David Kailey Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 So Spokane has a bridge right over the Falls and a customer brought me a 4ft turn buckle and wanted some thing that looked "old Iron bridgey" but also wanted to be able to see the turnbuckle. So here it is....id have only used rivets but the customer wanted back up so it is welded.....even tho those old iron bridges where all riveted. lol. the most challenging part of this build was arching the 3" x 1/4" flat bar....the hard way.....it took a lot of work because the customer did not want a thinned edge.....from hammering the outside edge to help it curve....its hard to believe I know.... but it is 1/4" all the way across the arch.....As I forged I had to forge the extra steel from the inside edge across to the outside edge... this was a very painstaking task and those 2 arched took me over 3 hours to forge but....The arch is 3" x 1/4" all the way across. It don't look like much but it one of the best forgings i have produced with that level of difficulty.It was pretty tight arch because the base is only 14" across so and it took 20" of bar stock....so its pretty crunched up.... moved a lot of steel with the hammer and fire. I originally was just going to build a wedge to hold the turn buckle in place but the customer wanted the center strap to just pass thru the eyes on the turn buckle. So I removed the center strap and used a longer strap to pass thru and secure the turnbuckle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Wow. Very cool design. Nice work David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Oh YEAH! Beautiful piece David. I sure hope you charged the guy enough! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Wow. Wow again on the arches. I would have trusted your rivets. Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlasterJoe Posted March 18, 2017 Share Posted March 18, 2017 I know that bridge well, down in riverfront park. You definitely did it justice. Great work David. Hope your not going to paint it that blue/green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kailey Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share Posted March 21, 2017 On 3/17/2017 at 6:56 PM, BlasterJoe said: I know that bridge well, down in riverfront park. You definitely did it justice. Great work David. Hope your not going to paint it that blue/green. Joe, The picture is the piece completed......i just waxed it. Gotta let that beautiful steel radiate its glory. On 3/16/2017 at 1:26 PM, Anachronist58 said: Wow. Wow again on the arches. I would have trusted your rivets. Robert Taylor I would have trusted them also not that its really viable but the welds on the back side are a bit of a bummer for me to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Stephens Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Very Nice David, What is the top going to be? Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 2 minutes ago, PVF Al said: Very Nice David, What is the top going to be? Al Asphalt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 super nice work. that will be gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kailey Posted March 25, 2017 Author Share Posted March 25, 2017 On 3/22/2017 at 5:30 AM, PVF Al said: Very Nice David, What is the top going to be? Al I believe they are using a piece of natural cut maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockmaker Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 The Asphalt idea made me laugh, but the longer I thought about it the better I liked it. It sounds like you are not going to be involved with the top, but if I were doing it I would try taking an elevated picture of that road top above the bridge (both lanes) than enlarging the picture to fit the new table top, sticking it onto the top and clear coating with epoxy. David I met you at the 2016 Spring Hammer In, you are very open and kind person. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Find a company that cuts out chunks of roadway to work on utilities and negotiate for an offcut the size you need. Cover it with a good clear sealer (with perhaps a yellow line along one side of the face...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kailey Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 On 3/25/2017 at 8:00 AM, stockmaker said: The Asphalt idea made me laugh, but the longer I thought about it the better I liked it. It sounds like you are not going to be involved with the top, but if I were doing it I would try taking an elevated picture of that road top above the bridge (both lanes) than enlarging the picture to fit the new table top, sticking it onto the top and clear coating with epoxy. David I met you at the 2016 Spring Hammer In, you are very open and kind person. Take care. Well thanks for the compliment.... hope to see you again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigpen60 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 I was crossing the border at Columbus NM, USA to Palomas MX and they were doing some road work on the US side and had a pile of asphalt slabs cut out of the roadway----including one with the double yellow line! I was thinking of your project... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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