the local Woodcraft Tool store. Other such shops and web stores should carry them, too). The Robertson screws are far superior to the Phillips screws. Thy screw driver does not readily slip out of the screw head and that head does not deform like Phillips and straight slot screws. (incidentally, straight slot screws are rarely used in Canada, anymore). Regards to all. SLAG. Down by the mighty Mississippi River. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Vaughn, thank you for the advice. I do use your technique of forging the divot for the holes, although not quite as deep as yours. I use the back end of a small ball pein hammer, the same one I use for the tabs on bottle openers. I like that method as it lines things up nicely for punching the holes and the steel doesn't want to roll under the hole punch. I agree it is visually more appealing ... I'll make the next ones deeper. I have saved the last nail for the reasons you suggest; it is good to have a comparison between the finished product and what you started with. Anyway, I've kept it because people are amazed at how big they are. I was in a major hardware store in Cairns yesterday and the biggest nails they could supply were 125mm bullet heads. Piddly in comparison to those 12 inch spikes. As you suggest, it would not be difficult to upset 3/8 stock and make similar nails. Could even texture the grip marks. And the flower head sounds like a good idea. Here's a picture of the nail toasting fork I did. I thought it may be a bit weak drawing it out that long, but it's sturdy enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobasaurus Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Really great work, I love these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 These are very nice! When doing the fork, or the heart, are you flattening the end, then splitting it? (I think I'd need a hacksaw, I don't think I could hot cut something that thin!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 As in this picture, it is easier to flatten a round to hot cut, then re-round each. Umba has a DVD video of a demo I did making these heart hooks - # RD172 I started making these after seeing one that Jake Pogrebinsky from Alaska had made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausfire Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 18 hours ago, JimsShip said: These are very nice! When doing the fork, or the heart, are you flattening the end, then splitting it? (I think I'd need a hacksaw, I don't think I could hot cut something that thin!) Yes, pretty much. A bit tricky keeping the fork part tidy though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kailey Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 On January 17, 2017 at 4:13 PM, Marc1 said: Don't simplify that. If you are comfortable making them, they look very nice to me. Particularly the left one. The heart needs a bit of detail. One observation ... if you are selling this, I would supply the fasteners with it. A bright new phillip head screw will look out of place and ruin the piece. Ideally you can make the nails for them by hammering the head of a nail with a ball peen hammer carefully all around in the vice, or supply a blackened slot screw with it. Maybe some cool pyramid head lags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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